Immediately after the change, the department committed the town to tens of thousands on new equipment purchases and also never clearly explained the financing of the new ambulance purchase. This was even after being pressed by the Budget Committee and Residents during the last the Town Meeting.

The point is residents had NO SAY in this extra spending or ANY of the spending. The purpose of this petition is to change the department account back to a standard account as it always was, once again requiring residents approval of the departments budget and it’s spending as is done for other departments via annual referendum vote.

So I created a petition to Lebanon Board Of Selectmen, which says:

“Repeal the Lebanon Rescue department’s enterprise account, changing it back to a standard account. Thus requiring Lebanon Rescue to complete the customary budget process and get spending approval by residents via the routine referendum process like other town departments do, i.e… Fire, Roads, EMA, Library, General Govt, Rec..etc.”

Will you sign this petition? Click here:

http://signon.org/sign/repeal-lebanon-rescue?source=c.em.cp&r_by=6030

Thanks!

Glen Stadig

I know recently you haven’t seen much in the way of new material. My schedule with my current job has made it a little difficult to make the selectmen meetings as we work to close the facility where I work. This is also why there have been no recordings posted to share with you and also why there has been little new material. I simply have been a bit out of the loop to be able to editorialize, comment or write knowledgeably.

I have been giving great thought to my efforts and time as well as the community and the website. In reflecting back on the past three years I think my efforts and those who have supported me have had some influence. The town website and notices have improved a little. I also believe that I have clearly demonstrated the Town could publish it’s own video and recordings of meetings for little to no cost and how simple it is to keep residents informed. The website has also served as a sounding post for residents to comment and share their views.

As things progress I am thinking change is in order, but I am just not sure where to best apply those efforts. Some have said to start a Facebook group for “OurVoice” and post though it. Others have said keep going as we have been because we are making strides and improvements. I would be curious as to what your perspectives are?  Where do you get your news?  Do you like the Facebook ecosystem even though it is closed? What ideas do you have?

I personally would like to see and know a long term, short term and today plan exists for addressing road improvements. I would also like to see all work grouped into manageable projects that can be clearly specified and offered out to bid. I would like to see project identifiers and descriptions placed into the General Ledger so a lay person when looking at payment detail it is easy to see and track where the monies are spent.

I found this excellent article that explains the process at http://memunigov.com . There is an article on Important Tips & Info on Managing Municipal Finances . Chapter 16 – Page 28 shows how to calculate the tax commitment and the various factors for determining the impact of items.

At the end of the day most residents like me, simply want to know what is the impact of the current budget on my taxes?  What will it cost me?   If the town has major purchases or special projects these can broken out and shown as to what there contribution would be to the overall plan. I believe Selectmen should have an idea as to what the impact of their proposed spending will be on our town. Waiting to see what the taxes work out to be AFTER the fact is NOT the right approach and shows a lack of foresight.

I would like to thank Richard Neal for maintaining a very informative website and freely sharing his 47 years of knowledge online as he does.  http://memunigov.com is full of practical documents that explain many of the factors on Town finances and management.  I encourage you to take a look though his information, it is a wonderful resource.

Reading program at the Library ends 8/17, Come in and get a reading log, for every 10 minutes you read, mark off a box, after 6 boxes (1 hour) you can get a prize.  This counts for books read to you as well as books that you have read.

Tuesday’s 4:30 – 6:00 pm – Craft Night with the Rec. Department at the old Town Hall.  This is a free event for children.

Saturday 8/22/09 8:00 am – 1:00 pm – Book Sale !
Meet the new librarian, Jenn Griffin and the new Rec Director, Jessica Brewington. Place suggestions for new books in the library, find out what we have to offer as well as what we are hoping to offer in the future !

They are currently trying to set up a clothing pantry (free of charge) in Town.  They are hoping to have it open either once or twice a month with an on call basis as well for emergencies.  We are still in the process of trying to find a permanent home for this venture.

At the recent Citizens Roundtable there was much concern over the crime in town and the likely hood we are going to receive even more limited Sheriff coverage. It was generally felt there was great need to formerly evaluate some options to determine costs and the feasibility of getting more coverage in town via some avenue. Below is an except from the meeting minutes pertaining to the ideas presented by residents. The entire minutes are available here http://ourvoice.stadig.org/2009/08/06/citizens-roundtable-minutes-080509/

I request on behalf of myself and those in attendance last evening, that the Selectmen consider action to address the matter and to determine the best way to move forward to improve things in the near term and well as meet long term needs.

