Board: Lewiston City Council
Met: Tuesday night

September meetings

Issue: Acting City Administrator Phil Nadeau will be out of town on Sept. 15, the night of a regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
The scoop: With no administrative staff on hand, staff is recommending councilors postpone that meeting for a week, until Sept. 22.
Up next: Councilors agreed, shuffling their September meeting schedule.

Adopt-a-can

Issue: The city’s Youth Advisory Council painted and decorated 55-gallon drums last year to be used as downtown trash receptacles. Landlords who agree to adopt, empty and maintain one of the 22 drums
could qualify for benefits from the city — including solid waste
collection credits or extra trips to the Lewiston landfill.
The scoop: The program is currently limited to residential landlords. That leaves out commercial business owners — including convenience store owners — and residents from adopting the cans.
Up next: Councilors broadened the program to let business owners and downtown tenants adopt the cans.

Yard birds

Issue: Across Maine, urban residents are beginning to raise their own egg-laying chickens for food. The Portland City Council agreed to let residents keep small flocks after paying registration fees. Auburn rules currently allow city residents to keep chickens, as well.
The scoop: Lewiston ordinances don’t allow residents to keep chickens or any livestock anywhere but on farms. Councilors in May said they’d be in favor of changing those rules, allowing small flocks with some controls to make sure the birds don’t become a nuisance to neighbors.
Up next: Councilors will ask the Lewiston Auburn Health Committee to look into the practice of keeping birds, in light of influenza concerns. The proposed ordinance would limit flocks to single-family residential lots wider than 50 feet.

Job plea

Issue: Longtime planning department clerk Doreen Crist left her job with the city last year, planning to move out of state. She returned later that year and asked city staff for her job back. She was told it was no longer available.
The scoop: Crist approached councilors in May, saying she was treated unfairly after years of service with the city and asking them to intervene on her behalf. Councilors were told they did not have the authority to get involved in personnel decisions but could, with a six-member council vote, convene an investigation of the incident.
Up next: Councilors couldn’t muster the six-vote majority to investigate the matter.

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 renewed special amusement permits for Irish Twins Pub, 743 Main St.; the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, 190 Birch St.; and the Acme Social Club, 255 Park St.

Contact government reporter Scott Taylor via phone at 689-2846 or via e-mail at staylor@sunjournal.com.