WATERVILLE — The City Council on Tuesday will consider overriding Mayor Nick Isgro’s veto of a vote the council took March 6 to create a housing study committee.

The council voted 6-0 that night to create the committee, which would investigate methods and tools to help city code enforcement officers ensure that businesses renting properties for housing meet city, state and federal government laws and ordinances related to health and safety and construction standards.

The committee also would look at vacant and abandoned properties and work with city departments, including code enforcement, to explore what other communities are doing to address the need for safe housing.

The committee would have up to 10 members, including three city councilors; a representative of the Waterville Housing Authority; a landlord; two residents, Erik Thomas and Bob Murray; Paula Raymond, a representative of the South End Neighborhood Association; and ex-officio, or nonvoting, members including code enforcement officers Daniel Bradstreet and Garth Collins and City Planner Ann Beverage.

On March 7, a day after the council voted to approve a housing study committee, Mayor Nick Isgro vetoed the decision, saying those promoting the group have “insidious” intentions to enact a landlord registry that would involve fees for rental property owners.

Councilors later said the resolution was not looking to create a registry, which was floated as a possible outcome last summer.

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City Manager Michael Roy said Monday that whenever a mayor vetoes a council decision, the issue automatically goes back on the agenda for council consideration. The council did not ask to consider overriding the veto.

He said that five members of the council must vote to approve the housing study committee for the mayor’s veto to be overturned.

In other matters Tuesday, the council will consider awarding a contract to Freightliner, of Bangor, for a $153,997 dual axle dump truck with accessory equipment to replace an old truck. Freightliner submitted the lowest of five bids received for the truck and equipment.

“It’s constantly having to be repaired, so it’s reached the end of its useful life,” Roy said of the city’s old truck.

The council also will consider awarding a $147,295 contract to B&B Paving Inc. of Hermon, and a contingency allowance of $14,729, for a pavement upgrade on County Road. The work would be done this summer. B&B submitted the lowest of eight bids the city received for the project.

The council will consider taking a second vote to change the zoning at 19, 21 and 23 Summer St. from residential to contract zoned commercial with the conditions that a financial institution is the only permitted use and that the dimensional requirements of the transitional district would apply. New Dimensions Federal Credit Union is requesting the change because it wants to construct a credit union branch there.

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Councilors will consider taking second votes to authorize the city to apply for funds for projects this year at Robert LaFleur Municipal Airport and donate two properties to the airport. The council also will consider awarding a $21,175 contract to Sherwin-Williams Paint Store, of Waterville, for paint used to stripe streets, parking lots, crosswalks and parking stalls.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17


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