Good evening, and welcome to our uh Tuesday City Council meeting.

Appreciate you all being here.

We have the honorable Craig Saddle Meyer, uh, former counselor, uh, leading uh who will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

And hello five.

Uh, thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

All roll call votes for this meeting will begin with the counselor of Ward 7.

And I understand we have minutes.

You do, minutes of the December 2nd council meeting.

I have a motion to accept the minutes.

So moved.

Uh Councilor Chit and Paul by Councillor Herriman.

Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Counselor from Ward 7?

Yes.

Ward one.

Yes.

Ward 2?

Yes.

Word three?

Yes.

Word 4?

Yes.

Ward 5.

Yes.

Ward 6.

Yes.

Motion passed by vote of 7 to 0.

We now have a couple of presentations here.

The first one, if uh Counselor Sol and Counselor Gallant could please join me up front.

So we have a plaque here.

Uh presented to Aaron M.

Sole, Ward 5 City Councilor in appreciation of your dedicated service to the city of Lewiston, January 2024 through January 2026.

Thank you so much.

And uh we we we have another plaque for Councillor Gallant reads much the same way.

Uh presented to Timothy J.

Galant, Ward 7 City Councilor in appreciation of your dedicated service to the City Council of Lewiston, Maine, January 2024 through January 2026.

Thank you so much.

If I can have if I can have all the counselors uh come down around uh just so we can get a quick photo with these two.

In there.

We'll find out.

We're getting Council Airman getting on my position is seven, I always get the end of the line.

I know.

Okay.

Council okay, right.

Three, two, one, one more.

Three, two, two, smile, okay.

Thank you all.

Yay.

Another huge round of applause for Councillor Sol and Counselor Gallant.

The plant's okay.

Oh yeah.

If I can have uh Counselor Roy, could you please join me up here along with uh Craig Settlmeyer and everyone else who served on the uh uh homeless shelter committee.

That's great.

So we have here a proclamation recognizing the city council ad hoc committee on establishing a homeless shelter.

Whereas on May 7, 2024, the Lewiston City Council established the ad hoc committee on establishing a homeless shelter to thoughtfully explore the feasibility, needs, and pathways for creating a shelter to support residents experiencing homelessness, and whereas the committee was tasked with conducting a thorough community needs assessment, reviewing shelter models and best practices, and recommending practical, compassionate and sustainable approaches to addressing homelessness in Lewiston, and whereas the committee brought together a wide range of perspectives and expertise with members including Matt Agrin, Dad Cia Ponte, Rebecca Austin, Sonia Bamonte, David Biladow, Kevin Bouillard, Chris Bicknell, Jamie Cowett, Timothy J.

Gallant, uh that's how it's written here, Councilor Gallant.

Uh Brian O'Malley, Deputy Administrator Brian O'Malley.

Uh Aaron Reed, uh, Counselor Michael R.

Roy, co-chair, and along with Craig Sademeyer, co-chair.

And whereas through the months of meetings and deliberations and public engagement, the committee demonstrated a deep commitment to service, collaboration, and problem solving in pursuit of solutions for one of the most pressing challenges facing our community, and whereas the committee's final recommendations represent a vital step forward in the city's efforts to support our unhoused neighbors with dignity, compassion, and actionable solutions rooted in local needs and realities.

And whereas the city where the city of Lewiston recognizes and honors the dedication, empathy, and civic mind civic mindedness of each committee member and affirms the importance of community-led efforts to address complex social challenges.

Now, therefore, I, Carl L.

Schalene, mayor of the city of Lewiston do hereby officially recognize and commend the City Council ad hoc committee on establishing a homeless shelter for its services to the people of Lewiston, its leadership in advancing thoughtful and humane recommendations, and its lasting contribution to creating a more inclusive and supportive city for all.

Thank you all so much.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

A huge round of applause for those who served on the shelter committee.

We are now up to public comment.

Any member of the public may make comments regarding issues pertaining to Lewiston city government.

This period is reserved for non-agenda items, public comment, and is also allowed during individual agenda items.

Public comment is limited to three minutes per person.

Please state your name for the record and please indicate if you are Lewiston City resident or if you are Lewiston resident.

Because this is the business meeting of the city council.

All questions should be directed to the mayor, who will ask staff to follow up at a future time.

It is illegal for the city council to allow comments related to personnel matters.

All personnel complaints should be made directly to the city administration office.

Hi, my name is Lisa Jones, and I am a Lewiston resident.

I'm here again this week to talk about the money that was donated to mass shooting victims and survivors, but given to other agencies.

Meanwhile, some of that money has gone directly to Africa to fund weapons of war, and the money that stayed in this community has also not benefited anyone who was present the night of the shooting.

We quite literally don't know how most of it was used.

That information was reported by the Maine Wire way back then.

The council president has since publicly aligned himself with a local consultant who had a large role in the distribution of those funds.

That behavior shows an allegiance to someone other than one's constituents.

Lewisden Auburn Youth Network is also a nonprofit agency that received mass shooting funds.

Until very recently, it claimed to be located at the infamous 210 Blake Street.

That particular nonprofit agency actually claimed to be located inside a condemned building when Council President Chitham responded to my emailed concerns about them with an assurance that they do very good work.

President Chittham declined to respond to my recent email where I asked him for specifics of their work or what exactly he did when looking into their agency, since visiting their physical location lister on paper clearly didn't occur.

Looking at gunshot data in our community and subtracting the mass shooting, we had 36 confirmed instances of gunfire in 2023, 36 confirmed instances of gunfire in 2024, and 37 so far this year.

These numbers do not include the sounds of unconfirmed gunfire that many residents report hearing on a regular basis.

Generational Noor, Lewiston Auburn Youth Network, MIRS, IFCA Community Services, AK Collaborative, Empowered Immigrant Women Unite, New Mainers Public Health Initiative, and the Somali Bantu Community Association all got portions of mass shooting donations by writing to the committee about how their clientele had fled war and violence and was traumatized.

We saw some of those same agencies stand with the police at multiple community forums trying to curb gun violence over the years.

And gunfire in our streets has literally increased since they got that money.

Let's let that sink in for a minute.

As the information about nonprofit fraud in Maine continues to grow by the day and rival what we're seeing in Minnesota, I am again encouraging the Lewiston City Council to do anything within their power to make right for families the re-victimization that has occurred when the money that was donated to them was instead distributed to unrelated agencies who used this tragedy in Lewiston as a money grab for personal benefit.

Further public comment.

Good evening, Catherine Ryder, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for Spur Wink, and I am a resident of Windham, Maine.

I'd like to read a letter, if I may, in gratitude for the council's work over the past several months.

Dear Mayor Shaleen, Lewiston City Council members, and city leadership.

On behalf of our colleagues and leadership team at Spurwink, we wish to extend our sincere gratitude for the countless hours, thoughtful deliberation, research, and collaboration that went into shaping the final ordinance for the syringe service and harm reduction programs in Lewiston.

We recognize the weight of your responsibility to represent the voices of your constituents while navigating complex and often challenging issues.

Your willingness to engage deeply in this topic reflects the commitment not only to public health, but also to the principles of care and compassion that underpin harm reduction.

These principles, meeting people where they are, reducing harm, and preserving dignity are essential in addressing the struggles faced by individuals living with addiction and in promoting the well-being of the broader community.

We are honored by your acknowledgement of Spur Wink's work and look forward to strengthening our partnership as we move forward together.

As part of this shared commitment, we have scheduled a community cleanup, which was to happen on December 5th and was canceled because of weather conditions and will be rescheduled.

We intend to hold these events at least twice annually.

For our part, we will continue to apply evidence-based practices in clinical excellence to the mission we are privileged to carry out every day.

Thank you again for your leadership and dedication to creating a healthier, safer Lewiston in service.

Myself, Ernestine Perald, and Eric Meyer, our president and CEO.

My name's Melissa Dunn, I'm a community organizer, Blake Street Lewiston.

We can give testimony through public comment at public comment at Lewiston Maine.gov.

But I think it's important for people to be aware that when people submit to public comment, there could be a possibility of their information or personal information or email, that information being obtained because it is public information, and that information be obtained to manufacture narratives and propaganda along with stalking elected officials, community leaders, residents, and business people alike.

The City of Lewiston does not disclose life safety risk to community for their right to participation in local government.

There's no such thing as powerholders' ability to use discernment when getting requests for public information by white nationalists or criminals or abusers or stalkers.

And these are people who rely on their stalking and utilize coercive violence institutional to manufacture narratives and incite to violence, personal spying, misuse of database, and sharing sensitive information with criminals, or incitement to unlawful acts.

If the city staff, mayor, and city counselors, you know, um, you know, I I we would like our disclaimer, we need a disclaimer on the public comment email page and information around public testimony that if somebody's submission could subject them to being uh stalked, cyberstalked, harassed, terrorized, menaced, or criminally threatened, or worse.

It does not have to take us being assaulted at public meetings, nor violence upon us or our bodies, nor even our death or threats of by white nationalists, stalkers, abusers who may request this information, or incite to unlawful acts uh for us to have a disclaimer about life safety risk because it's a real credible threat.

Our greatest threat in our community is white people.

Um we need to have a disclaimer about life safety risk.

Lewiston does have a resolution against white supremacy.

I'd like to remind people about that.

Thank you.

Further public comment.

Public comment is now closed.

Administrator Kenrath, I understand you have a report prepared for us.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

A couple uh quick items.

Uh, first, um, some good news for downtown Lewis and the Downtown Lilison Association.

Uh was recently granted status as an affiliate member with the main downtown center uh through a successful application process.

Uh city staff was also involved there, so thank you to all for their efforts.

It's a notable achievement and a great step forward in our efforts to energize and revitalize uh our downtown, and we look forward to working with the DLA and many community partners, local businesses uh in the future for many years to come uh in the shared goals of a reinvigorated uh downtown Lewis.

And so thank you and congratulations to them for their hard work.

Uh I want to thank everyone also for a very successful year with holiday at the plaza.

Uh a great event.

Uh all went well.

Um the lights came on when they should.

So um it was a great event.

So thank you to city staff, community partners, many others for a very successful uh and positive community event um on December 6th.

Uh some upcoming community events.

Uh, one thing I want to note in particular, Chief Connolly and I, our new chief, will be hosting uh another community uh listening session and public meet and greet that's going to be this time at IFCA Community Services, 229 Lisbon Street Suite B on January 15th from 5 30 uh to 7 p.m.

So please join us.

We are at Geiger School last week.

Uh the weather was a bit rough that night, but we still had some people turn out, so we appreciate everyone coming out to share their thoughts, views, and concerns on public safety in Lewiston.

Uh your voices matter, your comments are heard, so we appreciate that.

Uh and again, please join us on January 15th, uh, 5 30 to 7, uh 229 uh Lisbon Street.

Uh I want to update you.

Uh we are nearing an announcement on uh selecting uh a firm to begin working with on a marketing and rebranding project uh for the city.

As you know, one of our major initiatives uh is um presenting the city in a more positive light uh and better marketing the city and the tremendous assets we do have here.

So we are looking at working with a firm uh that is going to really prioritize significant public input, uh focus groups, community buy-in, um, and really making sure that the many diverse voices across Lewiston are incorporated and heard in this new marketing proposal, and we put forward something that is inclusive of all of our community spirit uh and we can take forward in the years to come.

So that process will be starting uh at some point soon.

We'll have more to say at the appropriate times, and of course, update on every everyone on when those public opportunities for comment and participation are going to be.

Uh, I think that has to be a major part of any uh plan that we put together like this.

So we're looking forward to that.

Uh and again, uh working toward the overall goal of presenting our city uh in a more positive light and really showcasing the assets that we do have here and why this is a great place to live, work, run a business, uh, or whatever it is you want to do here.

So uh that's upcoming.

Uh a couple of things upcoming on our agenda uh for January that have been at the request of the council.

First, we're gonna be talking about uh uh the public health director position.

Um that's gonna be coming back.

We're going to do a request of the council uh FOIA training, um, depending on the availability we have reached out to the attorney general's office um for someone to join us uh to do that training.

So that will be coming up, and we're also gonna be talking about the creation of standing committees for um some pretty heavy topics, public safety and economic development and having council stand created standing committees on those issues.

So all those will be coming uh forward in January.

If you're interested in any of those items, please please join us.

Uh lastly, I just want to uh remind you uh this Thursday, December 18th, 1130 to 1.

We are having uh a city staff-wide employee appreciation event uh for our staff.

We've talked about um staff morale, recruitment, retention, and making sure this is uh a place with a positive work culture uh is really important.

And so we are having this event.

So City Hall will be closed 11:30 to 1, just the hour and a half.

We'll remind people a lot of services are available online during that hour and a half, but it is just an hour and a half.

Uh it's once a year.

We need to thank our people.

We need to take care of our people.

Um so please work with us while we uh make sure we appreciate our city staff uh who do work hard every day.

So uh again, that's this Thursday, December 18th, 1130 to 1.

Uh, all departments will be invited to participate in this vote.

Thank you.

Administrator Kenrat, thank you.

We appreciate your service to our city.

Madam Clerk, I believe we have a consent agenda.

We do.

There are six items on the consent agenda this evening.

Item number one, order authorizing the transfer of funds from the 2025 Lewiston Capital Improvement Plan, redundant water transmission main bond account to a new LCIP bond account for the Pond Road Water Main Replacement Project.

Number two, order authorizing the transfer of funds from the 2023 LCIP Library HVAC upgrades bond account to a new LCIP bond account for the library carpet replacement project.

Number three, order authorizing the transfer of funds from the 2026 Lewiston Capital Improvement Plan, Armory Floor, Armory Gym floor, rehabilitation bond account to a new LCIP bond account for the Armory Emergency Generator Project.

Number four, authorizing the disposition of property at 23 Sand Hill Road.

Number five, authorizing the disposition of property at 23 Howe Street.

And number six, authorizing the disposition of property at 32 Horton Street.

Move passage of all six items on the consent agenda.

Counselor Chitam, second.

Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Counselor from Ward 7.

Yes.

Word one?

Yes.

Word two?

Yes.

Word three?

Yes.

Word four.

Yes.

Word five?

Yes.

Word six.

Yes.

Motion passed by vote of seven to zero.

Thank you very much, Madam Clerk.

At this point, I would like to move up item number 11.

Item number 11, order approving the joint development agreement with Mill Compute LLC to develop a tier three artificial intelligence data and technology center in Bates Mill 3.

Requested action to adopt the order approving the joint development agreement with Mill Compute LLC to develop a tier three artificial intelligence data and technology center in Bates Mill 3.

May have a motion, please.

So moved.

Counselor Gallant.

Second.

Second by Counselor Chitum.

I assume that's why most of you are here.

Thank you so much for coming.

We have heard you.

Thank you.

Counselor Sol.

Did you have your hand up?

I'll go first.

I had my finger stuck in my hair.

Okay.

But I'll go.

So this agenda item has had a lot of controversy around it.

It was one that I was a little excited about.

I was really looking forward to it.

But I understand that there is a lot of concern from the public and it's valid.

It's we hear you.

And um my constituents are not happy with this.

So I will be voting no on this item.

Uh I would uh I uh thank you all for being here.

Uh I would appreciate it if we observe uh the rules of council uh chamber decorum uh and refrain from any outward signs of uh either protest or approval.

Thank you very much.

Uh counselor Gallant.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I too had an interest in this project.

Um and the more we dug into the project, uh it was a unique project for Lawston, obviously.

It's uh not well known.

