OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Lewiston City Council Budget Workshop and Regular Meeting - May 5, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, May 5, 2026
BodyLewiston, Maine
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, May 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:16:02

Transcript — Verbatim
2:14

Hello, uh welcome to our Tuesday evening budget workshop.

2:19

Uh uh administrator Kane Rath, do you want to kick things off by um outlining the process uh and timeline for amendments, budget amendments?

2:30

Sure, thank you, Mr.

2:31

Mayor.

2:31

So as discussed at our meeting last week, um we've set uh this Thursday end of business for amendments to be due um into staff.

2:41

Um the packet will go out normal schedule, obviously um deadline Wednesday, it'll go out on Thursday.

2:48

Uh and we will um consider amendments in regular session on the 19th at our meeting.

2:55

Uh I was discussing earlier um with the mayor and council president, it may be uh advisable for us to uh have a workshop next Tuesday um to consider amendments and a workshop uh amendments prior to the regular meeting.

3:11

Um we'll have all amendments in the Thursday prior, so we should have everything uh in if there's interest in doing a workshop uh next Tuesday evening um in advance of our regular meeting on on Thursday.

3:24

Uh how do counselors feel about that?

3:28

Uh I think we're uh counselor Chitum, did you want to say something?

3:32

Yeah, I'm I'm I'm concerned about I think it's important that we have that because uh the way the amendments are presented to us, if there are more than one.

3:40

Um could obviate the other, so I think we need to work through that first before we do that.

3:46

So I'm I'm in favor of a workshop on uh preparation.

3:49

Right, and there could be some, you know, obviously some commonalities among your amendments and in advance of it going uh in the packet.

3:56

Um it may be a good idea to sort of um call some of these amendments um and have something that's sort of very clear and ready to go for the meeting the following week.

4:07

That will be the goal, thank you.

4:09

Anything further, Administrator King Rath.

4:11

That's all for now, thank you.

4:13

Okay.

4:14

Uh we still have uh quite a bit of our budget workshop left.

4:18

Uh do counselors want to bring up any budget workshop items.

4:23

Counselor Chitam.

4:24

Yes, I just like to make certain that I'm working from the most current budget.

4:29

Um is that the one that's dated 429?

4:32

Correct.

4:32

Okay.

4:33

And that does not obviously have the details in it, but those can be obtained by drilling down through the information that's on sh that sheet into the actual budget that was presented to us uh at the beginning of the session.

4:47

Correct.

4:47

And I had sent you a list of all of those items in an email, I believe, to all council to show what those reductions and the ads to the revenues were.

4:56

So you had that amount.

4:58

Very much appreciated.

4:59

Thank you, Director.

5:03

Yes, Counselor Martell.

5:04

Thank you, Ms.

5:05

Mayor.

5:05

I have a question for Director Roy.

5:08

I'm looking to get some clarification on.

5:10

That's okay.

5:11

Okay.

5:12

If we were to say hypothetically do a 90-day hiring freeze, would we be able to immediately free up that money for the general fund for say salaries benefits and everything else that's already been saved and budgeted for that?

5:29

So if we were to freeze that, could we immediately put that money back into the general fund?

5:33

We could still uh take applications and do interviews but not hire or put anyone in the books for 90 days, and could we immediately free up that money?

5:41

Are you talking about this fiscal year?

5:43

Yes.

5:44

Um so we could do a carry-forward if you recommend carrying forward those salary um savings uh to next fiscal year, but I would not recommend we wouldn't interview somebody to tell them that they wouldn't be hired for another three, six months.

6:03

Um would go out and find another job.

6:07

Um so my recommendation wouldn't be to interview individuals.

6:12

Well, I I understand that.

6:13

I guess what I meant to say was uh it can sometimes take time to get through the hiring process.

6:18

So if we were to take, say, 90 days without putting anyone on the books, I would say um, with the exception of the the police department for uh current reasons and general reasons of of being so so short staffed.

6:31

Uh if we did that, can we recognize the savings immediately, regardless of you know whether you interview people or not?

6:38

If we do a 90-day freeze, can we take the money that's already been budgeted and put it right in the in the general fund?

6:45

As long as other lines have come in other, under and not over that need to be covered for the general fund.

6:51

It's always the bottom line of of how the expenditures and revenues finish for the year to what's brought over for fund balance.

7:04

So those things aside, if we did the freeze, that money would immediately be available.

7:10

Is what you're saying.

7:11

Recommendation or not, just if we do it, is the money immediately available?

