Lewiston City Council Meeting Summary - December 16, 2025

The City Council convened for its final meeting of the term, marked by the departure of Councilors Aaron Sole and Timothy Gallant, while reviewing major development proposals, addressing housing condemnation, and managing ongoing community controversies. The meeting included presentations on the homeless shelter committee, the acceptance of council minutes, and a comprehensive update from the Lewiston Housing Authority. Significant deliberation surrounded the rejection of a proposed AI data center and the approval of a revised Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement for a new housing development.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: Accepted the minutes from the December 2, 2025, meeting (7-0 vote).
• Funding Transfers: Authorized transfers of funds from the 2025, 2023, and 2026 Lewiston Capital Improvement Plan (LCIP) bond accounts for water main replacement, library carpet replacement, and the Armory Emergency Generator Project, respectively.
• Property Disposition: Authorized the disposition of properties located at 23 Sand Hill Road, 23 Howe Street, and 32 Horton Street (7-0 vote).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mass Shooting Fund Dissatisfaction: Lisa Jones (Lewiston resident) expressed strong opposition to the distribution of mass shooting donations to unrelated agencies, specifically naming the Lewiston Auburn Youth Network, and cited a lack of transparency regarding fund usage and a discrepancy between gun violence statistics and community safety outcomes.
• Harm Reduction Support: Catherine Ryder (Spurwink) expressed gratitude for the Council's work on the syringe service ordinance and announced a rescheduled community cleanup event.
• Public Safety & Data Privacy: Melissa Dunn (Community Organizer) urged the Council to implement a disclaimer on public comment submissions warning of potential life safety risks, including stalking and harassment by white nationalists, noting that personal information submitted publicly could be weaponized against speakers.
• AI Data Center Opposition:
  • Matt Roy: Criticized the public process as flawed, noting the lack of community buy-in and the developer's lack of track record. He opposed the proposal due to the absence of a main address for Mill Compute LLC and comparisons to other cities where big tech retreated.
  • Kyle Matear (Software Engineer): Argued that the project offers minimal local revenue compared to tax breaks, citing that comparable projects in other cities had tighter conditions and shorter durations. He stated the business plan relied on a "GoFundMe" model rather than a viable financial strategy.
  • Hunter Bouchard (High School Student): Represented the student body's concerns regarding environmental impacts, specifically high water consumption during droughts, fossil fuel-based energy usage, and the detrimental effect on the local arts community.
  • Stephen Elwell (Software Engineer): Expressed concern over increased electricity rates and the installation of a natural gas combined heat and power (CHP) plant, which would pollute the local air.
  • Jay Zimmerman: Argued the data center would make downtown less livable, offering no community benefit compared to other uses like senior centers or schools, and would contradict the Riverfront Island Master Plan.
  • Zoe Lidstrom: Reiterated support for finding alternative, community-aligned uses for Bates Mill 3.
  • Sean O'Connell: Highlighted the excessive water usage (projected 125 million gallons in 20 years) and the risk to the Androscoggin River's water quality improvements.
  • Unnamed Speaker (African immigrant): Spoke passionately about the need to address homelessness first, criticizing the Council for prioritizing a data center over housing for the unhoused.
  • Kiran Maduris Collins: Called for a permanent moratorium on AI data centers in Lewiston.
  • Catherine S. Cressy: Expressed concern over potential respiratory illnesses and water pollution, referencing the "Dirty Lou" nickname and the loss of Lake Auburn's pristine water status.
  • Abby Roman: Opposed the CHP plant due to air pollution risks (respiratory and cardiovascular) and advocated for zero-emission energy instead.
  • Luke Jensen (Ward 2): Criticized the lack of transparency regarding the developer's identity and financial structures, noting the absence of a public input meeting comparable to the police chief search, and threatened a petition if the project passed.
• Counselor Elect Controversy:
  • Catherine Truitt & Shukri Abdrahman: Spoke in support of Councilor Elect Iman Osman, framing the review of his qualifications as a targeted harassment campaign with xenophobic and racist undertones intended to intimidate minority voters.
  • Dylan Newell: Called for a due diligence investigation into theft charges and residency validity, citing concerns for high-gun-violence areas in Ward 5.
  • Bob McCarthy: Asserted that the address claimed by Osman is not a legal apartment and questioned the validity of his residency.
  • Marcella Clerk: Echoed calls for a full, transparent investigation.
  • Melissa Dunn & Jay Zimmerman: Argued the investigation was a manufactured public lynching and that the Council should not be assessing guilt or innocence before due process is completed, respectively.

