AUGUSTA - Rules governing the rights of citizens to petition city government and bring issues to referendum are likely to generate lively debate by the Charter Commission Thursday.

The issue has been controversial -- and the focus of a recently dropped lawsuit against the city filed by, among others, a member of the Charter Commission itself.

Commissioners have thus far been unable to agree upon what the city charter --essentially the constitution of the city -- should set as the rules for the process by which citizens can petition the government and bring issues to a referendum vote.

Thursday, at their 6 p.m. meeting in council chambers at Augusta City Center, the commission is scheduled to take up the citizen initiative and referendum process.