The Lebanon Maine Board of Selectmen held their normal Monday evening meeting beginning at 4 pm on 7/27/15.
Conversations are held regarding a meeting at Acton's Blueberry Hill Farm regarding outdoor events held, and a letter for the Board to attend. Since the Town owns property that abuts the Farm, they have been notified of the meeting.
Discussion and paperwork shuffled regarding the changing of the Lebanon Town Voting day to correspond with MSAD60's Annual Budget approving vote.
Select Board Chairman Ben Thompson hands out for review, a motion for a new Town Policy which will limit Public Participation at Select Board Meetings.
Road Commissioner Tom Torno arrives at the meeting presenting an application for a Road Crew Laborer to the town, that they later consider and approve for hire.
Road Commissioner Torno presents an application for L-Rap money. We're still not completely sure of who this application goes to and what the parameters of the money or materials are, but we have a call in to Mr. Torno asking just that question. We'll update when we receive more information.
Torno states that the Bid Proposals are ready to be published for Lebanon roadside mowing and for Paving of the town's roadways.
There is discussion regarding replacing of the guardrail over the bridge on Fall Road where an accident occurred last week.
Commissioner Torno discusses Road Grading for Godding Road, Lower Barley, and Lower Guinea Road, mentioning that there are a few others that need it as well. Select Board Chairman Thompson advises Torno to put the work out for bid.
Discussion of Orrill's Hill Road, which involves former Selectman Ronal Patch.
Winter must be fast approaching, as Torno states that he is getting calls regarding snow plow work in the town. Discussion is held on how well the contracts worked last year making each private contractor responsible for a certain section of town. This will be done again for the 2015-16 Winter.
The Board discusses with the Road Commissioner the need for No Parking signs for the upcoming Medical Marijuana Festival (August 21-23) on Center Road.
Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers' Deborah Wilson asks Mr. Torno about the overage in his budget of about $7,000.00. Torno says he was surprised by that number and is continuing to go over his expenditures. He states that he had been keeping track of moneys spent and then suddenly, in the last month of the year, about $9,000 came out of his budget that he can not account for. He has promised to continue to look into the financials and let us know.
Note Select Board Chairman Thompson trying to limit my conversation on this matter, BEFORE his Public Participation Limits Motion has been approved and voted on by the Board.
After Commissioner Torno and I are finished speaking, Thompson announces the Board is going into Executive Session with former Selectman Paul Philbrick. No notice is made on what the topic of discussion is for this Executive Session.
VIEW Part 1
of the
Lebanon Maine Selectmen's Meeting of 7/27/15 HERE:
Part 2 of the July 27th, 2015 Lebanon Maine Selectmen's Meeting show's Select Board Chairman Ben Thompson effectively presenting a new Public Participation Policy for the Board of Selectmen's Meetings, effectively stripping away Residents' First Amendment Rights to Freedom of Speech. Thompson's motion comes as no surprise as the Board has been increasingly frustrated by the public questions regarding the Board's Ethics and Responsibilities, apparently there has been some kind of discussion by the Board Members outside of the Public Meeting regarding this Policy as Selectman Nadeau is ready to second the motion before it's even been made.
So now, if you would like to speak or ask questions during the Selectmen's Meetings, the Board has deemed that you must wait until the end of the Agenda item to do so, AND you will be given ONLY between 1 and 5 minutes (that's actually up to the Board once they decide if they like what you're speaking about). AND if your questions run over the allotted amount given to you by Selectmen, you have to give a 2 day notice to be included on the Agenda for the next Board Meeting. This is very interesting as there are never any Agenda's published on time (2 days prior) for ANY Board of Selectmen's Meeting, and by the time you get into the Board Meeting, the Agenda is usually changed to include, or exclude Agenda items, IF they've bothered to post them at all.
IF the Board is going to require people with questions to give 2 days notice, ALL scheduled Agenda items should require a 2 day notice AND the Agenda should be published at the end of that 2 day period. When this is brought up, the Chairman agrees that Agenda's should be published in a timely fashion, but no motion is on the table to change that policy, only the policy that will effectively stop the public from asking questions during a meeting.
REVIEW this new Selctmen's Meeting Public Participation Policy HERE:
CAN the Selectmen stop you from speaking at a Board of Selectmen's Meeting? YES, they can. It's also a provision by Maine State Law that Public Meetings don't always have to include time for public commentary, so they are well within their rights to limit the time allotted for questions or conversation. While the practice in New England is typically to give defined periods of time for public participation to each item identified on the Board Agenda for the evening, the Board is under no obligation to do so. However, if they stop one person from speaking, the practice MUST pertain to all people in the town. The Policy provided by Select Board Chairman Thompson for "up to 5 minutes" can bring the Board a lot of problems. Thompson's statement that HE (as the Board Chair), be allowed to decide if the Board will grant LESS than 5 minutes to a single individual could be argued in a court, should a resident's rights be shortened or terminated by the Board Chairman.