Discussion Items

• Homestead Shelter Committee Recognition: Mayor Schalene and Councilors presented proclamations to the ad hoc committee on establishing a homeless shelter, particularly acknowledging Co-Chairs Michael Roy and Craig Sackmeyer. Committee members expressed that their work was rooted in compassion and community needs.
• AI Data Center Proposal (Mill Compute LLC):
  • Council Positions: All seven Councilors (Sole, Gallant, Chitam, Harriman, Roy, Nagin, Longchamps) voted No on the Joint Development Agreement. Councilor Sole and Councilor Gallant cited constituent dissatisfaction and lack of satisfaction with answers. Councilor Chitum expressed that concerns regarding water use were resolved but other issues remained unsatisfied. Councilor Harriman noted 110 emails representing constituent opposition. Councilor Roy emphasized the need to listen to the public voice. Councilor Nagin cited a flawed public process. Councilor Longchamps noted insufficient knowledge to vote yes. Councilor Gallant later elaborated that while some water concerns were mitigated by new technology, the lack of community buy-in was a deciding factor.
  • Outcome: The motion to approve the agreement failed unanimously (0-7).
• Lowell Street TIF Amendment:
  • Proposal: Director Nate Libby and developer Jason Levesque presented a revised Tax Increment Financing (TIF) amendment for a 152-unit "missing middle" housing development. The revision included a reduction in city-funded public projects from $1.5 million to $850,000 and a fixed $400,000 annual tax reduction for 20 years to secure HUD financing.
  • Council Positions: Councilor Chitam stated the developer's flexibility on design details and the project's viability convinced him to support the motion. Councilor Nagin highlighted the significant benefit of adding housing to the "missing middle" demographic and the knock-on revenue benefits. Councilor Harriman expressed general support for replacing parking lots with housing.
  • Outcome: The motion to amend the TIF district passed unanimously (7-0).
• 102 Pierce Street Dangerous Building Hearing:
  • Presentation: Code Enforcement presented findings that the building is a fire hazard with electrical issues, exposed wiring, and lead hazards due to previous improper demolition. The owner, Black Ridge Group LLC (representing investors), proposed a $250k-$300k renovation with a five-month timeline.
  • Deliberation: Councilor Chitam requested a verbal report back from the Code Enforcement Director before any final demolition order is issued, expressing faith in the Director's judgment but wanting oversight. Councilor Gallant initially argued against the burden of reporting back but agreed to a simple email update. Councilor Nagin suggested a bi-annual report on all such projects rather than per-instance reviews. Councilor Harriman expressed concern that demolition would result in fewer housing units than reconstruction could provide, noting the motion's lack of explicit demolition language was confusing.
  • Outcome: The Council voted to adopt the findings and order (6-1), authorizing the administrator to take corrective action if the owner fails to act, with the understanding that demolition is a potential outcome if rehabilitation plans fail.
• Lewiston-Auburn Community Market: Director Libby requested a six-month extension to the purchase and sale agreement due to Phase 2 environmental due diligence (underground storage tanks) on the former police station site.
  • Outcome: The extension was approved unanimously (7-0).
• Review of Councilor Elect Qualifications (Iman Osman):
  • Context: Councilor Chitam moved to request the incoming Council review the residency qualifications of Councilor Elect Iman Osman, citing public concern and the current Council's lack of authority to act.
  • Council Positions: Councilor Sole voted Yes to ensure Ward 5 has a representative who actually lives there. Councilor Nagin called xenophobic language "vile" and "disgusting" but supported the move to show diligence and address the charter's lack of recall ability. Councilor Gallant argued the move was necessary to prevent the issue from being "squashed" by a future council president and to get facts out into the open.
  • Outcome: The resolve to request the review was passed unanimously (7-0).

Key Outcomes

• AI Data Center Rejected: The Council unanimously rejected the Joint Development Agreement with Mill Compute LLC (0-7), citing lack of public process, water/energy concerns, and economic disparity.
• Lowell Street TIF Approved: The Council unanimously approved the first amendment to the Lowell Street Omnibus TIF district, authorizing a fixed $400,000 annual tax reduction for 20 years to incentivize the 152-unit housing project (7-0).
• 102 Pierce Street Condemnation: The Council unanimously approved the findings of fact (6-1) for 102 Pierce Street as a dangerous building, authorizing the path to demolition if the owner fails to present a viable rehabilitation plan.
• Market Extension: The Lewiston-Auburn Community Market received a six-month extension on their purchase agreement (7-0).
• Qualification Review Request: The Council unanimously asked the incoming January 2026 Council to investigate the residency qualifications of Councilor Elect Iman Osman (7-0).
• Syngue Service License Fee: The city business license fee for the syringe service program was approved at $100 (7-0).
• Personnel Recognition: Councilors Sole and Gallant received plaques for dedicated service; the ad hoc homeless shelter committee received a proclamation; and a vote of confidence was expressed in City Administrator Brian Kenrath and Police Chief Connolly.