Editing Waterville, Maine (section)

===Local government===

[[File:Waterville, ME City Hall (2014) IMG_2652.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Waterville City Hall (2014)]]
Waterville has a [[mayor]] and [[council-manager]] form of government, led by a mayor and a seven-member city council. The city council is the governing board, and the city manager is the chief administrative officer of the city, responsible for the management of all city affairs.

Waterville adopted a [[city charter]] in the 1970s.<ref name="WardEliminating">Rachel Ohm, [https://www.centralmaine.com/2018/12/13/waterville-city-manager-responds-to-criticism-about-idea-of-eliminating-wards/ Waterville city manager responds to criticism about idea of eliminating wards], ''Morning Sentinel'' (December 13, 2018).</ref> For some 40 years, the city had a "[[strong mayor]]" system in which the mayor enjoyed broad executive powers, including the power to veto measures passed by the city council and to [[line-item veto]] budget items passed by the council.<ref name="Palmer">Kenneth T. Palmer, ''Maine Politics and Government'' (University of Nebraska Press, 2009), p. 205.</ref> In 2005, the charter was substantially revised, changing the city government to a "[[weak mayor]]" [[Council–manager government|council-manager system]].<ref name="Palmer"/><ref>Amy Calder, [https://www.centralmaine.com/2012/11/29/tasks-await-new-charter-panel_2012-11-29/ Waterville city political partisanship, ward system likely charter commission targets], ''Kennebec Journal'' (November 29, 2012).</ref> Under the present system, the [[city manager]] is the chief executive.<ref name="Palmer"/> The charter revision was approved by city voters by a 4–1 margin.<ref name="Palmer"/> The city is currently divided into seven geographic [[Ward (electoral subdivision)|wards]], each of which elects one member of the Waterville City Council and one member of the Waterville School Board.<ref name="WardEliminating"/>

Since 1970, the following people have served as mayor of Waterville: [[Richard Carey (politician)|Richard "Spike" Carey]] (1970–1978), Paul Laverdiere (Republican, 1978–1982); Ann Gilbride Hill (Democrat, 1982–1986); Thomas Nale (1986–1987); [[Judy Kany|Judy C. Kany]] (Democrat, 1988–1989); David E. Bernier (1990–1993); Thomas J. Brazier (1994–1995); Nelson Megna (1995–1996); Ruth Joseph (Democrat, 1996–1998); [[Nelson Madore]] (Democrat, 1999–2004); [[Paul R. LePage]] (Republican, 2004–2011); Dana W. Sennett (Democrat, 2011); [[Karen Heck]] (independent, 2012–2014); Nicholas Isgro (Republican, 2015–2020); Jay Coelho (2021–present).<ref>[http://www.waterville-me.gov/mayor/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2017/06/History-of-Mayors-Rev-June-2017.pdf History of Mayors: Waterville, Maine, 1888 — Present], City of Waterville (revised June 2017).</ref>

In 2018, Isgro faced a [[recall election]] after he made a [[Twitter]] post insulting a gun control activist present during the [[Stoneman Douglas High School shooting]] in [[Parkland, Florida]]. The recall effort was backed by former Mayor [[Karen Heck]], a Democrat who had previously endorsed Isgro. Isgro later made his Twitter feed private and said that he had deleted the post.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/1e22e50939304fd8b3f847b6ef299eaa|title=Mayor faces recall vote over tweet mocking shooting survivor|work=Associated Press|date=2018-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/386183-gop-maine-mayor-facing-recall-vote-over-tweet-mocking-parkland-survivor/|title=GOP Maine mayor facing recall vote over tweet mocking Parkland survivor|first=Avery|last=Anapol|date=4 May 2018|website=The Hill}}</ref> During the recall effort, Isgro asserted that outside interests and the City Council were plotting to oust him over disputes over the city budget and taxation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2018/05/12/waterville-mayor-says-council-wants-13-percent-tax-hike/|title=Waterville mayor says council wants 13 percent tax hike|author=Rachel Ohm|date=May 12, 2018|website=Morning Sentinel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2018/06/07/nick-isgros-promise-to-veto-budget-challenged-by-waterville-officials-councilors/|title=Mayor Isgro's promise to veto budget challenged by Waterville officials, councilors|author=Rachel Ohm & Amy Calder|date=June 8, 2018|website=Morning Sentinel}}</ref> After an acrimonious recall campaign,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2018/05/07/waterville-mayor-nick-isgro-questions-integrity-of-recall-petition/|title=Waterville Mayor Nick Isgro questions integrity of recall petition|author=Rachel Ohm|date=May 5, 2018|website=Morning Sentinel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2018/05/17/waterville-mayor-attempts-to-frame-recall-election-as-a-tax-issue|title=Waterville mayor attempts to frame recall election as a tax issue|author=Rachel Ohm|date=May 17, 2018|website=Central Maine Morning Sentinel}}</ref> Waterville voters defeated the recall attempt, with 1,563 "no" votes (51%) to 1,472 "yes" votes (49%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressherald.com/2018/06/13/waterville-mayor-asks-for-apology-reimbursement-after-surviving-recall-vote/|title=Waterville mayor asks for apology, reimbursement after surviving recall vote|author=Rachel Ohm|date=June 14, 2018|website=Morning Sentinel}}</ref>