WATERVILLE — Residents are invited to learn all about the city charter at a community meeting Monday at Waterville Public Library.

City Manager Michael Roy said that he will give a short presentation on the charter, which is like a local constitution, and explain what it does, why the city has one and how a charter revision differs from a charter amendment.

“So, it’s all important in terms of how the city functions,” he said.

The session, hosted by Roy and Mayor Karen Heck, will be 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the library’s fourth floor.

Roy said this will be the first of two meetings on the charter before an April 17 City Council meeting at which the council will vote on a charter issue.

The present charter says the council shall elect and appoint a charter commission to revise the charter in 2012 and every seven years after that, Roy said.

But if the council and voters do not believe a charter revision is necessary, the council could decide to ask voters to change the charter to take that requirement out of the document, Roy said. They could vote to put the question to voters June 12, he said.

The current charter was adopted in 2005.

Roy said former charter commission members, including co-chairmen Thomas R.W. Longstaff, who now is a state representative, and Wayne Theriault, are invited to Monday’s meeting.

“I’m interested to hear what they have to say about this 7-year requirement,” Roy said.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

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