WATERVILLE — City councilors on Tuesday will consider creating a citizens’ budget task force that would examine the city’s budget and financial condition and help raise public awareness of future city budgets.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at The Center downtown.

Waterville Mayor Nick Isgro addresses the City Council from the public microphone in July during a battle over the city budget. The council Tuesday will consider forming a citizens' budget task force. Staff file photo by Michael G. Seamans

The resident-initiated task force would be advisory in nature. The concept for it came about during a prolonged budget session this summer in which residents expressed frustration about property tax increases prompted, in part, by a citywide revaluation.

“This is a citizen-initiated idea,” City Manager Michael Roy said Friday. “It’s not anything that came out of City Hall, although we certainly agree with the intent of that. I think it’s a very good idea because I think it’ll get people a lot more knowledge about the city’s financial situation. More knowledge and understanding can only be a good thing.”

Proposed membership for the task force would include the mayor and two or three councilors, two or three members of the Waterville Board of Education, several residents and a member of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, according to a proposal to the city. Meetings would be held starting next month with the panel to determine meeting dates and times thereafter.

In other matters Tuesday, the council will consider taking a final vote to designate a municipal tax increment financing district for Merici Woods Redevelopment off Western Avenue and adopt a related development plan for Merici Woods.

The development would transform a convent into 28 affordable senior housing units with an entrance to the site off Chase Avenue.

Councilors Aug. 16 took a first vote to approve the 20-year tax district and related plan, which would include a 75 percent reimbursement.

The Ursuline Sisters, who run the adjacent Mount Merici Academy, asked the Waterville Housing Authority to develop the project, Housing Authority Director Diane Townsend told councilors.

The project would use historic tax credits to help develop the property, she said.

The ownership entity for the project is a for-profit one and would stay that way for 15 years, after which it would become nonprofit, but the property would remain a tax-paying entity, according to Townsend.

The efficiency apartments would rent for $550 to $560 a month and the one-and-two bedroom units for up to $750 a month.

The council on Tuesday also will consider approving a revised fee schedule for Quarry Road Recreation Area, a natural gas easement for 10 Temple Court so Summit Natural Gas can hook up to buildings in the area, and authorization and renewal of liquor licenses expiring between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 this year.

Contracts to buy a 2017 Ford utility police vehicle, a compact excavator with attachments, a vacuum street sweeper, a four-wheel drive regular cab pickup truck and winter road salt for 2016-17 will be considered, as will the abatement of real estate taxes for 232 Water St.

Mayor Nick Isgro is expected to proclaim September 2016 as Global Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month.

Councilors will consider referring to the Planning Board a request to recommend to councilors whether 66 Ridge Road should be rezoned to allow Resurrection Life Church to move there from Appleton Street. The church now is located in the former Elks Club building on Appleton that Colby College bought and is planning to tear down.

Also, councilors will consider rezoning 222 College Ave. to allow KSW Federal Credit Union to build an addition.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

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