BELFAST — The Belfast City Council will hold its regularly scheduled public meeting this evening, April 4, at 7 p.m., to address topics including a new catastrophic leave policy, appointment of a new poet laureate, the menu for the City park food stand this summer, and and street repair, among others. 

The first item on Belfast City Manager Erin Herbig’s agenda is a discussion and consideration of restructuring City committees; a topic broached at the March 21, council meeting. During that discussion. City staff proposed a two-phase process with regard to the restructuring process. 

Phase one would see the creation of four new committees. The new committees to be created are the City Policy Committee, which would also include the Housing and Property Development Committee. The second new committee would be the Climate, Energy, and Utilities Committee; the third committee would be the Pedestrian, Transportation, and Accessibility Committee. The final committee would be the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee. 

As discussed at the March 21 meeting, the current members of other committees will retain their posts after the restructuring, though this transitional period will not extend beyond 2026, according to the report. After 2026, each City police committee will be comprised of nine to eleven members. It has been recommended that one or two of the membership seats on each committee will be occupied by City councilors.

After the initial discussion regarding the proposed restructuring, a survey was sent out to impacted committee members and staff, to allow for additional feedback before the process is finalized. The surveys are due at Herbig’s office on Monday, April 3, by noon. The information gained will then be provided to the Council prior to the start of the meeting.

A newly nominated Belfast Poet Laureate will appear at the meeting, where it will be requested that the Council appoint the selected candidate. Potential poet laureates can be nominated by others, or can apply for the position themselves. Stein will be available at the April 4, meeting to answer any questions. 

Later in the agenda is a request for the Council to appoint a treasurer, and to confirm the appointment of a currently to-be-determined finance director.

The City received a total of 13 completed applications from qualified individuals, both within the State and those who live elsewhere in the U.S. The Belfast Finance/Director/Treasurer Hiring Committee conducted its first round of interviews last week. According to Herbig’s report, the Committee is currently conducting a second round of interviews, and expects to have a recommendation for the Council at the April 4, meeting. 

Elsewhere in the report, the Council is being asked to approve the proposed City of Belfast Catastrophic Leave Pool Policy. Suggestions about establishing some type of catastrophic leave policy for employees. 

The policy would be activated when and if an employee or an immediate family member suffers a catastrophic accident, illness, or comparable life-threatening situation that prevents the employee from returning to work for an extended period, according to Herbig’s report. The proposed policy would give City employees the option to choose to donate vacation, personal, or comp time to the catastrophic leave pool. 

“The City of Belfast has been focused for the last several years on improving our ability to retain and attract employees. This policy will give the City of Belfast one more tool in its toolbox as we continue to find ways in which we can support our staff during difficult times and build staff morale,” the report reads.

Public Works Director Bob Richards is requesting the Council accept and award the city street paving bids. The City held a bid opening at City Hall March 28, for City street paving. There were a total of nine bids, and Richards is recommending to award the bid to Hopkins Pavement, a company that had a bid of $99.87 per ton for paving and $2.15 for milling streets. 

The streets to be milled and paved this year include: Allyn, Bridge, Condon, Cottage, Fahey, Huntress, Union, and sections of Anderson, Cedar, Charles, and the lower end of Waldo Ave, according to the report. The streets with a shim and overlay are Fairview, footbridge, Mitchell, and Old Route 1. All are tentatively scheduled to be paved unless there is a price adjustment prior to the work starting. 

Richards will attend the meeting to answer any questions. 

A request to enter into an agreement for the City Park Concession for the 2023 season will also be heard. Two proposals were received by the City, with BelTaco eventually selected. BelTaco will reportedly offer a menu that includes tacos, burritos, and park favorites. If approved the stand will run from May 2023 through September 2023, Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Herbigs complete agenda is available to view on the City’s website.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com