Council weighs in on proposed Ped/Bike Path extension
ELLSWORTH Three seasons of walking may trump four seasons for the proposed Ellsworth Ped/Bike Path extension, after councilors heard details of a draft feasibility study on Feb. 25 and questioned costs and liability in maintaining the extension path during winter snow and ice if the project moves forward.
As proposed, the 0.75-mile connector trail would begin at the intersection of Birch Avenue and Spring Street, where the Ellsworth trail now ends, continue down Spring Street and cross Main Street to connect with the Sunrise Trail at the intersection of Beals Avenue and High Street.
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With concerns over the economic consequences of COVID-19 and the cautions and restrictions that have come with it, Council Chairman Dale Hamilton said the pandemic “will certainly play a factor as we budget for this year and potentially into future years’ budgets.”
City, hospital planning mass vaccination clinic
ELLSWORTH The city is exploring sites to set up a vaccination clinic in partnership with Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital that would serve 800 to 1,000 people a day, City Manager Glenn Moshier told councilors on Feb. 8. Currently, the Ellsworth hospital is able to vaccinate about 250 people a day while Northern Light’s hospital in Blue Hill manages 100 daily vaccinations.
“A stand-alone site separate from the hospital would be able to serve a lot more people a lot more efficiently,” Moshier said. Prioritized in receiving vaccinations would be those who need it the most and those “who have the most difficulty with the current process to get signed up for a vaccination,” Moshier said. They are also “working on ways to give some priority to folks here in Ellsworth.”
City police chief post eliminated, manager contract signed
ELLSWORTH It took a handful of signatures on a contract and a whole lot of discussion for interim City Manager and Police Chief Glenn Moshier to drop the “interim” from his title on Friday, Jan. 15.
He also has dropped “police chief,” as that position will no longer exist. “The [police] department will be reorganized. The position of police chief will not exist as functions are being redistributed as described,” City Council Chairman Dale Hamilton spelled out in an email after the contract had been signed.
Instead, Moshier will “act as de facto police chief for high-level policy matters and administrative purposes,” according to his contract.