OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Lewiston City Council Workshop Meeting 2026-01-20

City Council — Tuesday, January 20, 2026
BodyLewiston, Maine
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, January 20, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 6:10:33

Transcript — Verbatim
1:17

Hello and good evening and welcome to our Tuesday evening workshop.

1:21

We're joined here by the chief of police chief of police, Carly Conley, and also uh Administrator Kenrath.

1:28

Uh if you two want to kick it off, uh that'd be great.

1:32

All right, thank you, Mr.

1:33

Mayor.

1:34

Good evening.

1:34

Uh counsel.

1:35

Uh here with the chief.

1:37

We are here to present um a proposal um that you see in the LCIP.

1:43

It is for uh take-home vehicles uh for the police department.

1:47

Uh just to kick us off.

1:49

This is uh something that um will show could lead to some efficiencies and cost savings in the long run uh over a longer period of years.

1:57

Um, but also the main goal is to um increase our efforts with recruitment.

2:03

As you know, we are down anywhere between eight and twelve to fifteen officers at a time.

2:08

Um we need to find other more creative ways to attract uh and recruit uh quality officers here to Lewis, and it is uh one of our major challenges.

2:17

Uh as we've talked about public safety is one of our top priorities.

2:21

Um and until we fill these seats at the police department, these vacancies, um, doing things like more proactive patrols, community policing, et cetera, um, is exceedingly difficult.

2:30

So we need to fill these seats, and this is one potential uh way to begin tackling this problem.

2:36

So with that, I'll turn over to Chief Connolly, who has uh slide deck to go through, and then it's time for some questions.

2:41

Thank you.

2:42

Thank you.

2:42

Thank you for the move the mic closer to you, that'd be great.

2:46

Uh a lot of people.

2:48

A lot closer.

2:48

A lot closer.

2:49

All right.

2:50

Um so thank you for taking the time to uh to hear about this project.

2:55

Um it's something that we uh we looked into a little bit a few years back and um we've revisited it.

3:02

Um I gave everybody a packet that um basically is the the slide deck and it includes a memo and then also Counselor Chitam had reached out with some questions ahead of time that we answered, so we provided those to you as well.

3:16

Um we can also share this with you after um the presentation, and feel free to ask any questions.

3:22

So I'm gonna go through the slideshow.

3:25

Um please feel free to interrupt if I'm going too quickly.

3:28

Um, and feel free to ask any questions as we proceed.

3:36

So basically the fleet enhancement project.

3:40

Oh, we're not I'll wait a little bit before.

3:53

That's a really cool picture.

3:59

So what this is is transitioning to a take-home vehicle model, um, to improve long-term cost control, operational readiness, and officer recruitment and retention.

4:12

Um the goals of the fleet enhancement project is uh obviously to transition to a take-home system.

4:19

Right now we have a pool system.

4:21

Um cost savings, improve operational efficiency, support recruitment and retention, as the city administrator mentioned.

4:30

That's that's a big one for us.

4:31

Increase accountability and fleet longevity, excuse me, longevity, and deter crime and enhance police visibility.

4:40

Um a little bit about the program.

4:42

It's a model that's used by uh the main state police, uh, every sheriff's department in Maine, and a limited number of rural police departments.

4:51

We would be the first municipal l of our size to uh use this program.

5:00

And basically, what it does is it's permanently assigns a vehicle for each sworn officer.

5:04

And the benefit of it would be patrol vehicles would transition.

5:10

Right now we're in sort of a three-year rotation cycle as far as vehicles go before we need to trade them in.

5:16

So we would be looking at patrol vehicles lasting seven years, and our CID, which is our detective division, and admin vehicles potentially lasting 10 years.

5:40

Obviously, it would increase the visibility in neighborhoods, create a stronger public safety presence, and faster response to critical or large scale incidents.

5:53

And this last one I'll touch on just a little bit to bring us back to October of 2023.

