The public will have one final opportunity Wednesday to speak about the spending plan that Gardiner city officials have crafted for the next budget year that starts July 1.
The Gardiner City Council will hold a public hearing before it is expected to vote on the second and final read of the FY2018 budget.
As it now stands, city officials are expected to appropriate $5,548,401.51 to fund city departments and projects for another year.
This total was scaled back during budget debate earlier this year, prompted by concerns of at-large city councilors Timothy Cusick and Jon Ault, who said they wanted to cut $87,000 to roll back the tax increase that Gardiner property owners would be asked to pay, from 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
Gardiner’s share of the Kennebec County appropriation is $322,495.47, and the appropriation for School Administrative Unit 11 is expected to be $3,667,691.30.
That brings the total anticipated expenditures to $9,538,588.28.
The City Council is also expected to hold a public hearing on paving and utility work on Water Street, Main Avenue and Mechanic Street that the city Public Works Department is undertaking with the Maine Department of Transportation and the Gardiner Water District. The general public and people whose property abuts the work will be able to hear project details and comment on them.
Elected officials are also expected to consider:
• Approving carry-forward requests from department heads for purchases or projects that have been budgeted for in the current fiscal year but have not yet been bought or completed
• Setting the fiscal year 2018 tax due dates and the interest rate for delinquent accounts and authorizing the Tax Club program
• Renewing a liquor license for Canton Village
• Approving City Council meeting minutes
The City Council is also expected to meet in executive session to discuss the search for a city manager.
The Gardiner City Council meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the City Council Chamber at 6 Church St.
Jessica Lowell — 621-5632
Twitter: @JLowellKJ
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