Dumb ~N~ Dumber: Lisbon's Lack Of Leadership

LISBON’S LACK OF LEADERSHIP

The State of Maine has established a vehicle for the taxpayers to utilize to obtain information and documentations pertaining to the operation of the government whether it is local or state. This vehicle is called the Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) and is utilized to obtain documents which are Public Records. These FOAA’s can be used to investigate how your tax dollars are being spent. I have used these FOAA’s to obtain critical information to determine the management or mismanagement of the town of Lisbon.

I have submitted numerous of these requests to the town of Lisbon and for the most part the town has provided me the information requested. However, there has been three occasions now where the town has denied the information and I have had to seek assistance in obtaining this information. I submitted two FOAA’s, which were denied, and I had to file a law suit against the town to obtain this information. In going this route, I had to pay an attorney to represent me in court and the town of Lisbon had to pay the Town Attorney, Roger Therriault his legal fees. This was expensive for me ($3,000.00) and for the town (approximately $10,000.00). In the end, the judge ruled I was entitled to this information and the town provided the information to me.

 Roger Therriault

The money I was forced to spend, for information I was entitled to, was well spent. I received an education into how Attorney Roger Therriault legally steals hard earned tax dollars from the towns he represents. Therriault provides bad information to the towns stating the individual is NOT entitled to the information hoping the individual will take the town to court. Once this is filed in court, Therriault delays all proceedings as long as he can. In my two cases, he delayed the proceedings three times which means he collected his legal fees which are approximately $150.00 per hour for driving from Bath to Auburn, spending five minutes in the judge’s chambers and driving back to Bath. This is all legal but totally unnecessary because Therriault had knowledge I was entitled to the information all the time. This is a legal method to steal money from taxpayers.

This is the strategy utilized by the Town Manager to allow him time to look into the information I was seeking and try and cover up the mismanagement. In one case, the town retired three individuals and rehired the same three at the same salary without the positions being advertised and any other candidates being considered. In the second case, two of the town’s outstanding loans were to have been paid off in 2008 and in 2011 these two loans were still outstanding. This clearly reflects mismanagement on the part of the town and the Chief Administrative Officer, Eldridge. They can easily spend our tax dollars but have no interest in ensuring, in these cases, our money is returned. 

 Stephen G. Eldridge

In both cases, the judge ordered the town of Lisbon to provide me information I was entitled to receive.  During the town council workshop of May 15^th, 2012, Councilor Vice-Chair Lori Pomelow stated, and I am quoting from the approved minutes of the workshop, “Councilor Vice-Chair Pomelow said regarding legal overages, that the people who run up the bill, we should seek reimbursement from.”… In other words, because I had to take the town to court in order to receive information I was always entitled to; I need to reimburse the town for legal overages. The reason we were in court is because the town Attorney and the Town Manager do not know what they are doing; so why should I be compelled to reimburse the town? I believe this clearly reflects the location of Councilors Pomelow’s head and it is not on her shoulders. How does the old saying go; “Have your head up your butt?”.

 Vice-Chair Lori Pomelow

Now to get to the latest incident, I submitted a FOAA requesting information and was denied. This time, I tried another avenue by asking the State of Maine, Department of Economic Community Development (DECD) to assist me. The DECD contacted and met with the town and it was determined I was entitled to the information requested. The town provided the information to me at no additional legal fees or cost to the town and myself. Again, Therriault providing bad information and the town manager did not want to provide information taxpayers are entitled too. As it turns out, the town is currently missing required documents. This is yet another example of mismanagement by our Chief Administrative Officer. Is not the job of taxpayers to bring this information to light.

How long are we going to continue to put up with this behavior at $85,000.00 (Town Manager’s salary) of our taxpayer dollars? Don’t we deserve better? Why does any taxpayer have to go to these lengths to obtain information they are entitled to by the law?

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen