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LAST NIGHT’S JOINT WORKSHOP
Last night was the first time I can remember when the Town Council sat down with the Planning Board and more importantly the members of the School Committee and their Facilities people. Originally, the purpose of this meeting was to brief the Route 196 draft plan. However, this turned into much more.
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Lisbon Planner Amanda Bunker
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This was hosted by Amanda Bunker, Town Planner, and was excellently done. Mrs. Bunker maintained control of the workshop and facilitated a profitable meeting for all. This was the first workshop which took input from everyone there. The members of the Public were allowed to add input into the dialogue. There were few members of the residents but the information provided was very well received and added to the workshop.
The most critical benefit from this group was everyone had a different priority when it comes to our tax dollars. The town is looking to improve the appearance of the town and the school is looking to get off probation. The biggest obstacle was how to accomplish both with the tax dollars available. The school people listed their priorities and explained how they are trying to get everything done without raising our taxes. The town provided the same input it always has.
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that we have to invest money into the town in order to save it from dying. If we do not invest in our future, it will not be too long before we have nothing. The number one priority has to be the item that the town can receive the most return on investment regardless of the cost. I believe this is getting the school off probation. Mr. Don Fellows shared a conversation with someone who was thinking about moving to Lisbon but chose to go elsewhere because the school was on probation. No one in their right mind would move to a location where their kids would have to attend a school on probation. Our School is not on probation for its academic’s but for the gym. There are other factors which have been addressed but the gym is the critical one. This must be corrected immediately in order to increase our tax base. We cannot afford to lose more families.
The price tag on the gym is estimated at $ 6.2 million which is an extremely huge amount of money we do not have. I am sure the school/town can find grant money to help offset this amount. Both Chairman LaRochelle and Vice Chair Ward have stated the future is in our children and that the school is the gem of the community. Vice Chair Ward also stated that the school is a magnet to draw people to the community. Having said this, I am confused as to why the town council is pushing the Worumbo Mill instead of getting the school off probation. Can anyone help me with this?
This was an excellent forum and I believe it should take place once a month or at least once a quarter. Everyone in attendance learned quite a bit of new information. I personally believe that forums like this one will bring more people to participate. The Public has never been allowed to participate in such a forum before and once people understand their input is going to be heard and taken into consideration in the final decision; you will have more people in attendance.
Larry Fillmore
3 comments:
I agree with you wholeheartedly! I think a quarterly meeting like what occurred last night is something that would greatly benefit the town.
I read this morning on LisbonMaine.net a totally different take on what happened on Tuesday. I don't agree there. I attended the same meeting. I thought it was positive. I do think the town has priorities that will not do much for the infrastructure of the town. The school board and facilities committee have very good reason for their "wish list." The "wish list" they hope for contains projects that NEED to be done. I think all can agree on that. There are those that feel that the town and schools should cut, cut cut. Guess what? At at least the school level, there is not much wiggle room at all. Conversely, if there isn't investment in the schools and other infrastructure, there will be no town left. You think your taxes are high now. Just wait.
I'm going to post here the response to Mr. Hill's comment on LisbonMaine.net so people that frequent this site and not the other will see the possible plight that is staring this town down:
I do not want to "kick" anyone out of his or her homes. That is the last thing I want to do. The problem you have difficulties with seems to be with the town side of the budget which appears to be bloated, especially, for the public safety line items—or wherever they move/shift them to. The school, however, is truly cutting to the bone every year. Superintendent Green does a fantastic job keeping increases to a minimum. The Gym is not a "yea we'd love to have it." As you may know, this is the one GIGANTIC black mark is keeping the school on probation with NEASC—not academic. This is something, along with the other two projects that are on their "wish list" that WILL put money back into the coffers. Nothing and I mean NOTHING the town has planned directly puts funds back into the town. All of which we discussed on Tuesday—the town wanting to beautify, and the school wanting to improve infrastructure, support needed programs that lack funding, and, I state again, get the high school off probation.
From information gathered, the Lisbon Community School will be paid off in ~5 years, which will take a big chunk off the books for the school. I reiterate that the projects the school board has wishes for WILL put money back onto the town, and they (the school board) will not have to go to the people to try to get "blood from a stone" to keep what we have.
As I wrote above, if there is not investment in the schools and other infrastructure (and “severing” chunks of the town side of the budget), there is not going to be much of a town left. The taxes will continue to rise, for there will be less and less businesses and property owners to cover the same bills. Moreover, sadly, your friend’s that are on fixed incomes will have to pay for not investing.
I understand others and your frustration. I really do. I just think it is time think about the future of the town; no matter what “side” you stand on. The way I see it is that we are at a “fork in the road.” The left fork allows us to continue down the path where we pay continuously rising taxes for almost nothing in return from the town side; conversely, allowing the towns’ infrastructure to deteriorate and crumble where eventually there will be much bigger bills to remunerate and no one to pay them. Alternatively, we take the right fork and start on the new path to a town that invests wisely and not recklessly; a town that invests in its future; invests in its children; invests in its schools; a town that provides opportunities to its citizen and allows them to take advantage of its offerings.
It does seem like it is a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. Nevertheless, as I see it, there is much more of an upside to the schools projects and infrastructure improvements than a down side. Yes, there will need to be a bond “floated.” On the other hand, the down side is much more hardhearted. The ever-aging population of Lisbon and Lisbon Falls who live on restricted incomes will continue down the left fork.
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