Please note that the following article is an OPINION piece. The opinion of LMTS editor, Deborah Dorey Wilson. While I must label this as OPINION, readers can rest assured that my opinion is an educated one, made after over a year of sitting in meetings of various boards and committees throughout the town. Please read this as my OPINION and use it to as a research guide to help form your own opinion and choices. Thank You.
LMTS alerted our readers over two weeks ago to the fact that the Lebanon Budget Committee voted not to recommend budgets from several town departments to the town's voters.
It has been my intention to save this discussion for the Meet the Candidates Night, sponsored by Harrison Thorp of The Lebanon Voice, however, Mr. Thorp has announced that while other candidates will have a voice that evening (date still unannounced), he has chosen to leave out the members of the community seeking election for Budget Committee, so we apparently have some work to do prior to that date, where once again, LMTS will be left without a voice.
A Lebanon voice.
MY voice.
LMTS has an opinion on things as they are in the Lebanon town government. This post will attempt to address my concerns. Many in town government positions will see some of what I have to say as a slam against the members personally, however, I assure you, this is not about any one individual, their personal opinons, or character, but after a full year of sitting in town board and committee meetings, these are my thoughts and it is my right (and I feel my responsibility) to share them with our readers.
The board of three Selectmen are responsible for the day to day operations of the Town of Lebanon. If something should happen to one, the other two should be able to pick up the slack and the town should continue to operate seamlessly. Please keep this statement in mind, as it is important further on in this post.
Since this discussion is on the recent vote of the Budget Committee not to recommend various town budgets, it is the budgetary process that we will cover in this post.
Each year, the Town of Lebanon begins anew in the creation of budgets for all of it's town departments. The budget is the agreed upon dollar amount that each department is granted by the taxpayers to spend, via town election votes, during the upcoming year.
In other towns across the state, the process begins with the Budget Committee.
As part of their job description, department heads are required to create and present their expenditures to the Budget Committee, who in turn, are charged with working with department heads to examine the numbers, suggest ways to save money, and aid in the examination of possible grants or other means of creative financing in order to aid the department head in moving things forward and into the future for their department and for the town. This requirement is missing in the job descriptions of Lebanon town department heads.
In short, the Budget Committee should act as an aid, a tool, both to the department heads, and to the Board of Selectmen, and finally, to the voters of the town in assuring that the members have examined every line item and understand them, and have done the research and work needed to try and keep those dollar amounts to a minimum. However, the Budget Committee must also weigh the importance of the town's needs and they should have a general working idea of material and application cost for each of the many things needed to secure a growing and thriving town with the ability to serve the residents, which is, the basic ideals behind having a town government.
Once the Budget Committee is satisfied that they have examined dollar amounts for each department, and have examined possible solutions to curtailing larger dollar expenditures, they should then pass the completed numbers on to the Board of Selectmen for examination and perhaps some further ideas and suggestions.
In Lebanon, this process is backward. Our town's department heads go first to the Selectmen. Some department heads show up with a spread sheet and preliminary budget, others come with a file folder full of receipts and estimates and a head full of ideas, and some others come with nothing but their winter jacket. This is not always the "fault" of the department head. While some department heads are wonderful at their job, they may have no idea on budget creation or what is needed to create a working budget. It has been LMTS' thought that perhaps a class or video available for department heads to utilize in the creation of their department budgets, created by some competent budget or financial professionals would be a good idea. One that LMTS has suggested, but has fallen on deaf ears due to LMTS lack of elected status.
Sitting in the Board of Selectmen's meetings during budget preparations, LMTS watched as Selectman Thompson spoke to each department head and marked his budget book. One by one, Thompson addressed line items and dollar amount while the other two Selectmen did not even use a calculator to check the numbers to ensure correct figures. In fact, what happened was that Thompson would figure the numbers and Heath and Nadeau would just record them in their budget books without the benefit of understanding how each number was created, or a double checking of figures.
The next step in Lebanon's budget process is for the department head to appear at a scheduled Budget Committee meeting. The purpose of presenting a budget to the Budget Committee should be for the department head and Budget Committee members to work on shaving a dollar here or there and boosting budgets for needed growth and sustenance for the town. However, since the department heads, generally speaking, don't create their budgets, they can't present them to a 9 member committee with any ideas or passion for the money they are requesting from tax payers. LMTS repeatedly hears from members of the Budget Committee regarding the incompetence of town department heads in "defending" their budget request. LMTS does not fault the department heads on this problem. How can anyone defend a budget that they did not create and many of them do not understand, or why should a department head have to defend anything to a committee that should be a tool to them in figuring out funding alternatives and methods of saving dollars prior to finalizing their presentation to the town voters?
