Council votes to restrict use of horse trailers

The Bangor Police Department soon will be posting signs on a few westside streets stating “No Through Trailers.”

The City Council approved an amendment to its ordinances Monday night that states “when designated by the city manager and approved by order of the City Council, no horse trailer, livestock trailer, or other towed or trailer vehicle shall be allowed to pass over said streets at any time of night or day.”

In a memo to councilors, City Manager Edward A. Barrett said that in accordance to the wishes of the council, the streets would include Boutelle, Norway and Royal roads. But the council will take action to designate the streets at a later meeting.

Council’s action is the most recent salvo in a running battle some residents have had with horsemen hauling their trailers from Bass Park to Interstate 95 via Buck Street and Royal, Norway or Boutelle roads.

“This has been an area of concern,” Councilor Jane Saxl said while introducing her ordinance. “And we’ve had numerous citizen complaints about horse trailers. This will give the police the power to preserve peace and harmony in the neighborhood.”

Councilor William Cohen supported the ordinance but asked how effective it would be.

The police plan two avenues of attack, Chief Richard Stockford said. He planned to give the horsemen ample notification of the change and then a highly visible enforcement campaign that would last for several weeks.

“But I think the best thing we can do is get the solution out before the public,” he said.

The vote was 6-1 in favor of the change. Councilor Patricia Blanchettee opposed the measure. “In my time on the council and Municipal Operations Committee I’ve seen perhaps 100 `No Through Truck’ signs go up. And they haven’t really helped. The police have them near the bottom of their enforcement priority.

“I’m not going to support changing the ordinances willy nilly. It’s a useless, unworkable ordinance,” she said. “One solution would be to close the Buck Street gate (of Bass Park.)”

In other business, the council awarded a contract for the renovation of the Columbia Street parking deck to Colwell Construction Co. The company submitted the low bid of $136,486,

“A fair amount of deterioration has occurred over the years due to salt action mostly,” City Engineer John Frawley said.

More than half of the cost of the project will be paid for with funds left over from the construction of the Gas Works Parking lot, a rarely used expanse of pavement off of Main Street.