[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6116722,"mediaKeyId","2732386-3e384bddc6614810f8193e707861e980","parentId",2732386,"title","Lewiston reviews Recreation and facility budgets; council asks to hold $49,000 parking-garage contracted services","audioSeconds",986,"startMs",1419000,"endMs",2405000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2732386-3e384bddc6614810f8193e707861e980&start=1419&end=2405","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2732386-3e384bddc6614810f8193e707861e980/thumbnail_1419000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6116722/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Lewiston-reviews-Recreation-and-facility-budgets-council-asks-to-hold-49000-parking-garage-contracted-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116722-5dae53b57d65a6125271ac077a541dcd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137003&Signature=azHSlcb3O6wOGrcT7MuEFf5f3tS-LBEos-nJP4-cSIvbUCHcLaJ2Z1BLAOss0BHjcGpA6TiuWJ~hLunSB7ZGNG89OnOCWRxK03C8Jnk5P3i7k48dt6-z2IPRfHQE2CUK0pOlPHYN5hT~WSKQoCMWdDpuL95FwFybDp9YaBg2d4msTb~WrkwmxSNHMB6CDLCIv-A8Ll1ydMJywA62E04qupTBaK3UeYnzQ-JlOeBSoxN9ZG4UbFuQ~jJVubX0aS2h0jGfwQEVerATES6-e1lkfFnBc2WIoIMMcZfBlRqXvBbqmd3xDOr2kgCkOgXNTNcojq3m44K5R3lwrCr0v3QLqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lewiston","date","2025-03-21T10:53:36Z","article","Recreation staff reviewed the department’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at the Lewiston budget workshop on March 1, outlining personnel, contracted services, utilities and program revenue for recreation administration, the armory, senior services and the activity fund.

Nicole Alton identified herself as \"Nicole Alton, Recreation Director\" and led the presentation of Recreation Administration. She said the department shows an overall increase in personal services driven by step increases and a position approved last fiscal year; contracted services and travel increased for professional development and additional staff. \"Personal services increased 17,058, which is for all the salaries due to steps increases along with the new position approved in fiscal year 25,\" Alton said.

On the armory budget, staff cited salary costs tied to a position approved in fiscal year 25, increased temporary wages tied to aquatics staff transfers, and higher maintenance costs including gym-floor refinishing and HVAC maintenance. Staff said an LCIP (capital improvement) approval could remove the gym-floor refinishing cost from the operating budget.

Senior services showed a small personnel increase for step raises; the senior position remains 30 hours per week, not full time, staff said.

The activity/recreation programs account is a special revenue (enterprise-style) fund, Recreation staff said. With the recommended budget the activity fund was projected to end fiscal year 2025 with a deficit of $57,008.86, and the prior-year fund balance for FY24 stood at $314,048. Staff explained program rates are set internally and that the department solicits donations and runs a scholarship drive; online donation prompts in registration recently generated roughly $2,000.

Councillors raised several questions about revenue and cost offsets. Councillor Nejean asked whether Franklin Pastures rental revenue was recorded in recreation accounts; staff said turf rental fees go into a special turf fund and reported about $19,000 in FY25. Councillor Chittum asked about moving contracted services for five parking garages (totaling $49,000) into the \"parking lot\" (a temporary holding category for items to be discussed later in general budget talks). Chittum said she would like that $49,000 to be considered in a future discussion; staff offered to place the item on a general budget discussion agenda.

At the end of the workshop Director Roy reported the city opened fuel bids and the bids came in below budgeted amounts, producing an estimated savings of $114,005.60. He said staff would set that amount aside for the council to review during general budget discussions rather than immediately reduce department budgets.

No formal votes were recorded during the recreation presentation; staff and councilors agreed to continue general budget discussions at upcoming scheduled sessions, including a special meeting and general discussion workshops.

