LEWISTON — The appointment Tuesday of Luke Jensen to the School Committee has been postponed because of concerns from several councilors, Mayor Robert Macdonald said.
Jensen was to be appointed the Ward 5 representative of the Lewiston School Committee, after Ward 5 member Richard White resigned for personal reasons.
Macdonald said the appointment request was forwarded to him from School Committee Chairwoman Linda Scott but that a number of councilors have since come forward with concerns about the choice.
He said he received calls from at least four councilors, asking him to pull the appointment from Tuesday’s council workshop agenda. Macdonald declined to say which councilors contacted him.
“People don’t know if it’s the wisest choice,” Macdonald said Tuesday.
City Council President Kristen Cloutier deferred comment on the decision to Macdonald. Cloutier serves as the City Council representative on the School Committee. She said she wasn’t one of the councilors who contacted Macdonald.
Macdonald said Ward 5 has not had representation on the School Committee for a number of weeks, but that he also had concerns about appointing Jensen to the seat. Ward 5 represents the Longley Elementary School neighborhood.
Deputy City Clerk Kelly Brooks confirmed Tuesday that the mayor’s appointment is postponed until the next City Council meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 7. She said she didn’t know why the item was postponed.
The City Charter stipulates the City Council must approve the mayor’s appointment.
Jensen, 26, has sought a number of elected positions, and has frequently been outspoken on issues in the community. He said Tuesday that he wasn’t given a reason for the delay.
“It’s unfortunate,” he said. “If (councilors) have an issue, they need to make that public so I can address their concerns.”
He added, “With a budget coming up, we need to get started.”
Jensen said he had been working as a substitute teacher in Lewiston schools, but had planned to give it up, if appointed, to avoid a conflict of interest. He said he is also planning to open his own business.
Jensen ran for mayor in 2015, a race won by Macdonald. A fifth-generation Lewiston resident, Jensen graduated from Lewiston High School in 2009 and graduated from Lynchburg College with a bachelor’s degree in international relations in 2013.
He has run for the state Legislature and has served on the Lewiston Historic Preservation Review Board. In 2016, he spearheaded an effort to move Lewiston’s election to June to keep Bates College students from voting.
When running for mayor in 2015, Jensen said Lewiston needs to be a city where young people want to stay, that investments should be made in the community to make Lewiston a more attractive place for young individuals and families.
Jensen said he recognizes he’s been a vocal critic of council decisions in the past, and said he attends School Committee meetings regularly.
Staff Writer Bonnie Washuk also contributed to this report.
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