Below if the Except::

Police / Sheriff Deputy

Given that we have seen a dramatic increase in crime, seeing cuts in the Sheriff Deputy coverage, and the fact the town is facing increased pressures from the coastal towns to move the expense of the Sheriff’s, to towns without their own police departments. Why is the Town not actively doing a study of some options to protect it’s people? Some potential ideas discussed worth investigating…

• Co-op with neighbor towns as we do with the High School.  Creating in concept a “Noble Police Department” This way you would really only need one Chief and one facility versus say three.  Training, records management and all the overhead would be be consolidated, allowing the monies to go to more full-time officers actually on the street. Financially this makes great sense but would likely meet resistance since their are tenured Chief’s and people in place..If the financial gains are strong enough this could be a win-win-win for participating towns.

• What are the start-up costs and estimated annual maintenance costs of hiring and equipping our own patrolmen? If a fully burdened Sheriff Deputy was estimated at 65-85k a year we should be able to put something in place with even less annual cost. There are some start-up costs to equip the position and long term records maintenance and storage would be a burden, but this same need must be addressed for the Towns records in general.

• Could there be an option and or arrangement to hire a patrolman from a neighboring town or towns? Would a neighboring town provide us an officer or officers for a fee? The benefit in this instance is we would pay the town(s) the fee and they would manage all the records, vehicles, staff  etc. Obviously we would have to pay a premium to provide the other town revenue but we would save the start-up costs. The deal could also be structured to allow short term, annual review and changes if not satisfied.

• Can the Town prepare a real cost comparison or do we need to hire a third party?

A mother and daughter shared an experience where recently they had something thrown at there home only to be learn when Sheriffs arrived it was some sort of bomb. During discussion it was learned that in some cases a Sheriff Deputy could respond to a call, but since it is the end of the month and the State Troopers take over coverage, it could be a full month before the Sheriff’s investigation could be started.

End Of Insert::::

I thank you in advance for giving this your attention, and look forward to learning more about how this may be addressed.

Glen Stadig

(Sent via email 08/06/09)

I am a stay at home mom and we have two growing boys and 6 acres of property, we spend a lot of time outdoors and I notice on a daily basis whether gardening or waiting for my son at the end of our driveway to get off the school bus I have noticed the HUGE amount of people that do not obey the speed limit some traveling well over the posted speed limit of 35 mph -some travelling at ( 40-50 MPH). I’m disappointed by this.  I drive Center Road daily and have people pass me while I’ m going the speed limit.  I had a lady pass me yesterday yacking away on her cell phone and often wonder how fast do these people want to go????  The speed limit on most of the back roads are 35-40 MPH and Depot Road on one part is 25 MPH.  I noticed today in the Foster’s Daily Democrat of a severe accident Sunday in Lebanon.  I believe that a lot of the accidents in Lebanon are do to speed and driver inattentiveness and can be prevented.  Lebanon is a gateway to NH and Southern Maine and our roads and Route 202 are traveled daily by many people.

I want to help in the community and make people aware of this safety issue. I have noticed that parents picking up or dropping their children at the schools are a large portion of  the offenders.  Is there anything I can do in our community to make people aware of this problem.  Our children and pets ARE AT RISK.

I did notice a few weeks ago a speed trailer that is owned by the York County Sheriff’s Department in use by the Lebanon Rescue on Route 202.  I think it would be effective to use in other area’s of Lebanon frequently traveled.

MSAD 60 buses travel Center Road and Upper Cross and Upper Guinea road daily.  I would appreciate any feedback that you can provide  Keep up the great work your website looks great!

“Posted on Behalf of a Lebanon Resident”

I am 45 years old, married,and have been a resident of Lebanon for the past nine years.

Professionally I am the MIS Manager (managing and supporting computer networks, workstations, file servers, security and telephone systems) and Inventory Control Manager for a medical device manufacturer. I am a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and also a certified ISO 9000 / 13485 auditor.

I have also held positions as Safety Director for a large multi-site construction company, Quality Manager, and Self Employed Restaurateur. I was awarded the prestigious Founders Award from Cigna Insurance and Published in Contracting Magazine for success in loss control and Safety.

My personal life finds me with six grown children (3 by marriage). I am a huge fan of all the New England sports teams. My hobbies include billiards, hiking, cycling, and fly fishing for striped bass along the Maine coast.

I created the OurVoice website, in 2008 to benefit the residents of Lebanon. The website hosts audio and video recordings of the Towns Selectmen and Budget Committee meetings. You will also find an Events Calendar, News, Commentary,and Editorial all pertaining to the town. Residents are encouraged to post their own stories, events, opinions and also comment on others. This was done to improve openness and dialog amongst residents and to foster greater involvement in government, fundraisers and community activities. (http://ourvoice.stadig.org)

Why Do I Run?

