Abutters may buy Saco property

Saco City Administrator Richard “Rick” Michaud said he is looking into a way to sell a piece of city property near the Scarborough town line to the parcel’s abutters.
The potential sale was discussed at a Sept. 6 council workshop. Councilors agreed Michaud did not need their authorization to proceed with the attempt to reach a sale agreement, Michaud said.
In a memo to councilors, Michaud said the 50-foot by 200-foot parcel on Park Road could be sold with the approval of Saco city councilors provided new owners pay a $3,250 lien placed on the property by Southern Maine Medical Center.
Tax records show the land, off Lincoln Road in the Boothby Park section of the city, became city property in May 2010 after former property owner Golda Frankel deeded it to the city. Before that, Michaud said the property and home on it had been subject to complaints about junked cars and land maintenance since 1998.
A June 2009 fire that started in a van parked on the property spread to the home, which was declared unfit for human habitation on June 16, 2009.
City officials received a court order to tear down the home, but waited because of a potential deal to sell the property. Michaud’s council memo said a prospective buyer cleaned up some of the property, but the deal fell through. The home was torn down by the city at a cost of $4,500.
Michaud said potential buyers for the land do not intend do develop the property.

Business may play music later

Old Orchard Beach councilors approved a compromise to allow Brunswick Oceanside Grille Owner Tom Lacasse to play music outdoors until 12:30 a.m.
The vote to amend his special entertainment permit came at the Sept. 6 Town Council meeting. Lacasse was seeking to change a license he said was changed in error and without his knowledge last year.
His efforts were questioned by Beachwood Motel Owner John Cloutier, who said he has received noise complaints from his customers. The motel and grille are located near each other on West Grand Avenue.
The current license requires music to end by midnight. Lacasse told councilors his customers typically leave about an hour before music ends, which costs him money.
While gaining the additional 30 minutes to play music, Lacasse said he did not expect bands to play that late.

Nonprofits will not pay fee

Biddeford city councilors voted Sept. 6 against assessing a fee on owners of nonprofits that earned income from rental properties. The ordinance was voted down 8-1 will Councilor Pat Boston in opposition.
The vote marks the end of an 18-month process to assess a fee based on the cost of municipal services used at rental units. The fee would not exceed more than 2 percent of annual gross rental revenues for a nonprofit.
The ordinance was last discussed at an Aug. 25 council workshop and drew no public comment before the council vote last week. As they prepared to vote, councilors remained unclear how many nonprofits would be affected by the fee.
Councilor Clement Fleurent said he opposed the ordinance because the fee would be passed on to tenants. Councilor James Emerson said he opposed the ordinance because the nonprofits that would pay the service fee could already be facing financial difficulties.
“If it takes this long to pass something, it has got to be bad policy,” said Councilor Rick Laverriere.

Parking garages to be studied

Biddeford councilors approved spending $98,000 for a feasibility study on a municipal parking garage that could be located behind Lincoln Mill or on Washington Street. The 5-4 vote came during the Sept. 6 council meeting.
The money for the study will come from an unused $120,000 balance of bonds passed about five or six years ago, according to City Manager John Bubier.
Biddeford Economic Development Director Daniel Stevenson told councilors the study by Winton Scott Architects of Portland will be more comprehensive than simply recommending a spot for the proposed garage.
The study will also recommend methods to operate the garage and possibly provide estimates on revenue to be gained if parking fees are assessed.
Funding the study drew opposition from Councilor George “Pete” Lamontagne because he said it is time to get the garage built instead of studying the question more.
Councilor David Bourque said any garage needs to be built on city owned property, not on the Pepperell Mill Campus owned by developer Doug Sanford.
“I wouldn’t build a garage in my neighbor’s yard,” he said.

