Finance Committee clears vehicle purchase, recommends $598,009 sewer jet truck bid and OKs two grants

The Finance Committee met and approved several consent and action items, including retroactive approval of a used detective vehicle purchase and forwarding a recommended sewer jet truck contract to full council.

In the meeting opening, Committee Chair Councilor Bridal confirmed attendance and moved routine items. City staff described a retroactive purchase of a 2021 Hyundai Sonata with about 15,000 miles for use as a detective vehicle at a price of $22,613, saying the replacement was included in the fiscal year 2025 budget. "The price of the vehicle is $22,613," a city staff member said. Councilor Bridal approved the consent agenda "without any objection."

The committee spent more time on a bid for a sewer jet truck used to maintain roughly 150 miles of sanitary sewer and more than 3,400 manholes, a program component tied to an EPA consent decree that requires regular cleaning and inspection. Staff said the city received five qualified bids from three bidders, with bids ranging about $558,000 to $660,000, and recommended awarding the contract to Sanitary Equipment Company for $598,009.24 based on operator ergonomics, safety features and the shortest lead time (about four to five months). "This is the one that seemed to check all the boxes for employee safety," the staff member said. The committee approved forwarding the recommended award to full council on next week's consent agenda.

On property-tax relief, staff described a situation involving a 1983 mobile home at 13 B Street that Sun Birch Hill LLC had reclaimed through court action and sold to Tristan Thomas of GC Mobile Home Park LLC for $5,900. Outstanding taxes on the property were stated as $3,600; Thomas paid $2,096 toward principal and filing fees and requested the city waive about $1,486 in interest and fees so he can remove the unit and free the lot for reuse. Staff recommended the waiver as a cost‑effective alternative to the city taking possession and bearing boarding or removal costs; the committee approved the waiver by voice vote "without objection."

Two grant resolutions were presented and cleared to go forward to council. Staff asked the committee to authorize the city manager to accept and appropriate a two‑year Maine CDC grant of $250,000 for a project to prevent prescription opioid overdoses and related deaths in Penobscot County; staff said the grant period covers August 2024 through August 2026. Staff also described a $75,000 Urban Community Forestry canopy grant funded through the Inflation Reduction Act to produce an urban forestry management plan for street and park trees, noting there is no local match and that Public Works and Parks & Recreation will coordinate implementation. Both items were referred to full council for final approval.

The committee concluded business and adjourned after the chair asked for any further items and none were raised. The decisions recorded in the meeting reflect committee actions; formal contract awards and grant appropriations will require the full council's approval when those items appear on next week's consent agendas.