Presque Isle councilors elect chairman

PRESQUE ISLE – A local lawyer, Frank Bemis, was elected Monday as chairman of the Presque Isle City Council.

Perley Dean, a retired educator, was elected as the council’s vice chairman.

The elections took place during the annual organizational session of the seven-member panel.

Bemis is in the third year of his first four-year term. He also has completed one year of an expired term created when a former council member left.

The new chairman said Tuesday that he has several issues he hopes to address during his tenure as chairman, including working to create an environment at the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle that would foster development.

The airport has experienced recent problems with recruiting and maintaining air carriers.

In addition, Bemis said that keeping the current tax rate is a priority. “Preferable, I’d like to see it lowered,” he said.

In other business, three new members were sworn in as part of the council. Cluny McPherson, Jennifer Trombley and Terry Forbes, who were elected in November, took their places along with current members Ron McPherson and Don Gardner.

The council also reappointed Tom Stevens as city manager, Nancy Nichols as city clerk and the city department heads to their respective positions.