Council disbands Coastal Area Committee

A Biddeford citizen’s commission established to safeguard zoning and environmental ordinances and regulations in 1998 was disbanded by a Sept. 6 city council vote.
The Biddeford Coastal Area Committee, which consisted of seven members appointed by the mayor, was designed to consider the effects of development along the city’s coastline. The committee was supposed to review project plans for subdivisions and communicate with city officials about issues in the area.
In a debate that lasted more than an hour, residents, including Anthony Russo, said the committee usurped powers of city officials and caused expensive delays to small projects because of canceled meetings
Former committee member Arlene Eisenstadt was among those to defend its work in protecting natural resources in the area and the city. She said the recommendations made by the committee saved time at the planning board.
The committee was not empowered to approve or reject site plans or building permits.
The council policy committee, headed by Council President Bob Mills, over the summer studied the ordinance that created the commission. The committee considered changes that included term limits for committee members and additional education in local and state statutes and regulations.
Councilors voted 7-2 to eliminate the committee instead making changes, with Councilors Richard Laverriere and Clement Fleurent in opposition.

Anti-smoking posters may go up at bus stops

Biddeford bus stops may soon feature colorful anti-smoking posters created by local students.
The Biddeford Finance Committee on Sept. 6 approved spending about $150 from its budget to pay for printing the posters and other materials. If approved by the full city council, the posters would be displayed at about 25 bus stops across the city.
Mayor Joanne Twomey suggested the printing cost should be split with the school department and Council President Bob Mills’ original suggestion to spend $312 was amended by the finance committee.
Biddeford considers graffiti ordinance

Aerosol cans, paint sticks and etching ream could become banned substances for minors and on city-owned land if councilors approve a proposed ordinance at the Sept. 20 Biddeford City Council meeting.
The ordinance to combat graffiti carries a $500 fine for those caught spraying or painting surfaces and requires them to pay cleanup costs. Parents of minors who violate the ordinance will be considered liable for cleanup costs as well.
A section of the ordinance requires store owners who stock “graffiti implements” to keep items in an area visible to employees at all times or out of public view completely.
The ordinance also requires property owners to submit graffiti cleanup plans within 10 days after notification by the city. City officials can seek reimbursement for cleanup costs if a property owner does not submit a plan.
Council President Bob Mills, who heads the policy committee of councilors and residents, said the ordinance was drafted because of graffiti problems throughout the city.
The effects of graffiti were visible at the dedication of a park on Williams Court last month because city crews had to sandblast paint from the concrete and benches before the ceremony, Mills said.

Saco buildings for sale

Two dealerships, a firehouse and a music store are in real estate news in Saco this week.
Saco City Administrator Richard Michaud said city councilors took no action regarding the latest offer to buy the former Central Fire Station on Thornton Avenue following a Sept. 6 executive session.
Michaud said it is the fourth offer for the building listed by Portland-based Boulos Co. The building is listed at $475,000.
Michaud said councilors may continue to discuss the offer at the Sept. 19 meeting.
The Nissan and Kia dealerships owned as part of Ira Rosenberg’s Prime Auto Group on the Route 1 “Auto Mile” were sold this month to Bill Waldron, owner of Jolly John Auto City in Saco and Portland Volvo in South Portland.
Rosenberg, 75, said he is not selling any more dealerships and wants to concentrate on selling brands such as Toyota, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Mazda.
Rosenberg welcomed Waldron’s additional ventures in the area.
“Bill Waldron is a very nice guy and it was a pleasure doing business with him,” he said.
Bill O’Neil, owner of Bill O’Neil’s House of Rock ‘N Roll on Route 1, said the building that houses his store has been put on the market. Saco tax records indicate the Route 1 building is owned by Dover, N.H.,–based Saco Associates.
O’Neil said the store has been in business since June 1988 and he expects to remain open through at least the end of the year.

Hostess faces civil suit

Supervisors at Hostess Brands in Biddeford failed to stop abusive actions by a company supervisor, according to a civil suit filed Aug. 28 in York County Superior Court in Alfred.
Court records said plaintiff Marc Matter, who now lives in Arizona, alleged his July 2010 dismissal from the company violates state whistleblower laws. Matter said he alerted company officials about supervisor Todd Clavette and accused Clavette of screaming at employees and throwing objects.
Matter said he was hired as a consultant at the company in 2008, then became a permanent employee “to make improvements at the Biddeford plant.”
Matter said he informed Regional Human Resource Director Dominic Myrand about the behavior and then received an action plan from Clavette to improve his performance.
Matter said Clavette dismissed him. Matter seeks damages and court costs in his suit.
The company was given 20 days to respond after its Aug. 28 summons by the court. The response to Matter’s allegations had not yet been filed in court records.