LEWISTON — Councilors on Tuesday refused to overturn a Finance Committee decision to reject bids to fix the roof of Bates Mill No. 5.
The Finance Committee split on a vote Monday to approve $9,885 to Above and Beyond Roofing of Lewiston.
The city had estimated the work, repairing damage made to the roof in a July 2009 fire and preparations to demolish the structure, would cost the city $20,000.
City Councilor Larry Poulin, a member of the Finance Committee, said he would not support paying for repairs.
“I’m tired of pouring money into this building,” Poulin said. “I just don’t see the point.”
Poulin and Finance Committee member Mike Marcotte voted against the roof repairs Monday. Councilor Ron Jean, also a Finance Committee member, voted with Mark Paradis in favor of the work. A tie vote meant the measure failed.
It also failed at the council level, by a 3-4 margin. Councilors Jean, John Butler and Stephen Morgan voted to make the repairs.
The roof of Mill No. 5 at Main and Canal streets caught fire in July 2009 when embers from the burning Cowan Mill across the street landed on the Bates Mill. That damage was never fixed because the city had agreed to demolish the building.
Crews inspecting the roof earlier this year made several foot-wide boring holes in the roof as they prepared the building for demolition. Councilors halted that demolition this spring and the holes were never covered.
Finance Director Heather Hunter said the city’s insurance provider inspected the building in September and declared the city was in danger of losing its liability insurance for the structure.
“If we do not do these repairs, we can consider looking for another insurance provider or going without liability insurance,” Hunter said.
Councilor Jean said that’s why he voted to make the repairs.
“We have a real issue there and without liability insurance, we could end up paying a lot more in a lawsuit,” Jean said. “The $10,000 we’d pay for repairs would pale compared to any lawsuit.”
But a majority of councilors Tuesday urged the city to look for cheaper repairs — including covering some of the holes with plywood.
“We don’t need a 20-year roof here,” Councilor Mark Cayer said. “We just need something to last a year, until it’s clear what’s going to happen with that building.”
Backers of a Lewiston casino are planning a statewide referendum in November to ask voters to let them build a casino on the site of Bates Mill No. 5, the sawtooth-roofed structure on the corner of Main and Canal streets.
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