Posted inMaine

As local debate heats up, Androscoggin Chamber reasserts support for passenger rail plan

LEWISTON — Top local business leaders expressed their support again Tuesday for moving forward with a $500,000 passenger rail plan for Lewiston-Auburn. The proposed plan, which involves $400,000 in Maine Department of Transportation funding and a $50,000 local match from both Lewiston and Auburn, could be stalled if Auburn city councilors don’t approve the city’s share […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

LA Charter wins Auburn support, foes promise recall

AUBURN — Supporters of the Lewiston-Auburn Charter Commission won the support of the Auburn City Council narrowly Monday night, but resident Joe Gray promised to take it away as quickly as possible. Councilors Monday reconsidered their June 2 vote on support for commission’s process. The charter commission needs both Lewiston and Auburn City Councils to […]

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Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Auburn funds summer lunchtime concert series

AUBURN — A series of lunchtime concerts won city support Monday night, but a cultural planning effort will have to wait. City councilors voted 6-0 to set aside $4,000 from the city’s arts and culture budget for L/A Arts to sponsor the concerts. L/A Arts is proposing to host a four-concert series in Auburn’s Festival […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Auburn settles $34.7 million budget

AUBURN — With some last-minute tweaks to the way it handles special funds for its ice arena, Ingersoll Arena and rescue service equipment, councilors approved their fiscal year 2015-16 budget Monday. Councilors voted 5-1 to approve a budget that increases municipal spending from $34.1 million to $34.7 million — a $568,302 increase and under the […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Lewiston awards Simard-Payne Memorial Park work, despite bid errors

LEWISTON — A mistake on bid documents and negotiated price were not enough to derail plans for Simard-Payne Memorial Park improvements, councilors agreed Tuesday night. The council voted 6-1 to give the job of building riverside improvements and a small amphitheater in the park to J. Pratt Construction of Hebron for $343,265. The current plan […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Great Falls Transportation Center wins Auburn council’s approval

AUBURN — A Great Falls Plaza bus station and transportation center will get nicer looks and stronger footings, councilors agreed Monday. Councilors voted to add nicer masonry, walls, vestibules and a more attractive roof on the new garage. Those items had been cut in an attempt to keep costs down. Councilors also agreed to build […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Councilors sign off on Hartt Industrial park tax district

AUBURN — A partial tax incentive plan for a south Auburn industrial park won City Council approval Monday. Councilors voted unanimously to approve a Tax Increment Finance district for Hartt Transportation’s $5.3 million facility. “I support it because I think this is the first time the council has supported a 40 percent/60 percent split, and […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Auburn council to plot future after manager leaves

AUBURN — City Manager Clinton Deschene will lead a discussion about the City Council’s to-do list and the steps they will need to take to replace him at a special workshop meeting Monday. Deschene said the meeting begins with an icebreaker discussion at 6 p.m. “It’s just a short thing we’ll do to get everybody […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Auburn council begins manager’s performance review Monday

AUBURN — City councilors will go behind closed doors Monday night to discuss their performance evaluation of City Manager Clinton Deschene. Mayor Jonathan LaBonte said the annual review is part of the council’s contract with the manager. “When we hired him, we made a commitment to him that we would conduct an annual review,” LaBonte […]

Posted inLewiston-Auburn

Auburn downtown lanes, parking spaces to get fresh paint

AUBURN — Downtown’s crosswalks, parking spaces and lane lines will get a fresh coat of paint as part of an effort to make the downtown more bike- and pedestrian-friendly, councilors were told Monday. “I’ve had business and prospective people say we have no on-street parking, but I say no, it is there,” Economic Development Specialist […]