This frustration is not the fault of the Budget Committee either.
Without any actual power within town government to effect a change in budgetary decisions, the Budget Committee has become little more than a self imposed judge, jury, and prosecutor rolled into one. They sit at a table and without benefit of any changes or decisions that have happened over the last year, they judge the numbers presented on paper without an iota of knowledge of average cost or manpower hours to effect the projects needed to further the town.
To Budget Committee's defense, if this Committee had competent Selectmen's meeting minutes to view with regards to changes made in town departments, they may have an easier time of it. If the Budget Committee held any power or any responsibility for research on pricing, average salaries within the State for various positions, or responsibility for researching materials pricing, they may understand more about the line items presented by each department head. LMTS would even go as far as to suggest subcommittees in charge of watching over department's expenditures over the course of the year, in order to understand where the dollars go, how they are spent, and the necessity versus the waste in each department. These subcommittees could then present competently to the larger committee body regarding average costs in other local area departments or the differences in costs of other supply companies that could be utilized at a savings, or with regards to more service for similar dollar values.
The Budget Committee questions and verbal attacks on department heads have created a feeling of fear and even loathing for the process within all of the town's department heads that leaves them unwilling, or perhaps even unable, to come in to a committee meeting and participate in a competent discussion of needs, ideas, growth, or change for their departments. Some department heads have spoken openly with regards to their feelings on the budgetary process within Lebanon, and there have been ongoing discussions regarding law suits to the demeaning statements made during those sessions, which have cost the town dollars in legal fees, Selectmen's wages to review the problems, and hard feelings with several former and current town employees.
Budget numbers in Lebanon are often judged with regards to town operations of the past rather than on the needs of a growing and changing town or project ideas, there are no suggestions on upcoming grant applications that could aid in keeping the numbers down, department heads are chastised, discussions on the size of men's testicles are commonplace, and department heads leave the Budget Committee table feeling as though they have been raped of any voice, respect, or recognition of accomplishments.
It is said that negativity breeds negativity, and LMTS finds a lack of respect and dignity within the town boards and committees for the Budget Committee, and the important role they should be fulfilling for residents, leaves us with no surprise that the Budget Committee reacts, in kind, in a negative manner, passing the negativity along to town employees and residents.
This year, it was discovered that the Budget Committee is actually acting in a questionable manner with regards to State Law, as there have been no bylaws ever presented as to the scope of work, guidelines or parameters under which the Budget Committee is to prepare for budget work, nor was there ever a legal vote to create the committee. In a speedy attempt to correct a need and create legality, Selectman Thompson, presented this problem to the currently seated committee and asked for their help in creating a set of Budget Committee bylaws to present to the voters of the Town of Lebanon on the May 10th ballot. Members Corinna Cole and Sean Bright and Chairman Jeri Basko did come to the meeting prepared to discuss and create a new set of Budget Committee bylaws and Selectman Thompson presented several sets of bylaws from other Maine towns. The discussion regarding bylaws for this committee were speedy and left some members of the committee's concerns and ideas left unfulfilled, and basically, what is being presented to voters, is a cut and paste version of several other town's bylaws The Budget Committee bylaw referendum was hastily created over the time period of 2 or 3 meetings, rather than a plan of action discussed and created by members of the committee after lengthy consideration, research and discussion.
LMTS finds this unacceptable.
The Budget Committee should be charged with hearing the budget needs of town departments as a first step. Members should work to research and identify grants and low interest loans in order to make ideas and plans of department heads work and come to fruition. Budget Committee members should cast aside personal feelings for department heads and as much as they would like department head to come to their meetings prepared, so the Budget Committee members should come prepared, having read the previous year's budget for each department, and armed with suggestions, available solutions to problems and an open mind on hearing department heads ideas for the future.
LMTS is unsure of who created the backwards position of the Budget Committee and Selectmen, but it is faulty at best. It is LMTS idea that the Budget Committee bylaws should be examined by every resident and that they should not be passed as currently written, but truly considered and worked on by a subcommittee of the Budget Committee, department heads and Selectmen, and presented as a complete and well thought out document rather than a hastily thrown together compilation of other towns' work. We also think that it would benefit the town of Lebanon to charge their Budget Committee members with the responsibility of aiding in the creation of competent budgets as a required first step, rather than sitting as a judiciary panel over the character and ideas of the town's department heads with no voice or responsibility. Giving this responsibility to a larger group of town residents ensures that there are several sets of eyes searching for possibilities for growth, grants, low interest loans, and ways to save the taxpayers dollars.
