WATERVILLE — The City Council on Tuesday will consider electing a chairman, appointing members to city committees and approving a contract with Hight Auto Group for four vehicles for the Waterville Parks & Recreation Department.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Chace Community Forum at the Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons at 150 Main St. An executive session to discuss real estate will precede the meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Sydney Mayhew, R-Ward 4, is the current council chairman, having served in that spot for the past year after being elected 5-0 in January 2019 by a predominantly Democratic council. Mayhew has been a councilor since 2014.
The City Charter stipulates councilors, at the first meeting of the City Council each January, shall choose a chairman who serves at the pleasure of the council:
“Selection of the Chair is not subject to Mayoral veto. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the City Council in the absence of the Mayor. In the absence of the Mayor and the Chair, the City Council shall choose a Chair, pro tempore, who shall exercise the powers of a permanent Chair. The City Council shall determine its own rules and order of business.”
Also on Tuesday, Republican Richard Foss will be administered the oath of office as councilor in Ward 5. He replaces Jay Coelho, a Democrat. Foss, a network systems analyst, defeated Coelho in the November election 214-148.
The council also will consider appointing residents to various boards and committees, including the Airport Advisory Committee, Board of Assessment Review, Board of Zoning Appeals, Ethics Committee, Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District board of trustees, Haines Charity Relief Committee, Waterville Public Library board of trustees, Waterville Housing Authority and Waterville Sewerage District Commission.
Residents interested in serving on those panels were asked to submit applications, and Mayor Nick Isgro interviewed most of those applicants, according to the resolution councilors will consider Tuesday.
In other matters, the council will consider awarding a $181,089 contract to Hight Auto Group, of Skowhegan, for a three-quarter ton, double-cab truck; a one-ton, four-wheel-drive crew cab; a one-ton, two-wheel-drive crew cab; and a one-ton, four-wheel-drive truck with a dump body.
Three of the four vehicles replace comparable models from 2002, 2003 and 2005, according to the resolution. The additional crew cab is for use at Pine Grove Cemetery on Grove Street. Funds for the equipment will come from the 2019-2o general purpose bond for equipment.
The council will consider taking a first vote to amend the city’s ordinance regulating licenses and permits to add a reference to the marijuana ordinance. The amendment will authorize the city clerk to administer the licensing of all marijuana facilities in the same way as all other business licenses, according to the item the council will vote on.
Councilors will also consider a first vote to amend the marijuana ordinance to clarify four provisions: The city clerk administers the licensing of all marijuana facilities; license fees are collected at the time of application; license fees are refunded if licenses are not granted; and annual license fees apply to medical marijuana cultivation facilities.
The amendment would authorize the city clerk to administer licensing of all marijuana facilities in the same way as all other business licenses and authorizes that annual license fees apply to medical marijuana facilities.
The council will also consider taking a final vote to accept a $15,000 donation from RX Abuse Leadership Initiative for Operation HOPE; approval of a resolution supporting Maine’s bicentennial celebration; and referring to the Planning Board a request to rezone 209 College Ave. from Commercial-C to Contract Zoned District/Commercial-A to allow a total of four apartments there.
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