GARDINER — When the Gardiner City Council meets this week, elected officials are scheduled to discuss the proposed budgets for the Police Department and the Fire Department.

This is the first in a series of presentations on the city’s proposed spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

The Gardiner City Council is scheduled to meet Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Gardiner City Hall, 6 Church St.

Elected officials are also expected to consider two programs that are aimed at helping senior citizens and others — the Senior Citizen Tax Relief Program and amendments to the Sewer Discount Program for Veterans, Elderly and Disabled Residents.

City councilors heard presentations on these two programs during the March 1 city council meeting from the Senior Tax Relief Working Group. For the tax relief program, the committee recommended that tax relief be offered to seniors 65 and older who have lived in Gardiner at least 10 years and meet program requirements.

That’s under review by the city’s legal counsel. The law that allows tax relief doesn’t have a residency requirement and people 62 or older would be eligible. The changes to the Sewer Discount Program would change the threshold for qualification from an income schedule to 70 percent of the median household income based on the most recent U.S. Census data and provides for a schedule of charge reductions.

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The council on Wednesday will also consider sewer abatements, the sewer commitment, Bridge and Cobboossee Trail Committee recommendations on a pedestrian bridge, investigating acquiring the Federal Aviation Administration tower on Libby Hill, and a special event permit for a Food Truck Festival to be held May 20 at the Gardiner Waterfront.

Jessica Lowell — 621-5632

jlowell@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @JLowellKJ


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