Mayor Larry Gilbert

Bates College Dedicates Their 55 Meter Hurdle To Al Harvie

On February 7, 2008, Bates College dedicated their 55 meter hurdle area in honor of Mr. Al Harvie an alumnus of Bates College who has set many records there and has been inducted in the Lewiston-Auburn Hall of Fame as a track star. A lifelong educator, he announces at the Bates College Track Meets.  He is picture here with his two brothers and their wives.

 

Mr. Harvie worked in partnership with Mayor Gilbert in the naming of the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge between Lewiston & Auburn in honor of Dr. Bernard Lown who is a Nobel Laureat and the developer of the DC Defibrillator.

All-American Throwing Area At Bates College

On February 7, 2008 the All-American Throwing Area in Merrill Gymnasium at Bates College was named in honor of Coach Joe Woodhead in honor of his decades of coaching. This was a complete surprise to him with many of his former trainees who returned for the dedication ceremony. Pictured with Coach Woodhead is his lovely spouse who has been a great source of support to him over the years.

More photos after the jump.

Mayoral VIBE Presented For February

Mayoral VIBE (Volunteers Inspire By Example) Award Presented to Mr. Richard Moore for his volunteer service in preparing income tax returns for folks who qualified for this free service.

Pictured left to right are Ward 7 City Councilor Robert Reed who initiated the idea for this award, Mr. Richard Moor, Mayor Larry Gilbert and Mr. K.C. Geiger who oversees this most wonderful Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program made up of several volunteers including Councilor Reed.

Also pictured are a number of people volunteering their services in preparing the income tax returns for local folks.

More photos after the jump.

Coffee With Mayor Was Held At Governor's on February 7th

Mayor Larry Gilbert held his monthly Coffee With The Mayor on Saturday, February 7, 2008 which was hosted by Governor's Restaurant on Lisbon Street in Lewiston, Maine. Mayor Gilbert is photographed pointing to the the sign that Governor's Restaurant had placed announcing it to the traveling public and patrons as to when it would take place.

More photos after the jump.

Lawrence, Massachusetts Officials Visit Lewiston

Mayor Michael Sullivan of Lawrence, Massachusetts along with Mr. Salvatore Lupoli President/CEO of Lupoli Companies who have developed the mills of Lawrence and Mr. Joseph J. Bevilacque, President/CEO of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce in Lawrence visited Lewiston Municipal Officials and Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Members as well as local mill developer Tom Platz recently. 

While at dinner at D'Avinci's Restaurant they were found interacting with the "Red Hat Ladies." All had a great time.  Lawrence and Lewiston Officials found so much in common and each shared great ideas to pursue into the future.  Lewiston officials will travel to Lawrence later this spring. An immediate friendship was developed between the two groups.

More photos after the jump.

Mayor's Corner: Stimulus Dollars to Jobs is Disbursed Quickest at Local Level

Twin City Times- Thursday, February 19th, 2009
Mayor's Corner #74

On November 3, 2008 I received a memorandum from Mr. Tom Cochran the CEO and Executive Director of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) asking for immediate help to move forward the USCM’s “Main Street Stimulus.”  We had until November 7, 2008 to respond with our listing of projects to the Main Street Economic Recovery Survey.  We were to list our project descriptions with the number of jobs it might create in various categories such as: Airport, Community Development Block Grant, Energy, Highway, Housing, Public Safety, Schools, Transit, Water and Wastewater Infrastructure, and School Modernization. 

We responded within the time limit and subsequent to that we were asked to respond to three more rounds of responses for the USCM.  Initially, in Maine, the only city to respond was the City of Lewiston. In following rounds the only other city in Maine to respond was the City of Portland. In total, Lewiston has listed $106 million in projects that could create 716 jobs and Portland listed $113 million in projects that could create 295 jobs. To view a complete listing of all of the projects submitted by participating municipalities nationwide and the possible number of jobs to be created, go to the following link:
http://www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery/stimulussurveyparticipants.asp

Some of the projects Lewiston has listed are reconstruction of  the aprons and runway at Auburn-Lewiston Airport, Kennedy Park Master Plan implementation, a municipal single stream sorting facility, city buildings energy improvements, police and fire positions to assist with livability issues such as dealing with dilapidated buildings, HVAC and window upgrades for our schools, street and sidewalk repairs, buses, watershed management projects, storm water collection system pipe and channel repairs, combined sewer overflow projects that are federally mandated by the Clean Water Act Management Plan, and a whole host of other listings.

Portland listed similar projects as well as the Jetport Terminal Expansion, downtown street lighting, police department jobs, road and sidewalk repairs, etc.

Mayor's Corner: Excise Tax Referendum is a Bad Idea for L-A and Maine

Twin City Times- Thursday, February 12th, 2009
Mayor's Corner #73

An Act to Decrease the Automobile Excise Tax and Promote Energy Efficiency sounds good, doesn’t it?  Wait a minute, not so fast!  First let us examine what this “citizen initiative” says that voters will be asked to vote on in November.

What this questioned poses to voters, if passed, will decrease the excise tax imposed on motor vehicles for the first year from 24 mills to 12 mills, for the 2nd year from 17 ½ mills to 8 mills and for the 3rd year from 13 ½ mills to 4 mills and imposes a 4 mills rate for the 4th and succeeding years. 

