March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

NKRPC officials want Pittsfield as member

PITTSFIELD — An organization working towards self-destruction was the way Pittsfield Town Manager Dwight Dogherty described the North Kennebec Regional Planning Commission at the Tuesday night meeting of the Pittsfield Town Council.

The council heard a presentation from Elery Keene, executive director of NKRPC, in an effort to dissuade the council from dropping the town’s membership in the commission. A resolution appeared on the agenda seeking council approval to “not retain” membership in the commission.

Keene earned a reprieve, although possibly temporary, when the council voted to table action on the membership until its July 10 meeting.

Keene, along with commission Chairman Mike Roy of Vassalboro and Board member Ben Melanson of Starks, cited the purpose and value of the commission to the 40-plus towns in Northern Kennebec and Somerset County area. Each also cited the value placed on Pittsfield’s membership in the commission and particularly the participation of Dogherty on the board. Keene presented information packets to the council explaining the function of the commission.

He also listed several funding projects that Pittsfield has benefited from because of commission assistance with the application project. As examples, he pointed to the first Community Development Block Grant in the area awarded to Pittsfield, the Economic Development Admininstration funds for the municipal building, the industrial park and the water tower, preparation of the comprehensive plan and the revised zoning ordinance.

Dogherty, however, said he was not belittling any benefits the commission has brought to the town or the region, but he feels the financial state of the commission is in question. He pointed to two other towns, Belgrade and Norridgewock, which have removed themselves from membership and cited a third that has failed to fund the full amount of its dues to the Commission.

“I don’t think its a good investment for the community. They (the commission) have gone chasing projects that they are unable to do within budget. And, they are simply self-destructing by the very way they are funded,” Dogherty said.

He explained that only a quarter of the budgetary needs of the commission are met through dues. The remainder must be secured through grants of state and federal funds.

“By their budgetary constraints, they are going to get smaller and smaller and be able to deliver fewer services,” he said.

Keene disputed Dogherty’s view of the financial state of the commission. He said, “We have a better bookkeeping system that allows our staff to monitor the project cases more closely. We’ve been around a long time and we have remained a viable and worthwhile organization.”

The four-member quorum present for the Tuesday night council meeting chose not to make a decision and agreed unanimously to hold making a decision on the membership until the July 10 meeting when the full council is expected to be present.

A similar decision was made on the appointment of an interim councilor to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Councilor Jay Striga. A motion by Councilor Yvonne Young to approve Striga’s recommendation of Kathleen Brattoya to fill the post was not supported by the remaining councilors. Councilors chose to await a meeting of the full council for the decision.

Tilcon-Maine was awarded the 1990 paving program at a cost of $62,256. Joe Girard was appointed to a vacancy on the Housing Rehabilitation Revolving Loan Fund Committee and a one-hour extension was granted to the Oriental Restaurant for its closing Thursday through Sunday at 2 a.m. rather than 1 a.m.


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