BIDDEFORD — The city of Biddeford plans to pave several streets this fiscal year as part of the annual capital improvement program.
As well, the CIP calls for other expenditures, including funds for vehicle replacement, netting in one location at St. Louis Field, money towards radio replacement, some work associated with Thatcher Brook, and several technology upgrades – in all totaling $1.12 million.
The City Council approved the measures at a recent meeting.
Of the total, $470,000 was earmarked for paving, streets including: Mason Street from Bradbury to Elm, Paquin Avenue, Sheltra Street, Gove Street, High Street, Center Street, Calaxite Lane, Emery Street, Westfield Street, Foss Street, Tibbets Street, Bald Avenue, Grayson Street, Deer Run and Abby Lane.
There was a lengthy list of departmental requests not funded, from $50,000 for window replacements at City Hall to $315,000 for cross walks and bump-outs on lower Main Street, a salt barn lean-to addition and a host of other items. In all, the requests totaled $11.5 million.
After considerable discussion, the council tabled adoption of a new sewer user fee schedule.
City Manager James Bennett told the council that when reviewing sewer user fees, staff has discovered there were inconsistencies in billing, with some multi-unit accounts set up as commercial businesses and others as residential. The staff created a proposed new blended rate for apartment buildings to attempt to solve that issue.
Councilors had questions.
“….we’re asking people who are renters to pay more than people who are homeowners,” said Councilor Amy Clearwater. “We do that because the landlord is a business owner, but you can bet the landlord passes it on (to tenants). ”
“It seems we don’t have enough information to vote,” said Councilor Norman Belanger. He said he’d like a written explanation of added costs generated by having a multi-unit property, and the number of units that determines whether a building is considered residential or commercial for sewer usage fee purposes.
Other councilors agreed, and the vote to table was unanimous.
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