Nicolin Road conditions prompt citizen petition
ELLSWORTH Immediately after the City Council reviewed the Public Works Department’s $1.5 million capital improvement requests for fiscal year 2022, the council heard from Nicolin Road resident Mike Finney over the condition of his road.
Over 100 people had signed a petition submitted to the council requesting “permanent upgrades to the ongoing unacceptable condition of the town way, Nicolin Road.”
“It wouldn’t take a whole lot to make it a whole lot more usable,” Finney said, also noting safe sight distance is “nonexistent for the most part.”
The petition garnered 107 signatures over nine hours on two recent Saturdays. The accompanying letter states: “Many [signers] shared stories of their failed attempts with city officials to improve Nicolin Road. Other shared stories of blown tires, bent rims, chipped paint from rocks or damage to shocks, mufflers, etc.”
City shoulders too much of library budget, councilors say
ELLSWORTH A discussion between library trustees and councilors on the library’s funding request went south when the two boards met on May 12. But councilors appeared poised to compromise when they met for a budget workshop five days later.
Library Director Amy Wisehart had presented councilors with a $544,907 budget request on May 12 that was 3 percent lower than the library’s FY21 request. The sum represents 81 percent of the library’s total $672,207 operating budget. But councilors expected a figure more in line with the $461,872 city appropriation they approved last year, after slicing off $100,000. That loss was offset by using money from the library’s surplus account, and a committee was formed of trustees, library personnel and councilors to hash out the issue before this year’s budget talks. But they only met once, and trustees based their FY22 budget on what it costs for the library to operate as it has h
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Councilorsâ letter to lawmakers raises open-meeting issue
ELLSWORTH â A March 5 letter signed by all seven City Council members and sent to state Sen. Louie Luchini (D-Hancock County) and Rep. Nicole Grohoski (D-Ellsworth) may not have been in compliance with state right-to-know laws.
Emailed to the two legislators, with the subject line âUrgent Request,â the letter opens: âIt is important to state that this letter is being written from the point of view as citizens. Although we are elected officials of the City of Ellsworth, this letter was not constructed from that role.â
However, public officials declaring they are acting in a private capacity does not free them from the constraints of the Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA), which bars public boards and councils from holding public proceedings in private if a quorum â or a majority of members â is present.
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.