Who Needs "Bob Marley" When We Have The Lisbon Town Council

LISBON COMEDY CENTRAL

 

 Lisbon Town Council 2013

At Tuesday’s nights Town Council meeting, the only excitement was the discussion pertaining to the Home Occupation Ordinance.  Mr. Cote and I believe this ordinance violates the Comprehensive Plan and have decided to challenge this ordinance in court.  Of course, the only person going to get rich off doing this is Mr. Roger Therriault, the town attorney, because he has to prevent this from ever being heard by a Judge. 

The councilors had a heavy conversation about this ordinance and I am going to try and recap what they said:

Councilor Mark Lunt

 

Councilor Lunt had no real input at all and just sat there.

 

 Councilor Gina Mason

Councilor Mason stated that the two illegal businesses need to be compliant and giving them an additional 3 years was too much time because they already had at least a year to take corrective action.  This is significant because it is the first time the council recognized there are two businesses operating on Route 9 illegally.  The last time the question was asked by Councilor Ward, Mr. Don Fellows told the council there were no illegal businesses on Route 9.  Mr. Fellows is an intelligent individual but is a YES man all the way and is a strong supporter of the “Good Old Boys” network. 

 

Councilor Pesce and Co-Chair Lisa Ward

Co-Chair Councilor Ward and Councilor Pesce thought the three years for the illegal business was much too long.  If there are no illegal businesses on Route 9, why was paragraph D2(g) written?  It states and I quote “…Operations that are not in compliance with subsections a through f above shall be grandfathered for a period of 3 years from the effective date of this ordinance, at which point they shall be required to come into compliance with the criteria for home occupation as established in this ordinance, or else discontinue use or come into compliance with the regulations for the specific zoning district in which they are located. …”  Now new businesses starting up after the effective date of this ordinance must IMMEDIATELY comply or shut down.  There is no 3 year grace period for them.  A PRIME EXAMPLE OF A DOUBLE STANDARD!

 

 Councilor Bickford

 Chairman Larochelle and Town Manager Stephen Eldridge

 

Councilor Bickford and Chairman LaRochelle wanted the ordinance to stand as it was because it allows their friends to continue to operate an illegal business on Route 9.  It is very apparent that both Councilor Bickford and Chairman LaRochelle are members of the “Good Old Boys” network and would do everything they can to protect members of the Good Old Boys network.

 Councilors Garrison and Bickford

Councilor Garrison asked the most important question of all during the discussion and that was; once this ordinance goes into effect and someone refuses to comply with it what are we going to do? 

 The response came from Ms. Amanda Bunker, Town Planner, and it was; if the owner does not meet the requirements of the Home Occupation ordinance then it is a business.  This is without a doubt the dumbest statement I have ever heard.  This statement implies that Home Occupations are NOT businesses even though they receive payment for services rendered.  I am sure Governor LePage will be impressed when he hears that Home Occupations do not have to pay taxes on earned income because according to Ms. Bunker they are not a business.

After all the discussion, the council first voted to change the 3 years to 2 years for grandfathering and then vote 6-1 to pass the ordinance.  Councilor Pesce was the only councilor that stayed true to his belief.  All the rest of the councilors who originally had concerns voted to approve, proving once again the Good Old Boys network is still intact.

Now I am going to leave you with this thought.  As Councilor Garrison asked what are you going to do when someone does not comply with the new ordinance.  Remember we had an ordinance on the books, the Code Enforcement Officer served written notice to the business owners they were violating town ordinance and these neighbors ignored these notices and nothing was done.

 In the town of Lisbon the enforcement of the ordinances is not by the violations but who is doing the violating.  If you are a member of the Good Old Boys network, the town will simply change the ordinance to meet your needs, as they did last night, but if you are a normal citizen they will utilize all means possible to shut you down.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

BrasscheckTV: Help this good man‏

Lisbon
 
Let's see:
 
Not one Wall Street banker
has gone to jail for a multi-trillion
dollar fraud...
 
The Justice Department
tells the ATF to give weapons
to Mexican drug cartels... 
 
But this good man is spending
ten years in federal prison for
following the law.
 
Video:
 
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/22134.html
 
- Brasscheck

Sandusky convicted: 10 years

Obama's Department of INJustice  

10 Years to Life for Medical Marijuana: The Trial of Aaron Sandusky

 

 

FOR THOSE IN THE COMMENTS ASKING WHERE TO HELP, AARON SANDUSKY HAS SENT US A LINK TO HIS LEGAL FUND: http://aaronsanduskylegalfund.com/home

"This is a Constitutional battle, and we're going to defend our rights," says Aaron Sandusky, the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary in Upland, California who now faces federal drug trafficking charges even though he was operating within California state law.

