Waterville City Council to consider ambulance purchase, outdoor dining, recreation requests

WATERVILLE — The City Council is expected Tuesday to consider buying an ambulance for $343,271, and approval of outdoor dining downtown and a contract for area recreation projects.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at The Elm at 21 College Ave. Those wanting to take part remotely can go to a link on the city’s website — www.waterville-me.gov.

The funds for a new ambulance for the Fire Department would come from the fire rescue reserve account. Approval requires two council votes, and only one may be taken Tuesday.

The Fire Department has an immediate need for a new ambulance to supplement the two used ambulances it has been using to transport patients, according to fire Chief Shawn Esler.

“The new ambulance will be moved to the frontlines and answer daily requests for service,” according to a March 29 memorandum from Esler to the City Council.

Esler said the two used ambulances would be used to increase transport capacity for both 911 calls, and for moving patients from one facility to another.

Having three ambulances would provide 24-hour primary and backup EMS services seven days a week, even when one ambulance is in the shop, according to Esler.

Esler said having the Fire Department’s ambulance service has eliminated long delays when transporting people and stabilized EMS response in the area. He recommended Autotronics, the Bangor company from which the city bought its used ambulances, be awarded the bid for the new ambulance.

In other matters, the City Council is expected to consider:

• Authorizing sections of Silver Street, Merchant’s Way and Common Street be closed from April to Nov. 1 for outdoor dining downtown, as they were in 2021.

• Authorizing City Manager Steve Daly to sign a $349,920 contract with M.E. O’Brien & Sons Inc. of Medway, Massachusetts, for the purchase and installation of playground equipment at recreation areas on North, Green, Grove, Moor and Chaplin streets, and at facilities on Western and Hillside avenues and the Pine Ridge Recreation Area. The funds would come from a 2022 general revenue bond approved by the council.

• Authorizing Daly to sign a $22,480 contract with A.E. Hodsdon Consulting Engineers of Waterville for design and permitting services for Pine Ridge Recreation Area, with those funds also coming from the general revenue bond.

• Whether to refer to the Planning Board for hearing and recommendation a request by the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter to revise a condition of the Contract Zoned District Commercial-A zone for 8 Highwood St. The amendment would allow for a family shelter and apartments in the building. The building, across the street from Mount Saint Joseph Residence & Rehabilitation, previously housed offices for HealthReach.