Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday night

Dispatch

Issue: Androscoggin County’s smaller communities – Greene, Lisbon, Livermore Falls, Mechanic Falls, Minot, Poland, Sabattus and Turner – turned back plans last year to combine emergency dispatch services. City Administrator Jim Bennett said he expects the issue to come before the County Commission and the county Budget Committee this spring, and officials in those towns are sending letters to commissioners urging them to change the way dispatch services are funded.

It’s only fair that Lewiston send commissioners a letter of its own.

The scoop: Bennett suggested urging commissioners to stop letting some communities receive free dispatch services. Mechanic Falls and Sabattus get free dispatch, while other communities pay for it. Bennett also recommended making sure all communities are paying for fire and rescue services.

Up next: Councilors won’t be sending a letter, opting instead for a meeting with county commissioners. Councilor Tom Peters said he didn’t want Lewiston to sound too provocative, angering the county’s smaller towns. Instead, he suggested working with commissioners and the towns to find a way that everyone can pay for services they need.

Retiring managers

Issue: Maine State Employees Retirement rules allow employees to retire but continue to work at their jobs, collecting 85 percent of their salaries in addition to state retirement. The city saves by not having to pay full salaries and not having to continue paying into the retirement system. Employees draw both retirement income and city salary until a fixed date, when they would cease working as contract employees for the city.

Councilors accepted that deal for three department heads last month: Human resources Director Denis Jean would leave the city as of Dec. 31, 2010; fire Chief Paul Leclair would leave the city as of Dec. 31, 2012; and police Chief William Welch would leave the city as of Dec. 31, 2013.

Welch changed his mind last week, announcing plans to retire for good and leave his post as of May 1.

The scoop: Finance Director Dick Metivier and Community Development Director Jim Andrews offered to take the same arrangement on Tuesday. Metivier’s retirement would be retroactive to Feb. 28. Andrews would retire on Feb. 28, 2010. He intends to work through February 2012 and the city would continue paying his health insurance.

Up next: Councilors agreed to both agreements by a 5-1 vote. Councilor Robert Reed objected, saying it set a bad precedent.

Bennett said he expects to bring similar agreements to councilors before the end of April.

Solid waste finale

Issue: Saying the group had become a lightning rod for controversy and was getting little work completed, the solid waste study committee chairman and some councilors began urging the group be disbanded last month.

The scoop: Councilors agreed earlier this month, voting at their most recent meeting on first reading to disband the committee.

Up next: Councilors made it final Tuesday night. Councilors and city staff will take up the jobs assigned to the committee, including considering future expansion at the Lewiston landfill, finding ways to increase recycling and the fate of the city’s spring cleanup curbside collections.

Abuse prevention

Issue: Volunteers from Children’s Advocates will begin tying blue ribbons on trees along Main Street in honor of Child Abuse Prevention month. The ribbons will be removed in May.

The scoop: Ordinances require council approval for such things, and volunteers said the ribbons will be tied to trees – not nailed to them.

Liquor licenses

Issue: Local restaurants and bars must reapply for liquor licenses and amusement permits each year. Liquor licenses let them serve alcohol; amusement permits let them play music, have a DJ or karaoke, or have games on site.

The scoop: Councilors approved a special amusement permit for DaVinci’s, 150 Mill St.

Contact government reporter Scott Taylor via phone at 689-2846 or via E-mail at [email protected].