I like Leroy Walker, but I am not enthusiastic about his repeated letters to the editor opposing the efforts of the Lewiston Auburn Charter Commission to gather facts about the possible merger of Lewiston and Auburn.
The commission is not conducting a “crusade” to merge the cities. It is only exploring the pluses and minuses of such a merger.
Attorney Elliot Epstein’s criticism of the Auburn City Council for trying to block the commission’s efforts was justified. In fact, the council’s vote to forbid city employees from discussing a possible merger was a violation of state law. The law expressly requires cities that have established a charter commission to cooperate with the charter study and make their employees available to discuss the issues with the representatives of the commission.
Walker also asserts that the idea of a merger has been repeatedly rejected by the voters. I don’t recall that the idea of a merger was ever voted on by the two cities. I was on the last committee that considered the issue which died without a vote when the Auburn City Council refused to consider it.
Perhaps, Walker and the others should “cool their jets” until the vote in November.
Curtis Webber, Auburn
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