Our Voice : Citizens For a Better Lebanon Maine

Improving Communication, In Our Town, About Our Town, One Day At A Time…

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Polls

Do You Favor Merging the Town Library with the Hanson School and operating it Year-Round?

  • Yes (76%, 58 Votes)
  • No (24%, 18 Votes)

Total Voters: 76

Start Date: May 10, 2010 @ 1:18 pm
End Date: No Expiry

In the Town Report, Wages are listed that do not include taxes, retirement and benefits, yet these are paid by the Town..Should they..

  • Show the full cost of wages and benefits per employee (83%, 84 Votes)
  • Leave the display of wages as they are..omitting this infomation (17%, 17 Votes)

Total Voters: 101

Start Date: March 7, 2010 @ 10:29 am
End Date: No Expiry

Would You Support a Referendum Requiring Selectmen to Keep Detailed Minutes of "All" Meetings?

  • Yes (73%, 37 Votes)
  • No (27%, 14 Votes)

Total Voters: 51

Start Date: March 19, 2009 @ 9:35 am
End Date: No Expiry

Do you favor the Town providing web based video of Selectmen, Town, and Budget Meetings for residents to view live and on demand?

  • Yes - I Favor Meetings On-Demand & Online (85%, 67 Votes)
  • No - I Oppose Meetings On-Demand & Online (15%, 12 Votes)

Total Voters: 79

Start Date: October 29, 2008 @ 8:15 am
End Date: No Expiry

Should Town Employees Be Allowed On Budget Committees?

  • No - It's A Conflict Of Interest (93%, 74 Votes)
  • Yes - Absolutely - Whats The Worry? (7%, 6 Votes)

Total Voters: 80

Start Date: October 3, 2008 @ 10:04 pm
End Date: No Expiry

6 Comments

6 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Don Hollenbeck // Jan 15, 2009 at 3:58 pm

    If the citizens don’t get involved now, with all these ways to interact with their town, ( and with the new web cam of meetings ), then they either aren’t interested in making a difference to the town, let alone to themselves, or maybe they have unfortunately been ignored, burnt, or somehow dealt that final devastating blow of suppression from their elected officials ?!?!
    I understand that type of thinking, as I have been there, but there comes a time in ones life when one must say enough is enough, and take our town back!!!
    I think this web site, with all its possibilities, has to be the final answer!!!
    If not, then maybe we need to look into being a part of another town that works for its people, not against them!!!

  • 2 Glen Stadig // Jan 16, 2009 at 8:06 am

    Don,
    I don’t think this site is the final answer, but one of many tools to improve communication and topical discussion.

    I think the biggest impact that residents can have is being informed on the budget process, selectmen meetings, and being better informed in general. This site helps in that regard.

  • 3 Tis // Apr 20, 2010 at 2:05 pm

    I was passing through Lebanon site and ran across this. I think it is a great way for people to know what is going on at the meetings with the video camera.

    Please keep up the good work!

    Tis

  • 4 Tis // Apr 20, 2010 at 4:17 pm

    Concerning TOWN EMPLOYEES being on the Budget Committees .. NO ofcourse not. How many town employees are on the BUDGET Committee? How many Relatives of theirs are on the budget committee?

  • 5 Greed // Apr 20, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    thats just as bad as working for the town and being a selectmen which is a huge conflict of interest, even more so then being on the budget committe since the selectmen get final say.

  • 6 Average Joe // Apr 20, 2010 at 8:54 pm

    Some towns have talked about policies restricting people from being “an employee” of a town and serve on a committee. Berwick has had their fair share of termoil over this. The problem is not a lot of people get involved. I heard that the town clerk was pushing this to get two selectmen out, but I also heard that the ordinance depending on wording, would not restrict someone from “volunteering” like Jason does. Even if he gets a stipend, that is reimbursement (very small) for gas, etc. I think they said it averaged a dollar a call?

    The final say is the taxpayer, not the selectmen. The budget committee thinks they have the final say, but they are simply a board (mostly with their own agendas) who scrutinize some budgets and rubber stamp others.

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