Here’s what you had to say.

“I would designate L-A as ‘the festival cities on the river.’ Every month there would be some type of festival. Summer and fall months would see Franco festival, balloon festival, Fourth of July festival, apple festival, leaf peeper festival etc. … along the river and lakes. Spring and winter months festivals would be housed in the Colisee and would feature winter carnival, Mardi Gras carnival, bean supper cook-offs, maple syrup festival, etc.”

Dan Rodrigue, Auburn

“First, I’d name it Great Falls. Then, I’d try to get someone with bucks to invest in one or some of the old factory buildings and create a compound of working and living environment studio/condominiums for artists. Who better than artists to generate a new image for an old town, incorporating the river, the history, the architecture, the already existing wonderful L-A Arts, Bates College, Mt. Apatite and the farms. This place has a lot of potential, but it needs some sparkle to bring in money. Artists would bring sparkle to the area, make the arts scene more visible, and attract people with money, both tourists and investors. They always do.”

Virginia Hughes, Auburn

“Lewiston and Auburn have already taken a big environmentally friendly step with the implementation of the current recycling program, run by the Public Works Department. Community composting would simply take that program one step further. It would expand the current program, create new jobs, benefit local community gardens, create a source or revenue, and reduce waste.”

Susie Carro

“Combine the following: adult ed, car registration, libraries (keeping the new buildings as is!), snowplowing, road maintenance, and landscaping, park maintenance, etc. Additionally, a children’s museum or science museum in mill 5 or, even better, perhaps, in the Colisee and tear down mill 5.”

Betsy Easton, Lewiston

“I would have:

One mayor, full time and paid, elected by all the people for a one-year term, with veto power for all hirings, but works with the elected advisory board and the city manager to fill needed positions.

One police department with one chief. One fire department with one chief.

One school system with one superintendent. Now is the time to do this. One city manager, now is the time to do this too.

One centralized library. One city theater group.

No city councils, just an elected advisory board to work with the city manager.

I would sell the Colisee with no conditions attached even if it were for a dollar.

I would sell the remaining Bates Mill property to the best bid.”

Peter B., Auburn

“I wonder how many years we have had two separate cities? I think things have worked pretty good for years. Don’t change it. Never change horses in the middle of the river.”

Reginald Emery Sr., Auburn

“One mayor, one city manager, one superintendent of schools. One L/A city combining all services. Model cities to show the U.S. what can happen with cooperation.”

Anonymous

“No consolidation! Leave the cities as is. The people in Auburn should vote on this issue. NO!”

Anonymous

“I would have one police chief, one fire department chief, one ladder truck, one public works director. Keep two city administrators answerable to one city council. The new city council made up of four from Auburn and four from Lewiston. These would be electable positions. All motions costing more than $50,000 would be voted on by both cities.”

Kenwood Kimball, Auburn

“Consolidate the libraries of the Twin Cities with opportunities for book shuttles and swapping materials – eliminate some of the administration and streamline them to being a community program and fund it as such.

Consolidate the school departments into one administration….exactly how many administrators & directors do we actually need to run our schools when they are not even in the schools?

One city council – four members from each city and one mayor. The mayor becomes the tie-breaker vote at city council meetings.

Scrap all planning and zoning and start fresh, come up with a working comprehensive plan for the next 20 or more years and then stick to it. Sensible zoning and permitting of growth.”

Robert Reed, Lewiston

Letters edited for length and clarity.

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