Recap Town Council Meeting - October 1, 2013

RECAP TOWN COUNCIL MEETING – OCTOBER 1ST

At last night’s town council meeting, it was business as usual. 

Under Council Orders, Resolutions and Ordinances, the following is a summary.  The following items were approved by a vote of 7-0:  Fuel Bids; Agency Liquor Store Relocation - Bootleggers; New Agency Liquor Stores – Food City, Lisbon Gulf and Rite Aid.  The Winter Sand Bid was passed by a vote of 5-2 with Councilors Pesce and Lunt opposed.

Also included was a briefing by Chief Brooks of $71,750.78 in forfeiture funds received from the Treasury Department to the Lisbon Police Department.  Chief Brooks read from both the Department of Treasury and Department of Justice as to the federal guidelines that outline expenditure of these funds.  These funds cannot be utilized by the town and can ONLY be utilized by the Police Department.  There is a long list of approved utilizations but the bottom line is these funds are to be used by the police department to upgrade equipment and furniture; update and improved training in an effort to improve the professionalism of our police force.  These improvements are designed to reduce or eliminate crime in our community.  The federal guidelines clearly state these funds are NOT to be utilized to substitute our local tax dollars.  I appreciate Chief Brooks providing this information to us all.  I am not sure as to why these guidelines were not outlined in Chief Brooks’ memorandum to the council or why it was listed as an agenda item when there were no options available for the Town Council. 

Under Other Business, Mr. Leighton announced that the Androscoggin River Trail would finally begin construction during the middle of October.  Mr. Eldridge announced the Upper Dam Project has been complete; the annual audit has been complete; the Town Office will be closed October 11th for painting; there will be a workshop on possible Charter Changes; and the Water Department would like to change the number of years from 15 to 20 years.

Under Councilor Communications there were several dates to remember:

    8 October 2013 at LCS at 07:00 PM Amanda Bunker will present the final rough draft to the route 196 Master Plan.

    28 October 2013 there will be a workshop with the School Facilities Committee.  Date and Time were not known at this time.

Larry Fillmore