In speaking with residents I repeatedly hear similar stories and examples presented of inner circles, favoritism, misinformation and an overall dissatisfaction in the way the town is administrated and it’s business is handled. In regards to Town government, Residents generally voice a certain level of apathy and frustration.

I want the best possible government for our town. A government that promotes a deep sense of civic involvement and one that is open, transparent and accountable to all it’s citizens. I want a government that applies integrity, ethical practices well beyond whats required by law, and one that maintains continuous oversight. Doing things in this manner does not get in the way of doing a good job; it’s the only way to ensure it’s done right. I believe not only can Lebanon afford to make these fundamental changes; we cannot afford not to.

I Would Like To See

I would like to see the towns Selectmen meeting a bit longer at night when residents may attend. Presently, a majority of business and meetings are handled in an informal way during the day without minutes maintained. I would further press to require minutes of all meetings, improving upon the minutes by making them more detailed, similar to what other Towns publish.

We must  learn more about the systems and methods used by other towns to manage roads, departments and policies, integrating the best of those systems to Lebanon. There is no need to reinvent the wheel in this area. Routinely at meetings I have heard Lebanon misses out on grants and other State Funding opportunities because our records are lacking. Lebanon needs to become expert in keeping detailed records and applying for grants whenever and wherever we can. We then need to use these monies efficiently and in a well planned way.

Our Town needs to leverage technology to improve communication and transparency to residents and our departments. Our website can provide 24/7 customer service to residents at no extra charge.

Lebanon should provide reasonable detail of budgets and spending online via status reports, charts and similar information that is easily printed from Towns systems and easy to understand. Recordings of official meetings should be required and placed online for residents to listen to and stay informed.

The Town web space must be utilized to better promote town organizations allowing for example, a page for the Lebanon Historical Society with photos and information on items they have and to promote interest. The American Legion should have a page highlighting activities, awards and members as well as observe the passing of our fallen heroes. This can be done for many others.

We also must recognize that many of our most involved and active residents depend on receiving the printed word and we need to ensure effective printed communications are made available, striking a balance with technology needs.

It is also vital that resources the Town currently has are used effectively so they can better serve the Town. The Town Hall should adopt a rotating schedule allowing access by residents on all business days and some evenings.

Many people ask if I favor hiring a town police officer or sheriff, funding certain projects or groups, as well certain upcoming Referendums. What truly matters is how You, the residents, view things and how You vote. I will ensure the Referendums are written as clearly as possible providing you full disclosure, and provide residents as much information about ALL Town business and events as I am capable. Allowing you, the resident, to make the most informed, educated decision possible when you vote.

I will provide my opinion and make my decisions for the Town based upon research and all known facts, always listening to residents concerns and always acting in the best interest of the community at large.

It’s important we maximize and expand programs such as the free clinics for the town’s elderly and gain any additional aid possible for our citizens in need. We also need to ensure our Towns debt remains low.

Lebanon needs to be a good neighbor to other Towns and look for opportunities to exploit co-op arrangements where they make sense such as the purchase of sand, salt and other services where it makes sense and is possible.

Our Budget Committee must be provided standardized reports with sufficient detail and timely, accurate information as to not waste the efforts of these volunteers during budget review.

Vision

I want to see Lebanon retain it’s small Town charm and character. Understanding though we can’t go back to the way things used to be, we must live in today and prepare for the future. We must adopt best practices in all aspects of town management to maintain and protect what we still have, giving all residents the best value and best community experience we can.

This election matters, your voice needs to heard, to have a voice, you MUST VOTE.

I am certain my fresh perspective will compliment the experience of the other selectmen. I promise to be an effective Selectmen and work to enhance the trust, transparency, and communication on your behalf.

You can talk to me, I’m listening, and I ask you for your vote.

Glen R. Stadig

What’s a Diaper Bank….Why a Diaper Bank?

According to the article Food Stamps and other government assistance programs do not cover essentials like Toilet Paper and Diapers. No hygiene supplies are covered under most assistance period. A Diaper Bank is simply a means to collect Toilet Paper and Diapers and get them to those in need.

Without the availability of clean diapers, children are left longer in soiled diapers, are mores susceptible to rashes and thus cry more. Studies show more crying can often lead to physical abuse. This starts a bad cycle that could be preventable.

I was shocked to learn Toilet Paper and Diapers were such a problem. I was thinking perhaps we could work with the same pantry or agency we help with the food during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. I would be glad to contact agencies and co-ordinate the collection and hand-off of the products. If we can have a couple locations come forward in Town for Drop-Offs, maybe we can help some of those less fortunate…what do you think?

