WELCOME TO THE LISBON REPORTER. In an effort to keep our community informed of what is going on at local and Federal levels of government, we decided to create this on-line newspaper. It is our hope that this on-line newspaper will help you stay informed so that you can get involved and take action for the benefit of our ENTIRE community. Thank you for visiting and please check back frequently for information about what is happening in LISBON/LISBON FALLS, MAINE USA
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Monday, August 6, 2018
LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY
HOW TO LEGALLY SCREW REIDENTS OF LISBON
Mrs. Colston
This is a FOAA request.
I am looking for the money taken out of the
Undesignated Fund the last four years. Can you provide this information by years?
Thank you
2016: $10,293.47 was taken from unassigned fund balance to cover charter requirements for maintaining a reserve funded by animal control fees
2017: N/A nothing was designated
or spent from fund balance.
2018: The following amounts were designated and
spent from fund balance:
$50,000 for computer server
upgrade. $30,663 has been spent to date.
$20,000 has been designated for
Generator pad and infrastructure
$30,000 was designated for Town
clerk storage. $26,547 was spent an
the remainder put back into fund balance
$40,000 was designated and spent
for Police radio upgrades
$35,000 was designated and
spent for a Police cruiser
$75,000 was designated for the
Fire Department Capital Improvements
$300,000 was designated for
public works trucks. $275,445 was spent
and the remainder put back into fund balance
$20,000 was designated and
spent for Recreation Department
playground
$25,000 was designated for new
flooring in various town buildings. The
money was not required and was put back into
fund balance.
2019: The following amounts have been designated for
use during the upcoming year:
$26,125 for an error in 2018
Technology budget
$50,000 to establish an accrued
leave payout reserve
$10,000 for Book restorations
in the clerks office
$7,800 for Police Department
firearms upgrades
$50,000 for the Fire Department
various equipment upgrades
$8,000 for carpeting in the
Library
$323,274 to pay off outstanding
debt service.
WHY ARE WE PAYING SUCH HIGH TAXES?
The
taxpayers in Lisbon have had their taxes raised for the last four years and
will probably experience an increase in taxes every year from here on out. This
trend must stop if the taxpayers of Lisbon are going to stay out of bankruptcy. We have been over taxed for the last four years and I will
explain it to you.
Take a look
at the carry forward for this year and it is the same for the last four years:
I did not
total all of the funds here but as you can see it is a large amount of your tax dollars. So where did all this money come from and why
is it being carried forward? Was this money
left over from previous year budget; if so, someone needs to explain why our
taxes were raised if the town did not need our money? Personally, I
would have been happy to keep my own money.
Now, let’s
take a look at the Undesignated Fund expenditures for the last four years:
As you can see, the town spent a lot of money from the Undesignated Fund. Look at it by years:
2016 $10,293.47
2017 None
(Which I do not believe)
2018
$595,000.00
2019
$475,199.00
Well, how did the town get so much
money in the Undesignated Fund? Apparently, the tooth fairy blessed Lisbon. I have a
better answer and that is the Town Manager, Diane Barnes has been padding her
budget without the knowledge of the Town Council. The Town Council has been supporting the Town Manager instead
of supporting us, the taxpayers.
This is really ridiculous to have so much money left over every year and
have so much money in the Undesignated Fund.
This is our tax dollars at work.
This
explains the high taxes and where our tax dollars are going. We need to tell the Town Manager, Diane
Barnes, that we will not put up with this from now on. The
Town Council has to start making the Town Manager accountable for her actions. I realize that she works for the Town Council
and not the citizens of Lisbon; so it is the Town Council responsibility to see
that this never happens again. Having over a
half million dollars every year is ripping the taxpayers off every year.
It is time to hold both the Town
Council and the Town Manager accountable for the way they spend our tax
dollars.
Larry Fillmore
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Friday, August 3, 2018
LISBON DARE FUNDRAISER
DARE Fundraiser
Notice!! If you
receive a call, or mailer, from a member of the New England Charitable
Promotions group, regarding the Lisbon D.A.R.E. program it IS NOT a scam
or hoax. The Lisbon Police Department will once again be playing former
players from the New England Patriots in a flag football game to raise
money to support the Lisbon D.A.R.E. program. The game is scheduled for Sunday October 7th at 1:00pm
at the Lisbon High School football field. Mark it on your calendars as
we look forward to seeing you all at the game. Thank you.
