[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6122942,"mediaKeyId","2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e","parentId",2693499,"title","Workshop votes at a glance: ordinances, transfers and development funding","audioSeconds",822,"startMs",4566000,"endMs",5388000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e&start=4566&end=5388","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e/thumbnail_4566000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6122942/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Workshop-votes-at-a-glance-ordinances-transfers-and-development-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122942-3b4281d4457dd7ab33dbde6cb9d4bced/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724726&Signature=FgUYbTg9mJ6VZckuABxxE0lLKDS9YTDtrLLRv0FOarRMl~kRxav7Zx4A8Tu1IqrP8kdEqFyzidFTxHVHhBj5yuKWYvJijwusAU9O~G6dWC8RZ3WgBX6V0brljKod5Jga4hTrdLmPX6EqnEDc-B5cFvHlyIXq--0eldLHRwFQoNO~ypcLTNzJMu0Qb2349PnKtFuath6Y7CnN2ZI~aQGj5fNzXEPKv1qoSvVvzVh7OZuxKjuRhVBqi6anS5B4JqRTQ6AH5dYmKKjmQtk5H7pBRSTHql-ABnjm81P~~hY1CM9WCSmpTsNdYedM2klAWVIRTG~FuU-9RNTbwW7-zj6lrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lewiston","date","2025-03-19T02:57:54Z","article","At the end of the workshop councilors voted on multiple ordinance and budget actions. Key outcomes:

- Solid waste ordinance (curbside collection for condominiums): final amendment passed (roll-call vote 7-0). Staff had proposed adding condominium units along city rights-of-way into the curbside-collection program. The council approved the ordinance change on final reading.

- Streets and sidewalks ordinance (prohibition on placing grass on streets/sidewalks): final amendment passed (6-1). The change prohibits placing grass clippings on public streets and sidewalks; councilors discussed enforceability and placement in the code before voting.

- Solid waste policy (fee change for curbside collection for multi-unit apartment buildings): motion to increase the unit fee (staff-recommended increase to cover collection and disposal costs) was defeated after debate. The tally recorded on the transcript was 1 yes, 5 no (the chair's roll call indicates an absent/no vote pattern; staff will publish the official minutes and signed tally).

- HOME funding agreement for DeWitt development: council authorized the acting city administrator to execute HOME funding agreements supporting the DeWitt affordable housing project (vote 7-0). The funding was structured as a deferred, forgivable loan with affordability conditions and a 20-year term.

- Airport loan refinancing: council approved an order to extend the scheduled repayment period of previously allocated city fund balances tied to the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport, at 0% interest, with an amendment clarifying a 20-year maturity (to FY2045) and specifying 20 equal payments; the final tally was 4-3 after amendment and debate.

- Transfers and capital adjustments: the council approved reallocations that move unspent 2020 bond funds to support a Lewiston-Auburn 9-1-1 communication center; approved moving $1,175,000 from a redundant water-transmission-main account into distribution water-main replacement work; and approved appointment of a proxy for Lewiston's railroad board shares. All three items passed on recorded votes (7-0) during the workshop.

The workshop votes complete the city-level actions scheduled for the meeting; staff will update formal minutes and post updated ordinance language and funding documents online.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Workshop 03/18/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council approved technical ordinance changes and several funding transfers, rejected a proposed solid-waste fee increase for multi-unit buildings, and authorized HOME funding and an airport refinancing with amended terms.","taxTitle","Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine","taxId",2584,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6122946,"Lewiston staff preview Safe Streets action plan; top crash corridors, policy fixes recommended",2494,7939000,10433000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e&start=7939&end=10433","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e/thumbnail_7939000.jpg","/articles/6122946/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Lewiston-staff-preview-Safe-Streets-action-plan-top-crash-corridors-policy-fixes-recommended","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122946-af3e871a2f1fc4e6dba0d840dd0f5793/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724726&Signature=JhcXeei4Kn67~6PQrAwpotpPVvwpXovYEDL7dRLkLqw1Bsb5QTygCpGzM6MVbwFQSS5rqvEP8R6xnNdV617PFT0qLKSH6JTVLk8Rj4xH1cRb9fGfZv6yg7EBhb-TdzqH7vzw0gsDo472-yCwIfyosr7oLd~3ziJiW7gR8fsFrmG~wgM~IxMZ~Z5ewbaYgJ-hr5v6M1-zYx2ApzJazIoYOd51XJ-oDKk7O~uX9zzYV91HuOvFZIVin7rXwEdV8-FGHFB2zzr0HUUzILgtFVUParD~ajnQO1ub9SE3h7bmB1ShQ8ktQChYyJxQjZVjAEB3xd4F0Gsfg6HRDc--L2qm1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City public-works staff and an outside traffic consultant presented the draft Safe Streets for All (SS4A) action plan at the council workshop, describing data-driven priorities and a package of engineering and policy measures aimed at preventing fatal and serious-injury crashes.