Uh and in the United States, quite frankly, a project this size.

Um however, again, I too have heard from everyone in Ward 7 and other individuals about this particular situation, and I'm not really satisfied with all the answers, so I too will be voting no at this time.

Uh audience, please.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Counselor uh Chittham, yes.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, first of all, I want to recognize the efforts that our community and economic development department have put into bringing this project forward, as well as the developers who had proposed it in the first place.

An enormous amount of work went into presenting, uh, albeit at the last minute, uh of what appeared to be a very viable project.

As an engineer, I look at some of the details and am satisfied, for example, that the concerns about excessive water use out of Lake Auburn are unfounded because of uh I would say new technology in this area uh to chip cooling.

Um I'm satisfied that that particular problem has been resolved.

However, there remain a number of other problems as have been pointed out uh in our discussions and in uh communications from our constituents.

Um I again want to express my appreciation to all those people who were involved.

This had the potential for being a great project.

It may still have, but not within the time frames and the constraints that have been imposed on it.

Uh with that, I will be voting no against furthering this project.

Councilor Harriman, thank you.

Um I just wanted to thank everyone who's engaged with us about this.

Um it's by far the the topic that's had the most that that I've received the most feedback about.

Um I counted about 110 emails um with about half of them coming from Lewiston residents.

And um it's it's very clear that the public is not in favor of this.

Um I think that some of the concerns uh could be allayed through some education, but um I think that they like others have said would not um it would not overcome all the concerns, and I'm also not in favor of this at this time.

Councilor Roy.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um of the reasons why I ran for City Council was to bring a voice back to the people.

Your voice was heard loud and clear.

Facebook, social media, um, emails, we are listening.

We are all listening, we are all seeing, we are all you know, paying attention to your your thoughts.

And um I don't know if that came out right, but anyways, we're we're paying attention.

Um, and I too will vote no on this tonight.

Counselor Nagine.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, thank you all for coming tonight.

Um I would like to thank our economic development department for their hard work in presenting uh what I think was um uh a very good proposal.

Um I do think that the public process um was flawed, uh unfortunately.

There's no window in which to get any community buy-in or answer answer concerns from the public.

Um and some of the concerns that have been brought forward I don't have answers for.

I can't make a decision uh when I don't have an answer uh for genuine community concerns.

And so um for those reasons I'll be voting no, and I greatly appreciate the outreach from the community to um use your voice to let us know how you feel.

Counselor Longchamps.

I agree uh with Can you move the mic?

Basically, I agree with uh my other counselors.

Um I just don't have enough knowledge to vote yes on this.

Um and the information that I have been able to gather really hasn't been positive.

Um so as everybody else, I will also be voting no.

Thank you for coming out.

We are now going to public comment at this time, should people still want to speak.

Uh uh one second there, uh Mr.

Roy, I will just explain.

We're almost going to public comment.

Okay.

And so uh we we are probably uh I I really I recognize uh people in the room um uh friends and neighbors.

Uh we are prior prioritizing Lewiston residents first, and then we're gonna take it from there.

Um then for those of you that do want to speak, if you can just uh line up so we can uh move through efficiently, that would be great.

Um please proceed, Mr.

Roy.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh again, Matt Roy Ward 6.

Well, thank you for all reading my emails, all seven independent recent emails to keep saying for our compliance.

Uh well, as the city clerk can attest, I pretty much hear every meeting for the last would say 15 years.

Just using this this is the probably maybe one of two examples where a council has actually listened to the feedback they've actually gotten.

I've been here multiple times and multiple different occasions over those 15 years where every everyone would stand here at this podium and speak, and I like a the said councils would have not listened and voted and this is the flaw within our governance structure.

It's a weak council and a very strong, you know, to um as the Sun Journal printed last week.

There was the uh quote unquote serious reform is needed, it's been needed for years, and hopefully this is the prime example why.

Especially when we take this and compare it against the syringe ordinance ordinance process we've had for the since June.

Every meeting since June, multiple meetings in June, July, August, September.

You had no problem having a public process then, but we're just going to dump this literally at the last meeting of the year, which is something that happened 10 years ago, too.

There was a whole retail of opportunity for exit 80, which never happened.

If we look statewide, there's been proposals like this one have failed.

And we're gonna give.

If I didn't know better, I would swear this LLC that just formed themselves two months ago, doesn't even have a main address, because if uh there is a memory of option that was recorded two weeks ago, has a North Carolina address, a company which has no track record, so we're gonna potentially partner with a company with no track record in a very what's the best word to use here.

Industry in its infancy, big tech has this year's walked away, Microsoft and Amazon from numerous AI data centers through Ruiz and their own person their own corporate investments.

But yet we're gonna go with a company that has no track record.

This kind of goes back to what our own internal underwriting department said about the democracy brewing.

Thank you.

My name's Kyle Matear.

If the council chambers could, if the audience could please be quiet, thank you.

Please continue, sir.

Thanks.

My name's Kyle Meteor.

I live here in Lewiston.

I grew up in central Maine, left after high school and returned a few years ago as one does.

Early in my career, I worked inside of large-scale data centers in Phoenix.

I then designed, managed, and built secure compute environments for the U.S.

Navy and the Air Force, as both a contractor and civil servant.

Today I work full-time on AI, both using it for cybersecurity and securing AI systems themselves.

I've contributed to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's joint cyber defense task force that protects critical infrastructure from adversarial AI attack.

I use AI every single day, and I believe in this technology.

This is not a facility that will generate a couple million or 10 million dollars a year.

They generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenue.

Based on the power consumption expectations that they're projecting, we're talking about 120 to 250 million dollars a year as a conservative projection.

Over 20 years, the tax burden looks like 18.7 million dollars towards Lewiston and 131 million dollars in avoided taxes for the business.

Over that same period, that facility is likely to generate nearly $3 billion in revenue.

Lewiston captures less than a percent of the economic value created while bearing long-term land use infrastructure and public risk implications for a business whose entire model is that no other businesses need to be near them in order to function.

We're being told to focus and be grateful for 20 to 30 jobs while ignoring a revenue engine that scales quietly, compounds aggressively, and pays itself back many times over.

Well, the people who are proposing this from the very beginning are trying to figure out how they can put the least into the community that they are extracting that value from.

Comparable data center projects in mid-side cities like Council Bluffs, Iowa, Quincy, Washington, and Reno, Nevada differ sharply from the proposal here.

In those cities, the incentives were shorter in duration, tightly conditioned on named operators, infrastructure investment, and measurable public benefit, and almost never involved placing industrial scale energy generation in a dense downtown area.

If what Mill Compute LLC's business plan is saying is that they cannot make this project work without massive multi-decade tax breaks, then what I'm saying is that you don't have a business plan yet.

You have a GoFundMe that you're asking the residents of Lewiston to contribute to.

Thank you.

Yeah, and just so you know, uh, you all have three minutes.

Keep going.

My name is Hunter Bouchard.

Uh I'm a resident of Lewison, Maine.

I appreciate you guys for listening to the community, but I still want to present my essay.

I'm the sophomore class president at Lewison High School.

Over the past few days, I've talked to as many of my classmates as possible, all of which have been against this proposal.

I want to remind you who they are.

These are not just high school students, they're the next generation.

They are the ones affected by this change 10 and 20 years down the line.

It's their voices that need to be heard.

I'll focus on two main issues they have brought up the environmental concerns and the way this will impact the culture of Lewiston.

First, I would like to begin with the environmental concerns, is a well-known fact that these data centers use water for their cooling systems.

It was also a well known fact that Maine has recently been experiencing a drought.

According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, also known as the IEEE, a large data center could use the equivalent of what, 50,000 people can use per day.

Well, this would be on the smaller end of data centers.

It is still far too much water to be using.

Maine's colder climate may help with the water usage, but Maine still gets very hot and dry during the summer.

This data center will use tons of water.

Lewis residents should not support a project that will use so much of a scarce resource.

Another environmental concern is the pollution that this data center will bring.

These data centers use tons of energy, which cause tons of pollution.

According to Peerresearch.org, an average AI data center uses as much energy that 100,000 houses use per day.

According to the IEEE, most of the energy data centers use is fossil fuel based, which adds an unnecessary amount of CO2 emissions.

This will mean releasing excess releasing excess carbon into our air here in Lewiston.

Maine is one of the most beautiful environments in the US.

It should be our job to protect that.

Lastly, a big concern for the introduction of this data center is what it means for artists.

Lewis has a rich art community.

The most flagrant example being Bates College, which is primarily an arts college.

There are also many aspiring artists in the high school.

It's so important to the community of Lewiston, and supports for AI go directly against that.

Generative AI takes away jobs from artists due to a decrease in demand for them.

Building AI data centers pushes AI even further, which harms the artists our community is built upon.

Well, this data center may bring a few jobs, it takes away job opportunities from our community, the people we should be focusing on.

A city so rich in art and artists, we should not support a project that so directly spits in their faces.

Support for this data center does not make sense for Lewis and Maine.

It goes against what we stand for.

Maine, a state rich in environment and ecosystem supporting a project that strongly harms the environment.

Lewiston, a city with strong art culture supporting a project that directly hurts artists, and lastly, a project that takes necessary resources from people who are already struggling to have enough.

To turn this historic building into a project that directly goes against the values and needs of our community makes no sense for Lewiston, Maine.

Thank you for your time.

Audience, thank you.

Please continue.

Stephen Elwell, Lewiston, Maine.

I'm a software engineer for the past 30 years.

I know a little bit about computing in other words.

My biggest concern of this project is electricity.

All the propaganda I've read has said that it will not increase uh in electricity rates for anyone in the city or in the state.

The thing is, electricity generation is not infinite.

There is a finite base of electric generation.

So if you're pulling electricity from a different transmission line rather than the Lewiston grid, that doesn't mean that electric rates aren't going to go up because Lewiston Grid has to get their electricity from somewhere.

It is not infinite.

So my real issue is the amount of electricity that they're gonna have to be pulled.

So on the website of this actual company, it says it's going to install a natural gas electric generation plant.

Now you've got a natural gas generation plant that's exporting its waste product into the atmosphere of Lewiston, Maine.

Let that sit on you for a little bit.

All of the jobs this creates is not here.

I used to have to sit beside that server.

That server can be anywhere in the world.

So all of the jobs that are going to make money for this project are not here.

Not a single one of them.

In fact, they're going to hire low-paid people just to manage the building and nothing else.

If something goes wrong with any computing, plumbing, electricity, anything like that, it's all going to be brought in, fixed, and leave again.

None of it stays here.

So I'm quite opposed to this project because two reasons.

We have the highest electricity rates in Maine and Hawaii, two largest electricity rates for the nation.

And all of the jobs are someplace else.

And you're going to put this in like another person said, right in the middle of the town.

This thing should be out in the woods somewhere.

It doesn't need to be here.

So that's my opposition to this thing.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Jay Zimmerman.

I live in Ward 5, and I teach in Lewiston Public Schools.

An AI data center in Mill 3 would be a poor use of a major asset for the city and would make downtown Lewiston less livable.

Historic buildings like the Bates Mill Complex represent unique and valuable opportunities for reuse and development.

Consider this in the light of Lewiston's ongoing housing crisis and our attempts to revitalize the downtown area.

No one is going to patronize an AI data center.

It will house no one, it will feed no one.

It will provide no beauty and enrich no one's lives, only the developers' pockets.

In fact, noise and air pollution from the center's operations would be likely to dissuade people from living, working, and spending time and money in our downtown.

So it is clear that this development would be at odds with the Riverfront Island Master Plan, which has been so carefully crafted to bring more life and diverse use to the waterfront area, as well as being at odds with efforts to upgrade the Androscoggin River's water quality rating.

This plan affirms my belief.

Imagine how Mill 3 could add to the downtown area as a senior center and a daycare, as small-scale manufacturing and crafting spaces, as a desperately needed second middle school, as a commercial space with subdivisions for small entrepreneurs who don't have the means to rent an entire building for themselves.

The mill has so much potential to increase use of our downtown area by people, changing the character and energy of the area for the better.

This proposal, the JDA, does not even imply enough benefits to the city to justify the economic, environmental, and opportunity costs that it represents.

So thank you for voting no on this proposal.

Zoe Lidstrom, Word 5.

Um, thank you all so much.

Uh it was just lovely to sit in my seat and hear every single one of you say that you would be voting no on this proposal tonight, um, for reasons that have been stated by the people before me and uh reasons that you addressed um uh in your comments to start this off.

So I guess I would just focus on um you know the future, an alternative uh vision.

I think uh if we can involve uh public process to think about how we might develop the mill in the future.

Um there people have a lot of great ideas.

I understand that um it's the previous assessment felt that it was a difficult building to develop because of its dimensions.

Um but I think we can think outside the box.

Um we're we've heard a lot of great ideas here tonight already.

Um I think we can come up with something that's uh better fit for the Riverfront Island Master Plan that brings life to Lewiston uh rather than kind of filling up a building with uh servers.

Thank you.

Hey everyone, my name is uh Sean O'Connell, uh, I'm a Lewiston resident.

Um so I got all these numbers from uh my roommate Lily, who used to work at the watershed and currently works at the soil and water conservation district.

Um so right now the I mean the proposal called for something like a million gallons of water uh per day uh for this data center, which is you know, napkin math about an Auburn.

Um and in 20 years, a hundred and twenty uh sorry, five million gallons of water a day for the operation of this.

And that's like an extra Lewiston Auburn.

Uh on an already stressed wastewater system.

This doesn't seem like a great idea.

Like knowing that for a fact all water is connected, like we have to take this very, very seriously.

Uh I'm not originally from Lewiston, I'm from Brooklyn, New York.

I grew up uh near the Gowanus Canal, which for whoever knows is uh a super fun site.

Uh dozens of companies dumped in the canal for hundreds of years.

Um when a dolphin made it in, it lasted two weeks before dying.

Uh you can barely glance at what you fish out of it because of the pollution.

When I moved here, I was really dismayed to find out that there were similar warnings about the Androscoggin.

So taking advantage of this river is everybody's right.

And the water use of this proposed data centers, it's gonna undo all the work that's already been done by this community to make our waters clean and safe to live in.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello everyone.

So I'm from Africa.

But I'm one of you guys.

I'm sorry, sir.

I said I'm from Africa.

I understand.

I'm one of you guys.

I live in Lewiston.

Okay, please continue, sir.

Thank you.

Yes.

Mr.

Maya, I said any of today, because I come from we live neighbor to the neighborhood.

But when I see my city, Lewison, which means I'm a mayor, not you.

I'm a mayor now.

Some of my people suffering right there.

They don't have no water.

They don't have one place to stay.

Did they have nothing?

Well, homelessness.

I'm going to call us that we're American.

Well maybe we talk about it.

No.

We're not Lewis.

We have to stood up together.

One to one another.

Why this one over there take care of us?

I you know do nothing.

It's your fault.

Because you're not do your job.

Next time we run for it, we're not going for you.

I stood up for homeless people.

You know why I say that?

I'm from Africa.

I'm not lying to you.

Our people come cross cross sort of is empty.

Cross the bottom.

You give them the shelter.

The inn.

Our citizen.

The outside.

Sleaming the on the street.

They die.

You don't do nothing about it, Mr.

Maya.

So what kind of boss you are?

I'm not trying to talk in you.

I'm sort of my angry.

I don't think it's English.

Sorry for that.

Somebody go take care of that.

I'm not mad.

Sometimes fact is a fact.

If you want to be a politician, well, get up.

We're going to alley.

This one my mom told me.

If you want to be a minute up, we're coming in the alley.

Pay attention.

And don't let this cat.

Sorry, I'm too tall.

Don't let this cat come out of your mind.

You all be run for the rest of your life.

So what are you going to do for a citizen right here that homeless?

You never do nothing about it except that woman right there.

What do you gonna do about that?

That season of the United States of America.

And you know what?

Let me tell you my background too.

Yes.

I make a doctor, yes.

I did.

Did.

But I lost my mindset.

But it doesn't mean that I cannot do humanity.

So we have to work together.

It doesn't mean I'm black.

Are you white?

We believe the same thing.

Mr.

Meyer.

Your people need a help.

That's time, thank you.

Thank you.

No, I would have done.

That's time.

Thank you.

And that's it.

Uh hi.

Um Kiran Maduris Collins, Ward 5.

I appreciate the council's unanimous decision tonight to reject this uh data center, but I think the broader truth is uh we shouldn't just reject this AI data center.

We should reject any AI data center in Lewis and I hope the council will adopt an ordinance placing a moratorium on building these things.

They contribute nothing to the community, they destroy our environment, they're destroying our economy, and they don't belong in our city.

Thank you very much.

Further public comment.

Hello, my name is Siri Cressy, and I live in downtown Lewiston.

And I haven't heard anything good about mostly what I'd heard about AI processing, data processing centers has come out of the very rural American Midwest, like Michigan and Minnesota, I think.

And I haven't heard anything positive about living near these places.

I've heard things about rates of heart diseases and respiratory illnesses going way up, and heavily polluted water.

Somebody said something about advances made in chip cooling.

I I don't know anything about that, but um I think we are justifiably proud of at least the last time I heard the fact that our public water supply, Lake Auburn, has got a pass on being heavily treated to be drinkable, cookable, washable, potable water.

And I, as far as I understand, if it's not the only one in the state, it's pretty close.

I have a feeling that might go away if this happens.

And yeah, um Lewiston does have a long history of having a lot of pollution generating things, being in literally in those same buildings.

And it's how we got the nickname the Dirty Lou, which is not a compliment.

Some people try to reclaim it as a positive thing, but it's not really.

No point in trying to resist or protest against proliferation of artificial intelligence, specifically generative AI.

Because I want to make it very clear.

There are, I don't know very much about them because they're not what I see.

But there are forms that are used by disabled people to more effectively communicate, and that's not what I'm talking about.

But there's a reason AI Slop got voted the phrase of the year of 2025 by I think Merriam Webster's dictionary.

Thank you.

Hi, Cecile Thornton from Lewiston, Ward 4.

I uh don't have a speech prepared.

Um I just want to thank you all for listening to us.

Um I think that you're amazing for having done that.

And um I think the audience should applaud you for having done that.

I hope you'll allow it.

Audience, please, thank you.

Thank you.

Further public comment, should there be any?

Uh hi there, my name is Abby Roman.

I'm a resident of Lewiston in Ward 1.

Um I submitted more extensive written comments and I'll keep this relatively short, but I did just want to talk about the uh CHP plant portion of the data center proposal.

Um, you know, I think there's obviously a lot of issues that have been brought up already, and I thank the council for taking those into consideration.

Um but specifically with the CHP plant, um, while I understand that there are some benefits to the city in having the um milk compute sort of help uh improve the efficiency of the plant, um, any CHP plant, even though they are technically efficient, um, if it's going to be running uh essentially 24-7 to power the needs of a data center, which is a very large inflexible load on the grid, um, that is going to massively increase local air pollution um in downtown Lewiston.

Um I'm speaking as in my personal capacity as resident of Lewiston, but professionally I also um work with communities who deal with these sorts of plants in their communities every day.

Um, and we see massive increases in respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease for any community that's living within three miles of those types of plants.

So specifically with any kind of upgrades that are going to be done to the CHP plant in any future proposals uh that we're looking at, I think it's worth considering if there's ways we can look at redeveloping that specific energy generation into something that's zero emissions instead of uh like a highly polluting gas-powered plant.

Um I think that's what the residents of Lewiston deserve, and particularly since the state is already moving towards uh renewable energy by 2040, it doesn't really make sense for us to be investing in fossil fuel infrastructure at this time.

So just want to cover that.

I had more extensive written comments and happy to meet with folks to chat more about um any of those in for if there's a further questions, but thank you all.

My name is Gus Goodwin, and I'm from Portland.

That's why I want to go last, but I came all this way, so I thought I'd say something.

And I'll skip my what I wrote because a lot of it's been said.

But I do want to um uh thank you for listening to uh the people.

I think it's really important.

Uh the environment is important, our healthy lives are important.

I guess the one thing I didn't hear a lot of from what I was reading is that one way to to cool the uh the data centers to use less water is is to use PFAS or PFAS light chemicals in the uh in the system.

And I think that's something that should be carefully looked at as well.

But anyway, m the the main thing is I think everything has been that I was gonna say has been said, and again, thank you very much.

Further uh public comments before we close it.

Hi, my name is Marty Young.

I'm a lesbian uh Lisbon resident.

Um I basically came this evening after having read all of the information that was publicly available about Mill Commute and about this project on the whole.

Uh one of the things that I wanted to point out that I don't think has really been stated enough this evening.

Uh the Mill Commute uh or sorry, the Mill Compute FAC page, which is buried and difficult to find, uh, says, quote, upper floors of MIL 3 have the potential to bring technology companies and researchers, creating collaboration and partnership opportunities, and quote.

This is not a guarantee that those companies will come.

The mills have had vacancies for the entire time that I have been a resident of Maine.

I moved here from California.

Um I moved here in 2017.

And those mills have been vacant the entire time I've been here, and for long before that as well.

So I would implore you to please look at other opportunities to fill those buildings with residents, companies, and other businesses that actually have a good something to give back to the community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Further yes, please continue.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Luke Jensen Ward 2.

First, um, I just want to say that my comments tonight, uh none of the directed at city staff, just asked to do what they're they do, their job.

I just want to make sure that my comments are directly to you guys up there, the elected officials.

Um I am kind of appalled at the lack of transparency in all of this.

There's very little info about the people in charge of this project.

The paperwork traces back the places like Delaware, North Carolina, and Florida.

Some of the main entities are just opened, I mean, the last couple of months here.

This is not Mainers running this project as they call you know say they are.

What is their track record?

We can't even look it up.

There's no info about who profits from all of this, which is probably the biggest question I want answered.

There are no guarantees, only promises that if they break what they're agreeing to, that you know, we can't sue them for 10 million dollars, we just have to deal with the environmental damage that they cause and live with it.

I also wonder why there is so many public input meetings about different topics, but you guys can't have one about this.

I mean, how many have you had about the police chief search?

You had a bunch and you're still having them.

You've already picked the chief.

You can't have one about this.

I get that having it over the weekend or yesterday would have been pretty short notice, but it's better than this.

I mean, we can't even ask questions.

We just have to give comments and hope that you guys answered the questions during your discussions.

Is that really how you want to build trust with the community?

How is that good public policy?

I mean, voting five days after announcing this.

Also, what message does all of this send to the small business community in in Lewiston?

You guys are offering to give the proposal, the people here, and about a 90% tax break for 20 years.

When has any small business in Lewiston been offered anything like that?

Going after big projects that either don't come to fruition or don't end up as planned has been the economic strategy of the city for over a quarter century, and it just has not worked, and it's not gonna turn around our local economy.

If Lewiston City government actually put a focus on supporting new and existing small businesses instead, that would revitalize the city and create the conditions that would make large developments happen without a TIFF.

Think about like Obscure and Luigi's.

The city did have a role in not supporting them.

And part of the reason why they are not open today because of the city.

So I guess if this passes, I could we'll be in here at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon to take out a petition to overturn this order.

We just need 2,000 and three signatures.

Um but you guys also have the ability yourselves to put this question to voters.

You can do it as a binding vote or non-binding vote.

If you don't want us to have the say in it, at least give us a non-binding vote so you know how we feel about it.

You guys are having you guys are deciding this right after an election where we could have asked you how you guys felt about this this issue.

Now we we lost that opportunity.

So when we think about how public policy is supposed to go, how we build trust in the community, this is not it.

Please kill the project.

Further further public comment.

Further going once going twice.

Public comment is now closed.

Back to the council.

Councillor Najing.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um I'm not sure if everybody's aware, but um I sat um uh on the action group.

Um I I can tell you that some of the development uh pieces around this project are different uh than other projects.

I can also tell you that Auburn Water Division uh hasn't weighed in on what the potential um uh uses are.

I sorry, uh damages are for the for the uses of water.

Um when you talk about the 2040 energy goals, it's it's it's a valid point.

Uh another thing to bring up is the Federal Administration has recently passed an AI executive order um that the protections for our community would have to be in this JDA.

Um and it's not clear at this point how that argument um plays out to to buy into uh uh the the community's concerns and make sure that we're protected.

Um so again, I appreciate everybody coming out um to express um your concerns.

I do think that these types of technologies are important, and I do think that if there is a process in which we can answer the community's concerns and mitigate any risk to our community and in a manner that uh the community buys into, um, then that's a project that moves forward.

Um unfortunately the the public process on this um just isn't there, and so therefore, again, I'm I'm voting no counselor Herman.

Thank you.

I just want to thank everyone for coming out for emailing, for calling.

Um this is really a great example of how representative democracy works.

So thank you.

Counselor Chitam.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um I want to uh repeat that.

Thank you all for letting your opinions be known.

One of the silver linings that has come out of this is that there were a lot of crowdsourced suggestions as to what can happen with mill number three.

Um there are only uh uh a finite number of minds that work here, but when we go out into the crowd and we ask, or you volunteer, these are possible uses.

Some of those struck a chord with me, and they they certainly are meritorious of of looking at.

So I appreciate that very much.

Thank you all.

Counselor Glant.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I'm going to vote no, so I'll stop my conversation with that.

Um but the reality is some of you said we should invite new startups, new ideas, new adventures, because that's what this is.

That's the wrong way to think of things.

Because some other opportunity may come that is new, foreign to all of us here, because we're in Maine and we are, for lack of better words, a little backwards compared to a Chicago or a Minnesota or New York.

So keep your minds open.

Keep your minds open to taxes.

I I love the whole green and all this kind of stuff, but I bet the majority of you don't own houses.

And I realize the tax implication that's in the city to keep a school open to do the things that we do.

Some decisions have to be looked at and worked around the idea of us paying our bills.

That's something else of it.

So I love the ideas for Mill 3.

And it's been a lot longer than 2017 that uh things have been vacant.

Remember, Lawston was built because of the mills.

The mills came first.

Then the city came.

That's how that worked back in the day.

Same as Rumford, same as Scowhegan.

All these places did the same thing.

So we want to use the space, and we're proud and glad to hear everything you all have to say.

But you gotta keep your mind open that there are other possibilities that might come down that are new and need to be researched.

And the whole water thing, quite frankly, is wrong.

I'm telling you right now, they're gonna use like a glyco.

There'd be zero with very little water other than misting.

So there's a lot more data out there that I had to learn about, quite frankly.

I mean, I I really didn't know a whole lot.

The idea sounded great, wasn't happy with the TIFF, but we need to do something with Mill 3.

It's been vacant, and we get zero dollars on the tax roll for that.

So sometimes we up here have to think about paying for schools, fire, police, programs like the walkways that you guys would like to have and I would like to have.

So keep that in mind when you're thinking about these projects and you bring them forward, would love to hear your ideas.

I'm sure that Director Libby would love to hear from people via email.

Can we do this in the city?

Can we do that?

We would like to reach out as Councillor Chitham said and get inputs.

We're a very small groups, very small body.

And again, I want to thank everybody for coming.

And I do understand where you're coming from, but sometimes some of us have a Polaroid picture, and the picture is really much bigger.

Okay?

And oftentimes people are looking through a Polaroid because it's a personal to them, a concern.

Sometimes you need to expand your picture a little.

That's all I'm saying.

Thank you.

Councillor Roy.

Thank you.

Um again, like everybody else has said up here.

Thank you all for coming and uh expressing your opinions and really making your voice uh stand loud.

Um I forgot to thank uh the economic department for their role in this and trying to bring this forward.

I really appreciate all your hard work, Director Libby and your team.

Thank you.

Further comments from counselors.

Uh yes.

Um thank you very much uh to to staff for all their hard work in this.

Um and yeah, uh what you say really does matter and your input matters.

And I know uh sometimes the public process is is frustrating, but uh I appreciate you all being here.

Thank you very much.

Um Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Counselor from Word 7?

No.

Word one?

No.

Ward two?

No.

Ward three?

No.

Ward four.

No.

Ward five?

No.

Ward six.

No.

Motion failed by a vote of zero to seven.

Thank you very much, Madam Clerk.

Uh item number seven.

Item number seven, amendment to the city business license fees scheduled policy to add the syringe service program license.

Requested action to approve the proposed amendment to the city business licensing fees schedule policy, policy manual number seven, as recommended by the city clerk and the city administrator.

So I have a motion, please.

Second.

Councillor uh Chitham followed by Councillor Gallant and uh Councillors, if you'll give us all one second as we uh wait for people to leave the chambers.

Thanks, guys.

Uh counselors, let's uh let's begin.

Any comments or questions?

Public comment for this agenda item.

Back to the council.

Council Airman.

Thank you.

Um I I do I'm glad that this fee is uh the proposed fee is lower than the original.

Um I still think it probably should be zero given that they're um providing an essential public service to the city.

And um, you know, we've only allowed one operation in the city as well, but I think a hundred dollars is a lot more reasonable than the previous recommendation, and um I think that's fair.

Uh yes, Councillor Najing.

One of the considerations with um the licensing fee is yes, we have one operator in the city at this moment.

We don't know in the future um how many we will have um or if we will ever have more than one.

Um I think it's important to put a price tag on it.

Um I I'm hoping um that this uh covers um the cost of staff time um in order to uh issue the license.

Um and I would also suggest that we consider uh the possibility for the current go-around the next on the next renewal, and I know that two counselors won't be sitting here, but the council does have the ability to wave fees if we decide that we want to waive a fee for an organization.

So Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Counselor from Ward 7, yes.

Ward one?

Yes.

Ward two?

Yes.

Ward three?

Yes.

Ward four?

Yes.

Ward five?

Yes.

Ward six.

Yes.

Motion pass a vote of seven to zero.

Item number eight.

Item number eight, public hearing and adoption of order approving the first amendment to the Lowell Street Omnibus Tax Increment Financing District and Development Program.

There are two items for requested action.

The first item to conduct a public hearing regarding the proposed first amendment to the Lowell Street Omnibus TIFF and Development Program and to consider if anyone claims the project will have a substantial detrimental effect on that prop party's property interests, and then determine if those detrimental effects are outweighed by the benefit of the development.

The public hearing is now open.

The public hearing is now closed.

No.

Mayor.

Yes.

Can uh we hold the public hearing open for the presentation?

Uh yeah, sure, sure, of course.

Thank you, Director Libby.

Um Madam Clerk, do we need a motion on the table or we can just have the presentation?

You can just have the presentation.

Director Libby, uh please proceed.

And uh uh thank you for joining us.

Thank you, Mayor and Counselors.

My name is Nate Libby.

I am director of economic and community development.

I'm here with the developer of the Lowell project.

Please introduce yourself.

Jason Levesque.

Um Mayor and Council, and for members of the public, we've uh prepared a brief slideshow presentation uh to walk through the pieces of this project in the TIFF amendment that we're asking you to adopt uh this evening.

Uh first we'll go over a bit of the background on the original project in the original TIFF district, then we will uh briefly describe the revised project and then get into the details at a high level on the First Amendment to the TIFF district and development program.

So by way of background, the original TIFF district was established in October 2023, the development program.

That's the vehicle for um providing tax reduction to incentivize development.

Uh that is also the uh vehicle for uh providing for public partnership in um in projects that benefit the public in in the development.

It's also um uh the vehicle used to fund economic development efforts throughout the city.

Uh in 2023, the Lowell Street TIFF development program provided uh tax reimbursement uh for two buildings as envisioned at that time.

Part of the challenge uh that the developers experienced, and he can certainly attest to it, is the housing development, which is about 160 units per building, was uh priced using 2022, 2023 uh estimates for building materials, labor, and uh financing costs.

And of course, many of our projects in Lewiston have experienced challenges uh getting to the uh break ground stage because of uh historic pandemic related inflation and cost of building supplies, cost of labor, and cost of borrowing.

Um at that time, the uh TIF uh arrangement was a 52 percent reimbursement for 10 years for the first building with a 10-year step down, so the reimbursement would decline over time.

Uh similar sort of setup for building number two and city funded projects, approximately 1.5 million.

At that time, there was a plan to bury uh utilities underground, which can be can be costly, and the proposal was to have that cost split 50-50 with a developer.

Um phase one, uh sorry, we're getting into the revised project uh now.

So phase one is a market rate development with 152 units targeting uh the missing middle.

I want to take a moment to uh have Jason sort of describe uh his vision for for how this will be designed, the amenities it will have, and how it's targeting that that part of the housing market.

Very good.

Thank you very much, Council Mayor.

The missing middle is not just a term that I made up, it's actually a federally defined term by housing and urban development.

This is a HUD-insured uh 221 D4 loan, which is solves the financing hurdle that I that I uh went through and a lot of other developers went through several years ago.

One of uh the benefits of this is the fact that 50 percent of your units have to be priced to be attainable for people making 120 percent of the AMI, which in Louisden, that means people making uh more than about 55 to $60,000 a year, young professionals, if you would active retirees.

This has been a classically underserved um population group, especially in the Northeast.

So by doing this, and this loan is a 40-year note, which is extremely important versus a traditional 30.

We are able to add in a lot of amenities more so than frankly any other building in in Anderscoggan County or north of Portland.

It will have commercial space, restaurant cafe that will be indoors, plus a thousand square feet outdoor patio, dining area that's dedicated for that space.

It will have amenities such as free bike usage, on-site laundry in unit laundry, um, shared cleaning supplies, vacuums on every floor, in uh building storage, EV charging in the parking garage, which is only fifty feet away, and proximity to the river walk, actually both of them, the one that originates in Smart Payne, and the one in the Sunnyside neighborhood.

Uh this will actually connect through a universal street design, which the City of Lewison is on board with helping facilitate lots of treats trees, treats trees, street tree street, street trees.

Say that three times fast.

Um as well as bike racks, everything else that's in ordinance and then some.

So it's going to be amenity rich with a fitness center, yoga studio, dog walking, et cetera.

So I think, and I think we all agree that this is going to be really kind of a jewel in the downtown Lewiston uh belt, if you would.

So phase one is uh what we're here to talk about tonight, 152 unit building, phase two will will come uh later on and is subject to your review and approval.

Um the revised project has a smaller scope for city funded uh public projects.

As I mentioned, one and a half million was the uh agreement for the last iteration of this.

That's been scaled down to 850,000.

Those funds are going to be used to invest uh use that sheltered TIFF money to invest in streetscape and ADA improvements, sidewalk construction, street resurfacing, and all of this will be designed with future consideration for the riverwalk extension.

We want this project to dovetail perfectly with the Riverwalk extension as it gets built and heads north.

The TIFF amendment, as I mentioned, has uh phase one tax reduction through what we call TIFF credit enhancement agreements or CEAs.

The TIFF agreement provides for a fixed amount of 400,000 in tax reduction uh for 20 years.

The developer would use this credit enhancement agreement, this $400,000 year payment to be able to qualify for the HUD financing that he described.

So this funding is our our attempt as a city to support uh the development cost by uh helping the developer secure this additional final piece of financing to make the project happen and break ground uh early next year.

Um fixed amount is something uh we're trying, at least during my tenure uh for the first time with you folks.

Uh the fixed amount helps uh provide his lender assurance that there is a revenue stream to support the debt service, and it's a part of their consideration in their underwriting and approval.

Um for the city side, the fixed amount favors us.

Um unlike residential properties, which might get reevaluated uh every five years, or in our case, every 35 years.

Um commercial buildings are revaluated uh much more much more frequently.

The city assessor reviews financial information from the business as the business becomes more profitable, the the assessment reflects that.

And so as the valuation in the property grows over time and as the mill rate grows over time, the city's slice of this pie is going to grow over time.

And so in this sense, the fixed amount is is high in the early years, but over time it averages out with phase two uh incorporated, the split between phase one and phase two, and the city's share is roughly one-third, one-third, one third.

So I think it does represent a fair deal to the to the um developer, fair deal to the taxpayers, and for you that have to balance new revenue with uh cost of municipal services.

Phase two, as we mentioned, is envisioned, it's conceived of, but it is not uh uh at a point where we're asking folks to put pen to paper.

We talk about it in broad strokes, but any phase two credit enhancement reimbursement would come back to the council for review and approval.

We've penciled it in as a smaller uh level of support.

We think the when phase one is complete, the assessment um is set, the building appreciates over time as most real real estate does.

Building one can be used as collateral to help finance building two, and we sort of springboard building two from there.

Um in this instance, we do envision it as a as a fixed amount as well.

But but for everyone's clarity tonight, we're just asking you to consider a credit enhancement agreement for phase one.

Um I described the uh breakdown in revenue, and that's on the screen here.

Uh the development program anticipates sheltering 62.4 million of valuation.

That's the estimate for both phases that uh we've got from the city assessor.

And that valuation will generate 24.2 um million in revenue over the 30-year term.

Um that figure does not account for inflation, just to be clear.

So that is a conservative estimate of revenue.

33 percent of that would go to the developer over 20 years in phase one, totals about eight million.

Uh phase two in green, that's about 29 percent uh going to support that project at 7 million, and again, that's a placeholder.

And then 38 percent of the revenue to the city, which is about 9.2 million, or after the public projects are financed about 8.1.

So that's how we get to the one-third, one-third, one-third split.

Um TIFs, this is uh sometimes a hard thing to wrap your head around, but TIFFs have this benefit for you folks as city councilors trying to balance a budget.

Um the state provides for municipalities to shelter new valuation when it comes to calculating um things like municipal revenue sharing, um, funding for education, as well as the local county tax.

And so our approach with you folks in the last year and a half is to try to maximize that benefit that the city gives us, because every dollar that we shelter helps us retain uh school funding, it helps us retain revenue sharing and protects us from the county tax.

If we decided to do away with uh all of this, the whole TIFF, the credit enhancement agreement and you know, uh developer Levec, it comes into you know eighty million dollars uh that falls from the sky.

Just saying if that were to happen and we didn't shelter any of this, uh the penalty for not sheltering is uh roughly um on the order of us being able to keep 38 cents for every dollar of taxes we we collect.

Uh 38 cents on the dollar is what we would be able to retain because we would get a penalty on revenue sharing.

We get a penalty on education funding, and we'd have to pay more in county taxes.

So the power of sheltering and why we favor it is we get to retain more of that tax revenue locally.

We shift costs from the general fund onto the TIFF.

We help you uh close your budget uh gap each year, and in the end, we're we're helping the taxpayer by um ensuring that that revenue comes in to support municipal services.

Uh additional detail on the development program amendment.

We continue the City Council's approach of using TIFF revenue to offset general fund pressure.

We invest a greater share of economic development uh expenses, those are existing expenses, not expansion of spending.

Uh and economic development projects from the general fund to the TIFF.

Um other pieces on the amendment itself uh provides authorization to the city administrator to execute uh one-year extension to this credit enhancement agreement in their uh sole discretion.

That's uh an effort to uh expedite uh the development of the project should, should we need additional time um to hit different milestones without having to come back to you and go through a public process.

Um we've heard from you that that's a uh reasonable adjustment to make to our TIFF approach, and we think it's gonna help make the project happen more expeditiously.

As I mentioned, it's gonna require uh City Council approval for phase two and funding that's available uh in the TIFF in the out years is available for you all to make decisions on shifting costs from the general fund to the TIFF account to support these expenses like staff salaries, debt service, streetscape improvements, trails, a business development fund that we've been capitalizing, and other capital projects you folks approve that relates to economic development.

This is a very nice new rendering of uh the development.

You're um you're facing the development with Main Street uh roughly to your back, the peck center to your left, Maine College of Health Professions to your right, just to get an orientation.

Uh Jason, final thoughts.

It's been a long time.

I've kept you, I think hopefully up to speed on the progress.

A lot of situations, I think, uh from a development standpoint, you learn a lot through the process.

One of the reasons phase two will happen a little later is the amount of learnings that are happening here on phase one will be applied to phase two.

Um there is a great deal of that.

This will uh yeah, I'm very excited about it.

Thank you very much.

And if you have any recommendations or questions, I would love to take them.

I'm not sold on the color in the middle part of the building.

It's Arctic White, I'm thinking more of a slake, right?

But that's where we're at the design phase.

But this is all wrapped up in we should break ground uh April, weather permitting mid-April, late March of next year.

You know, it's spoken like a former mayor.

It's important to remain flexible.

Yeah.

This is very flexible.

Uh you know, one of the reasons we're still here, uh, Mr.

Levesque, is because of you.

And uh appreciate your tenacity on this project and keeping with it.

Thank you.

Counselor Chiddham.

Thank you.

Um I was prepared to vote one way, but your change of the color has convinced me to change my mind.

Thank you very much.

I said I left it open and right on a posted out slip to be a good thing.

Uh question for the director and perhaps administrator.

Um the $850,000 reduction or reduction to $850,000 for $1.5 million of city infrastructure improvements.

What's the timing on that?

Um we are working with our uh colleagues in public works engineering who are managing uh planned uh road projects in the neighborhood so that we're aligning um opening up the road with uh underground needs of the developer to ensure we open it up once and we close it once.

Um same goes for sidewalks, streetscape, and ADA improvements.

We're gonna work hand in glove with a developer to time our pieces to line up with his construction schedule.

So that's not a precise answer.

It's just to say we are working uh in tandem with the developers, so we're not digging up roads twice.

Oh, I'm glad to hear that.

That's a that's a big plus too.

Uh uh, Mr.

Levesque, can you talk about the phasing?

Is this an $850,000 one-year hit?

Is it stretched out over a couple of years?

What's your construction schedule?

Uh my construction schedule.

Um, like I said, opening uh uh breaking ground, late March, April, uh target completion, August 15th of 2027.

So around a 16 to 17 month construction window.

That's important uh to try to hit that milestone, which means all the really streetscapes, uh hard scape, if you would, should be done by then on Lowell Street.

Middle Street will definitely be done because that's starting uh this spring.

So Lowell Street, Chapel Street, uh right around probably spring of twenty-seven, finishing up by late summer of twenty-seven.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um and the other question I have for you is the extension of time, uh the authority that would be delegated on this agreement to the city administrator.

I'm in favor of that because it cuts through a lot of the rigma role that would take place if it has to be a council uh decision.

Um I want to express my complete faith in our administrator.

However, I do want to ask if there are other provisions that this agreement would grant to the administrator and remove from the council.

Is it just an extension of time?

Just an extension of uh deadlines.

There are a variety of deadlines in the in the credit enhancement agreement.

So if we you know if developer needs an extra three months for provision X, we want to be able to paper that with a signature from the city administrator without having to fully understood and appreciated.

Thank you.

Councilor Najine.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um first and foremost, I want to thank uh the economic development department for your tenacity and your willingness to continue to stick with this.

And that also extends to the developer who has great faith in this project and in uh in in redeveloping what was at one point in time um uh a very vibrant and historic section of our city.

Um the I I live in this neighborhood.

I I can tell you that the benefit and the knock-on benefits will be huge.

And I I think that uh I'm glad uh in some ways that uh that we had to look at the the HUD funding because now we're seeing uh you know half the housing being uh dedicated to 120 percent of the median income, which is absolutely a missing um component to our housing in this community.

So um, you know, uh kudos to both.

And you know, to be completely clear, um, it's not a question of whether or not we should give the give the TIF.

It's this project doesn't move forward unless we do.

So uh the uh the upside benefits I think are uh far greater outweigh um the potential loss of revenue because in all actuality this is a knock on effect that will add revenue to the city overall.

Thank you.

Councillor Harriman.

Thank you.

I also want to thank you both.

Um thank you for bringing this forward.

Uh I'm always happy to replace parking lots with housing.

So thank you.

Uh Madam Clerk, I plan to go to the public hearing now, and then when we come back, we'll put a motion on the floor.

How about that?

Sure.

Thank you.

Uh public hearing is now open.

Public hearing is now closed.

Uh yeah, uh Dr.

Did you have something?

Um I just want to obviously recognize Jason for uh him being able to doggedly pursue uh creative solutions to make this project happen over several you know uh significant setbacks.

Uh credit as well to the staff in economic development.

John Blair, deputy director, um who's a builder, an engineer, and a planner has been helpful in um solving the public project component, the planning component, the utility component of this, uh, as well as our our colleagues at public works who've who've helped put this together.

Uh administration support has been helpful too.

Thank you, Director.

Uh Madam Clerk, can you read the motion again, please?

Sure.

If the council determines that the benefits of the amended TIFF district and associated development outweigh any negatives articulated, the council is asked to adopt the order approving the first amendment to the Lowell Street Omnibus Tax Increment Financing District and Development Program authorizing the city administrator to execute an agreement for development assistance tax increment financing and authorizing city staff to submit the amendment and related documents to main DECD for approval.

I have a motion.

So moved.

Councilor Chitam.

Second.

Further discussion from the council.

Mr.

LeBoc, anything from you?

Thank you.

For hearing me.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Libby, are we good?

Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Council from Ward 7.

Yes.

Ward 1.

Yes.

Ward 2?

Yes.

Ward 3?

Yes.

Ward 4.

Yes.

Ward 5?

Yes.

Ward 6.

Yes.

Motion pass by vote of 7 to 0.

Item number 9.

Item number 9.

Condemnation hearing for the building located at 102 Pierce Street.

Requested action to conduct a hearing to determine if the building located at 102 Pierce Street has met the dangerous building statutes as defined in Title 17, Section 2851 et al.

If the audience will give us a minute as we uh reset the stage here.

Did you put the nameplate up there for the interest attorney?

I don't think that's a change.

So CD.

Something wrong.

Director Carter, are you ready?

We will now begin.

This evening we will conduct a hearing to determine whether the structure at 102 Pierce Street is a nuisance or dangerous building within the meaning of section 2851 of Title 17 of the main revised statutes, and if so, whether the structure poses a serious threat to the public health and safety within the meaning of section 2856 of that title.

If the council makes either determination, it will then determine what actions the property owner must take.

The structure is owned by Multivision Investments LLC, Kata and Trust Company has an encumbrance on the real estate.

The city has been told that Black Ridge Group LLC was the winning bidder at auction.

I ask that any owner or party of interest, including tenants, introduce yourself, including your name, address, and position.

Is an owner, party in interest or representative present.

