Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday night

Quick fingers

Issue: Members of the city’s Youth Advisory Council rode along with the Lewiston police Dec. 10 as a way to familiarize themselves with the officers and the jobs they do. While they were out, a resident called to complain about a burglary. Officer Derrick St. Laurent noticed a suspicious man talking to a person in a car near the reported burglary. When he got out to talk to the man, he ran off and the car sped away and St. Laurent chased him down, leaving 15-year-old Holly Lavorgna, a youth council member, safely in his police cruiser.

The scoop: St. Laurent caught the runner, but lamented to Lavorgna that he wasn’t able to write down the vehicle’s license plate number. She had, she said, and had typed it into her cell phone. Police were able to contact the car’s owner, which helped in the burglary investigation.

Up next: Lavorgna was honored by Lewiston police and the Lewiston City Council at the start of Monday’s meeting for quick thinking and her quick fingers.

Senior heating help

Issue: Seventy Lewiston senior citizens have taken advantage of a heating assistance program created last fall, according to city staff.

The scoop: Councilors created the program to help seniors cut back on the heating costs. The city set aside $225,000 for the program, which was matched by Community Concepts Inc. Community Concepts managed the program, scheduling and paying for state energy audits for residents, helping to pay for weatherization and fixing heating systems in rare cases.

Mark McComas, deputy director of community development, said most of the residents received basic help weatherizing their homes – caulking air leaks, boosting insulation and sealing windows and doors. Three homes had no heat, and the program helped repair two of their systems. The third is in the process of being repaired.

Councilors’ only quibble came with who was paying for the state’s energy audits, and whether those residents were eligible to have them paid through state energy assistance programs. Staff said they would investigate those costs.

Up next: Lewiston senior citizens seeking help should contact the Lewiston General Assistance office.

Block grant rules

Issue: The city gets money from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development in the form of block grants. That money can be devoted to projects citywide, from beautification and urban cleanup details to housing developments.

The scoop: Federal rules require the plan for spending that money be reviewed by the public before being adopted by the City Council. The plan is scheduled to be adopted by councilors in May, so it is ready for public review. Copies are available in the city’s third floor Economic and Community Development office in City Hall and on the city’s Web site.

Liquor licenses

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

The scoop: Councilors approved special amusement permits for the Fraternal Order of Eagles at 1327 Sabattus St. and Sportsman’s Athletic Club, 2 Bates St.

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