By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — The state transportation department would like the remaining payment from the Town of Naples for the boardwalk, which was part of the bridge replacement and Causeway reconstruction project that started in 2010 and ended in 2013.

The Maine Department of Transportation is giving the town until June 30 to pay whatever is leftover from $130,000 after putting sealant on the boardwalk.

“They would like the remainder of the money back. They will give us until the end of the fiscal year. So we have until the end of June to get this thing done,” Rep. Rich Cebra (R-68th District, House of Representatives) said.

“Test the sealer. Just do it and get their money back,” Cebra said.

Recently, Cebra spoke to the DOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note — at the request of Naples Town Manager John Hawley. The commissioner stuck to his request for the Town of Naples to pay the debt so the state could close the books on this project, Cebra said.

The history of the project goes back about almost a decade since the groundbreaking took place in September 2010.

Sometime in 2011 or 2012, when the concrete was first placed, one section of the boardwalk did not seal properly. The concrete was pocked and some pieces broke away over the years. In response, the Town of Naples withheld the payment from the DOT until the boardwalk was satisfactory. A few years ago, the DOT agreed to allow the town to keep the money as long as those funds were used to fix the boardwalk.

On Monday, Cebra told the Naples Board of Selectmen that the clock was ticking for the town to take a care of the boardwalk and pay DOT.  

Chairman Jim Grattelo clarified.

“They are willing to allow us to spend whatever is necessary, then split the difference,” he said.

Cebra confirmed, saying the amount was approximately $130,000.

“The current Commissioner Bruce Van Note was really involved in this project from Day One” when he was the assistant director of DOT, Cebra said.

“This is an important project to the state of Maine. This is an important project to Naples,” Cebra said.