Reason.tv first profiled Sandusky in late 2011 in the midst of a federal crackdown on marijuana dispensaries across California, which occurred despite repeated promises from the Obama administration to lay off operators compliant with state law (Incidentally, the city of Upland, which initiated the legal action against G3, admitted in court that Sandusky was operating within state law). During the production of that video, Sandusky's storefront and grow house were raided, his assets seized and his product destroyed. But Sandusky was undeterred and joined a lawsuit with several other dispensary owners, challenging the right of city governments to outright ban dispensaries. After a favorable ruling from an appellate court, Sandusky re-opened, and the city of Upland was powerless to stop him. But the Feds were not happy with this outcome.

Sandusky was arrested and charged with six counts of drug trafficking, some of which could carry a life sentence. He's spent the last seven weeks in a county prison, just awaiting a bond hearing. He finally was granted bail last Friday and is now out on house arrest, where he awaits an October trial to decide his fate. He agreed to sit down with Reason.tv for an interview to discuss his case, the state of medical marijuana in this country, and why this is a cause for which he's willing to risk it all.

"If I have to go to jail for 20 years defending this, then so be it," says Sandusky.

Help this guy

http://aaronsanduskylegalfund.com/home

For more The bogus drug war: videos, click here

 

Debby Reagan’s Letter To James Frechette, Investigator In Maine’s Office of Securities, Reported By The Lisbon Reporter

Debby Reagan responded to the “Recent settlement by Maine on Robo-signing.” Read more, click here.

Debby wrote to James R. Frechette, Investigator, in Maine’s Office of Securities within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation and other state legislators.

The Office of Securities protects Maine investors by investigating and prosecuting violations of the securities laws; licensing broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers, and investment adviser representatives; and reviewing registration statements and exemption filings for securities issuers that are seeking to sell in Maine.

Leon Bard also has a handle on this. “In Regards to the recent AG Settlement. There is something wrong when our state government collects money from a bank and or their servicer for wrong doing, but at the same time allows their courts to proceed with a foreclosure that is laced with the very same wrong doing.”

States Leon “The recently announced Maine Attorney General Settlement with Lender Processing Services, Inc., brings to light the irony in which mortgage/foreclosure fraud is dealt with here in Maine.

Apparently the executive branch of our state government recognizes the fraud committed by LPS, Inc., in fact they are going to receive $500,000 as per the settlement. Are the victims of this fraud going to receive any compensation? Has a chicken got lips?

Now on the other hand, we have the judicial branch NOT RECOGNIZING the exact same fraud! This is happening in both Debby’s case and Tim Cason’s case. I’d be willing to bet that these are not isolated cases. A close look at Maine’s organizational chart reveals that Maine’s Judicial Branch is under Maine’s Executive Branch. Is there any way to get the AG’s office to train the administrative hearing officers (so called judges) in our judicial branch, how to recognize mortgage/foreclosure fraud? If not, then maybe the only relief in sight for the victims, is to file claims on the judge’s liability insurance or bonds. “

Let’s keep an eye on Mr. Frechette and the elected officials who received Debby’s correspondence!

Homes are not only “taken” through fraudulent foreclosures, they are also stolen “behind closed doors.” The City of  Biddeford has this down pat!

 http://unmasker4maine.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/debby-reagans-letter-to-james-frechette-investigator-in-maines-office-of-securities-reported-by-the-lisbon-reporter/

The Gathering Storm

The Gathering Storm

The devastation and ignorance being caused by this
Catastrophic occurrence will forever destroy the
Fiber and character of a once great nation
With little hope for correction or rebuilding
At the present rate of duplicity and complacence
Being displayed by the American public.

I don't know who came up with the idea for
this drawing, but it is GREAT!
 

The best insult I've ever seen!

Amazing how something with no vulgarity can be one of the most
powerful messages about the Obama team that I have seen to date!

NOT RACIST...NOT VIOLENT...JUST NOT SILENT ANY MORE!
KEEP This One Going! Send to your friends
 

Submitted by: 'Bucksnort'

An Exception To "Most" In Lisbon: BrasscheckTV: Why intelligent people are so concerned‏

Lisbon
 
What's the one thing
the US government
has focused on over
the last 30+ years?
 
Better education and
training? 
 
Better wellness and
health care programs? 
 
Increased investment 
in domestic industries?
 
None of these things.
 
Instead, the government
has become a master
of...