Public Works Director Kevin Gonyea and Jason Reddy, traffic team lead with consultant VHB, summarized a 10-year crash analysis, a public mapping survey and a high-injury network ranking. Reddy said the city used MaineDOT crash data and public input to identify priority corridors; the top-ranked corridor in the Lewiston analysis was Main Street between the Auburn line and Spada Street, with other high-injury segments on Lisbon Street and outer parts of Sabattus and East Avenue.

The draft plan packages countermeasures for each corridor. Engineering recommendations include access-management measures (reduce driveway conflict points), consistent crosswalk markings, lead-pedestrian intervals or exclusive pedestrian phases at signals, and bike-lane or separated bicycle infrastructure where appropriate. Reddy said FHWA-provided crash-modification factors were used to estimate likely reductions from candidate countermeasures. The plan also urges policy and process improvements: an updated Complete Streets guide, stronger alignment of CIP prioritization with safety outcomes, and a clearer development-review path for waivers so that safety is not unintentionally de-prioritized.

Staff framed the initiative within a Vision Zero approach: reduce severe crash outcomes through a combination of safer design, enforcement, education and policy change. Gonyea said the city will post the full safety action plan and an interactive story map for public review and comment, then return to the council for formal endorsement of the action plan and specific capital recommendations.

What happens next: the plan is intended to help the city compete for SS4A and other safety grants and to give staff a prioritized list of projects to fold into the CIP; council endorsement will be requested once the public comment period closes.","City consultants and staff briefed the council on a Safe Streets for All (SS4A) action plan that maps Lewiston's high-injury network, highlights top corridors and recommends engineering, policy and outreach countermeasures — staff will post the full plan and a story map for public comment.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6122952,"Council staff outline CDBG and HOME draft allocations; Sunnyside Park and housing projects among top recommendations",871,5320000,6191000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e&start=5320&end=6191","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e/thumbnail_5320000.jpg","/articles/6122952/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Council-staff-outline-CDBG-and-HOME-draft-allocations-Sunnyside-Park-and-housing-projects-among-top-recommendations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122952-d82880ed33c33aa1afd14924edb58b71/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724726&Signature=SeqUHgozk4yWNhp9CdRy6KosH8WxhdjZSOewx9sfd3rrl5AIP6-gOxFFmVJP9rsgA3T1PsvKiIlfH77JOd~cdEKHK6jPc~cAD~-zZBG7cgkAi~M~03YNPlSl7NidzMatt5rKeYVWlJ~2sDVncyCFPtBr41JeqC2Y2u~bs9I3Kh7zsVbdaZxQkHux2WlAhbMVDaQwLLQ~Finh6~rfCpb2Ozp3mQHCGKFVQiuR-QdmeMICFeRVoZMDKqBvhKmySTXvG24rBYE3iLtvlwQOzmOgZg5QTX9i1Ci72JCnSFcm3G5xSNwso85j4LhCXP~5wyu3HcBXFxcgNk8ojNkUSf8xug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lewiston staff and the Citizens Advisory Committee presented draft recommendations for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds at the council workshop, citing limited federal estimates and a need to prioritize high-impact projects.

Catherine Ruth, community development manager, said the city budgeted the same approximate CDBG allocation as FY25 ($788,093) because HUD had not yet announced FY26 amounts; the advisory process used that working number to craft recommendations. The CAC recommended funding five public-service allocations (examples included Trinity Jubilee Day Shelter and food pantry assistance) and prioritized two infrastructure/public-facility projects: Sunnyside Park renovations ($100,000 recommended) and a partial paving project on Important House Street (staff-recommended allocation about $144,505 after caps and other constraints were applied).

Ruth said program caps (for public services and administrative fees) narrowed the pool of fundable requests; the committee also recommended targeted allocations for enhanced code enforcement ($103,595) and rehabilitation-grant/loan administration ($120,700) to maintain the city's commercial and residential loan and grant programs. The CDBG committee also recommended a modest loan capitalization and project-delivery budget to support intake and environmental review work for housing projects.

