Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday, January 10, 2011

Council rules

Issue: City Council meetings are governed by a set of rules that determine meeting times, order of items on the agenda, how the mayor presides and what committees will advise the council.

Those rules are listed in the city’s policy manual. It’s traditional for new councils to go over those rules and determine what they like and what can be changed.

The Scoop: Councilors on Tuesday adopted the former council’s format with one change. Councilor Mark Cayer suggested doing away with the Housing Committee since it has not met in five years and its functions are duplicated by other boards. His colleagues agreed, voting 6-0 to remove mention of the housing committee from the council’s rules.

Delegating authority

Issue: Councilors have the authority to make most day-to-day decisions in the city, but typically delegate some of the more mundane tasks to city employees. Each council gets to decide how they will handle those chores.

The Scoop: Councilors agreed to delegate a handful of tasks Tuesday night.

* They agreed to give the city clerk and deputy city clerk the authority to approve and sign permits for Beano and Bingo games and for circuses and carnivals. They also authorized them to sign liquor licenses that have been approved as well as approve utility pole permits and close out sales permits.

* Councilors authorized the finance director, tax collector and deputy treasurer to act on the council’s behalf regarding deeds, liens and municipal investments.

* They authorized the city administration staff to approve and deny all requests to hang banners and signs for community events and gave the deputy city administrator and finance director the authority to sign documents when the city administrator is not available.

Appointments

Issue: The council relies on a handful of advisory boards and committees to discuss issues and recommend policy actions. Some appointments are made by the mayor exclusively, some are confirmed by City Council and some are made by the council president.

The Scoop: Mayor Robert Macdonald named Pauline Gudas, 6 Raymond Ave., to posts on the city’s Board of Appeals and Community Development Block Grant Committee. He reappointed Michael Marcotte, 12 O’Connell St., to a three-year term on the Finance Committee and named Philip Meldrum, 19 Novella St., John Milo Jr., 742 Webster St., and Erin Flynn, 476 Main St, to posts on the Historic Preservation Review Board. He named Walter Hill of 10 Loubier Ave. to a five-year term on the Planning Board.

Councilors ratified Macdonald’s appointments of Norman L’Heureau, 13 Libby Ave., Roger Philippon, 3 Champlain Ave., and Joanne Potvin, of 97 Webster St. to the Cable Television Advisory Board and Jennifer Carleton, 16 Lemay Ave., Arthur Turley, 178 Webster Ave., and Edward Walworth, 8 Manning Ave., to the Library Board of Trustees.

Councilors reappointed Edouard Plourde, 25 Coburn St. to the Airport Board of Directors and Joseph Grube, 74 Brooks Ave., to the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission. They appointed Lucy Bisson, of 1026 Sabattus St. to the Lewiston-Auburn Transit Committee.

Councilors also settled on what committees they would serve on.

Ward 2 Councilor Donald D’Auteuil will serve on the 911 Committee as well as the Lewiston School Board. Council President Mark Cayer will serve on the Airport Board, the city’s Finance Committee and the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments general assembly. Ward 1 Councilor John Butler will also serve on that general assembly and on the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission, the Taxi Appeals Board and will be the council adviser to the Youth Advisory Council.

Ward 3 Councilor Nathan Libby will serve on the Block Grant Committee and the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council. Ward 5 Councilor Craig Saddlemire will serve on the Downtown Neighborhood Action Committee and the L/A Transit Committee. Mayor Macdonald will serve on the Maine Municipal Association’s Legislative Policy Committee.

Councilors will also save a second seat on the Finance Committee for the eventual councilor from Ward 4. That councilor is scheduled to be elected at a Feb. 7 special election.

Liquor licenses

Issue: Local restaurants and bars must reapply for liquor licenses and amusement permits each year. Liquor licenses permit the establishments to serve alcohol; amusement permits allow them to play music, have a DJ, host karaoke or have games on site.

The Scoop: Councilors approved a new liquor license for Altera, 16-18 Park St. They renewed special amusement permits for The Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 618, 1327 Sabattus St. and Lewiston Elks Lodge, 1675 Lisbon St.

Next meeting: The workshop meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Jan. 17 and will discuss the future of the Multi-Purpose Center. The next regular meeting of the Lewiston City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24.

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