Lisbon Has Been Shrimped ! ! ! ! ! !

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

At last nights’ Town Council Meeting, the Town Council demonstrated their complete lack of responsibility in doing what is best for the residents of Lisbon. On the Agenda last night was the Town Council working rules amendment. The current Council Working Rules were rewritten by Councilor Pomelow (who was not present at the meeting) and supported by Councilor LaRochelle.

I spoke out at the meeting outlining several portions of the rewrite that did not make sense to me. Two of my suggestions were approved by the board but the most critical ones were not approved and the council voted to approve the amendment by a vote of 5-1 with Mr. Cote voting not to adopt.

Here are the two points NOT approved.

1. I asked the council to add under “Deadlines” a statement requiring the town to post the agenda documentation and handout at the same time they post the Agenda on Friday of the week prior to the meeting. I explained this would provide the residents time to review and investigate any agenda item prior to the meeting; enabling residents to discuss the agenda items more intelligently and not waste meeting time.
   
   
2. The second was more critical to residents of the town of Lisbon. I asked the council to remove the added lines in paragraph (5) Action on agenda items, subparagraphs d&e. Under subparagraph d, Mrs. Pomelow added “during the designated Public Hearing or during the designated Audience Participation” and subparagraph e “(This paragraph refers to public comment during Public Hearing and Audience Participation times, not after each agenda item)”.

To explain these lines is very simple, Mrs. Pomelow & Mr. LaRochelle do not want the residents to have an opportunity to speak on agenda items after the sponsor, town manager, or staff and clarified by any questioning by councilors. Mrs. Pomelow & Mr. LaRochelle want to restrict public comment to the Public Hearing and Audience Participation portion of the agenda. Both Public Hearing and Audience Participation are prior to the section of COUNCIL, ORDER, RESOLUTION, & ORDINANCES. 

Keep in mind, Audience Participation was used to bring up new items of business NOT on the Agenda. To simplify this more, Mrs. Pomelow and Mr. LaRochelle  are asking the public to discuss items on the agenda which have not been explained. This is so ridiculous it is not funny but what is more stupid is that the Town Council of Lisbon approved this by a vote of 5-1. Mr. Cote was the no vote, as usual.

I believe this is a constitutional violation of our rights in which the Town Council is trying to keep Lisbon residents from being able to voice their opinions on issues after the issue has been explained by the council. The Town Council has just violated the Constitution they have taken an oath to support. We live under a democracy and have the right to speak out on all issues pertaining to the Town of Lisbon. To restrict any comment prior to having the issue explained by the sponsor, town manager, or staff and clarified by any questioning by our elected officials is just plain stupid.

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The approval of this ridiculous action clearly demonstrates that current councilors who voted this in do not have the best interest of the residents of Lisbon at heart. Clearly, another measure to keep residents in the dark so the council can do whatever it wishes to do without hearing the opinions or concerns of the residents.

If you agree with me and want to have a voice on issues after they have been explained to you and prior to the Town Council voting on them please contact Mr. Michael Bowie at 353-2607 and Mr. Mark Lunt at 353-2329 and tell them they are wrong for allowing this.

Larry A. Fillmore

Concerned Citizen