Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday, Jan. 24

Permitted signs
Issue: Current city zoning rules do not allow businesses to have signs that extend above the lowest roof of a building. In some cases, that would mean that buildings with multiple eaves and small rooflines would not be able to have a sign in place above the lowest roof.
The Scoop: Code Enforcement Director Gil Arsenault suggested councilors change that, allowing buildings to have signs as long as they don’t extend above the roof. The changes would also limit free standing signs to 25 feet tall.
Up Next: Councilors agreed unanimously.

Election warrant
Issue: Last November’s election for a city councilor from Ward 4 was voided when it was discovered the sole candidate, Doreen Christ, had moved within the city and into Ward 4 too late to qualify for the election. The election results were voided and the seat declared vacant.
Now Ward 4 voters will be asked to go back to the polls Feb. 7 to vote in a new councilor and fill that vacant seat.
The Scoop: To formally set the election, councilors need to approve the warrant for a special election.
Up Next: Councilors approved the warrant Tuesday night. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Multi-Purpose Center, 145 Birch St.

Appointments
Issue: The council relies on a handful of advisory boards and committees to discuss issues and recommend policy actions.
The Scoop: Deputy City Administrator Phil Nadeau currently represents the city on the Lewiston-Auburn Transit Committee, the group that operates the Twin Cities Citylink bus system. Councilors agreed to extend his time on that board to 2014.
Councilors tabled a plan to fill a vacant space on the Lewiston-Auburn Public Health Committee until the special Feb. 7 election selects a new councilor for Ward 4. But the council did appoint Ward 5 Councilor Craig Saddlemire to the Energy and Savings Committee.

Road postings
Issue: Springtime freezing and thawing makes the city’s paved roads buckle and contract, so city leaders regularly ban heavy trucks from certain older roads beginning in March.
The scoop: Vehicles weighing more than 23,000 pounds in gross weight will be banned from sections of the following: Ferry, River, Dyer, Pinewoods, Gayton, Webster, Merrill, Sleeper, Randall, Old Greene, No Name Pond and Pond roads, and Grove Street.
Up next: The ban is from March 1 through May 1.

Next meeting: The next regular meeting of the Lewiston City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.

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