Lewiston City Council meeting

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018

Lachance talks power shift

What happened: Former City Councilor Mike Lachance took to the podium during public comment to discuss what he called a “power shift” of ideology on the new City Council. 

What it means: Lachance told the new council that the decisions they make over the next two years “will have a huge impact,” and that the ideological split of the council is “less balanced” than it has been in the past, meaning the City Council, even with a new mayor, “has a great capability of moving the city in a different direction.”

Lachance, who will remain involved in the Lewiston Finance Committee, said taxpayers are concerned over bonding and the overall property tax rate, and that he believes it’s important the city continues its trend of lowering the city’s bonded debt, not increasing it. 

“I ask you to carefully consider what you choose to do,” he told them.

Cayer appointed to School Committee

What happened: The City Council voted unanimously to approve Mayor Shane Bouchard’s appointment of Mark Cayer to the vacant Ward 6 School Committee seat. No one ran for the seat in the Nov. 7 election.

What it means: Cayer, a former City Council president, will serve on the School Committee after coming up short in his bid for mayor. 

Bouchard made the nomination during Lewiston’s inauguration last week, but inadvertently, the City Council voted on the nomination prior to the new councilors taking the oath of office. 

New councilor Alicia Rea was also unanimously appointed as the council’s representative on the School Committee. 

The School Committee will elect a chairman during a special meeting Wednesday. 

New field complex

What happened: The City Council authorized the city administrator to enter into what’s known as a declaration of environmental covenant for the city property at 180 Bartlett St.

What it means: The city intends to use the property for a field complex associated with Lewiston’s new elementary school project. Due to the history of the site, the state requires that the city outline the environmental requirements that it must meet on the site, which have been recently approved by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

The property was formerly operated by Hudson Bus and contained underground petroleum tanks. 

Further complicating the use of the site was that it had to meet heightened standards because of a federal grant that was initially used to develop the fields where the new elementary school is located.

To reuse the site for recreational fields, it had to undergo a series of environmental tests, with additional approvals for how the city will monitor the site going forward.

Mayor Bouchard’s appointments to city boards and committees: 

Assessment Review Board 

Gary Savard, Noel Madore, full members, three-year terms

N. Joel Moser, full member, two-year term to fill vacancy

Board of Appeals 

Leslie Dubois, full member, five-year term

Alexander Willette, Phyllis Rand, associate members, one-year terms to fill vacancies

Finance Committee

Michael Lachance, full member, three-year term 

Historical Preservation Review Board 

Gerard Raymond, Kevin Morin, full members, three-year terms

Christopher Beam, full member, one-year term to fill vacancy 

Steve Dayton, associate member, three-year term 

L/A Community Forestry Board 

Richard Shea, full member, three-year term  

Dustin Carrier, full member, two-year term to fill vacancy

Planning Board 

Benjamin Martin, full member, five-year term 

Emily Darby, associate member, three-year term to fill vacancy

Lucy Bisson, associate member, one-year term to fill vacancy

Library Board of Trustees 

Edward Walworth, Sara Gillespie, Julia Gordon, full members, three-year terms 

Safiya Khalid, full member, one-year term to fill vacancy