By Ryan Michaels | The Maine Mirror

August 6th 2026

BELGRADE — After more than an hour of discussion Tuesday evening, the Belgrade Select Board voted unanimously to postpone a decision on whether a citizen-initiated ordinance certified with 276 voter signatures should move forward, instead requesting additional legal clarification before taking further action.

The decision follows weeks of public discussion surrounding the proposed ordinance, which seeks to establish new requirements governing municipal taxation, spending transparency, reserve funds, and public notification of budget proposals. In previous meetings, the Board referred the petition to the Budget Committee for review while also obtaining a legal opinion from Bernstein Shur attorney Philip R. Saucier.

Budget Committee Reiterates Recommendation

During Tuesday’s meeting, members of the Budget Committee reiterated that they support many of the petition’s underlying objectives but continue to believe the ordinance, as written, contains legal and practical concerns that should be addressed before adoption.

Committee members explained that questions remain regarding implementation, enforceability, financial terminology, reserve funds, and tax calculations. They also referenced the town attorney’s opinion that Section 2 conflicts with Maine law governing municipal budget approvals.

Rather than recommending immediate adoption, the committee again encouraged the Board to authorize development of financial policies that incorporate many of the petition’s concepts while refining the language before the FY2028 budget process.

Discussion Shifts to Legal Authority

While previous meetings focused largely on the wording of the ordinance itself, Tuesday’s discussion increasingly centered on a different question: what authority the Select Board has if it chooses not to place a certified citizen petition before voters.

Petitioner Carol Carothers repeatedly asked Board members to identify the legal basis for rejecting a petition certified by 276 registered voters.

Referring to Maine law governing citizen petitions, Carothers questioned whether the town attorney had actually advised the Board that the petition could not appear on the ballot or had instead identified only concerns about portions of the ordinance. She also requested that any legal justification for the Board’s decision be provided in writing and made publicly available.

Her comments shifted much of the discussion away from the merits of the ordinance itself and toward questions of municipal procedure and legal authority.

Board Members Express Different Concerns

Several Board members said they were uncomfortable placing before voters an ordinance that town counsel believes may contain provisions inconsistent with state law.

Board members discussed the petition’s severability clause, which petition supporters argue allows any invalid section to be removed while preserving the remainder of the ordinance. Others questioned whether that clause itself resolves the legal concerns identified by the town attorney.

Select Board member Anthony Wilson said he was reluctant to ask voters to approve language that could later prove unenforceable, while Budget Committee members emphasized that they viewed many of the petition’s goals as worthwhile but believed additional drafting work was necessary before those ideas became municipal ordinance.

Concerns About Continued Delay

Budget Committee member Jillian acknowledged that the petition organizers have now pursued similar proposals multiple times and expressed concern that repeated delays could create the appearance that the citizen initiative was simply being blocked.

She encouraged continued work on the proposal while cautioning against allowing the process to stall indefinitely.

Board Votes to Table Discussion

Following additional public comment, the Board unanimously voted to table the matter until its next meeting and directed Interim Town Manager Mary Vogel to seek additional clarification from the town attorney regarding the legal authority surrounding the petition and any decision not to place it before voters.

No vote was taken on whether the ordinance will ultimately appear on the November ballot.

What Happens Next

The Select Board indicated that the issue will return at its next meeting after receiving additional legal guidance.

The outcome could determine whether Belgrade voters are asked to decide the ordinance directly or whether town officials instead pursue financial policy reforms through the Budget Committee process.

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