Board: Lewiston City Council

Met: Tuesday

Financial report

Issue: The city ended the 2008-09 fiscal year taking in $1.2 million more in revenues than budgeted and spending $1.2 million less, according to the city’s audited financial report.

The Scoop: City staff and auditors from public accounting firm Runyon, Kersteen
and Ouellette presented the report to councilors Tuesday. According to
the report, the city collected $1.7 million more in property taxes
compared to the 2007-08 fiscal year report. At the same time, the city
reduced general government spending by $2.3 million less in general
government, which includes administration, assessing, the city clerk’s
function, social services and other City Hall functions.

Up Next: Councilors on Tuesday accepted the report. They’ll begin discussing their 2010-11 budget at their Jan. 26 workshop meeting.

Council gifts

Issue: City councilors have traditionally been awarded a wooden chair, engraved with their name and bearing the city’s logo when they leave office.

The Scoop: With five members of the last council not returning, members of the current council needed to decide if they’d continue the practice. According to staff, engraved wooden chairs for five councilors would cost $1,733. Staff presented alternatives, including commemorative plaques that could be given to outgoing councilors and a plaque in the city chambers that could be updated.

Councilor John Butler argued that councilors are memorialized now when their names are placed on new buildings and he argued for simply putting a perpetually updated plaque in City Hall. Councilor Mark Cayer said he’d willingly donate part of his monthly stipend toward purchasing a chair for the councilor he replaced. 

Up Next: Councilors opted for frugality, voting 4-2 to purchase a 13- by 20-inch plaque in City Hall for outgoing councilors. That would cost $250 for all five councilors.

Notebooks

Issue: Rely on three-ring binder notebooks that hold copies of the city charter, agenda matters for current and upcoming meetings. Now, councilors are talking about replacing those paper books with small laptop computers.

The Scoop: Deputy City Administrator Phil Nadeau said the small netbook computers can cost $300 and up, about what the city pays to print the councilors notebooks and budget workbooks.

Councilor John Butler said he’s not a fan of the idea: he prefers a paper notebook he can scribble notes on. But Councilor Tina O’Connell said she’d be happy to be able to carry a small computer instead of the massive three-ring notebook.

Up Next:  Councilors directed staff to investigate prices for small computers and report back to them.

Youth council

Issue: The City Council created a group for Lewiston High School students to serve in government in 2001, calling it the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council. It was meant to give local youth projects that would benefit the city, promote youth engagement and make the city more welcoming to the Lewiston teens.

Since the group formed, they’ve helped raise money to locate a historic clock in the City Hall entryway, created an anti-drunk driving educational video, and created efforts to encourage recycling and cut down on noise.

The Scoop: Councilors currently are looking at expanding the group’s role, allowing one member at a time to attend City Council meetings, sit with city councilors and represent the views of city  youths.

Up Next: Councilors agreed to the change. A LYAC representative will attend the Feb. 2 meeting and sit with councilors. 

Pawnbrokers

Issue:  Businesses from outside of Lewiston occasionally set up shop in the city, buying and selling antique or other used goods. After operating for a few days, the businesses leave Lewiston and move on to other communities.

Unlike traditional pawn shops, these kinds of businesses are not regulated by city ordinance, meaning the city cannot collect fees for licenses from those businesses.

The Scoop: Councilors considered clarifying the city rules to close that loophole, requiring those short-term businesses to register with the city and
purchase a business license. 

Up Next: Councilors voted on first reading to approve a change to the ordinance. They’ll vote on it a second time at the Feb. 2 meeting.

Liquor licenses

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

The scoop: Councilors renewed a special amusement permit
for South End Social Club, 315 Lisbon St.

Next meeting: The next workshop meeting of the Lewiston City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26. The next regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 2.

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