BROWNTAIL MONTH PRESENTATION

SUBMITTED: TOWN MANAGER, DIANE BARNES

Town Council Agenda for February 7, 2017

SCHOOL AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY 6TH

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT SUBMITTED BY LISBON TOWN MANAGER, DIANE BARNES

TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA - JANUARY 31ST

Regina Coppens Featured Guest Speaker February 9 at LA Rotary

 

 

Lewiston - On Thursday, February 9, Regina Coppens will be the featured guest speaker of Lewiston Auburn Rotary Club from noon to 1 p.m. at the Ramada Inn, Lewiston.  Coppens lives in Belgrade and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Maine (LWVME) and serves on the Board of the LWVME Education Fund. She also is a member the League’s all-volunteer Lobby Corp and Voter Services Committee. The LWVME is a nonpartisan political organization committed to promoting the informed and active participation of citizens in government. The Lobby Corp is active in the Maine Legislature monitoring and testifying on bills that impact voter rights, voter participation, and elections.  The Voter Services Committee publishes the Voting In Maine voters guides and the annual non-partisan Easy-to-Read Voter Guide which features information about candidates and ballot questions. The committee also participates in voter registration drives around the state, including Naturalization Ceremonies for new U.S. citizens.  Last November, the LWVME was a lead endorser of Question 5, the citizen initiative to enact Ranked Choice Voting in Maine.  The public is invited to attend.  No reservation is required.  Lunch is available for $10 in the Fusion Restaurant at the Ramada.   FMI on future Rotary speakers, contact President-Elect and Program Chair, Monica Millhime, 753.9040 or email monica.millhime@maine.gov. 

LISBON COMMUNICATION CENTER

This coming Tuesday night, January 24, 2017, our Town Council will conduct a workshop pertaining to the Lisbon Communication Center.  The start time is 06:00 PM which is an earlier start time than normal meetings/workshop.  The last time, the Lisbon Communication Center was discussed was on October 6, 2015.

 At that time, the Town Council received a dog and pony show orchestrated by the Police Department.  This dog and pony show was filled with misinformation and false statements.  The reason it was allowed to happen is because of politics.  At no time did the members of this dog and pony show verify their facts and certainly did not have the best interest of the community at heart.  This is apparent by the FACT that all 911 calls received by the Androscoggin County Dispatch have to be relayed to the Lisbon Communication Center before our First Responded can be dispatched.  If they could not reach the Lisbon Communication Center, First Responders do not get dispatched to the scene.  I personally visited the Androscoggin County Dispatch and talked to the two operators on duty and they both said there were numerous times they could not reach the Lisbon Communication Center, the first time. This delay makes the town liable for the results of this delay.

I hope that the Chairman of the Town Council or the Town Manager has invited Sheriff Samson or Martin Fournier to attend this workshop to sort out what is true and what is false.  The Town Council needs to have all the FACTS before making any conclusions. 

The primary focus should be on improving the quality of life of our people by having Androscoggin County Dispatch or another Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) provide dispatch to Lisbon.  This would mean that when a request for emergency services (911 calls) is received the 911 operator will immediately contact our First Responders and not have to relay the call to the Lisbon Communication Center.  The current system puts our people’s lives at risk. Eliminating the middle process expedites the process and gets our First Responders on the scene more quickly.  In an emergency, time is the most critical factor. 

There is another advantage to having Androscoggin County Dispatch dispatching our First Responders and that is the elimination of the Lisbon Communication Center saving the town approximately

$200,000.00 tax dollars!  This is a significant cost savings for the community.

Call you Councilors and ask to have representatives of the County attend this workshop so the community gets ONLY FACTS and not misinformation.

Larry Fillmore    

 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE AGENDA FOR JANUARY 23RD

Bates Business Manager, Edouard Plourde, to Address LA Rotary February 16

 

 

Lewiston – Edouard Plourde will be the featured guest speaker of the Lewiston Auburn Rotary Club at the Ramada Inn, Lewiston on Thursday, February 16 from noon to 1 p.m.  Plourde, a life-long resident of Lewiston, has been actively involved in his community since earning his Economics degree from Providence College.  Ed has served three terms on the city council and was elected council president.  He has served on numerous governmental and not-for-profit boards, and more recently, as past treasurer for the Androscoggin Land Trust.  His current role is as chair of the Auburn-Lewiston Airport.  Plourde is a long-term employee of Bates College having started there as a computer operator/programmer when the finance department had the sole business computer.  Now business manager for dining, events, and conferences, he will describe the scope of food services at Bates.  Plourde holds a CDL driver’s license, a private pilot license, and is a Lieutenant Commander for the Kennebec River chapter of US Power Squadrons.  FMI on other Rotary programs and events contact President-Elect and Program Chair, Monica Millhime, 753.9040 or email monica.millhime@maine.gov.

CORRECTION - Mary Mayhew Featured Guest Speaker January 26 at LA Rotary

 

 

 

Apologies!  To clarify, the venue has changed for the LA Rotary meeting welcoming Commissioner Mayhew on January 26.  It will be held at the Rolandeau’s in Auburn and reservations are recommended for general public and visiting Rotarians.   

 

Lewiston – On Thursday, January 26, at Rolandeau’s Restaurant, 775 Washington Street, Auburn, Commissioner Mary Mayhew will be the featured guest speaker at LA Rotary.  Mayhew was appointed to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services in 2011 by Governor Paul R. LePage. She provides leadership, guidance and policy direction to the largest agency in state government – with approximately 3,000 employees and accounting for more than one-third of the state’s budget.

