Gardiner city manager resigns
The Gardiner City Council accepted the resignation of City Manager Christine Landes on Wednesday after a 10-minute executive session.
GARDINER Christine Landes, who has served as Gardiner’s city manager for 2 1/2 years, resigned.
Gardiner City Manager Christine Landes during a February 2020 City Council goal-setting session at the Gardiner Public Library. The council, which met briefly in executive session on Wednesday, voted 7-0-1 to accept her resignation, effective immediately.
Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal file
The Gardiner City Council, which met briefly in executive session on Wednesday, voted 7-0-1 to accept her resignation, effective immediately.
“I would like to thank our city manager for her work over the last 2 1/2 years,” Mayor Patricia Hart said following the vote. “I think the city has accomplished a lot of important projects under her guidance. We thank her for that and wish her well.”
Gardiner city councilor behind on property taxes, asked to resign
Penny Sergent, who was elected in November as one of three at-large city councilors in Gardiner, owes more than $12,000 in back real estate and property tax.
Share
GARDINER After learning that a newly elected city councilor has failed to pay real estate and sewer taxes since 2014 and 2013, members of the Gardiner City Council on Wednesday called on her to resign.
Penny Sergent was elected in November to an at-large seat on City Council that opened up when Jon Ault declined to seek another term.
At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Patricia Hart said she was concerned when Sergent’s name appeared on the list of properties the city has foreclosed on for unpaid taxes.
Gardiner calls temporary halt to new marijuana stores in the city after recent approvals
While the moratorium covers adult-use and medical marijuana retail outlets, it will not affect those that are already operating or had submitted paperwork for consideration by Sept. 2.
Share
GARDINER Municipal officials in Gardiner have called a temporary halt to accepting business license applications from cannabis-related businesses wanting to open stores in the southern Kennebec County city.
The unanimous vote came Wednesday night, about 2 1/2 months after residents and community organizations began airing concerns about the number of applications being submitted for marijuana-related retail businesses in downtown Gardiner.
The Gardiner City Council is expected to hear a presentation on the construction project at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley and a request for $500,000 to help the club meet its $10 million fundraising goal.
Gardiner officials agree to lease Water Street parking lot
The short-term lease with Gardiner Main Street would expand parking availability in downtown Gardiner, where it is sometimes in short supply.
Share
GARDINER City officials have reached an agreement with Gardiner Main Street for a short-term deal to expand parking on the city’s busy Water Street.
At the same time, they are helping the nonprofit organization to pay the property tax on the Gardiner Main Street site acquired in 2016 from Camden National Bank.
At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, elected officials voted to approve a six-month lease on the former Bailey lot, located on Water Street at the south end of the city’s downtown and to take on the responsibility of maintaining it.