6:00

That was definitely an issue for us.

6:10

But what we dealt with is officers taking their personal vehicles to the scenes, not being equipped.

6:17

Some of them had to go to the police station to get weapons and gear.

6:21

So that was that was definitely this would be very beneficial should we see any kind of critical incident in the future.

6:32

Some of the studies and research, and I and I won't, unless you want me to read every single one of these.

6:37

This is just kind of a reference.

6:40

What we've found is there's significant evidence to show that operating costs for assigned vehicles are substantially less than the pool systems that we currently are in.

6:50

Examples of jurisdictions that have decreased their operating costs by adopting an assigned vehicle program are seen here.

7:01

But uh a city of Cape Coral Florida study concluded that an assigned vehicle program was most cost effective in the short term, one year, near future, three years, and the longer term seven years.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████29%
Public Safety█████████████13%
Community Engagement█████████████13%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Municipal Charter███████7%
Personnel Matters██████6%
Immigration Policy██████6%
Fiscal Sustainability███3%
Public Health Awareness███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Lewiston City Council Workshop Meeting 2026-01-20

The Lewiston City Council convened for a joint workshop and regular meeting to address police fleet enhancement, fill a vacant Ward 5 City Council seat, appoint a school committee member, and review multiple zoning and administrative amendments. The session featured significant public testimony regarding the Ward 5 vacancy, a contentious discussion on the City Council's process for filling the seat versus holding a special election, and routine business regarding city ordinances and board appointments.

Consent Calendar

  • The minutes of the January 5th and January 8th meetings were reviewed and passed unanimously by a roll call vote of 7 to 0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Transparency and Ethics: A speaker expressed strong opposition to the council's lack of transparency, citing instances of unethical conduct by members, including unauthorized communications via apps and unrecorded meetings, and demanded an investigation into the distribution of victim's fund money.
  • Immigrant Community Concerns: Multiple public commenters, predominantly from Ward 5, expressed fear regarding immigration enforcement and ICE scrutiny. They urged the council to appoint a representative who would protect the immigrant community and advocate for their safety. Several speakers criticized former Ward 5 Counselor Rini Sowell for social media posts they felt were divisive and hostile toward the immigrant population.
  • Support for Kiernan Majaris-Collins: Overwhelming public testimony from Ward 5 residents supported the appointment of Kiernan Majaris-Collins, citing his consistent allyship to the immigrant community, his work as an attorney protecting vulnerable individuals, and his commitment to unity.
  • Support for Rini Sowell: A smaller number of public commenters and some business owners advocated for re-appointing Rini Sowell. They cited her prior service, experience, and her election performance (receiving over 230 votes) as reasons to return her to the seat.
  • Election Integrity: Several speakers argued that the city council should hold a special election to fill the vacancy rather than an appointment, claiming that an appointment would disenfranchise voters who rejected the previous incumbent's re-election bid. Others noted that a clerical error in the charter review process should not override the will of the voters.
  • Safety and Representation: A speaker requested an investigation into the misuse of funds designated for gun victims, noting that over $1.9 million had allegedly gone to NGOs. Another speaker requested a special election for the Ward 5 seat, arguing it is the only democratic solution.

Discussion Items

  • Police Fleet Enhancement (Take-Home Vehicles):

    • Proposal: Chief Carly Conley and Administrator Kenrath presented a proposal to transition the Lewiston Police Department from a pool vehicle system to a take-home vehicle model. The proposal includes purchasing 65 patrol vehicles at $65,000 each and admin/CID vehicles.
    • Arguments for Support: Chief Conley stated the primary goal is to address critical recruitment shortages (down 8-12 officers) and improve retention, citing take-home vehicles as a major benefit for officers in other jurisdictions. She argued the program would improve operational readiness (officers responding in equipped personal vehicles during critical incidents) and reduce long-term operating costs due to increased vehicle longevity (7-10 years vs. 1.7 years) and lower mileage costs ($0.40/mile vs. $0.49/mile). Administrator Kenrath confirmed recruitment is the top priority.
    • Objections and Concerns: Councilor Roy and Councilor Nagyen questioned the upfront capital cost ($2.7 million net capital increase over 7 years after savings calculations) and the inability to phase the implementation over multiple years without negating cost efficiencies. Councilor Nagyen raised concerns about the radius for assignment and operational readiness issues if cars are unavailable due to details.
    • Clarification: Chief Conley explained that phasing the program would extend the wear-and-tear on the current system and delay the recruitment benefits, characterizing it as "kicking the can down the road."