Commissioner Mayhew’s leadership has focused on reforming the state’s welfare programs to encourage self-sufficiency and long-term employment, establishing effective prioritization and financial management practices, halting more than a decade of multi-million dollar budget shortfalls and strengthening support for our at-risk families.  Prior to her appointment, Mayhew was the Senior Health Policy Advisor for the LePage Administration.  She also served as Vice President of the Maine Hospital Association for 11 years.  The public is invited to attend.  Reservations recommended for general public and visiting Rotarians by calling 753.9040.FMI on future Rotary speakers, contact Rotary President-Elect and Program Chair, Monica Millhime, 753.9040 or email monica.millhime@maine.gov. 

RECAP TOWN COUNCIL WORKSHOP – JANUARY 10TH

This is a brief summary of what took place at Tuesday’s Town Council Workshop.

1.      Salary Survey – The Town Manager asked how much COLA the town employees were going to receive this year.  In the past five years, it has been 2% each year.

2.      Minimum Wage Increase – With the new minimum wage law coming into effect this year, the town was looking to identify personnel and to find a way to implement these changes.

3.     Department Budget Needs – Each of the Department Heads provided a list of what they are looking for this year.  It appears to be a shopping list and will be costly if everything is approved.

4.     Capital Improvement Needs – This is the long term goals for the next five years in order to get an idea of what the town needs to move forward.

This meeting lasted for approximately 3 1/2 hours.  It was extremely interesting and well presented by the Department Heads.  This budgeting year will be very entertaining.

Larry Fillmore

 

LISBON SCHOOL COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING

Mary Mayhew Featured Guest Speaker January 26 at LA Rotary

 

Lewiston – On Thursday, January 26, at Rolandeau’s Restaurant, 775 Washington Street, Auburn, Commissioner Mary Mayhew will be the featured guest speaker at LA Rotary.  Mayhew was appointed to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services in 2011 by Governor Paul R. LePage. She provides leadership, guidance and policy direction to the largest agency in state government – with approximately 3,000 employees and accounting for more than one-third of the state’s budget.

Commissioner Mayhew’s leadership has focused on reforming the state’s welfare programs to encourage self-sufficiency and long-term employment, establishing effective prioritization and financial management practices, halting more than a decade of multi-million dollar budget shortfalls and strengthening support for our at-risk families.  Prior to her appointment, Mayhew was the Senior Health Policy Advisor for the LePage Administration.  She also served as Vice President of the Maine Hospital Association for 11 years.  The public is invited to attend.  No reservation is required.  Lunch is available for $10 in the Fusion Restaurant at the Ramada.   FMI on future Rotary speakers, contact Rotary President-Elect and Program Chair, Monica Millhime, 753.9040 or email monica.millhime@maine.gov. 

LISBON CITIZEN OUTREACH FOR ELDERS PROGRAM

Town Council Workshop Agenda - January 10th

HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS - RUMBLE STRIP INSTALLATION

 

SUBMITTED BY:  LISBON TOWN MANAGER

AGENDA FOR JANUARY 3, 2017

SPILLER’S & WMCA PARTNERS IN JOB TRAINING PROGRAM

 

 

Lewiston – Western Maine Community Action (WMCA), a partner at the Lewiston CareerCenter, and Spiller’s in Lewiston, recently formed a partnership to offer an On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program.  WMCA provides grant funding to qualified candidates to enter into a training program supported by various businesses in healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and more.  An on-the-job training is an incentive based program.  Training is provided by an employer to a paid employee engaged in productive work resulting in knowledge or skills essential to full and adequate performance of the job.  Partnerships are developed through a contract in the public, private non-profit or private sector.  Employers are reimbursed up to 50% of trainee’s wage during the program duration.  “WMCA provides services with assistance by Maine Department of Labor and Business Employment Services (BES), through grant funding to people in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford and Somerset Counties,” shares Patti Saarinen, WMCA Program Site Coordinator in Lewiston.  Pictured (l-r) Linda Roberts, CareerCenter BES Consultant; Kimberly King, OJT Candidate; Diane Kirouac, Spiller’s Controller; and Raymond Martel, Spiller’s President.  FMI on a partnership with the On-the-Job Training program call 753.9040 or email monica.millhime@maine.gov.  Photo courtesy of Monica Millhime.

Partnerships Benefit Community Residents

 

Photo Caption:  Members of a Community Partnership Committee consisting of Western Maine Community Action (WMCA), the Lewiston CareerCenter Business Employment Services (BES),  met recently to review schedules and requirements for new training programs slated for January 2017 .  Pictured (l-r, seated) Cathy Stairs, WMCA Employment & Training Specialist; Jennifer Tiner, Assistant Director Lewiston Adult Education; Patti Saarinen, WMCA Program Site Coordinator;  back row:  Christine King, WMCA Employment & Training Specialist and Linda Roberts, BES CareerCenter Consultant.   The programs are geared toward providing courses to income eligible candidates the skills to achieve full time employment with upward mobile job growth and stability in the workforce.    Additional initiative partners include Tree Street Youth, the Root Cellar, Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services . Photo courtesy of Monica Millhime.

 

 

Lewiston - Adult Education, WMCA, the Lewiston CareerCenter, City of Lewiston, Community Concepts the John T. Gorman Foundation, and other community partners are collaborating on a number of training opportunities that will provide classroom time, as well as work experience or on the job training.  Candidates from low income, Veterans, and New Mainers are encouraged to apply for these various trainings that will result in the skills necessary to be successful in the workforce and related trades. 

 

Programs for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Construction, Personal Support Specialist (PSS) and Certified Residential Medication Aide (CRMA) Certificate and Office Skills are scheduled to start the first of the year. Some programs are geared toward a Work Readiness credential and others will include an on-the-job training. 

 

Orientations will be offered at the CareerCenter, 5 Mollison Way, Lewiston throughout January.  Registrations are requested by December 30 for the CNA and Construction programs.  For more information on each program and registration call 753.9001.