When considering the recent denial of recommendation by the Budget Committee on various town departments, LMTS has had several conversations with interested voters in Lebanon. Most people in town do not understand some of the relationships or dynamics at play in our Budget Committee as they currently sit.
With specific regard to the Fire and EMS budget, voters need to understand those who are voting against recommendation and their possible objections to the department's budget.
Blaine "Skip" Wood is the former Fire Department Chief. While Skip is to be applauded and respected for his years of service to the Town of Lebanon, one has to wonder why he would vote against the Fire Department budget request. Wood is an old school Fire Chief. He groomed and trained many of his department members to one day take his place in the leadership of the Lebanon Fire Department. Woods' number 2 man was the former Chief's choice to replace him upon his retirement. The Board of Selectmen chose differently and appointed Chief Daniel Meehan. No one can blame Wood for being disappointed in the Board's choices differing from his own, however, what seems "right" in the thoughts of a Fire Department, may not have been right in the thoughts of creating a combined Fire and EMS department for the town. No matter what the reasons behind the Board of Selectmen's choices at the time, LMTS is sure that the choices were made with thought and planning, and we remind voters that this should not come into play when considering budget choices for the current Fire and EMS department or their future needs in providing essential services to the town.
Nancy Neubert is the wife of the former second in command under Chief Wood. It has never been a secret that she supported Wood as Chief, and that her respect for him is still maintained, which is as it should be. This is no surprise to most Lebanon voters who have been paying attention over the past years, and Mrs. Neubert has served on the town's Budget Committee for years, to her defense, and has supported the Fire Department Budget and the Department's former requests for new equipment and new apparatus. Once again, we have to state that this respect and personal relationship with the former Chief should not carry over into Mrs. Neubert's discussions and decisions as a seated member of a Budget Committee and that this is not a personal attack of Mrs. Neubert, but an opportunity to open our eyes regarding possibilities for actions.
Laura Bragg is the former Lebanon Town Clerk. But what most people don't know is that Mrs. Bragg's brother is the husband of the former Chief's daughter. It was a large disappointment to many in town when Mrs. Bragg chose to leave her position as Lebanon Town Clerk and there were so many who spoke on her behalf and made accusations against the Board of Selectmen regarding her personal choice for departure. At the time of Mrs. Bragg's leaving the Town Office, LMTS also considered that it might have been a mistake to not fight harder for her to remain in her position. However, it should be considered that there is a relationship there, and that this relationship needs to be considered when establishing reasons behind denial of a current department budget.
Also entangled in the mention of relationships is the always outspoken Chris Gilpatrick Sr. It comes as no surprise to Lebanon voters that Gilpatrick has a relationship with the State Representative for Lebanon, that is common knowledge. That is not the relationship that has a possibility of playing itself out in the discussion of the Budget Committee's refusal of the Fire and EMS budget. The relationship to examine here is that Mrs. Neubert is very active on the town's Republican Committee, a Committee that supports the State Representative with whom Gilpatrick has a personal relationship. While LMTS is sure that the State Representative is not in any way influencing the choice of the voters with regards to the Fire and EMS budget and that she has been hard at work at State level to institute many changes that have been beneficial to Lebanon, the relationship chain can not be ignored when stopping to question the Budget Committee's denial of recommendation.
There were others who denied the Fire and EMS budget as well, as outlined in both The Lebanon Voice's post, and in LMTS post with regards to the vote on recommendations of the Committee. It is important to note that member Corinna Cole (also a cousin of Chris Gilpatrick) abstained due to her daughters' participation in the Junior's program with the Department. It is LMTS opinion that members Bragg, Gilpatrick, Neubert and Wood should have followed Cole's lead and abstained from this vote due to their own relationships with the department (past or present) or with it's former members and administration, or if choosing to vote, these members should have disclosed these relationships to the public. Four members of a nine member Budget Committee only need one more member in order to become a quorum of the Board and a large voting block of representation to the public. I might also add that in speaking with other members of the Budget Committee, there were several seated members who were not aware of the relationships between the mentioned members of the committee, which denies these members a chance to ponder if the decisions are made through relationship loyalties or true concern over the budgets.
