Councilor John Tuttle led the pledge of allegiance. He asked for the moment of silence to be in remembrance of George Smith, former director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine; and James Morrison of Whitman St., whom he described as “a lifelong Yankees fan, but still a pretty good kid.”
Subcommittee reports:
In his report, City Manager Steven Buck gave an update on the latest Covid-19 statistics in Maine and York County. See related story.
Mr. Buck also presented some information from a joint study being conducted by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the town of Kittery. The information is very pertinent, as hundreds of workers commute daily from Sanford to the Shipyard. He said that regional transportation for workers there and at other major employers (such as Pratt & Whitney) is a big consideration. A Park and Ride for Sanford is planned, and may be located on city-owned property next to Cumberland Farms on Emerson St. A regional housing study to address workforce needs is also underway.
Councilor Lucas Lanigan motioned to add an item to the meeting’s agenda, to request a review with opinion from the city’s attorney on Councilor Lanigan’s removal from his subcommittee assignments by Mayor Mastraccio at the February 2 meeting. (See previous story.) Councilor Jonathan Martell seconded the motion, but it failed on a 5-2 vote. (An item must have unanimous support to be added to the agenda during a meeting.)
Under public participation, Jen Davie reported on the Sanford Backpack Program’s distribution of 100,000 pounds of food at Sanford High School the previous week, and thanked volunteers. Former Town Councilor Brad Littlefield spoke about the City Charter as a friend who is not being respected by the Mayor and City Council. “Please don’t cancel this friendship,” he said.
The Council unanimously approved rezoning a parcel of land next to the former Bonanza restaurant, from Single Family Residential to Urban. The Bonanza property is being purchased by Quirk Automotive. Quirk will expand the building and move its VIP Auto Service Center there from the current location adjacent to Alumni Boulevard.
The Council unanimously approved the purchase of a compact truck loader with trailer and attachments, for the Sanford-Seacoast Regional Airport to use in fulfilling its maintenance contract for the solar installation. Jordan Equipment was the low bidder at $99,192.75.
The Council voted unanimously to accept a grant of $400,000 from the Safe Routes to School program. See separate story.
Ashley M. Gerry was appointed to the Board of Appeals.
The Council authorized Mr. Buck to sign an overlimit permit for Maine DOT construction equipment on the western end of Route 202.
The Council unanimously approved the purchase of a 2016 Kenworth T880 to replace a 2001 Mack truck in the Public Works Department’s fleet. The Mack is starting to have escalating repair costs. The Kenworth will be used for transporting equipment. The purchase is part of the PWD’s Fleet Management program, and is funded from the Capital Improvements Plan.
The Council unanimously approved five-year contracts with Casella Resource Solutions and EcoMaine for trash pickup/disposal and recycling. See separate story.
After a lengthy presentation by Mr. Buck, the Council unanimously approved forwarding the city budget to the Budget Committee as the next step in the budget process. Look for an upcoming story on this.
Mayor Mastraccio motioned to appoint Councilor Martell to fill Councilor Lanigan’s place on the Fire Station Feasibility Working Group, and Deputy Mayor Maura Herlihy to fill his place on the Solid Waste Subcommittee, with Councilor Lanigan’s position on the Land Bank Authority remaining unfilled at this time. The discussion began in a civil fashion but became heated over the next 25 minutes, with raised voices and frequent interruptions. Ultimately, as the meeting was nearing the four-hour mark, the Council voted 5-2 to approve the replacements, with Councilors Lanigan and Martell voting in opposition. [Editor’s note: if you want to read more about this, see Shawn Sullivan’s article on Seacoast Online here.]
The full City Council meeting video can be viewed here.
Mallard ducks on #2 Pond Photo: Terry Jellerson
Compiled by Lisa Blanchette, Events Editor Visit our Events Calendar https://sanfordspringvalenews.com/events/ for details on these events and on events to…
L to R: Outgoing Police Chief Craig Andersen and new Chief Eric Small salute as the City Council looks on.…
Photo: Government of Prince Edward Island By Lee Burnett, Submissions Editor Even as new homes are increasing faster than ever,…
Liz Reynolds in her new classroom at Sanford Springvale YMCA Photo: Lee Burnett Liz Reynolds had only been teaching Pre-K…
Ann Thomas Photo: courtesy Friend Memorial Library Ann Thomas, the library director who steered Goodall Library through stressful times during…