Finance meeting done in objective journalism form

Charlie Merritt
Finance Committee Meeting

On Monday evening the Finance committee of Bangor provided the police with a new message board, dealt with an emotional repossession, and proceeded to grant the expensive wishes of Bangor International Airport for new machinery and some help on cleaning up a terminal.
Assistant Airport Director Anthony P. Caruso spoke on behalf of the Bangor International Airport (BIA) to go through with their request of a new electric scissor lift. The new model would replace the current outdated 1987 model, which can only reach 20 feet. The new model can reach to their desired amount of 26 feet. The bid for the new scissor lift is $22,500.
Caruso laughed as he said “the council has come to know me very well as there are multiple projects that sometimes even require federal funding.” Caruso continued to say the “bid was part of the annual budget process held months before the meeting. The city council sees our potential needs and grants approval for what would be appropriate.”
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Caruso and the BIA. Caruso brought with him a picture of a terminal in public sight from the main drive. This terminal had experienced noticeable damage, is constantly peeling, and experienced extensive deterioration over the last year. The picture invoked Councilor Cary Weston to ask how it could possibly get to this point. Before eventually agreeing to send people to assist the BIA in cleaning the exterior of the terminal the Council scolded Caruso for waiting this long.
Caruso said “we have a supervisor and five full-time workers as part of our maintenance crew, and despite their constant efforts they couldn’t keep up with the most recent deterioration.” Despite the eye sore of the terminal Caruso feels “We (BIA) represent the city of Bangor, the region, and the state very well I am proud to be a part of the Bangor International Airport.”
A rarity did occur during Monday’s meeting. Something that is on the lowest part of the totem pole in consideration to the other issues on the agenda during a Finance meeting was the repossession of a house on Pearl Street. With a representative from Community Development Loan to detail the path traveled to get to the point they are at now the issue turned emotional. 42 months behind in payments, no effort truly made, and most discerning to the Council a lack of communication lead to the final straw. One vote away from having her house taken away the members of Bangor’s council gave the woman one more chance with a financial plan and a file for poverty abatement.
“This debate lead to some relatively unusual things” said councilor David Nealley. “Personal issues are not common, but it is an emotional issue, smaller dollar, and you just do everything you can.”
Chief of police, Ron Gastia, spoke on behalf of the police department in hopes of getting another message board. Messages boards serve to rely traffic concerns, weather issues, general information, and drunk driving warnings. The message board would not monitor speed as this jacks the price up several thousands of dollars. There are two currently that do have radar. The police could keep at least half a dozen boards busy and when the right staff is available an emergency message could be on the streets in 15-20 minutes. After receiving kudos from Councilor Weston for the speedy and quiet work during the weekend’s events, and a confession from alternative Councilor Harold Wheeler that he forgets to wear his seat belt and the message boards remind him to, another message board became imminent.
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