Why intelligent people are concerned

Look at the pattern 

Freedoms are disappearing, government powers growing

The idea of suspending the Constitution was first presented in the mid 1980s during the Reagan administration.

No less a thug than the drug-dealing, murder-ordering, terrorist-supporting Oliver North was knee deep in the program.

Since then every US president - George Bush Sr, Bill Clinton, George Bush Jr, and Barack Obama - have steadily created oppressive laws and legal systems to "fight terrorism" while simultaneously violating basic Constitutional rights.

Simultaneously with this, the US military has received training on how to suppress the rights of and even attack US citizens on US soil. US police have been increasingly militarized and new armed federal agencies have spouted like weeds.

Why?

Doesn't the US have enough serious problems to attend to without the need to laboriously create new "programs" to fight non-existent or government manufactured problems?

Instead the ONLY thing the US government has done consistently over the last 30 years (besides wage illegal wars and give Wall Street criminals a "get out of jail free" card) is create new secret "internal security" laws, bureaucracies, infrastructure and armed bodies.
For more The "War on Terror" is a Fraud: videos, click here

 

How Can So Few Have So Much Power? Corruption:

LAWLESS LISBON, AT IT AGAIN!!!

The citizens of Lisbon are in for a real treat Tuesday night at the Town Council meeting.  If you cannot make it Tuesday night, you can see it when it comes out on the Lisbon Reporter or the town web site.  You have the opportunity to watch the ”Good Old Boys” violate the wishes of the people, once again.  On the agenda is a proposal by the Planning Board to change the ordinance on “Home Occupation”. 

This new definition of “Home Occupation” now includes, among other things, a special provision for auto body shops, auto repair facilities and repair facilities.  This addition was added to circumvent the Comprehensive Plan approved by the citizens of Lisbon.  The Comprehensive Plan states under the Section on Overview – Route 9 Corridor …”The Limited Residential District does not all for commercial type uses and the Rural Open Space District limits commercial type uses to recreation and natural resource based.”  I do not believe auto body shops, repair facilities and repair facilities fall under these clearly spelled out land usages.

This is the “Good Old Boys” way to make legal the two garages operating on Route 9.  In order to allow these garages to stay open, the “Good Old Boys” had to find a loop whole in order to protect their brothers and this is their answer.  Once the Town Council passed this new ordinance, and there is no question they will, these garages can operate legally.  These same two garages were provided a written notice by the Code Enforcement Officer that they were in violation of our town ordinances.  These neighbors of ours totally ignored the Code Enforcement Officer and continued to operate knowing fully well their brothers would protect them.  Instead, of obeying our ordinances, like good neighbors, these individuals decided to trust the “Good Old Boys” and continue to operate. 

How can the town council justify taking a violation of our ordinances and wave a magic wand and make these garages legal?  I personally believe when you intentionally circumvent our laws to allow a few to operate businesses not in compliance with our ordinances or Comprehensive Plan it is fraud.  I hope the state of Maine will review this case and take appropriate action.

For your information, these two garages are not listed as paying any personal property tax.  Apparently, this is another benefit of being one of the “Good Old Boys”.  By these “Good Old Boys” not paying their fair share of taxes means the rest of us have to pay their share.  Why should law abiding citizens be forced to pay taxes for “Good Old Boys” who do not comply with our ordinances?

The Planning Board is using this to justify the operation of two garages on Route 9.  The town council will make it legal at Tuesday’s meeting.  Well, so much for the wishes and vision of the people who voted and approved the Comprehensive Plan.

The “Good Old Boys” win and the law abiding citizens lose again!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to Lisbon.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

AGENDA TOWN COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013

AGENDA
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013
LISBON TOWN OFFICE
7:00 P.M.

1. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE TO FLAG
2. ROLL CALL
___Councilor Bickford
___ Councilor Garrison
___ Councilor Larochelle
___ Councilor Lunt
___Councilor Mason
___ Councilor Pesce
___ Councilor Ward

Town Clerk reading of meeting rules

3. PUBLIC HEARING

A. Kelly Park Municipal Development & Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District & Development Program

4. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

5. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION RESPONSE

6. CONSENT AGENDA

2013- 8 ORDER −
A. Minutes of January 15, 2013

7. COUNCIL ORDERS, RESOLUTIONS, & ORDINANCES

2013- 9 ORDER −
Kelly Park Municipal Development & TIF District & Development Program

2013- 10 ORDER −
Gold Post Cane to the Oldest Citizen Award

2013- 11 ORDINANCE −
Home Occupation Ordinance (First Reading)

2013- 12 ORDINANCE −
Finance Committee Ordinance Amendment (First Reading)

