Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

AUGUSTA

WiFi, dog parks, riverview bridge

City has vision — not necessarily budget — in mind with goals

By Keith Edwards kedwards@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- Some city councilors want to look into building a downtown observation deck or a pedestrian bridge across the Kennebec River.

Some also want to let one of the city's parks go to the dogs, expand wireless Internet coverage, provide better access to the upper levels of downtown buildings and develop a code of ethics for councilors.

Those are some of the many goals and objectives councilors are considering setting for themselves, Mayor Roger Katz and administrators, including City Manager William Bridgeo.

Councilors discussed their goals at a meeting Thursday. Each is expected to rank suggested goals on a two-page list in order of importance so an overall, roster can be considered. Bridgeo said the final goals list will likely be reviewed by councilors in a couple of weeks.

This goal-setting is taking place at the same time councilors are preparing to make budget cuts to deal with a projected gap in next year's budget, due to decreased revenues and increased expenses.

"Although our number one priority is dealing with some difficult budget decisions this spring, it is important that we don't lose sight of our role in setting out other city priorities," Katz said Friday. "Adopting goals and objectives, and then revisiting them, is a big part of our job."

The goals range from finishing projects already started -- such as providing maps, signs, brochures and an informational radio broadcast meant to draw people to the city's downtown waterfront -- to investigating ideas that may not happen in the current economic climate.

Building a pedestrian bridge across the Kennebec River from downtown may be an example of the latter category.

The bridge could possibly use granite piers that once supported a bridge but are now unused, left behind in the river. But first, one of the administrative tasks under consideration is researching who actually owns the old piers.

"It's probably orphaned property, but we have to figure out who owns them," Bridgeo said of the granite block piers. "They don't support anything. Maybe they could be used for something. Or maybe the granite could be salvaged."

Another potential goal being considered is construction of a deck on the so-called Segal lot, a city-owned lot between Water Street and the Kennebec.

A potential goal listed as a "mayoral task" is the creation of a code of ethics for the City Council.

"I think it would be helpful to have a council code of ethics, to help guide us and our successors on issues like potential conflict of interest," Katz said. "It hasn't been a problem, but it's probably a good idea to be proactive about it."

Other draft goals include:

* look into turning one of the city's parks into a dog park;

* analyze the potential to expand Wi-Fi coverage after the city last year created a new Wi-Fi high-speed Internet service in the downtown area;

* support efforts to make it easier to use the upper levels of downtown buildings for housing;

* continue to work with the University of Maine at Augusta to create a UMA presence downtown;

* continue to seek resources to renovate and expand Hartford Fire Station and;

* analyze the cost and potential to stream City Council and Augusta Board of Education meetings via the Internet.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com