[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6212931,"mediaKeyId","3682883-593039ee8fff148dc23c49959c7b5e26","parentId",3682883,"title","Lewiston council approves zoning amendments, event permits, property disposition and HOME budget; votes unanimous","audioSeconds",1040,"startMs",5915000,"endMs",6955000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3682883-593039ee8fff148dc23c49959c7b5e26&start=5915&end=6955","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3682883-593039ee8fff148dc23c49959c7b5e26/thumbnail_5915000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6212931/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Lewiston-council-approves-zoning-amendments-event-permits-property-disposition-and-HOME-budget-votes-unanimous","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212931-4b02b2c14cc3971f3592205c717fa720/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146289&Signature=NLrGpWgIeNp6z98JHrHuptMdg4YPh8hMaMnrism5cBU4ZLjKx-TyfJPp~Ftt16FK-Q0ZHjGuHhbvnR1wedZA3xcdYqyn~JsSIWZ6BIrarb4y1BuHX3q1LVPu1ERGX2KJ1g~~v7U6FYyqMQZtZBScN5v-BtLkqJzls5AHTir9ESAl63oIQuBNiwdEIU1U5HOCj-uWSKDTixer1lYHCWZiDuwlDKfPawtq01Pw2S9EqwcimviwMF95LmcBTMVsinYAHNQd8bGF1eFUAIPgJvdarjl7n30kVmk0du-80mUEXOZAhtOpDXfXkzgidV2geUUce0EMNX1ajMeJTyXR7CHhgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lewiston","date","2025-06-04T01:22:19Z","article","Lewiston — The Lewiston City Council approved a set of ordinances, permits and budget actions on Tuesday, passing each item by roll call or voice vote with unanimous support.

Votes at a glance
- Outdoor entertainment event permits for various summer community events — approved unanimously (7–0).
- Outdoor concert permit for El Pocho’s, 97 Lisbon Street (June 4) — approved unanimously (7–0), contingent on department approvals for public safety, fire and health compliance.
- Zoning amendment, Article 5: temporary on‑site housing during construction (owner‑occupied) — final passage by roll call (7–0).
- Zoning amendment, Article 12: performance standards for home occupations — final passage by roll call (7–0).
- Zoning amendment, Article 2: definitions (single‑family dwelling and home business definitions) — final passage by roll call (7–0).
- Orders establishing 2025 festival zones for the Lewiston‑Auburn Balloon Festival, Dempsey Challenge, Liberty Festival and Lewiston Farmers Market — approved unanimously (7–0).
- Order approving disposition of 112 and 115 Shawmut Street (disposition for housing purposes as described in staff materials) — approved unanimously (7–0).
- Resolve approving amended Lewiston FY26 / FFY25 HOME budget and action plan for HUD submittal (consortium allocation increase) — approved unanimously (7–0). Council staff said the consortium increase amounted to $33,787 and Lewiston’s share was $16,049; funds will support program administration and rental housing projects.
- Resolve renewing and extending the mutual cooperation agreement between Lewiston and Auburn for the HOME consortium for three years — approved unanimously (7–0).

Context and procedure
Most items were routine final readings or administrative orders. Staff said the HOME allocation change from HUD was positive (an unexpected increase) and therefore required an amended budget resolution and a council vote. Several zoning code changes clarified rules for temporary onsite housing during construction and for allowable home‑based businesses; staff said no additional public comment or questions had been received since first readings.

Councilors asked staff for follow‑up briefings on implementation steps and to share updated materials. The council scheduled additional workshops and public engagement on related topics across the coming weeks.

Ending
All roll calls recorded in the meeting ended with 7 votes in favor and no recorded opposing or abstaining votes; councilors emphasized that more detailed briefings and implementation monitoring would follow for several items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Workshop & Meeting 06/03/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Lewiston City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve zoning amendments, event permits, property disposition and an amended HOME budget, with follow‑up briefings and implementation work to come.","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},6212940,"State, public‑health and local providers warn Lewiston ordinance changes would limit syringe‑services and risk public health",961,1601000,640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3682883-593039ee8fff148dc23c49959c7b5e26&start=1601&end=640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3682883-593039ee8fff148dc23c49959c7b5e26/thumbnail_1601000.jpg","/articles/6212940/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/State-publichealth-and-local-providers-warn-Lewiston-ordinance-changes-would-limit-syringeservices-and-risk-public-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212940-6fddfe948ac4396e31e8024b7ea550c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146289&Signature=RnXxidTlzgiFzF5uEbL7c9h3gwiY2dJ00sNEtsVDdXNJb2McjrEAL9rVSpuE~Cnyn8GRARhzY636GUbABJx7bJeZ8JgaL-vIaJot9rQm7dPKrSR4psryGKqrXOL64oFpOJTM4kTfg8lsBjYX2OcVQf0TDEnIgg1RmxY26jslcTMqaNa873AY1vKXVvky0gRE0sF9wW8Xj3th4JGkjmieK5KMV9kCCDpBRaooVqOqHgrIDORPjkSvJre8TOVpMiwjN~MSIuKB3JiiTVLdfvMWriaahDsX0GCSPlrMnHr5CBrX6t2tTYUN2wTbltj-KozirfO~zXadCM16xmvpKPtZIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lewiston — State public‑health officials, the governor’s opioid response director and local harm‑reduction providers urged Lewiston city councillors on Tuesday to avoid ordinance changes they said would restrict syringe service programs (SSPs) and could worsen infectious‑disease transmission and overdose risk.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Spurwink and local program operators described SSPs as “bridges” to treatment and other services and said policies that limit syringe distribution, impose strict geographic limits or cap the number of certified SSPs would make programs less accessible to people who inject drugs. “We believe this ordinance to modify how SSP services are delivered here in Lewiston would be severely detrimental to the persons that are in need of the service here in Lewiston,” Anne Seitz, director of the infectious disease prevention program at Maine CDC, told the council.