8. OTHER BUSINESS
A. Planning Board Capital Improvement Plan Recommendation

B. Finance Director’s Report

C. Town Manager’s Report

9. APPOINTMENTS

2013- 13 ORDER −
Finance Committee (2) Regular Members Terms expiring June 30, 2016

2013- 14 ORDER −
Finance Committee (2) Regular Members Terms expiring June 30, 2015

2013- 15 ORDER −
Finance Committee (1) Regular Members Terms expiring June 30, 2014

2013- 16 ORDER −
(1) Council Member for Revolving Loan Fund Committee

10. COUNCILOR COMMUNICATIONS

11. EXECUTIVE SESSION

2013- 17 ORDER −
1 MRSA § 405 (6) (A) Personnel Matter – Town Manager Review

2013- 18 ORDER −
1 MRSA § 405 (6) (A) Personnel Matter – Finance Committee Application Review

12. ADJOURNMENT
2013- 19 ORDER −
To Adjourn

Gun Lovers Unite, "Get Off The Couch"; GOPthedailydose: Feinstein’s New Gun-Ban Bill Likely to be Introduced January 22

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)–author of the federal “assault weapon” and “large” ammunition magazine ban of 1994-2004–has said for weeks that she will soon introduce an even more restrictive bill. Leaders in the U.S. Senate have stated that January 22 will be the first day on which new Senate legislation can be proposed, so that is [...]

Read more of this post

Gun Control in the UK & Their Warning to the U.S.

 

The British were made to give up their weapons and they willingly did, but in doing so made themselves open to attack. We must NOT let the same thing happen to us, here in the states. By taking away our weapons we open ourselves up to the will of those who "rule" us. KEEP YOUR GUNS!!!

The people telling you to give up basic freedoms are the same people telling you it's safe to disarm. Keep your guns, it'll save your life to have them, and use them when appropriate.

******* I am NOT in favor of weapons used in a violent fashion to murder, steal and be used forcefully on anyone, but I AM for citizens protecting themselves, their families, and their property.********

Taking Aim: Liberals Panic As They Lose the Gun Narrative

Ground zero for this egalitarian enthusiasm is the ostensibly race-neutral Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Affirmative action took root during the Johnson administration and then took off during the Nixon administration. In 1969, President Nixon’s Labor Secretary, George Shultz, with approval from Attorney General John Mitchell, oversaw the creation of a mandate [...]

Read more of this post

WAKE UP AMERICA; The Dick Act of 1902 - Gun Control My A$$ (Lieber Code, Gun Confiscation, BAR Association, Law Enforcement, Militia, National Guard, Local Judges,Fraud)

Rod Class revisits the The Dick Act of 1902 AKA the militia Act of 1903 which can never be repealed on this holiday season. An instant holiday classic for the whole family.

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=48361&cmd=tc

 

Do Lawyers Lie? Dennis Schuelke; Author ATTORNEYS ABOVE THE LAW

Everybody knows some good lawyer jokes. We laugh, but they are on mark about the truth of what goes on today in our courts. Dennis takes to the Nashville streets to ask the essential questions about lawyers, judges, and the return of a Constitutional government.

Contact director Francis Knize at frankknee@aol.com

Don't  be shy tell him where you saw this.

Congressional Testimony: Dottie Lafortune to Bill Windsor of Lawless America in Maine

Congressional Testimony: Dottie Lafortune to Bill Windsor of Lawless America in Maine

Lawless America...The Movie is all about exposing the fact that we now live in Lawless America. We no longer have laws that are enforced because judges do whatever they want to do. America has also become lawless because government officials are dishonest and/or corrupt.

The movie will expose corruption in every state. The Movie will focus on victims. Corrupt judges and corrupt government officials will be exposed, and we will confront a number of the crooks.

If anyone has ever questioned the story of a person who has expressed the view that they were a victim of the government or of judges, this movie will prove that the odds are that the corruption report was true. In fact, there are probably tens of millions of victims in the United States who never realized what happened to them.

One feature length documentary movie is being produced. It will be shown in theaters, on Netflix, Blockbuster, and other such video places, and the movie will be presented at the Sundance Film Festival and other film festivals.

In addition, videos will be produced for each state and for each type of corruption. Everyone who is interviewed for the film will record a three-minute segment that will be done as testimony before Congress as well as a 30-60 minute on-camera interview with Bill Windsor, founder of LawlessAmerica.com and GRIP, and candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislators in each state will receive the testimony from those in their state, and the members of the U.S. House and Senate will receive all of the testimony nationwide.

