"Stonewalling" Lisbon Taxpayers For The Truth To Simple Questions, Business As Usual !

                                        I APOLOGIZE!!!!

I apologize to the residents of Lisbon because there is no way I can keep my word pertaining to the “Unfavorable Expenditure”.  I asked the Town Council at the last council meeting and did not receive an answer as to what this “Unfavorable Expenditure” was used for. 

So, on November 22, 2013, I submitted the following Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) “Respectfully request a copy of the Purchase Order for the “Unfavorable Expenditure” identified in the yearly Auditor’s report.”  

Next, I received an email from the Town Clerk reference FOAA # 152 stating and I quote “The Finance Director indicated that she does not have enough information to determine what you are referencing?  Therefore, she is unable to provide any further information.”  On November 22, 2013, I responded “Page 4 of the Town of Lisbon Financial Overview, prepared by Runyon Kersteen Ouellette and briefed during the Town Council meeting on November 5, 2013 the second item under Observations.  It states “The Town’s Unassigned fund balance changed from 2012-2013 as a result of an unfavorable expenditure budget variance.  I am looking for all the Purchase Orders which make up this unfavorable expenditure budget variance.  I hope this is specific enough.”

These are our tax dollars and the people have a right to know how our tax dollars are being spent.  Below is the page taken from the yearly Auditor’s report and as you can see that between 2012 and 2013 the Undesignated Fund Balance dropped $223,514.00.  This unfavorable expenditure reduces the Undesignated Fund to below the recommended balance stated in our Charter.  These funds are to sustain the town in case of emergency from going bankrupt.  

As you can see from the response to FOAA 152, the town is stonewalling.  Apparently, the town does not want the people to know where this $223,514.00 of our tax dollars went to and for what?  I am quite sure it was not used for our roads.  When the Town Council cannot provide an answer to a citizen’s question pertaining to how our tax dollars were spent and the Finance Director either has no clue or does not want to reveal for what this money was spent on then we can be pretty sure it was spent unethically.  Why is it impossible for citizens to know where their tax dollars are being spent especially if the town continues to raise taxes?

As you can see, I have tried all available means to find out about this unfavorable expenditure.  It was important to the Auditors to point this out in their report but it seems to be insignificant to management.  The Town Council, Town Manager and the Finance Director feel the taxpayers have no right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.  It is also clear, that the recommended Undesignated Fund Balance has no meaning to the Town Council, Town Manager or the Finance Director. 

If the taxpayers want someone to explain what this $223, 514.00 of our tax dollars was used for they will have to contact the Town Manager, Stephen Eldridge at seldridge@lisbonme.org or the Finance Director at jmaloy@lisbonme.org .  Taxpayers can call the Town Manager by dialing 353-3000 Ext 102 or the Finance Director by dialing 353-3000 Ext 115.

If anyone finds out what this money was spent on and why, please contact me at this blog site.

Again, I apologize for not being able to provide an answer as to what this money (Unfavorable Expenditure) was spent on!

Larry Fillmore

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stone·wall·ing

[stohn-waw-ling] 

noun the act of stalling, evading, or filibustering, especially to avoid revealing politically embarrassing information