LMTS continues on with the budget discussion of the Road Commissioner and Highway Department. It is no secret that LMTS has been disappointed with some of the decisions with regards to the Highway Department expenditures. However, it also needs to be noted that Budget Committee member Gilpatrick is running for election of Road Commissioner, and that the very committee members mentioned above, were also the driving force behind the negative vote regarding the Highway Department budget. LMTS also sat in on that budget discussion and it was difficult to follow, at best, however, considering that Road Commissioner Torno did not create his own budget requests. In struggling to understand the Highway Department budget request, the Budget Committee received more answers from Selectman Thompson than they did from the Road Commissioner, and this is no disrespect, but more-so a question of Torno not understanding his department's budget. Selectman Thompson wrote the Highway Department budget, much as he has written just about every budget in town, therefore it was suitable that he should answer most of the questions regarding it rather than putting Torno in a position of trying to answer questions on a budget he had little hand in creating. I'm sure that the current process is as frustrating for the Select Board Chairman as it is for the Road Commissioner and every member of the Budget Committee. Once again, let me remind you that this is not a slam on Selectman Thompson, Road Commissioner Torno or the Budget Committee, but a statement of the events as observed by LMTS during town department and budget meetings.
Also at issue with the Budget Committee is the budget for the Lebanon Transfer Station. LMTS was not present at the Budget Committee meeting where Transfer Station head Ronal Patch ( a former Lebanon Selectman) discussed (or didn't discuss) his budgetary needs. However, I did have the opportunity to speak with Mr. Patch regarding this Budget Committee meeting.
In the interest of the same disclosure I require of others, it is noted that LMTS Deborah Dorey Wilson is engaged to be married to Ronal Patch's cousin in the near future, however, LMTS usually refrains from discussion on the Transfer Station for just this reason. Ronal does not know his cousin well, due to family separations through divorce when LMTS fiancé was a very young boy. In the importance of my thoughts on the Transfer Station budget, we felt that the disclosure was important to note.
Historically, the Transfer Station holds a large piece of the town's attention. Entering into the property, things are clean, well organized, and orderly. Patch runs the Transfer Station with the employment of his wife, Lorraine, his brother Robert, and from time to time, his grandson Jordan as well as two other employees, one a neighbor of the Patch family. Upon LMTS first hearing of the relationships of Transfer Station employees, it was a surprise that the residents of Lebanon would have allowed such nepotism to occur, but in many visits to the Transfer Station, it is hard to find anything amiss or faulty with the day to day operations. It is also important to note in this section that it is the Selectmen of the town who have final approval on any and all town employees, and while Patch can recommend employment, he does not have the final decision, and that while the majority of the employees are in their 60s and 70s, there are no reports of injury or insurance claims from that department and turnover of employees, even among those not related, is almost non-existent.
In the year that we have been vigilant in eyeing the Transfer Station, we have seen that the Transfer Station is well run, with consideration to recycling, ideas on saving money when the opportunity arises, and ideas on boosting recycling efforts. When Patch appeared before the Budget Committee, discussion was directed toward the employment of family members and friends rather than the budgetary numbers. The demands for answers on Patch's character or employees are not the concern of the Budget Committee, and therefore, it is understandable that Patch refused comment. When the actual budget is examined, there is little waste, and any increases this year stem from the increases passed on to the town from Waste Management, the company that the town contracts with for the removal of Transfer Station waste. Negotiations with Waste Management or other waste disposal companies are not the responsibility or concern of the Transfer Station Department head. Patch does not sign the contract with this company, and although he has input, the Selectmen make the final decision on which company will be utilized.
Disclosure of relationships reminds town voters that there are two seated Selectmen, Heath and Nadeau, who were former Transfer Station employees, working under Mr. Patch.
In a final observance, LMTS would like to notice the many department heads of Lebanon Town Departments, who boldly attend Selectmen's meetings and Budget Committee meetings and attempt to provide some insight into the budgetary needs of their respective departments, and who leave year after year without their "wish list" and manage for another year to keep things together in order to provide services to the Town of Lebanon, a nod to Selectman Thompson and recognition of his many hours of work over the past year in creating these budgets, overseeing their expenditure, and questioning dollar amounts spent, a nod to the members of the Lebanon Budget Committee who see me as a personal adversary, when in fact, I support their efforts and understand their frustrations and a word of thanks to the people of Lebanon for considering carefully the items placed on your May 10 ballot and voting what you see, rather than what is being implied.
