Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday night

Pettingill School future

Issue: With a new school being built to replace Lewiston’s Pettingill School at 409 College St., school officials have a say in how the old building is used. The new Geiger School, off outer College Street, is scheduled to open at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.

The scoop: School officials recommended tearing down the old school and using the land there for a park.

Up next: Councilors accepted the school committee’s idea but tabled it. Councilor Tom Peters said councilors need to discuss costs and demolition concerns before taking that land.

Traffic changes

Issue: Downtown traffic has decreased along two specific streets, according to a traffic engineering study, enough to warrant getting rid of some traffic lights.

The scoop: City engineers are recommending getting rid of traffic signals at the Main Street-Park Street intersection. That signal controls traffic turning left from Main Street at Park Street, a one-way street. They also recommended replacing signals at the Cedar Street-Oxford Street intersection with a stop sign.

Up next: Councilors approved. The lights will be made to flash for 90 days until they can be removed.

Excise taxes

Issue: Maine voters could get the opportunity to reduce excise taxes at the polls in November. A citizens’ initiative with that intent gathered enough signatures and will be presented to legislators this spring. If they don’t adopt it, it will be on November’s ballot. If voters approve, it would reduce excise taxes beginning in 2010.

The scoop: According to a memo written by City Finance Director Dick Metivier, the initiative would cut the annual taxes on cars and other vehicles drastically, in half or more for cars that are less than four years old. It would also exempt hybrid cars or those that get mileage better than 40 miles-per-gallon.

That would mean a cut in city excise taxes of 40 percent, or $770,000 in 2010. That money would have to be made up by increasing property taxes or cutting city services.

Up next: Councilors predicted voters would like the idea and would approve the cuts. They urged staff to begin looking for $770,000 in cuts.

Budget time

Issue: Councilors are scheduled to begin work on their fiscal 2010 budget next month, and they reviewed their proposed schedule Tuesday.

The scoop: The schedule calls for twice weekly meetings, on Tuesday and Thursday nights for most of March, April and May. They’re scheduled to get copies of the proposed budget.

Up next: Councilors are scheduled to get copies of the staff’s proposed budget on Feb. 10. Work on the city’s strategic plan begins Feb. 12 at a 6 p.m. workshop.

Drug money

Issue: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency shares proceeds from drug busts with the police agencies involved in investigations. In Lewiston’s case, the money is put into a special account to help pay for drug enforcement actions.

The scoop: Councilors on Tuesday accepted proceeds from six drug arrests, claiming a share of $68,383 in seizures.

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 renewed special amusement permits for Little Dan’s BBQ, Inc. 757 Main St., and the Lewiston Lodge of the Elks, 1675 Lisbon St.

They tabled an application for The Sportsman’s Athletic Club, 2 Bates St., because the application was incomplete and the applicant did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

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