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Ellsworth tables library-charter amendment after public notice concerns
Summary
A proposal to expand the library trustees from five to seven was tabled so the city can re-notice the public hearing; a resident argued the statutory notice required by Title 30‑A §2104 was not published with the amendment text.
The Ellsworth City Council on Aug. 18 tabled a proposed charter amendment that would increase the number of library trustees from five to seven after a public commenter raised concerns that the required statutory notice and full text were not published in the newspaper.
Raymond Williams, a longtime library board member, told the council the amendment hearing did not comply with Maine Revised Statutes Title 30‑A §2104 because the newspaper notice did not include the text of the proposed amendment and lacked a sufficient explanation. Williams said he could not obtain the amendment text before the hearing and urged the council not to act.
Library staff and city attorneys acknowledged the notice omission and said the item had been rushed to meet election-ballot timing. Staff said they had since adjusted the draft language to stagger new trustee terms to avoid too many seats expiring simultaneously.
Council voted to table the charter amendment and instructed staff to re-notice properly; a special meeting was proposed for Sept. 2 to allow corrected notice before moving the item toward the November ballot.
