Lisbon Councilors Ineptness Keeps Going, Growing, & Glowing.....

COUNCIL WORKING RULES

Back on April 5, 2011, the Council Working Rules was first put on the agenda. Since April 5, 2011, it has been discussed and the council held a few workshops in order to get everything perfect. Finally, on June 21, 2011, the council presented the final product to be vote on and it passed with only one councilor (Cote) voting NOT to approve the final document. Since June 21^st, the Town Council realizes they really screwed up the Council Working Rules and so now, one month later, the council is having a workshop to correct the screw-ups in the Council Working Rules they worked so hard on and approved. OPS!!!!!!

Mrs. Pomelow started this movement to change the Council Working Rules and it was because the meetings were so long and she felt the council was not getting enough town business accomplished. Yet, on the evening of the vote, Mrs. Pomelow was nowhere to be found. If they want to improve the Council Working Rules; they should require the sponsor to be present at the meeting to explain the reasons for the change. If the sponsor cannot be present then the item should be tabled until the sponsor is able to be present. Now this would be worthy of changing the Council Working Rules.

I believe moving the Audience Participation under Public Hearing was another excellent and worthy change. This allows someone to bring up NEW business and new business only. After Audience Participation is complete, the resident has the option of staying for the entire meeting or whatever portion the resident is interested in and then can leave. I can see how this would speed up the meetings.

However, the council has demonstrated how ineffective they really are by spending two months on these working rules and then voting on them. Now the council is having a workshop to rework the Council Working Rules because the author of the changes was totally inept the first time. I can only image what the residents of the town are in for this time around. I would not put it past the council to have the Town Council meetings closed to the residents. This would really speed up the process of town business. Keep in mind, these changes are meant to keep the residents from knowing what the council is doing. There are so many deals done behind closed doors now it is not funny. Bowie holds a meeting, in Eldridge’s office before every meeting to ensure the puppets know their scripts. The only councilor NOT allowed to participate in the pre-meeting is Councilor Cote. Of course, these pre-meetings are totally illegal but they do not care because they do what they want and are protected by Eldridge and Brooks.

Mrs. Pomelow wants to restrict all comments on issues being voted on in order to speed up the meetings. Once the sponsor explains the reason for the changes and the councilors have asked their questions; the audience has the right to ask questions. The input from the audience is critical for the councilors to know how the public feels on the issue. As I have told the council many times, Eldridge never presents all the facts on any issues. I cannot understand how the Town Council can vote on an issue without knowing all the facts. This is why it is vital to hear what the audience has to say.

Maine Revised Status Title 13-C, 708. Conduct of Meeting, paragraph 3. Fairness of rules states “Rules adopted for the meeting and the conduct of a meeting held pursuant to this chapter must be fair to shareholders.” I believe this means the residents have a right under this statue to voice their opinion prior to the Town Council voting on town business. The Town of Lisbon is Incorporated and therefore the residents are the shareholders. I hope whoever decides to take credit for the upcoming rules changes will keep this in mind.

Is it possible to have this council produce a worthy Council Working Rules this time? Every time a council member wants to talk about wasting valuable time, remember, the sitting council screwed up the revised Council Working Rules and are having to redo them. A wise man once told me if you do it right the first time you will never have to waste valuable time fixing it. Who is wasting the council’s time now; that would be the council themselves? This clearly demonstrates how effective this council is and how much the councils read what is put before them prior to a vote. This council “rubber stamps” whatever is put before them.

We really need to change this setting council to be more effective.

Larry A. Fillmore

Concerned Citizen