Calais council sitting on sidewalk repair

CALAIS – City councilors were divided last week on whether a referendum question approved by voters last year requires them to take action.

In November, the town voted 888-732 in favor of spending up to $1 million to repair and upgrade city sidewalks and to bolster the foundation of the 108-year-old Calais Free Library.

The repairs were to be paid with general obligation municipal bonds. Although, the library staff is moving ahead with the repair of the building’s foundation, the councilors have not publicly discussed what they plan to do about the city’s deteriorating sidewalks.

When questioned about the issue at the City Council meeting, Mayor Eric Hinson said the councilors were “sitting” on the measure until they had a better understanding of the municipal and school budget increases for the next fiscal year.

But Councilor Ferguson Calder said he believed that since the voters had approved the bond issue, it was up to the councilors to do something. He said he supported repairs to the library.

Councilor Steve Driscoll said that progress was being made on the sidewalks. He said there was a grant project in place for improvements to South Street.

Hinson asked each of the councilors to state their position on the referendum. “We are not going to run right out and spend it just because we’ve got it,” Councilor Earl Jensen. He said the city was working with the library, and he believed that was a major issue.

Councilor Gregg Carter said he agreed with the mayor that the issue should be on hold.

Councilor Billy DelMonaco said he believed the referendum was only advisory and did not force the council to do anything. He said the city faced an increase in local property taxes to fund the school. He said he supports repairs to the library, but he seemed less enthusiastic about spending money to build or repair sidewalks in the city.

Councilor Joyce Maker said she believed the people of Calais had spoken when they voted in favor of the referendum question, that it was up to the council to listen to the voters.

Last year, then-Mayor Judy Alexander spearheaded the drive for the repair of the sidewalks. If the voters approved the bond issue, she said, the city could move ahead with the project. It was her hope that the sidewalks would be repaired well before the 2004 celebration that is planned to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the settlement of St. Croix Island.

Although the councilors seemed undecided about the sidewalk improvements, Alexander, who was at the Thursday night council meeting, asked, “How many times have we asked the people what they want? They’ve told us, and we’ve gone ahead and done the opposite.

“This was advertised, the information was out there that if this passed, the mill rate would go up 1 mill regardless of whatever else happened,” she said.

Hinson said he believed the sidewalks were an important issue, and he said he believed the improvements should be completed before 2004. He did not say if the issue would be addressed next year.