PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle City Council approved on Monday night the establishment of a “creative playground” near the indoor pool on Mechanic Street.

During the Monday meeting, the council also ordered two public hearings for proposed parking fees at the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle, approved the installation of a new telephone system and voted not to require department heads to live within the city.

To free some parking spaces at the airport, weekly and daily fees have been proposed. Drivers leaving their vehicles in the parking lot would be charged $3 a day and $15 a week.

The first hearing was scheduled for May 21 and the second hearing for June 4. Funds generated from the fees will go into the city’s general revenue account, according to City Manager Gerald Clark.

If fees are not paid within seven days, a penalty of $10 will be assessed for being late. Further legal action would be taken within 30 days if the fees were not paid, according to the proposal.

Clark reported to the council that he and recreation officials met with a parents group interested in constructing a playground on Parsons Street. However, city officials said they were concerned about a traffic problem in the area.

A parcel adjacent to the indoor pool was suggested by the city and accepted by the parents group, according to Clark. Locating the playground at the site also needs the approval of the Northern Maine Fair Association, which owns part of the land, Clark explained.

The playground will be built with private funds, Clark said.

City Attorney Hugo Olore, after reviewing state statutes, reported that the council could not require all department heads to live in the city. Only those appointments made by the council would come under the council’s authority, whereas department executives appointed by the city manager would not fall under that requirement, Olore explained.

As a result of the opinion, the council voted to continue with the existing policy, which places no requirement to live within city limits.

The council voted to spend $16,857 for the installation of a new telephone system, which will save about $50,000 over seven years. When the new system is installed this summer, each department will have its own numbers, which will be published when available, according to Clark. The central number at City Hall and emergency numbers at the police and fire departments will remain the same.

The council authorized the city manager to sign a lease with First Citizens Bank, which plans to use a piece of land for a flagpole.

The Echo Lake Association submitted a request that the city continue maintenance on a 1,200-foot stretch of private road. The council voted to hold a workshop session to discuss the maintenance of private roads. A report is scheduled to be made in June.