Please uh go to the uh podium.

My name is Lagu J.

Luca.

I am the owner of Black Ridge Group LLC that purchased uh the winning bid.

Thank you.

Is any other owner, party in interest, or representative present.

Our company is comprised of six investors.

Um I am the representative for them tonight.

Thank you.

Does any city council member know an owner, another party in interest, or have knowledge about this matter?

That means you cannot fairly and impartially hear the facts and decide the matter based on the evidence presented at this hearing.

Councilor Chitham.

Not knowing the owners, I can't answer that question.

I I can say I don't know the representative, but he said there are six other owners, and I don't know who they are.

Uh uh Mr.

Kerry, how should we proceed with this?

The owner in this case is or the potential owner is Blackridge.

Black Ridge Group LLC.

And so that not the individual members that you don't have to do.

Okay, thank you.

That's a that's a relatively new corporation.

I do not know Blackridge uh LLC.

Thank you the hearing will be conducted according to the mayor's procedures for dangerous building, which I read at the September 3, 2024 Council meeting and are included in your packets.

I accept into evidence the planning and code enforcement departments previously provided exhibits A through H.

I now ask that Lewiston Planning Code Enforcement Department present the city council with information relevant to the matter before it.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor, and uh good evening, Council members.

My name is John Connor.

I'm the director of planning and code enforcement for the city of Lewiston.

During this hearing tonight, we will show why the building at 102 Pierce Street is dangerous and must be demolished.

In the following slideshow, which is included in your packets as code and fire exhibit H.

I'll discuss the title of the property, service on the parties and interest, and then describe the conditions at 102 Pierce Street that deem it dangerous.

102 Pierce Street is an eight-unit multifamily residential property owned by Multivision Investments LLC.

However, we are told that Black Ridge Group LLC was the high bidder at a December 4th auction.

We ensured proper notice of hearing was recorded in the Andrescogan County Registry of Deeds on October 3rd, 2025.

And the owner was noticed October 7th, 2025, as well as interested party, Catadin Trust Company on October 8, 2025.

Furthermore, Black Ridge Group LLC was noticed on December 11th, 2025.

With me tonight are Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector Steve LeBron, as well as Fire Inspector Ryan Coleman.

The structure at 102 Pierce Street meets the criteria for a dangerous building because it constitutes a fire hazard.

It's unsuitable for its residential use and poses a threat to health or safety because of inadequate maintenance and dilapidation.

The following slides will detail the specific issues that support these findings as listed in the official findings of fact.

So why is 102 Pierce Street dangerous?

There's significant electrical and plumbing issues, including unprotected electrical wires, devices, and ruptured pipes that are exposing wires to water throughout the building.

The structure has several fire spread hazards.

There is evidence of previous electrical fires throughout the structure.

Finally, the structure is vacant, which increases the risk of fire and spread to adjacent properties.

The building contains unsupported and damaged electrical devices, loose connections, and faulty wiring, which are significant fire hazards that must be addressed immediately.

Additional electrical hazards were identified by way of exposed wires throughout the building.

Since our last hearing on November 18th, power has been turned off at the building at the meter by CMP.

Additionally, there's evidence of electrical fires throughout the structure.

At this time, all res all eight residential units are in various stages of demolition, resulting in holes in walls and ceilings.

This means there's a plaster missing throughout the structure, allowing fire to extend above and below due to the dangerous balloon frame construction.

You can just go through those.

I'm sorry, missing entry doors throughout the building result in a lack of fire compartmentalization, which is a significant fire hazard.

This lack of barriers means that the stairwells act as a chimney, which enabled the rapid spread of fire throughout the entire structure.

Buildings of vacant and abandoned structures like 102 Pierce Street are a threat to public safety and attract unwanted activity.

Fires in these buildings cause a tragic loss of life, with the NFPA estimating that more than 10 civilians die and 6,000 firefighters are injured annually fighting these types of fires in these types of properties.

Additionally, Mr.

Mayor, if I may, I'd like to enter uh a document into uh as code and fire exhibit I.

I have copies to pass out to everybody.

Uh this document is uh related to something that we found out uh just yesterday that uh this building also poses a a lead um a lead hazard.

Uh there was some um uh abatement issues uh earlier, uh but when the former the former owner uh started doing demolition, started releasing all that lead.

So this is just a statement from the the lead program manager for the city.

Thank you.

We are now accepting this document into evidence as exhibit I.

So in conclusion, the structure is dangerous because of the unprotected electrical wires and devices, the ruptured pipes exposing wires to water, evidence of electrical fires in the structure, and severe fire spread hazards due to missing barriers compounded by its vacant status.

Given these dangers and the threat to public health and safety, the city council must conclude that 102 Pierce Street is dangerous and should be demolished.

We requested the city council issue the proposed order included in your packet.

Thank you very much.

Does that conclude your presentation?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

We are now opening up to questions from the council.

Oh, yes.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, your name again, sir.

LAGU.

One more time.

Lago.

Lago.

Lago, is there anything that you'd like to say at this point?

I do.

So obviously the city will make their decision, but we purchased this building, or we're in the process of acquiring the building through the bid uh with the intention of fully renovating it to make it safe and habitable for the residents of Lewiston.

Um I am an investor.

I've been doing this for the past five years now.

So I have experience and I'm working with licensed contractors that uh are certified in lead abatement.

Um and also I'll be working with uh a professional engineer in the interior redevelopment as well.

Um given it's been determined that it's categorized as a dangerous building.

Um obviously in dientrim, we're in the process of um estimating uh the actual cost uh with the contractors um to make sure that uh we're able to get the proper funding to get the building fully rehabbed.

Um I I do want to have these taken into consideration rather than demolishing, uh, give us the opportunity to renovate this building uh and make it safe again.

Thank you.

And now I invite the council to ask questions.

I would like to remind the council that we're simply asking questions at this time and not uh deliberating.

Uh yes, uh Councillor Chidham.

Thank you.

Um Director Connor, have any building permits, uh electrical permits, plumbing permits been issued on 102 peers?

No, sir.

Not at this time.

Uh may I ask the the uh owner?

Uh yes, please continue.

Sir, do you have a schedule for applying for the necessary permits to do the renovation work that you are contemplating?

We submitted a tentative plan, yes.

Um we're working with a uh a project manager who has uh been in the City of Lewiston for quite some time.

He's going to be our primary uh liaison to work with the city to get the necessary permits.

Do you have any schedule or idea on how long it will take before you can bring these buildings back into habitability?

We're targeting four or five months uh with having um um getting water and heating first into building uh and then uh starting from the top, uh putting two contractors uh to work uh from top to down.

So we're estimating uh five months um we'll be doing most of the work concurrently uh to push for that timeline.

Thank you.

And I understand the power has been disconnected to this building.

Thank you.

That's all I have for questions presently Councilor Herman.

Thank you.

Um so I thought this was a condemnation hearing, but you're saying it's a demolition hearing?

Correct.

I believe the terminology used in the agenda is always a condemnation hearing, but they are in fact dangerous building hearings for demolition.

Okay.

And then and then what is this document that you've got to do?

So what that is is we found out that some lead abatement had taken place a while back as as the as the the MEMA states.

And what we're saying is because we now know that there's lead abatement in the property.

Once the previous owners property manager started going through, and as you saw in the picture, started demolishing all of those walls, that basically took the envelope, the encapsulation of the lead that was there, and now exposed it all.

So we've the building inspector has conveyed to the new owners that they are going to need to have lead certified contractors out there.

So this was just an added hazard to the dangerous building that we came to know about yesterday.

So I just wanted it to be in the packet for full transparency for everybody.

Okay.

And who is that from?

That is from uh Jacqueline uh uh sorry, she works up in the ummunity development department.

Okay.

And what's her title?

She is the I believe it's the lead program manager.

Okay.

All right, thanks.

Yeah.

Councillor Longchamps, did you have something?

Yes.

Um I think everybody knows how to do that.

Can you uh move the mic closer to the buildings?

I I don't can you hear me?

Yeah, there we go.

Um I do feel really bad because you know they just won this bid for this building.

And I feel as though, I mean, they knew when they went to the bid what they were coming, you know, what they were up against, and to still bid on it.

Um I feel like they should have the opportunity to.

My kids used to get babysat there.

Now I'll have to tell them about the lead problem.

But so they have purchased this new entity has purchased the building.

I they won the bid.

Is it officially theirs?

I don't believe it is.

I believe there's a they have a 30 days to close, but I I could be mistaken.

But they they won the bid and and so they've got about 30 days to close.

Uh we have they have reached out to us.

Uh we've reached out to them.

Uh we would we would really hope that their plan I we feel that their plan is pretty aggressive for the for the current state of the building.

Yeah.

But we're willing to work with them.

We're willing to work with anybody that comes forward with a with a viable plan that can that they show they have the capacity uh both financially and you know physically to do the to do the rehab, wholeheartedly willing to work with them.

But if if if it doesn't come to fruition, then that's why we would like to have this ability.

So that that makes more sense to me.

So yeah, because I kind of just feel like we do pulling the rug right out from underneath them.

And uh I think they should be given an opportunity to uh fix this building.

This building, you know, is gonna cost probably probably a half a million dollars to fix up.

Um you do know that, though, I'm sure.

Yes, our estimates are around 250 to 300,000 dollars with a rehab.

Okay.

So thank you.

Counselor Nagyen.

Um thank you very much, Mr.

Mayor.

Um just to come back, uh Director Connor.

Uh this uh condemnation request, this demolition request is actually to give you the tool so that you can work with whoever owns it in order to force the the um the repairs that we that we need to see and or in the lack of repairs follow up uh in order to make sure that the hazard to the community is removed.

Yes, sir.

Yeah.

Um I just want to make clear that if we condemn this building, that doesn't mean that it's going to be torn down tomorrow.

That means that you work with the with the owners in order to figure out uh uh a um rehab plan that works for the city as well as the developer.

And if that does not come to Ration, then we do actually have to remove the hazard from our community that endangers people.

Correct.

Thank you.

Uh Counselor Chitum, back to you.

Thank you.

We have given you these tools before, Director Connor, and you've used them judiciously.

I appreciate that very much.

Um I am leery about giving one individual, even one as meritorious as yourself, uh, the sole power to determine whether or not this building comes down.

Um you have demonstrated it in the past that you use exquisite judgment in helping to rehabit, rehabilitate and restore these buildings.

Um and I'm happy to give you that authority uh with the condition or the caution, and I would ask our attorney perhaps if there's a way that we could somehow uh check and ensure that you continue in your in your path of working with developers to rehabilitate rehabilitate these buildings.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Kerry, can you please speak to that?

They're so I think there's there's two separate is this is this correctly.

I suggest there's two separate issues.

I think the one is how you want the order to read and whether or not um you know what as the orders proposed, you are ordering demolition but allowing the owner to come forward with it with a sufficient plan.

Um what I'd suggest is rather than putting something into the order which could create ambiguity is to require a report back either on this project in particular or maybe on you know any pending one in you know quarterly or semi-annually or some something like that Councillor Chitam.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um this is beginning to approach a dialogue, but I appreciate that.

I love this idea, and I wonder if we could in a separate action require that the code enforcement officer report back to this uh council prior to ordering a final demolition.

And I would ask uh code enforcement if that's a viable uh uh process.

Uh what one second, code enforcement.

Uh Mr.

Kerry, uh how would we uh I guess go about requiring a report back or what are the mechanics of that look like?

Uh there's there's two options.

You could put it into the order, or you could just set that as the expectation that that will happen um on a separate track.

And that's but I I'd I suggest the latter.

Thank you, Mr.

Kerry.

Uh yes, back to you, Counselor Chitham.

Thank you.

I'm comfortable with that.

Um I have absolute faith in Mr.

Uh Director Connor, and I would ask that he report back to the council before ordering a final demolition of the building.

Absolutely.

Uh one quick question, uh, Madam Clerk.

Uh can we do that within this agenda item or what does that look like?

Oh, I think you can do it within the agenda item.

Okay.

Uh Counselor Najee.

Um I I would just say that the volume of um housing in our community that actually needs um the condemnation notices in order to move these projects forward or and or remove uh the hazards to our community.

Um maybe um it may be burdensome if we're giving uh the uh the director the power to make this decision and then saying please come back and check with us before you really make the decision.

So I think you know, possibly if we're talking about um an aggressive schedule in order to actually rehab housing within our community, if we're talking about maybe a quarterly or semi or or semi-annually report on uh on the overall progress um, but I have no issue with the director giving the power to the director to make these decisions and move forward with them.

So counselor Herman.

Thank you.

Um just concerned about demolishing you know eight units of housing that could potentially be rehabbed.

And you know, if if it were demolished and then something were rebuilt there, I don't think you could build more than three or four units, for example.

Um I yeah, I I thought this was just condemning the building.

Um I didn't realize that we're voting to demolish it.

Counselor Long Champs.

Yes, I just want to say that I have no desire to basically question uh you know your decision.

Um I think that's what we're here to do now.

And uh so just wanted to share that.

Counselor Gallant.

I'm sorry, were you finished, Counselor Longchamps?

Yeah.

Counselor Gallant.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I think it's a burdensome on that department department to have to report back after we've already given a permission to do something.

We're gonna now tell public works they're gonna get permission every time they do something after we've given them permission.

Quite frankly, I think we're busy enough up here as it is.

We don't haven't had so many report back and give us additional paperwork.

So quite frankly, I think it's just a waste of time.

If we're gonna agree to this today, he has the power based on his position.

He should go forward as he sees fit.

Thank you.

Uh back to you, Counselor Nagyen.

Just for a point of clarity, I believe this is either Sarville or NCB, correct?

It's downtown residential.

Downtown residential.

Okay.

So it certainly uh could be rebuilt if it actually absolutely has to be demoed uh to even a larger density without a parking requirement.

So just to point that out.

Uh Counselor Chitum, back to you.

Thank you.

Just to be clear, I was not asking the council to repermit Director Connor to issue this simply to report back to us.

Hopefully with the news that yes, this is now being real rehabilitated.

So uh there is no question that this action would give that exclusive authority to Director Connor.

I'm simply asking our courtesy report back that uh no, everything is gone, and I am now going to order the demolition or hopefully everything is going according to plan, and we're going to have eight new units.

Eight no units uh available built to code.

So I did not want to second guess, certainly.

Uh thank you, Counselor Tritum.

Uh Counselor Gallant, back to you.

It's my last night.

Um I don't have a problem with reporting back as long as he don't have to appear.

These guys put enough hours, you know, a simple little email saying ABC is going on, I think would be uh sufficient.

Uh but if you're going to require somebody to come back or departments heads to come back with something like that to be wrong.

That's where I'd go with that.

Thank you.

Uh uh Counselor I'm sorry, what counselor Gallant?

Oh, okay.

Glad we're so collegial down there.

Uh Counselor Najine.

And I would just like to reiterate that I think that that um the condemnation processes that we're going to be seeing for our substandard and and dangerous housing uh might re instead of being each individual project, it could possibly be uh uh a bi-annual um uh uh report that can come out.

And again, you I I don't think it's necessary.

You're right.

I don't think it's necessary that the uh director appear, but we we've uh condemned what, four housing units at this point?

Uh since I've been here, I think this is probably seven or eight and seven or eight, exactly.

So like I'm just saying on each individual project, it could be uh uh um burdensome, but of course we want to find out what our results are.

Are we getting 60 percent, 70 percent of the housing uh back on the market?

Um you know.

Okay, thanks.

Counselors, thank you.

Uh I would like to move back to uh questioning uh or commenting on uh the matter at hand here with uh with code enforcement.

Any other questions about their presentation?

Uh yeah, just any questions they have each closest.

Do you uh I'm I'm sorry, your name again, sir.

LACU LAGU, do you have uh any uh questions for code enforcement?

Um given this is a big project, uh you know my my intent is to fully work uh with your team um and the permitting and also to work with the design engineer to make sure that uh we're able to rehab the interior decode.

So um I do hope you guys will consider um the tenative plans of submitted.

So yeah.

Uh closing statements from our uh planning and code department.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

I uh I just wanted to thank the the code enforcement officer and building inspector uh Lebron uh and Inspector Coleman.

They've put countless hours into walking this building, multiple days, multiple months.

They've uh you know they're here to answer the technical questions that I can't answer, and um they've they've done uh monumental work on a lot of these buildings that are brought before you.

So I just wanted to express my appreciation to them.

They've done great work there.

Um and I thank you for your time and uh happy to happy to help any way we can in in report back our uh all of our results going back to you know the beginning of the year with with all of our condemnation hearings.

Thank you.

And Lago, uh I I realize you just said something that sounded like a closing statement, but now we're at the official closing statement time.

Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

Um I think I've said it all, but um thank you all for um taking uh this into consideration.

Again, um I've reviewed the previous plans that were submitted by the um previous owner.

Uh and I think um there's a lot of lessons learned from what didn't go right, so we are trying to fix that by making sure we do a lot of planning up front, um getting contractors and funding up front so that we can uh you know pursue the aggressive plan of rehabbing it.

So thank you for uh taking my uh thoughts into consideration for this.

Thank you, Lago, and uh thank you, planning and code.

Um anything else before we close the record, Mr.

Kerry?

Uh the record is now closed.

Uh Madam Clerk, the agenda item.

If it is determined that the building does not meet the dangerous building criteria, then the council is asked with regard to the property at 102 Pier Street to adopt the findings of fact, conclusions of law and order proposed by the city planning and code enforcement department, which order established the corrective action to be taken by the property owner and the time frame for taking such action and which authorized the city administrator to take such corrective action if the property owner fails to do so and to recoup the city's cost through a special tax or collective action.

I have a motion, please.

So moved.

Second.

Uh Counselor Chitum, followed by Councillor Nagine.

Uh deliberation from counselors.

Counselor Airman.

Thank you.

So this motion still doesn't mention demolition.

So I'm just I'm just not sure what I thought this was condemnation hearing.

The motion doesn't mention demolition, so I'm I'm just not sure what the vote is for.

Uh thank you, Councilor Harriman.

Um Mr.

Kerry, please clear up the confusion.

So the um of the the vote if it passes would be to adopt the findings of fact conclusions of law and order, which are included in the packet.

Um so that if you go to paragraph 23 of that order is within 30 days, the owner andor its successes are assigned shall demolish the structure, remove all debris and stabilize the site.

And then it goes on to talk about the discretion that you'd be giving to the code enforcement office.

Okay.

Thank you.

I guess in the future, if these could be like if this could be clearly advertised as such, and like you know things like this with no name or or any information on them, if that could be you know, could have some something else behind it.

Um it just feels like we're not really getting all the information here, and um, and it's it's just not I'm sorry.

Counselor's audience, uh, please be quiet.

Um Counselor Gohan had a question.

Yeah, he has not been recognized.

You are currently being recognized.

Please finish.

Thank you.

Yeah, I guess if if we could just have have this be a little a little more clear in the future that that this is what's actually happening, not building condemnation.

And then and if the evidence presented could be you know, could be more verifiable, I guess, you know.

Thank you.

Further questions or comments uh from the council.

Counselor from word seven.

Yes.

Word one.

Yes.

Word two, yes.

No.

Word four.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Motion passed by six to one.

Thank you very much.

Uh, Mr.

Curry, as always, Planning Code, thank you so much.

Um, for our audience here and at home, we'll be taking a brief recess and then reconvening.

And we're back.

If everyone can take their seats, we're we are now back.

Thank you.

If you need to have conversations, please head out to the hall.

Item twelve order authorizing the city administrator to execute a six-month extension to a purchase and sale agreement with the Lewis and Auburn community market incorporated.

Requested action to approve the order authorizing the city administrator to execute a six-month extension to a purchase and sale agreement with the Lewiston Auburn Community Market Incorporated.

May I have a motion, please.

So moved.

Counselor Chitham.

Second.

Signed by Councilor Harriman.

Director Libby, please kick us off.

Thank you.

I am joined by a partner in the projects.

Rebecca Conrad, I live in Auburn.

I am a project advisor for the Cooperative Development Institute, and this is one of their projects in Lewiston.

So up on the screen for the public's benefit as a one second, please.

If you uh really insist on talking, just please head to the hall.

You can have all the conversation you want to have out there.

We need to keep it quiet so that way we can uh hear our presenters.

Thank you.

Director Levy, please continue.

Thank you, Mayor.

So for the benefit of the public, uh what we have on the screen are some renderings of the LA community market.

We've had several um uh discussions on the project over the last 12 months.

Um this is uh a community market with an emphasis on uh local products.

Um it's a cooperative uh tax paying uh entity that is building a uh full service grocery store with community kitchen space, community meeting space.

Um it's gonna be right in the heart of our our downtown.

It's gonna help solve the food desert challenge that a lot of our residents in the downtown neighborhood experience.

The food desert is is the term used uh to describe an area that cannot be easily uh an area that is not uh in close proximity to a full service grocery store where it is difficult to walk to, take a bus to, and those kinds of things.

So we executed a purchase and sale agreement for the city owned property that formerly housed the Lewiston Police Department.

We executed that purchase and sale a couple of months ago.

That provided the buyer with an opportunity to do a due diligence uh process.

Uh they've been in touch with us throughout that process to keep us up to speed.

Um the phase one environmental uh review uh uncovered some potential for two underground storage tanks left um from a time prior to the city um building the police station.

There's also a potential for some other uh substances underground related to a uh dry cleaner that was on that site, probably around the 50s and 60s.

So that the uh buyer has asked the city for an extension um to the purchase and sale agreement as well as the due diligence period so that we can work with them on a phase uh two environmental assessment.

Uh AFCOG has been a great partner partner in this, providing the funding for phase two.

Um, our obligations as the seller um to you know provide a property that is uh uh free and clear of uh title defects as well as environmental uh contaminations that's governed by federal and state law.

Um so we are recommending we uh work through the process with the with the buyer.

I think everybody agrees this is a good project we want to see happen.

Um this is a a delay in the short term, but we think you know, and then the buyer agrees.

Addressing these issues now uh does help uh get the project completed uh more quickly in the end.

So we're recommending approval of the purchase and sale agreement extension uh that includes an extension on the due diligence period for six months.

Becky and John Blaze are available to answer questions if you have them.

Thank you, uh Director Liberty.

Questions, comments from the council.

Public comment for this agenda item.

Back to the council.

I think this makes a lot of sense.

Thank you.

Uh Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Council for board seven.

Yes.

Ward one.

Yes.

Ward two?

Yes.

Ward three?

Yes.

Ward four.

Yes.

Board five.

Yes.

Ward six.

Yes.

Motion passed by vote of seven and zero.

Thank you very much for being here, Becky.

Thank you.

Uh we're now uh jumping backwards to item number 10.

Item number 10.

Resolve to request a review of the qualifications of councilor elect I'm in Osman pursuant to the city charter to hold the city council seat representing ward five.

Requested action to approve the resolve to request a review of the qualifications of councilor elect Iman Osman pursuant to the city charter to hold the city council seat representing ward five.

May have a motion, please.

So moved.

Uh Councilor Glant.

Second.

Saying by Councillor Chitam.

Discussion among the council.

Uh Councilor Chitham.

Thank you.

I asked for this item to be placed on the agenda with the understanding that this council has no authority to review the qualifications of an individual who is not a member of this council.

Recognizing that there are considerable public concerns and questions, which the resolve indicates are legitimate and credible.

It is my desire to have the council approve this resolve requesting that the council, which will be formed on January 5th, review the qualifications of uh councillor-elect Iman uh Osman.

Um I want to make clear that it is not my intention.

I have no agenda with this.

I simply feel that this is an issue that has raised a lot of public awareness.

It is distracting to the business of the city, and I would re I would prefer to have this resolved as quickly as possible.

One way or another.

It matters not to me which way it's resolved, but I think it needs to be addressed in a public forum, which has not occurred uh presently because of the strictures of our city charter.

Further comments from city council.

Uh yes, Councilor Sowell.

So I wasn't gonna have a lot to say about this because um I think it's fair to say that there's a bit of a conflict.

However, the more I've been thinking about it, um ward five deserves some representation on that matter.

And we deserve transparency, we deserve answers.

We deserve to know that the individual representing us is from our ward.

So um Iman Osman will be my ward rep.

So I would like to know that he actually lives in my ward.

So that is why I will be voting yes.

So thanks.

Further comments from the council.

Uh public comment for this agenda item.

I'm getting Matt Roy Ward six.

So literally this resolve is written is basically five of you telling yourselves in three weeks that you can do this, which contrary to the com school committee's chair, the judge of qualifications um provision in the city charter gives you the power on the first meeting.

When any member is sworn in, the judge there said qualifications, and literally the last line says removal.

So again, the recent statement put out by the chair of the school committee, not the school committee itself, was not doesn't align with the charter.

But again, you're literally telling yours you're telling yourselves a little sticky with a post-it note that you can put this on the agenda and you could have introduced this, then uh council president.

As five of you will still be here in three weeks.

And you know, the poor city clerk running my town on that night why we're at it too.

Thank you.

Matthew Egrand.

Ward four.

I do believe this is the correct step to take.

Why?

Because it asks the next council to act in a reasonable manner to quickly end a controversy that has the ability to cause long-term issues over the next two years with the public.

After completing a complete and thorough investigation, I hope that an open and fully transparent report will be released.

They'll put this issue to bed one way or the other.

What I would not want to see released is a report that's more than half redacted, that really doesn't give us any answers because anything that importance is hidden behind the redaction.

What we want is a full transparent investigation.

I don't care which way it goes.

Yes, no, like Councilor Chidham.

I just want to have this resolve so it's not hanging over the city for the next two years.

Thank you very much.

Hello, Catherine Truitt, Ward 1 resident.

Um I submitted some brief written testimony about this because I would urge my counselor to vote no on this resolve because the time to review qualifications are when they submitted paperwork to run for city council.

And since nothing was found then, I don't see why we need to rehash things.

Also, um it's concerning to me that you do not trust the future city council members, some of you who are present right now, to do this on their own without having some resolution put forth advising them to do it ahead of time.

Um this is something that the future council can decide for themselves, and it should be left to them in three weeks.

And I'm I don't believe this is necessary.

Thank you.

Kira Kiefer, Ward 5, Lewiston Maine.

Um I just want to echo that um I am in support of this.

I want to know who I voted for.

Um has my best interest at heart for policies.

Two years is a long time.

A lot can go on in two years, and I want to make sure that not only myself but others within my ward are represented um correctly and fairly.

Um that's it.

Thank you.

Further public comment.

Hello everyone.

Hi, my name is Shukri Abdrahman.

I am not in support of this at all.

Um to the honorable members of the council.

We gather here today, united in our profound concern and unwavering solidarity as a broad coalition of residents, deeply troubled by the targeted harassment campaign directed at councillor-elect Iman Osman.

Since his election, counselor elect Iman Osman has faced coordinated attacks that extend beyond the realm the realm of a legitimate political criticism.

These actions constitute harassment aimed at intimidating and discrediting a duly elected official.

They cannot and should not be tolerated in our community, let alone in our city governance.

The only area with a significant population of people of color, immigrant residents, such targeted abuse not only undermines the principles of democracy, but also seeks to deter participation from underrepresented communities to be able to participate in this democracy.

The public's trust in our government.

Silence in the face of such attacks equates complacency.

Our community expects you to defend the democratic values we hold dear and to ensure that every official, regardless of their background, can serve without intimidation and discrimination.

What we see here today is attacks on his personal life, rather than trying to figure out whether he is a good leader in our community, which I attest Iman Osman is a good leader and he can definitely do the job.

Therefore, before we start judging people and attacking them based off of whatever reasons your people are attacking him for, we need to stop.

We need to think and realize that Lewiston belongs to every single person that lives here.

Lewiston is our home.

Lewis we dedicate to this, we dedicate our lives to this city.

This is our home, and anyone who represents Lewiston, this is their home.

Therefore, we need to be able to respect people regardless of their immigration status, their color, or where their backgrounds.

And so before we start judging people, let's actually follow the rules and the laws that we implement ourselves.

We create these laws, therefore we should follow them.

We shouldn't have to belittle anybody, and we shouldn't have to intimidate anyone from running for office just because they have a different background.

Come on now, we can do better than this Lewiston.

And this is very I'm very, very sad to see all of this go down.

This is not okay in any capacity, and we need to stop these racist attacks.

Thank you.

Uh Dylan Newell, I live in Ward 3 and 5 essentially on the street that separates the two.

Um as far as excuse me, sir.

Do you mind just stepping closer to the microphone?

Absolutely.

Uh I think it's important to note the severity of the theft charges that were uh indicated in most reports with this specific individual.

Um if there is nothing to worry about when it comes down to an investigation, or if there's nothing to find with an investigation, then there should be no worry, and he's uh a hundred percent fit.

But I think due diligence on your part is a significant factor in this and uh it should be looked into because in that area specifically it's high it's got some of the highest levels of gun violence in the city with significantly young members of the community, and as a you know, youth council leader and someone who's involved in the school committee.

Um I mean that just seems to be a a a bad mix.

Um and if it's not then great.

You guys, you know, that that's perfect.

That's what we hope for.

But that's all I kind of wanted to say.

Thank you.

Good evening, Bob McCarthy Ward 2.

Uh I think it's unfortunate that this is being uh characterized as a racist investigation because it's not.

Uh it's a simple fact that the uh address that Osman is claiming as his residence could never have been his residence.

It's never been a legal apartment to live in.

Uh I'm very familiar with the building.

Uh I know the previous owner really well, and I've been in out of that building quite a few times.

It's not it were it's not and it never was an apartment.

So I don't understand how you can claim legal residence at a building that you can't legally reside in.

I mean, it's just common sense.

And to have someone run from a fictitious address to represent that ward is just wrong from the get-go.

And it's unfortunate that it's gone this far.

I think it should have been stopped long before now, and I think it would have been a lot less headaches for everybody in involved if this would have been resolved before the election instead of before he sworn into office.

So thank you.

Further public comment.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Jay Zimmerman.

I live in Ward 5.

I would just like to remind the council and the public that it is not the council's job to assess the guilt or innocence of counselor elect Osman for any situation.

He is entitled to his due process under the law, and we should let him have his time and see how it shakes out.

Further public comments, good evening.

Marcella Clerk to Temple Blake Street.

Um I just wanted to echo uh some of the the past uh citizens up here that I think all of you should vote to investigate Mr.

Osman.

This should be unanimous.

If there is nothing to show in an investigation, you will turn up nothing in an investigation.

But I think the people deserve that investigation.

I think that you guys will find in the investigation that the more that you look into it, the more you've got to see that he has no place in city or state government.

Thank you.

Further public comment.

Sorry.

Oh, wow.

My name's Melissa Dunn.

I'm a community organizer and I'm organizer for initiative, Sluts Against Supremacy in Lewiston, Maine, based in March 2020.

