Snow Job At Lisbon Town Council Meeting or Ultimate Censorship?

THE ULTIMATE CENSORSHIP

At last night's town council meeting, it was business as usual.  This council convened a meeting in a blizzard, placing all who attended at risk.  The weather conditions were terrible and the police were asking motorists to re-frame from driving because of the road conditions.  However, the Chairman of the Lisbon town council felt the need to hold a meeting regardless of the conditions. 

What was so important that needed to be discussed that could not wait?  As part of the agenda were the Dispatch By-Laws; 2013-2014 Capital Improvements Plan; 1^st Reading of the Floodplain Management Ordinance; Economic & Development Department Report; Spirit of America Tribune; Finance Director’s Report; and the 2013-2014 Municipal & School Budget Presentations.  None of these items had a suspensio date or deadline the town had to meet; so why the urgency?

I believe this meeting was held because of the weather conditions.  This ensured a low turnout of people.  I believe the council does not want the Public to know what is actually in the proposed budget.  This council certainly does not want anyone to know what is going on with the Lisbon Communication Center.  There is an increase in personnel, wages and equipment for the Communication Center.  Also, the county is now charging a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) fee.  This is a fee for receiving 911 calls and dispatching police, fire and medical.  Lisbon does not utilize this service but must pay for the Androscoggin County Dispatch.  This is an unnecessary additional cost to operating the Communication Center.

Also during Audience Participation, I asked the following questions:  The first question is why does Dispatch need By-Laws?  The Lisbon Communication Center is a Division of the Public Safety Department of the town of Lisbon.  As a Division of the town of Lisbon, it should be covered under the By-Laws of the town.  Is Dispatch going to be a separate business and if it is why should the taxpayers of Lisbon pay for it?  This appears to be another way to prevent the Androscoggin County Commissioners from consolidating Emergency Dispatch services for the county.

As usual, Chairman LaRochelle chose not to answer the questions during Audience Participation and then did not attempt to answer the questions under Audience Participation Response.  Ever since I exposed the back taxes owed to the town by LaRochelle Properties, LLC, Chairman LaRochelle totally ignores anything I have to say.  This has to be the ultimate form of censorship.  The council meetings are suppose to be where issues pertaining to the town are discussed and resolved.  It is hard to have a discussion when only one party is talking.

The questions, I bring out at these meetings and on The Lisbon Reporter and LisbonMaine.net are important to the people of Lisbon.  These questions identify issues concerning our tax dollars and the management of this town.

This town cannot return to the super community is once was until we clean up this misappropriations of fund and the cover-up of mismanagement.

Larry Fillmore

We the People