On HOME-funded housing, staff said the Lewiston-Auburn consortium's FY25 allocation was $428,332 and that carryover funds would bring the consortium-level total available to roughly $1.16 million for housing projects during the upcoming cycle. Staff flagged the DeWitt development (covered elsewhere on the workshop agenda) and noted HOME allocations can be used for rental-project capital and security-deposit assistance for homeless or near-homeless households.

Ruth reminded the council that HUD normally posts final grant amounts between mid-April and mid-May and that the CAC asked staff to set a proportionate adjustment process should the federal award change by less than 25%; larger swings would prompt a CAC reconvening and further council review. Councilors requested the CAC and staff present final documents at the May public hearings.

What follows: staff will post the draft CDBG/HOME documents for the required 30-day public comment period, then return to council with final recommendations after HUD announces the FY26 allocation.","City staff and the Citizens Advisory Committee recommended a slate of CDBG allocations, including Sunnyside Park renovations and funding for a street-paving project; the Lewiston-Auburn HOME consortium showed funds available for rental housing and security-deposit assistance.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6122956,"Council hears appeals for LA Arts funding as staff outline proposed TIF salary allocations",1065,3698000,4763000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e&start=3698&end=4763","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e/thumbnail_3698000.jpg","/articles/6122956/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Council-hears-appeals-for-LA-Arts-funding-as-staff-outline-proposed-TIF-salary-allocations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122956-e0ddb55e6776ca2df3f15f347715d5d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724726&Signature=KsUelVmJTnhT1Dn4X1VMwdNFwem2C42KRQ7wRATApRGifF6kE6I5qBErOHtMpCKoLx1yl~utfPnZ2kX3Us8gCQsnivY1vfMBtHtha6CKpglmsRdHeAFAwnc-dgIIqCZY2S3pxSKGEZMaBaTsp5Y-iYPWpj7uxYcLvXUz2-Jb0zyVGQevgXBcqJ0qy8skWTuFBPyvMS6SpIY7pJwIp2Ww2hpaaPcmYj8tKrriu~IBlUbB4YI95Ya~d03PYhymHRRcd7A3VrPOYdtF4TxnvMom7uK3QLkLWicA-f1ltnIWamVcjwF7~WdE4DqTloZG7ck-nJioFD-2SkK-DsSLyqeFVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of LA Arts asked the Lewiston City Council to renew a $35,000 grant for programming and staffing support; staff said the request is included in a draft TIF-funded economic development budget line that also contains a proposed $604,000 payroll component.

Jim Perakilis, board chair of LA Arts, said the agency added a second part-time staff member in December and that the city grant is a core revenue source for programming that draws people downtown. \"We're a very busy and very lean organization, and your support is really, crucial to us,\" Perakilis told the council. He and other LA Arts representatives supplied a letter and a fiscal packet during the workshop.

Nate Libby, Director of Economic and Community Development, described the broader TIF (tax increment financing) account plan the city staff prepared for the NECAAC/TIF area. Libby said the $604,000 figure in his packet represents the salary portion recommended for TIF funding (not including fringe or other program support). He stressed that the TIF plan will still need Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) approval and that the city will have to demonstrate that positions assigned to the TIF are engaged in eligible economic-development activities.

Councilors asked for more transparency on the TIF fund balance and how the city plans to allocate previously issued bond premiums and interest. Councillor Nejean pressed for a spreadsheet showing outstanding bond premiums and remaining encumbrances; Finance Director Tracy Roy said staff will provide an updated project-level summary showing original bond authorizations, spend-to-date and remaining balances. Libby said the draft budget shows a projected available TIF fund balance (city and tips aggregated) but that final numbers can shift after DECD rulings and assessment updates.

The council did not make a grant decision during the workshop; staff said LA Arts and the Downtown Lewiston Association (a proposed $20,000 donation line) will appear again at a May public hearing where final budget decisions are scheduled. Several councilors expressed support for LA Arts but also asked staff to confirm whether other nonprofit projects could qualify for TIF-supported donations under state guidelines.

