WATERVILLE — The City Council is expected to elect a chairman Tuesday to succeed Erik Thomas, who was defeated by Thomas A. McCormick Sr. in November.
The meeting, preceded by an executive session at 6:45 p.m. to discuss a legal matter, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at The Elm at 21 College Ave. Those wanting to watch or participate virtually may do so via a link on the city’s website — www.waterville-me.gov.
McCormick, a political newcomer who ran with no party affiliation, won a three-year term on the council, defeating Thomas 159-151. A recount in November showed two more votes for McCormick, making the vote 161-151.
Thomas, 46, has served as the Democratic Ward 7 councilor and council chairman for three years.
McCormick, 59, worked for 33 years as a pipefitter and machinist. He is retired from Bath Iron Works.
Possibilities for the new chairman include Councilors Mike Morris, D-Ward 1; Flavia DeBrito, D-Ward 2; Thomas Klepach, D-Ward 3; Rebecca Green, D-Ward 4; Rick Foss, R-Ward 5; and Claude Francke, D-Ward 6.
The council is also expected to consider approval of mayoral appointment recommendations to various boards and committees. They include the Planning Board, for which Mayor Jay Coelho has recommended Cassie Julia to fill the unexpired term of Uria Pelletier, who resigned from the board late last year.
Other panels requiring appointments include the comprehensive planning committee, Board of Zoning Appeals, ethics committee, Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District, Waterville Public Library board of trustees, transportation committee and Waterville Sewerage District commission.
In other matters, the council is to consider increasing City Manager Steve Daly’s salary from $125,000 to $130,000. Coelho said Monday that part of Daly’s contract when hired a year ago stipulated if his performance review were positive, he would receive the pay raise this year. Daly, he said, received a positive performance review by the City Council.
The council is also scheduled to hold the first of two votes needed on a recommendation by the Planning Board to amend the city’s zoning ordinance to allow apartments to be developed on part of College Avenue. The recommendation is to create a Commercial-C1 zone and rezone certain properties from the Commercial-C zone to that new zone. The change would include all properties on the west side of College Avenue, from the south side of Maple Street to Broadway Street.
The ordinance would create a mixed-use zone to allow specified commercial uses and apartments in a strip along the west side of College Avenue. Excluded in the request are 110 College Ave., the site of Brown House Commons, an apartment complex that is in a contract zone, and 68 College Ave., where a marijuana store is scheduled to open.
The zoning change request came from the city’s housing committee, which was formed last year to address what officials described as a housing crisis in Waterville. Specifically, they said there is not enough affordable housing stock in the city, and what is available is often too expensive for those looking to move to the area.
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