The idea sounds terffically logical and I don’t see a downside so I thought I would share it in hopes more people adopt it’s use. Obviously this shouldn’t be used in place of other forms of identification but in addition to it.

Mr. Gilpatrick even pointed out a billed route to demonstrate his example. You may view a map of his example comparing the routes from Frizzels Pit on Oleary Lane and STS Pit on Route 202 to the site where work was done near city road.

The route from Frizzel’s Pit is highlighted in pink and is 20 miles round trip and takes 50 minutes to complete. Cost for the material which is extra is $12.50 per yard.

The route from S.T.S. Pit off Route 202 is highlighted in yellow and is 6.4 miles round trip and takes 16 minutes to complete. Cost for material which is extra is $11.50 per yard.

So to haul a single load from the S.T.S. Pit to the site using a sub-contractor would save taxpayers 34 minutes per trip or $27.76 (49hr=.81 min).

To take this further, If you work an eight hour day and you needed say ten loads for the same project, you could haul all the needed material from S.T.S in 2.66 hours, if you hauled it from Frizzels Pit it would take 8.33 hours. You couldn’t even complete the hauling in a single day and it would have cost you $277.83 more just for hauling. If you also have equipment on site like a Bull Dozer grading the material you end up tying up this equipment longer simply to spread the more expensive material. For those who are unaware (1-ton) dump trucks are typically used for hauling versus normal (10 wheel 18 yard) dump trucks. The larger trucks can carry 2-3 times the material in a single trip. In the above example, the hauling could be completed in only four trips not ten, taking just over an hour saving even more money and also putting less trips across our roads.

Mr. Davis the Highway Manager has explained that S.T.S. doesn’t always have a person loading trucks and some sub-contractors used for hauling cannot load themselves because they cannot operate the Loading equipment. A Budget Committee member stated last week during the meeting, that they had looked into the loading issue and had spoken with S.T.S.. it was explained S.T.S typically does have a person available, particularly when Mr. Davis gives a call that trucks are coming.

My Point is this, I can contact S.T.S and have 3/4 gravel delivered to my house for $15 a yard. That is only $3.50 yard more than what S.T.S charges the town for the same material, includes delivery and was only for a very small quantity.  They will also deliver it in small trucks or large trucks. The town should spend less far than $3.50 a yard for hauling of material if this is the (retail) rate given to regular person like myself.

Perhaps consideration should be given to paying a per yard rate to haulers versus an hourly rate. I guarantee if I am a sub contractor getting a per yard rate versus hourly I will haul from the closest pit and use the largest truck that meets the present road conditions. Here are the material Bids for pick-up and delivered product that Dover NH received for last year. Our policies and practices should be in line with what other municipalities our size do.

Mr Gilpatrick has made a valid point to both the Selectmen and The Budget Committee that should really be investigated further. It would seem like changes could be instituted that would get us more bang for the tax payer buck.

From Sunday 4/12 to Saturday 4/18, the Lebanon Rescue Department responded to 10 calls for service. We treated 10 patients and transported 7 to the hospital during the week. 4 patients were transported to Frisbie Hospital and 3 patients were transported to Goodall.

The following is a breakdown of the calls for the week: 2 Respiratory Emergencies, 1 Cardiac Arrest/Full Code,  1 Cardiac Emergency, 1 Motor vehicle Accident, 1 Hemorrhage, 1 Stroke Patient, 2 Stand by at Brush Fires and 1 Patient Fallen with Injury.

Upcoming Events/Meetings/Trainings:

Sunday 4/19: There will be a Swift Water Rescue Technician training class in Harrisville, NH. This is a classroom and hands-on certification for Swift Water Rescue. Currently, Captain Stu Morrison has the certification. Lieutenant Kevin Romano, EMT Seth Bougie, EMT Carolyn Limerick and EMS Driver Rob Dobson are scheduled to attend this training and bring back the skills for the rest of the department.

Monday 4/20: There will be an EMT-B refresher class held at the Roosevelt School in Sanford. The dates changed. The class will run from 4/20 to 4/30. Please let me know if you are interested in attending.

Tuesday 4/21: We have been notified that the rescue has won an award from the Governors Office but do not have additional information. We will be traveling to the Statehouse in Augusta to receive the award.

Tuesday 4/21:  There will be a dispatch transition committee meeting in Sanford. Jason is one of the four members on the committee. They will be meeting weekly to get the information completed for the new center.

