Bangor Finance Committee approves equipment bids, tables tax workout agreement

[0:14] Daniel Carson: Good evening. Welcome to the regularly scheduled Finance Committee meeting. I am the chair for tonight, Daniel Carson. Around the table we have fellow defenders, Councilor Malheur, Councilor Fish, Councilor Beck, and Councilor Walker also joining the Finance Committee this evening. We are also joined at the table by Council Chair Haas, Councilor Leonard, and Councillor Faloon as well as City Manager Carollynn Lear. We have first on the agenda bids and [0:48] Carollynn Lear: purchases. I should have said I'm going to be leading finance today. I kind of got that when I just parked it here. So the first item is an RFP for a sidewalk contractor. There 43,000. The staff recommendation is actually to go with the middle bidder, not the low bidder. And the reason being is that we have some experience with the low bidder. And the issue is that they mail all their parts internationally. They are much more expensive and it takes a long time to get them. So when there are issues with a sidewalk tractor, they can be down for an extended period of time if we go with that particular brand of the low bidder so staff recommendation is to go with orgard which is the middle bidder slightly more expensive but better in the long run as it relates to cost of repairs as well as downtime did this tractor get a name oh do we have to have a naming exercise [2:15] Michael Beck: I would move Passage of Staff Recommendation. Second. Seconded. [2:22] Daniel Carson: Is there any doubt? Next we have Minnie Excavator. [2:30] Lisa Goodwin: Chair, just to follow procedure, was there a vote to elect Chair Potem with the committee? [2:37] Carollynn Lear: Yes. Okay. We can't do it before they start. It needs to be a part of the meeting. [2:43] Susan Hawes: Wouldn't you do that right at the beginning? [2:44] Michael Beck: no let's just yeah i would make a motion that daniel carson is the chair pro tem of the evening for the finance committee i [3:00] Speaker F (unidentified): will continue as chair [3:09] Daniel Carson: angela walker has been appointed to the finance committee for the evening [3:23] Michael Beck: all right so [3:29] Carollynn Lear: are we ready to move on to the mini and state point of order i just don't need to [3:34] Michael Beck: the vote [3:39] Wayne Mallar: was unanimous right but she wasn't appointed to the committee until [3:46] Susan Deane: until after the vote they just get the chair and they added Angela for tonight they can revote it [3:55] Lisa Goodwin: they want but the vote was unanimous and so it would be good without her vote right yeah all [4:04] Carollynn Lear: right so the second item is an RFP for our mini excavator 10 bids were received and staff recommendation is to go with the low bid on this one and we also have excellent past history with this provider [4:28] Michael Beck: staff recommendation on the minutes be [4:40] Daniel Carson: seconded by a member of the [5:02] Carollynn Lear: Yes. So the police department has budgeted for a bomb squad x ray system. There were three bids that were all very, close. And the recommendation is to go with quattro retroimaging which was not the low bidder but I believe someone is here to help explain wow is that right that's what my memo says so [5:41] Unidentified speaker (Director of Bomb Squad): sergeant char is going to speak to the he's the director of our bomb squad I would say that we're replacing a piece of equipment that we purchased in 2008. it's certainly outdated and we are eager to buy a more advanced piece of equipment and can you explain how we came to the [6:00] Unidentified speaker (Staff/Technical Expert): hybrid releases yeah so the new system is a digital x-ray as opposed to the old system i just want to clarify that the older system uses panels which is a significant difference in technology and a significant advancement from 2008 when on the original stuff and it actually operations-wise it takes out certain steps makes things faster so i just want to clarify that so basically on the quattro system and the reason why we're we really would recommend to go with that system some of the major ones and without boring you with them all but the quattro system has a lower bezel what that means is so if you have a digital x-ray panel and you're x-raying a suspicious package or something like that. The bezel is the amount of that image that you're going to capture closest to the bottom. The other systems that were in the bid don't have as low a bezel as that does, and what that means is that you could, for us, you could miss things that are on the bottom of those packages, which is hugely important. There's a number of other different reasons for it. Quattro is a medical, is typically historically been in the medical industry for imaging so their images are the best they're top-notch the FBI which maintains our training FBI HRT all the special agent bomb techs are moving to the quattro system because it's it's the better