Over 750 people are already scheduled to be interviewed for the movie.

For more information, see www.LawlessAmerica.com and www.Facebook.com/lawlessamerica

 

The Unfairness Of Personal Property Taxes‏

 THE UNFAIRNESS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES

 

A few weeks ago I received in the mail a copy of a personal property tax bill, dated 06/13/2012. 

 

For 2006, principle - $63.29, interest $34.11 for a total of $97.40.

For 2007, principle - $39.77, interest $26.04 for a total of $65.81.

 

This was sent to Village Real Estate, a real estate office I opened in January1984 with a USED desk and chair I  purchased for a grand total of $100.00. Shortly after two (2) file cabinets were added, and later a  copy machine and a few miscellaneous cabinets. Around 1996, I purchased a fax machine. Personal property taxes were paid on these items from 1985 to 2005 when I decided enough was enough. All equipment was so old and depreciated they no longed qualified for deductions on my state and

federal income taxes.

 

 

 

On one hand I am willing to do my share to support the town and all the services provided. 

 

On the other hand, there are businesses on Route 9 that are not, and have not, been billed personal property taxes, have not been paying their fair share, and a town councilor has been receiving a Homestead Exemption on real estate taxes that he was not entitled to. 

 

 

 

I have paid the Town of Lisbon many times over for used and old office furniture and equipment while many others are not even being billed. Where is the fairness to others with a program of this type?

 

Dot Fitzgerald

A Lisbon Concerned Citizen

Lisbon's Good "Ole Bowies" Have Got To Go Bye Bye

SUMMARY OF ROUTE 9 FORUM

Last Thursday night, the Planning Board reviewed the results of the Public Forum on Route 9.  The results they reached are not the same results I reached so I am going to provide you with my own interpretation.

At the Public Forum there were approximately 30-35 people who chose to attend.  From what I understand not all of them were residents of Lisbon and only a few reside on Route 9.  However, the town council was well represented by Chairman LaRochelle, Vice Chair Pomelow, Councilor Bickford and Councilor Mason.  Council Mason resides on Route 9 so I expected her to attend.

The results of the forum are suppose to be posted on the town web site.  However, what I saw was the “Good Old Boys” clubs working hard to make sure their friends remain protected.  These people want to ignore the Comprehensive Plan and our town ordinances and allow these illegal businesses to operate even though the town has shut down other businesses on Route 9. 

Instead of enforcing our ordinances and the Comprehensive Plan, these four illegal businesses are going to be allowed to continue operating.  Just to make it perfectly clear, I have searched the Personal Property Book and cannot find where the two garages and one roofing/siding business are paying Personal Property Taxes.  Of course, the “Good Old Boys” do not care if their friends pay their fair share or not.  You and I have to make-up the difference!

Also, the Planning Board is looking into the “Home Occupation” definition as a means to make these illegal businesses legal.

This is not a Planning Board issue to begin with; it is a Code Enforcement issue.  The Code Enforcement Officer notified the two garages by letter they were violating our town ordinances.  I have copies of these letters but apparently the Town Manager would not allow the Code Enforcement Officer to go any further because that is where it stopped.  The Planning Board is asked to somehow cover all this up for the town manager.
The right way to correct this situation is to enforce our ordinances equally. It is wrong to close some businesses and allow others because they are friends of the “Good Old Boys” club.  As citizens it is our duty to obey the ordinances of this town.  Because the “Good Old Boys” club shut down some businesses and not others puts each and every one of us at risk of having to pay legal fees to defend their actions. What this group has done is discriminated against our neighbors and friends and that is just not right.
Get rid of the “Good Old Boys” club and enforce the ordinances.
Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizens

Lack Of Leadership In Lisbon Leads To Selective ENFORCEMENT Of Laws, Ordinances, and Rules Of Conduct

ENFORCEMENT

I need to start this off by apologizing for the many articles I wrote about Route 9.  I stated there was a problem on Route 9 but after reflecting on everything going on in this town I no longer believe it is a Route 9 problem.  This is a leadership problem this community is suffering from.
 

 Lisbon Town Manager Stephen Eldridge

It starts with the town manager, Stephen Eldridge.  I requested copies of the letters notifying residents of Route 9 that were violating town ordinances by operating illegal businesses.  These letters were all signed by the Code Enforcement Officer but never enforced.  The only person who has the authority to stop the Code Enforcement Officer from doing his duty is the Town Manager.  There are also numerous other incidents of the Town Manger not performing his duties in a professional manner.  A prime example is the court cases the town lost because neither the town manager nor the town attorney knew the laws pertaining to “Public Records”

 Lisbon Chief of Police David T. Brooks

Next, let’s look at the Chief of Police, David T. Brooks and the lack of enforcement of the law equally in the town.  Some individuals can run stop signs, park on the wrong side of the street, drive overweight vehicles throughout the town and never receive a citation and others are cited.  Chief Brooks told the towns there were grants and when I asked for a copy of the grants; there were no grants.  The motto “protect and Serve” only applies to certain individuals.  It should be equal justice for all.

