Since I was cut short in reading my letter

Since I was cut short in reading my letter publicly, I will ask that you please post for the public to read.  I was allowed to be accused of making incorrect statements, accused of being negative, etc at the last public hearing by a town councilor.  I thought it was only fair that I be allowed to respectfully respond.  

I attempted to read my below letter/statement which was within my 3 minutes established by chairperson, Councilor Bowie, but instead I was cut short and told it had nothing to do with the budget.  I beg to differ.  It has to do with the budget and the process that is supposed to allow the public an open forum to come and openly discuss and ask questions regarding the budget.  I guess I would now ask that the public decide for themselves.


Lisbon Town Councilors:

For months you have proclaimed to not hear from the public or at best on a limited basis.  The April 27th public hearing was that, a public hearing.  This is supposed to give the public an opportunity to come and speak, ask questions, pose to you their thoughts and opinions.  This was not the time for the town council to attack the public and make accusatory statements that were incorrect at best.

I did not stand up and make negative comments as Councilor Mason accused me of doing.  I posed questions and inquired about the need of a current full time position that at present does not seem to be needed based on the current “volunteer” type of work and activity.  It is disappointing that Councilor Mason made remarks and implied that since I was not a business owner that I wouldn’t understand what Economic Development was.  I am guessing that I am not the only one who takes offense to that comment or the implication that the other 9300 voting residents in our town wouldn’t understand Economic Development unless they owned a business.  I think at times the town council or at least a few councilors in particular sell the knowledge of our towns residents short - we are smarter and brighter than you think or give us credit for.

Councilor Mason was attacking, argumentative, negative in tone and made incorrect statements in defense of an inquiry, question and citizens opinion expressed about Economic Development.  The statements about our Economic Development director overseeing the Thanksgiving Dinner was that, overseeing it, I DID NOT imply she was using town money to fund or pay for it. 

But just so the facts are correct, technically the towns people are paying for the coordination of it in part since our tax dollars partially help pay for the Economic Development Directors salary less matching funds through grants, etc.  This dinner used to be totally coordinated through volunteers. There is volunteer coordination for dinners, festivals, etc being overseen by this position that used to be overseen in total through volunteers.  This in itself suggests there is not enough Economic Development work at present to fill a 40 hour work week.  

Yes, the flags in memoriam are important, my husband is a vet and my brother is an active officer in the US Army so yes, I do support our veterans, but should this be overseen by our Economic Development Director?  What does this have to do directly with economic development? 

You wonder why citizens do not come out and speak?  The way the town council responds to the citizens has a lot to do with that.

A lot of people in town have taken on the philosophy “why come, why say anything, they are going to do what they want anyway!”

I feel some of the recommendations made to the Town Council by the Budget Advisory board in regards to the re-evaluation should be given more consideration.  For several months I was told by a few councilors that I should support the reassessment.  I was told that my taxes should go down.  I was told that our funds for tree growth would increase and homestead exemptions should go up.  

Why are you then removing this from the budget only to do a small part of it this year, the land only re-evaluation, laying off 30 teachers and school employees only to yet have our taxes go up?  Just doesn’t make sense to me that we are missing out on so much.  Why are we taking monies out of undesignated funds and raising taxes?  Robbing Peter to pay Paul has never worked. 

If the town council wants to have a better understanding of why people do not come to or participate in meetings or even email or call their councilors, please look in the mirror. 

Have you always been respectful and courteous to the citizens who you sit in your chair and represent?  If every councilor can answer yes to that, then I guess Lisbon has no issues.

  If you can't as a councilor answer that with a yes but a no, then maybe you should think over the last year or two as to what could be done better and where change should occur. 

If you don’t, the citizens may do it for you come November or sooner.

A very disappointed citizen,
Michelle Turmelle