By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

South Portland City Councilors Monday agreed the dilapidated condition of city hall is a high-priority problem, but appeared divided over how to solve it.

During a rank-ordering exercise to identify the city’s biggest public improvement needs, councilors rated city hall second behind a new public works building.

The new public works building would be built on Highland Avenue near the transfer station at an estimated cost of $8.5 million and would be funded by a bond if approved by South Portland voters.

However, the council has made no decision whether it will send the bond question to referendum.

Councilors were split in discussions about a possible purchase of 100 Waterman Drive as a replacement for the current city hall at 25 Cottage Road.

 “I am not in favor of doing anything with 100 Waterman Drive,” said Councilor Tom Blake. “When we have 12 percent of our adult population (in South Portland) not working, I don’t think we should be spending $4, $5, $6 million on this. I think we’d be tarred and feathered if we moved into 100 Waterman Drive right now.”

Blake recommended Mahoney Middle School as a potential site for a new city hall if and when the school department consolidates to one middle school.

Councilor Rosemarie De Angelis also opposed a city purchase of 100 Waterman Drive.

“To me it has no appeal. I have no interest in spending more time discussing it,” De Angelis said.

After a 90-minute discussion, the council agreed to consider a list of properties comparable to 100 Waterman Drive as possible replacements for the current city hall.

Mayor Tom Coward said he would meet with City Manager Jim Gailey to develop the list, which will be presented to the council at a workshop in the near future.

In addition to 100 Waterman Drive, the list could include Mahoney Middle School and the armory building on Broadway.

It also could include not moving and remaining in the current city hall building, Coward said. 

If the city stays in its current building, it would have to make many repairs, including $50,000 for a new furnace and $20,000 for a new roof, according to Gailey’s report.

“I want to have a side-by-side discussion with some (comparisons),” Coward said. “Then we can have a consensus around one of the options.”

On May 27, councilors participated in a site walk of 100 Waterman Drive, a vacant four-story office building completed in 2008. The building is being marketed by the Boulos Co. which is asking $1.2 to $1.4 million per floor. The four office and retail condominiums can be purchased separately or as a whole.

During Monday’s workshop Gailey presented a report that detailed space needs for city staff.

The staff needs 15,825 square feet of space, and the current city hall provides 12,739 square feet. The 100 Waterman Drive building would give the city staff 16,525 square feet of space, according to a report by Gailey.

It also outlined utility and maintenance costs of nearly $91,000 for several city buildings.

In addition, the report cited physical problems with city hall, which needs a new furnace, roof and other repairs.

Gailey’s report also included floor schemes of 100 Waterman Drive that showed how various city departments would fit into the new building.

During the public comment period, South Portland resident Greg Lewis criticized the idea of buying 100 Waterman Drive and using it as a new city hall.

“Something smells very fishy about this whole project,” Lewis said. “I want some clarification about what’s going on here. It doesn’t really sit right with me.”

Councilors Linda Boudreau and Jim Hughes spoke in favor of 100 Waterman Drive.

“I think this is a very good option. I think it’s an opportunity that’s pushed because it’s here now and may not be in six months,” Boudreau said. “We need to do it sooner rather than later.”

Hughes shared Boudreau’s sense of urgency and encouraged the council to consider buying the new building.

“We definitely need to look at 100 Waterman Drive as an option for city hall,” Hughes said. “There’s a good opportunity for us to use the space. It’s bare floor now so we get to build it out the way we want. I don’t want us to let the opportunity slip away.”

The city has not discussed a price for 100 Waterman Drive with the Boulos Co. Gailey said last week it’s too early in the process to discuss a price.

The city manager’s report on space configurations in the new building was based on occupying three floors.

If a new building is purchased, the old city hall complex including the adjacent assessor’s building would be sold. Gailey’s report estimated the value of the current city hall complex to be $1.6 million.

Rick Wright can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 234 or news@inthesentry.com.