This and That‏

WELL, WELL, WELL, IF THAT DON'T BEAT ALL! ! !

Did you know  ? ? ? ? ?

that town Manager, Steve Eldridge's contract was renewed at the Tuesday February 15, 2011 Town Council meeting?

No?

I didn't think so.

Did your Councilor let you know that his contract renewal was coming up?

No?

I didn't think so.

What would your reaction have been, your response to that?

Yes?

No?

And the town office talks about transparency in government.

Listen up folks. There is NONE!

Councilor Roger Cote informed me and several of his constituents of the upcoming contract renewal, and he voted my opinion!

Roger was the only dissenting vote.

At the February 15, 2011 Town Council meeting, after a lengthy executive session, the council reconvened, a motion was quickly made to renew Eldridge's contract, and just as quickly a vote was taken. It passed 6 in favor, one opposed. No public comments allowed.

How would you have voted? What is your opinion of Town Manager Steve Eldridge?

"Sec. 3.02. of the Town of Lisbon Town Charter states that "The Town Manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the Town and the head of the administrative branch of the Town government. The Manager shall be responsible to the council for the proper administration of all affairs of the Town."

He is responsible for all town affairs, finances and department heads.

It would seen that only one member of the council recalls the screw-up in the Tax Assessors department, 2 years in a row!

In my opinion, hiring an unqualified person for the position of Tax Assessor, allowing that person to insult taxpayers while attempting to do a revaluation, and screwing up, not only once, but twice, is irresponsible.

Allowing tax bills to be sent out, and collecting real estate taxes illegally is irresponsible.

Shortly after taking the oath of office, not only hiring an unqualified person for the Department of Economic Development, but increasing the salary by $20,000, to $60,000 per year is irresponsible.

Regarding the Recall of Town Councilor and former chair of the Council Mike Bowie, sending me a letter requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act was irresponsible.

How many violations of the Town Charter, how many more screw-ups does it take for the Town Council to wake up and vote him out of office?

Evidently the Town Charter applies when it does not apply to Eldridge or to Councilor Bowie.

Case in point: At the February 15th council meeting, Lisbon Fire Chief Marc Veilleux cited Councilor Cote for violating the charter in his remarks at the February 1st meeting, concerning the burning of the Village Street Lisbon property. I guess it depends who is in violation of the Charter.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

At several Town Council meetings, Larry Fillmore, a resident of Lisbon, has been requesting a forensic audit of the Development Department, going back 10 years. The request has fallen on deaf ears. Why? If I were head of a department or Town Manager, I would welcome a forensic audit. Unless I had something to hide. To not do one would put one under suspicion of wrongdoing, would it not? I am going a step further and requesting a forensic audit of all the town books, going back 10 years. In view of what is happening in other towns across the State of Maine, I feel that a good, forensic audit most appropriate. What say fellow citizens and taxpayers? Do we need a revolt here in Lisbon similar to Egypt to make things right? to take back our town?  Maybe if enough citizens contact their councilor requesting a full and complete forensic audit, just maybe it will be done.  

What do they have to hide?

Dot Fitzgerald

A Concerned Lisbon citizen.