City staffers will be allowed to buy supplies and equipment worth up to $1,000 without getting approval from higher-ups.

Councilors approved a plan Tuesday to issue bank cards to 85 city employees, including most department heads. The cards will allow the staffers to buy equipment when they need it. Currently, staffers need to get purchase orders for items worth $50 or more.

Councilors were divided on the plan. Mark Paradis and Lillian O’Brien, members of the city’s Finance Committee, said the cards would streamline city operations and get rid of layers of paperwork. Others were concerned about misuse.

“I’m concerned that if you put 85 cards out there in other people’s hands, things are going to happen,” Councilor Norm Rousseau said. “How do we know for sure that a piece of wood purchased with a card isn’t going to end up being used on someone’s house?”

“If a city employee wants to put their job on the line for something like that, they’d probably do it now, anyway,” O’Brien said. “I think they’re selling out cheap, if they do.”

Councilors agreed to the plan, voting 4-3 to pass it. Councilors Stavros Mendros and Renee Bernier voted against it.

– Scott Taylor
Lewiston: Hockey tickets all around

The city’s Androscoggin County neighbors will get free tickets to a Lewiston Maineiacs hockey game next season.

City Councilors agreed Tuesday to give 13 complimentary tickets per game to a different Androscoggin County municipality for each home game. County officials will get free tickets to home games, as well.

The Maineiacs season begins in September, but their first home game is scheduled for Oct. 1 against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

– Scott Taylor
Sabattus: Fitness studio proposed

At a Planning Board meeting on Monday, July 26, Ronald and Carol Trottier will propose their plan to operate a small fitness studio designed to serve about 30 clients a week.

The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to voice their opinions. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall on Middle Street.

– Nick Angelides
Lewiston: Youth council named

Councilors appointed five area teens to the city’s Youth Advisory Council Tuesday night.

Jenni Golletti, Ashley Morgan, Hossain Naji, Sarah Peters and Rachel Spilecki will join returning members Allyson Beaucage, Jonathon Issaco, Katie Lauze, Ryan Reed and Kelin Sevit on the council.

The city began the youth council two years ago to act as a liaison between the city and area teens and to work on teen-oriented community issues. Since starting, the youth council has tried to create awareness of noise pollution and have raised $25,000 to place a historic clock in City Hall. They also beautified Railroad Park.

The City Council also reappointed Councilor Norm Rousseau as the City Council’s liaison to the youth council.

– Scott Taylor

Lisbon: Special election Aug. 7

Residents will use brand new voting machines in the special Charter Commission election on Saturday, Aug. 7. Selectmen have approved a lease-purchase agreement for two Accuvote machines with LHS of Methuen, Mass., on its low bid of $12,100.

The machines, which Town Clerk Twila Lycette described as “very user-friendly,” are much smaller than the old machines and will require filling in ovals instead of completing arrows, as was done with the Optec machines formerly used by the town.

The new machines are also much smaller, about the size of a laptop computer. Polling hours for the special election will be 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. The election will open at 7:30 a.m. at Marion T. Morse School to elect a moderator.

– Connie Footman

Lisbon: Town awards bike trail contract

Selectmen have awarded the contract for the design of the new Mill Street bicycle-pedestrian trail to Sevee and Mahar Engineers on its bid of $21,800. The 4,400-foot trail will run from the new elementary school on Mill Street to Upland Road at Barker Brook. The $240,000 project is funded by state and federal grants and the town’s share of $48,000, said Town Manager Curtis Lunt. No timeline has been set for the construction of the trail.

– Connie Footman

Lisbon: Public Works gets MMA grants

The Public Works Department has received two matching grants from the Maine Municipal Association: $2,000 toward a crane attachment for a dump truck to move utility covers and $1,300 toward the cost of a projector for training films.

The town’s matching shares for each would be one-third of the cost. The money would come from funds appropriated at the March 2004 town meeting.

– Connie Footman