Bangor panel discusses Wi-Fi possibilities at BIA

BANGOR – Members of the City Council’s finance committee agreed Monday night to recommend that the full council approve a five-year contract for wireless Internet connection service at Bangor International Airport.

According to an informal survey of more than 50 other airports conducted earlier this year, 61 percent provided Wi-Fi for a fee, 35 percent offered it free and 4 percent did not provide the service.

City officials put out a call for proposals from Wi-Fi providers in August. Providers were asked to provide cost figures for offering the service as a free amenity and for a fee to users.

After concluding that providing the service free would cost the city about $40,000 in startup costs plus yearly operating costs, local officials decided to focus on a fee-based service.

During its next regular meeting, the council will consider a five-year contract with Airport Network Solutions, headquartered in Warwick, R.I., which guaranteed the city 25 percent of revenue generated or $3,000 a year, whichever is greater, to cover its costs.

Also during the meeting, the committee:

. Agreed to accept $9,950 from Penobscot County toward the cost of equipping a regional mobile command vehicle provided to the city by Maine Emergency Management Agency. The funds will be used to acquire additional communication equipment.

. Voted to renew the general liability insurance policy for large-crowd events at Bass Park, including the Bangor State Fair. The $35,539 cost for the coming year of coverage from Kansas-based Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, the city’s longtime insurer, is about $1,300 less than the city paid this year.

. Agreed to cover the costs connected with repairing a Spirit Airlines aircraft damaged in October while being put into a hangar by airport staff. The $5,455 claim will be paid by BIA and applied toward its liability insurance deductible. In exchange for the payment, the airline must sign a release of claims form.