BELFAST — The Belfast City Council will hold its regularly scheduled public meeting Tuesday, March 1, at 7 p.m. and address an agenda that includes the appointment of an interim police chief, a rezoning proposal, and Belfast Police overtime pay, among other topics. 

One of the first items on the agenda is a request to transfer up to $6,000 from the American Rescue Plan Funding Account to the Belfast Police Department salary and wage line for hazard pay. It is noted in the report that due to the current staff numbers BPD have had to move to a 12-hour shift schedule, which, “requires a Memorandum of Understanding with the Belfast Police Association as this extended hour schedule is in conflict with our current contract.”

A memorandum of understanding has been developed to authorize 12-hour shifts from March 1 - May 31. It states in the report that the City will also authorize a three percent hazard pay increase to [officers] current wages for that time frame. In total, $5,815.19 will be paid to members of BPD; $5,380.60 in base pay and $434.59 in overtime pay. 

The search for a new police chief continues, with a request to appoint Deputy Chief Dean Jackson as the interim police chief for BPD. This comes after former Chief Gerry Lincoln retired on Feb. 22. According to the report a hiring committee is being assembled with a goal to begin interviewing candidates by mid-March. 

“The position of Chief of Police is not one to be taken lightly nor to be rushed. It is important for the Department and the City of Belfast that the right person is selected for the job as our Chief. As this may take some time, Deputy Chief Dean Jackson has offered to step in as Interim Police Chief until the hiring committee has completed their interviewing process and selected a candidate,” according to the report. 

Another item on the agenda is a notice of a public hearing to discuss an application being submitted to the State of Maine CDBG program for a Public Infrastructure Program Grant. 

“The purpose of the frant application is to fund infrastructure improvements along the length of Wight Street and along an adjacent section of Congress Street. Public comments will be solicited at this hearing and will be submitted as part of the application.”

According to the report, all persons wishing to make comments or ask questions about the grant application are invited to participate in this Public Hearing. 

Another public hearing that will be held at the meeting concerns proposed amendments to City Code Ordinances, specifically, Belfast’s “Outside Rural Area.”

“The proposed amendments are comprehensive in scope and the area affected by the amendments represents nearly 80 [percent] of the total land area in Belfast. Most of the proposals are based on policy direction in the Future Land Use section of the adopted Comprehensive Plan. The amendments result in significant changes to the City’s current zoning districts (Chapter 102, Zoning, Article V, District Regulations). 

According to the notice of public hearing on the amendments, the purpose of the amendments, “is to create additional opportunities to construction housing, including ‘flex housing,’ an approach that could allow a property owner to construct one or more single-family, two-family, three-family or four-family houses on their property.”

Additional information regarding the specific proposed amendment changes can be found in City Manager Erin Herbig’s report.

Maps of the impacted areas can also be found in the report and attached materials. The amendments  would include the establishment of seven new zoning districts and several special use areas in the Outside Rural 1 and Outside Rural 2 zones. 

A request to rename Four Seasons Recreational Area will also be heard, with Belfast Bike Park being suggested as a replacement.

The request comes from the recently formed Belfast Mountain Bike Club under the New England Mountain Bike Association. It is noted the reason for this proposal is to promote and identify the area as a recreational biking trail and potentially access funding from NEMBA for additional improvements to the bike park and youth biking area.

Belfast City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Meetings are conducted online using Zoom and can be streamed on the City of Belfast website. They also air live on BEL TV and on Belfast Community Radio at WBFY 100.9. 

Comments can also be submitted by emailing the Council during the March 1 meeting. Comments will be presented to the Council.

An oral comment can also be submitted during the meeting via Zoom webinar. Information for this method can be found on the City website.

Information and documents related to this meeting are available on the City’s website. 

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com