LEWISTON – Money to buy new books for the Lewiston Public Library was freed up last week and part of $8 million worth of previously approved city spending should be approved later this week.

City Council President Tom Peters said he expects to sign off on some non-controversial projects by the end of the week. Money for those projects, with budgets approved by previous councils, has not been spent.

“Some of the items on that list are no-brainers,” Peters said. They include road and construction projects receiving money from the state or federal government or projects with pending deadlines.

“It would be silly to hold some of those projects up any longer than necessary,” Peters said. “But the rest will come back to the council, and they’ll get a full review.”

Councilors asked for a list of previously approved projects in February, and City Administrator Jim Bennett responded with a list of 59 projects totaling $8 million.

“None of the projects on that list were wish projects,” Bennett said. “Everything that’s there will have an impact on the city. All of it was approved after careful deliberation by previous councils and mayors.”

The list included $267,895 for a new pool house in Kennedy Park, approved by councilors last year. It would be the last piece of renovations there that began with construction of a skate park, new basketball courts and a children’s splash area.

The list also included $20,000 for a stage, pavers and trash receptacles at Railroad Park, money for housing projects, furniture and heating controls at the library and window replacements, floor replacements and other work at city buildings.

Peters signed-off on the library’s new book money last week. Director Rick Speer said that money represented the last quarter of the library’s new book and audio visual material budget.

“If it had gone on much farther, it would have had an impact on the community,” he said. “There would have been a lot of materials this summer we would not have had. But it’s no problem now.”