White nationalist, unnecessary terrorizing with threats of jail, federal agents, and wrongful deportation on a black man in their propaganda, crazy making, white supremacy mating calls.

It's not only coercive violence, which is institutional, it is a manufactured public lynching.

There has been terrorizing, menace, election intimidation, harassment to unseat him because he is an African Muslim man and a target of national and statewide and local rhetoric that continues to disenfranchise and silence community, including election intimidation during his candidacy to present, and also at the polls, which is constitutionally protect pr protected and per matter of City of Lewiston and Secretary of State.

And I had a discussion with a woman here prior to all of this.

We ask for the protection of committee for Iman for his first run as he's targeted by actual white nationalists.

We ask for an investigation into the three city councilors and recuse themselves from voting if they've been involved with this terrorizing threats, allied to his opposition and his opposition spouse after they lost election.

And we have documentations and it's on time stamp, and we can pursue legal avenues.

Thank you.

Further public comment.

No problem.

I was gonna make the comments.

Sir, you cannot speak again.

Thank you.

Further public comment for those who have not spoken.

Public comment is now closed.

A couple of things I want to address.

This council resolve is simply, if I'm not mistaken, uh, Counselor Shiddham simply talking about the residency question, correct?

That's correct.

And so uh yes, um there are uh an indictment, and I called for his resignation relating to the distraction uh that those represents that that represents.

And uh, you know, without commenting on uh on you know, while rec sorry, while recognizing that he is uh innocent until proven guilty.

Uh and my position has not changed.

Iman Osman should resign.

Further questions or comments from the council or comments from the discussion and comments from the council.

Councilor Harriman.

Thank you.

I just wanted to clarify that this vote is not a vote to open an investigation.

This is a vote to ask the next city council to investigate, which I honestly I mean, I've been thinking about this a lot, but it it seems kind of pointless to me to have the council in their very last meeting ask the new council, which is comprised of five of us to do something that they already have the ability to do.

So I mean I just feel it's I I don't really see the point of this sort of thing.

Counselor Nagine.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um I just want to make clear um from my perspective, anyways, is a lot of the language um that's been framed around um this debate that has been xenophobic, um Islamophobic or outright racist is vile and disgusting.

Um does not belong in our community in any way, shape, or form.

Um I also realize the immense pressures that uh a volunteer basically, I mean we have we we do get paid a little bit, but for the most part, we're we're we're volunteers um serving the community.

Uh the attacks that we do face on a regular basis, and that's not uh unique to one individual, although I do believe that um some of the more vile and heinous things that have come forward were aimed at counselor elected Osman, for sure.

Um that said, um, you know, this uh this order that's in front of us, or this resolve that's in front of us illustrates two things.

One, we absolutely need to charter review commission, because when we look at an elected official and consider investigations um and removal, um the citizens elected uh Mr.

Osman, and if the citizens want to remove Mr.

Osman, that should be a citizen recall function.

Um, just to name that 100%.

Um I believe that both the letter of the charter and the spirit of the address being a domicile and not a registered address is very important for our city.

There's not a lot of trust in elections at this point in time.

We need to do our due diligence as as counselors, and I do think although this is redundant because five of us are coming back in, it is important that we show um to our community uh where our uh diligence lies.

So just wanted to make those comments.

Counselor Collant.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um my words carefully.

It's my last night.

Um, you know, I agree.

I I don't think this is anything more than a chance for the council to be able to investigate and look at the facts.

I know some of you don't think that's the case, including one of our counselors who had the opportunity to have an investigation done but voted against it initially.

We don't know who's gonna be council president, and it could be squashed.

So many of us here in the council would like to at least know what's gonna be looked at and not hidden behind doors.

So that's where our concern is.

Had it been done properly a few weeks ago, it could already be over.

However, that wasn't done because the school board opted not to do an investigation.

So I think it's our responsibility to the citizens, all the citizens, not just Ward 5, to make sure we understand what the rules are and to have a chartered amendment.

I I talked about this two, three meetings ago.

Our charter is archaic.

Our charter does not cover the needs of the basic items.

We can't recall the mayor.

You can't recall a counselor.

You have no power as a citizen once someone gets voted in.

And that's not what democracy is all about.

Democracy is about having your opinion and going about the right way and getting all the facts and making factual answers and then making your opinion based on that.

And that's all this is to ensure that some factual information will be taken out and looked at and determined what's the role or situation was in this particular case.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, just as a point of clarification here, this was all the simply requests, and it's non-binding for the for the next council.

Am I understanding that correctly?

Do you agree with that?

Go ahead.

Well, I think we'll both maybe offer an opinion.

I I view this as an expression of sentiment, basically, that the council is expressing their uh their opinion or desire for the next council to exercise this.

Uh Madam Clerk, do you have a different take?

Okay.

We're in agreement.

Uh administrator Kenra, thank you.

Um further comments, council.

Uh yes, counselor um Chitam.

That's certainly the uh intent of this resolve is to express an opinion of this council requesting a review of uh Counselor Elect Osmond's qualifications.

I can't let it go by.

Uh I will say this, and I can say it until I'm blue in the face.

This is not about an issue of racism.

It's not about the color of a man's skin or the mosque or church or cathedral he worships in.

It's not about any of those things.

It's about whether or not an individual lives in the ward he is elected to represent.

We're using the tools that we can, and the next council will use the tools that it has available to itself to study this question, and as I said in my earlier remarks, put an end to it, however it turns out.

That's the intent of this.

Thank you.

Uh further um discussion from the council.

Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Counselor from Ward 7.

Yes.

Word one?

Yes.

Word two?

Yes.

Word three.

I I really don't see the point of of the resolve, but yes.

Ward four?

Yes.

Ward five?

Yes.

Word six.

Yes.

Motion passed by vote of seven to zero.

Uh we are now up to item number thirteen.

Is that uh correct, Madam Clerk?

Yes.

Item number thirteen update from the Lewiston Housing Authority.

Uh we have Director Kel Murray here.

Uh a welcome to site.

Please please join us here, good sir.

Roll your sleeping bag up, what are the size?

I always always end up on the uh exciting nights here where there's a lot of stuff out of those.

They're all excited.

Counselors, thank you, thank you.

Um Director Kamury, please uh kick things off.

Yes, thank you for having me here tonight.

Greatly appreciate it.

Um just wanted to give you guys some quick updates on what's going on at Lewiston Housing.

Feel free to ask any questions along the way.

I have uh just want to uh say something, Carl.

Uh I I would like yeah, to rescind that if you could just uh um uh finish your presentation, then we'll ask questions afterwards, if that's okay.

Thank you.

So uh start off with letting you know that the the first phase of uh the choice uh development is complete.

Wedgewood is done.

We have all of our certificates of occupancy and all the units are full but six.

Um we have leases on a bunch of those and we'll be done by the end of the year, which is great.

That's 82 new new units of uh family housing right in the heart of the tree streets.

I uh many of you came to do a tour of the property.

It's beautiful.

Uh it's changing the landscape of the downtown, and I hope you all the any of you who haven't had a chance to come over and look at it, please reach out.

I'd love to take you on a tour.

Uh the DeWitt property is moving along nicely across from Kennedy Park.

Um pace to be complete by the end of the year.

104 units of family housing, mostly ones and twos, unlike Wedgewood, which is a majority of uh three, fours, some fives, and uh smattering of ones and twos.

Uh and that will also have 15,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor.

Um 10,000 of it is likely going to Webb's market, um, which will be great.

That's also we talked about a food desert earlier today.

This will be um uh another solution for the food desert in downtown Lewiston, um, as we pointed out when the uh uh changing our tree streets or growing our tree streets came out.

More than 55 percent of the people who live in the tree streets do not drive.

It's very hard to get to the grocery stores, even though they're both uh you know there's one in Auburn and one in uh on the other side of Lewiston, less than a mile away.

This will be a huge addition to the downtown.

We're super excited about it.

Um the other three spaces that are in there, I've got I have yet to actually market them officially, but we've gotten a ton of interest in them.

Um looking forward to updating you in the near future on other uh tenants when we have LOIs and leases signed with them.

Um Martel, uh that's Martel 1 is funded.

We're hoping to have that closed in the next 30 to 45 days and shovels in the ground shortly thereafter.

That'll be a 12-month build.

Martel 2 is also funded.

Another 44 units of senior housing.

50% plans are complete, should be heading over to main housing shortly.

Uh one of the benefits of having those two properties side by side is that as we complete uh phase one, Martel 1 will be able to move the construction company.

We've got approval from main housing directly over into phase two, so there'll be no remobilization.

Uh that'll be another 12, 12 months or so after that for that to be complete.

And phase three is under design right now.

So we hope to have an additional 44 units on top of that for have a total of 132 new units of senior housing on that site in under three years.

Um and two at 61 Ash Street, which is the parking lot of the former Sun Journal.

Those are both funded.

Uh so it'll be built as one building.

It'll look like one building when it's done, but it's actually two phases: one 44 units, another one seven uh 28 units.

We have total of 72 family units there.

Uh it'll be mostly one bedroom units with 12 two-bedroom units in it and 8,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor.

Um we'll have renderings up on our site.

I went met with architects today.

50% plans are almost complete for that building on both phases.

Um we'll have renderings up on our website in the next day or so for everyone to be able to see first versions of it.

Um and construction on that will begin in third quarter of 2026.

We are closing or on 163, 165 Bait Street, which is an SRO, 36-unit SRO, which is located right next door.

It's on the same block as the remainder of the choice uh properties.

Um it's kind of a departure uh for us.

Um that will be, as I said, 36 units.

Eight of those will be um uh uh Vash units, which are for veterans.

Uh another 17 units will be project-based, and then the remaining 11 units will be at 80 percent of median income.

So we're excited to bring those units online.

Um the building's actually in really good shape on the inside.

Um the outside doesn't look so great, um, but I want to let you know that we're gonna be putting new siding on it.

It's one of the first projects we're doing to bring it up, so it'll be in the same design.

Um, the same architects that are uh designing Soleil and Wedgewood uh have given us designs to change the exterior of that property so it matches nicely.

Um and then finally, I just wanted to um talk to you guys about a program that we run that I I haven't actually I don't believe brought to you guys at all.

It's called the older home uh older adult home modification program.

Uh last year we got a 1.25 million dollar grant from HUD.

We were one of only three organizations in the country to get it.

Um it combines uh using OT services and nursing along with some maintenance to um go into older adults' homes, do some quick assessments of what they might need to live more uh safely in their homes and help them stay there longer.

Uh and then we do modifications to the homes like adding grab bars and bathrooms, additional handrails on stairways, ramps if needed in and out of the home.

And while we're there, the uh nurses and OT do assessments and then they come back multiple times during the process of fixing up the home and afterwards to make sure everyone's feeling good about what's happening there and using those appropriately, and that the all the right things were done to help them be successful in their home.

Uh we've done 40 homes already in 2025, and we plan to do uh another 40 or 50 in the next two years.

So and they are we represent all the counties that uh touch uh touch uh Andrescoggin, um, Cumberland, Oxford, Farmington, Kennevic.

Um, but a majority of them have been done in Scoggin County.

And that's it.

Um yeah, we'll just go on down the line here.

Counselor Soul.

First, thank you for being here.

I'm sure you made a lot of people at home very happy to see you here.

Um it's good news about Martell.

And I drive by those buildings on Pine Street every day back and forth, and um it's really nice to see them.

It's nice to see the lawn and the the walkways and see grass there, and it's it's really great to see those.

So I'm I'm happy that those are finished.

And I'm really happy to hear that you're gonna do something about the siding on that building.

Um I work in that building.

I mean there I haven't been in there for a while, but it um it is in good shape.

It is.

It's ugly on the outside.

It's real ugly.

But um I'm I'm glad that somebody's gonna continue to are you gonna run it the same way as there's five bathrooms.

Yeah, we're we're looking to make modifications to the to the interior and add some additional amenities to it.

But generally, you know, we're gonna be there's not a lease situation right now.

We're gonna be providing people leases and stability so that they have some protections in the in their home there.

Um but generally it's it's an SRO.

It's there for a population that needs a different kind of housing.

It's it's another it's another layer that's very important to Lewiston in solving a lot of the problems that we have here, and we hope that we can provide with the additional services that we'll be providing both and that's the other piece I forgot to mention.

VASH is gonna have a counselor on site on a regular basis specifically for the veterans, and then we're adding in our own resident service coordination as well.

So that was the other thing.

I I'm happy to hear that it's gonna be for the veterans.

I was a little worried that the building was going to be knocked down between those those two new buildings coming.

So um I'm happy to hear that it's gonna stay.

Yeah, thank you.

I also wanted to add the grass at uh the new properties.

It's not perfect.

Um we know that it was a weird time to plant it all.

They'll be coming back in the spring and it'll look perfect at that time.

Uh thank you.

Uh Counselor Chidam.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um I think I heard you say, Director Kilmurray that the DeWitt will be completed by the end of the year.

Yes.

Um which year?

This year.

26th.

December.

Fiscal year, calendar year.

Uh, we have we have two weeks to go until not this year, 2026.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right.

I I I was hoping that you weren't going to say it'll be done in two weeks.

That would be a miracle.

Yeah.

Um The older home modification program you talked about, is are there income guidelines for that?

Uh no, there technically aren't.

Um I mean I think they would uh it HUD allows up to 120% of AMI.

We have not run into anybody yet who is not qualified for the program.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

And finally, to the to the real issue at hand, Martell.

Uh, could you please repeat the start dates and estimated completion dates for the two phases that we know of for at this point.

There's a third phase, but that's out of ways.

Phase one and phase two of the start and completion dates, please.

So the start date is I I'm I'm shooting for somewhere between 30 to 60 days on that property.

I cannot guarantee from today 30 to 60 days somewhere in that time frame.

I can't guarantee it, but I'm pretty confident it will happen somewhere in that time frame.

It'll be a 12-month build thereafter.

And then we'll look to move right about uh I guess that would put us into January of 2027.

So right about December or January of 2027, we will begin on Martell phase two.

So the contractor will be doing punch on Martel 1 and roll over and begin doing site work and completing Martel 2.

Okay.

So just so that I understand fully, you fully anticipate, although you can't guarantee, and I understand that, that Martel 1 phase one, Martel 1 phase one, will break ground on or near the end of February, beginning of March 2026.

Yes.

And it'll take about a year to for full build out.

Correct.

And you have a waiting list for that phase one right now?

We have an interest list for it.

We have not started generating a wait list for you.

But we do have people who are interested in it, and there's a there's a uh a link on our website to and when we start, all those people will be contacted and provided applications.

Okay.

So again, those will be time stamped as to when they come back in.

Great.

All right.

That's uh that's a good plan.

Martel phase one starting end of February, beginning of March 2026, full build out, end of February, beginning of March 2027.

Correct.

Thank you.

Counselor Gallant.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thanks for the job you've done.

We've been doing this for two years in different phases of different parts of these.

And I think you guys do a great job.

Um on the seniors, how do they apply?

How can we tell people today watching to get that extra one?

There's an interest list on our website right now.

We have not opened up an official wait list yet for the property.

All the people on the interest list will be mailed applications.

When those applications come back, they'll be timestamped.

How do they what do they go to get on the interest list?

On our website.

And your website is?

Lewistonhousing.org.

Lewiston Housing.org.

Thank you.

Uh yes.

Uh Counselor Najing.

So first, thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um first, I greatly appreciate you being here.

I'm sorry that the reports and updates come at the end of the meetings and that um you sit for a while.

