Tonight's Lebanon Selectmen's meeting was held in the lobby of the Town Office building, beginning at 7 pm, lending enough room for everyone to be comfortable and hear all that was going on and be a part of the meeting.
Several members of the Lebanon Maine Road Crew were in attendance along with several residents, The Lebanon Voice Editor and Reporter Harrison Thorp, and Lebanon Truth Seekers Sandy Adams and Deborah Dorey Wilson.
Select Board Chairman Ben Thompson, and Selectmen Royce Heath and Paul Nadeau came into the lobby together just before 7 pm and began the night's meeting.
In Part 1 of the night's video, Allegiance is pledged to the flag of the United States, something that does not happen to open meetings in the smaller back cubby office. The Selectmen moved to their Agenda and declared that the first item of business was a request for a sum to be granted from the Town's General Assistance Fund. Because this is a private issue, the Selectmen took a few moments to go into Executive Session to discuss the matter.
See the Lebanon Selectman's Meeting, Thursday, 6/18/15 Part 1 HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-kdSW5BDxU
In Part 2 of the video, the Selectmen return to the Town Office Lobby only a few moments later, the Board voted whether to grant the General Assistance funding as had been requested, a $50 gasoline card to an anonymous resident. Selectman Nadeau motioned to give the resident the gas card, Seconded by Selectman Heath and then the Board voted unanimously that the card be donated.
It was stated that although newly appointed Road Commissioner Tom Torno had been scheduled to speak at the meeting, an unforeseen family issue prevented him from being in attendance.
Although it was still early in the evening, Selectman Thompson asks Deborah Dorey Wilson of the Lebanon Truth Seekers to begin the Agenda item scheduled for later in the evening.
It was requested of the Board to further the discussion from the June 15, 2015 Selectmen's Meeting as to whether or not Mr. Torno had accepted the position of Road Commissioner. According to Selectman Thompson, someone had spoken to Mr. Torno and advised him of the changes that would be made to his benefits package if he were to accept the Commissioner's position rather than remain as a Town employee under the title Road Supervisor. Selectman Thompson further stated that Mr. Torno had verbally accepted the position, but that he had been advised that acceptance in written form, stating that he understood the Commissioner's position would give him only the title and would take away the Town benefits he is now receiving would be needed in order for him to take on the title of Road Commissioner.
The subject moved on to find if the Board had considered my June 15, 2015 request to give some thought to whether or not the Board would consider promoting a Committee to begin developing a Lebanon Town Charter. Selectman Thompson provided paperwork on how to go about beginning a Citizen's Petition to that effect.
It was asked if both Selectmen Heath and Nadeau had turned in written resignations at the Lebanon Transfer Station and both men stated that they had done so.
WATCH as questions are answered regarding the difference between the Road Commissioner and the Road Supervisor positions, why one position gets benefits and the other does not, and questions regarding the employees and positions coming open at the Lebanon Transfer Station.
The continued problem with being able to access the upcoming Selectmen's Meeting Agendas was addressed by Selectman Thompson by stating that "By law, we are not required to take minutes OR post an agenda", but quickly agreeing that it's a good idea to do so.
Talk returned to a Town Charter, and bounced back and forth between that subject and the subject of the Road Commissioner / Supervisor several times, including a bit of information on how a Town Charter would differ from the Comprehensive Commission that had been one of the main focuses on Corinna Cole's recent campaign for Selectman.
The Lebanon Voice Editor, Harrison Thorp excused himself, apparently having heard enough on the subject and he left the building as talks continued about Road Crew concerns.
WATCH as Thompson confirms, at one point, that the Town is paying $52 per hour ($520 for an average 10 hour day) to "outside contractors" for the use of their 1 ton pickup trucks, stating that some of the 1 ton trucks used to maintain Lebanon roads made in excess of $140,000 a year.
Selectmen then stopped the public conversation as Ms. Shirley Mathews of the Lebanon School Summer Camp entered for her Agenda appointment regarding how she was to purchase supplies, craft items, and pay for field trips for the "campers" with the P.O. System. All was explained to her by the Selectmen and it was decided that Ms. Mathews would have use of the Town's Credit Card for those purchases, as long as a P.O. was filled out and proper receipts were turned in to the Town Treasurer.
To see Part 2 of the Thursday, June 18, 2015 Selectman's Meeting, look HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsbGRCY1bXk
Part 3 of the video of the Lebanon Maine Selectman's Meeting of June 18, 2015 continues on with Ms. Mathews detailing her purchase of fundraising t-shirts and information on how businesses and individuals can donate toward her program.
See Part 3 of the Thursday, June 18, 2015 Selectman's Meeting HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCmpGgr9U9Y
The fourth and final part of the Selectmen's Meeting Video of June 18th begins as Selectman Thompson discusses what TAN is, (tax anticipated notes). Resident questions are answered regarding the total sum of "misappropriated funds" from the "Old Rescue Department", how much of a deficit the "New Rescue Department" had to begin with (or actually without), and how the "New Rescue Department" was doing financially today.
New Code Enforcement Officer, J. Mike Beaulieu will begin his new position on Monday, June 22, 2015.
Selectman Thompson turned the discussion to the subject of meeting venues. He stated that the Board had done what they could to accommodate residents by having Monday 6/15/15 and Thursday 6/18/15 meetings in the Town Office lobby, however, it was stated that the Board "does not have to accommodate the larger meetings if it stops the flow of the business of the Town". Mention was made that this larger venue was requested in order to be in compliance with ADA Federal laws and Maine State laws regarding Public Meeting access as well as State and Local Fire Codes, which the Selectman stated were "All valid points" but again asserted that the Board did not have to accommodate large crowds and could go back to smaller "Workshops", ending with the statement "It's very seldom that many people are paying attention".
Moments later, Selectman Nadeau motioned that the meeting be adjourned, this was seconded by Heath and the meeting was ended shortly before 8:30 pm.
To see the final moments of the June 18, 2015 Selectman's Meeting, Look HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u4bHBphdhs
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