GARDINER -- A citizen committee is the best way to work through issues surrounding a proposed crematorium in Oak Grove Cemetery, the mayor has decided.

Councilors on Oct. 27 voted unanimously to prohibit construction of crematories in the city for 180 days, after neighbors and others opposed the development of one at the 27-acre cemetery at 45 Danforth St.

The cemetery is surrounded by a high density residential district.

Mayor Andrew MacLean presented his plan to form a committee at a City Council meeting on Wednesday.

"I proposed the creation of a citizen's committee that would work with staff assistance to examine the issues relating to the crematorium," MacLean said Thursday. "It will be made up of five citizens, two of whom will be partisans, one on each side of the issue -- proponent and opponent, and three neutral members of the community, people who haven't to this point been involved in the debate one way or the other."

Staff would include Interim City Manager Anne Davis; Jason Simcock, director of planning and development; and Code Enforcement Officer David Cichowski.

"The staff have recommended including Bill Najpauer, a planning consultant who has done work for the city over the years," he said.

MacLean said councilors and residents who attended Wednesday's meeting were receptive to the idea. At the Dec. 2 council meeting, MacLean said, he will present an official document to establish the committee along with a list of members.

"The document also will include the charge to the group," he said. "There was quite a bit of discussion on what the charge to the group will be.

"Obviously, it will look at the pros and cons of establishing a crematorium in Oak Grove Cemetery, and also look at other alternatives to address the cemetery association's financial concerns."

The president of the Oak Grove Cemetery Association, Russell Greenleaf, said a crematorium will help the association come up with needed funds to maintain the cemetery. Crematory equipment would be used in an existing receiving tomb, where bodies were once kept during winter months for spring burials.

Greenleaf said the proposal has been in the works since April and that a nonprofit holding corporation would run the operation.

If the association fails to come up with the funds needed to the maintain the cemetery, the city would have to step in and take over, he said.

"We really haven't looked at that," MacLean said. "What I would say is that our buildings and grounds and public works staff is small and working hard enough with what we ask them to do right now ... I wouldn't think that this (citizen's committee) would go immediately to the city taking it over as an alternative. We would be asking them to look at all possible alternatives with the city taking over the responsibility as the last resort."

According to state law, he said, the city would be required to maintain the cemetery if the association runs out of funds.

Davis said by creating a "holistic" committee to gather facts, hear comments and make a recommendation back to the council, the proposal for a crematorium will get an unbiased evaluation.

"Obviously this is an emotional issue and the moratorium gives us time to find a solution that will be helpful to all the parties involved," Davis said.

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com