system of that it has the ability through its mesh network to integrate with already with the robot that was already purchased a year and a half ago so there's a benefit there to increase range in use with this see battery life on these it's a 16 hour battery life which is far larger than the than the other systems in this and the battery is internal on this system as opposed to the other systems where you're gonna have to purchase extra like dual batteries on that. And another major one for this is tech support on this. So Quattro Digital X-ray panel has the ability, if we were on a call to, and we're having a problem with that panel, the Quattro tech support can actually link into that panel remotely and fix our problem there. We wouldn't have to even, you know, remove that out of out of service to go there. So it's it's and the other systems don't have that ability. So and I believe it was like four [8:49] Unidentified speaker (Director of Bomb Squad): thousand above the there are a number of advances with this particular system. The difference in the quote is very close. It was four thousand dollars difference to me. The advancement seems to outweigh the value and the differences in that. [9:04] Unidentified speaker (Staff/Technical Expert): And the quality of the panel as well for, especially for me where the chances of falling panel pretty high, the panel is built tougher than the other systems. [9:18] Carollynn Lear: Not on this committee, [9:20] Michael Beck: but I'm just wondering why I see the bid it's 53,196, but I see on our agenda that it says it's 62,000. [9:31] Unidentified speaker (Director of Bomb Squad): hours so 62 000 is what we had asked for what you approved during our capital improvement last year but we're actually this bid is [9:44] Michael Beck: I would move staff recommendation any [9:51] Daniel Carson: discussion in the house passage thank you is without [10:04] Carollynn Lear: agreement for 181 state street yes so the owner of 181 state street Mr James Butler and I'm meeting with city staff regarding building taxes and utility payments on the property asked what his options were to redeem. There are multiple tax and utility liens on the property totaling approximately 60 000 owed. Mr Butler has proposed an agreement to pay 6 500 per quarter. The agreement would also require that Mr Butler stay up to date on all newly accruing taxes and utilities and also enter into an agreement with CNED to address the vacant building registry fees. The agreement would continue for a year. I'm presuming Mr Butler was compliant with the agreement we would then come back with to you to ask for it's this one property correct this one property are [11:16] Wayne Mallar: the other properties he owns current [11:18] Lisa Goodwin: right David Sefcik city solicitor I can talk to five other properties that involve the vacant building registration matter. 72 state street the old the Dowd building on that property Mr Butler was focusing it was focusing a lot on that property in order to bring it up to date, he paid $500 a week for 26 weeks on the back real estate taxes, and then recently paid off the entire remaining balance, which was over $10,800. He also paid off the downtown tax balance and the utility, and he paid a quick claim fee. So he's totally up to speed on his taxes on 72 State Street. Also, regarding 72 State Street, we are in the process of an agreement with C&ED, the Administrative Consent Agreement, with regard to the vacant building registration. That is not finalized yet, but he has been very cooperative in that regard and with regard to the payment of the taxes as well. 181 State Street. We are also in the process of reaching an agreement on the vacant building registration and fees. 424 State Street. I understand Mr. Butler says that place is occupied and code enforcement has confirmed water and electric usage there. So that's no longer on the vacant property list. 67 lincoln was the property that the council entered a there was a april 28th 20 2025 dangerous building decision in order and pursuant to that decision in order mr butler demoed that property there is still an issue in that he hasn't yet filled in the hole But the, but the, but the building is demoed. and then, 125 Warren, he is not registered. and he's at the point where, you know, he's been given his, last chance letter. And I would intend to meet with him about that one. We've been meeting about 72 State Street multiple times, and then recently about 181 State Street. So that will be the next one that I meet with him on, 125 Warren. As far as the vacant building registration, I don't have the information on that one. As far as any, I don't believe there any. Well, I have to defer on the back taxes owed on that one on 125 Warren. So will he bring [14:22] Wayne Mallar: taxes up to date on all properties before we go into this agreement, or is that, are we looking for an agreement on each property? 