Calais City Council
Jayna Smith
On Thursday, December 12, 2024, the Calais City Council met for its regular meeting, with Mayor Marcia Rogers presiding over Councilors Kevin Niles, Mike Sherrard, Elery Beale, Pete Foster, Bill Quinn, and James Macdonald.
What follows is a brief summary of the meeting, with the full meeting available for viewing on the City of Calais’s Facebook page.
All consent agenda items were approved before City Manager Mike Ellis delivered his report. He expressed gratitude to the Calais Lioness for organizing the annual Christmas Parade and thanked the Public Works team for their assistance in setting up the tree at Flat Iron Park. He also recognized public works, police, and fire-EMS departments for their support in managing traffic during the parade. Ellis also reminded the community about the Jolly Junction Market, a holiday pop-up hosted by the CDRC in the former Urban Moose building. The market, open on weekends leading up to Christmas, features a variety of local vendors offering holiday goods.
Next, Calais Fire Chief Billy Lee shared an incident from the evening of November 22 involving local student Reed Leachman. After smelling something burning, Reed discovered a fire in the home caused by a lithium-ion battery-powered vacuum and part of a wall. She promptly alerted her family, who were in the garage, and directed them to the fire extinguisher. The fire was extinguished before the fire department arrived. Lee presented Reed with a plaque, which read: “As a result of your quick actions and response on November 22, 2024, you saved lives and property, and we wanted to say, ‘Job well done.’”
Ellis then recognized Public Works Director Skeet Seelye for his 40 years of service. He said, “You embody what a department head city employee should be. It’s 40 years on the job; you’ve seen a lot of managers come and go and councilor members and mayors come and go, but you’ve remained, and you’ve excelled in your position because you truly care about the community. It shows in your work every day, and I’m proud to be your boss.” A plaque was then presented to Seelye in honor of his dedication and service to the City of Calais.
In old business, the council discussed the possible use of collected TIF funds. Councilor Sherrard motioned to purchase 30 streetlights for downtown this year and begin the grant application process for the remaining lights. This motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Following further discussion, Councilor Quinn proposed establishing a Downtown Charm Grant Program, which was seconded and carried, with Councilors Beale and Sherrard abstaining until they can further review. The Downtown Charm Grant Program is an initiative aimed at enhancing the aesthetic appeal and vibrancy of the downtown area.
City Manager Mike Ellis reported that the local Boy Scouts are disbanding due to a steady decline in youth participation and a lack of parental involvement. As a result, the Scouts will return their property on Scouting Way to the City of Calais. The Calais Trail Riders ATV Club has expressed interest in assuming responsibility for the property, including its maintenance and insurance. Under the proposed agreement, the city’s original arrangement with the Boy Scouts will transfer to the ATV Club, preserving the same reversion clause. This ensures that if the Boy Scouts reform in the future, they will retain the right to use the building. The council unanimously approved the proposal.
The council unanimously approved a tax abatement of $750 for the McAllister building, which is now owned by the City of Calais. The property will be listed for sale at $99,000, a price intended to cover the city’s expenses related to the building.
Fire Chief Billy Lee received unanimous approval to apply for the Maine Fire Services Protection Commission Grant, which could provide up to $5,000 toward the purchase of an $8,000 piece of equipment. The remaining cost will be shared between the Calais and Baileyville Fire Departments. The council also unanimously accepted no-match grant funds from the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation, designated for extrication tools for Calais Fire-EMS.
The council then approved this year’s free holiday dump days, set for Saturday, December 28, and Sunday, December 29.
Additionally, the council scheduled a public hearing for the annual renewal of medical marijuana licenses for the two retail locations in Calais. The hearing is set for January 9, 2025.
The next regular Calais City Council meeting is slated for Thursday, January 9, 2025, beginning at 6 p.m. These meetings are held in the council chambers at the city building and are open to the public. They are also live-streamed on Zoom and the city’s Facebook page.
