March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

COPS FAST update slated> Bangor chief to outline plans

BANGOR — One of the new police officers Chief Randy Harriman hopes to hire through the federal COPS FAST program might be used as a victim advocate. Two others could be used to expand the bike patrol program and establish a liaison with the city’s three high schools.

Members of the municipal operations committee will hear more about Harriman’s plans during their meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, at City Hall.

The Bangor Police Department already has two positions funded from April 1995 to April 1998 through COPS FAST, Community Oriented Police Service and

Funding Accelerated for Smaller Towns.

When some municipalities decided not to accept their grants from President Clinton’s anti-crime bill, others were offered the opportunity to apply for more funds. Thus, Bangor has received approval for three additional positions, to be funded January 1996 to January 1999.

The municipalities pay 25 percent of the cost of each position the first year, and increase their percentage in following years. Harriman told the committee earlier that the city could probably avoid having a large increase in its budget when the grant runs out because the department expects some of its employees to have retired by then.

COPS FAST officers must be used in specific community policing programs, and the slots Harriman has suggested fall within those guidelines.

Also on Tuesday, the committee will be briefed by City Engineer James Ring on negotiations with Sawyer Environmental Services for a long-term contract for disposal of biosolids. The city council chose Sawyer over BFI for negotiations on Dec. 11. The contract could come before the full council at its Jan. 8 meeting.

Other committees meeting next week are:

Finance committee, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, City Hall. Topics will include a review of privatization inquiries for fire alarm, traffic maintenance and street light maintenance services.

The committee also will reconsider its approval of a bid to purchase a pickup truck and plow from O’Connor GMC in Augusta. O’Connor had won the contract because of its ability to provide the truck within one week, but now cannot do so, according to Purchasing Director David Pellegrino.

Also on the agenda will be a discussion of residential sewer problems caused by tree root invasion. Three of the claimants live on Moosehead Boulevard, one on Bolling Drive and two on Sugarloaf Lane.

According to the city’s claims consultant, Charles Mitchell, Coregis Insurance has agreed to cover only one of the six claims. City officials are recommending that the city pay the claims and then try to get Coregis to cover them.

Planning board, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, City Hall.

Community and economic development, 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, City Hall. Code Enforcement Officer Dan Wellington will discuss buildings that are being recommended for condemnation.

Also on the agenda will be the West Side Parking Survey — a survey of some residents in the area of Main, Lincoln, Third, Vine, Fifth and Parker streets regarding options for one-way parking on narrow streets.

Bass Park, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, City Hall. Topics will include the strategic plan committee, a project to install energy-efficient lighting at the Bangor Civic Center, the 1996 agreement with Bangor Historic Track, a draft of the 1996-2000 agreement with the Maine Principals Association, and options for selling advertising on the new scoreboards at the Bangor Auditorium.

A farewell reception for Ken Gibb, who is leaving his post as director of community and economic development on Jan. 11, will be held 4-6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5, at the Bangor Civic Center. Gibb has accepted a similar post with the city of Corvallis, Ore.


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