Wednesday 4/22:  We will be sponsoring a regional EMS training on cardiac arrests at our station. We have a special simulator coming down for members to train on. We will also practice with the new Auto Pulse machine. The training starts at 6pm – we will have pizza there for those who have to come right from work.
Monday 4/27:  The regular officers meeting will be held at 6:15pm at the rescue station.

Monday 4/27:  The regular monthly meeting and corporation meeting will be held at 7:00pm at the rescue station.

Monday 5/4:  Combined officers meeting with rescue and fire officers at 6:30 at East Lebanon Station.

May 17th – May 23rd – National EMS Week – We have a lot of activities we are planning for a great week to celebrate EMS Week.

Monday 5/18:  The Town will hold its public hearing for all the municipal referendum questions. Any available rescue personnel should attend to support our budget. The meeting is at 7pm in the Elementary School gym.

Saturday 5/30: Improving Stroke Care: An EMS Perspective being held at Maine Medical Center from 8am to 4pm.

June 2 & 3:  Advanced Incident Management and Unified Command Course – Federal EMA – Being held in Augusta – Great training for all rescue officers. Jason is attending and anyone that wants to attend, please let me know.

Tuesday 6/9:  The annual town voting on referendum and elections. We conduct a blood pressure clinic and need volunteers to help from 8am-8pm.

Saturday 6/13: Trauma Part 2-Head, Neck and Chest, Saturday June 13, 2009; 8:00 AM – 12:00PM Mid-Coast Hospital

June 24 & 25 -  NIMS 300 class will be held in North Yarmouth – All rescue command officers should take the 300 model. ALL chief officers must take the 300 and 400 training. Please see me if you are interested.

June 26th – NIMS 400 class will be held in North Yarmouth. All rescue command officers should take the 400 model as well. ALL chief officers must take the 300 and 400 training. Please see me if you are interested.

June 26, 27, 28 – New England Chief’s Association Yearly Conference in Springfield, MA. They hold an expo with all the upcoming medical equipment and is a great way to see what is coming out to help us serve our patients. There are also excellent classes that start June 24th. Please see me if you interested in more information.

There is an Intermediate Class being scheduled for Roosevelt School in Sanford. I am hoping to have some interested EMT’s in this class. There is a major time commitment. Please let me know if you would be interested.

There are several additional ALS trainings coming up. Please see me if you would like info.

Communications This Week:

·         We had another cardiac arrest this week on Monday, this time on a male in his 20’s. Lieutenant Ryan Therrien arrived on scene quickly and initiated CPR. Everyone worked together very well. We had another excellent response. We were at the paramedic level. The ambulance was on scene quickly from the time of the 911 call. The family was very appreciative of all the efforts to revive the male and we were able to revive him and he lived for about 9 hours, allowing his family to come and say good bye. Frisbie again commented they were very impressed with the teamwork of Lebanon Rescue. This was another very hard call but everyone did terrific together.

·         We have spoken with Captain Therrien, they are traveling back to Lebanon from Florida. Hope you have a safe trip!

·         The Selectmen have passed a new conflict of interest and ethics policy that effects every town volunteer and/or employee. I will  be sending it out to all the members to review and we will go over it at the meeting.

·         There was a bad accident with a moose on Wednesday. Everyone did a great job working together and the training we recently sponsored was put to good use. We had 17 rescue members on scene plus more that were enroute and cancelled. Great job to everyone!

Past Weeks Events:

Monday 4/13:  The dispatch transition committee met in Sanford. Jason is one of the four members on the committee. They will be meeting weekly to get the information completed for the new center. They are scheduled to meet next Tuesday. Some of the changes proposed are changing the ambulance to rescue (Lebanon Rescue 1), and doing away with the town codes like 14, everything will be Lebanon (Lebanon Basic 45). There is a lot of work to do before July 1st.

Wednesday 4/15:  Eleven Lebanon Rescue personnel attended a haz-mat operations refresher held in Shapleigh during a regional training Wednesday night. Captain Natasha Kinney, Lieutenant Kevin Romano (instructor), Larry Woods, Justin Marsters, Amanda Marsters, Sam Roper, Jon Kinney, Seth Bougie, Carolyn Limerick, Rob Karwanski and Rob Dobson attended the training.

Patient Correspondence

We received two patient surveys and one card from a patient in the mail, they were excellent and very thankful to the rescue.

Great job to everyone!!

Vehicle Maintenance Issues:
None this week.

None this week.

EMS Case Study Answer From Last Week

She is admitted to the hospital and loaded with digoxin, and also started on diuretics and after load reduction, her symptoms improve and she is discharged on 24 calorie/ounce formula due to poor weight gain on standard 20 calorie/ounce formula. She continues to have poor weight gain on higher caloric density formula and continues to have symptoms of heart failure on medical management. She is referred for surgical correction of the ventricular septal defect at 6 months of age.

