The Lisbon Reporter

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

Saturday, August 11, 2018

ANTIFA MEMBERS EXPOSED

ANTIFA MEMBERS NAMES

MORE FACTS

THIS IS A FACT

Friday, August 10, 2018

LISBON TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA - AUGUST 14, 2018

LISBON TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Council Meeting

August 14, 2018 at 7:00 PM

SUBMITTED BY: TOWN OF LISBON

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

SO VERY TRUE

THE LIE OF THE CENTURY

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

IS THIS FOR AMERICA?

Image may contain: one or more people, text and food

EXCELLENT POINT

Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, meme and text

SO VERY TRUE

TOO FUNNY

THERE ARE NO WORDS TO EXPLAIN HOW STUPID SHE IS

Image may contain: 1 person, meme and text

Monday, August 6, 2018

LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY

As part of this year’s budget, the Town Manager, Diane Barnes, recommended to the Town Council that certain items be purchased using Undesignated Funds. The Undesignated Fund is our tax dollars left over from previous years.

The Town Manager uses this fund to purchase items not listed in the budget. This fund is resupplied every year by the town raising our taxes. It is basically a slush fund for the Town Manager to draw from every year.

In this years’ approved budget the Town Manager recommended and the Town Council approved the purchase of $7,800.00 for the Police Department upgrade their firearms. I am not opposed to the Police Department upgrading their firearms but the Police Department has funds available in their Forfeiture Fund.

The Forfeiture Fund is NOT tax dollars but dollars returned to the town from the state. These funds, as far as I am concerned, should be used first when upgrading the Police Department needs. Now, I understand there are some restrictions on the use of these funds but upgrading firearms is NOT one of them. So tell me again why we are using tax dollars when these funds are available to cover this expense.

This is another prime example of the Town Council NOT holding the Town Manager accountable for all her recommendations. It would appear that the Town Council approves anything the Town Manager, Diane Barnes, puts before them.

There has to be more accountability of our tax dollars if the town is going to raise our taxes every year.

Larry Fillmore

HOW TO LEGALLY SCREW REIDENTS OF LISBON

Today, I had the privilege of paying $75.00 to the town of Lisbon for information I never asked for. When you ask for information under the Freedom of Access Act (FOAA), you are at the mercy of the town. The town determines what information they want to provide to you and how long it will take them to gather the information. The cost is determined by state law. The first hour is free but all hours after the first; you have to pay $15.00 per hour.

My original FOAA request is below:

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

I did not ask for any detail of what the money was used for; I ONLY asked for the amount taken out of the Undesignated Fund for the last four years. What I received was:

In response to Larry Filmore’s FOAA request:
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.

According to the town, I was billed for 5 hours to put this information together. I cannot understand why it took so long to gather this information. The Finance Director has, not one but two, computer system in which to extract this information which should have taken 15 minutes per year at the most. By the way, we taxpayers are paying for both systems to be operating at the same time.

Also, if you look the town did not provide what I ask for and that was the total amount per year. Instead they provided some detail but I challenge this information because the town claims that NO funds were taken from the Undesignated Fund in 2017. This has to be a mistake because the Town Council spends money like drunken sailors without accountability.

I personally believe that this is an attempt to discourage citizens from challenging the Town Manager, Diane Barnes’ budgeting actions and to punish those that do. The Finance Director did not comply with the original request but provided information that was not requested; which is a violation of state law.

Residents beware when dealing with the town and especially the Town Manager.

Larry Fillmore

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

PS The Town is charging me $75.00 for the Undesignated Fund information. Apparently, with two computer systems (MUNIS and TRIO) it took 6 hours to put this information together.