TRANSPARENCY IS DEAD IN LISBON!!

There is supposed to be transparency in government at all levels.  Lisbon used to have it, to a degree, but now there is no transparency at all.  This was clearly demonstrated by the Town Manager, Diane Barnes, during her presentation of the 2017-2018 Municipal Budget.

During the presentation, Mrs. Barnes announced a need for $33,500.00 for upgrading the Lisbon Communication Center.  However, during a discussion that ended in a vote to keep the communication center operational, there was absolutely no mention of needing additional tax dollar to upgrade the Lisbon Communication Center.  No matter how you cut it; omission is a sin just like a lie.  One would think Mrs. Barnes, Chief Hagan or SGT Moore would mention this information to the Council.  Don’t you think it is an important factor that needed to be evaluated in order to reach a logical decision?  The decision was just one month prior and Mrs. Barnes and Chief Hagan have stated they have been working on the budget since January so they had to have known.

The Town Council can hardly be expected to make sound and right conclusions when they do not have ALL the information to base the decision on.  I personally believe that these individual deliberately did not mention the need for more funds because they were afraid it could change the vote by the Council.  I believe that the fix was already in by the “Good Old Boys” network but still the Town Council deserves ALL the facts and not have some hidden from them.

I believe that based on this new information, the Town Council should reconsider the closing of the Lisbon Communication Center. 

Call your Councilors and make your feeling known.

Larry Fillmore