“Whether smaller communities would lose their identity is a concern. I suggested some years ago we (merge with Brewer), and it was, ‘Bangor is trying to take over.’ Trust me, we’re not.”

Bangor City Manager Ed Barrett

“I don’t think Biddeford-Saco is necessarily at the same place (as Lewiston-Auburn). You have some serious advantages over virtually any of the twin city areas in the state.”

Biddeford City Manager John Bubier

If L-A is successful, “it might give us a chance to go back to Winslow and say, ‘See? It is happening. They found a way to do it. Maybe we can.'”

Waterville City Manager Mike Roy

“We could find a way to fit an ‘A’ (for Auburn) in there.”

Rob Mainville, director of sales and marketing, Lewiston Maineiacs

“Usually what helps is to have a nice, big, juicy scandal. That has been the best catalyst for change, more than any study ever was.”

Byron Katsuyama, policy consultant, Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington

“It’s a great lip service to the concept, (but) then when it gets right down to it and the will isn’t there or there are enough complications, people aren’t willing to take the next step.”

Steven Jeffrey, executive director, Vermont League of Cities & Towns

“The list of failed mergers in Wisconsin would be too voluminous for your newspaper (to print.)”

Dan Thompson, executive director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities, former city manager of Fondulac. (“Mostly we fought with our neighbors.”)

“The public, when you talk about efficiency, that doesn’t ding any bells, that doesn’t mean anything.”

Mayor Jack Durney, Hoquiam, Wa.

“I hate to say it, but until somebody dies in a fire or something because of a lack of resources and one of our towns says, ‘We need to ramp-up our service,’ it’s not going to go forward. Right now, the dollars don’t work.”

City Manager Bill Fraser, Montpelier, Vt. (The first comment out of his mouth when contacted by the Sun Journal for a story on a potential L-A merger: “Jim Bennett is empire-building?” Turns out Fraser and Lewiston City Administrator Jim Bennett are old friends.)