72 State, the taxes are up to speed, all the, all the properties the [14:35] Lisa Goodwin: taxes are up except for this one. No, I can't, occurrence, I can't say that. I can say 72 State is up to speed, but perhaps someone else can update on the taxes for the other properties. [14:53] Michael Beck: General Emerson, tax collector. I don't, I didn't look up every property before I came in here. I know he doesn't have any more that we would have to enter into an agreement for. So no other property is mature. Anything that he does, oh, I believe if he does owe, it's current year. [15:12] Speaker F (unidentified): Stop questions. What's [15:22] Susan Deane: the current value of this property? This one is valued at 465,800. 800. [15:42] Wayne Mallar: So if he fails to make a payment or bring current all taxes on other properties, [15:54] Michael Beck: this agreement is null and void? No, so the agreement would only be on this property. So [15:58] Wayne Mallar: He could let the taxes go on the others, I [16:06] Michael Beck: guess, of the lien, sixty thousand dollars. How much of that is tax and how much of that is utility tax is 57 000 217 and absolutely with each remaining so almost 2100 on sewer and about 700 on strong water if this committee was to say no to this, what would be the next step to repossess the property? It would take possession [Speaker F (unidentified): session, yeah, and] that's what we were going to do, and then he contacted us to discuss other [Speaker F (unidentified): options longer.] Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, let's see. My concern is just that's a lot of money to kind of just let it go and then last second call the, oh wait, so I'm hesitant, especially with the value of that on the property. I was [17:12] Daniel Carson: just double checking about, did he have an agreement somewhere and then he followed through with that and it was successful? Yeah, yes, David. [17:23] Lisa Goodwin: Septic, City Solicitor. Yeah, it was 72 State Street. Well, he didn't technically have a workout agreement, but he was bringing in $500 a week and he did that for 26 weeks, and then recently he paid off the entire balance of 10,827.35. So 72 State Street, he was, he had been concentrating on, and got not just the real estate balance paid off, but also the downtown tax, the utility, and he paid the quick claim fee, so that on that property he did follow through on the payment of the taxes [18:02] Speaker F (unidentified): and such this, [18:06] Susan Hawes: these properties have a long history, very long histories, for a number of years that they have been bouncing around and coming for council with this reason and that reason and something else. There never was, there were a couple of times they were ready to take the property, but then they would come up with some sort of a workout plan. It would seem like if they're continuing to follow their plan, that we would let it work itself out, because some money in is better than no money yet, and at least now there seems to be a larger amount of money coming in, so might be move us to play it out, see how he does, but the agreement to make sure that he stays current, I think the city solicitor is aware that there's been a lot of volleying at the last minute at times and maybe might have gone on a little bit longer, but as long as they're keeping an eye on it, let them pay is [19:19] Wayne Mallar: the, was it 70, what's the one on State Street Hill, 70, 72 State Street, to State Street, is that up to code now? I [19:30] Lisa Goodwin: I do not believe that it is. So when are we going to force that issue? We can come back to you. [19:40] Wayne Mallar: Excuse me, we can come back to you with that answer, but it's been 20 years we've been waiting for an [19:46] Lisa Goodwin: Answer on that, just one of the things once he enters into an administrative consent agreement, and we do actually have that one in writing, but it's not yet executed. He's agreeing that to have inspection done pursuant to the vacant building ordinance, and that the inspector within a reasonable time, and that determination is made by the director of C&ED as to whether he's done that. So the bottom line is, he's gonna have to allow inspection in connection with the vacant building registration administrative consent agreement. [20:29] Wayne Mallar: So what's the timeframe we're looking at? Middle of the summer we'll know, or? For what? For the building being up to code. [20:40] Lisa Goodwin: Well, vacant buildings have to have, there's a whole list of things they have to have under the vacant building ordinance. And so I would anticipate that it would be very short time before they are able to inspect. And if it's not, then he would be in violation of that agreement. But I anticipate that he would be consenting to that inspection. So the code enforcement office should know pretty soon whether or not he's in compliance with that ordinance, or give him a list of things that have to be done in order to become in compliance with the vacant building registration inspection requirements. [21:29] Susan Hawes: Okay, so you