Old Business

1.   DCCED community survey update

Informational letter going out on 12/14.  City letter in support will go out 12/17.  First survey mailing 1/2/08.  Second survey to go out later to non-respondents.

 2.   Library information center update

Allison:  display money was in library budget.  Their budget was placed on hold.  City decided not to act on informational center according to Sylvia.  Ken and Wayne disagreed.  Wayne said they need to correct it with the liaison to the library board.  Ken will get back to Nate on it.  Allison will maintain it once it's up.

3.   DRC site selection update

Greg updates Bruce on project.  Greg has installed 6 test wells in airport triangle area for septage.  John Barry and Greg are working on draft design.  If DEC gives green light the committee will take to the city council.  At next meeting they will relook at moving drc functions.  Hopefully by spring the committee will have more clarity.

4.   Committee membership

Nate:  Bruce is back and is here.  George is resigning.  So Planning committee has an open seat.  Need to look at bylaws and advertise by posting.  Nate has been updating all committee lists.  Has updated email list as much as possible.  Nate checked with planning liaisons to help clarify membership of their committees.  Nate will post a revised list.

5.  Work with finance committee:

Jim presented final calendar for budget.  Finance committee takes care of operating budget.  Planning will take care of capital budget.  Finance committee will come up with a budget format for everyone to use.  Work plans will help to explain capital projects--project driven for the most part.  Jim asked us to review the timelines highlighted.  Finance committee will have numbers available for planning committee so we will know how much is available for capital projects.  Training session for committees should be scheduled for late February or early March.  Last Saturday of February is the 23rd.  Agreed to Feb. 23 date at 1:00.  Power point equipment is available at library.  Planning committee will need to schedule extra meetings for April.  Finance committee will help committees crunch numbers.  Each committee should have a joint meeting with finance and planning in March.  Committees will need last 2 work plans to work from.

New Business

1.   Public comment on non agenda items

None.

2.  Waterfront Planning

Nate said Morgan was invited to this meeting.  He is not present.

Wayne:  City Council has been negotiating with DeBoers over tank farm.  It is a complex issue.  Negotiations are at impasse.  Planning for waterfront is contingent on use of that land.  AG will interpret convenants.  Need to hold off on waterfront planning until the AG opinion is made.

Agenda item was at Greg's request.  Greg:  area from Salmon River to Glen's ditch will be area for placing facilities--for visitors, freight, etc.  Should we have forward looking oversight of area?  Ecotourism--they look at the forefront area.  What will waterfront look like when dock and tank farm is there.  Allison thinks this committee should not do this function.  Would make us no longer the uninvolved entity. 

Closest thing we've done like this is the scoping form which came from the socio-econ-environ concerns.  Smack some of planning and zoning.  (Carolyn)  Lands committee could take on as a focus point as a watch dog? (Bruce)  This is overarching and involves many of the committees.  Ken:  have to look at fragileness of committees.  Lands and MFC committees are fragile now. 

Allison:  maybe planning committee could be assigned this as a planning function.  Wayne: need to define purpose and need.  Mike:  land legacy has a plan that would be a good place to start.  Nate:  need to have 2 opportunities for public comment.  Wayne:  Planning committee would do scoping to define purpose and need and put out a draft plan.  Need decision first so we know what jurisdiction.  Would need coop resource agreement with DNR and it would require a plan.  Greg:  includes boat harbor and DRC sites.  Includes some private land and some Mental Health Trust Land.  City land, DNR land and covenanted land.  Wayne:  2 scenarios.  One is that all facilities including freight staging and tank farm would be within DOT ROW.  The other is that it could be within convenant land and be better designed and more beautiful.  Ken:  other option is that we can't do anything.  May have to go to court interpretation.  Wayne:  hold off on this until the first of the year.

3.   CIP list

Nate:  GCN committee knows they will need funding for broadband.  Have hired Borealis to come in and make a proposal.  Should we allow the proposal to go in for CIP without a final budget?  Ken:  would not close the door.  Early proposals should get attention first.  The proposals so far total only $85,000.  We should leave it open for a while.

Firehall siding being asked for?  Bruce will ask Corey.

Plumbing and Electrical upgrade for preschool.  Value/Vision B, goals 4&5. 

Wilson Road Culvert.  Is included in project list in strategic plan under Capital and Physical Infrastructure.  Should be made more clear that it is a drainage system, not just a single culvert.  Needs scope of project.  Refer back to road committee.  Wayne will do that.

Foot Trail and Beach Access.  Value/Vision D goal 4.  Project is listed in Health, Social and Cultural Projects. 

Community Clinic Access to High Speed Internet.  Does not specify what technology, so if GCN could get 900 mhz radios, could use that or Starband.  Value/Vision B goal 1&2.  Is this project redundant to the GCN project.  May need explanation--Clinic needs immediate. 

Wayne:  smaller projects probably won't get funded.  Carolyn:  last year projects like trails were vetoed.  Projects like roads were funded.  Wayne:  some of the smaller projects could be funded by endowment grants.  GCN broadband is fundamental service. 

Carolyn:  we can prioritize with the smaller less appropriate projects further down the list.

4.  Policy on Policy.  Wayne:  wanted a foundation statement.  Policy can drive the process.  Can underlie or umbrella ordinance.  Is a philosophy.  Any citizen or committee can put forth policy. 

Allison:  can the city council use the strategic plan values and visions as a starting point for policy before launching in projects.

Adjourned 9:40