Bangor council OKs police station land deal

BANGOR – The city’s new police station advanced one step closer to construction after city councilors unanimously approved a pair of orders paving the way for the purchase of a small but crucial parcel at the corner of Main and Cedar streets.

The city acquired most of the land it needed in 2003 for $775,000. That purchase, however, didn’t include the small corner lot now occupied by Bangor Radiator Shop.

To that end, the city negotiated a purchase price of $200,000 for the radiator shop site, a dollar figure that City Solicitor Norman Heitmann said last month includes closing and relocation costs.

The city and the shop’s owners, Michael and Tammy Cormier, have negotiated a deal that will allow the Cormiers to move into a new shop they plan to build on a city-owned site on Maine Avenue, near the city’s recycling facility, without an interruption to their business.

In a separate order, the city agreed to sell the 1-acre parcel to the Cormiers for $54,500.

During the meeting, Councilor Dan Tremble publicly acknowledged the couple for their teamwork on the project.

“They were very cooperative in working with the city,” he said.

In response to a question from Councilor John Cashwell, City Manager Edward Barrett confirmed that funds for the purchase will come from one of the bonds the city will issue to pay for the more than $7 million project.

The orders, which involved the acquisition of a parcel at the corner of Main and Cedar streets and the sale of a lot on Maine Avenue, originally came before the council two weeks ago, but were put off until Monday because of minor timing issues.

With the timing issues resolved, both measures passed without objection Monday.

Bangor Radiator Shop has operated at the corner of Main and Cedar streets for almost 40 years. Michael and Tammy represent the third generation of Cormiers to carry on the business established by Michael Cormier’s grandfather Leo Cormier nearly 75 years ago, and continued by his father, Ray Cormier.