A leaky library, a crowded public services garage and an old junior high school all will be vying for the Westbrook City Council’s attention when it chooses which major renovation projects to bond next year.

The needs of the three city buildings – the Walker Memorial Library, the public services facility and the former Wescott Junior High School ¬– have been assessed, and there’s no question that each one is desperate for millions of dollars of repairs. But officials say they’re painfully aware of how tight taxpayers’ wallets are, and so they’ll have to prioritize the projects in order to avoid sky-high payments in debt service that would increase property taxes.

“We don’t have it and the people of this community can’t afford it,” Councilor John O’Hara said about the funding needed for the projects. “Mom and Pop might have been working yesterday, but only Pop’s working today.”

The city budgeted about $3.25 million for debt service payments last year. City Administrator Jerre Bryant said he would be looking at refinancing some of the interest payments for older projects. The administration will come forward with a capital improvements plan in the budget it presents this year, and the council will decide whether to incur any new costs. Budget review meetings haven’t been scheduled yet, but should start in April or May.

“Times are tough right now. I don’t think we should be undertaking any of these things until times get better,” said Councilor Michael Foley, the chairman of the Finance Committee.

But there’s also a price to pay for putting off the improvements. The historic Walker Memorial Library could suffer further deterioration. The Public Services Department is running less efficiently because of its lack of space. And the city will be paying to operate the former Wescott Junior High School even though it’s mostly empty.

The library, which underwent $650,000 in renovations two years ago, needs about $1.5 million for repairs to the Main Street entrance, the roofing, stained glass windows and the heating and ventilation system.

The 41-year-old public services garage on Saco Street has been in line for upgrades for years. The expanding department has had to make room for more office space by taking over the work area. A rough estimate to construct a new facility that would include offices, a maintenance garage, a fuel station and storage space for equipment, salt and sand is $8 million-$9 million.

And, in January, the city took over ownership of the Wescott Junior High School building on Bridge Street. A committee formed to explore the reuse of the old school said it needs about $4 million in renovations, including a new heating system, roof repairs and window and door replacements. Those costs could be offset by about $2 million if the city decides to sell its York Street building and move City Hall into the old school.

The city has been looking for ways to fund the projects aside from floating bonds.

Economic and Community Development Director Keith Luke said he’ll know by the end of the week whether the city has secured a $225,000 Community Development Block Grant for replacing windows at the old Wescott Junior High School.

In February, the city received an $85,000 energy efficiency grant from the Maine Public Utilities Commission to replace the aging heating system in the Walker Memorial Library. Luke said the grant would cover 85 percent of that cost.

On Monday, the Facilities and Streets Committee directed the administration to continue seeking grant money for the renovations of all three buildings and to report back to the committee in two months. But before long, as the city’s budget review looms, councilors will be forced to pick and choose.

“I would be hard pressed to support another bond issue for the library,” O’Hara said at the meeting Monday. “There are other places in the community that have seen no money in 30-40 years.”

O’Hara said the public services needs are “way beyond the critical point.”

According to Public Services Director Tom Eldridge, his department’s building is poorly insulated and ventilated. There’s inadequate space for employees and for storage.

“We struggle. It’s very small,” he said.

The inefficiency of the building, Eldridge said, is creating an expensive heating bill. In addition, the lack of storage has forced the department to keep different equipment and materials in different locations in and outside of the city. The salt and sand supply sits in a shed by the Portland Jetport. Having everything so spread out, he said, is inconvenient for his employees and takes time out their workdays.

Early plans for a new building were drawn up, but, Eldridge said, “it’s been thrown on the back burner.”

If those plans are overlooked again in this budget season, he said, “we’ll do what we have to do.”

Foley said if any project is taken up in the coming year, he thinks the renovation of the old junior high should take priority – mostly because it could pay for itself.

By selling the current City Hall building, he said, not only will the profit help pay for improvements, but also having that property on the city’s tax rolls would offset debt service and bond payments.

Foley said the city budgeted $250,000 last year to take over the operations of the building from this past January until June. The eventual plan is to turn the school into a community center – and potentially City Hall.

So far, only the city’s Recreation Department has moved in, leaving the rest of the building unoccupied. But even though the heat has been turned down, Foley said, the city is still incurring operational costs for the building.

And then there’s the library – what both O’Hara and Foley said is last on their lists.

The city approved a $1 million bond in 2007 for repairs to the library’s 1989 addition, which had been plagued by leaking ceilings since it was constructed. New skylights and ceilings that keep out the rain were installed and the interior was refurbished with new carpeting and furniture.

The library reopened in February 2008 and the total cost of improvements came in about $350,000 under the projected price. City officials were aware of the problems in the older portion of the building, but decided to address the issues with the newer portion first.

In November, the library presented a $2.2 million plan for renovations to the older part of the building, asking for $29,000 immediately in order to patch portions of the roof, remove and store the granite steps leading up to the Main Street entrance and temporarily replace them with wooden stairs, in order to avoid further damage during the winter.

The $2.2 million plan includes renovating the attic, which would require installing an elevator. Those improvements wouldn’t be necessary right away, but at the Facilities and Streets Committee meeting Monday, City Administrator Jerre Bryant said the water infiltration issues call for about $1.5 million of repairs.

Mike Miles, chairman of the library’s board of regents, said he understands the city’s financial situation, but the building is in need of immediate attention.

“We have to move on this. We just have to,” he said.

Foley said Wednesday that the council approved funding an assessment of library’s needs last year because it was presented as a necessary step in order to seek grants to pay for the improvements. He’s expected that would mean more than the $85,000 recently awarded.

“There are other people that have been waiting,” he said. “It’s time they step aside.”

At the meeting Monday, O’Hara said he values the historic building, but doesn’t believe it’s time yet for the taxpayers to fund another round of repairs.

“We will make this work. We will save this gem,” O’Hara said. “The question is when will we save it. I don’t see it happening right now.”

Wescott Junior High School, Walker Memorial Library (pictured) and the public services facility all need millions of dollars of repairs. It will be the City Council’s job to decide which, if any, of the projects deserve borrowing money to finance the work.
Staff photo by Brandon McKenney