ROCKLAND — The old wounds of lost political battles were opened Monday during a City Council discussion of the proposed $225,000 renovation of City Hall.

Mayor Thomas Molloy got things rolling by criticizing former opponent Rep. Rita Melendy, D-Rockland, for suggesting that the renovation project be put on hold. Then, when Councilor Richard Warner voiced support for Melendy’s position, the mayor reminded Warner that his opposition to purchasing the FMC Building forced the council to renovate City Hall.

Melendy defeated Molloy by a handful of votes in a race for the Maine House of Representatives a decade ago. Molloy also was the driving force behind the FMC proposal that voters rejected last year 3-to-1.

“I resent the fact that you are going off and doing something with this building after the public has told us they didn’t want to buy FMC,” Molloy told Melendy. Later when Warner sided with Melendy’s position the mayor reminded him that “you were paramount” in defeating FMC.

Melendy had suggested the council postpone the renovations until the extent of the state’s plans for bringing passenger rail service to the city was determined. City Hall used to be the city’s railroad station, and Melendy said a Department of Transportation officials told her the state was interested in regaining possession of the historic building.

“The state is very, very interested in owning this and returning this to a railroad station,” Melendy said. “I think it would make sense to meet with the DOT and talk … before you start going into big money with Mr. Hansen (the architect hired to design the renovation).”

Melendy told the council that rather than encroaching on its turf, she informed City Manager Cathy Sleeper of the state’s interest in the former railroad station the day after talking about it with the DOT. All she did, Melendy said, was suggest that Sleeper meet with the DOT.

“I certainly didn’t feel it was up to me,” she said. Melendy added that she had worked on the bond issue that revived rail service along the coast and would continue to support efforts to revive passenger service.

“If you are interested I would be interested in seeing this become a railroad station again.”

Molloy told her he would be interested “if you get a check for $500,000 from the state.” Otherwise, he suggested, “you go about your railroad business at New County Road and let us have City Hall.”

When Warner suggested that “it would be foolhardy of us to spend money without knowing what the future of this building is,” Molloy retorted that “it was just like that when you went against FMC.”

At that point Councilor Jean Chalmers reminded the mayor that he was wrong to interpret the vote against FMC as a vote to spend $225,000 to renovate City Hall. Coming to Melendy’s defense, Chalmers added that it was “perfectly appropriate for a representative to be talking to the movers and shakers in Augusta,” to report that “there may be something in the wind about this building.”

Molloy said he was perplexed to listen to councilors who initially had pushed for the renovations having a change of heart. He added that he doubted that rail service ever would be extended into the downtown. The abandoned tracks run behind the mayor’s house.

“I’m very willing to sit down but I want them to have a check in their hand. If they have an offer, I’ll listen,” Molloy said.

When architect Hansen also observed that “if the trains come back they’re going to want you out of here,” Molloy noted that, “I don’t have much faith in the state of Maine.