 

 Lisbon Town Council Chairman Fern Larochelle

 Lisbon Council Vice-Chair Lori Pomelow

Now let’s look at the Chairman of the Town Council, Fern LaRochelle.  It is the Chair’s duty to maintain control of the town council meetings at all time and to protect the rights of all.  Instead, Chairman LaRochelle allowed Vice Chair Pomelow to verbally attack a citizen.  This is not the first time the Chairman has neglected to maintain control of the council meeting place.  Once before, the Chair allowed a Town Employee, Chief Brooks to verbally attack other citizens and a councilor.  In both cases these individuals directly violated the Council Working Rules and it is the Chairman’s responsibility to enforce the Council Working Rules and to maintain control at all times. 

 

It is the lack of leadership which is plaguing this community.  The “Good Old Boys” networking club has now taken a hold on this town.  These “Good Old Boys” enforce our laws and ordinances only when it works for them.  I am sure there are many other incidents within the town that are in the same situations as those on Route 9.  The difference is they shut down some illegal businesses and allowed others to remain open which puts the town at risk for law suits.

It is critical to eliminate the “Good Old Boys” club and restore strong leadership in this town by enforcing our laws and ordinances equally.  Citizens need to be responsible and obey the town’s ordinances. 

This community is suffering because of the lack of strong leadership to enforce our ordinances and laws.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

Why Must Our Town Leaders Lie To Their Citizens?

MORE LIES

I have been accused of wasting taxpayer dollars by submitting Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) requests.  It is true I do submit a lot of FOAA’s but it is important for the taxpayers to understand why this has become a necessity.

 Lisbon Chief of Police David T. Brooks

According to Chief Brooks and Town Manager Eldridge, the town of Lisbon received grants for (1) furniture for the communication center, (2) the police antenna and (3) cruiser video systems (This is not being purchased this year).  Come to find out there was never grant money for any of these projects. 

 

 Town Manager Stephen Eldridge

What does this mean?  Well it is very simple.  The taxpayers have been lied to in each case.  Remember how Town Manager Eldridge was paying tribute to the hard work the Chief of Police put into getting these grants and now we find out there were never any grants.  I know this because I requested a copy of each of these grants under a FOAA and I received a copy of two emails from Chief Brooks stating there are no grants for any of these projects.

These projects were falsely budgeted.  The taxpayers were told the town had received money for these projects when there was no money received from an outside source.  The money, which paid for these projects, came from our tax dollars.  The town manager has been hiding money within the budget to cover projects for Chief Brooks. 

This is the reason I have had to submit so many FOAA’s.  Also, I have to pay $.50 for each copy of any documents I receive.  This money is out of my pocket and I have no problems doing this because I am going to get to the bottom of hiding money and inflating the budget to cover projects.  The governing body of Lisbon is supposed to be transparent but that is a joke.  I honestly believe the council has no idea as to how much money has been diverted in the budget because they believe every word they are told by management.

In the town’s “Mission Statement” it states several items but I am only going to quote two which I find to be lacking by our town manager.  The first one is “We are committed to serving the public, being accountable and conducting ourselves with integrity, honesty, and responsibility.”  I do not understand how falsely budget our tax dollars falls under this section.  Also “We are committed to sharing information with our citizens and including them as partners in the decision making process.”  How many times has the people voiced their concerns at public hearing or surveys and have the council do just the opposite?  How does ignoring the wishes of the people fall under the “Mission Statement”?

Does anyone want to take a wild guess as why we suffered a tax increase this year?

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

Journey for Justice - The Experience of Three Young Adults with Lawless America

From Jonathan Kudzmas of Hey Mom! Productions comes a short documentary detailing 3 days spent with Bill Windsor of Lawless America. In order to understand the cause, you most first understand the man…

Lawless America…The Movie began as a project, quickly became a mission, and now it is a MOVEMENT.

 

Please take 13 minutes to watch a short documentary about the filming of Lawless America…The Movie produced by the 19-year-olds who served as our film crew in Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, and Marty South Dakota -- http://youtu.be/THHKEJaSNJw  Please share this video with everyone you have ever known; we can get a lot of publicity if we can make this a popular YouTube video.

