Mainland Access/Transportation Committee MeetingNovember 16, 2006

Members present: Tom Cushman, Mark Dyer, Jim Millinger, Jim Phipps & Peter Rice

Chairman Jim Phipps called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM.

Jim P.:

  • John Birkett, from the Finance Committee, wants a contact person from this committee to provide him with financial numbers. Tom Cushman volunteered to be that person.
  • Bill Shane wants a representative from the committee to attend meetings of the Cumberland-Yarmouth Pier Committee during the transition period (until July 1,2007). It meets two times a year. Cumberland and Yarmouth have an agreement about use of the pier. The present agreement expires at the end of 2007. Cumberland presently pays Yarmouth $ 5,000 per year for upkeep and there is $ 90,000 in the “kitty”.
  • DOT has drawings to improve the turn-around at the wharf. Planned cost is $ 1.2 million. The funds are not yet on the horizon. DOT wants a new (Town of Chebeague Island & Yarmouth) agreement in place soonest.
  • Mainland Access/Transportation Committee will recommend warrant article to authorize the Selectmen to negotiate same.
  • Bill Shane suggests that Chebeague Island negotiate extension of the present agreement for a year or two. Jim P.: Two years too long. One year may give us trouble. In 1999 Yarmouth and Cumberland couldn’t come to an agreement and there was a three-year period without an agreement in place. Jim P. suggests that we tell Bill Shane one year in order to keep the pressure on Yarmouth. We need to get back to the Transition Team with a recommendation by 11/29/06.

Mark agrees with the one year suggestion. We need to expect some bumps in the road. Ron Roy (DOT) probably wants an agreement before two years in order to begin to get funding.

Jim P. Ron Roy will be retiring in two years. Committee is two councilors from Yarmouth and two from Cumberland plus two others. Guy Vigue has been one of the Yarmouth representatives. DOT has told Yarmouth that it must drop the “over the hill” ordinances restricting vehicles to pass the telephone booth on weekends.

Consensus: Tell Bill Shane we recommend a one-year agreement and Jim P. and Mark will be the Transition Representatives to the Joint Standing Committee until July 1, 2007.

Jim P. We can expect that the public (Town of Chebeague Island) will authorize our selectmen to negotiate with Yarmouth.

The Transition Team wants to hear reports from its sub-committees. Mainland Access/Transportation is scheduled for a report on December 6th.

There will be a mock Town Meeting on January 13 to develop sample warrant articles on which to vote.

What else do we want to have on our list?

The Marine Committee (Leon Hamilton’s) will deal with the Stone Wharf ordinance concerning fishing and transportation.

Jim P. Our goal should be to have the same regulations on July 1, 2007 as today.

We need to concern ourselves with leases: the Town of Chebeague to CTC and the Blanchard Lot. Jim will get contracts to the committee to review.

Need to examine the contracts that are our responsibility. Presently suggest simply substituting Town of Chebeague Island for Town of Cumberland.

Mark: What about town employee parking and transportation on CTC? Presently Town of Cumberland employees get both free in return for Town maintenance of float and wharf at Cousins Island and Chebeague. Consensus: Should be no charge for car parking and boat transportation for a Town of Chebeague employee who lives on mainland. It would be apart of fringe benefits for that person.

Jim M. Why not arrange it that Town of Chebeague lets CTC use town-maintained floats and wharfs in exchange for rescue? Why not, if a Town of Chebeague Island employee comes to work from the mainland, Town of Chebeague Island will pay CTC for parking and boat fare?

Jim P. This is covered in the Stone Wharf ordinance?

Jim P. CTC has a contract with the Town of Cumberland for the use of the satellite lot for 44 years.

Next meeting: 12/30/06

Chairman Phipps adjourned the meeting at 8:25 PM

Respectfully submitted:

Jim Millinger

Secretary pro-tem

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