WATERVILLE -- City councilors tonight will discuss the Public Library's request for $1.5 million to help renovate the building. They also will take a second vote on a proposed $37 million municipal and school budget for 2008-09.

The council will discuss capital improvement projects, including the library's, at a budget workshop to start at 5:30 p.m.; the regular council meeting to consider the municipal and school budgets and other items starts at 7 p.m.

Both sessions will be held in the council chambers at The Center downtown.

At the regular council meeting, councilors also will consider:

• Mayor Paul R. LePage's recent veto of a council vote to award a contract for paving Grove Street.

• Taking a second vote on a request to give up city control of part of Mayflower Hill Drive to Colby College.

• Sending a message to the Kennebec Regional Development Authority to maintain the original intent of FirstPark as a center for high tech business and not support the sale of property there for a beverage distribution company.

The library is asking for $1.5 million as part of a capital campaign to raise $3.1 million to fix the 100-year-old facility, which needs an elevator and heating system, as well as air conditioning and new entrance facing The Concourse, among other things.

LePage says the city must be very frugal with funds, as the high school and Opera House also need major renovations, and the Public Works Department needs a new building.

Some city councilors and residents have discussed using some of the city's "undesignated" or general fund money for such capital improvements.

City Manager Michael Roy said Monday that councilors today will discuss the fund and consider approving a policy regarding use of that fund.

"We've been operating under an unwritten policy, so now we want to make it official," he said.

Meanwhile, library officials on Monday announced that Kennebec Savings Bank has donated $25,000 toward the plan to raise $3.1 million for the facility. Library officials said prior to that that they had raised more than $600,000 toward their goal.

Councilors May 6 voted to award a $65,950 contract to Pike Industries, Inc. of Fairfield to do a paving project on Grove Street.

LePage's veto, dated May 9, says this is not the time to repair state-aid roads with local property tax dollars.

"This is the toughest veto I have made since being mayor of Waterville," the veto says.

He says he is a strong advocate for repairing all the streets and supported using local property tax revenues to repair Gilman and Hazelwood streets.

"It was our hope the state would recognize our good faith effort and they would agree to reciprocate at a future date when funding improved. Unfortunately, this was a mistake and I now realize the city action was a dream. I fully understand the state's financial situation, but our residents are also struggling with double-digit increases in food costs, $4 a gallon heating oil cost and $3.60 a gallon for gasoline at the pump."

Five councilor votes are needed to override a veto.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com