• Selectman Jason Cole had made the motion to revisit the CEO Budget on a municipal ballot in November as promised to the Budget Committee in the spring.

• Selectman Patch stated he was not the Selectman then, did not make the promise to the Budget Committee, thus he did not have to honor it and did not comment on the subject much beyond that.

• Selectman Frizzell after 2 ½ hours of deliberations voted against the motion.  He stated he was trying to be fiscally responsible, in case the excise tax initiative passes he do not want to spend any money.

Many aspects of this bothered and confused those in attendance:

•  Selectman Frizzell going back on his word to the Budget Committee to review the Code Enforcement Officer’s budget. (Which probably would have saved the Town money.)

• Selectman Patch misleading us to believe if we turned petitions in on time they would be on a ballot in November. Only to turn around and disregard 2 verified petitions for the November elections and a promise to the Budget Committee.

• The missed opportunity to have a larger than normal turnout of voters be represented on these important issues.

•  The possibility of purchasing an ambulance before the end of the year. This would have saved the Rescue Squad money on an ambulance purchase.  They are also losing out on potential income the new ambulance could have provided between November and June.

•  Any additional costs the ballot would have incurred the Town was offered to be paid for by several different people at the meeting. Which made that a mute point.

FMI review the Selectmen Meeting  http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/news/watch/v19082855HeqAztAJ
Many in attendance were angry at the Selectmens’ decision and wanted to know what we were going to do.  Explaining the law regarding petitions is open to interpretation and we really did not want to go the way of the court system, as it could be a lengthy, drawn out process.  The petitions will be on the June Ballot.

We went on to discuss looking at the situation as an opportunity to educate the voters regarding the Town Manager Plan and Charter Committee initiative that will be on the ballot in June.

The 911 logs we want to establish were also discussed as a way to educate on the need for better Police coverage.  I have contacted both the York County Sheriffs Office and the Maine State Police about our plan, only to find out their staff has been dramatically cut recently and they may not be of much assistance.  I do have another person to contact that heads the dispatching for the police and I will have an update on that next month.

Sheriff Ouellette quoted cost for a contract Deputy at being approximately $80,000.00 a year.

It was brought up that Chris Gilpatrick offered his services, as a Constable for free during the winter, at a recent Selectmens’ meeting and he is waiting to hear a response.

Many were concerned about the referendum on reducing the excise tax. If it passes our Town could lose a lot of revenue.  It was urged that all educate themselves on the issues we are voting on and talk to others about it too. A public hearing was to be held on October 14th.

If the reduction in excise taxes does happen, taxes may need to be raised or cost saving ideas may need to be implemented.  There was some great discussion on ways the town could save money.

• It was brought up that there are so many resources on-line now that perhaps a reduction in Town Office staff is in line.

• To look more closely at the Transfer Station budget, the only department that was not cut during the budget process last spring.

• Perhaps the Town could look into more State and Federal grants available

Getting a table at the November 3rd elections was also talked about.  The petition for the Charter Committee initiative will be available to sign.  We are also working on some educational information to pass out.  Volunteers for time slots to man the table should contact Corinna Cole @  339-8806  or via email at corinna.cole@gmail.com

Our next meeting will be held Thursday November 5th at the Elementary School, starting at 6:30 pm.

The meeting began at 6:30 sharp with a brief welcome and introduction as well as a recap of the Citizens Roundtable goals for the benefit of the new people attending.

The status of the action items from the previous meeting were reviewed, which brought out much discussion on a variety of topics and concerns. At this point the presentation was abandoned to allow for the dialogue, questions and idea exchange that was occurring.

Old Business / Action Items:

Attempt to get a channel of communication formed with dispatch or another source so we can get the 911 / police calls made to Lebanon and post them on the website and in public areas to demonstrate to residents the high volume and severity of crime in our small town.

• A resource has been found that will allow for some reporting of activity. It might not be at the level of detail desired, but it is a start. Much of the delay has been caused due to the transfer of the dispatching system that has been underway. Look for these on the website soon. -Completed

Pick-up Petition paperwork for collection of signatures to form a Charter Committee.

