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Bennett tenure timeline

Jim Bennett was born in Lewiston, and grew up in Lisbon. He served as a
selectman there from 1982 through 1986, before giving up his elected
position and becoming town manager for the town of Dixfield. He worked
there until 1988, when he became town manager for New Gloucester
through 1990. He served as town manager of Old Orchard Beach from 1990
through 1997, when he moved on to Westbrook before taking the job in
Lewiston.

2002

March 25:  Hired as Lewiston city administrator

July:  City condemns Captain Morgan’s Fine Line Tattooz & Body Pierce and the Lewiston House of Pizza & Restaurant on 49 Main St., to establish the western gateway

October: Bennett begins negotiations with Tom Platz to turn over Bates Mill buildings

2003

January: Many and One Coalition and World Church of the Creator rallies

February: City approves $2 million financial incentive package to bring the Maineiacs to the Central Maine Civic Center

May:  Trash collection to apartment buildings trimmed

May: Plans to revamp Southern gateway along Lisbon Street announced

June: New downtown development districts created around lower Lisbon Street and Longley Bridge

June: City Hall staff reorganized

July: Park Street parking garage opens

October: B Street Community Center opens

December: Andover College announces campus opening on lower Lisbon Street; VIP Auto Discount Center announces move to outer Lisbon Street

2004

January: City accepts $4.7 million in new debt to take over the Central Maine Civic Center

May: City borrows $1.5 million to build a three-story façade on the civic center

June: City purchases three lots on Main Street for $250,000, where Lewiston Radiator Works and the former Hotel Holly were destroyed in a gas explosion and fire in January

July: Western Gateway park named in honor of former Mayor Laurier T. Raymond Jr.

August: City strikes deal with Platz on Bates Mill

2005

January: City hears $29 million development plan for Island Point condominiums

April: Ziad Hamzeh’s documentary film “The Letter” premieres in Lewiston

June: City approves demolition of old St. Dominic Regional High School

June: Discussions begin on combining dispatch services across Androscoggin County

Augusta: City abandons Heritage Initiative, a plan to carve a boulevard through the downtown

September: City settles lawsuit and counterclaim with Roger Theriault over sale of Central Maine Civic Center, now called the Colisee

October: City begins negotiations with Casella Waste Systems to truck out-of-state waste to Lewiston landfill

2006

January: City announces plan to revitalized Kennedy Park

February: Lewiston begins talks with Auburn to move toward more government cooperation, consolidation

March: Property revaluation plan announced; tossing out the plan after taxpayers resisted

April: City announces plans to institute storm runoff fees to raise $1.6 million for local spending

2007

January: City names members to new Citizens Commission on Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation

May: City begins to seek buyer for the Colisee

May: City inks MMWAC ash-for-trash deal through 2017

June: Lewiston named All-America City in Anaheim, Calif., contest

June: City gives the Colisee $650,000 to cover two years’ worth of operational losses at the ice rink

September: City trashes Casella waste deal

November: City competes with Auburn to bring Marriott Hotel to downtown

2008

March: Bennett named one of three Northeast vice presidents to the International City/County Management Association’s national board

April: City scales back renovation plans at Kennedy Park to save money

April: City enters agreement with Winston Hospitality Group to take over Island Point project

May: City reaches deal with Firland Management on Androscoggin Bank Colisee sale

August: City imposes a downtown development moratorium

2009

January: Talks between Auburn and Lewiston to combine services end

April: City decides to tear down Bates Mill No. 5

July 14 City Council votes to fire Bennett

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