said that 424 State is occupied because it has sewer and water charges? [21:36] Lisa Goodwin: My understanding is that Mr. Butler claims it's occupied, and code enforcement has confirmed that there is water and electric usage. [21:44] Susan Hawes: What about, well, 67 Lincoln's gone. [21:47] Susan Deane: Correct, right, and then what about 125 Warren, is that vacant? It is, and he has not [21:58] Lisa Goodwin: complied with the registration ordinance, and he's, that's the next one that [22:04] Speaker F (unidentified): we're going to be contacting him about. Thank you. Any other discussion? [22:24] Daniel Carson: I move that [22:40] Susan Faloon: we enter into an agreement with Mr. Butler for paying these back taxes. [22:47] Speaker F (unidentified): Motion on the floor. Second. Hearing [23:07] Daniel Carson: none, motion is called. [23:09] Speaker F (unidentified): Okay, do [23:17] Wayne Mallar: we want to, yes, we'll make a motion then. I'll make a motion we can enter into the agreement with Mr. Butler on 181 State Street as long as the other properties are included in the registry, the vacant building registry, and current on all other items like taxes, water, and sewer. I think we need to start out with a clean plate and go on. I think we need to have [24:01] Lisa Goodwin: A clean plate before we can start. Do you just want to specify on, when you say the other properties, are you talking about the ones that I just talked about tonight? Well, are those the only ones he has that are an issue? Those are the only five that I am dealing with in terms of the team that is working on the vacant building registration. Well those five then repeat. [24:27] Wayne Mallar: That again counselor. I can't basically I will agree with the arrangement made by Mr. Butler for property on 181 State with the amendment to have all of the other properties, taxes, sewer, and water brought up to date, and if necessary, listed on the vacant property registry. [24:58] Daniel Carson: Chancellor Maller's motion is to enter into an agreement that 181 State conditioned upon the taxes, sewer, water for all of the other properties are up to date and if needed they are also on the registry. [25:17] Carollynn Lear: Do I hear a second? Clarifying question would it do is what you are really seeking is sort of a comprehensive settlement for all properties at the same time as opposed to one and then another and then another? Yeah so essentially all properties that have any delinquencies settled in a single workout agreement as opposed to property do. [25:49] Speaker F (unidentified): You have thoughts on that? I'm [25:55] Lisa Goodwin: not sure what the status is on the other ones in terms of the how much is owed on the real estate taxes and the utilities. I'm confident regarding 72 State that's already paid. 181 is the one that we're dealing with here. And just as long as it's understood that if you're talking about the other ones are registered, whenever we enter into an ACA with a landowner to resolve the vacant building registration issue, it always involves them registering. That's always part of the agreement. Now we have not talked about an agreement yet with respect to 125 Warren, but it would be included in there. So we would have to enter into that agreement with him before this workout agreement would be approved. So you'd be approving something tonight that I'm not sure how long it would take to actually get approved. [27:06] Carollynn Lear: Well we could bring it back bring them back together start correct. What do you mean by that? So if we went back got the information about the other properties and spoke with the owner of the property and said we want to have a workout agreement for all of these at the same time we could bring those back and get them approved at the same time well. [27:32] Lisa Goodwin: You'd be voting to approve the one of them tonight. Well that's what the motion is right so of course it's an emotion with conditions. [27:42] Carollynn Lear: correct yeah they could withdraw the motion if the ultimate goal is to have a comprehensive settlement i [27:51] Lisa Goodwin: mean that would be an option [28:00] Wayne Mallar: If we can accomplish that, I have no problem with rescinding the motion. Is that my understanding? We're going to look for a combined agreement. [28:15] Lisa Goodwin: So if you're going to withdraw that motion, then I assume there's going to be another motion made or to either table it or something along those lines. [28:28] Speaker F (unidentified): So. [28:30] Carollynn Lear: I think the desire is to consider workouts for all of the properties together, so I think yes, tabling this until we're ready to do that would be one way to handle. I agree, can. [28:47] Wayne Mallar: Would we be allowed to table it because the motion we're bringing back is not going to be the same as the motion we're tabling? We're going to. [28:57] Lisa Goodwin: Have to amend the motion when we bring it back. I thought you were going to withdraw the motion. If you're going to withdraw