SEE what happens with this regard in a RECENT (2015) issue at the Alton, New Hampshire Selectmen's meeting when a resident INSISTS that he has more to say when the Board decides to cut him short of his 5 minute allotted time............. (as printed in the New Hampshire Union Leader).......... HERE: www.unionleader.com/article/20150511/NEWS0606/150519939/0/img
We will be watching the outcome of a pending law suit by that New Hampshire citizen in his rights being denied as it progresses through the court system.
The end of this part of the Selectmen's Meeting Video shows Thompson speaking regarding the Zoll Heart Monitor carried on Ambulance 2 for the Lebanon Fire and EMS Department. The Heart monitor is the newer of the 2 machines owned by the Department, and it was damaged by water during the hail and rain that Lebanon experienced last week, when the Department had to use it during a water rescue when a vehicle left the pavement on Fall Road last week and went down into the water. The Department was questioning whether or not the machine was covered under town insurance policies, and according to Thompson, it is. Chief Meehan will now look into replacing or repairing the damaged monitor, and for now, Ambulance 2 (our newer vehicle) will be carrying the older of the 2 heart monitors.
SEE Part 2 of the
Lebanon Maine Board of Selectmen's Meeting of 7/27/15
HERE
The third part of the July 27th, 2015 Lebanon Board of Selectmen's Meeting video is only a short clip. Lebanon Maine Truth Seeker Sandy Adams and her son have been weeding and cleaning the garden area in front of the Lebanon Town Office. Adams had asked Selectmen over a week ago to get a few bags of mulch for the garden, so that it could be put down once the work had been completed. Adams asks the Board if they are ready to supply the mulch as she and her son plan to finish up the work on the garden this coming Saturday. But Select Board Chairman Thompson can't seem to commit to a few bags of mulch, saying he's doubtful it can be provided by the weekend (5 days from today's date). Does anyone have any extra mulch laying around they could provide to make our Town Office a beautiful place?
SEE Part 3 of the
Lebanon Maine Board of Selectmen's Meeting Video from Monday, July 27, 2015 HERE
The fourth part of the July 27th Lebanon Board of Selectmen's Meeting shows Board Chairman Ben Thompson reading a letter that the Board will be sending to the Milton NH Board of Selectmen and the Milton NH Fire and Rescue Chief thanking them for reconsidering the fee they associated with Mutual Aid responses in Lebanon and for erasing the debt of $4,000 they held for past responses. The letter, follows in direct response to the written notice of said release of debt from Milton Fire and Rescue Chief Nick Marique dated July 7th, 2015.
Board Member Royce Heath has questions as to whether or not the Board should be penning letters to other municipalities who have also erased their charges, and debts, against Lebanon following the hiring of Chief Daniel Meehan, and the work he has done to sure up the relationships between Mutual Aid towns. "There have been a lot of people who have helped us out," stated Heath.
Thompson's response is that he has only received verbal confirmation of those debt releases, and is waiting for written confirmation prior to sending out written letters of thanks to other towns, cities, and organizations.
Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers takes a moment of the Board's time to ask whether or not the Town Ethics Policy provided for the Board's consideration over a month ago, by Chairman Thompson had been discussed or considered. Thompson holds up a folder and answers that "It's in there to be discussed," but only when questioned on WHEN, does the Board decide they will visit the Policy and discuss it after Selectman Heath returns to the Board from his scheduled Assessment Classes. That POSSIBLY hold them to discussing the matter on the 2nd week of August, 2015.
The Board enters into Executive Session again, this time to consider 2 Confidential Records (employment applications) and 1 Personnel issue. Transfer Station Ronal Patch is included in the Executive Session discussions.
WATCH Part 4 of the
Lebanon Maine Board of Selectmen's Meeting Video of July 27th, 2015
HERE
The final portion of the July 27th Lebanon Maine Selectmen's Meeting video shows the Board passing a motion to allow Select Board Chairman Ben Thompson to "investigate" the issue they've been discussing regarding a Town Employee. Selectman Paul Nadeau, already finished with his portion of the Town's Payroll commitment leaves the meeting, even though it has not yet been adjourned, while Selectmen Heath and Thompson stay to complete payroll obligations.
WATCH the FINAL portion of the
Lebanon Maine Board of Selectmen's Meeting
Video from July 27, 2015 HERE:
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