 

The unity, camaraderie, and enthusiasm at most stops is heart-warming and infectious.  We must now take all of this to another level.

 

We have an opportunity to save America.  We must all pitch in to help.  We have follow-up that we need to do in the states where we have been.  We have preparation to do in the states we are yet to visit.

 

I know what we need to do to blow this wide open.  I just need all of you who have been or are to be filmed to do some basic things.

 

If you haven’t seen my encounter with Judge Kevin Cronin, be sure to check this out -- http://www.lawlessamerica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1059:bill-windsor-of-lawless-america-tells-michigan-family-court-judge-kevin-cronin-that-hes-a-criminal&catid=133:lawless-america-the-movie&Itemid=105

 

One of the things we need to do is a BLITZ of the major media – Nancy Grace, Anderson Cooper, John Stossell, Scott Pelley, and many others.  We need thousands of emails, letters, and faxes. 

 

We need posts about Lawless America on every group and website that is involved in some aspect of battling corruption.  We must reach EVERYONE as we are outnumbered.  Therefore, we have to build our numbers every way possible.

 

I need for each of you to send me every name and email address that you can come up with for people who are victims of corruption or who support our cause.  We need a database of at least a million.

 

PLEASE review http://www.lawlessamerica.com/ every day, and click on every LIKE button.

 

Please be on the TalkShoe calls to discuss what we can do.

 

I (we) have been nominated for several honors.  If you can also nominate me (us) for the Fearless Changemaker, it could help us get a lot of publicity -- http://befearless.casefoundation.org/

 

I (we) have also been nominated for CNN Heroes -- https://www.facebook.com/CNNHeroes

 

If you can volunteer to help in any way, please email volunteers@LawlessAmerica.com.

 

Please plan to meet me in DC – January 9-10, 2013.  We will deliver the testimony we are filming to every member of Congress.  There will be several special events.  Email MeetMeInDC@LawlessAmerica.com to confirm that you will attend.  We need one victim for each member of the U.S. House and Senate.

 

There’s so much to communicate and little time to type.  I’ll just stop for now and get this headed out.

 

My friends, we are REALLY accomplishing things, and I have big plans and announcements to share with you soon, including how we will confront all the crooks who have damaged each of us.

 

I love you guys,

 

Bill

 

William M. Windsor

Bill@LawlessAmerica.com

Movie Trip Phone: 770-578-1094

Fax: 770-578-1057

http://www.lawlessamerica.com/

 

Lisbon Is In A "Catch 22" Situation Trying To Resolve Issue On Route 9

NO WIN SITUATION

The Lisbon Planning Board has been challenged by the town to resolve the Route 9 situation created by town mismanagement.  The challenge is: “How to cover up the mismanagement and how to keep the illegal businesses open?”

On October 19, 2011, the Comprehensive Plan was amended.  The Comprehensive Plan is how the people envisioned Lisbon to look for the next ten years.  This Comprehensive Plan was approved by the state and the town enacted ordinances to ensure compliance with the desires of the people. 

According to the Comprehensive Plan approved by the people of Lisbon and the state, “Land use patterns in the Route 9 corridor are primarily residential and rural/open space.  Under current zoning, the corridor is placed in two zones, Limited Residential and Rural Open Space.  The Limited Residential District does not allow for commercial type uses and the Rural Open Space District limits commercial type uses to recreation and natural resource based.”  You would think this would be clear enough for anyone to understand. 

Over the years, approximately ten (10) businesses have been operating along the Route 9 corridor.  These business owners have been notified these businesses are in violation of the town ordinances and the owners have totally ignored these violations.  The majority of these businesses are neither recreation nor natural resource based.  So how were they allowed to be established?  I believe it was the “Good Old Boys” syndrome.  The management of this town allowed this situation to blossom and the town has been protecting these business owners for years.

The problem is the town shut down certain businesses and allowed others to operate.  According to the law, this is called discrimination and is illegal.  Now the Planning Board is struggling with how to make these businesses legal and allow them to continue to operate in violation of the ordinances and the Comprehensive Plan. 

The master plan is to call these businesses “Home Occupation”.  Well, it makes no difference if you call them Home Occupation, Mom & Pop, Small Business or any other name to make you sleep better; but if they are not recreation or natural resource based then they are always going to be illegal.

I am not against anyone trying to make a living in this poor economy but what I am against is the mismanagement by the town and people who place themselves above the law.  If the town wants to change the Comprehensive Plan to allow all these illegal activities, so be it; but to totally ignore it for their friends is wrong!  Do not try and cover up the mistakes by management or the protection of friends by compounding the situation and put this town in a legal battle it cannot win.