• This has been completed, the Petitions are circulating for signatures. Once the 330 -/+ signatures are gathered the Petitions will be submitted to the Town Clerk for addition to the Ballot in June 2010.
• A flier was also created by Corrina Cole to provide a brief explanation of a Town Charter and the benefits it provides. This will be used by Petitioners and is available to be viewed Here. – Completed

Contact Town Managers from Sanford and N. Berwick to speak as guests to inform residents about the position. Recording the presentations to share on the website. The presentations will allow question and answer period.

• Jason Cole was able to contact the current Town Manager of Sanford who is available to make a presentation and it will be scheduled hopefully for the next meeting. This individual started in a very small town and has worked up to a larger municipality so he has a wide range of experience to share. To Be Scheduled

Re-visit State Referendum educational materials and methods at the next meeting.

• It is still unclear the specifics of the State Ballot items and exactly what the Town will be doing as a means to educate people. The one issue that we know will need attention is the excise tax, the state is shifting the burden of the tax back to the property owners and away from business. In essence if this passes would mean a large shortfall of revenue which will increase taxes. More to come on this item..

Monitor status of Referendums revisited at the next Selectmen Meeting, and get Petition paperwork pulled and started if needed.

• The Selectmen did not address the matter of placing the referendums back before the people over the past six weeks. Most recently they canceled the Selectmen meeting all together. Petitions have been created are presently circulating for the purpose of having these placed back on the November ballot.
• It was discovered during this time that there would be no funding available for the Deputy Sheriff referendum so, this item has been abandoned. Further the Deputy coverage to the county is being reduced significantly. Our present coverage will be getting worse not better.
• Self Service Petition..If you are a “Registered Voter” in Town you may download a copy of the Town Manager Petition, print it, and complete the form using ink, by adding your signature, printed name and address. Then simply mail it to: Glen Stadig, 1174 Carl Broggi Hwy, Lebanon, ME 04027.   If you can also circulate this petition to friends, family, and neighbors that are also registered voters, that would be helpful too. It is important to do this quickly however, so these petitions may be included to be certified.   Town Administrator Petition-Download Alternatively you may contact me at gstadig@gmail.com and I will stop by to meet you and gain your signature. (Your can only sign and submit one Town Administrator Petition, so if you have seen one of our representatives or signed one at the store, you’re good)

Contact papers for posting of meetings using direct channels.

• This has been Completed

New Business / Discussion Highlights

The participants of last nights meeting were very well spoken and represented a small cross section of residents. Several topics and branching discussions were had, and it was good to hear varied concerns, perspectives and ideas that were brought forward. I will attempt to summarize some of the larger points for you..

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.

Planning Board / Building Permits

In discussing the need for a Town Charter, the town’s growth, the building of private roads, the issue of building permits and their control came to light.

Presently the planning board really only provides oversight to “sub-divisions”, and even then only to certain types. For example a father sub-dividing to his son or family is exempt from this oversight. Further the building permit process managed by the Code Enforcement Officer, really is only looking at specifics such as “building codes” items like set-backs, septic design, wiring  etc.

So…whats the issue your asking right?  Well there is a large fundamental hole which essentially allows anyone to build anything wherever they want, except of course a certain type of sub division which would go before the planning board and have proper due process.

A person or a company could build a huge pig farm, warehouse facility, or perhaps a toxic waste reclamation facility, literally anywhere and there is essentially nothing the Town or their neighbors can do. There is no assessment of roads use or traffic impact, there is no process for abutters to be notified and be allowed to question or oppose, there is no hearing of any type. It is important to understand that your quiet neighborhood and home are at risk, not only from a simple quality of life perspective, but financially as well. Tomorrow the woods or field you have come to love could be replaced with a wall of steel and metal stamping equipment. The quiet road your children play on could have a steady flow cement trucks to and from a processing facility or constant 18 wheeler traffic to the warehouse. The fresh smell of woods and cut hay could be replaced with smell of pig poop or sulfur all with…No say, no voice, no oversight, no control….only review of set-backs, septic, wiring “building codes”

I was shocked to learn this as I am sure many of you are reading this. I was aware we don’t have zoning in our town but I fully believed there were protections against this kind of thing and at miniumum a cursery review. This alone is reason to adopt  a Town Charter and Comprehensive Plan of course there are many more.

Town Manager / Education of Voters

Some present questioned how the Town Manager plan would work and the benefits the position would provide?   This was reviewed and followed a show of hands which indicated support for the position was nearly unanimous. There was discussion concerning the time line between now and the November ballot. Does this allow for enough time to educate residents on the need for a Town Manager? It was also asked how we can go about educating other in town?