Why it matters: Lewiston officials are weighing a proposed municipal ordinance aimed at reducing needle litter. State and provider witnesses said needle disposal and harm reduction are distinct problems that can be tackled together, but that restricting access to SSPs—particularly through a return to strict 1‑for‑1 exchange rules or geographic limits—would hinder referrals into treatment, viral‑hepatitis and HIV testing, wound care, Narcan distribution and other services that reduce community transmission and save lives.

State and provider presentations
Gordon Smith, director of opioid response in the governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, framed SSPs within the governor’s six‑pillar approach to substance use disorder: prevention, treatment, harm reduction, recovery supports, public safety and supply‑side enforcement. “Harm reduction is 1 of the pillars,” Smith said, adding that Maine has seen statewide declines in fatal overdoses since a recent high point.

Anne Seitz of Maine CDC described the agency’s statutory role in certifying SSPs and said the CDC collects monthly operational data, conducts quality reviews and performs site inspections. She summarized the public‑health evidence linking restrictions on syringe access to higher transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C and called needs‑based syringe distribution—where participants receive as many syringes as they need—an effective prevention strategy. She also said mobile services and flexible hours increase access for people who are unhoused or fearful of traveling with injection equipment.

Local providers — operations and outreach
Catherine Bridal, senior director of strategic initiatives at Spurwink, and Ernestine Perrault, who supervises Spurwink’s community outreach grants, described the local program’s history and day‑to‑day services. Bridal outlined a multi‑agency steering committee formed under an earlier mayoral initiative and said the first Lewiston harm‑reduction clinic opened in 2020 after a multi‑year planning and grant process. She said the clinic’s exchanges were a gateway to broader supports: “Each and every exchange is an opportunity to plant a seed of hope and a potential recovery journey,” Bridal said.

Perrault described a full‑time clinic open 40 hours per week with recovery coaches, on‑site rapid HIV and hepatitis C testing, wound care supplies, naloxone and hygiene and food items. She emphasized that syringe exchange is a relatively small portion of the clinic’s work and told the council a client’s path to treatment can begin with repeated, low‑intensity contacts. Perrault shared a case in which a client progressed from leaving supplies in an after‑hours box to full engagement and, after 9 months, successful entry to long‑term treatment.

A physician who works with syringe‑exchange referrals, Dr. Paul Vinsoul, told the council that patients who report SSP contact are more likely to engage in care. “If they tell me that they’ve been going to a syringe service program, I know immediately that they are interested in their health,” he said, and he gave recent examples of people the program helped link to appointments.

Responses to needle‑litter concerns
Council members repeatedly raised needle litter and public safety as primary motivators for drafting the ordinance. Providers and the CDC urged the council that needle disposal be addressed directly and offered examples: community cleanup events, municipal contracts for pickup, municipal incentive pilots and distribution of personal sharps containers to program participants. Anne Seitz described a Portland pilot that paid clients small amounts to return used syringes, and Gordon Smith and others pointed to LD 1738 (a state bill referenced at the meeting) as a potential source of funds for municipal syringe‑waste efforts.

On the exchange limits that sparked part of the debate, presenters described three distribution models in Maine: strict 1‑for‑1 exchange, a capped needs‑based model (many programs currently use a 100‑syringe cap per encounter), and fully needs‑based distribution with no cap. Spurwink staff said typical local encounters are far smaller than a 100‑syringe allotment: “For the people that we see on a day to day basis, it’s usually 10 or 20,” Ernestine Perrault said, and stressed programs still promote 1‑for‑1 returns when feasible.

Follow‑up and next steps
Speakers repeatedly offered cooperation: Maine CDC said it prefers coordination with municipalities and noted its certification and inspection processes. The CDC described monthly reporting requirements for certified SSPs and said program reimbursement and quality review depend on timely data submission.

Multiple council members suggested forming a focused task force—bringing SSPs, business and resident representatives, police and public‑works staff together—to develop sharps disposal, cleanup and “good neighbor” measures. Several speakers urged the city to craft solutions that address needle litter directly while preserving access.

