Lunt

The South Portland City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to rename its municipal services building on Highland Avenue after Russ Lunt, a resident and former public works employee who died in June after a brief illness.

Lunt was known for attending every City Council meeting and was dubbed South Portland’s “Eighth Councilor.” Whether the room was packed or he was the only resident present, Lunt was there to represent himself and his fellow citizens.

“I think it is a unique circumstance that we may never see again,” Mayor Misha Pride said at the council meeting on Tuesday. “There is just no replacing or succeeding a Russ Lunt.”

City Manager Scott Morelli said employees of the Public Works Department were asked to come up with ways to honor Lunt. One idea they had was a plaque or memorial in an area Lunt frequented for lunch, Morelli said, while the other was renaming the building.

“What brought him into public services, as it were, and coming to all of our meetings and getting involved as much as he was in the first place was this municipal services building,” Pride said. “I think it was quite appropriate to give him this honor.”

The Russ Lunt Municipal Services Building will be dedicated at a ribbon cutting ceremony next month.