Um the um projects that are that are ongoing.

It it I agree.

It it's great for the community.

Um I would also say uh Is there like a groundbreaking from our town?

Like is there like we're gonna like do a shovel thing?

To be I mean, that's the goal, yes.

We it has not been determined as to when yet, but yes, there will be.

Because I think once a shovel is in the ground, it's going to be very exciting for many people who have been waiting for that project.

I I could name five to ten seniors who I get regular phone calls from who are my first invitees to that groundbreaking.

So yes, we're very excited to have them.

Okay.

Understood.

And thank again, thank you for being here and thank you for your work.

Uh it is not too late to be doing a groundbreaking for uh for DeWitt.

Uh what what is the status of the administrator Kenrath?

Uh I'll defer to the director, but I have not heard about any plans for a groundbreaking at DeWitt groundbreaking ceremony.

I think ground was broken quite a while ago, correct?

It nonetheless, it's still possible to have one.

Uh okay.

Well, I will uh follow up uh with with staff and uh Director Kilmery.

Um yes, Councilor Long Champs.

I just want to say that building is really impressive.

Uh the DeWitt building.

It really is.

Um I'm super excited about it.

And uh thank you so much for uh you know possibly giving me the opportunity to have a grocery store there for the community.

I know uh the community is really excited about it.

Um I'm excited for the opportunity.

Thank you.

Uh choice neighborhood is um uh uh uh is and uh will be a wonderful thing in our community, and we need to take every chance we can to celebrate it.

Administrator Kane Rath, I'm asking you to uh start working on a brand groundbreaking for DeWitt.

Thank you.

Uh further questions, comments from the council.

Do we have any uh uh public comment?

Step right up.

Hi, Chris.

Yeah, we've been emailing.

Um or texting, I'm sorry.

Louise Sampson Ward 5.

Um I have to thank you myself for the work that you have done.

Um the Tree Street development is absolutely beautiful.

I only wish you had had an open house so I could have seen it, especially the Wedgewood House itself.

Um I had emailed your facility, but there was never an answer as to an open house.

But anyway, that's long gone now.

Um and again the DeWitt project is gorgeous too.

But I'm hoping that the Martel School Project will also be beautiful.

Now I'm holding you to this last promise.

February, March.

Because you've promised many times before.

And I understand there's a lot of hang-ups on something like this.

But I'm old and decrepit, and I want to stop working within the next year.

I'm gonna be 80 years old in February.

See, I'm an old lady.

We didn't know that.

So get Martel going, please.

And thank you.

Merry Christmas.

You look fabulous.

Matthew Agrin, Ward 4.

I do have a question, and it's more you say it's on your website.

What do we do for our seniors who don't use a computer or don't know how to even find a website?

Is there another place that can they call to get added to this list?

Because you know, I know seniors who can't use their lap can't use a smartphone.

They make me using my smartphone look impressive.

But there are a lot of them out there who weren't raised on technology.

So just making sure there's a second way they can get on this list because they're out there.

And they're the ones who are gonna need help.

Thank you.

Can I answer that?

Further uh, further public comment.

Uh yeah, can you uh speak to that?

Yeah, uh anyone who calls, that's uh the minute the question is asked, that's a reasonable accommodation.

We'd help anybody with any paperwork, and all they have to say is I want to get on that list, and even if they just say it and don't ask for it, we would help them through the process.

So I heard a little birdie told me maybe we're going to have the uh open house uh at uh Wedgewood in the spring.

Correct.

Okay.

You haven't missed anything, Louise.

I'll drive you there myself.

Uh Counselor Nagine, yes.

Um again, thank you, Ms.

Mayor.

Um again, these communication pieces really build trust between LHA and the council because I believe that it gives an opportunity for the public to get feedback and actually see what the progress is.

And I think that's incredibly positive.

And I just wanted to kind of point out one thing.

If uh a senior at home right now um is um they're probably not watching YouTube if they can't uh fill out a uh a field form um uh uh on the on the website, but I would also like to say um reach out to your seniors, check in with them.

Um or a family member, probably a good idea.

Um especially at this time of year.

Administrator O'Malley will be calling you later.

He won't be answering.

This and any other thing.

Thank you for being a good sport.

It's getting late.

Um any other questions uh for Dorothy Kilmery.

Any final thoughts?

Thank you.

We really appreciate all the work you guys have allowed us to do in this city, and we look forward to doing a lot more.

Thank you so much.

We we appreciate you being a partner in success for Lewiston.

Uh we are now up to the second public comment period for people who did not speak during the first public comment period.

Hi again.

Marcella Claire Ward 5.

Uh so Mr.

Mayor, I just wanted to tell you that um I know that there is a process, but I just wanted to publicly uh ask for your consideration for the nomination for school committee for Ward 5.

Uh lastly, I just wanted to express my thanks to uh Councillor Gallant and the beautiful wife of Councillor Sowell.

I'll see you soon.

Matthew Egrin, Ward 4.

Lewisonians, please lend me your ears.

If we wish for the city of Lewiston to improve, we all need to work together.

That means we have to cross party lines and seriously make agreements to work together.

We all have things we want to see the city get done.

The real issue is how are we going to get there?

Me, I want to see more local policing, where our officers are walking and writing or writing beats and interacting with the people on their beats on a daily basis.

I want to see a true public health officer, as I laid out a few weeks ago to all of you.

I want to see more small businesses brought in.

So that maybe if the business model fails, we don't lose a hundred plus jobs, maybe we only lose twenty.

Yet I all know these things come with a cost, and I'm not sure how we're going to pay for them all.

Things that I'm wondering, maybe we need to do better at.

Why do we have sidewalk plows running on East Avenue while where when the snow plows are still running, filling back in that same sidewalk?

Maybe we should wait till the snowplows are done before we clean the sidewalks.

While we now have a SSP ordinance, look at even Portland.

The mayor in Portland would like to drop back to a one-to-one.

I don't think we need maybe a one-to-one.

I think 25 a day would be sufficient.

I also don't believe the city of Lewis should end into enter into the global security state with a deal with flock cameras.

Especially as they're now making a deal with Ring to help further embrace their security state status.

With that system, bad actors.

Yes, we've had them here, but we all they also exist outside of Lewiston who can and will be able to access and track individuals.

And X, which has happened with the flock, could use that system, tracking with the cameras, including now ring cameras, tracking their foreign partners across state lines, and provide an abuser with the ability to locate their abusee without a problem.

Things to look at.

Well, honestly, what I want more than anything else is better transparency from our local government.

More open and public meetings are preferable.

Even better if they're on better weather days, unlike the last one with the new chief at Geiger.

I'll put Bryan in charge of weather.

But if we have more people showing up at these meetings, people will talk, we can get things done because we can work together.

Lewiston matters.

Further public comment.

Again, uh Did you speak during the first public comment, Ms.

Rowley?

I've already spoken on the agenda item so far.

Ple please continue, good sir.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um so as Counselor Gaunt was uh saying earlier tonight, and actually some other counselors.

We've had some discussion on a charter commission, which you know four years ago, well, about 50 months ago to be more technical.

We could have had this, but you know we could have had this process done by now, but have we could have actually you guys could have notwithstanding tonight's the last meeting of the current term, you know, we could have put that out to the voters for June and February, actually.

No.

See, that would have been a ooh, that that that would have been a bit hard to see.

We could do this in February.

People collect maybe by June we could have this done.

Uh not to mention now we have 8,000 elections in the city next year.

Well, exaggerating a little, but uh yeah, so we could have had this done then.

I forgot where I was going.

Oh.

Councilor Najin brought up the idea of recall for elected officials of the city.

Now the county's had this since the 2012 county charter, although there are some be some different logistical issues that on the city level it would have to be addressed.

Because under the county, you cannot be recalled at the first six months of your term or the last six months.

Of course, those terms are four years.

Our terms are two years, or I should say one year technically these days, because there's always going to be somebody up for elections, so any possible recall provision in a future charter would have to be uh modified, not copy and pasting the uh the Anguscoggin county version.

Thank you.

Further public comment.

Public comments now closed.

We are now up to reports and updates.

Uh I'll start off.

It was brought to my attention.

Uh the uh I failed to thank uh our holiday grinch uh during the festival at the plaza.

Uh Marcel Leclair, thank you so much for your service to our city.

And uh I never saw this, but apparently you were stealing kids' hats.

So thank you so much.

For the report, Counselor Nagine, yes.

So um public health committee.

Um we held a meeting concerning um uh the RFP process for the grants that will be made available through the opioid recovery funds um that will see that announcement uh come out through an RFP process in in early January.

So that's coming.

And then also there is a public health officer recommendated uh recommended uh language and also position uh piece that the public health committee wants to share with the administrator and uh um the our HR department in order to help shape um some of those uh guidance points, and so I would um just suggest that I'm gonna forward that uh to you, uh Mr.

Administer, so that uh it can be taken into consideration while you're working on this uh uh challenge for this position.

Um that's it.

Uh Counselor Chitam.

Uh thank you.

I wish I had better news to report to Councillor Nejine on the relocation of the bus kiosk, other than that it is in process.

It's a much more complicated process than I had realized.

It was brought up to the transit committee at our last meeting.

Um there is consider actually strong consideration given to taking the one that's out on college, rehabbing it, and replacing it in front of the hospital.

Um I am told that in order to do something as simple as move a kiosk like that, the DEP may have to get involved.

We may have to do exploratory borings in the sidewalk to determine whether or not there are hazardous substances.

It's an insane process.

But the transit committee has is aware of that, and that is in the plans.

Now I cannot unfortunately give you any dates, um, but I will not let that lie fallow.

I do have an angle grinder and a scheme ask, so thank you.

Um we're still in reports and updates.

That's all I have for reports and updates.

Um are there any other reports and updates?

We're now up to new business.

Should there be any?

Counselor Chitam.

I'm not sure this falls under new business, but I want to say that it has been one of the pleasures of my life to work with the counselors to my immediate left and immediate right, and I am sorry to see them go.

We have disagreed, perhaps more than we have agreed, but we have done so in a courteous, civil and respective manner, and I hope that they feel the same way.

I shall be sorry to see both of them leave.

Thank you very much for your service, both of you.

Agreed, thank you.

Uh yes, Counselor Sowell.

All right.

So I didn't want to read just read something, but I was not doing so well without it in front of me.

So I'm gonna read this, guys.

All right.

So when I first sat in this seat, I was terrified.

I had a rough start, but fast forward two years, and it's still terrifying because Lewis and you are a very tough crowd.

But I truly love this city and I love being a part of this, of this team.

Something bigger than myself.

I wanted to make a difference.

I don't know if I did.

But I'm proud of what I've done and proud of what I've accomplished.

And I'm proud of what we've all accomplished together.

It's been an honor to serve with this council, even you, Mr.

Mayor.

There you go.

Thank you.

I've learned from each and every one of you.

So thank you for your patience and your support most of the time.

I will genuinely miss being a part of this team.

Now I know we sit up here and we pretend that this is all hard work, but let's be honest, it's the staff that does all the heavy lifting.

Um we couldn't do what we do up here without you, so thank you.

Thank you for making my job easier.

I I really appreciate every one of you.

Uh administrator Kenrath, in my opinion, hiring you has been this council's best decision.

And in my opinion, your best decision has been hiring Chief Conley.

So congratulations, Chief Conley.

Well deserved.

Even more so earned.

Um we're lucky to have you.

So thank you for choosing Lewisden.

It's been an honor to represent Lewiston.

And I am so grateful for this opportunity.

It's been a journey that I will carry with me always.

So please don't raise my taxes.

And I will see you in 2028.

That's right.

Good job.

Good job.

Thank you, Counselor Sol.

You know, I uh I said how chokingly earlier in the um uh in the meeting that public service uh isn't always easy, it most certainly is not, especially nowadays.

And I appreciate your service to our city.

Thank you so much.

Um Counselor Gallant, you you weren't so bad yourself.

What do you have to say?

No, I'm just kidding.

That's pretty hard to follow.

Um, you know, uh I came here with a mission.

I wanted to see homeless shelter take forward.

I want to see the seniors to get on their own and be able to establish something and move forward.

And I want to see recreation get a van.

I was also concerned with taxes and all those things that come along with our job, but I actually came with three goals and I feel accomplished in the fact I got all three done, and I met some really great people and work with some really great people.

Um my hat's off to the staff.

Without you, we can't do our jobs.

Anybody says otherwise don't know what to talking about.

Um, you know, City Administrator Brian is uh it was a terrific pick.

You fit right in, and you're a go-getter and you're not afraid of things, and I like that.

Uh it's just done maybe not so.

Yeah.

Bri Brian A and Brian B, you can figure out who's who.

Um, you know, when when Brian B was the uh acting, uh he did a terrific job and kept us out of trouble and and you know it people out there don't realize that the backbone of the city is really the people who run the city are all of our workers.

So hats off to you having a party for everyone.

I think it's well deserved and should have been done a long time ago, quite frankly.

Um, you know, and I've enjoyed working with everyone.

And uh and I just hope that going forward, if you have a question or concern or want to use somebody for a sounding board, feel free to reach out.

You know, um I I always have an opinion.

May not be one you like.

But I would give you an opinion.

So uh so thanks again for picking me in Ward 7 and all the people I've talked to and met through the process.

Uh and it's just Tim Gallant signing off.

Counselor Galland, thank you for your service.

Um further yes, Counselor Nagyen.

Yeah, I just wanted to say to both of you, um you served with honor and integrity and care for the city.

Um it was wonderful to work with both of you.

Um and i I am also.

Um I mean, I'm not necessarily uh missing the diversity of opinion.

Um but I am definitely missing uh people who act in good faith in order to serve the city.

Um and so um hopefully we'll see the uh the exact same results from the new incoming folks, but thank you so very much uh for your hard work and effort here in the city.

Uh yeah, I I mean uh uh obviously occasionally we have different uh takes on issues and and different uh um you know policy um uh policy objectives uh policy differences but there's no doubt in my mind that all of us um care the same amount about care the same amount about the city of Lewiston.

So thank you all.

Uh further further new business from counselors.

Uh yes, Counselor Najing.

Just really quickly, I wanted to mention the fact that um the vast majority of the folks that reached out to me uh concerning uh their opinions on plowing issues and public works.

Um that was voiced to the administrator and communicated to public works.

We're working on it.

So I just want to make it clear that uh this first storm uh the the folks that do have some complaints, uh the city's aware of it and we're working to fix it.

Uh Deputy Administrator O'Malley, thanks for being a good sport.

Uh okay.

Uh Madam Clerk, I think we're ready for our executive session.

Yes, sir.

Item number 17.

Executive session to discuss labor negotiations regarding the International Association of Firefighters, Local 785.

Requested action to enter into an executive session pursuant to main revised statutes annotated Title One, Section 4056 to discuss labor negotiations regarding the International Association of Firefighters, Local 785.

Uh may have a motion, please.

So moved.

Uh councilor uh Sol.

Seconded by Second.

Uh second by Counselor Gallant.

Madam Clerk, please call the vote.

Counselor from Ward 7.

Yes.

Ward one?

Yes.

Word two?

Yes.

Word three?

Yes.

Word four?

Yes.

Word five.

Yes.

Word six.

Thank you.

Yes.

Motion passed by bed of seven to zero.

Thank you so much, Lewiston.

Uh, thanks for all your feedback.

Thanks for coming out tonight.

Have a wonderful evening and uh have a great uh great Hanukkah, great Christmas and Kwanzaa and happy holidays.