Our Voice : Citizens For a Better Lebanon Maine

I  want to thank everyone who fought the bitter cold last night to attend the Citizens Roundtable. I thought the discussion was informative and insightful.  Meeting Highlights:

• Based on sources and actions that have occurred at other towns Lebanon Residents should brace for a significant tax increase this coming year. Due to the lack of state funding in schools and many key areas including grants there will likely be a shortfall. Based on happenings at other towns,  guesstimates place the increase in the $2 – $6 dollar area. Many towns have cut town hall staff and drastically limited hours on not only in administration but other departments as well.  Towns that have been proactive in these measures are still feeling a significant pinch which doesn’t bode well for Lebanon since we haven’t done anything significant to prepare. Obviously nobody knows with certainty, but the forecast doesn’t look good.
• Police coverage in the form of Sheriff and State Police is looking to take another  potential turn for the worst depending on how the final county budget goes.  The Selectmen still have not taken on researching a co-op solution or the potential for hiring a sheriff to work our town.  The letter the group submitted with ideas fell on deaf ears.
• The York County budget office will be having a budget review meeting Feb 24th at 7pm at the York County Courthouse. This would be a great meeting to attend and provide feedback to the committee. particularly on the Law Enforcement issue.
• The past month there was a meeting with a State Official over the conduct of the Board of Selectmen.  The Official heard the concerns of several residents and stated they would look into what may be done to help get things corrected and improved.
• There was discussion over the town budgets. Residents asked if the road funds are designated to specific to projects? Chris Gilpatrick explained in the past budgets come to the Budget Committee and would for example indicate the paving or repair of certain roads. However when the Budget is placed on the warrant it is placed as a total only, leaving the usage and management to the Road Commissioners discretion.  In the past what got approved and what actually gets done is two different things. There was concern over this and the hope that this year it could improve by having the monies more specified and better controlled by Selectmen.
• Road Commissioner’s term is up this year…
• In general there was a lot of dialogue around town spending and how the focus needs to be on cuts and maximizing the monies we do spend. Avoiding waste and unnecessary expenses should be paramount. Someone mentioned looking into reducing the scope of town employee benefits and or benefits participation by making only available to full-time people as an example. Someone mentioned the closing of the town hall 1 day a week was done to save the hours, but instead the hours were extended on other days. Thus not only NOT providing a savings, but allowing 3 day weekends and a days less access for residents.  The Administration at the town just doesn’t seem to get it, the longer things aren’t changed the more drastic and painful the changes will be in terms of cuts and staffing. It would appear things cannot continue as they are.
• Concerns were raised over the amount of “Executive Sessions” being called by the Selectmen in recent weeks and the fact they are during the day.
• Of course there was more…