AUBURN – There’s still a good deal of skepticism about combining government services among Auburn’s city councilors, but they’re willing to give the idea at least one more listen.

“I’m one that would still really like to close the door on this, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen,” Councilor Dan Herrick said. “So I’ll listen, and if someone thinks they can explain to me how this will save money, I’ll be happy to hear them out.”

Auburn councilors kicked off a round of second guessing of joint services work last month. At issue then was a plan to share assessing services between the two cities. The Citizens Commission on Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation is recommending the cities combine their assessing departments under Auburn Hall’s roof, potentially saving $70,000 between the two cities.

Their Lewiston counterparts joined in the following night, discussing whether or not to continue work on a joint Lewiston-Auburn Downtown Master Plan. Lewiston councilors are scheduled to vote on disbanding that effort at their regular meeting tonight.

Members of the commission said they planned to make their final recommendation to the city councils this month. Herrick and his Auburn colleagues said they would listen.

“I think we’ve really had the opportunity to sit with the commission and really talk about things yet,” Councilor Bob Hayes said. “We shouldn’t talk about disbanding anything until we’ve done that.”

The current commission began working last year, and picked up a $152,900 grant from the state’s Fund for Local and Regional Efficiency to pay for their coordinator and to fund studies. The grant is due to expire this fall.

The group originally forecast $2.6 million in savings by sharing services, but recent audits of their work increased those estimates slightly, to $2.7 million.

But Councilor Ron Potvin said he’s skeptical of those savings.

“Nobody has managed to show me specifically where those savings come from,” Potvin said. “I’m being realistic, and nobody has come up with the facts and the examples of how this would work to satisfy me.”