Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday night

Road postings

Issue: Springtime freezing and thawing makes the city’s paved roads buckle and contract, so city leaders regularly ban heavy trucks from certain older roads beginning in March.

The scoop: Vehicles weighing more than 23,000 pounds in gross weight will be banned from portions of the following: Ferry, River, Dyer, Pinewoods, Gayton, Webster, Merril, Sleeper, Randall, Old Greene, No Name Pond, and Pond roads and Grove Street.

Up next: The ban lasts from March 1 through May 1.

Park Street bars

Issue: The city planning board expects this summer to write new rules governing bars downtown, especially around the Park Street-Oak Street intersection. Residents there have been bothered by noisy bars in the past.

The scoop: In the meantime, a moratorium on new liquor licenses expires March 2. That would allow a property owner to request a liquor license and open a new bar before the city can create the new rules.

Up next: Councilors renewed the moratorium for six months Tuesday.

St. Mary’s expands

Issue: Sisters of Charity Health System plans to triple emergency room space at St. Mary’s Regional Health Center with an $8.5 million expansion. They’ll need plenty of room for parking with that expansion and hope to use city land.

The scoop: The expansion would use part of the Lewiston Athletic Park, behind Lewiston Middle School. The hospital has been negotiating with the Lewiston School District and city parks and recreation officials have reached a tentative agreement. St. Mary’s needs to prove that to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to continue designing the site.

Up next: Councilors sent the matter to the planning board for review at its next meeting.

Health committee

Issue: Neither Lewiston nor Auburn have a health department. Officials from both cities and area hospitals are proposing a health committee to deal with public health issues more effectively.

The scoop: The committee will coordinate response to health crises between the city, hospitals and social agencies but will not have the authority to spend city money. Lewiston Deputy City Administrator Phil Nadeau will act as the administrative support for the group.

Up next: Councilors approved an interlocal agreement. The item has not been scheduled for review by Auburn’s City Council.

Petitions vote

Issue: Voters will decide June 10 if petitions challenging City Council decisions can be passed door-to-door.

The scoop: Councilors had two choices for a special election – May 6, when the school department’s vote on its budget is tentatively scheduled and June 10, when the statewide primary is scheduled. Councilors picked the June date because it’s more of a sure thing.

Up next: Absentee ballots for the election, including the city vote and the state primary, will be available May 9.

Drug money

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

The scoop: Councilors on Tuesday accepted proceeds from two drug arrests; that amounts to part of $5,654 in seized money.

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 a new liquor license and special amusement permit for Rum Runners, at 347 Lisbon St., and a new liquor license for New Lewiston Mandarin, 750 Sabattus St.

They tabled votes on special amusement permits for The Cage, at 97-99 Ash St., and Barnie’s Bar and Grill, 1065 Sabattus St. since the owners did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

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