Heart failure (or congestive heart failure) is defined as the inability of the myocardium to meet the metabolic requirements of the body. This may arise as a consequence of excessive work or volume load imposed on the myocardium, primary alterations in myocardial performance, metabolic derangements, or a combination of these elements. Heart failure leads to a neurohormonal response, which contributes to the symptoms associated with heart failure and increased morbidity and mortality.

In the pediatric age group, the underlying abnormality is often a large left to right intracardiac shunt, most commonly a ventricular septal defect, or an obstructive lesion, such as an aortic coarctation. In contrast to heart failure in adults, pediatric patients often have normal left ventricular function. Exceptions to this may include patients with myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemia-reperfusion injury following cardiopulmonary bypass, or a congenital coronary artery anomaly.

~ End of Weekly Rescue Chief’s Report ~

Lebanon Rescue Department

Proudly Serving Since 1981

Visit Us On The Web: www.lebanonrescue.com

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

One of Maine’s First Heart Safe Designated Communities!

Chief Samantha J. Cole
Lebanon Rescue Department
Rescue Chief’s Office
323 Depot Road
Lebanon, Maine 04027

(207) 457-9269 Chief’s Office
(207) 608-5614 Cell Phone
(207) 339-9488 Central Station
Emergency Dial 9-1-1
www.lebanonrescue.com

There were several days when the rescue responded to multiple calls in one day. As rescue chief, I would like to commend the volunteers for their hard work and dedication to their community. (You may view the original PDF Here)

The following is a breakdown of the 39 calls for March:
4    Motor Vehicle Accidents
4     Diabetic Emergencies
4    Mutual Aid to Neighboring Towns
4    Respiratory Emergencies
3    Back Pain
3    Patient Fallen with Injury
2    Carbon Monoxide Calls
2    Cardiac Emergencies
2    Public Assists
2    Suicidal Patients
2    Seizure Patients
2    Stand by at Chimney Fires
1    Cardiac Arrest/Full Code
1    Assault Patient
1    Unconscious Patient
1    Fire in House (Appliance-Cancelled)
1    General Illness

The Lebanon Rescue Department treated 45 patients in February. Of these, 19 were transported by ambulance to the hospital. The following is a breakdown of the patient’s destination:

•    Goodall Hospital:        11
•    Frisbie Memorial Hospital:    7
•    Maine Medical Center:    0
•    Wentworth Douglas Hospital:    1

The following is a breakdown of the apparatus response for March 2009:
•    Ambulance One:        38
•    EMS 1/First Response:    27
Response Times/Average Call Lengths:

With the new computer software, we can produce a lot more reports and statistics. We continue to find new reports that can help us. The following is a report of response times and average call times for March:

•    Average Time of Tone to Ambulance Signs Enroute: 05 minutes 03 seconds
•    Average Time of Tone to Ambulance on Scene: 11 minutes
•    Calls In Which The Ambulance Was On Scene within 10 Minutes of Dispatch: 79%
•    Average Time from Tone to In Quarters: 2 hours, 3 minutes, 02 seconds.

The busiest day of the week was Tuesday, followed by Monday, Sunday, Saturday, Friday, Wednesday and Thursday. The busiest time for rescue calls during March was between 4-6pm, when 30.23% of the calls for the month came in.

Training:

•    Deputy Chief Tim Wagner and EMT Caroline Limerick continued their instructor coordinator classes. This will allow Lebanon Rescue to have additional certified state instructors to teach the classes at the station.
•    EMT Carolyn Limerick continued her CPR Instructor Class. Lebanon Rescue is fortunate to have multiple CPR/AED/First Aid instructors.
•    We held a respiratory emergency training at the station that was well attended on March 25th.
•    We conducted stretcher training at the station on Monday March 30th.

Other:

•    The rescue officers met with the fire department officers on Monday, March 9th at 6:30pm at the Rescue Station. The meeting went very well. The officers of the two departments meet each month.

Patient Letters/Correspondence:

We received 13 patient surveys in the mail this month. They were all excellent!
We received multiple cards and emails from patients.

These thank you cards and emails that we get mean so much to the volunteers. They know they made a difference in these family’s life, and the families recognizes that. I am very proud to lead such a well-trained and dedicated group of volunteers who truly show compassion for their community.

You can also review the weekly and monthly Rescue Chief’s reports online at www.lebanonrescue.com You can also send your email address to chiefcole@lebanonrescue.com to be added to the email list for weekly and monthly reports.