  • Ward 5 City Council Vacancy:

    • Dispute on Process: Councilors debated the process for filling the vacancy. While some suggested a special election, City Council advised that a legal opinion determined a special election was not permissible under the current charter due to a clerical error during the review process. Consequently, the council proceeded to nominate and appoint a replacement.
    • Applicants: Five applicants presented: Adam Buckley, Nicole Johnson, Kiernan Majaris-Collins, Chrissy Noble, and Rini Sowell.
    • Candidate Positions and Support:
      • Kiernan Majaris-Collins: A lawyer and school committee member who expressed support for protecting the immigrant community and prioritizing public safety. He was the subject of controversy regarding alleged past harassment of a fellow candidate, which he denied. Public testimony heavily favored him from Ward 5 residents.
      • Rini Sowell: The former incumbent who was defeated in the November election. She expressed support for representing the whole city and not just one ward. She faced significant opposition from Ward 5 residents and public commenters who felt her social media activity was divisive.
      • Chrissy Noble: A youth worker and mediator who emphasized conflict resolution and harm reduction strategies for substance abuse. She was nominated for her experience with underserved populations.
      • Adam Buckley: A veteran and fitness manager who spoke on core values and recruitment support.
      • Nicole Johnson: A resident and solar contractor who spoke on civic duty and the need for change.
    • Nomination and Vote: After public comment where Ward 5 residents overwhelmingly supported Kiernan Majaris-Collins (approx. 15 speakers) compared to one speaker for Rini Sowell, and receiving additional letters of support for Sowell, the council moved to nomination. Councilor Chitham nominated Chrissy Noble, and Councilor Martell nominated Rini Sowell. Following a vote for the nominee, Chrissy Noble received 5 votes to Rini Sowell's 2. A final nomination vote passed Chrissy Noble as the nominee for appointment.

  • School Committee Vacancy:

    • Appointment: The council discussed the Mayor's nomination of Linnea Hawkins to fill the Ward 5 School Committee seat. Councilor Martell moved to table the appointment until the newly appointed Councilor (Noble) could participate in an upcoming retreat; this motion failed 2-5. The council proceeded to vote on the appointment itself.

  • Ordinances and Zoning:

    • Tobacco Ordinance: An ordinance to expand prohibited tobacco use areas for Oak Park was introduced. Councilor Martell opposed it as an overreach, while proponents (including Councilor Longchamps and the Senior Advisory Council) supported it to protect residents from secondhand smoke. Passed 6-1.
    • Zoning Amendments: Six zoning amendments were voted on, including changes to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), daycares, mobile homes, and fences. A primary concern raised was a proposed 20-foot minimum height for NCB (Neighborhood Conservation) zoning, which Councilor Najene noted might exclude smaller existing structures. Councilor Chittam suggested an alternative based on surrounding setbacks. All items passed unanimously (7-0) with continued public hearings.

