ROCKLAND, Maine — City councilors agreed Wednesday evening to place three bond issues on the municipal ballot in November, asking residents to approve $14 million in borrowing for sewers, roads and the library.
But city officials stressed that if the three separate bond questions are approved, there will be no hike in property taxes or sewer fees because an equal amount of debt will be paid off in the next two years. The city would not borrow the new money until the existing debt was retired.
The largest single ballot question is $10 million for the wastewater treatment plant upgrades. Wastewater treatment plant Superintendent Terry Pinto said that when sewer systems fail they have to be repaired.
Councilor William Clayton said the public needs to be provided considerable information on the need for the borrowing.
“Unless there is a lot of details, I can virtually guarantee it will be voted down. Sewers are not sexy,” Clayton said.
Councilor Adam Ackor said he believes the public will know the project is needed and will support it.
The second largest bond issue is $2.9 million for road reconstruction and for money for extending fiber-optic cable. The fiber-optic portion of the bond is $300,000 while the remainder is for roads.
The roads to be rebuilt under the bonds are Atlantic Avenue, Broadway from Pleasant Street south to Gordon Drive, Limerock Street from Broadway to Old County Road, Lovejoy Street, Old County Road from Route 17 to Lake View Drive, Park Drive, much of Thomaston Street, two sections of Talbot Avenue (Main to Union and Broadway to Old County), and Winter Street.
The third bond issue is $1.1 million to repair the exterior of the public library.