The City of Bath will have several local referendum items on the ballot for Election Day (Tuesday, November 7, 2023), including two bonds and four amendments to the City Charter. Elections
There will be public information sessions regarding these referendums in the City Hall Auditorium at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 10 and Thursday, October 26.
Sewer Bond
The City has proposed a bond in the amount of $24,653,000 to cover sewer related projects over the next five years. These projects include upgrades to the Water Pollution Control Facility, pump stations, the wastewater collection system, and removal of combined sewer overflows.
The City has more than $15 million worth of projects that it needs to complete over the next five years to be in compliance with the Department of Environmental Protection and the City's CSO Master Plan.
Sewer fees were increased 10% on July 1, 2023, to begin to cover the costs of these upgrades and replacements. The fees are planned to increase over the next five years. In 2022, voters approved Charter amendments and council approved TIF amendments that will allow more than $9 million of TIF revenue support for these projects. With a $4 million grant and TIF funding, the five-year need of $37,803,000 will be reduced to the bond amount of $24,653,000.
City Council approval of sending bond to voters (August 2, 2023)
City Council workshop on Fiscal Sustainability Plan (June 14, 2023)
City Council workshop on CSO Master Plan (March 16, 2022)
Street Bond
The City has proposed a bond in the amount of $5 million to fund street and sidewalk improvements for the next 4-6 years.
The bond will be used to fund street and sidewalk improvements including safety upgrades throughout the city. Staff have done preliminary investigation to generate a broad cost estimate for sizing the bond request. If the bond is approved by the voters, more detailed investigations and planning will be necessary to identify a list of streets and sidewalks for improvements.
An approved bond also provides a funding source for the City to leverage additional funds available through grant programs with other entities such as the Maine Department of Transportation. There are already two projects in the Route 1 corridor that will require the City to provide matching funds.
City Council approval of sending bond to voters (August 2, 2023)
Charter Amendments
The City operates under a City Charter, as is required for all cities. This Charter is the written, basic body of laws by which a city will govern itself, similar to a Constitution. Municipal laws are passed within the framework of the Charter and consistent with State law, to meet certain situations or concerns within the community.
The City has proposed four City Charter amendments that will clarify process, address improved practices related to public notice and elections, and update to gender neutral language.
Proposed amendments include:
- Clarifying inconsistencies in publishing ordinance and bond ordinances and removing publications not required by state law.
- Remove references to he and Chairman when referring to the City Manager and Council Chair and replaces with titles or gender-neutral pronouns.
- Remove the requirement for City Council to appoint a ward and ward clerk for each city ward, and instead appoint them for each voting place.
- Remove forms that are part of the Charter and state that they are available through the City Clerk’s Office.
City Council approval of sending charter amendments to referendum (August 2, 2023)