Ending
Speakers urged the council to balance community concerns about litter and public safety with the public‑health role SSPs play in preventing disease and linking people to treatment. The state and local providers said they would work with Lewiston officials on targeted disposal, cleanup and outreach programs if the council chooses to move forward with an ordinance.

","State public‑health officials and local harm‑reduction providers told Lewiston councilmembers at a Tuesday workshop that proposed local limits on syringe‑service programs would reduce access to life‑saving services and would not solve needle litter alone.",{"_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},6212936,"Consultants present economic development strategy to Lewiston council; plan targets housing, workforce and downtown investment",203,7888000,8091000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3682883-593039ee8fff148dc23c49959c7b5e26&start=7888&end=8091","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3682883-593039ee8fff148dc23c49959c7b5e26/thumbnail_7888000.jpg","/articles/6212936/Lewiston/Androscoggin-County/Maine/Consultants-present-economic-development-strategy-to-Lewiston-council-plan-targets-housing-workforce-and-downtown-investment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212936-8c9c96b32c3ab2fcd02b6bcc622b0a09/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146289&Signature=kziSlyqVUv~WU-QcSUnBjTW5I9DqnQgZMuiHY0Uu0jZSxNp8yNmnpkyxqlu9egOiV79h250CSNHJM8gn9vwRXNqPqorv8Dk1ePRVdgnouPRT2cvqm4BkWAwkOVUNTPTdzqnXiayABuNiLUFtmKwxas9xaV51K2FyrdPr3pkJFLaKdBY2qgvoy2xelDwU785dxJYXFN8By9NVpHCYGhegt6Gp1dH72ooIx8XekHb5gIiROP9QUptwsWiLKtqN0sQwcyoL88w1kF2ZM8NwwJw8bM4i5OcKjGVFDiJaaiDF7ruLJeq-SAT5sFixZotlnQfHF3cuST6ZyyJJMNDscwle7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lewiston — Consultants from Camoin Associates presented a strategic economic development plan to the Lewiston City Council at Tuesday’s meeting, urging the city to align housing, workforce and business‑support efforts to sustain growth and attract new investment.

The plan sets five goal areas—retaining and expanding existing businesses, strengthening entrepreneurship, investing in workforce, attracting targeted new industries, and building partnerships and city capacity—and ties each goal to an implementation matrix with near‑ and medium‑term actions.

Why it matters: Council members and staff said the city needs a clear, data‑driven roadmap to coordinate housing, workforce training and site marketing. The consultants argued Lewiston already has distinctive local assets—young, growing demographics, a walkable downtown and available mill real estate—but that the city must act on workforce pipeline building and improve how it inventories and markets sites to prospective employers.

What presenters said
Alex Tranner, director of industry and workforce at Camoin Associates, summarized the firm’s quantitative and qualitative work, saying the plan combined local data analysis, site visits and interviews with roughly 20 businesses and community groups. Tranner told the council the city is at a “turning point” and must coordinate housing and workforce to make business attraction efforts effective.

Jim Damesis, senior vice president at Camoin Associates, emphasized public safety, workforce shortages and perceptions as limiting factors and urged a business‑retention and expansion (BRE) program that captures business needs digitally. “If there’s one thing the city can do for economic development, it’s public safety,” he said, and he recommended a formal business concierge service so inquiries are logged, acknowledged and routed rapidly.

Key recommendations
- Build an implementation matrix and a short list of 0–6 month priorities for staff action, then broaden to 6–24 months and longer‑term investments.
- Formalize a business retention and expansion program and a business concierge function to respond quickly to inquiries and site needs.
- Strengthen workforce pipelines in partnership with the chamber and training providers, and promote wrap‑around supports (child care, transportation, housing) that enable hiring.
- Maintain and publicize a digital inventory of available sites and properties and increase targeted marketing for sectors where Lewiston is competitive — manufacturing, transportation/warehousing and locally focused retail.
- Consider joining or aligning with a Main Street‑type downtown program to coordinate downtown investments and promotion.

Council response and next steps
Council members asked for an implementation briefing and a timeline. Director of Economic and Community Development Nate Libby said staff will digest the report, incorporate its implementation matrix into team meetings and schedule dedicated briefings for council workshops. The consultants said they will remain available to support staff and that the firm’s full report (an 80‑page strategy and implementation matrix) will be distributed to councilors.

Ending
Councilors welcomed the plan’s practical focus on actions and asked staff to prioritize short‑term steps they can review at a future workshop.

","Camoin Associates presented an implementation‑oriented economic development plan to the Lewiston City Council, outlining five goal areas — business retention, entrepreneurship, workforce, site attraction and partnerships — and recommending a sequence of actions over 0–6 months, 6–24 months and long‑term timelines.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lewiston council approves zoning amendments, event permits, property disposition and HOME budget; votes unanimous

State, public‑health and local providers warn Lewiston ordinance changes would limit syringe‑services and risk public health

Consultants present economic development strategy to Lewiston council; plan targets housing, workforce and downtown investment