the motion, then what we would be tabling is just the issue, not the motion. Okay, as. [29:13] Wayne Mallar: Long as we're all in agreement. So now you want a motion to table it until a time certain, which we can't specify, so we're just going to table it indefinitely until you bring it back with all properties included in the agreement, or these five properties, I shouldn't say all. So would there be a motion. [29:49] Lisa Goodwin: In that regard? Yes, is. [29:57] Daniel Carson: There any further discussion? Any doubt? That's. [Speaker F (unidentified): Passage screen.] Closed right off the wall real estate taxes for various mobile homes, so there's a. [30:20] Carollynn Lear: List of four mobile homes that staff has determined have been moved and are no longer are located in Bangor. All four have outstanding taxes due in somewhat small amounts, and staff feels as though attempting to track down these previous owners, not knowing where they've moved their mobile home to, would exceed the cost of doing that, would exceed the balance that we would collect. And so staff is recommending that the city write off these amounts due to clear these accounts off the city's books, and there are four properties listed here in just under fifteen hundred dollars total in taxes, is. [31:09] Wayne Mallar: There is a way we can require park owners to inform us if someone's leaving, or can we make them contingently liable on the taxes if someone moves out? I mean, it seems to me that you shouldn't have to worry about someone, should be responsible for it. I know they have to get a permit from the state to move a trailer, so I don't know, is there any way of doing it? 's not a critical item, but it could be at some point in time something we could explore, whether there's something. [31:44] Carollynn Lear: we could do in ordinance that could offer some additional protection So [31:58] Susan Faloon: if this gets written off and any of these people come back later and put a mobile home from where, like, is there any sort of keeping track of that so that we could sort of just get, you know what I mean, like, because I know I'll just use for example, I've worked in a utility for many years and people tend to move out and about and change the names on the accounts and things like that as a way of getting around paying, yeah, for things, and like if there's any way that if an individual comes back around and they happen to be one of these individuals that owes this money that we could somehow collect that before they're allowed to become an administrator again [32:46] Carollynn Lear: or I don't know, I see our city clerk giving me one of these behind you, like you said, you said [32:54] Wayne Mallar: seems to me it would cost them more to meet with than the taxes, so I doubt if they'd even be back with it. I [33:05] Michael Beck: would move staff recommendation [33:09] Daniel Carson: recommendation second is like some formality discussions [33:27] Carollynn Lear: I believe we're going to request that this one be tabled with the property owner to us, is that right? I'm sorry [33:41] Michael Beck: I've spoken with her on and off for a few years, but she has reached out to a real estate agent. She wants to try to sell it on her own versus us taking possession and going through the mature property. So we would like to table it and meet as the mature property group staff get together and discuss maybe possibly setting a timeline for her to sell the property. And then if she does leave that deadline, maybe then moving forward with the business. [34:24] Wayne Mallar: The only difference that I can see in her selling it as opposed to us selling it is that we have to go in and clean it out and bring it up to code and that would be an expense that we'd incur which would be rededucted from the amount of the sale and you always stand the chance of not recovering the full amount of sale I wouldn't be opposed to this but I think we need a very strict timeline I don't know what 's your recommendation for [34:58] Michael Beck: a timeline, so we actually have a meeting scheduled tomorrow as a mature, we have a mature property group to discuss what timeline is. There any recommendation that can we just table it to the next finance committee and then just get an update? Let's come back with the timeline, but I would [35:19] Wayne Mallar: expect it to be a very short timeline because she's had how many years to play, yeah, she [35:26] Michael Beck: the mature taxes people that these years 2015 paperback yeah so I would assume it 's [35:39] Wayne Mallar: Going to be a shot timeline or her she's had plenty of time to sell it. Any other discussions? [36:01] Lisa Goodwin: Yeah, until the next finance committee. I would move the table this item until the [36:05] Daniel Carson: next finance committee meeting. Second. Goodbye, counselor. Any discussion? [36:13] Speaker F (unidentified): Now we'll be on. [36:24] Daniel Carson: That concludes the business on the agenda. It is 6:33 p.m. The finance committee is adjourned.