LEWISTON – Montello Elementary School third-graders have an idea for how to make Lewiston a better place: Make it cleaner.

Writing recently to Mayor Laurent F. Gilbert Sr., they suggested stiffer fines for littering, more trash cans in the city and more people available to pick up trash.

And how about a robot to clean streets?

Students also recommended banning dogs from school grounds and making people pick up after their dogs. They suggested the city fix broken stop lights, keep firecrackers off the roads and curtail yelling at night. They want to see more trees and more gardens.

On Monday, Gilbert and city administrators took a walking tour around the city to see what kind of cleanup is needed.

A better-looking city “is certainly what I’m looking for,” Gilbert said. “Especially now that we’re an All-America City. We need to look like one.”

Suggestions from students didn’t prompt Gilbert’s action, but it did reinforce it, he said. “I’m pleased to see third-graders thinking the same way. From the mouth of babes comes the truth.”

A cleaner city was a theme in Gilbert’s campaign. Community preservation, more pride in neighborhoods, better-looking streets, homes, lots and parks would help economic development and enhance the overall quality of life, he said.

He agreed with some of the kids’ suggestions, such as no dogs on school grounds. Students should not have to step in dog poo, Gilbert said.

As for the robot, the city of Montreal uses an advanced small tractor to pick up papers, Gilbert said.

To the students’ suggestion there be no yelling at night, Gilbert pointed out that the city cracked down on a noisy Park Street nightclub, Club Adrenaline, taking away its live entertainment permit.

Maybe littering fines should be increased or existing laws enforced, Gilbert said. When police see people throwing trash on streets or other public places, perhaps they should cite them with a fine, Gilbert said. “Word would get out that this is going to be enforced.”

‘Voice’ lesson learned

Montello school counselor Karin Congleton asked five classes of third-graders to write to leaders and ask how they could make the world a better place. Students were also asked to offer suggestions.

They wrote to President George W. Bush, Gov. John Baldacci, Mayor Gilbert and Montello School Principal Deborah Goding.

They received letters back from all but Bush, Congleton said. Earlier this month, Gilbert showed up at Montello to read his letter to classrooms in person.

Keith Champagne, 9, was glad to see Gilbert. “I never saw a mayor before,” Champagne said. “I wondered how he would act to all the questions we had.”

Gilbert read his letter to students, “and said he liked what we had for questions and concerns. He said he was going to keep our ideas in his head and think about it,” Champagne said.

Taylor Ogdon, 9, said seeing the mayor in school was “exciting,” and she was surprised he visited.

Even though they are young, Gilbert told the students he would listen, Congleton said. That, she said, was a big part of what she hoped her students would get out of the assignment.

“They learned they have a voice,” she said.

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