Why Do The Lisbon Councilors NOT Listen To Their Citizens?

WHAT IS COMMUNICATIONS??

 Lisbon Town Council Chairman Fern Larochelle

At Tuesday night’s town council meeting, Chairman Fern LaRochelle said that starting with the new council there was going to be about a half an hour prior to the meeting for citizens to meet informally with councilor members to discuss any concerns the people had.  In Chairman LaRochelle’s words as quoted in the Sun Journal “These open sessions, prior to our meeting, will be open forum to broaden our communications.”  This idea was recommended by Councilor Gina Mason. 

                                                                    

 Lisbon Town Councilor Gina Mason

I believe the idea is a sound one but I do not believe it will solve the problems in Lisbon.  The issue is not hearing the problems or solutions but is the council really listening to the people.  It appears the council does ONLY what it wants to do regardless of what the people’s wishes are.

I will cite for you some incidents: (1) the people at a Public Hearing stated that because of the economy the people did not want a 2% pay increase for town employees kept in the municipal budget; (2) the fireworks survey conducted by the town indicated the people did not want the use and sale of fireworks in Lisbon.  As a result of the people’s desires, the town kept the 2% pay increase in the budget and raised our taxes and passed a fireworks ordinance approving the use and sale of fireworks in Lisbon.

Councilor Roger Cote

 Lisbon Councilor Roger Bickford

But my personal favorite is two years ago, Roger Cote and Roger Bickford asked the people if they wanted to vote on the municipal budget “by departments” and the majority of the people said yes.  Both Councilor Cote and Bickford brought it before the council but were ignored.  However, Councilor Bickford persisted and the next year forced the remaining councilors to put it on the November ballot as a referendum question.  The result was overwhelming with over 2,000 voting in favor of voting on the municipal budget.

So the council kept putting it off because they were working on the budget.  Then the town attorney, Roger Therriault, met approximately four times and came up with a proposed charter change.  The people spoke out against this ridiculous proposal.  I believe the council did this just to stall because they had waited so long they did not have sufficient time to get it on this year’s ballot.  But instead of continuing to work on this issue for the people; they have taken no further action.  The municipal budget was safe for another year.  So why are they not working on it now?

 Lisbon Town Manager Stephen Eldridge

Mr. Eldridge has already presented the municipal budget schedule for next year and it is starting December 18, 2012 and runs through June 11, 2013.  By the time the council gets around to it another year will have passed.  There is no end to the lengths they will go to keep the people from voting on the municipal budget by departments.

As I see it there is no problem with the communications between the people and the council.  The problem is the council not doing what the people want or totally ignoring the wishes of the people.  If this is true then this open forum is just another attempt to divert the real problem away from the council.  Councilors need to listen to the people and do what the people want.  Remember it is the people who elected them.

LISTENING TO AND SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE’S DESIRES IS THE ANSWER!!!!!!!!!!!!

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen