FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Every year, I write the same article in hopes the new Council will decide to return Lisbon to a democracy.  I think that it is important to return discussions and dialogs to Town Council meetings.  These options were striped from the people and replaced demanding the people can ”ONLY”  address the Council without the benefit of knowing why they are asking for a change.  Such an idea of asking people to speak when they do not have all the facts is totally ridiculous and wastes every ones time. 

Years ago, the people could speak on agenda items AFTER hearing why the sponsor has the item on the agenda.  Then the Council discussed the issue and then it was opened to the people.  This way everyone knew what was going on and we had meaningful discussions.  Also, the Councilors had ALL the facts in order to render a decision before voting.  Decisions are being made by the Town Council now without having all the facts on many items.  This leads to poor decisions.

 The Agenda would look like this:              

1.   CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE TO FLAG

2.  ROLL CALL

3.  GOOD NEWS & RECOGNITION

4.  PUBLIC HEARINGS

5.  CONSENT AGENDA

6.  COUNCIL ORDERS, RESOLUTION FOR AGENDA ITEMS

7.  OTHER BUSINESS

8.  NEW BUSINESS

9.  COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS

10.                   APPOINTMENTS

11.                   EXECUTIVE SESSIONS

12.                   ADJOURNMENT

This Agenda eliminates both Audience Participation & Response for Agenda items and Audience Participation & Response and replaces “New Business”.  This agenda will provide meaningful dialog for all and increase the chance of all the facts coming out.  Councilors will have all available facts in order to render better decisions.

Larry Fillmore