District 2 Candidate for Town Council

Who in the world is Michelle Swatsworth-Turmelle?

I am a candidate on the November 3, 2009 ballot for town council in district 2.  I have resided in Lisbon Falls with my family since December 1994.  I have been an active parent/participant in the schools, scouting, sports and all events and activities surrounding my children as they grew up here.  I love what a small town has to offer.   I see a lot of things that we can improve and do better on that will improve the assets our small town has to offer its current and future residents.

If you have watched or attended a town council meeting within the last two years then you should know who I am.  I am the lady that goes to podium to ask the hard questions and I try to get the answers to those hard questions.

During the spring 2008 budget season I asked our town manager and town council why we were not putting our insurance coverage out to bid rather than leaving it with the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) each year.  I pressed them hard and held my ground each month until this was eventually followed up on in September 2008.  The insurance for this town was put out to bid and did you know that $80,000 was saved as a result?  I believe in doing what is right for our town.

I am not related to any town employee in Lisbon.  I have no relationships that would cause me to be unbiast.  I have continued to ask questions and request information to make sure I, as well as the public, are kept informed.  Transparency is a must.

I am an original member of the Ethics Panel since its formation in November 2008.  I/we have had to participate in two referrals to date.  One that caused us to take a hard look at what is ethical and what is not with regards to town councilor positions and Lisbon employee relationships when it comes to our municipal budget review.   I realize we all live in a small town and that this small town is what makes us such a great place to raise our families and live however, there are provisions in the charter to help make sure that all actions and procedures are done in an ethical manner.  If you question something, ask.  No one ever got an answer by not asking the question.

Are there areas that can still change?  Sure there are.  Our town employees graciously agreed to not take a raise this year and I commend them for this.  I do feel there are a few areas in the budget that could have still been cut.  I don’t see cuts at this time that will be large enough to reduce our taxes however, they are enough to help cover some areas of concern and need.  There are rumblings of a possible reassessment coming our way.  This can be a good thing for our town and this can affect your taxes.  I strongly encourage everyone to read up on the affects of a reassessment and how a change in the mill rate may change the tax value of your property.  They don’t always go up.    We all have had to take a hard line within our own households, as a town we need to as well fiscally.

I hope that my two plus year record in advocating for the town of Lisbon speaks for itself and if you haven’t seen a meeting, ask someone who has or TLR, they have archived articles on items I have addressed.  I am not here for popularity or because I want to be a councilor to vote for what my friends want.  I am here as a concerned resident in OUR town- Lisbon (Lisbon Falls) and I want to make sure that fiscally the right things are done ethically and responsibly on OUR behalf.

I appreciate the time you have taken to read this and of course in November at the polls I would appreciate your vote.

Sincerely,

Michelle Swatsworth-Turmelle

Candidate for Town Council, District 2