This bill also exempts from the excise tax imposed on motor vehicles the first 3 model years of a hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle, a fuel-cell-fueled or hydrogen-fueled vehicle or a highly energy efficient vehicle that has a highway fuel economy estimate of at least 40 miles to the gallon.  After the first 3 years, the rate of excise tax is the same as on other motor vehicle of the same age.  This bill also exempts from the sales tax 100% of the sale or lease price of a new hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle, a fuel-cell-fueled or hydrogen-fueled vehicle or a vehicle with a highway fuel economy estimate of at least 40 miles per gallon. Doesn’t this just want to make you go out and buy a hybrid car that you can’t afford in order not to pay the excise or sales tax? 

This all sounds really great, right? Well, let us take a look at the effect of this “great piece” of “citizen initiative” statewide and what the effect will be as we prepare our municipal budget for the coming year.

In Lewiston, the fiscal year 2010 takes effect on July 1, 2009 and runs through June, 2010.  If the above is passed by referendum this coming November, it must take effect by January 2010. That falls right in the middle of our budget year. Because of its potential for passing, in order to budget for such a loss in revenue, we must budget a loss of $770,000 in order not to run a deficit.  The amount for a full year in 2011 is $1,650.000.  This is the effect of what is being proposed.

Mayor's Corner: Commissions/Collaboration/Consolidation/MAINEiacs

Twin City Times- Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Mayor's Corner #72

As Mayor of the City of Lewiston, one of our Twin Cities, I initially felt a great sense of anger and disappointment as I watched the Auburn City Council a couple of weeks ago decide not to meet with the Lewiston City Council to spend a Saturday morning together discussing consolidation hopefully with former Governor Angus King functioning as a facilitator. His former Chief of Staff, Ms. Kay Rand, has been the consultant working with the Citizen’s Commission on Joint Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation.

Last Monday I was again disappointed and felt a sense of anger at the actions of the Auburn City Council who by a 5-2 margin voted to adopt Mayor John Jenkins’ resolution to unilaterally dissolve the Citizens’ Commission on Joint Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation.
I was also very disappointed with Mayor Jenkins inciting false concerns for citizens of Auburn about a presentation by Casella Waste System that had absolutely nothing to do with the City of Auburn.

As a result, I was ready to fire back with a great deal of ammunition including responding to City Manager Glen Aho’s comments in last week’s column about the “Gig Line.” All of this would serve no useful purpose.  It would become, point/counterpoint. Such activity rarely solves anything except fortify positions. I’ve never seen wars solve anything and only served to cause harm and damage.  That isn’t what our taxpayers want from their elected officials. 

I also heard from many taxpayers and citizens from both cities express their displeasure at dissolving the Commission. Some are considering running for elected office this November.

I then began to ask myself, why am I feeling so disappointed and angry?  Well, I guess it is because I, along with many other citizens and taxpayers, from both sides of the river have worked so hard since 1995 working towards collaboration and consolidation. I first worked on the L.A. Together Report; I then served most recently on the Mayors (Guay, of Lewiston-Auburn) Joint Services Commission. This effort then led to the creation of the Citizens’ Commission on Joint Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation.

Mayor's Corner: Attendance at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration

Twin City Times- Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Mayor's Corner #71

It was the day after the November election that I had much to be pleased about.  Barack Obama had been elected President of the United States and although I had originally endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton, I was pleased that Barack Obama was going to become our President. 

During the campaign, I had also endorsed Susan Collins for re-election as our United States Senator. She had wanted to win Lewiston a predominantly Democratic city and by winning by a significant margin, the citizens of the city I serve sent her a message that they were pleased with her service to all of us. I joined her and her staff at Simone’s Hot Dog Restaurant that day and all were in a celebratory mood.  It was then that I asked our good senator if it might be possible to get tickets to President Obama’s Inauguration. She immediately directed her staff to pursue that goal. A few weeks passed and I was pleased to hear from her that she was able to get two seated tickets and two priority standing tickets in response to my request for me and my wife Pat and two of our children, Karla and Larry Jr. to attend. Of course, Pat and I had the seats!

We then set out to find a hotel.  It took no time to discover that there were no hotel rooms available anywhere in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas.  The closest hotels were in the Wilmington, Delaware area.  With that in mind, we felt it would be impossible to attend.  We had accepted that fact and so we were planning to take the day off as a family and watch it together. 

During the hotel search, Larry Jr.’s friend and former St. Dom’s High School Classmate, Steve Mercier, who works for a national company called Product First, happens to be a Gold Card Member for Hilton Hotels as he travels extensively in his work. He checked with Hilton Hotels and there was nothing close even for priority members. Steve also checked with the man who hired him, Trevor DeLew as he is a similar member with Sheraton Hotels and his results were negative as well. This is when Trevor DeLew and his wife Camille offered for us to stay at their home in Oakton, Virginia not far from Dulles International Airport. They live only about five minutes from the Vienna Metro Station, the last stop on the Orange Line.

We were a bit reluctant to go and stay in a home belonging to complete strangers. Then Steve told us all about them and how wonderful this couple was and that they had two young children, Bella age 8 and Quinn age 5.  He said they had a beautiful home and the entire basement was basically an in-law apartment with a kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom. He said he had stayed there himself.  We thought, well this will make it possible to attend this historic moment in our nation’s history.