I believe if Selectmen meet they should record  minutes and at a minimum these should include, the topics discussed, matters addressed in reasonable detail and indicate persons in attendance.  Having minutes of discussion, action and decision can help protect the town in legal matters and also explain the reasoning for taking a particular course of action now and also to others days, weeks, months and years from now. Minutes are also one of the only tools at the Selectman’s disposal to communicate there work to the residents as well as Selectmen whom may have been absent from a meeting. Detailed minutes also provide the chronology of events so you can demonstrate courses of action and avoid he said, she said, discussion that occurs repeatedly at meetings.

I have sit on many Safety Committees and Project Committees in my life. Minutes were always used as the core tool to manage committee business and action items as well as share the Committees progress on same. It’s my opinion Town business is no different and if anything Town minutes should provide greater disclosure of detail not less.  If you compare Lebanon’s minutes to say Wells or Berwick you will see what I mean by the Old / New business philosophy and the detail they include. We compare ourselves to these towns in many other ways why should administrative minutes be any different.

The Selectmen could simply institute policy and start maintaining minutes and improving on them on their own but that would appear unlikely. To require it, a referendum would need to be created and added to the ballot.

What do you think…  Am I way off base in my thinking?

I attended last nights meeting were the change was discussed I didn’t observe an official vote to pass the motion, yet today I see notice sent placing this change into effect…

I certainly do not believe in meeting for the sake of meeting and I am all for saving time and money. My concerns are that I believe there is enough Town business to warrant a weekly meeting. Selectmen Frizzell mentioned last night they would not have met this week had Mr. Hutchins not appeared. I found much informative discussion and business was handled and the meeting lasted over an hour.

My biggest concern is that a meeting would be called “short” not allowing time for residents to plan and attend, which is a far worst circumstance than the opposite of canceling a meeting with only hours notice.

As it was before today’s meeting change the Selectmen in practices were not meeting regularly every Tuesday evening. They regularly canceled the meeting often with very late notice which i have complained about.

I think the better approach is to leave the meetings as regularly scheduled Tuesday evening affairs and cancel them the Friday morning prior if the meeting isn’t warranted.  This provides five days notice of meeting status and leaves flexibility for residents, surveyors, and other parties to address the Selectmen on their schedule.

I personally get the impression that much of the business formerly handled Tuesday nights is now being handled in a less formal way during the day. Although convenient and necessary for some items I don’t agree with the approach for most since it doesn’t lend itself to transparency and access. I really wish the Selectmen would reconsider…..What do you think?   Please vote and comment below….

Pushing snow into or across public roads and leaving it there is hazardous and illegal. This action can cause accident or injury to passing motorist and costs the Town money and aggravation by having to send a truck back down a road that was complete to clean up a dangerous mess left by someone.

If you plow for yourself please take the little bit of extra time to clean the roadway properly.

If you hire a person to maintain your driveway, take note if they leave snow in the road and inform them to move it and do a better job.

Finally, If you see a neighbor and he or his plow person is leaving snow in the roads please explain the dangers and ask them to take care of the snow properly. If you are uncomfortable speaking to them contact the town office 608-6862 and they will handle it.

We need to raise awareness on this matter before someone gets seriously hurt. So please be extra diligent with your observations and spreading the word.  No Snow In The Road ! – Thank You!

I was excited,  I arrived and found a fresh updated look and updated navigation some headline announcements right on the home page was a nice touch and the calendar was updated.

I then clicked through the Department pages, some have information some do not. The document pages for minutes, tax bills, forms and the like are also still not working. It was refreshing to see the public notice from 2005 removed and the Selectmen listing made current.

My issue with the town site now and in the past is the sites maintenance and information access. In the past the website was never updated “routinely” and many of the features were broken or not maintained, which regrettably still appears to be the case.

For example, If the Town does not intend to provide information for the Library, Road, Boards & Committees, General Assistance or Recreation Departments for example then remove them from the Departments list. If we really won’t have the documents, meeting minutes, and forms available online remove the links. If on the main page you are not going to provide Links, FAQ, or Documents and Forms then remove them from the navigation. The information the Town does provide is useful when kept current, it would just be nice to see the site work properly and to see meeting minutes and the like available online timely.

I remain hopeful the Town will get the site sorted out. It just seems like the administration has not decided what they want the website to be and how it should be maintained. So in my opinion the site has a fresh coat of paint and not much else.

You may comment anonymously on this site by clicking “comment” and simply entering any name like “Joe Resident” and use a bogus email like anon@anywhere.com and complete the anti-spam word, then type away. The email address has to be in this format xxx@xxx.xxx or the system won’t accept it.

If you wish to Register you may enter any “Name” but the registration will be verified back to an email. So you do need a valid email to complete the process. Obviously one could be created at yahoo.com and used for the purpose. Once authenticated you can post articles freely with the assumed name.

I would prefer people be themselves, but understand the conundrum that can cause. It is far more important for residents to freely parcipate in a topical discussion and add a point of view.  So if you need to be Anonymous you certainly can… That is why the site is called Our Voice and not My Voice…

Please chime in and I will attempt to incorporate whatever changes I can in the New Year to make this site and it’s services better and more useful for everyone.  You may comment on this article or send me an email gstadig@gmail.com

I see the web sites primary mission as to help residents stay informed and involved in our local town government and the towns administration. It also serves as an information portal for community events and happenings and allows for an exchange of opinion.

I encourage all residents to author articles, comment on articles and speak their mind.  If you can type an email you have the skills to post here, it is very simple. In the spirit of continuous improvement what do you think?

I personally love our town with all it’s unique personality and timeless character. I am sure many of you feel the same way. With each day that passes I am worried we operate at risk of losing a piece of that character to new development, mismanagement and or by simply making usual decisions because it’s the way we always have. I believe we need more dialogue and resident involvement in town.

Selectmen Churchard mentions the need for a Comprehensive Plan. Others speak of worries of not having a more formal Zoning Plan. The need of a Town Manager has been raised,  perhaps an Accessor part-time or under contact.

Now don’t get me wrong I am not in favor of spending any money. Understand though there is a cost for doing nothing and for not acting as well.

I am in favor of protecting our Town’s character and learning more detail about these issues and others. I also favor maximizing the return on spending we presently do in regards to town expenses. Based on history You can’t simply place an item on a warrant article and see if it passes or expect one night of discussion at a town meeting to answer everyone’s concerns. These issues are important, complex and need discussion with more opportunity for resident involvement.

I propose we ” Citizens” hold a regular meeting to discuss issues impacting the present and future of our town. We invite our Selectmen and others, and delve into the Towns needs. We review the pros and cons of these issues and others, and where sensible and consensus is found, create referendums or warrants.

An agenda could be created through input on this website. I am also willing to use a webcam to record the preceding for residents who can’t attend and post it online on this site or perhaps YouTube.

You have heard the Selectmen at the recent meetings, they need our help, they want our help. A Citizen’s round table would seem to be a perfect forum. We could even invite guest speakers from other districts and the state or experts on specific topics to provide insight if needed to learn how others handle such things.

This is your town, and there is no better place to be heard or to vote than in your town. People get excited about Presidential elections but the fact is a single resident’s voice matters most and rings most loudly in your local town hall.

What do you think?   Do I schedule some space, call the papers to get notice out and send some invites?

Please comment as well as vote your will below…

In your comments please specify a night that works best..ie. 1st Wednesday, 2nd Thursday etc. also specify a frequency preference of monthly or bi-monthly We will take these into account for scheduling as well as trying not to impact other town meetings like budget, planning etc.

I think this method is an effective means to allow residents the ability to better understand issues facing the town, be better informed and provide a record of the meetings and voting. Many residents cannot attend meetings due to family and work commitments. This service for little cost and effort would provide open access to the meetings to people who cannot otherwise attend.

The system would provide a public record of the meetings which today we do not have. In other towns it is commonplace at Selectmen or even Adjustment meetings to have a tape recorder to transcribe minutes and provide record. This service could provide that resource as well.

What do you think?         Please Vote and Comment….

My sense is that our Selectmen are sincere and trying their darnedest to manage things. They are regular people like you and I, trying to oversee the affairs of the town but they’re hindered by inaccurate reporting, changing of accounting methods and mainly by not having any kind of operating procedure or bid framework to work within. Therefore, even with all the good faith effort they put forth, and the greatest intentions they operate with, they wind up to a spinning their wheels or being hoodwinked.

Two additional people could help the process by providing diversity of opinion, splitting of the work load, bring more oversight through improved availability and involvement. They also need a Charter and Operating manual or procedures that details this is how they do business. Any ISO certified company has this type of structure why wouldn’t a town as a minimum have a “ISO light” version?

I believe if we had improved oversight and procedures the Selectmen could operate with improved accuracy. The town would have never had the accounting fiasco over the recent years leading to our tax increase, it likely would have been caught much sooner.  Issues like the recent timber harvesting (“Timbergate”) could be avoided.  What do you think? Please vote and share you’re thoughts by clicking comment.

“Majority rule only works if you’re also considering individual rights. Because you can’t have five wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for supper. ”
Larry Flynt