WATERVILLE $ Mayor Paul R. LePage prevailed Wednesday night in a disagreement with City Manager Michael Roy and some councilors over how to pay for beautifying Head of Falls.

Roy sought to secure $120,000 from a state Riverfront Bond program to develop a park-like entrance to the Two-Cent Bridge from Front Street. Councilors last month voted 4-2, with one abstention, to apply for the state funds.

But LePage vetoed that council action, saying the city would pay $2 for every $1 of grant money as a match and it would be less costly to do the work with a Community Development Block Grant. CDBG requires only $1 of city funds for every $3 of grant money, he said.

Councilors on Wednesday failed to override his veto. They voted 4-2 to override, but overriding required a 5-2 vote. With Councilor Stephen R. Aucoin, D-Ward 6, having resigned, the council has only six members and Chairman Dana W. Sennett, D-Ward 4, and Councilor Charles "Fred" Stubbert, D-Ward 1, voted against overriding.

The total project is estimated to cost about $360,000. The city already has invested about $1 million in underground utilities at the site in anticipation of developers wanting to locate on the riverfront. Councilors who supported applying for state funds to develop a park-like pathway from Front Street to the bridge contend that beautifying the area would draw developers.

But LePage disagreed. He said part of the area proposed for development into a park is desirable to some developers for their projects. He said using so much of the city's money for beautifying the area would hurt the city's bond rating and now is not the time to do that.

"Before I build a park, I'm going to make sure that the people in this city don't freeze to death," he said.

Roy has said the city would foot part of the bill for improving the riverfront, using money from a $600,000 pool left over from a $1.25 million riverfront development loan. Sixty-thousand dollars of the city's share would come in the form of in-kind labor.

Johnson Heights resident David Solmitz said he supported applying for the state funds, as in these trying economic times is it vital to re-establish a sense of community and the Head of Falls would serve as a gathering place for people.
But Stubbert said he supports the riverfront project, but the funding method being proposed does not make economic sense.

"In the interest of the taxpayers, I will vote to uphold the veto," he said.

Councilor John O'Donnell, D-Ward 5, had abstained from voting last month on the state application issue. On Wednesday, he said he did so because he wanted to time to talk with his constituents and to Roy about the matter. He ultimately concluded that supporting the application for state money $ and voting to override the veto $ was appropriate.

"I would disagree that this proposal would discourage developers," he said.

Councilors Thomas R.W. Longstaff, D-Ward 6 and Rosemary J. Winslow, D-Ward 3, spoke in favor of the application, as did the Waterville Main Street Program's executive director, Shannon Haines.

Roy said after the meeting that with the mayor's veto in effect, the city probably will apply for a CDBG grant in February for downtown revitalization and part of that money, if granted, can be used for the Head of Falls work. He said the city will notify the state that it wants to withdraw its application for the riverfront bond, for which the city recently applied.

Amy Calder $ 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com