Last Night's Lisbon Town Council Meeting

RECAP TOWN COUNCIL JAN 3

Last night’s Town Council meeting was short, sweet and to the point.  But it had a couple of interesting issues citizens need to know.  The two major ones pertain to this year’s budget ideas and abatement.  But before these issues are discussed, an update on the Western Maine Transportation (Lisbon Connection) situation.  Money was found to extend Western Maine Transportation service through mid to end of April 2012.  This is a short term solution but at least it provides citizens with service for a few more months and provides time to secure funding on a permanent base.

Now for the major issues, everyone knows in order to lower taxes in Lisbon, there needs to be a reduction in spending.  This means this Town Council needs to find ways to reduce the operating costs in Lisbon.  The council last night approved the minutes of the Town Council for the Workshop conducted on December 13th.  The puppet master (Bowie) discussed providing town employee’s with a lump sum wage increase this year.  According to the minutes “Councilor Bowie said because of the way we have treated all of our employees over the past few years that we should look at a lump sum wage increase, which is not compounded yearly upon the base so it would not increase our workers comp, insurance, etc.”    This would include his wife who works in the Police Department.  According to Chairman David Bowie of the Ethic Panel, this is NOT a conflict of interest because Bowie did not name her outright and Mrs. Bowie is not receiving an increase in her wages that other employees are going to receive.
Last year this council approved a 1.75% wage increase for all town employees and gave ten thousand dollars pay increases to four department heads.  Apparently, Bowie forgot all about these raises.  To me, this is increasing spending and will only serve to increase taxes in Lisbon.  Remember in November 2012, Bowie is up for reelection and will be the only opportunity to vote him out.
 

 The Puppet Master praying for a great New Year for more money to hand out!

 There was an abatement issue put before the Town Council for approval on behalf of Thomas and Marjorie Severance for back years of 2008 and 2009 which the council approved.  This situation was created by an error on the part of a town employee.  This situation was handled properly by the Town Council.  However, it brings out the fact town employees need to be held accountable for their actions.  The residents of Lisbon have a perfect right to expect town employees to perform their duties in a professional and timely manner.  There have been several other cases in the registration department over vehicle registrations.  Citizens have been overcharged on their excise taxes.  This happened to two Town Councilors and no one knows how many other citizens.  The people of Lisbon have a right to expect town employees to perform their duties correctly.  One councilor was penalized when he challenged the town and instead of admitting there was an error by a town employee, they made him pay the full amount.  This is wrong.  The town needs to share in the responsibility when an error occurs and make every effort to ensure it does not happen again and the resident receive the proper service without paying a penalty.

Remember in November residents have an opportunity to vote out three councilors. 
Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen