LEWISTON — Four new city employees have joined the Lewiston Planning and Code Enforcement Department. 

At the end of the month, the department’s leadership will change as longtime Director Gil Arsenault retires after 34 years, and current Deputy Director David Hediger takes over. 

There will be a collection of new employees helping to steer the department, including Doug Greene, who is coming from across the Androscoggin River in Auburn, where he was the city’s urban development specialist. 

Greene will take over for Hediger as deputy director and city planner.

“The folks in Lewiston have made me feel very, very welcome,” Greene said recently, adding that he’ll be working to implement Lewiston’s comprehensive plan. 

Also joining the department are Code Enforcement Officers Steve LeBrun and Louis Lachance, and Heather Theriault, as the Human Resources benefits administrator. Lachance’s position includes city sanitarian. 

As Arsenault was planning his retirement, Gary Campbell, a building inspector who had been with the city almost as long as Arsenault, also retired. While Code Enforcement Officer Tom Maynard stepped into Campbell’s role, enforcement officer Sue Reny also left in April.

When announcing his retirement, Arsenault said he was confident that any momentum the department was seeing would continue under a new director.

Last year, Arsenault outlined the steps the city has been taking to enforce building and safety codes in Lewiston. The efforts often end up in fines, court appearances or demolitions.

Staff members working for Arsenault credit him with the continued effort to improve the city’s aging housing stock, which has included a large number of demolitions, but also with overseeing some long-term planning efforts.

The Lewiston City Council discussed this week a proposed rental registration program that would boost Planning and Code Enforcement staff by charging multiunit property owners an annual per-unit fee. However, councilors were split in their support.

City Administrator Ed Barrett, far left, stands with Lewiston’s new employees, from left, Doug Greene, deputy director of Planning & Code Enforcement/City Planner; Steve LeBrun, code enforcement officer; Heather Theriault, Human Resources benefits administrator; and Louis Lachance, code enforcement officer/sanitarian. (Submitted photo)