Mike Bowie Recall

After attending last Tuesday's Council meeting and listening to several people question the wisdom of a recall of Lisbon Town councilor Mike Bowie, I feel that a letter is in order. 

I am one of the petitioners who turned in signatures for a recall election.  As insinuated by one of the speakers at that meeting, no one circulating a petition or myself told signers anything but what was stated on the petition to the best of my knowledge.  There was a handout available for signers to read in addition to what was printed on the petition itself. 

Ms. Renee Bernier, a Lewiston councilor and sister-in-law of Mike Bowie, spoke at the meeting and said that the Lisbon citizens were causing turmoil and stated that she just happened to have a voice recorder with her at the Lisbon transfer station to record what a petitioner was saying.  She also stated she wanted all councilors' personal computers confiscated so that she could see if anyone of them corresponded with local citizens concerning this matter.  

Other things were also threatened by Ms. Bernier.  Please see the recorded meeting for her performance.  (Click here for the video link to Lisbon Town Council Meeting 12/07/10)

The Lewiston Sun-Journal subsequently prints an article about the Androscoggin County advisory committee, of which Mike Bowie and Ms. Bernier are members.  (Click here for that story)

One of their tasks is to either recommend or discontinue lifetime health benefits for Henry Bernier and his wife, Mike Bowie's in-laws and Ms. Bernier's parents.  This is a contentious costly benefit to the taxpayers of Androscoggin County as Lisbon taxpayers pay in the neighborhood of $500,000.00 county tax.  

The article states that Mike Bowie doesn't know how he will vote and Ms. Bernier is curiously silent.  

I encourage all Lisbon residents to read the editorial in Wednesday's Sun-Journal encouraging them to abstain from this vote, as has Mr. Samson's son who is on this committee also, but will abstain from  voting due to his father's being covered by this costly benefit.  (Click here for that story)

If Lisbon residents are conflicted about Mike Bowie's integrity and response to family benefits paid by taxpayers, look no further than his father-in-law, then remember his wife's employment with the Town.

Mary Ann Morgan
Lisbon Falls