To Steal or Not To Steal That Is The Question?

LISBON’S RESIDENTS ROBBED AGAIN

Brooks

Isn’t it amazing how every time the town council screws up, there are always technical difficulties with the video of the town council meeting?  March 5, 2013 is latest video with technical difficulties.  If you review the town web site, you will see that the School Board’s video March 4, 2013 is there but the last town council video is in February.  Ever wonder how this is possible?  You don’t think the town has something to hide do you?

 Larochelle

At the last town council meeting, Chairman LaRochelle had the town clerk read the Council Working Rules.  According to these rules, citizens can ONLY address items on the council agenda.  This means there is no new business that can be brought up; so what does this mean?  The people will never know what is going on with the following:

 Bowie & Bickford

1.        The people having the right to vote, by department, on the Municipal Budget.  Councilors Cote and Bickford worked hard for years to get this approved.  Mike Bowie worked equally as hard to keep it from happening.  Chief Brooks will never allow the people to be able to vote, by department, on the Municipal Budget even after over 2,000 voters asked for it.  The council will do everything to protect the Police Department's budget.  If you don’t believe me then ask yourself why council meetings are lasting about a half hour and the council is not working on getting an acceptable charter change allowing the people to vote on the municipal budget by departments.

2.       Where is the $32,500 dollars misappropriated by the Atlantic Commercial Cleaners?  I have looked into this situation on numerous occasions.  This situation has been going on since March 29, 2007 without any results.  Have you ever wondered why no one was ever found guilty of taking the funds especially since the Interim Town Manager was David T. Brooks and the individual in charge of the Economic Community Development Department after Daniel Feeney and before Jennifer Norris was then Councilor Dale Crafts?  I cannot tell you how involved these two individuals were in the misappropriation of the funds but I personally believe they helped cover it up. 

 Dale "I'm the son of an honest car salesman" Crafts

There is no other explanation for why, after six years, no one has been found guilty and our money returned.  There is currently a civil suit filed but I doubt if it will ever go to court.  If it does go to court, the truth will come out and no one wants that.  The only reason a civil suit was filed is because the people have been persistent in asking about the funds.

3.       Why after raising our taxes last year, the council approved a carry forward of over one million dollars from the previous year?  I asked this question before the town council and was told over three hundred thousand was for projects.  Well that leaves over $800,000 dollars which should have been identified and used so that the people would not have to suffer another tax increase but no it was not done.  Ever wonder why???? It is because the town used these EXTRA funds for the Police Department and  purchasing of three vehicles.  The people are suffering because of mismanagement of tax dollars.

4.       How did the town acquire three vehicles without the approval of the town council and by violating the town purchasing policy?  The town acquired three trucks to add to the town fleet from the state auction.  The total cost to the taxpayers was $16,100 which was never approved by the council.  Also, because it is over $4,999.99 it was required to go out for bid and did not.  I understand that under the circumstances, the bid process was not feasible but ONLY if these vehicles had been approved by the council prior to being purchased.

5.       Why was LaRochelle Properties, LLC NOT required to pay Interest and Penalties on the back taxes owed?  LaRochelle Properties, LLC used a Homestead Exemption on property when it was not entitled to for approximately 12 years.  Chairman LaRochelle supposedly paid $1,866.92 in back taxes but did not pay any Interest and/or Penalties?  As far as I know every resident who owed back taxes was required to pay Interest and Penalties; so why not Chairman LaRochelle?

This article is getting long so I am going to stop listing all the issues still unanswered by the council and there are many many more.  Since Chairman LaRochelle has decided to limit the items that can be discussed during Audience Participation to ONLY agenda items; these will go unanswered.   

Do you really think asking a councilor to put any of these items on the agenda will ever get approved?

Once again the rights of the residents have been dramatically reduced by this council.

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen