LISBON — The Town Council on Tuesday evening approved two money articles for voters to decide at the polls Nov. 7.
The first asks for $1.65 million for energy efficiency upgrades and improvements to school buildings. Projects include replacing classroom ventilators, installing LED lighting, fixing ceilings and exhaust fans.
Funding sources include energy savings, anticipated revenue from the Gartley Street School, capital reserve money, contracted and professional services and debt service interest.
“The overall proposal won’t directly increase the taxes,” Superintendent Richard Green said. “We have operational costs, but we are going to try to self-fund this internally using existing money so it won’t be an increase to taxpayers.”
The second article asks voters to approve a loan for $6.54 million to help cover costs related to wastewater system improvements. The total project is budgeted for $9 million, including $200,000 in legal costs and interest.
Mandy Olver from Olver Associates presented the proposed improvements for Main and eight others streets.
Main Street presents as a major project because of work being done there by Maine Department of Transportation in the upcoming years, she said.
“We wanted to pick a location that we know is going to be reconstructed,” Olver said. “And we wanted to get our utilities taken care of under that area before that.”
Other work includes repairing leaking and failing sewers along Park, Ferry, Nason, Andrea, Madelyn, Webster and St. Ann streets, and Upland Road.
The total for sewer work is budgeted at $6.6 million.
The plan also includes improvements to Davis Street pump station and the treatment plant’s chlorine contact tank, amounting to $2.2 million.
Proposed funding includes the $6.54 million loan and a $2.45 million grant from USDA Rural Development.
If voters approve the article, construction will begin over the 2018 and 2019 seasons and 2020 for Main Street, Olver said.
If it fails, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection may still require the town to move forward with the projects, with or without the funding sources available, because they regulate wastewater systems, Olver said.
The next Town Council meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the Town Office.
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