The Town of Lisbon Web Site Provides Citizens With Information To Keep Them Informed Or Does It?

LISBON WEB SITE

The Town of Lisbon web site provides citizens with information to keep them informed or does it?  Information technology provides the means to keep individuals informed and up-to-date on pertinent issues.  Web sites are a cost effective method to inform vast numbers of people at the same time.  However, the information provided is only as good as the person responsible for updating the web site.

In the town of Lisbon, the web site is maintained by the Town Engineer, Ryan Leighton and the responsibility of keeping it current is the Chief Administrative Officer, Stephen (Evil) Eldridge.  The web site has a great deal of value and is already configured to provide citizens with valuable information.  One such function would be to post the Bids/RFP’s.  This is when items go out for bid and it is supposed to inform the public when the bids will be opened.  The opening of the bids in public is to ensure the process is on the up and up.  It is also required by Purchase Policy of the town. 

The last bid which went out approximately three weeks ago and was never posted on the town web site.  What else was not posted was the time and place the sealed bids would be open publicly.  I have no idea why we would create a web site (which cost the taxpayer's money) and then not utilize it for what it was intended.  My only explanation is once again the management of the town (Eldridge) does not want people to know what is going on in this town.  Remember there is no transparency of government in Lisbon.

Take for instance the Agenda for Town Council meeting and workshops.  The people of Lisbon had to beg the Town Council to post the agenda on Friday with the supporting documents so the residents had time to research these items in order to speak intelligently during the Audience Participation of the meeting.  This is working out very very well but the workshop agenda is never posted and there is no supporting documentation.  I asked for this at the last council meeting.   This is not rocket science but management wants to keep the people in the dark.  “No transparency in Lisbon” is the motto of Evil Eldridge, Bowie and the puppets.

At what point should the people put a stop to this injustice?  We need to change the management of this town.  Get rid of Eldridge and in 2012 get rid of Bowie and the puppets.  It is not too soon to make our wishes known.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen