Waterville City Council to consider buying $41,339 security system for RiverWalk park

City officials are considering installing a camera security system at the RiverWalk at Head of Falls in downtown Waterville, shown May 18. The park has seen many acts of vandalism and other illegal activity that officials say are costing the city thousands of dollars. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel file

WATERVILLE — The City Council is expected Tuesday to consider buying a $41,339 security surveillance system for the RiverWalk at Head of Falls to help reduce vandalism, increase public safety and identify and apprehend those who vandalize the area and engage in other inappropriate and illegal activities.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at The Elm at 21 College Ave. It is to be preceded by an executive session at 6 p.m. to consult with legal counsel.

Those wanting to view or take part in the meeting may do so via links on the city’s website — www.waterville-me.gov.

The council is slated to consider one order and two resolutions as part of the RiverWalk surveillance system issue. First, councilors will be asked to accept a $30,000 donation from Colby College to be used toward the purchase of the system from Griffon Security Technologies, a Kennebunk company that also installed a security system for City Hall.

The council must take two votes to accept the donation, and may take only one vote Tuesday.

Councilors will also be asked to authorize spending $11,339 from the Police Department’s drug forfeiture fund for the remainder needed to buy the surveillance system.

The council must also vote to approve buying the system from Griffon, which would also install it.

Seven cameras would be installed in five areas, including at the kiosk by the Two Cent Bridge, by the entrance to Front Street, at the gazebo, in the stage area at the north end of the RiverWalk and near the farmers’ market parking lot.

In other matters, the council is scheduled to consider donating $50,000 from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to five organizations as recommended by the city’s American Rescue Plan Act Advisory Committee. If approved, Educare Central Maine would receive $15,000; Habitat for Humanity, $3,000; Maine Children’s Home, $15,000; Waterville Area Soup Kitchen, $10,000; and Waterville Community Land Trust, $7,000.

The money would be disbursed as part of the 2021-22 budget. Educare had asked for $20,000; Habitat for Humanity, $5,000; Maine Children’s Home, $20,000; Waterville Area Soup Kitchen, $15,000; and Waterville Community Land Trust, $10,000.

The advisory committee recommends $30,000 of ARPA funds be issued as part of the 2022-23 budget, including $15,000 to the Alfond Youth & Community Center, which requested $19,875, and $15,000 to the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, which requested $20,000.

A memorandum from the committee says members conducted an extensive process with the applicants “to be as transparent and fair to all agencies as possible while remaining within the limits of the committee’s budget constraints.

“We took into account what the priority needs were in our community as well as how great an impact the funding would have and the potential longevity of the program,” the memorandum reads. “We are recommending funding for five nonprofits at levels ranging from 60-75% of the amount requested in an effort to get funding to as many agencies as possible.”

Councilors also are scheduled to consider accepting a $30,000 donation for the skatepark project at Green Street Park, extending a contract for two years with WasteZero for purple disposal bags and renewing a contract with Ecomaine for recycling services.