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Showing posts with label Town Manager. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Town Manager. Show all posts
Friday, April 7, 2017
STEALING TAX DOLLARS IN LISBON
The town of Lisbon is stealing tax dollars in the name
of COLA. What is a “Cost-of-Living Adjustment –
COLA? An adjustment made to Social
Security and Supplemental Security Income to counteract the effects of
inflation. Cost-of-living adjustments
(COLAs) are generally equal to the percentage increase in the consumer price index
for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) for a specific period. This
definition can be found at http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cola.asp
The Town Manager is responsible
for establishing the percentage of COLA which has been paid to town employees
for the past five to six years. However, her recommendation to the Town
Council is illegal until the Town Council approves the budget and then it
becomes legal. There has not been a 2% increase in the consumer price index in
longer than six years. Also, instead of
the adjustment being paid to wage earners and clerical workers; it is being
paid to management too. It is also in
the Town Manager’s contract that she gets any increase paid.
So now let’s take a look at
Mrs. Barnes decision to pay COLA to ALL employees. Under the Federal system, the consumer price
index is utilized to determine the percentage based on inflation. These past six years, there has been NO increase in inflation
so why are the town employees being paid COLA. What can be
the measuring device used to justify the payment of COLA?
1.
Must be a town
employee.
2.
Must be breathing
or at least have a pulse.
There is absolute no other
justification for a COLA increase every year.
So let’s look at the impact: an
employee being paid $30,000.00 after five years of 2% COLA is now $33,123.42
and an employee being paid $90,000.00 after five years of 2% COLA is now
$99,367.27. Remember, these are our tax
dollars being spent by the Town Manager and our Town Council. So
what is the town getting in return, nothing? Employees are being paid a salary to do their
jobs; so what are these tax dollars being paid for with no inflation?
The Town Manager uses a lot
of terms to confuse the Town Council. I
will explain what I am talking about.
The term “Undesignated Fund” is now “Unassigned Fund Balance”; “COLA” is
being used instead of “wage increase” and in the Town’s Annual Report the Town
Salary Report reports the “Salary” which is far from the truth. The “Salary” in the Annual Report is the
amount paid to that individual during the year.
This includes overtime and any additional payments so it is NOT a
salary. This tactic is how the Town Manager keeps
everyone confused. There
are so many terms used in our town that has other title in other areas but they
are the same. This is how the Town
Manager gets things by the Town Council.
I love our employees and
think they work hard for us for the most part but paying COLA for doing their
job and being compensated very well.
They also receive longevity pay also.
I think if you are receiving our tax
dollars, the town should receive something in return. The Town Council should never have approved
COLA for the past five or six years and they should not approve it now. To take tax dollars with no return is
stealing.
Call your Councilors and voice your concerns because it is your tax dollars. You should have a right to voice how you want to spend it.
Larry Fillmore
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
WHERE IS THE TOWN OF LISBON HEADING?
Are Larry Fillmore and Joe
Hill the only ones' concerned about what is going on with the Town Office and the
2017 budget?
If all goes at Town Manager Diane Barnes and the Town Council plan, town expenses will increase by 19.2%! ! ! ! ! !
THIS 19.2 %
INCREASE DOES NOT EVEN INCLUDE THE SCHOOL BUDGET! ! !
How many of you out there
received a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase in your paycheck
this year?
The U S Government did not think the Cost of Living increased this year so Social Security recipients did not get any.
Evidently the Town Manager
and Town Council do not agree, so all town employees are set to be
receiving one.
Most deserve it, but at
what cost to homeowners that did not get one?
If Mrs Barnes and the Town
Council deem it necessary that town employees receive a COLA they need to make
serious cuts in the town budget elsewhere.
As Joe Hill said recently,
with a 19.2 % budget increase, the town is "HEADED FOR
BANKRUPCY".
Any wonder that the Town
Council and Management do not want the citizens to vote on the town budget as we
do on the school budget?
My fellow Citizens and
taxpayers, attend town council meetings and
budget workshops.
If you cannot
attend, watch them on TV.
Meetings are aired on
Channel 7 at 7 p.m. on the Fridays after each meeting.
Submitted By: Dot Fritzgerald
Monday, April 3, 2017
MUNICIPAL BUDGETING 101
It would appear that the Town
Manager and the Town Council have forgotten their duties and responsibilities
to the people they serve. The people are
looking for their tax dollars to be used wisely. This
means that the Town Manager and the Town Council should be looking for ways to
reduce the operating cost of the Town in order to keep our taxes down.
The Town Manager has
presented a Municipal Budget that has a 19.2 increase in spending. This budget includes the wish lists for all
departments. Mrs. Barnes is using the Russian policy of two steps forward, one
step back. This means that she
never had any hope of getting everything approved. So, let’s look at what happens when the
increase is final at 5% (this is just a number). It means the Town Council is going to
increase the cost of operating by 5%. So how are they
going to pay for this increase; by raising taxes or using our Unassigned Fund
Balance? Any way you look at it is going
to increase town spending. Mrs. Barnes will say, “Look how good
we did reducing the 19.2% to 5%.” This
budget should never have been submitted at 19.2% in the first place. The people expect a realistic budget not a
fake one.
The people want the Town
Council to look at ways to reduce spending and increase revenue. There is none of that in this fake
budget. Constitutes want the Town Council to find ways to get the most out
of our tax dollars. However,
four members of this Council (Ward, Crafts, Brunelle and Albert) are not in the
least interested in try to save money for the people. These four Councilors voted to keep the
Lisbon Communication Center operational instead of having Androscoggin County
Dispatch perform the communities dispatch duties. This had to be a political decision because closing the
Lisbon Communication Center would have reduced the town’s operating cost by
approximately $200,000.00 as a minimum annually.
Are these four individuals really working for the
community or do they have a different boss? Councilors
should only have one thing on their minds when they vote on issues and that is
“What is the best course of action for the town?” Any time you can reduce the spending, it has to be a good
thing but to totally ignore over $200,000.00 saving is just irresponsibly on
the part of these four Councilors.
These four Councilors have turned their backs on this
town. Call these Councilors and let them
know how you feel about losing over $200,000.00.
Larry Fillmore
Lisbon's Road to Bankruptcy - Part 6
COSTLY CONTROL!
According to Lisbon Councilors, the main reason they didn't want to upgrade Lisbon's dispatch to the County PSAP was their need to "keep control". This "controlling attitude" will cost taxpayers over $230,000 thousand dollars (this tax year) in increased dispatch costs. This added cost equates to about 50 cents per thousand on our mil rate or about a $75 dollar tax increase on the average $150,000 dollar home.
Why is "Keeping Control" -- more important to Councilors Craft, Burnell, Ward and Albert than residents safety? What do THEY gain by keeping this costly control?
The cost of this "CONTROL":
- Increased taxes (if we keep local dispatch)
- Reduced safety --- Response times delayed
- Loss of Conformity ---- The rest of Maine towns use a PSAP
- Critical Information Loss --- Lisbon dispatch can't access some of the felony records needed when dealing with criminals.
- Delayed EMT Codes --- Lisbon dispatch is not trained to give critical EMT codes to first responders.
The above (4) Councilors may feel they gain something by keeping "local control" but their gain is Lisbon's Loss.
The decision to keep local dispatch is ILLOGICAL and COSTLY for Lisbon taxpayers.
Its time we put an end to this INSANITY.
Respectfully
Joe Hill
Sunday, April 2, 2017
HOW WOULD YOU VOTE?
I am going to provide you
with the FACTS surrounding the Lisbon Communication Center and ask you if the Town
Council made the right decision.
Remember, the SOLE job of a Councilor is to do what is in the best
interest of the community. To close the Lisbon Communication Center or
not was voted on February 21, 2017. The
vote of 4-3 was NOT to close the Lisbon Communication Center.
Here is a listing of the PRO’s and CON’s presented to the Council by many many people. The following are the PROs:
1. There would be no one at the Police Department during off-duty hours.
This is the information provided to the Town Council. If you were a Councilor how would you vote?
Well you have the facts and
now is the time to vote. If you think
the right thing would be to close the Lisbon Communication Center, call you
Councilor and voice your concerns.
Here is a listing of the PRO’s and CON’s presented to the Council by many many people. The following are the PROs:
1.
Having
Androscoggin County Dispatcher dispatch our First Responders means they get to
the scene quicker.
2.
Having Androscoggin
County Dispatch dispatch our EMT’s ensures they have the Emergency Medical Code
they desperately need.
3.
Arrival to the
scene with an Emergency Medical Code, gives the victim a better change of
surveille.
4.
The initial cost
saving, provided by the Town Manager was $191,095.00.
5.
There would be an
additional cost saving to the community every year because we are reducing the
town’s operating cost.
6.
The consolidation
of the records management system enables our officers to be able to identify
more criminals much quicker. They would
have access to a larger dbase.
7.
Lisbon is the
ONLY town in Maine NOT to have a PSAP providing dispatch services to the
community. The E911 system is using in
every state in American and parts of Europe.
This is a proving system.
The following are the CONs:
1. There would be no one at the Police Department during off-duty hours.
2.
The “Good Old
Boys” network would lose a little control.
3.
None of the
Lisbon dispatchers are qualified as Emergency Medical Dispatcher and therefore
cannot provide the critical Emergency Medial Code to the EMTs.
4.
Four or five
dispatchers will lose their jobs.
This is the information provided to the Town Council. If you were a Councilor how would you vote?
Now for the rest of the story
that was never mentioned by the Town Manager, Diane Barnes, Chief of Police,
Marc Hagan, and Sergeant Moore during the discussion. On March 21, 2017 while presenting the
2017-2018 Municipal budgets, Diane Barnes said the communication center will
need $33,500.00 for upgrades. This was
approximately a month from the decision on the communication center. Why wasn’t it brought up before during the
discussion? Why hide it from the Town Council
and does it make a difference on your vote?
Larry Fillmore
CLOSING THE LISBON COMMUNICATION CENTER
As we all know, on February
21, 2017 four Councilors voted to keep paying for the Lisbon Communication
Center. These Councilors are Allen Ward,
Chris Brunelle, Dale Crafts and Norm Albert.
We also know that Dale Crafts ALWAYS
votes the same as Chris Brunelle and Norm Albert ALWAYS votes the same as Allen Ward. Check their voting record to verify.
This leaves Chris Brunelle,
who for the past four years has always voted against what is best for the
community. It is like he is representing
the “Good Old Boys” network. Remember
the issue with the school which cost us legal fees and five referendums. The one I cannot figure out is Allen
Ward. The week before the vote, he
stated that before he voted he want to know what PSAP Brunswick and PSAP L/A911
could offer the community. Also he and
Councilor Albert said they were going to visit Androscoggin County Dispatch to
review their operations. However, neither
did and both voted to keep Lisbon Communication Center open. Sounds like these two got a better offer.
So let’s take a look at the
current system. Currently when a 911
call is received by the Androscoggin County Dispatch, the dispatcher has to
determine the Emergency Medical Code (EMC) and relay all the information to the
Lisbon Communication Center PRIOR to any dispatching of our First
Responders. Can you imagine what happened if there are further delays? Once the Lisbon dispatcher has the
information, they dispatch our First Responders. Lisbon
Communication Center is simple a middle station and does not add any additional
value to the process.
By closing the Lisbon
Communication Center and having the Androscoggin County Dispatch perform all
our dispatching needs; will eliminate the need for a middle station. This means that the Dispatcher who receives
the 911 call will be able to dispatch our First Responders immediately. This will get our First Responder to the
scene more quickly. Put yourself in the
place of the victim and ask yourself which system you would want in place. Me personally, I want the system that gets me
the help I need to me as quickly as possible.
It ONLY makes sense when lives
are at stake. Apparently, this means
nothing to these four Councilors.
Next, by improving the
service to our community, there is a cost savings to the community. This means that the operating cost to the
community is roughly $250,000.00 lower this year and every other year. It is not very often when improving services
to the community render such a sufficient amount of tax dollars. So again I ask WHY did these four Councilors vote to put our
lives at risk and not want to save the community roughly $250,000.00 a year.
Their vote does not make any
sense for the town. This idea that they
may lose control is not a valid argument unless you are a member of the “Good
Old Boys” network. It is time for Lisbon
to join the rest of the country and utilize a proven E911 system and ALL of its
advantages. This was a bad decision and need to be
reevaluated especially after the Town Manager, Diane Barnes, states there is
$33,500.00 in the municipal budget to upgrade the communication center.
Their vote was a month before
the Town Manager making this announcement about needing more tax dollars for
the Lisbon Communication Center. These
funds would not be needed if the Lisbon Communication Center closed. Does
anyone else beside me want to know why this was not made known during the
discussions on the communication center? I know that Sergeant Moore, Chief Hagan or
Mrs. Barnes had this knowledge all along since the budget was presented a month
later.
Call you’re Councilors, if you agree, and let’s get this
decision reversed so it is in the best interest of the community.