Ending: Recreation staff will return for further general-budget discussions; councilors requested placement of the $49,000 parking-garage contracted-services item on a future general discussion agenda, and staff will present LCIP options that may remove some operating costs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Workshop 03/20/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Recreation staff presented the department budget (administration, armory, senior services, activity programs). Councilors discussed program revenue, a request to set aside $49,000 for future parking-garage contracted services review, and staff reported $114,005.60 in fuel bid savings.","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},6116726,"Lewiston officials review Social Services budget as state law change reduces relocations",520,97000,617000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2732386-3e384bddc6614810f8193e707861e980&start=97&end=617","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2732386-3e384bddc6614810f8193e707861e980/thumbnail_97000.jpg","/articles/6116726/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Lewiston-officials-review-Social-Services-budget-as-state-law-change-reduces-relocations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116726-23f8bba2894b5cf276709b8a4b6f368b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137003&Signature=WQeO44dJO40xEBNNYcYw~NlQDsWUl2-q5WMs84LnllkKArB8-C6psohhUbirnFODENB5GFZRgyhI~L0zvBA2p5YQJDTd2kfyQxbnr4nqkLkN3W~ncsUGy9XUd4sYbCQVROf4KIu9UxeXq~-qN5ph7eerKXU0KtqqS8v4xfeWiM7prx7F3Mo73TDEihhE5GQ6Y~dTpT4nqug8aNrKiLAzI~qw0ax4QyzSgZc2emsVlulrAPR~S2xNnwVK3ohqDRN6TOQDP7vFJQybRC2mX2VflhTOx-eE0LkVV8v~DMmz5Jd1K0t~qJLPEDWpTb-Xy6~LseuhMX3c0Uo4dyqdvMst5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lewiston City Council members and Social Services staff discussed changes to the department’s proposed budget on March 1 at a budget workshop, focusing on staffing, federal/state funding and a recent State of Maine law that altered municipal responsibility for relocated residents.

Director Brackett, Social Services director, told the council the department is requesting a new full-time G17 caseworker position (the fifth caseworker) that adds $47,000 to the wages line; the request accompanies a plan to convert two part-time positions into one full-time post and a shift of some temporary wages to other lines. \"Temporary workers do not receive health, or retirement unless they're at a certain hour,\" Brackett said, explaining differences in fringe costs for temporary versus full-time employees.

The department reported that Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding covered two temporary positions in the prior year and that CDBG may cover one of the positions again this year. \"If the funding does come through, then this balance would be adjusted,\" Brackett said.

Councilors pressed staff on the numbers. Councillor Chittum said she expected the swap of two part-time roles for one full-time role to cost roughly the same and asked why the budget showed a differential of about $68,000. Brackett pointed to step increases and position reclassifications as contributors and said she would pull last year’s salary line for the council’s review.

Councilors and Brackett also discussed the municipal share of general assistance (GA). Brackett said the current cost of general assistance as of February was $1,674,677, of which $502,403 was the City’s responsibility. She noted that total GA expenditures had been higher in prior years (the workshop referenced a prior year total near $1,947,000) and that the city was seeing a decrease of about $273,000 relative to the prior reported total.

A key factor, Brackett said, was a change in State of Maine policy passed in August 2024 that extended the period a municipality remains financially responsible when a resident relocates from 30 days to six months. \"This bill has been our godsend,\" she said, adding that relocation cases had risen sharply in recent years and had been a sizable portion of the city’s GA costs.

Councillors asked about longer-term funding risks tied to state and federal allocations. Councillor Gallant asked whether the city’s reimbursement expectations were accurate and how the state reimbursement appears in the budget. Brackett said the city submits monthly expenditures and is reimbursed 70% of allowable GA costs; the 70% reimbursement is recorded on the revenue pages of the budget. \"We take our full expenditures every month. They submit and then we receive 70% back,\" she said.

Several councilors raised a concern about uncertainty at the state and federal level. Councillor Nejean asked staff to monitor the possibility that federal funding to the state could be reduced and urged preparation for contingency planning. Brackett and other staff cautioned against speculative budget changes absent concrete guidance but agreed to remain watchful.

The workshop also reviewed service demand: the department reported serving 928 clients in fiscal year 2024 (full year), 553 in fiscal year 2023, 288 in fiscal year 2022, and 707 clients from July to February of the current fiscal year. Brackett explained that food-supply costs declined because of referrals and partnerships with local organizations that supply food to asylum-seeker and other clients, and that changes in state policy around temporary housing allocations reduced some short-term housing expenditures.

The council did not take a formal vote on the department request at the workshop; staff said reimbursements and revenue recognition for GA will appear on the revenue pages and be discussed in subsequent budget sessions.

Ending: The Social Services discussion closed with councilors thanking Director Brackett for outreach and partnership work; staff noted outstanding questions about salary-line detail and possible adjustments if CDBG funding is confirmed.","City staff and councilors discussed Social Services budget lines, a staffing change funded partially by CDBG, and the fiscal impact of a State of Maine law that lengthened relocation responsibility from 30 days to six months, which city staff said reduced recent general assistance costs.","actionData","errors"]

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Lewiston reviews Recreation and facility budgets; council asks to hold $49,000 parking-garage contracted services

Lewiston officials review Social Services budget as state law change reduces relocations