AUBURN — Mayor Jason Levesque’s wish to create a committee to study the feasibility of a water filtration plant at Lake Auburn will have to wait at least another two weeks.
The City Council tabled a vote Monday to support the mayor’s proposed committee on water quality at the lake after councilors disagreed over whether it’s necessary, instead arguing the city should be working more collaboratively with Auburn water officials.
The 5-1 vote to delay came after councilors questioned the motives behind Levesque’s committee, which he has said would study building a filtration plant at the lake as well as the potential for more recreational opportunities.
Levesque first said he would form the committee in January, a few weeks after taste and odor issues with the local drinking water subsided following a late summer algae bloom.
Due to the historically clean water supply, Lewiston and Auburn receive a waiver from the state that allows the district to deliver water without filtering it. However, Levesque and others believe it’s only a matter of time before the district loses its waiver if the algae issues continue.
Sid Hazelton, superintendent of the Auburn Water District, has argued building a filtration plant would cost millions and potentially add hundreds of dollars a year to the local water rates.
Comments from the mayor Monday pointed to friction between city administration and water officials.
“Auburn water has shown a complete lack of willingness to look at this,” Levesque said Monday in response to concerns from councilors.
Levesque said recent water studies and other materials commissioned or completed by the Auburn Water District have not been shared with city officials, even after officials have asked several times, which City Manager Peter Crichton confirmed.
Councilor Bob Hayes made the motion to table the issue, and asked Crichton to reach out to water officials.
“It’s about looking outside the normal stream of operations, and letting a group of people, who are citizens, look at this, and dig,” Levesque said. “How do we demand something we have no control over.”
A council memo describing the water quality committee features a long list of goals, including creating a concept plan for a filtration plant, estimating the length of time the filtration waiver can be maintained, and doing “an economic analysis to evaluate the cost/benefit of a water filtration plant, including the level of development that might be supported and the cost of additional municipal services to support such development and the extent to which new tax revenues would offset these costs.”
Both Hayes and Councilor Holly Lasagna said they’re concerned with the way the goals are described, with Lasagna saying it “skews one way. I don’t know if having this committee is the right way to go about this.”
Hayes said an undercurrent to the entire Lake Auburn discussion has been the potential for residential development on the lake should a filtration plant be built.
“It suggests an opinion right up front,” he said.
Levesque and others have argued that the rising levels of algae-producing phosphorus in the lake — and other issues that could cause the district to lose its waiver — might not be solved with further watershed protection efforts, and that filtration could afford increased recreational or development opportunities.
However, water officials have argued that more recreation — or lakeside development — could further jeopardize filtration efforts, and drive up the cost of treatment.
Mill and Main streets intersection design
The council approved a controversial new five-way intersection design Monday for Mill and Main streets near Rolly’s Diner.
Despite concerns and a unanimous vote against the proposal by the Lewiston-Auburn Complete Streets Committee, the council in a 4-3 vote approved the new design, which will include a new traffic signal at the exit from Rolly’s Diner onto Mill Street.
With Councilor Andy Titus absent, Mayor Jason Levesque cast the deciding vote, with Councilors Holly Lasagna, Bob Hayes and David Young voting against the proposal.
The Complete Streets Committee argued that adding a fifth signal to the intersection would shut down the overall intersection and exacerbate congestion “where it is already challenged.”
David Das, a member of the Complete Streets Committee, said Monday that he’s been walking in New Auburn for more than 20 years, and is familiar with the intersection that’s already dangerous for pedestrians.
“I’m not sure signalizing the exit will help in any way,” he said about the design. “I’d like to think it would work, but it could encourage the same behaviors we already see,” which he said includes motorists turning right on red without looking.
The original design would have eliminated the driveway exit and was preferred by city staff and the Maine Department of Transportation, but it was amended after the owner of Rolly’s opposed the design.
Councilor Leroy Walker, who represents New Auburn, said one of the original designs proposed a traffic light on 2nd Street, preferable to Rolly’s, but was also shot down.
“That would have been the safest way overall,” he said.
Lasagna said she voted against the design because, “It’s important we think of the whole community, not just one business.”
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