Leaky Waterville fire station roof among $5.6 million in capital projects City Council considers

WATERVILLE — The city will start working on delayed capital improvement projects such as fixing a leaking fire station roof and drainage problems there if the City Council on Tuesday takes a final vote to borrow $5.6 million for such projects.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in Chace Community Forum at the Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons downtown.

The city wants to borrow $5.6 million to replace the fire tower truck, buy a chief command vehicle for that department, purchase public works and parks and recreation equipment, fix roads, repair Waterville Public Library, install LED streetlights and develop a police firearms training range.

The council last week considered borrowing $5.5 million, but voted to add $150,000 to that amount because of needed fire station repairs, bringing the total up to $5.6 million. Two votes are needed to finalize the borrowing.

“I think the most important thing I’d like to say about the bond issue is that it is for capital improvements that have been delayed for many years,” City Manager Michael Roy said Monday. “The city has fallen somewhat behind in taking care of its capital improvements as a result of our budget challenges for about five years, so this is an important catch up thing for the city to do to take care of its equipment and buildings.”

Roy said that the fire station roof has been leaking and the floor has drainage problems and that is the reason the council voted last week to add the $150,000 to the bond total.

“When the trucks come in on snowy weeks, they end up dripping water on the floor and we don’t have an efficient drainage system,” he said.

He said if the council takes the final vote to approve the borrowing, he expects capital improvement projects will start this fall.

In other matters Tuesday, the council will consider taking the first of two needed votes to remove the two northernmost former Lockwood mill buildings on Water Street from the current downtown tax increment financing district and creating a new TIF district for the buildings, which are slated to be redeveloped into retail and commercial space on the first two floors and apartments on upper floors. The city did similar action for the Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons building and buildings on Main Street downtown owned by the DePre family.

The city’s TIF Advisory Committee recommends a 30-year TIF for the Lockwood buildings that would reimburse the owner, North River Co., 75% of the taxes it pays to put the funds into developing the buildings, according to Roy.

The council also will consider taking a first of two needed votes to accept $70,000 in grant funds to hire a program director for Quarry Road Recreation Area. The group, Friends of Quarry Road, applied for grants for the position and has been notified of acceptance. The council also will consider voting to enter into a memorandum of understanding with The Friends for creation of the position, which would be a city position. Roy noted that the position would be funded entirely with money raised by The Friends.

The council also will be asked to consider authorizing Roy to execute a cooperative agreement with Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District and Waterville Sewerage District for road improvements on a section of southern Water Street stretching from about the Carter Memorial Bridge overpass to the end of the dead-end road. Both the treatment and sewerage districts are located on that road.

The Sanitary Treatment District has been authorized to pay the city $150,000 for the project and the Sewerage District is authorized to give $50,000, according to the resolution the council will consider Tuesday. The city would pay the rest of the money needed for the estimated $286,000 project, in labor, equipment and materials, with the money coming from the paving budget and other accounts through public works.

“The road is in terrible shape,” Roy said. “This is a joint venture between the city, Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District and Waterville Sewerage District to rebuild the road with money from all three parties.”

Councilors will consider taking a final vote to sell undeveloped, city-owned land off Airport Road to Leo St. Peter for $12,000 an acre, with the city paying the cost of a survey if the sale is completed; if the sale falls through, then St. Peter will cover the cost, according to the council order. Councilors on July 2 took a first vote to approve selling him the property, which is beyond the end of the paved part of Airport Road and is part of a much larger parcel the city bought in 2012.