Complex argument for public works garage

South Portland councilors OK $150,000 study on a new public works center, but two are ‘not yet sold’ on the plan.

SOUTH PORTLAND — The South Portland City Council on Monday unanimously approved a $148,200 study into building a new public works complex off Highland Avenue, combining maintenance and storage of those vehicles with fleets belonging to the Parks & Recreation and Public Transportation departments.

The new, 70,000-square-foot building would be built on city-owned property next to the Recycling and Bulk Waste Transfer Station, near the city's capped landfill, replacing the dilapidated, 1930s-era complex on O'Neil Street, which is said to be the target of frequent noise complaints, given its location in the heart of a residential neighborhood. Included in the study will be plans to build a new street, measuring at least 2,500 feet long, to link the  site to Duck Pond Road, by the Maine Energy plant, giving plow trucks a more direct route to the western part of the city.

The study will be prepared by civil-engineering firm Sebago Technics of Westbrook, with partners CSW Architects, Haley & Aldrich Engineers and Conestco construction. If it passes muster, a bond question could go before voters as soon as next November, with construction beginning as soon as spring 2013.

Although all councilors gave their nod to a final price tag for the study formally approved in January 2010, two of them – Gerald Jalbert and Rosemarie De Angelis – said they are "not yet sold" on the need for a new building.

Also unsold was resident Al DiMillo, who rose from his seat to decry funding of a study into a project not yet approved by voters. DiMillo is a columnist for this newspaper.

“This process makes no sense to me,” said DiMillo. “You’re backward. You want to spend $148,000 looking at a project you haven’t convinced the public is worthy of their tax dollars. It may never get approved by voters.”

In fact, South Portland voters have turned down a new public works facility in the recent past. At a May 2003 special referendum vote, residents defeated a call to bond $4.3 million to rehabilitate the old Durastone building on Wallace Avenue. That project was defeated by just 27 votes.

DiMillo said the latest vision for a new facility will likely cost $10 million in principal, with another $3 million in interest. Although the scope of work presented by Sebago Technics gives no preliminary cost analysis for the project, none of more than a dozen city officials at Modnay’s meeting disputed DiMillo’s estimate.

Perhaps because he has so often complained to the council with no apparent affect – sometimes with hardly a trace of acknowlegement – DiMillo was shuffling on his jacket and heading for the door within seconds of using up his two minutes of alloted floor time.

However, had he stayed, DiMillo might have been gratified to hear something that has rarely happened before – someone at the head table publicly agreeing with him.

“I wish Mr. DiMillo was stil here, becasue I somewhat agree with him,” said City Manager Jim Gailey. “As Mr. DiMillo said, we haven’t gone out to vote and I don’t want to be designing this thing right to architectural plans when we don’t have the green light.”

Gailey said the original “A-to-Z” outline presented by Sebago Technics rang in at roughly $440,000. That’s when he decided to dial it back.

However, Gailey said, some money needs to be spent for exactly the reason DiMillo cited – the public needs to be consulted for its nod of approval.

“You have to do some engineering and design work in order to show the public what you want to do with the site, and also to try and sell that to the public,” said Gailey. “People learn by seeing visual items. If you can’t given them anything visual, they’re not going to understand what it is you’re trying to do.”

Still, Gailey stressed the study is not a public relations project. It may in fact convince the council that the concept is not workable at the proposed location.

“There are a certain number of things that we need to do before we even try to put this out to bond, so that we feel comfortable that it is a viable project,” said Gaiey.

“So, I agree with Mr. DiMillo,” said Gailey. “I just disagree that we shouldn’t spend any money.”

Although everyone on the coucil agreed that the Public Works facility is “pretty much exhausted,” some wonder if the timing is right for its replacement.

“While I certainly can support this study, I am concerned about additional bonding, especially after the high school,” De Angelis said.