Larry Fillmore
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
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Lisbon Maine's Road to Bankruptcy --- Part 5
Why has Lisbon chosen to ask for a 19.2% increase in the town budget when they could have easily saved $250,000 thousand dollars and increased Lisbon resident's safety--by eliminating the Dispatch Center?
Why did 4 of our Councilors vote to keep the Dispatch Center when it is clearly harmful to Lisbon Resident's safety and is also financially disastrous for Lisbon's future development?
This decision is not logical.
Usual reasons for bad government decisions:
- Money ---- Someone or group of people are making money either directly or indirectly by averting costly personal or business changes.
- Blackmail --- In this information age people are more vulnerable to blackmail. The last election cycle has shown us how blackmail is a factor in government decisions.
- Fear:---
1. Of the unknown
2. Of the size of the change
2. Of the size of the change
The fact that 3 of our Councilors voted to upgrade our Emergency Communications by going with the County Dispatch speaks volumes. These Councilors saw the truth and refused to take the easy vote. They should be commended.
The truth always wins in the end. Eventually, we will know why the "4 Good Old Boys" voted against Lisbon.
If someone dies because of delayed medical service this bad decision, made by "Lisbon's 4 good old boys", may come back to bite us in the pocketbook.
Respectfully
Joe Hill
LISBON'S ROAD TO BANKRUPTCY - PART 4
Lisbon's unassigned account is the account that shows us how much money we have that isn't earmarked for a budget item.. I think of it as our EMERGENCY FUND.
The GFOA (government finance officers association) recommends that governments maintain an unassigned fund balance of no less than 16.67% of general fund operating expenditures. Our own charter recommends we keep 16% or approximately 2 months of operating costs in this account.
Use of this account to address budget shortfalls (IMHO) often indicates serious financial conditions :
- Declining non tax revenues
- Out of control spending.
- It is often an indicator of coming property tax hikes
This account can be compared to the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Frivolous use of this account sends a strong message to prospective businesses that may otherwise want to invest in Lisbon.
Call your Councilors and tell them you want real tax relief not fake short term fixes that just kick the can down the road.
Tell them to keep their fingers out of our EMERGENCY FUND.
RespectfullyJoe Hill
Lisbon Maine's Road to BANKRUPTCY --- Part 3
We have a problem in Lisbon. Our Town Government isn't acting in our best interest. Councilors actions make it evident they are serving another master.
Recently Lisbon Councilors:
- Voted against saving the taxpayers of Lisbon $200,000 dollars a year by changing dispatch to the County.
- Voted against making Lisbon residents safer by reducing emergency response times.
- Voted against the most effective implementation of the E911 service. (E911's purpose is to improve emergency response. Adding a layer on top of the service increases the response time and negates its purpose).
These same Councilors will soon vote to take more of our money, 19.2% budget increase, to pay for their refusal to get rid of our costly and marginally E911 compliant communication system.
When businesses see a Town that is asking its residents for a 19.2% budget increase they see a town that is HEADED FOR BANKRUPTCY.
Respectfully
Joe Hill
Lisbon Maine's Road to Bankruptcy --- Part 2 -- Cola Increase
I was surprised to see Lisbon's proposed budget included an across the board 2% COLA (cost of living allowance) for all employees.
For 2017 Retired Social Security Recipients receiving the average benefit of $1,355 will get a measly 0.3% COLA raise, starting in January of 2017. This equates to $5 more in their Social Security checks.
Why is Lisbon giving all employees a COLA percentage rise almost seven times higher than what our seniors will receive in Social Security COLA?
A Lisbon employee making $50,000 a year (many of our employees make more than this)will get $1,000 dollars or 200 times that of the average Social Security recipient.
Why is Lisbon giving all employees a COLA percentage rise almost seven times higher than what our seniors will receive in Social Security COLA?
A Lisbon employee making $50,000 a year (many of our employees make more than this)will get $1,000 dollars or 200 times that of the average Social Security recipient.
Giving a 2% cola increase isn't just a 2% raise in employee salaries it is also an increase in all the costs associated with those salaries. (FICA, retirement, unemployment insurance, workers comp. etc)
These COLA payments also compound. If we pay a 2% cola this year, it will be 2% on last years income which includes last years 2% COLA. Ten years of 2% colas isn't a 20% raise it is almost a 22% raise in income.
