Here We Go Again, The Same Old Budget Woes!!!

CURRENT BUDGET

 Mike Bowie

 (l to r) Police Chief David T. Brooks & Fire Chief Sean Galipeau

 

Lori Pomelow

Let us review the current budget the town is operating under.  The council approved a budget that included a 1.26 mil rate increase in our taxes to cover a shortfall of $546,429.  This budget was orchestrated and approved by Michael Bowie and Lori Pomelow.  Yet, 52 days later, the same council approved twenty (20) transfers of various amounts (see below).  Why would you need to move funds around?  Could it be that some of these accounts had been padded and contained more money than necessary for the year and therefore moved to accounts the town manager could use.  This is how the town council hides funds from the people.

Also just 77 days after the current budget was approved, this same council carried forward $1,103,326.32 (see below).  This is over a million tax dollars that could have been used to offset the $546,429 shortfall thus eliminating the need for a tax increase.  When asked about this very fact, Chairman LaRochelle stated it was carried forward from projects.  He was correct as indicated $393,957.25 on Bond Issues but what about the remaining $709,369.10.  What projects could be going on with the remaining balance?  Why didn’t the council apply the remaining balance against the shortfall which would have resulted in NO INCREASE IN TAXES?

There have been no requests for spending these funds so this money should be available to offset any reduction in Revenue Sharing by the Governor.  However, you and I both know our taxes are going to go up because this town manager has been misappropriating our tax dollars every day.  I have shown this repeatedly. 

Michael Bowie has devoted every waking moment during his tenure on the council to protecting the Police Department’s budget.  This includes his wife who is a member of the Police Department.  According to the latest annual town report, Mrs. Bowie received an annual salary of $44,906 tax dollars as an Administrative Assistant.  This is over $10,000 tax dollars more than any other Administrative Assistant in the town of Lisbon.  Also during the Conflict of Interest dated January 7, 2009, it was stated Mrs. Bowie had not been performing duties in regards to the Communication Center as outlined in her job description for several years by Chief Brooks.  So why is Mrs. Bowie being paid for tasks not being performed?

If you look on the agenda for Tuesday’s town council meeting, you will see where both Michael Bowie and Lori Pomelow have applied for alternate positions on the Finance Committee.  These are the same two individuals who have hidden funds from the people, raised our taxes several times and have manipulated the other members of the council for years.  If my memory serves me correct, there was an article written on the Lisbon Reporter predicting that both Michael Bowie and Lori Pomelow would become members of the Finance Committee. 

When these two are selected to join the Finance Committee, it will be “Hail Hail the Gangs All Here”. 

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

 Councilor Cote Says,