Bullying Is Alive And Well In Lisbon, don't think so, Well Read On Comrades!!!!!

BULLYING IN LISBON

It is truly amazing how our Town Manager is paid close to $100,000 tax dollars and totally ignores our Charter, provides false information to the council, does not keep the residents informed and cannot even provide our Town Council with current information.  The only function our Town Manager does is to provide false information to the council which results in illegal contracts, and striping the citizen’s right to free speech.  The Town Manager keeps information from the people resulting in secretive meetings.

In this day of electronic information being passed in order to keep people informed, the town maintains an electronic bulletin board and a web site.  Both of these devices’ sole purpose is to provide the residents of Lisbon with current information.  However, last Tuesday there was a Town Council Workshop which did not appear anywhere on these devices.  The web site has an “Event” calendar in which all the meetings are generally posted.  The last few months there have been several meetings that did not appear on this calendar.  These are secret meetings because the Public has no knowledge they are being held.  This is like the pre-meetings held by the council illegally in the Town Manager’s office prior to Town Council meetings/workshops or even better holding meeting at “Chummy’s”.

I attended last Tuesday nights' council workshop and the Town Manager provided both the council and the audience with a packet containing several listings of all the road/streets in town and there condition in 2006.  I am sure; we all realize that the condition of these roads has changed in the past seven years.  Trying to make a decision, utilizing data that is seven years old, is irresponsible to say the least.  But what is even more disturbing is the Lisbon Town Council accepted this seven year old information in the first place.  The Town Manager should ALWAYS provide current information to the council.  How our Councilors’ can make any responsible decision without current data is beyond me.

The Town Engineer rattled off a dozen or more road/streets he is recommended discontinuing.  I apologize for not providing the list but it was just too fast for me and neither the Town Manager nor Town Engineer had a listing prepared for the council.   Again, for $100,000 annually, one would have expected a handout to both the council and the audience.  The Town Manager continues to provide information to the council that is not complete or is not current.

The Town Council, with the guidance of the Town Manager, eliminated the right of the citizens to speak at any workshop.  Apparently, this was done so that no one can contradict the Town Manager or challenge any documents/information provided.  The only reason to go is to listen to bad information being passed by the Town Manager and soaked up by the Council.  It is the same way at Town Council meetings.   I have been told on numerous occasions that I should not criticize what the council is doing.  It is the desire of the Town Council to eliminate any criticism of their decisions, regardless if the decisions are illegal or not.  This Council and especially the Town Manager can never admit to anyone they are wrong on anything.  This speaks volumes for the character and integrity of both the council and the Town Manager.

Look at what they have done to “Public Hearings”!!!!  Citizens have been denied the right to speak during the last two Appeals Board meetings by Chairman Morgan-Alexander.  The Town Manager was provided a legal review by a lawyer from the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) which is the town’s governing body which clearly stated the Public has a right to speak on these issues.  However, the Public still is not allowed to speak at any Appeals Board Hearing.  This is another example of bullying and denying the residents of Lisbon their right to free speech.  

The citizens of Lisbon have been bullied every time we challenge the actions of the Town Manager and the Council.  I personally believe that all the poor decisions of the council are a direct result of the Town Manager passing bad or incomplete information to the council.

Larry Fillmore