Is it morally right to demand retirees, that ONLY get a 0.3% COLA, pay for a 2.0% COLA for all Lisbon employees? Remember some of our employees, when including benefits, make a six figure income.
COLA increases were meant for rank and file employees not department heads or salaried individuals.
In conclusion: If we must give a COLA then that raise should be tied to the increase in the cost of living not some arbitrary number. If our seniors get 0.3% COLA raises lets give the same to Lisbon's employees.
Call your Councilors and ask them if this is fair?
Respectfully
Joe Hill
These COLA payments also compound. If we pay a 2% cola this year, it will be 2% on last years income which includes last years 2% COLA. Ten years of 2% colas isn't a 20% raise it is almost a 22% raise in income.
Is it morally right to demand retirees, that ONLY get a 0.3% COLA, pay for a 2.0% COLA for all Lisbon employees? Remember some of our employees, when including benefits, make a six figure income.
COLA increases were meant for rank and file employees not department heads or salaried individuals.
In conclusion: If we must give a COLA then that raise should be tied to the increase in the cost of living not some arbitrary number. If our seniors get 0.3% COLA raises lets give the same to Lisbon's employees.
Call your Councilors and ask them if this is fair?
Respectfully
Joe Hill
LISBON'S ROAD TO BANKRUPTCY - PART ONE
Recently Lisbon's Town Manager proposed the new 2018 municipal budget. This proposed budget is a 19.2 % increase over last years Town Budget.
Let
me put that 19.2% budget increase in perspective. If you presently are
paying $2600 dollars a year in property taxes a 19.2% increase would
make this years taxes a few cents under $3100 dollars.
The
Town will argue that they are working hard to reduce the increase and
within a month or so they will come back with a final increase probably
somewhere between 10% and 12%. They will also tell us that they saved
the town 8% to 10% on our taxes. They will equate an increase of up to
12% as a 8% savings to the town.
Don't let them fool you. A reduction on an inflated proposed budget isn't a savings it is AN INCREASE OVER LAST YEARS BUDGET. This town is trying to hide its debt crisis by manipulating the language and exaggerating the initial proposal.
By
continually increasing Lisbon's taxes we are sealing our own fate. It's
like a snowball rolling down hill continually increasing in size and
momentum. The higher our taxes go the harder it is to attract the businesses that could extricate us from our financial problems.
At
some point on this journey we reach the point of no return. Lisbon is
now approaching that point. We will, if this proposed budget passes,
have the highest taxes in the County and one of the highest in the
State.
In
my humble opinion Lisbon is careening down the bankruptcy road at an
alarming speed. If we continue along this fiscal path we will inevitably
end up in chapter 9 BANKRUPTCY court.
You are the only one that can put the brakes on this runaway spending. Call your Councilors and demand they cut our taxes.
Respectfully
Joe Hill.
Monday, March 27, 2017
2017-2018 MUNICIPAL BUDGET REVIEW!!!
Over the weekend, I had an
opportunity to review the Town Council meeting for March 21, 2017. In it the Town Manager, Mrs. Diane Barnes,
presented the proposed 2017-2018 Municipal Budget for the first time to the Town
Council. Listening to her present this
budget, it was like she was taking lessons from Nancy Pelosi (I cannot work
with President Bush) or Maxine Waters (Putin invaded Korea) all over the place. As a result, I will attempt to recap what I
got out of this budget.
The first item is that Mrs.
Barnes stated that this municipal budget keeps municipal services at status
quo. In the same breath, she said the
budget includes a Lieutenant position in the Police Department. To me this is a contradiction to maintaining
the status quo for municipal services.
Apparently, this Lieutenant is not going to do anything so why are we
going to pay him/her approximately $102,000.00
in salary and benefits?
Next, Mrs. Barnes 52.8% of
the budget is in wages and benefits? She
also stated there is a 2% COLA
in this budget. Well, how do you think
the wages and benefits got to be 52.8%?
You do realize for the past 6 years; the town has paid COLA at 2% each
year. Take $90,000.00 salary and using the 2% COLA;
figure out how much increase this is.
Keep in mind, that this is cumulative each year so the number you start
with changes every year. Did anyone in
town receive 2% COLA for these past 6 years.
I know for a fact, that Social Security has not been raise 2% at any time
in the past few years so why do the town employees get it automatically when no
one else does?