SUBMITTED BY: TOWN OF LISBON
LISBON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING WATER QUALITY RE-CLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN WATERBODIES
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING WATER QUALITY RE-CLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN WATERBODIES
The public hearing will be held at the Cross Insurance Center, 515 Main Street, Bangor, Maine on Thursday, September 20, 2018 beginning at 1:00 pm.
Comments on this matter may be submitted orally to the Board at the hearing or in writing until the close of the public comment period on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 5:00 pm.
Written comments may be mailed to: Department of Environmental Protection, Attn: Susanne Meidel, 17 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0017, or submitted by email via the Department’s Opportunity for Comment page (https://www.maine.gov/dep/ comment/index.html).
Please see attached Public Hearing Notice for more information.
Comments on this matter may be submitted orally to the Board at the hearing or in writing until the close of the public comment period on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 5:00 pm.
Written comments may be mailed to: Department of Environmental Protection, Attn: Susanne Meidel, 17 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0017, or submitted by email via the Department’s Opportunity for Comment page (https://www.maine.gov/dep/
Please see attached Public Hearing Notice for more information.
SUBMITTED BY: TOWN OF LISBON
LISBON Petitions Circulating
August 02, 2018
2018 Papers Out:
Town Council-At Large: Normand Roland Albert, Jr, 2 Cynthia Drive, Lisbon Falls
Town Council-District 1: Kasie Kolbe, 32 Moody Road, Lisbon
Town Council-District 2: Allen Scott Ward, 17 Plummer Street, Lisbon Falls
School Committee-At Large: Herbert Leslie "Pete" Reed, 385 Ridge Road, Lisbon Falls
Water Commission-At Large: Marie Alvina Hale, 5 Larry Drive, Lisbon
Town Council-At Large: Normand Roland Albert, Jr, 2 Cynthia Drive, Lisbon Falls
Town Council-District 1: Kasie Kolbe, 32 Moody Road, Lisbon
Town Council-District 2: Allen Scott Ward, 17 Plummer Street, Lisbon Falls
School Committee-At Large: Herbert Leslie "Pete" Reed, 385 Ridge Road, Lisbon Falls
Water Commission-At Large: Marie Alvina Hale, 5 Larry Drive, Lisbon
SUBMITTED BY: TOWN OF LISBON
Androscoggin County is in a Severe Hydrologic Drought
Despite last week’s
rain, which ran off instead of soaking in, Maine is experiencing drought
conditions for the third summer in a row. Every County, with the
exception of Washington County, is experiencing drought or abnormally
dry conditions. Most of Maine was experiencing normal conditions early
in the spring largely due to the winter’s snowfall but, with the warm,
dry conditions so far this summer, we are back into a drought
situation. Through July 24, streamflow conditions were generally in an
extreme to moderate drought condition according to Nick Stasulis of
U.S.G.S. Many wells are showing well below to much below normal
conditions with some in the low end of normal. As you can see from the attached map indicating statewide drought conditions, Androscoggin County is in a severe hydrologic drought. The Maine Drought Task Force is closely monitoring conditions and the group will convene if conditions worsen.
Meanwhile, those with wells should check water levels on a regular basis and if found to be low, should consider reducing daily water usage to allow groundwater recharge, and are asked to report low conditions to municipal and emergency management officials.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Citizens should be reminded to avoid filling wells with foreign water due to dangers of contamination, corrosion and/or lead problems and should be encouraged to use water wisely.
Please call if you have questions or concerns.
Joanne G. Potvin, Director
Tel: 207-784-0147
SUBMITTED BY: TOWN OF LISBON
Meanwhile, those with wells should check water levels on a regular basis and if found to be low, should consider reducing daily water usage to allow groundwater recharge, and are asked to report low conditions to municipal and emergency management officials.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Citizens should be reminded to avoid filling wells with foreign water due to dangers of contamination, corrosion and/or lead problems and should be encouraged to use water wisely.
Please call if you have questions or concerns.
Joanne G. Potvin, Director
Androscoggin Unified Emergency Management Agency
Tel: 207-784-0147
SUBMITTED BY: TOWN OF LISBON
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