LEWISTON — Keep your mind open and stay tuned.
That was Gene Geiger’s message Thursday to the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce as he delivered a host of reasons why he thinks Lewiston and Auburn should consider becoming one.
Geiger, co-chairman of the Lewiston-Auburn Charter Commission, told the packed room at the Ramada Inn that he didn’t have news to break, just statistics to share.
News will come next month, Jan. 25, when the commission releases a study of potential savings and impacts if the cities were to merge.
The results of its year-plus effort will head to a vote on whether to combine in both cities next November, a vote “which I believe will determine the future of prosperity of this community,” Geiger said.
There’s still a long, 11-month road to get there.
“Next year, there will be discussions and spirited arguments about our future with much emotion about our heritage and our history,” he said. “People will wonder about the big issues and the small issues: Will we still have Blue Devils? How about Red Eddies? How are we going to deal with two Main streets? How much savings must there be to justify this mess we’re going to cause?”
The state’s economics are reason to act, he said. Geiger offered up several slides showing Maine as the oldest state in the country, one of two states with more people dying than being born and a population that declined last year.
Lewiston-Auburn needs people to move here, he said, and the businesses that want those workers to follow.
“We can, and frankly, we must reinvent our schools so that they are first-rate, attracting families who attract the jobs,” Geiger said, drawing applause.
kskelton@sunjournal.com
Lewiston-Auburn Charter Commission timeline
• Jan. 25: Information on potential savings and impacts of combining the cities and recommendations released.
• Spring: Consider ideas for a new combined-city name.
• Spring/summer: Public meetings before city councils.
• Late summer: Finalize charter, recommendations and rationale.
• Nov. 7: Public vote on whether to combine the cities.
• Jan. 1, 2020: New city is born, if vote passes.
Source: Commission Co-chairman Gene Geiger
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