LEWISTON – No committee of citizens will help mold the city’s 2008 budget.

A plan to create a budget advisory committee could not muster enough votes at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, despite an apparent truce between several councilors and Mayor Larry Gilbert.

Councilors voted 3-2 to create the committee, but City Clerk Kathy Montejo said any council action needs a minimum four-vote majority to pass.

Councilor Paul Samson was absent, leaving six councilors. Councilors Ron Jean, Stavros Mendros and Mark Paradis voted to create the committee while Renee Bernier and Lillian O’Brien voted against it.

Councilor Norm Rousseau, who spoke against the committee last week, abstained. His decision to abstain effectively killed the measure. Had Rousseau voted against the committee, the vote would have ended in a tie, and that would have allowed Mayor Larry Gilbert to vote on his own proposal.

The topic had led to a fiery discussion last week. Councilors Rousseau, Bernier and O’Brien said Gilbert overstepped his authority when he announced his plan to create the committee. Gilbert complained that the three councilors were difficult to work with.

Tuesday’s meeting seemed different earlier in the evening. Gilbert read a statement, saying the group had put aside their differences to work on the budget.

“We have agreed to work collectively for the good of all the citizens,” he said. “That’s our goal. We may have different approaches to get at that goal, but we all want the same thing.”

Councilors were scheduled to begin work Thursday, going over the proposed budget with city department heads. Councilors could begin looking for ways to trim the budget on April 12. They need to adopt a spending plan for the city by May 22.