Waterville council approves vehicle and firefighting gear; Parks & Rec nomination is tabled

The City of Waterville council took several administrative and procurement actions on March 9 while tabling a contested parks-and-recreation nomination.

Council approved minutes from the Feb. 23 meeting (motion moved by Nick Sergeant and seconded by Wayne Wagner) after a voice vote that included an abstention. The council then voted to approve Resolution 1526 to purchase a 2026 Ford Explorer for the police department from Balman Ford (state bid price $44,929). City Administrator John presented the resolution and the council approved it by voice vote.

The council also approved Resolution 1626 to purchase approximately 10 sets of firefighting turnout gear and personal protective equipment from Atlantic Emergency Solutions for $49,985; the purchase was included in the 2026 appropriation ordinance. During the record vote one council member voiced opposition.

Appointments and nominations: council members introduced proposed appointments to several committees (Jeff Losi to Riverbend Industrial Park Committee; John Rosik to finance committee; Karen Ibok to Parks & Recreation). A separate nomination to Parks & Recreation for Terry Msuchi prompted procedural debate under the codified ordinance about a council member’s ability to nominate after 60 days. The mayor asked to table the Terry Msuchi nomination to allow a private conversation with the nominee; the council voted to table that nomination pending that follow-up. Several other appointments included in the packet were approved earlier in the meeting.

What this means: The approved equipment purchases were budgeted or on state bid and will proceed under the administrator’s authority. The Parks & Rec nomination will return to a future agenda after the mayor and nominee confer, leaving one Parks & Rec seat unresolved for now.