Shut these businesses down in violation of our ordinances and the Comprehensive Plan instead of trying to justify the town’s mismanagement by looking for a loop hole to make you sleep better at night.

Do what is right for Lisbon!!!!!!

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen

Lisbon Councilors LLC‏

At our last Council meeting  a Lisbon Resident asked if anything had been done about the apparently illegal Homestead Exemption being taken by a Councilor's LLC. The council  indicated no corrective action had been taken.

The “Homestead Exemption”  is a tax break for people that are full time residents of Maine.  Corporations and LLC’s  (Limited Liability Company) are not eligible for this residential tax break.

Lisbon Town Council Chairman Fern Larochelle

In 1998 a councilors parents filled out and submitted an illegal application for a Homestead Tax Break in the name of an LLC.  This LLC has been taking this illegal tax break for the last 14 years.  

By my calculations the tax payers of Lisbon (and possibly the State)  are owed well over $2000 dollars in back illegally obtained tax breaks.  In order to get an exact figure we need to know the pecentage of total valuation Lisbon has been using for their tax computations for the last 14 years. This year at 83%  valuation the  tax break would be $8300 times our mil rate of 22.26 or about  $185.00.

I hope Lisbon Councilors  pursue this matter as fervently as they have  the few dollars owed by other people in town.   This  LLC shouldn’t get favorable treatment  because of its connection to a Lisbon Councilor.

Pay Up  ---   Councilors seem to have no problem setting high tax rates for the rest of us the least they can do is pay their own taxes to Lisbon.

Respectfully

Joe Hill   -- LisbonMaine.Net







Larry Fillmore has left a new comment on your post "Lisbon Councilors LLC‏":

At the last council meeting, I asked if the town had figured out how many more LLC’s this applied to and how many tax dollars were involved. After two weeks, the town manager had taken no action to find this information out. A simply computer query can identify how many LLC’s are collecting this exemption. Five minutes, top’s! It will take longer to compute the tax dollars involved but apparently this is another demonstration of favoritism for councilors. Only this time, the taxpayers and the state are losing revenue. How much longer can they hide this blatant abuse of power by the town manager?

Creative Accounting Exposed Lisbon Style Highly Protected But So Neglected!!!

LISBON’S CREATIVE ACCOUNTING SCHEME

At last night’s town council meeting, Chairman Fern LaRochelle stated "all monies were accounted for and there were no missing funds". 

 I had asked the question about $96,000 + transferred out of the TIF payment account.  I finally got it and I am going to try and explain it to you.  Now the numbers, I am going to use are NOT accurate numbers.  These numbers will make it easier for you to understand.  Councilor Cote and I have believed for a long time the TIF Payment account was being used as a slush fund.   Here is how the scheme works:

You start off with a budgeted amount:  $200,000
Next you pay out all expenses such as TIF payment:  $100,000
This leaves a balance which is then transferred to another account:  $100,000
Now as far as the computer is concerned you budgeted $200,000 and spent  $200,000.  So next year the town will budget $200,000 for this line item.

These transactions are legal.  But how much did you actually spend on this line item, $100,000?  The rest of it has been transferred to be utilized as the town sees fit.  Now the town will go through a legal process and spend the remaining $100,000:

Request for Procurement (RFP)
Council approval
Purchase order
Issue funds

All of these are transactions, according to an audit team are perfectly legal.  But wait a minute, the originally budgeted $200,000 for TIF Payment was not utilized for TIF Payments instead only $100,000 were used.  The remaining $100,000 went for some other purchases like “toys for the boys” totally unrelated to the TIF Payment. 

If the money designated for a purpose is not utilized for that purpose then the town has “misappropriated town funds”.  This is one of the reasons for having our taxes increased again this year.  This is why Councilor Cote and I have been preaching about padding the budget.  I discovered this with the TIF Payment account and I am sure there are more accounts being utilized to hide money from the people.

Because these are all legal transactions, they will never be detected by an audit.  These inflated accounts will continue yearly to provide the town with spending money and be part of the cause for raising our taxes.

 Councilor Mike Bowie

Town Manager Stephen Eldridge

I call this “misappropriation of town funds” by the Town Manager and Councilor Bowie.  Our tax dollars are designed for a specific purpose and should not be utilized as a slush fund.  I doubt if any of the councilors other than Councilor Bowie understand what is going on here.

Councilor Gina Mason

VOTE THEM OUT IN NOVEMBER!!!!!!!!

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizens