LEBANON MAINE
SELECTMEN'S MEETING 10/15/15
(in 6 parts for your ease in viewing)
In the first section of Selectmen's Meeting video from Thursday, October 15, 2015, Selectmen's Assistant Sue Collins speaks to the Board regarding several requests for tax abatements. Ms. Collins also states that she has had calls questioning the paving of Upper Cross Road, when there are so many other roads in far worse shape.
Selectman Thompson answers that Upper Cross Road was done a few years back with only one coat of asphalt, and that the second coat needed to be done.
LMTS Deborah Dorey Wilson asks Selectmen's Assistant Collins for a copy of the meeting's agenda, mentioning that the new Town of Lebanon website still is not showing the agendas and although LMTS has signed up again to receive them, as instructed by the Town Clerk, the public notice e mailings are still not getting out.
Lebanon resident Everett Murphy addresses the Board regarding the paving being done on Upper Cross Road, where he resides. Murphy states that they are doing a really good job on that road and that he is pleased.
Murphy also speaks regarding the fact that he has called the Town Office several times and gets only a voice mail, and that despite the fact that he has left messages, no one has called him back.
Selectman Ben Thompson speaks to the need for voice mail. At this time there are only two ladies working in the front of the Town Office and they have been "slammed". However, Thompson also states that he will address this with the Town Office staff, saying that they should make sure and not leave for the day without returning people's telephone calls.
***LMTS note*** With tax bills coming out late, people rushing to pay taxes, register dogs (Due October 15), register to vote, secure absentee ballots, and register vehicles, LMTS drove by the Town Office twice on Friday and the lines were out the door. We'd personally like to ask people to have a little patience during this busy time of year and know that your questions will be addressed. We also question how phone messages should be answered by the Town Clerk and single Deputy Clerk prior to leaving for the evening when the Town Office is open until moments prior to them leaving and the Town has STRICT rules forbidding overtime.
Town Treasurer Jeanette Lemay, also the Town's Freedom of Access Act agent, enters with several sets of Right to Know requests, all from one individual, requesting paperwork on Lebanon Fire and EMS response times, Money expended by the Town's "Needy Fund" (which is ALWAYS confidential) and time sheets for Selectmen Ben Thompson. The Board signs a few of them, but denies the information on the "Needy Fund" expenditures, and denies one of the Lebanon Fire and EMS requests due to lack of detail regarding exactly what the petitioner is asking for, (ie. specific dates or calls). Lemay questions the Board regarding the fact that the petitioner has a past due balance on Right to Know information. The Board states that past due balances must be paid prior to receiving any of the newly requested information.
SEE PART 1 OF THE LEBANON MAINE BOARD OF SELECTMEN'S MEETING OF THURSDAY 10/15/15 HERE:
Part 2 of the Lebanon Maine Selectmen's Meeting shows Lebanon Animal Control Officer, Mary Kinney, as she speaks to the Board with regards to her anticipated 2016-17 Department Budget.
Mention is made during this segment of Selectman Nadeau's nephew, the electrician, and service on the town's emergency backup generators. Thompson states that he feels the Board has done their due diligence in putting the generator service and electrical work out to bid on 2 separate occasions and since they have not received any bids on the work, it's time to give Nadeau's nephew a call.
SEE PART 2 OF THE LEBANON MAINE BOARD OF SELECTMEN'S MEETING OF THURSDAY 10/15/15 HERE:
The Board begins discussion on proposed 2016-17 budget needs, with Thompson and Heath both working from their "Budget Books", but Selectman Nadeau, a long time Budget Committee Member, forgot his budget book at home. Thompson asks if Nadeau would like copies of the blank work sheets so that he can follow along and transfer the numbers into his "Budget Book" later on, but Nadeau declines, instead saying he will get the numbers from Heath later.
Selectman Thompson states that although the agenda calls for examination of a budget for Cemetery work, that he anticipates "quite a discussion" on that budget, and states that they will talk about the Cemetery Maintenance costs later in the meeting. ***The Cemetery budget was never revisited***
There is discussion with Treasurer Jeanette Lemay regarding a payment due to CMP, but what the payment is for is never specified. Lemay states the difficulty in making said payment, but that she will try to figure it out and get it paid.
SEE PART 3 OF THE LEBANON MAINE BOARD OF SELECTMEN'S MEETING OF THURSDAY 10/15/15 HERE:
The fourth part of the 10/15/15 Selectmen's Meeting video begins with the Board discussing more budget concerns.
One budget item that is discussed is for the Town's Legal Services, which the Board agrees should stay at about $35,000.00.