What to watch: staff will provide a clearer TIF fund-balance spreadsheet, clarify which positions are proposed for TIF salary support and circulate LA Arts' full FY26 materials ahead of the May 6 public hearing.","LA Arts representatives requested $35,000 from the NECAAC/TIF account while city staff explained a proposed $604,000 TIF salary allocation; councilors asked for more detail on TIF balances and whether other nonprofits could qualify for TIF-funded contributions.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6122959,"Lewiston staff propose 20% sewer and stormwater rate increases; water rates held flat",3328,244000,3572000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e&start=244&end=3572","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2693499-10d7854f1655d459251c571d86c13b2e/thumbnail_244000.jpg","/articles/6122959/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Lewiston-staff-propose-20-sewer-and-stormwater-rate-increases-water-rates-held-flat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122959-ad40437f2feb073a7f696eec148c27ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724726&Signature=Ur3HPtw38wCOYsFmhAmxjeutFdxwFoxxRnI~ySG1gmFysKMYQP628vBJyRp21vC6MtHQ0Vakf5-i8ISvaPxIhx27M9AIRYGB76wVcKGDkLfW9vrrlDQ~9PRa54lpkU7p24q8Apw0yKuauMX5cZU75gr1CXBNUglcmwlyp771vB4nLINh6PFT5UF3UqteEumck7L7yy6m7kDTDxBcw2qQxjOS0dVZ63t67fk3ja2-C3yQDtRPmCHRJ5JAuCaz6RTfo5mmJzJJrEemmXQpGzlqeeGKQcxWHApr8RcTyfaDbPSJaI4FFnWc4DdRXIsx7ZOao7COHBGwW731xMPExllNsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lewiston finance and public-works leaders told the City Council at a workshop that they recommend no increase to water rates but a 20% increase to both sewer and stormwater charges for fiscal 2026.

City Finance Director Tracy Roy and Public Works Director Kevin Gonyea said the utility budgets face higher personnel and operating costs, rising debt service after the city's 2023 bond sale, and uncertain energy credits tied to a long-standing hydro power agreement. Roy said sewer revenues would rise under the proposed adjustments but that the sewer fund would still show an operating deficit of roughly $331,230 in the FY26 draft; stormwater would show an operating deficit of about $167,444, she said. Roy also told the council that water revenues fell in the latest year and the water fund faces an estimated deficit in FY25 of about $383,679.

The recommendation matters because utility rate changes affect all customers and because many cost drivers are outside one department's immediate control. Roy said personnel services across the utilities reflect step increases and cost-of-living adjustments; fringe benefit costs rose because some employees elected Main PERS and because employer retirement contributions rose from roughly 9.2% to about 10.2% in one plan and from 9.9% to about 10.2% in another. She also highlighted the budget effect of the new state paid-family-medical-leave program, which the city must now account for but for which the full long-term cost is still uncertain.

Directors gave specifics on major line items. Gonyea described a long-standing power-credit arrangement the city receives from a hydro asset (referred to in the presentation as the \"Monte Hydro\" credit) that historically offsets some pump-station and street-light power costs; he said the credit is reconciled on a calendar-year basis and can vary, which complicates forecasting. Roy noted increases in treatment chemicals: sodium hypochlorite, fluoride and other chemical unit-cost rises were cited as line-item pressures. On meters, Gonyea confirmed the city follows a 10-year replacement schedule for residential meters (5/8-inch standard) and expects about $200,000 per year for annual replacements; commercial meters are tested or calibrated on a vendor-supplied in-line schedule depending on size.

Councillors sought clarifications on key risks. Councillor Nejean asked when water could return to a surplus; Roy pointed to use of carry-forward balances and to the need to draw those down before seeking additional water rate changes. Councillor Gallant and others pressed on the new paid-family-medical-leave program: Roy said the state implementation remains incomplete and that local costs could change as employees sign on over the next year or two. Councillor Chittum asked about meter-testing requirements under the Public Utilities Commission; staff said PUC guidance still expects testing but that vendor-provided modern meters are often replaced rather than bench-tested, and that Lewiston has moved to a 10-year replacement target after a longer period of deferred replacements.

The council did not take a final vote on rates at the workshop; staff said the FY26 draft will return for further hearings. Councilors asked staff to provide additional breakdowns, including a clearer schedule of projected impacts by customer class and an itemized list of third-party contracts tied to billing and mail services.

What's next: staff will refine the FY26 utility budgets, supply more detail to the council on carry-forward balances and rate modeling, and bring formal rate proposals to upcoming public hearings during the budget process.","City staff told the council they are not recommending a water rate increase for FY26 but propose 20% increases for sewer and stormwater to cover rising personnel, benefits and debt costs; council members asked about meter replacement, hydro credits and the new state-paid family medical leave program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Workshop votes at a glance: ordinances, transfers and development funding

Lewiston staff preview Safe Streets action plan; top crash corridors, policy fixes recommended

Council staff outline CDBG and HOME draft allocations; Sunnyside Park and housing projects among top recommendations

Council hears appeals for LA Arts funding as staff outline proposed TIF salary allocations

Lewiston staff propose 20% sewer and stormwater rate increases; water rates held flat