The Public Works Department
is budgeted for $332,500.00 of
equipment. I cannot tell if this
is replacement or new equipment but it certainly is a lot of money. Also, Mrs. Barnes mentions replacing the Salt Shed at a price tag of $250,000.00. Mrs. Barnes wants to spend some of the
Unassigned Fund Balance to offset some of these cost.
Using the Unassigned Fund
Balance to offset this excessive spending this year will keep out taxes down
but what about next year. You are increasing the operating cost of
the town by 19.2%. This means
every year after this; the taxpayers have to pay for these increases and the
Unassigned Fund Balance will not support it in the future. Keep in mind, the Unassigned Fund Balance is
supposed to be used for emergencies.
The Town Manager, Mrs. Barnes
announced that the Lisbon
Communication Center needs $33,500.00 for upgrades. Isn’t it amazing that when the Town Council
was discussing closing the Lisbon Communication Center there was no mention of
this expenditure by either the Town Manager of the Police Chief. Why was that?
I personally do not think it would have made a difference because the
“Good Old Boys” network will never give up any control. Also, Chairman Ward, Councilors Brunelle,
Crafts and Albert have absolutely no interest in cost saving for the
community. The initial cost saving was listed at
$191,095.00 for this year and if you couple this $33,500.00 with this figure it
would be $224,595.00. This is just for this year. By closing the Lisbon Communication Center,
the community would be saving roughly the same amount each and every year going
forward. The problem is these four
Councilors care more about the “Good Old Boys” remaining in control then doing
what is best for the community. What a shame!!!
There are other parts of the budget but you get the
idea. If you want to stop this madness;
call your Councilor or go to the meetings and register your opinions because
once they approve the budget there is not changing it. So get off the couch and get involved.
Larry Fillmore
Friday, March 24, 2017
NOW, THE REST OF THE STORY!!!!
On March 7, 2017, the Town
Council voted to amend SEC. 86.1, Fund Balance Policy, to reflect a new way of
computing the 12.5 % requirement. This
12.5% is supposed to ensure the town has sufficient funds to operating in
emergency situations. However, any excess
over the 12.5% can be used for other needs with the approval of the Town
Council. This new creative accounting policy freed up
approximately $1.11 million dollars.
So, what is the Town going to
use these funds for? According to the
Town Manager, Diane Barnes, at the March 21, 2017 Town Council meeting, these
funds will be used to cover excessive spending by the Town Council. Mrs. Barnes announced a 19.2% increase in
this year’s budget over last years. What
the Town Manager is doing is trying to keep taxes down by using the excess
unassigned fund balance. In other words, she is bailing out or
rewarding excess spending. This Town
Council has no clue how to manage money.
The ONLY way to reduce taxes
is to either increase revenues or REDUCE spending. That is a fact! The Town Council refused to reduce spending
by voting to keep the Lisbon Communication Center open instead of having the
Androscoggin County Dispatch performing dispatch for the town. The actual cost saving was $191.095.00
before the town started to distort the amount to make it look less than it was. After everything is done; this figure is
closer to $250,000.00.
In the Town Manager’s 2017-2018 budget is an
upgrade to the communication center at a cost to the taxpayers of $33,500.00. Had the Town Council closed the Lisbon Communication
Center there would be no need for this upgrade.
These Councilors should have had this information at the time they voted
on the Lisbon Communication Center. The
Town Manager, Diane Barnes, must have had this information all along. I also mentioned this to the Town Council on
numerous times so it is not like they had no clue.
The unassigned fund balance excess should never be
used to reduce taxes. You reduce taxes by increasing revenue or
reduce spending. Mrs. Barnes is
increasing the town’s operating cost by 19.2% this year but what about next
year? Where is she going to get the
funding to cover this 19.2 and whatever it will be next year?
This is caused by the people not paying attention to
what is going on and doing stupid things like reelecting a Councilor whom has a
history of wasting our money and who is a member of the “Good Old Boys” network. Chris
Brunelle was one of the driving forces behind the fight with the School over
their budget and again with keeping the Lisbon Communication Center open which
cost the community a lot. People need to
check their voting records before they vote for these individuals.
Now is the time to stop this madness before the Town
Council approves the 2017-2018 budgets.
Call your Councilors or attend the meeting and let you views known.
Larry Fillmore
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Friday, March 17, 2017
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Special Town Council Meeting Cancelled
Please take note that tonight's Special Council Meeting is being postponed due to inclement weather and will be rescheduled for Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 6:00 PM
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