LEWISTON – Kennedy Park won’t get a pool house, a master plan or a new playground, Railroad Park won’t get a stage or new trash receptacles, and a plan to light up the City Hall tower will wait for private help, councilors agreed Tuesday.

The City Council closed the book on a review of $8 million worth of previous City Council decisions Tuesday night, ending a review of approved projects that had not been started or funded.

City Councilor Tom Peters, the council president, said he was authorized by councilors to review the list, sorting worthwhile projects. He cut six items – hand-held radios for staff, tables for the Lewiston Armory, lot paving and window replacement at the Multi-Purpose Center, $25,000 for a master plan and loader for city recycling.

He approved other items, including office furniture, fire communications equipment, ADA work and street resurfacing, library books and paving programs.

That left four items, and he brought those before councilors. They voted unanimously not to pay for them.

Those items included $267,895 for a new pool house in Kennedy Park, approved by councilors last year, as well as $250,000 for a master plan for the park. The pool house would be the last piece of park renovations that began with construction of a skate park, new basketball courts and a children’s splash area.

City Administrator Jim Bennett said the recreation department would make due with a temporary building, even though that money was not included in the budget.

The list also included $20,000 for a stage, pavers and trash receptacles at Railroad Park. But councilors said they welcomed private individuals willing to help pay for lighting the City Hall tower at night, like the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Transparency

Mayor Larry Gilbert said he had a problem with how the decisions were made. Councilors did not discuss the list during any public meeting, and he said that was unfair.

“It’s a matter of transparency, of doing the public’s business in a public way,” Gilbert said. “If you’re going to talk about these things, it should be done in a public forum.”

Peters said he would gladly discuss any of his decisions if questioned.

“I’m sorry if you don’t like the process we chose,” Peters said. “But I’m not going to be interrogated by you, Mr. Mayor.”