Council members discussed a recurring $2,500 contribution the city has made for several years to the Downeast bus service, describing the service as valuable to residents and recommending the council incorporate the payment into the formal budget or a contract.

A city official said the contribution had been paid "the same $2,500 ... over the last eight years or so" but that the payment fell out of the formal budget process in recent years and was not billed or paid during some fiscal years. "They did send a bill in last fiscal year, and it was denied to be paid. We, in the finance department, didn't pay it, because it wasn't budgeted," the official said.

Council members said the amount is modest relative to transportation budgets in surrounding communities and recommended bringing the request into the regular outside-organization or social-services budget cycle so that the payment is predictable and covered in advance. "It sounds like we just need to get it in the formal process," one council member said.

No formal motion or vote was recorded in the discussion. Staff said they would track the request and work to include the contribution in the budget process or pursue a contract so future payments are predictable.