AUBURN – Councilors Monday could put a rewritten city charter on November’s ballot.

Councilors will have a final look at the rewritten charter Monday and could decide to send it along to voters.

Commissioners have restructured the entire document. They’ve gotten rid of most legal jargon, modernized the language and summarized the entire document in a simple preamble.

The new charter would require a public vote before the city can borrow more than 9 percent of the budget for new buildings and land purchases, about $5.5 million this year.

That’s one of the biggest changes in city rules. Councilors now have final say in all borrowing.

It also moves the city’s general election from even-numbered to odd-numbered years and requires city councilors to work with the school committee on financial audits, capital projects budgeting and adopting a purchasing policy.

The latest charter version is available for download, as part of the City Council’s Sept. 19 agenda, at www.auburnmaine.org/news/agenda.pdf. City Clerk Mary Lou Magno said the final draft should also be available on the charter commission portion of the city Web site by today or Tuesday.

If councilors approve, the charter will go on November’s ballot.

Copy the Story Link