The Budget Committee met last evening to review the Fire Department budget.
The Lebanon online video archive is available Here. Here you will find all of the Selectmen and Budget Committee meetings.
Watch 02-23-10a Lebanon Maine Budget Committee in News | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
we would like to see a breakdown of money spent on road improvements. When is the last time anyone looked at upper jim grant from the church to the dump road. this is a highly traveled road and i think the worst in lebanon. maybe we should throw on some more coal patch or fully pave some dead end roads instead.The plow drivers are even saying how bad it is when your plowing a road and one side of your plow is two feet off the ground you might have some issues with your road.It’s not a big section of road from the church to the dump road so maybe we could do it the right way this time and don’t waste our money doing a little section or the whole thing about a inch thick so it needs to be done again. Do it right the first time. Thanks Big Mac
I agree with Resident Big Mac. That is a bad section of road.
Waste has been going on for a long time….
Waste in the form of doing things improperly…
Waste in the form of achieving a quick fix…
Waste in the form of not spec. and bidding effectively..
Waste in so so many ways and areas…
I suggest in the near term Mac you Squeak….Squeak loud and hard. When that doesn’t work exercise your right to vote and become more involved.
Our town is facing a crisis financially…..people want to blame it on lack of State this and County that, but in the end WE the residents of Lebanon need to ensure we are doing are part to make cuts, manage monies wisely and live within our means.
Roads are in such disrepair all over, and we have no “plan” to fix them properly. Selectmen Patch said some towns were even grinding roads back to dirt.
Until people take notice, become involved, and demand better…things won’t improve. We need improvement and we need it yesterday.
if you are a town sub-contractor or vendor this is not waste as you stated glen.this is called job security!! what other town carries as many sub-contractors doing sub par work as lebanon?? this has been going on for years. our selectmen think giving more money to the road budget(over $200,000 more than last years budget)is the answer.how about grinding the roads,changing rotted culverts,adding crush gravel,then paving.paving over rocks and holes isn’t the answer. this looks good for a year but the same rocks and holes will appear in a year or two.not happy with the road conditions june is around the corner!! get out and vote.
Is the road work competitively bid and who establishes the spec’s for road repair? If repairs are not lasting more than a year,who is addressing this?
if your elected as a road commissioner and you own an excavator and all your buddies own one tons why would you put work out to bid when you could milk the job all year, make $100,000+/- a year ,your boys are making $50,000 +/- a year and next year redo everything you did this year ?? are you nuts to bid this gravy work out?? who’s addressing this wasteful cycle?? the residents in june when election time comes around.don’t vote?don’t complain about the waste or the roads!!!
Good question. What exactly is the budget for road work this year and do we have any kind of break down as to what gets worked? Who exactly decides this ? and last,but not least is there a break down on how last years road budget was spent dollar for dollar.
tomorrow night at six the budget committee is meeting with the road commissioner at the town hall.this meeting is open to the public.last years budget for the year was $902,802.00. this years budget request is for $1,121,750.00.remember when taxpayers vote on a budget they have no say so where this money is spent.this years budget is combined both summer and winter meaning our road commissioner can spend what he wants in the summer and if he runs out of money next winter the money will be taken from surplus to pay the bills.we do have the breakdown where money is spent which will also be discussed tomorrow.
Good point Chris…Sounds like corruption. I believe all jobs should be out for bid. I just may go down to the town hall and put my name in for budget committee enough is enough.
Would it be a conflict of interest if a husband and wife were to be on the same committee, say for instance the budget committee? Not sure how that would work……………
yeah I think it would
join the budget committee.being on it all you can do is point out waste and mismanagement of taxpayer money but you have no say so on where money is spent.frustrating to see this happening but all you can do is let public know what is occuring with their hard earned money.when your neighbor is lossing his house,his job,etc. when is the greed enough?? as i’ve stated given them more money isn’t getting better roads but more money in all the sub-contractors pockets doing sub par work.
what do we do. I am a fiscal conservative and I am tiered of the waste and the no bids. The part about public service is, you are their to serve the public not your own financial and friends, family needs.
Public service just that service not a career. Have the people in this town government ever heard of conflict of interest or ethics.
no strive, it would not be a conflict of interest you guys would do awesome!! You guys care for the community.
I don’t know if you would fit in the majority of the budget board though, you have no relative that would financially benefit from your position!
Ill help you guys get the signatures!!
THINGS NEED TO CHANGE – NOW!!!
Our major interest would be to make the rest of the town’s people/tax payers aware of the corruption that goes on and the lack of transparency. Your right all my relatives are way down south. I have nothing but wanting good for this town.
what to do?get residents to get involved and vote at election time.with over 5,000 residents and less than 1,000 voting this is the problem.people don’t care ’til the tax bills come out and they see an increase then they bitch but do nothing to change the cycle.
Speaking of taxes, has anyone REALLY taken a good look at the tax bills online? I noticed there is something not quite right. There seemed to be inequities in the bills. When you have some time just go on the town website and take a look. Tell us what you think……..
Also, I was at a meeting and was introduced to a state employee and this person asked what town I lived in. I told him and he said ugh, Lebanon has been a thorn in there side for 30 years. Until they get in the 21st century they will continue to be so. I wonder why they don’t want change? Can anyone take a guess?
That is a conflict in interest how is it any better than what we have now. I’m not saying he or she is corrupt but why have the possibility of conflict interest, its called ethics. I’m glad they want to help to change things but the husband or wife should just support the other. Avoid the possibility of conflict of interest.
I did not say that we WERE going to run for Budget Committee. I ONLY asked a question. LMAO, we are FAR from corrupt. Have you read ANY of our posts on this website? Lord knows we only want good for this community. We have been fighting corruption for over 6 years and thought we were all alone until Glen made this website. Although, I can understand your paranoia. We have been there for SOOOOOOOOO long.
So how do I find out what they are going to do with upper Jim Grant and when? They should be able to squeeze thuis section in with 1.3 million this year
road budget to be discussed tonight at six at the town hall with the budget committee.public is welcome to attend.i will ask this question to get you an answer.
Thank you Chris
Who is running for selectman and road commitioner this year and is that number accurate for lebanon voters.Just a idea. what if we put the road work info on this site and people could actually put in info on road conditions and it would be looked at and a action list would be built from this and on and on. hey, huh ,a little continous improvement never hurt.lol. great site by the way.
That’s a good idea resident. Also, I had a thought about voting day. What if we have a designated person to pick up voters who don’t drive or are elderly or sick who can’t get to the polls. Some how get a list going of these residents. Maybe we can put a phone number on channel 6 or something? Maybe that would cut down on absentee ballots? Is it true that when you do an absentee ballot you don’t know what you are voting for? Someone told me that. Just curious.
a few years ago we tried to get a road review committee established but our selectmen and road commissioner didn’t want any part of this idea.residents have asked for a five year plan for road work but we just keep winging it as we go year to year.vicious cycle and we pay for it!!
Who is actually running for these positions this year.I only hear the same names. Someone did say we had a couple new people to vote for these positions this year though.People are talking about some new guy maybe running this year? lets try again for the road work committee.we have to have some say, it’s our town too.
when are the terms up for selectman and road commitioner? and who ran for them last election. The poll on the sight show’s ballots for selectman,but only two names and nothing for thr road commitioner? Any info would be great to help me out as to who i would like to see in these seats.
bob frizzel is up for selectman
ray davis is up for road commissioner
nomination papers are available on march 15th
only one seat was open last year glen stadig ran against ronald patch
Who ran against Mr. Davis?
mark stuart ran and lost by a handful of votes,that was three years ago.this is a three year term.
Anyone running this year that doesn’t do road work for a business?
Chris Gilpatrick is gonna shoot me lol, but I think he would be a WONDERFUL AND FAIR road commissioner. What do you say Chris? Please run!!!!!!!
I’ll sign those papers Chris!!
Claire, I hope you BOTH run. There is no conflict as neither one of you also work for the town, so you wouldnt have to abstain from any votes
It would be nice to have honest, caring people in there!
sorry but being self-employed i have obligations that i have with municipalities and schools which i’ve done business with for over ten years.after plowing/sanding for this town for so many years and being let go it felt good to have a full nights sleep this year.if elected their would be a large group at the soup kitchen and unemployment line ’cause this is their only source of work.come milk the cash cow every day at our expense !!
Thanks Average, but we both feel like Aaron, that both of us don’t need to run. I personally believe it would be a conflict of interest and wouldn’t want it to be upsetting to people. You gotta practice what ya preach. There are too many people in office that just don’t do that.
Oh well Chris, I tried. lol. Although I do understand how you feel.
What is the cost difference ( ballpark ) between grinding our roads,grading and paving and skimming and laying a overlay. Also if we have a couple roads we are going to tackle this year it wouldn’t hurt to get one flat bid from different companies as a package instead of individual.Tell me again about this road budget committee that was formed and we no longer have. I think it would be a great idea. A team working together to do what’s best for the town and helping to save money.
in actuality it is cheaper to grind and fix our roads right instead of just putting new hot top on top of a problem(rocks,holes,etc.)which will reappear in a year or two.example check the roads that have been ground(west lebanon road,part of center road,part of long swamp)then check roads just paved(jim grant,merchants road,upper guinea to name a few)and you’ll see the difference.the road committee was presented to the town by a group of concerned residents.idea was to form a committee to work with road commissioner to establish a road plan to figure a plan of attack on prioritizing roads in need of repair,looking at cheapest but best way to get roadwork done,overall a plan for the future to get the biggest bang for the taxpayers buck.
So how did the idea get crushed.If i was on the board I would be all for it.I don’t see any downfall’s with a idea like this.Was it because it was never able to go any further than a couple residents wanting change and to help out and bringing it up to only one individual? How was this committee never implemented?
One more question.what is the point of a budget committee if all that is going on is us just pointing out the waste and not actually putting any action on it? A team that meets and throws out idea’s to help each other out and better our community is a committee or team. This budget committee, do they have any say in idea’s to save money,voting on what roads that really need repair and on and on and on or nothing and just look at money being wasted and turn the page to the next item again and again?
A couple quotes that jump out at me for our town.
The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.
Improvement usually means doing something that we have never done before.
Sometimes we are to busy mopping the floor to turn off the faucet.
I think all your quotes are applicable..
Your comments on the Budget Committee are on point. Not because of desire…the Budget Committee wants to help and does point out areas to improve. Unfortunately they are not listened to and there is no “stick” to encourage anyone to listen.
The Selectmen and Road Commissioner have demonstrated they will do what they want, when and how they want. The CEO Budget has not been revisited and the Budget Committee has no effective input in the process.
I say turn off the faucet..
All I can say is “WOW” Glen. Isn’t there any legal recourse that we as residents can take? I knew things were bad but after reading your post something more has got to be done. I also agree turn off the faucet.
I do have one question. After the voting in June, who counts the votes? If they do back room deals and the unethical behavior that has been going on is blatant, I would almost bet to insure their cash cow, somehow they could FIX the votes?
Can anyone tell me how many streets or street signs we actually have in lebanon maine.lol.I think we turned the page on that one also.What was the budget for signs last year again?
I am probably a little off, but there are the same issues with the budget committee as the selectmen. I watched some of these videos and have learned about special interest on the budget committee. Its sad that we residents let this happen at all.
What is the budget committees huge issue with the policy the selectmen did? It limits conflicts of interest, which are evident on this committee.
I was just reading through these posts. My thought is doesn’t who ever runs against the good ol’ boys network ONLY LOOSE BY A HANDFUL…..What about a recount if this happens again?
If people want change they need to stop voting by absentee ballots……..
I am not sure why we need another new fire truck. The time is bad, they should wait a few years. They are showing how greedy they are. This should wait.
Has the selectmen and budget committee voted yet? Are the results on how each member voted public.
I agree it seems like some budgets get rubber stamped and you can see that some members of the budget committee have grudges and favorites
Greed. so is it Greed that causes the fireman to get out of his cold bed at 2am (when he has to be to work a 6am). rush to your house though tired and sore climb a ladder to the second story to rescue you, your parents, or your kids from a house that is so hot and has so muxh smoke you cant see your hand infront of your face. Then after the rescue and your house is saved the GREEDY firefighter leaves to go home and shower so he can go to work an hour late and yes probably get introuble at his main place of employment. If you call those brave men and woman greedy then you are the most expecting people to risk THERE live using old and unsafe equipment to save YOUR life.
You are the most greedy person I have ever talked to and I hope that we never meet.
greed,
It is extremely greedy when people are losing their houses and jobs to ask us for 400,000 for a new fire truck that you say we don’t need. You should all be ashamed.
I’d like to know who greed is referring too?
I kinda take offense to that post. We had a $3500 liner job done by a supposedly reputable chimney contractor. He had a very difficult time doing this job. We bought a wood stove and have NOT YET had it installed. We think the job he did was very shabby and most of all not fire safe. I WILL NOT put anyones life in jeopardy.
To get a new fire truck at this time is just not feasable and I agree with confused.