Councilors, Corruption And Cover-Ups

THE COVER-UP CONTINUES

At last Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, Chair Fern LaRochelle responded to the question I had asked at the previous meeting about the status of litigation on the $32,500 dollars misappropriated and why this loan was not listed as an outstanding loan by the town in response to the court order. The answer was it is still in litigation and second it was not on the outstanding loan list because it did not follow the proper procedures for a loan and the town’s position is; it is not a loan.

Lisbon Town Manager Stephen G. Eldridge

 This is double talk by Eldridge. The misappropriated $32,500 has been listed as an outstanding loan list since March 28, 2007 through June 30, 2011. I am in possession of the Purchase Order dated March 29, 2007; the Promissory Note signed on March 29, 2007 and a copy of the check issued to the Atlantic Commercial Cleaners dated March 28, 2007. Since Eldridge has repeatedly admitted there were not any actual procedures during the time frame of the loan, how can the town say this is not a valid loan? If this is not a loan then is must have been a gift from the tooth fairy.

Also, if you remember numerous months ago, Mrs. Dot Fitzgerald and I requested the town council order a forensic audit be performed on the Economic Community Development Department to ensure everything in that department is proper. At that time, Eldridge stated this was totally unnecessary because the town had instituted procedures to ensure there was no way a situation of this nature could reoccur. Eldridge also stated the current procedures had checks and balances to protect the integrity of the loans. Without a forensic audit there is no way of telling if there is more misappropriation or mismanagement of town funds. This audit could also assist in determining who took this money by investigating bank records and personal accounts.

Remember, Mrs. Jennifer Norris who was the Economic Director from July 2007 through January 2008 and discovered the mismanagement of these funds. After Mrs. Norris reported this mismanagement to Interim Town Manager Brooks; she was harassed and placed in an unsafe work environment by Brooks which resulted in her resigning after six months. The people will never know how much more misappropriations and mismanagement Mrs. Norris would have uncovered without a forensic audit.

 Lisbon Chief of Police David T. Brooks

Playing with words such as it was never a loan because it did not follow proper procedures when there were no procedures to follow; is just another form of covering-up the misappropriated and mismanagement of town funds. The town has done everything in its power to conceal what really took place. The citizens of Lisbon will never know who all was really involved in this theft; nor will they ever find out why Brooks, with all his experience and resources, could not conduct a thorough investigation which would result in a conviction; and finally expose who all is involved with the cover-up.

I know everyone in town is tired of the mention of the misappropriated and mismanagement of this $32,500; but until this cloud of deceit and theft can be resolved who can we trust with our money.

Remember there is no statute of limitation on fraud.

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen

Editor's Note:  Former Councilor Now State Representative Dale Crafts let it be known to many that he was 'in-charge' of the Econ. Develop. Department while this occurred and it wouldn't look good for him.  Also the loan to Conrad Davis materialized at this time and funds were used from the same unaudited CDBG  account that the missing $32,500 came from.

 Please stay tuned for more coming forth.

Originally Posted: 2012-04-06 15:27