WATERVILLE — The Waterville City Council reviewed a revised municipal and school budget Tuesday, June 16, after unanimously rejecting a proposed spending plan two weeks earlier.
The updated budget returned to the council for what officials described as a second “first reading” after staff members made revisions in response to concerns raised during previous discussions.
City Manager Nick Cloutier said the changes since the initial proposal were relatively small but represented an improvement.
“The differences, although minimal, are in the right direction,” he said.
Cloutier noted that for a home at the city’s median assessed value, the proposal would increase annual property taxes by about $189, or 4.9 percent.
“It does feel reasonable,” he said.
Mayor Michael Morris acknowledged the complexity of the budget process and the challenges facing the city.
“This is a lot of work, and it’s not great by any means,” Morris said.
He later described the situation as a “very smoke-and-mirrors kind of thing.”
Councilors discussed the difficulty of balancing fiscal concerns with maintaining city services. Public feedback received throughout the budget process indicated that residents did not want cuts to public safety services or city positions.
“I think that this is a great solution for this year,” Councilor Rebecca Green, D‑Ward 4, said.
She emphasized the need to be “very vigilant moving forward” because cuts might have to be made in the future.
Council Chair Brandon Gilley, D‑Ward 1, expressed concern that the city would face similar budget pressures next year.
“We’re going to be in the same position next year,” Gilley said, adding that the council was “delaying the inevitable.”
He added, “We are in a position where we knew going into this that this budget was going to be brutal.”
Councilor Samantha Burdick, Ward 3, echoed concerns about postponing difficult financial decisions.
“We need to have a hard look at things,” Burdick said. “Deferring these decisions will make things harder down the road.”
Several residents spoke during the public comment period, with multiple individuals voicing concerns about the impact of rising property taxes and noting that their tax bills are already high.
The revised budget received four votes in favor, enough to secure the supermajority required to advance beyond a first reading. A second reading and final vote are still required before the budget can be adopted.
City councilors are expected to take up the proposed budget again at their meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 7.