I explained we have the ourvoice website which can host video, audio, fliers, links and articles on the topic. We can also do fliers and handouts, go door to door, and use a registered voters list and the phone. The thought is due to the anticipated high turnout for the November ballot and the fact it missed by a such narrow margin with a little effort it could pass.  People need to be educated about the position and really understand what it can provide.

Planning At the Town Level

There was much discussion at the need to have and demonstrate planning at the Town level. Many projects are done in a quick fashion without thought or full cost analysis. This makes it difficult to get public support and leads to a need to revisit things far to quickly. A fine example is our new Town Hall which lacks a meeting area and adequate records storage.

Conflicts of Interest

There was much discussion over the conflicts of interest in town as well as the perceived conflicts. The Budget Committee experience was recapped along with review of the implemented conflict of interest policy.

New Action Items

There were no new Action Items were developed from this meeting other than a full court press to collect signatures for the Petitions and continuance of the development of educational material for residents. Personally I am not a fan of all talk with no action, therefore I assigned myself the task of sending the ideas provided on the police coverage to the Selectmen and will follow-up at the next Selectmen meeting.

Meeting Adjourned 8pm

Next Meeting

September 9th at 6:30pm at the Old Town Hall on Center Road. (Typically we plan to meet the first Wednesday but do to the first day of school being the 2nd we postponed a week.)

Thank all of you for attending and sharing…see you again next month!!

Together we will make our town Better..!

Video / Audio – The meeting was recorded but the video and audio quality is horrible. It is impossible to hear the dialogue. I increased the gain but that didn’t help there is just too much ambient noise from the room and the passing road traffic. I will see if i can get access to an audio recorder for the next meeting.

If you feel something was missed in my summary / minutes please email me gstadig@gmail.com or comment the article on the website.

The purpose of the Roundtable is to encourage a dialogue and action on topics on bettering the Town of Lebanon. The agenda is still being finalized, more details will be coming.

I shared a presentation on the purpose of the meetings and provided an overview of what a Town Charter is and it’s importance. There were several topics that were discussed beyond a Town Charter, these revolved around…Town Administrator, Police Coverage, Comprehensive Plan and upcoming State Referendums to name a few.

Selectmen Cole shared details of the potential for losing more of our Sheriff coverage and cited specific examples of crimes that occur in the town and calls that Rescue performs.  He explained that Lebanon’s crime rate is very high for it’s population. He also explained how investigations are hampered by having the shared services with State Police.

The benefits of a full-time town administrator were discussed. It was felt if residents could be better informed they might make a better decision. We thought if we could have Town Administrators come and speak, providing a couple short presentations we could record these to share on the website as well as make some materials to circulate to residents. The Citizen’s Roundtable forum also affords a more intimate setting where people are more inclined to ask questions.

Petition paperwork is going to be picked up and circulated to residents so that a referendum to allow a Charter Commission to be formed to draft a Town Charter. It is understood this requires 20% of the signatures of the last gubernatorial election or about 334.

Residents in attendance were optimistic that the Town Administrator and Sheriff’s proposal referendums from the recent election could be revisited and placed on the ballot again in November. When the Selectmen meet this coming Tuesday we should know. If the Selectmen choose not place the referendums on the ballot,  they can still be placed on the ballot with a Petition for each one and 167 signatures.

A short discussion was had on the need to educate residents on the State Referendums particularly the Excise Tax and School items. It was determined education of the residents will be needed and details needed to be gained on the school items. This should be revisited next month.

Action Items:

Attempt to get a channel of communication formed with dispatch or another source so we can get the 911 / police calls made to Lebanon and post them on the website and in public areas to demonstrate to residents the high volume and severity of crime in our small town.

Pick-up Petition paperwork for collection of signatures to form a Charter Committee.

Contact Town Managers from Sanford and N. Berwick to speak as guests to inform residents about the position. Recording the presentations to share on the website. The presentations will allow question and answer period.

Re-visit State Referendum educational materials and methods at the next meeting.

Monitor status of Referendums revisited at the next Selectmen Meeting, and get Petition paperwork pulled and started if needed.

Contact papers for posting of meetings using direct channels.

Next Meeting to be August 5th at 6:30pm at the Old Town Hall on Center Road.

Thank all of you for attending…see you again next month!!