Following questions from many residents in town as to the current status of the actions against the town's former Assistant Rescue Chief / Selectman in the misappropriation of over $200,000.00, LMTS asks the status of the "pending investigation", the statement used to silence townspeople with regard to this matter for years.
Selectman Thompson and Wilson have a conversation with regards to the status, or rather lack thereof, of the criminal investigation, and the lack of interest by the Town in pursuing a civil suit with regards to this case. Thompson still refuses to discuss the particulars of the case, citing "personnel issues", but agrees with Wilson that people in Lebanon should just let it go and forget about it.
LMTS Sandy Adams questions the Board with regards to the Town Office sign and Thompson states that Selectmen's Secretary Collins has called and spoken with the person that created the sign, now damaged from sun and weather and looking very shabby. Thompson states that he is not sure where things stand with regards to the sign. Wilson states that the Board said that they would revisit this issue on 10/15/15 and Adams is told that the Board will discuss the matter later in the meeting, maybe 7 or 8 pm. ***Discussion on the replacement or repair of the Town Office sign was never discussed again***
Adams continues by discussing the paving being done on Upper Cross Road, and asks how much the project is costing the town. Selectman Thompson states that he believes the price tag is somewhere around $135,000. Selectman Thompson explains that Upper Cross Road was done a few years ago, however only one coat of asphalt had been applied, stating that this project happening now was the second coat of asphalt. Adams continues, by asking the possibility of having Shapleigh Road fixed, and Thompson states he does not believe that Shapleigh Road will happen during FY 2015-16. Discussion is had on the benefits of having a separate Capital Improvement Fund specifically set aside for paving work. ***The Upper Cross Road project cost in the area of $135,000 and the voters approved a CIP fund for only $150,000 in Referendum 17 of the June 9th, 2015 ballot. Therefore there can not be more than about $15,000 left in that CIP fund account, and the last known estimate for the repaving of Shapleigh Road from 5 corners West Lebanon to the Ronal Patch home was over $175,000.***
SEE PART 4 OF THE LEBANON MAINE BOARD OF SELECTMEN'S MEETING OF THURSDAY 10/15/15 HERE:
In Part 5 of the Lebanon Selectmen's Meeting videos, Members of the Lebanon Maine Planning Board, Chairman Gary Getchell, Richard Batchelder, and Lynn Park enter the meeting to discuss the proposed budget for the Planning Board.
Discussions were held regarding the need for the Planning Board to have some kind of desk space for their work, and it is decided that there will be a desk made available for their records keeper to work and store files at one of the desks behind the counter at the Town Office.
The largest concern with the Planning Board budget was with regards to the advertising of legal notices and postage for mailing hearing notices to all property abutters, because FEMA is looking at changing flood plain maps this year. By Maine State Law, all people effected by these types of Land Use changes or Zoning issues MUST be notified via certified mail.
***LMTS has found the requirements by Maine State Law and they are available HERE:
SEE PART 5 OF THE LEBANON MAINE SELECTMEN'S MEETING OF 10/15/15 HERE:
In the sixth, and final portion of the Thursday evening video from 10/15/15 Board of Selectmen's meeting for Lebanon, Maine, Town Clerk, Mandy Grenier addresses the Board in the need to update her budget proposal. According to Grenier, the numbers that she used were for an average election year, however 2016-17 will include a Presidential election, so the totals of her proposed budget were amended.
The Board prepares to enter into Executive Session with Union Representative (and Lebanon resident) Traci Place
LMTS Wilson states that she has a few questions and requests time at the end of the meeting in order to discuss the residents' questions and concerns. Selectman Thompson says there will be time after the Executive Session.
This Executive Session was with regards to the hiring of new personnel for the Town Office, so pay rates, job description and benefits all need to be discussed and worked out prior to placing an ad seeking qualified applicants.
LMTS waited for the Board to return for almost an hour. During this time, it was impossible to wait in the Lobby due to the need for the space for Town Clerk Grenier, to be in negotiations with the Union Representative, as she traveled between the Select Board and the Town Clerk.
When the Board completed almost a full hour of Executive Session, they came back into session without alerting LMTS and adjourned the meeting before Wilson could rejoin them, even though Wilson had asked to be alerted and to be present prior to the adjournment of the meeting.
LMTS found out the meeting had been adjourned when Selectman Nadeau exited the building at 9:20 pm. (5 hours and 20 minutes total meeting time).
SEE PART 6 (FINAL) OF THE LEBANON MAINE BOARD OF SELECTMEN'S MEETING OF THURSDAY 10/10/15 HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSNX952J5g8
No comments:
Post a Comment