Emergency meeting for TC, really? Etc

Was it a matter of convenience or the hope that NOONE will show? 

 

I cant imagine the legitimacy in scheduling an emergency meeting for the public to attend on a Friday night!

 

  One of the busiest nights for parents of school age children.  Rather than rushing to have this meeting, maybe they should move the regular council meeting scheduled for the 21st and make that night the emergency meeting.  People are used to meetings occurring on Tuesday nights and it doesnt seem reasonable to hold this meeting with such short notice, emergency or not, and yet on a Friday night. 

 

I am curious as to why they selected a Friday night or was this night picked and chosen by ONE councilor alone?  

 

I watched the faces of the councilors when it was announced that Dingleys tax assessment came back 1.8 million less than the year prior (for those who were there or watched on TV, the name of the business was never spoken but if you have been following along it wasnt hard to figure out).  I found it odd that MOST of the councilors seemed surprised as if this was the first they were made aware of this tax shortfall one that has impacted OUR taxes so greatly this year, not just the increased assessment of our homes to the 80% threshold.

 

  Funny thing was, there was ONE councilor who didnt appear shocked at all.  I was not aware that one councilor is made privy to town items ahead of the rest.  I do believe ALL of the councilors should have been made aware of the situation ahead of the meeting and that means ALL not ONE. The town council is made up of 7 people, not one.  (The town manager stated he learned of this tax shortfall a few weeks prior to the Sept 7th meeting - why was it not announced until the TC meeting to the councilors, after tax bills were sent out?) 

 

This information should have immediately been made available to the town councilors as it affected the tax rate dramatically.  This was in addition to everyone being brought up to an 80% assessment rate. 

I am curious, is the town of Lisbon now at risk of a lawsuit by Dingley?? 

 

I am hearing rumors that we are.  I think the town councilors and the town manager owe the citizens and answer and to keep us informed as it is OUR tax dollars you are spending to fight legal battles...some as ridiculous as spending $10,000 fighting unemployment for a former employee or to take a home of a resident, abandoned or not.  We could have settled out of court for much less by just offering something to compensate the land owner for the lot since the house is not worth anything.   

 

I am curious to know, how close are we to our budgeted amount for legal so far in 2010/2011?  Is this a line that we will again go over on? 

 

Lets focus on the things that matter like not taking actions on items that drive people out of this town!!!!  People will not be able to afford to live here at the rate that we are going.

 

We ALL need to come together and affect change in Lisbon before it becomes a ghost town!  This community has been and is a great place to raise a family and I for one have been very appreciative of that.

 

A VERY CONCERNED citizen,

Michelle Turmelle