7:15

Because it's already been budgeted.

7:16

We're not going to use it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis█████████████████████████████████33%
Public Engagement█████████████████████████25%
Procedural████████████████████20%
Public Safety███████████11%
Personnel Matters███3%
Parks and Recreation██2%
Fiscal Sustainability██2%
Technology and Innovation█1%
Welfare Reform█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Lewiston City Council Budget Workshop and Regular Meeting - May 5, 2026

The meeting began with a budget workshop at 7:57 PM, where councilors discussed the timeline for budget amendments, a potential hiring freeze, and the fiscal year 2027 municipal and school budgets. The regular session followed, featuring a public hearing on the municipal budget, approval of the school budget for voter referendum, and adoption of multiple permits and zoning changes. Extensive public testimony focused on property revaluation impacts, public safety, and spending concerns.

Consent Calendar

  • Items approved unanimously (7-0):
    • Order to authorize altering Challenger Drive and releasing a portion to TRE.
    • Order to execute a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Council 93 for the Lewiston Professional Technical Unit.
    • Order to execute a municipal quitclaim deed for 85 Sleeper Road.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Revaluation concerns: Multiple residents (Janet Bowden, Matthew Grain, Ray Tutane, David Janke, Fred Shanmonsope, Lee Clement, Jay Roderick) criticized the 38-year delay in revaluation, sudden tax increases (some citing near-doubling of assessed value), and called for a phase-in, lower mill rate, or better communication. One speaker relayed a 95-year-old widow fearing her tax bill. Others urged the council to reject the current budget and cut spending deeply.
  • Public safety: Destiny, a Lewiston shooting survivor, asked for transparency regarding the $1.9 million in remaining funds raised for victims, requesting an investigation into distribution to nonprofits and a release date for the funds. Lisa Jones criticized the mayor's silence on gun violence. Andrew Jones expressed frustration over a public comment rule limiting non-residents and alleged previous censorship.
  • Budget comments: Matt Roy raised concerns about the new paid family medical leave law's impact on city staffing. Matthew Agrin and Scott Gagnon demanded across-the-board budget cuts (10% suggested), citing unsustainable tax burdens. Supporters of the school budget urged passage to let voters decide, with speakers emphasizing investment in youth, mental health supports, and economic development.

Discussion Items

  • Budget workshop:

    • Administrator Kane Rath outlined the amendment timeline: due by end of business Thursday, packet out Thursday, considered in regular session May 19. A workshop on amendments was proposed for the following Tuesday.
    • Councillor Martell asked about a 90-day hiring freeze to free up salary savings. Director Roy clarified that savings would depend on year-end reconciliation and cannot be guaranteed immediately.
    • Parks budget: Director of Public Works Kevin Gonget reported $70,000 in labor costs to maintain 16 parks (regular time $27,000, overtime $41,000) within a total parks and open spaces budget of $1.7 million. Councillor Longchamps suggested reducing the parks budget by $150,000.
    • Police vacancies: Chief Conley stated 7 current vacancies (with 2 frozen positions, 3 retirements expected). Councillor Noble asked about officers living in the city (estimated 25-30).
    • Fire department: Chief Karen noted 2 current vacancies, one more upcoming retirement. He opposed freezing two positions, warning it would increase overtime; he could sustain freezing one if flexible. Councillor Martell urged spreading cuts equitably across departments. The mayor asked for data on whether freezing a position actually saves money given contractual minimum staffing (17 daily).
    • Revaluation update: Administrator Kane Rath reported costs to extend informal hearing deadlines: $68,000 for two weeks, $131,000 for four weeks. As of May 5, 479 hearings scheduled out of 10,503 eligible properties (4.6%). Two public sessions announced: May 11 and May 18 at the Armory Senior Center.
    • Charter CPI cap: Councillor Chitam reminded that a supermajority is needed if the tax levy increase exceeds 3.251% (December CPI). The cap applies to city operating, county tax, and debt service.

  • School budget (Item 16):

    • Superintendent Langlais presented the FY27 budget: $34 million local ask (8.06% increase), with 26 net positions cut (including 6 administrative/central office) and $2.209 million in additional reductions after initial cuts. He highlighted rising fixed costs (electricity, workers' comp, special education).
    • Councillor Martell expressed concern about increasing spending without measurable academic improvement, citing Maine's declining test scores. He argued the budget is not sustainable and voted against it.
    • Councillors Chitam, Longchamps, Roy, Nagine, and Harriman supported passage to let voters decide on May 12. The school committee voted 8-0. Councillor Longchamps voted against the school budget (later recorded as 'no') despite earlier supportive comments; the final council vote was 6-1 in favor.