  • Budget and Administration:

    • Library Carpet: An order to transfer funds from the 2023 Library HVAC bond account to cover carpet replacement costs due to water damage was approved unanimously.
    • Special Election: Approval of actions for the special state candidate election on February 24, 2026, passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Police Fleet: The council received a presentation on the Take-Home Vehicle program; no final vote was taken on this proposal during the workshop session, with discussions deferred to future deliberation due to cost and phasing concerns.
  • City Council Appointment: Chrissy Noble was appointed to the Ward 5 City Council position effective January 20, 2026, to serve until January 3, 2028, by a vote of 5 to 2.
  • School Committee Appointment: Linnea Hawkins was appointed to the Ward 5 School Committee to fill the vacancy, effective January 20, 2026, with a term ending January 4, 2027, by a vote of 5 to 2.
  • Ordinances Passed:
    • First passage of the tobacco use prohibition expansion in the downtown area (Oak Park vicinity) passed 6-1.
    • First passage of six zoning and land use code amendments (ADUs, daycares, mobile homes, fences, etc.) passed unanimously (7-0) each.
    • Order approving the transfer of Library bond funds for carpet replacement passed unanimously (7-0).
    • Order approving actions for the February 24, 2026 special state candidate election passed unanimously (7-0).
  • Future Actions: The council plans to hold a workshop with the City Attorney regarding the charter and consider a resolve to change the special election vs. appointment threshold from one year to 18 months in the February meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Hello and good evening and welcome to our Tuesday evening workshop. We're joined here by the chief of police chief of police, Carly Conley, and also uh Administrator Kenrath. Uh if you two want to kick it off, uh that'd be great. All right, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good evening. Uh counsel. Uh here with the chief. We are here to present um a proposal um that you see in the LCIP. It is for uh take-home vehicles uh for the police department. Uh just to kick us off. This is uh something that um will show could lead to some efficiencies and cost savings in the long run uh over a longer period of years. Um, but also the main goal is to um increase our efforts with recruitment. As you know, we are down anywhere between eight and twelve to fifteen officers at a time. Um we need to find other more creative ways to attract uh and recruit uh quality officers here to Lewis, and it is uh one of our major challenges. Uh as we've talked about public safety is one of our top priorities. Um and until we fill these seats at the police department, these vacancies, um, doing things like more proactive patrols, community policing, et cetera, um, is exceedingly difficult. So we need to fill these seats, and this is one potential uh way to begin tackling this problem. So with that, I'll turn over to Chief Connolly, who has uh slide deck to go through, and then it's time for some questions. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the move the mic closer to you, that'd be great. Uh a lot of people. A lot closer. A lot closer. All right. Um so thank you for taking the time to uh to hear about this project. Um it's something that we uh we looked into a little bit a few years back and um we've revisited it. Um I gave everybody a packet that um basically is the the slide deck and it includes a memo and then also Counselor Chitam had reached out with some questions ahead of time that we answered, so we provided those to you as well. Um we can also share this with you after um the presentation, and feel free to ask any questions. So I'm gonna go through the slideshow. Um please feel free to interrupt if I'm going too quickly. Um, and feel free to ask any questions as we proceed. So basically the fleet enhancement project. Oh, we're not I'll wait a little bit before. That's a really cool picture. So what this is is transitioning to a take-home vehicle model, um, to improve long-term cost control, operational readiness, and officer recruitment and retention. Um the goals of the fleet enhancement project is uh obviously to transition to a take-home system. Right now we have a pool system. Um cost savings, improve operational efficiency, support recruitment and retention, as the city administrator mentioned. That's that's a big one for us. Increase accountability and fleet longevity, excuse me, longevity, and deter crime and enhance police visibility. Um a little bit about the program. It's a model that's used by uh the main state police, uh, every sheriff's department in Maine, and a limited number of rural police departments. We would be the first municipal l of our size to uh use this program. And basically, what it does is it's permanently assigns a vehicle for each sworn officer. And the benefit of it would be patrol vehicles would transition. Right now we're in sort of a three-year rotation cycle as far as vehicles go before we need to trade them in. So we would be looking at patrol vehicles lasting seven years, and our CID, which is our detective division, and admin vehicles potentially lasting 10 years. Obviously, it would increase the visibility in neighborhoods, create a stronger public safety presence, and faster response to critical or large scale incidents.

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