BELFAST – It looks like the city will be picking up some of the tab for computer upgrades at the Waldo County Regional Communications Center after all.

Although the city had disputed paying a 25 percent share of the upgrade, the communications center’s board of directors voted 9-1 to send the $2,976 bill to the city. Belfast Police Chief Allen Weaver cast the dissenting vote.

“Weaver represents the city, Weaver was the one doing the negotiating, Weaver was the one who agreed to pay and Weaver was the one who voted against paying,” Waldo County Commissioner John Hyk said Tuesday when informed of the board’s decision.

When contacted, Weaver said he still opposed paying the bill but that City Manager Terry St. Peter had the final decision. St. Peter was not available for comment Tuesday.

When the county and city merged their emergency dispatching departments to form the regional communications center a year ago, the city had agreed to pay a portion of some equipment upgrades. Weaver has contended that the unwritten agreement, which also involved the city giving some of its computer equipment to the county, ended once the communications center was up and running full time. The county commissioners believed otherwise.

When the commissioners approved the center’s 2003 budget last December, they did so with the understanding that the city, as it had in the past, would contribute 25 percent of the cost of upgrading a part of the computer records system.

In order to eliminate problems between the city and the communications center, the directors recommended that both parties adopt formal contracts outlining their individual responsibilities.