Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday night

Council curfew

Issue: Councilors last year adopted a 10 p.m. curfew to cut back on late-night council meetings and long-winded discussions.

The scoop: That curfew threatened to come down on councilors like an ax Tuesday. They found themselves with a half-hour remaining before their curfew and half of their agenda still undecided. After a five minute recess, they plowed through approvals for the Liberty Festival, the Great Falls Balloon Festival and the Festival FrancoFun before voting to push their curfew back to 10:30 p.m. Then, they continued working their way through the agenda, finishing the meeting at 10:29 p.m.

Election workers

Issue: A dearth of Lewiston Republicans willing to work at the city’s polling places during election days is nothing new. Nevertheless, City Clerk Kathy Montejo said she expected to find just enough to handle all seven polling places in Tuesday’s vote.

The scoop: Just in case, she asked councilors to let her hire Republicans who are not from Lewiston to manage the polls.

Up next: Councilors made the exception for Tuesday’s vote. They’ll keep a list of possible workers for future votes.

Summer schedule

Issue: With budget work behind them, Lewiston’s council usually adopts a less hectic summer meeting schedule, meeting once each in July and August.

The scoop: Council meetings would be scheduled for July 15 and Aug. 12, both at 7 p.m. Councilors approved.

Back taxes

Issue: When Marguerite and Stanley White, owners of 86 Gayton Road, didn’t pay their property taxes for four years, the city took the property and was prepared to put the 0.39-acre lot on the market.

The scoop: A group of 10 heirs of the now-deceased Whites approached the city in April, offering to buy back the property, paying $4,913 in back taxes plus $1,200 toward the 2009 tax bill. At a May meeting, the Lewiston Planning Board urged councilors to have the city sell the property itself, turning down the heirs’ offer.

Up next: Councilors opted to sell the property itself, but Councilor Tom Peters said the heirs can bid on the land.

Frye Parking

Issue: Cloud Nine Day Spa owner Raymond Charest complained that his customers have limited daytime parking in front of his 465 Main St. business.

The scoop: He asked the city to ban overnight parking on the north side of Frye Street, from Main Street back about 150 feet. Since those spaces are taken by Bates College students leaving cars for days at a time, banning nighttime parking should result in more open spaces during the day.

Up next: Councilors tabled the matter, hoping to schedule a workshop discussion with business owners, the Planning Board and Bates College.

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