$6.7 Million Town Budget Passes With Controversy

"The Town Council on Tuesday adopted the 2009-10 municipal budget of $6,745,945. It's 9 percent less than last year."

"The spending plan is based on $2,764,368 in anticipated revenues, which are down by $700,000 from last year. The loss, Town Manager Steve Eldridge said, is due to less state revenue sharing and an anticipated reduction in excise taxes."

Well, we all know that Eldridge couldn't anticipate a Fart At A Bean Supper.

Anyone that was at the town council meeting in person to witness the off camera antics of Town Officials agree that professionalism was missing similar to the Flamingos on the front lawn. And if you watched it on cable when it aired Thursday night, certainly you must be in disgust with the whole process and procedures that you witnessed.

Our over paid under qualified (can't even manipulate an Excel Spreadsheet) town manager does talk out of both sides of his mouth. Good thing council chair Bowie knew the budget so well to keep things moving. Wait, it is very possible that he put the budget together again this year. Two years in a row of the most incomplete town budget presentation, ever. A town employee and local citizen was not allowed to speak to answer or rather clarify an important issue regarding, hourly wage or salary. But yet many other employees were asked to clarify certain important perspectives. And he was even proven a liar by Councilor Cote.

Come On People band together. This has to stop for the sake of this community. Are you going to let Our monies be spent for this kind of representation?

Follow the Sun Journal writing here.

Editor's Note:The following was submitted to us by people in attendance at Tuesday's Council Meeting.

The Sun Journal (Friday June5,2009) article needs to have an addendum. A Lisbon town employee did lose their job. Although Town Mgr. Eldridge was quoted Tuesday night as saying "it's $7000, only $7000" it was some one's job and that means that $7000 is a person.

A part time position in the assessment/code enforcement office was voted by the Town Council (TC) to be cut yet two councilors fought tooth and nail to save positions in the police dept. Mrs Wells referenced positions in the state troopers being hired and when it was also brought to her attention that Portland also laid off police officers, her comment was "well we are not Portland, we are Lisbon!" Well, we are also not the state however, why did you fight so hard for these 2 positions yet felt someone who only earned $7000 a year was so easily done away with? A dollar figure should not represent ones importance with an employer.

Seemed like the very prejudiced discussion and even more appalling was the language over heard from a fellow Lisbon PD officer in the audience during this discussion of the budget. He was over heard by several audience members as telling TC members to Shut the "F" up, "F" off. Not professional and quite honestly, once he moved in the audience from his original seat and closer to the TC, seemed like a form of intimidation.

Oh, that's right, intimidation does not come from this PD per Mr. Brooks our chief of police. How would he know he is too busy looking up 'a ddresses'. If a thorough investigation was done from this TC meeting, we would beg to differ. We think facts need to be reported and Sun Journal should have watched last nights airing of the budget to confirm the story before printing. A part time employee who receives no benefits from the town lost her position!!!

3 positions are up....one is choosing not to run again....can't imagine why. Mrs. Wells and Mr. Bowie should be concerned that they may not be in one of the 7 current TC seats come November. You can't show such bias as they did this past Tuesday. Mrs. Wells and Mr. Larochelle did not offer any compromise to the police budget that was voted down initially 4-2.

Instead Mr. Bowie let council go at it for an hour and pecked away at Mrs. Mason and Mrs. Henry until they caved. We think a compromise would have been to meet the opposing votes half way but instead, they caved. Mr. Bowie stated many times in he meeting that no jobs were being cut, he is just as bad as Mr. Eldridge and the Sun Journal.

A job was cut/lost.

Do the research!

This is getting to be more disgusting as time goes on.

Yeah, great budget cut of $700+k but don't hide behind untruths and misstatement of facts!

Signed,
Lisbon Taxpayers


Now that a long time employee has left, surely there will be more 'rough water' for Lisbon Town Offices.

So who is next to get sick of the Crap?

Will Mike Cote with all the uncertainty of what his job duties entail and uncertainty of compensation head for 'Greener' pastures? Can you blame him?

Then what?

Will Eldridge make Bradley 'head' of the Code Enforcement and Assessors Office?

Is Steve the father of any of Rosie's offspring? That would be Extortion at the very least.

Guess it is OK though, as the Maine Municipal Association gave him a great reference. But why? Research indicates that Mr. Eldridge held a board position with them earlier in his career.
See for yourselves by clicking here.

But wait, look at what goes on at the State and National level, this is becoming a prerequisite.

Now that's our opinion, We welcome yours.