City Council Sept. 17 Meeting Summary

By Zendelle Bouchard

New Assistant

At its regular meeting on Sept. 17, the Sanford City Council voted to confirm City Manager Steve Buck’s appointment of Michelle LaBree to the newly created position of assistant city manager. Buck said LaBree was chosen from a field of 22 applicants. She has more than 20 years of experience in local government and most recently worked as deputy county administrator and human resource director for Penobscot County. She has extensive experience in emergency management as well. Mayor Becky Brink and Deputy Mayor Maura Herlihy participated in the interview process. Herlihy said LaBree stood out with her desire to take on challenges.

Sanford Police K-9

The council voted to accept the grant of $32,000 from the Stanton K-9 Foundation to add a dual-purpose dog to the force to assist officers with patrol duties as well as drug detection. (See our previous story.) The grant covers the $9,000 cost of the dog, which Detective Kyle Cutler said will be around 10-12 months old and will come with obedience training. Other expenses the grant covers include $6,000 for cruiser conversion, $3,000 for a kennel and $850 for a K-9 bulletproof vest. Vet care and dog food for three years are also covered. The only cost to the city for the first three years will be the overtime for the dog’s handler, who has not been chosen yet, to do the specialized training and to care for the dog. Assistant Police Chief Eric Small said the K-9 will help keep officers safe and can also bring money into the department when items like cash and vehicles are seized along with drugs. The dog will also be a public relations tool for the SPD, he added.

Pre-Approval Process for Cleanups

Public Works Director Matt Hill made a presentation on the process for citizens to use the transfer station at no cost to dispose of trash collected during community cleanups. He stressed that this process is only available when the area being cleaned up is in the public right-of-way or on city property. Trash on private property is “technically somebody’s stuff,” he said. There is a form for groups or individuals to fill out if they are interested in doing a cleanup, but someone planning the cleanup must speak with a member of Public Works staff to ensure that the proper procedures are followed and the transfer station has sufficient capacity at the time of delivery.

New Fire Stations

Mayor Brink talked about the need for the two new fire stations and gave some details on the design and cost of the facilities, which she called “crucial for the safety of our city.” She pointed out that as fire departments have transitioned to providing more emergency medical services, different types of facilities are needed that include medical treatment rooms. Communications Coordinator Jordan Wilson gave an update on public outreach on the fire station projects and talked about the community forum scheduled for Oct. 2 at 6 pm in the Sanford Performing Arts Center. The evening will include informational videos, presentations from Chief Scott Susi, the station designers, City Manager Buck plus Q&A time for residents. Questions may be submitted on the City’s Facebook page and on the Sanford Connects website. Councilor Pete Tranchemontagne said the Fire Station Feasibility Committee will be meeting with seniors at the Trafton Center and senior housing communities to educate them about the fire station proposal.

Snowplowing Contract

The council approved a one-year snowplowing contract expansion with the city’s plowing contractor, C.A. Plante, for the 2024-25 winter season. Public Works Director Hill said his department is currently short seven first-line responders for storm management. The contract expansion will authorize Plante to plow 26 miles of roads in south Sanford, in addition to the east side and west side routes they already plow. City officials expect that contract negotiations with public works staff, which have just begun, will result in higher pay to attract more applicants to the department.

Subcommittee Reports

Councilor Nate Hitchcock reported that the Solid Waste Subcommittee is discussing possible new waste disposal companies as well as the pros and cons of using automatic pickup of trash bins. Mayor Brink noted that the automated system in Kennebunk costs taxpayers considerably more than Sanford’s manual pickup system and doesn’t negate the need for special bags.

Deputy Mayor Maura Herlihy said the Zoning Subcommittee has been discussing new legislation regarding medical cannabis offices (see our previous story). She said Sanford’s Planning Department has come up with proposed ordinance changes that will allow caregivers to continue to meet with patients while staying within the new law. The amendments will go to the Planning Board for review and a public hearing before coming before the council.

Other Items

• In his report, Buck said the council’s housing workshop on Sept. 24 will include Q&A time for the audience and participants. He stressed that the workshop is about housing development, not homelessness.
• Deputy Mayor Herlihy reminded viewers that candidates’ nights are Oct. 8 for City Council, mayoral and School Committee candidates and Oct. 9 for State House and State Senate candidates. The moderators will be Shawn Sullivan and Tammy Wells. Residents who want to suggest questions for the moderators to ask should email them to tbwells207@yahoo.com. The council and candidates will not know the questions in advance.
• Buck reported that the date for the Homeless Advocacy Forum at SPAC may be Nov. 13 or 14, as city officials are coordinating with representatives of York County government who also want to make a presentation to our state legislators. Look for more details in a future issue.
• The council approved allowing St. Thomas School to use the Veterans Memorial Gym for the cost of cleaning only for their Mingle Jingle event on Nov. 2 and the Spring Fever Fair May 4.
• The council adopted a proclamation declaring Nov. 1 “Extra Mile Day” to recognize people and organizations who are creating positive change in the community through extraordinary efforts in volunteerism and service.
• See our separate story on the needle exchange program.