LEWISTON – Proponents of a joint health committee for the Twin Cities will look for public input tonight.

Officials from both cities and area hospitals are proposing a health committee to deal with public health issues more effectively. They announced their plan last month and presented it to both city councils.

Since then, the committee presented a plan at a public meeting last week in Lewiston City Hall. A second presentation is scheduled to begin at 6 tonight in Auburn City Building.

The Twin Cities have no single way to distribute information about public health issues, such as planning for pandemic outbreaks or health education. The two hospitals handle some functions, such as setting up flu shot clinics, and area nonprofits handle others.

They tend to duplicate some efforts and miss others, however.

Organizers are recommending that Lewiston’s Deputy City Administrator Phil Nadeau act as liaison between the committee and both cities. The committee would coordinate planning and programs and the cities would become the main distribution point for getting information out to the public.

The committee will present the plan to both city councils early in 2008.