WATERVILLE — The City Council on Tuesday approved spending up to $125,000 for a traffic signal at the intersection of Airport Road and Kennedy Memorial Drive, but not before one councilor cautioned against having too many traffic lights in Waterville and changing the feel of the city.

Councilor Dana Bushee, D-Ward 6, was the lone dissenter in a 6-1 vote to install the traffic light and approve a $111,675 contract with AD Electric Inc, of Sabattus, to do the work. As part of the vote, the council also approved spending $3,800 to have Kleinfelder, a consultant, provide inspection and certification services. The city’s funding for the project will come from a bond.

Bushee asked if a traffic study of the intersection had been done to determine how a signal would change traffic on Kennedy Memorial Drive. She said a new light would be less than one-tenth of a mile from another traffic light.

“I’m wondering why that’s an issue, why we need this light,” she said.

City Manager Michael Roy said no specific traffic study was done, but when the state Department of Transportation funded an upgrade to all the traffic signals in the city, DOT officials said that intersection warrants a traffic signal if the city wants one there.

“Essentially, it’s our choice to put it up,” Roy said.

The state is not saying the city has to install a traffic signal there, Roy said, but if the city is going to continue to develop a business park on Airport Road, traffic control is needed at the intersection. Councilor John O’Donnell, D-Ward 5, said it is hard to make a left turn from Airport Road onto Kennedy Memorial Drive because it is so busy there.

Mayor Nick Isgro said his only concern is that the traffic signals in Waterville are not synchronized and if the council decides to put the light there, it would be an opportunity to synchronize them.

“Otherwise, it’s going to be a mess,” he said.

Bushee was not convinced a traffic signal should be installed there.

“We don’t need any kind of traffic study?” she asked.

“Not for that one,” Roy said of the intersection.

He cited another intersection where it is hard to turn left — from Pleasant going onto Main Street — and people have talked about whether a traffic signal should be installed there, he said.

“I just want us to be careful about turning Waterville into a place that has numerous traffic lights everywhere, and it really does change the feel of a place, like Pleasant Street, to have a traffic light there,” Bushee said.

Representatives of businesses on Airport Road attended a council meeting several months ago to ask the city to put a traffic light at the intersection, saying it is dangerous and difficult to turn left onto Kennedy Memorial Drive.

“Just because a business wants a traffic light, doesn’t mean it’s the right feel for our city,” Bushee said Tuesday.

But Councilor Nathaniel White, D-Ward 2, said he thought it is a good spot for a traffic signal if businesses open on Airport Road. Bushee, again, was not moved.

“It’s just surprising that we could have one that close to another stop light,” she said.

Meanwhile, AD Electric’s warehouse on South Monmouth Road in Monmouth was razed by a fire Tuesday, reportedly destroying more than $1 million worth of inventory inside the building. It was not immediately clear what effect the fire would have on the company’s ability to fulfill the contract.

In other matters Tuesday, the council tabled until July consideration of a request to establish a community and economic development office and hire a community and economic development director.

Council Chairman Fred Stubbert, D-Ward 1, sponsored the request but asked to delay voting on it until after the 2015-16 budget is settled.

The council voted 7-0 to approve extending a lease with Airlink LLC to use part of the main terminal building at Robert LaFleur Municipal Airport for its flight school and charter service. The lease is for three years.

“I recommend the council approve this,” Roy said. “Airlink’s been a very valuable customer and tenant at our airport.”

Bushee asked for a moment of silence to remember Kevin Dutil, board chairman for the annual Kringleville celebration held during the holidays in Waterville. Dutil, of Fairfield, died Saturday at 46. Bushee said Dutil worked all year to plan for Kringleville and ushering the holiday spirit into the city. He worked as a special education teacher at Cony High School in Augusta, where Bushee works, she said.

“He worked with our most vulnerable youth, and he did it in the same spirit that he planned Kringleville with,” she said.

George J. Mitchell School student Waverly O’Toole, 9, stood to ask the city to allow schools to be part of the city’s recycling program.

O’Toole said she thinks recycling bins should be in schools to reduce the waste stream and save money.

“If we want to live in the world, we have to take care of it,” she said.

She received applause from the council chambers. Bushee praised her for coming to speak, telling her she was brave and that others feel the same way she does.

“I hope that you continue to come and talk to us and one day run for office — and you can be up here making some decisions,” she said.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17