  • Other agenda items:

    • Outdoor entertainment permits for Great Falls Pride (June 7), Great Falls Brew Fest (June 25-28), Art Walk (five dates), and Summer Fun and Films (five dates) approved unanimously.
    • Zoning amendments (mobile homes, daycares, used car dealers) received final passage 7-0.
    • Contract zone for 860 Lisbon Street (LHA senior housing project) approved 7-0. Representative estimated closing in 4-6 weeks.
    • CDBG, HOME, and Consolidated Five-Year Plan approvals passed unanimously.
    • Amendment to CDBG-CV CARES Act budget ($132,315 for Sunnyside Park improvements) approved 7-0.
    • Finance committee recommendation received without vote.

Key Outcomes

  • Budget amendments due: End of business Thursday, May 8; workshop likely Tuesday, May 12; regular session Thursday, May 19.
  • School budget approved 6-1 (Councillor Martell dissenting). Referendum election on May 12 at Longley School.
  • All four outdoor entertainment permits approved 7-0.
  • Zoning and land use code amendments adopted 7-0.
  • Contract zone for 860 Lisbon Street approved 7-0.
  • CDBG, HOME, and Consolidated Five-Year Plans adopted 7-0.
  • CDBG-CV amendment for Sunnyside Park approved 7-0.
  • Executive sessions for economic development and personnel matters approved 7-0.
  • Consent agenda items approved 7-0.

Meeting Transcript

Hello, uh welcome to our Tuesday evening budget workshop. Uh uh administrator Kane Rath, do you want to kick things off by um outlining the process uh and timeline for amendments, budget amendments? Sure, thank you, Mr. Mayor. So as discussed at our meeting last week, um we've set uh this Thursday end of business for amendments to be due um into staff. Um the packet will go out normal schedule, obviously um deadline Wednesday, it'll go out on Thursday. Uh and we will um consider amendments in regular session on the 19th at our meeting. Uh I was discussing earlier um with the mayor and council president, it may be uh advisable for us to uh have a workshop next Tuesday um to consider amendments and a workshop uh amendments prior to the regular meeting. Um we'll have all amendments in the Thursday prior, so we should have everything uh in if there's interest in doing a workshop uh next Tuesday evening um in advance of our regular meeting on on Thursday. Uh how do counselors feel about that? Uh I think we're uh counselor Chitum, did you want to say something? Yeah, I'm I'm I'm concerned about I think it's important that we have that because uh the way the amendments are presented to us, if there are more than one. Um could obviate the other, so I think we need to work through that first before we do that. So I'm I'm in favor of a workshop on uh preparation. Right, and there could be some, you know, obviously some commonalities among your amendments and in advance of it going uh in the packet. Um it may be a good idea to sort of um call some of these amendments um and have something that's sort of very clear and ready to go for the meeting the following week. That will be the goal, thank you. Anything further, Administrator King Rath. That's all for now, thank you. Okay. Uh we still have uh quite a bit of our budget workshop left. Uh do counselors want to bring up any budget workshop items. Counselor Chitam. Yes, I just like to make certain that I'm working from the most current budget. Um is that the one that's dated 429? Correct. Okay. And that does not obviously have the details in it, but those can be obtained by drilling down through the information that's on sh that sheet into the actual budget that was presented to us uh at the beginning of the session. Correct. And I had sent you a list of all of those items in an email, I believe, to all council to show what those reductions and the ads to the revenues were. So you had that amount. Very much appreciated. Thank you, Director. Yes, Counselor Martell. Thank you, Ms. Mayor. I have a question for Director Roy. I'm looking to get some clarification on. That's okay. Okay. If we were to say hypothetically do a 90-day hiring freeze, would we be able to immediately free up that money for the general fund for say salaries benefits and everything else that's already been saved and budgeted for that? So if we were to freeze that, could we immediately put that money back into the general fund? We could still uh take applications and do interviews but not hire or put anyone in the books for 90 days, and could we immediately free up that money? Are you talking about this fiscal year? Yes. Um so we could do a carry-forward if you recommend carrying forward those salary um savings uh to next fiscal year, but I would not recommend we wouldn't interview somebody to tell them that they wouldn't be hired for another three, six months. Um would go out and find another job. Um so my recommendation wouldn't be to interview individuals. Well, I I understand that. I guess what I meant to say was uh it can sometimes take time to get through the hiring process.

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