When the Gardiner City Council meets this week, it will be using technology to conduct its business.
Using a combination of its usual livestreaming service and Zoom, an online platform for video and audio conferences, elected officials will consider final approval of the city’s proposed marijuana-related ordinance.
Before the Maine State Legislature ended its session early last week, it put in place provisions for local elected officials to meet remotely to prevent the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus, something that had not existed in state law.
On Monday, Gardiner City Manager Christine Landes said only a few people will be in the City Council chamber for the meeting and the rest will participate remotely.
Because of that limitation, Landes said anyone wanting to provide comments, either for public comment or the scheduled public hearings should provide that comment in advance, either by mail to Gardiner City Hall at 6 Church St., by email to Landes at clandes@gardinermaine.com or calling 582-4200 during regular business hours.
In addition to final consideration of the final piece of the city’s proposed marijuana ordinances, which would impose licensing on cannabis-related establishments, city officials are also expected to ratify Mayor Patricia Hart’s declaration of emergency, signed last week.
The proclamation allows the city’s emergency plan to be activated and to allow any forces or resources that apply to be deployed. The proclamation specifically allows the police chief and his department to “direct and compel the population from any threatened area if action is necessary for the preservation of life, response or recovery.”
Landes said nothing has been acted on yet, but the declaration gives Chief James Toman the authority to order people to disperse.
The city council is also expected to:
• conduct a public hearing and consider a request to apply for a $100,000 Community Enterprise grant for facades
• conduct a public hearing and consider a first read of a proposal to change the land use ordinance to allow small-scale alcoholic beverage production and sales in Gardiner
• consider approving a major special event for the Memorial Day Parade ceremony
• consider approving a food truck license for Backyard Dogs and Catering
• consider upgrading the city’s free NIXL account, used to send email alerts to subscribers, to a paid account that sends text messages
• consider further closure of city buildings beyond March 31 if needed
• accept meeting minutes from March 4 and March 16.
The Gardiner City Council meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The city council chamber is closed to the public, but the meeting will be livestreamed. The link can be found at www.gardinermaine.com/video-streaming.
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