Board: Auburn City Council

Met: Monday night

Martindale zoning

Issue: Developers of Martindale Estates planned to develop almost 15 acres of land north of the Martindale Country Club and immediately south of the Little Androscoggin River, building up to 26 duplex units there. They’ve built 14 so far, and discovered this year that current zoning doesn’t allow them to build more.

The scoop: Councilors were poised to change the city’s zoning codes and comprehensive plans on the property Tuesday, letting developers bring plans for an additional 10 to 12 units to the Planning Board.

Planning consultant James McPhee, representing the developers, noted that councilors were making a mistake. The vote they were preparing to make would have let the developer build more than 26 units and McPhee said that was not necessary.

Up next: Councilors tabled the matter to have staff rewrite the changes to the comprehensive plan.

Financial report

Issue: City finance staff present a regular report on the city’s spending and tax collections at every City Council meeting. As of April 30, the city was about 83 percent through the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

The scoop: So far in this fiscal year, the city has collected $62,200,612, about 98.4 percent of the annual budget. That includes personal and property taxes, license and permit fees, state revenues and rent.

The city has spent $50,931,425 of its annual budget so far, about 80.6 percent of the total.

Appointing constables

Issue: Only official city constables can deliver some subpoenas, according to police Chief Phil Crowell. Each officer is considered a constable, but the city relies on a cadre of appointed, unarmed residents acting as special constables to do most of that work.

The scoop: Councilors reappointed Nathan N. Bowie as an armed police constable Monday.

Contact government reporter Scott Taylor via phone at 689-2846 or via E-mail at [email protected]