Belfast Council to discuss broadband expansion, Church Street building, using $46K ARPA for fire/ambulance salaries
BELFAST — The Belfast City Council will hold its regularly scheduled public meeting this evening, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. The Council will begin with a closed door session at 6:45 p.m. to discuss and “economic development matter,” according to the agenda.
Meetings begin with a roll call of Belfast Mayor Eric Sanders, and City Councilors Mary Mortier, Neal Harkness, Michael Hurley, Brenda Bonneville, Paul Dean, in addition to City Manager Erin Herbig, and Administrative Assistant Manda Cushing.
Business items on this meeting’s agenda include an update from Great Works Internet on its planned broadband expansion project in Belfast. The Council will also consider the possible sale of two tax-foreclosed properties.
The Council is also to discuss 126 Church Street, which was built in 1890 and has been on the market.
A request to appropriate $774.95 from the undesignated fund balance will also be discussed. The money would reportedly be used “to fund a prorated portion of the 2021-2022 property tax assessment attributable to the City of Belfast’s period of ownership of property acquired by Paul and Nancy Hamilton by deed dated September 21, 2021,” according to the agenda.
A request to authorize hourly pay for volunteer stipend ambulance shifts will also be considered at the meeting.
Another item on the agenda is a request to transfer $46,000 from the American Rescue Plan Funding Account into fire/ambulance salary and wages accounts.
The Climate Crisis Committee’s report on extreme precipitation in Belfast will also be reviewed.
Two facility approval requests will be heard, one for the Our Town Belfast annual menorah lighting in Post Office Square on Sunday, Nov. 28; a request for facility use is being sought for the same area for the Our Town Belfast annual Christmas tree lighting on Saturday, Dec. 4.
Belfast City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Meetings are conducted online using Zoom and can be streamed on the City of Belfast website. They also air live on BEL TV and on Belfast Community Radio at WBFY 100.9.
