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WORUMBO MILL QUESTION
At the last Town Council meeting, the councilors
conducted a discussion pertaining to the status of the Worumbo Mill
property. This discussion was led by
Fern LaRochelle, Chairman of the Town Council, and the owner of the property
directly across from the Worumbo Mill. During this meeting, the members of the
audience were not allowed to provide any input.
Town Manager Stephen G. Eldridge
I am very much in favor of doing something with the Worumbo
Mill property but I am SURE the taxpayers cannot afford the price tag. Remember, the taxpayers have suffered a tax
increase for the last two years. Also, the taxpayers are currently forced to
support a communication center that is not a Public Safety Answering Point
(PSAP) and therefore has to have all 911 calls relayed from the Androscoggin
County Dispatch. Also, because of Chief
of Police, the taxpayers have to pay for the top of the line for all police
equipment such as 2014 Police Interceptors instead of purchasing 2012 or 2013
vehicles to try and save the taxpayers some money. The Police Department is the largest cost to
the town with the least return on investment.
I personally do not see the need for the people of Lisbon to
purchase the Worumbo Mill property. Once the town
owns the property; the people of Lisbon assume all liabilities for this
property. The town loses the tax money it is
currently receiving for the property. I
see purchasing the property as a lose/lose for the taxpayers. The only person I see gaining anything in
this scenario is Chairman LaRochelle because he owns the property next to the
mill. If the town purchases the property and either renovates or demolitions
the current structure his property value will increase.
Of course, there is no “Conflict of Interest” here. I filed a conflict of interest against a
councilor with the Ethics Panel and they found no conflict of interest. I personally believe the Ethics Panel will
never side against a councilor, no matter what.
Councilor Gina Mason
Mrs. Fitzgerald and I attempted to offer suggestions on how to get the word out to the people but Chairman LaRochelle would not take comments from the audience. After the meeting, I spoke with councilors Mason and Lunt suggesting a pamphlet with all the facts and figures be mailed to each resident with the date of the Public Hearing so citizens will be informed as what they are actually talking about. I understand it is costly but it is the only way to ensure everyone is informed on what is going on because sooner or later they are going to have to vote on this. I do not know if this did any good because the council does not normally listen to me.
Larry Fillmore
3 comments:
WOW what a lottery bonanza for the Millers and Fern Larochelle. The backs of the taxpayers will break with this unbelievably stupid idea. Another conflict of interest for Fern Larochelle. Doesn't this guy have any ethics or concern for the taxpayer? A Town that has lost so much business and yet they want to take on a white elephant. Why didn't they have any concern for other businesses before they failed?
The town does not need this burden. The problems is the Millers and the Millers alone. Let them pay to clean up that eye sore.
Larry,
You, and other town members, provided input on this topic during audience participation and a hearing is scheduled for the 20th to allow for further comments. You complain that we don't listen to you, but you apparently did not listen when it was pointed out the figures in the Sun Journal were NOT correct and the town would NOT be paying the asking price of over $600K, I believe the figure is closer to $100K. As for a conflict of interest for Counselor Larochelle, that would be your opinion and I disagree, but we have disagreed before. The topic of the mill property was brought up numerous times though out the 196 corridor project by many different people.
As for the mill, I stand by my comments in the Sun Journal, the cost to renovate the mill far exceeds the value after restoration. While I understand the historic significance of the building, redevelopment of the site without the building would be of more significance to the future of the town it helped to build.
The Millers have no reason to do anything with the building and it will sit as until the unlikely event someone is willing to invest over $2M into a property that isn't worth close to that. It will remain the key landmark people drive though and what they will remember and think of when they consider investing in our town.
Your idea of a pamphlet with all the facts and figures be mailed to each resident is an outstanding idea, however given the cost and time frame, I would suggest that be done only if the project is sent out for a vote. Like wise, Dot's suggestion of tours of the site so people can get an idea of the possible future use for the 5+ acres is also and outstanding idea, provided we can work that out with Miller Industries.
Lisbon is the perfect place to live and work. We are perfectly situated between Brunswick/Topsham and Lewiston/Auburn, with I95 & I295 putting us with easy access to both Portland and Augusta. I understand the concerns over the cost, but if we stop investing in our town and don't do something to entice growth and development our town will not survive.
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