People are just plain tired of waiting. They are TRYING to be patient, and in the meanwhile, the harassment, stalking and name calling continues. Elderly residents are scared of no service from our current Rescue Department, when it's been proven that they are a dedicated group of men and women who do their level best to perform at 100% efficiency.
If you attend a Selectman's Meeting and question your elected officials as to how far along we are, as a town, in this process, there is always a lot of paper shuffling and the answer is always that "We can't comment on an ongoing investigation."
The truth is that no one seems to know the answer, except for DA Kathryn Slattery, and she is not returning many calls these days. Running unopposed in the November 2014 County Elections, she had no problem getting elected, but I'm thinking it's time for DA Slattery to "put up or shut up". Sorry to be blunt, but she's had no meetings with local residents, when we call, with new evidence we're given a "Special Investigator", Tamson Ross, and we're placated for a while again, until Ms. Ross is pulled from the case and we're asked to forward all evidence to the State Police, once again, which we all know is getting us nowhere!!
While we'd all love to blame the State Police, the TRUTH is that they are doing their job. The State Police can NOT prosecute. That is not their job. THEIR job is to put together evidence and either recommend that charges are filed, or they will say that the evidence is unfounded and not bother the DA with something she doesn't have to look at.
Well, we've been told by the local officials that the information on this nastiness has been handed to DA Slattery. Okay, so if it's on HER desk, that means the State Police investigation is done and it SHOULD now move on to the prosecutorial stage. And yet here we all sit, with our thumbs you know where, asking questions that no one seems to want to answer.
So, just what IS a District Attorney?? The district attorney (DA), in many jurisdictions in the United States, represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney – an elected or appointed official – is the highest officeholder in the legal department of the jurisdiction – generally the county in the U.S. – and supervises a staff of assistant or deputy district attorneys. Depending on the system in place, district attorneys may be appointed by the chief executive of the region or elected by the voters of the jurisdiction.
Who IS our District Attorney?? Well, her name is:
Kathryn Slattery
District Attorney (207) 324-8001
45 Kennebunk Road
Alfred, ME 04002
York County is comprised of the geographic area that includes the following 29 municipalities: Acton, Alfred, Arundel, Berwick, Biddeford, Buxton, Cornish, Dayton, Eliot, Hollis, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Lebanon, Limerick, Limington, Lyman, Newfield, North Berwick, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach, Parsonsfield, Saco, Sanford, Shapleigh, South Berwick, Waterboro, Wells, and York.
Do you think that any of the OTHER towns in this county would be interested to know the level of service that we've been getting as residents of Lebanon from the District Attorney's Office?? I for one have HAD it and would LOVE to see her either recalled or have to answer to the people of Lebanon what exactly is going on with her office and with this "investigation".
As the people who DA Slattery represents, we have the RIGHT to know that she is doing her job. Because it SURE doesn't seem like she is.
We've had our children paraded around on the pages if The Lebanon Maine Community News, The Lebanon Rescue - Command Central, and other like pages. It is alleged that these pages are all operated by one person. No one DARES speak that person's name except for in the hush-hush voices while looking around to see if there's anyone else listening. He labels us to the world as drunks, drug addicts and incompetents. He points his fingers and thumbs his nose. And yet, as residents, we are told by all of our government, and our State Police and our District Attorney to "Wait and be Patient".
So how long are we supposed to be patient. How long are we supposed to hide in our homes while people stalk us, take photos of our children, and post them in a negative way??
Well, the answer is, that it's up to YOU.
In Rochester recently, a resident noticed that his Grandchildren's photograph was being highlighted on two of the "Lebanon" pages. The angered Grandfather and Father went Straight to the town. And you know what?? In the space of a few short months, things are starting to HAPPEN for Rochester residents being tormented and harassed. The Strafford County District Attorney has been spoken to as well as the local Police Department and School System. All are mobilized and doing something for ONE family in their jurisdiction!! ONE family.
And yet here we sit in Lebanon, Maine. Like sheep grazing peacefully while the wolf runs amuck in our town without any fear of retribution or punishment, we sit and we wait. Why?? Because we're all being told to "Be Patient" and "Respect the ongoing investigation". And we're all law abiding citizens who do just what our elected town officials tell us to do. "Wait" and "Be Patient".
I attended the "Celebration of Learning" in our Elementary School on Thursday evening, May 21st. Everywhere were signs against Bullying and the descriptions of bullying. Everywhere were signs saying "What is Worth Fighting For?" and I respectfully submit to you that OUR town is worth fighting for!! Our children, who we teach that bullying is NOT okay, are watching as their parents, friends and neighbors are, one by one, paraded in front of the world in shameful ways. This is Bullying at its FINEST, and WE are Worth Fighting For!!!
I'd like to know, WHAT makes Rochester NH residents worth more protection from harassment than the citizens of Lebanon, Maine?? Why is their town government, county government, and school department mobilized and ours is NOT. Why aren't our children being protected?? Why aren't our town volunteers and employees being protected??
I'm personally TIRED of the "Be patient" tactics. They aren't working. Or they're not working well.
I think that we need to call our town leaders into a Town Meeting and demand some answers. And I think we should, as voters of this county, call our District Attorney on the carpet as well. AND I think we should invite residents of other towns in this county to attend and hear for themselves, the level of protection from Federal and State anti-harassment via the internet laws that we, as Lebanon Residents are being afforded. Because it's not much!!!
I hope you will all be present when Harrison Thorp's The Lebanon Voice presents Candidates Night. Ask these candidates WHAT they are going to do to protect the residents of the Town of Lebanon and then base your vote on their answers.
Selectmen are elected to run our Town Government, but they are also responsible for following through with promised "investigations" on the Town's behalf. From watching the videos of the entire financial Rescue Department fund mismanagement, I, as a layperson, can EASILY identify a Baker's Dozen of Civil Lawsuits that SHOULD have been filed by our Town Counsel. And yet.......Nothing. Who IS our Town Counsel and what is his role? I have no idea. The answer I get most often is that "Town Counsel is looking into it." Well how long do we wait for this "looking into it"? Because I'm getting TIRED of waiting for an answer. And TIRED of the lies, half truths, and twisted media reports about our BEAUTIFUL town.
We are NOT a town full of has been people, we are not a town full of losers or people who do things half baked. We are not alcoholics and drug addicts and we do not sell drugs on the street corners.
Raise your hand if you've HAD IT.
I think it's time that as a town, as a community, we start to DEMAND answers.
Please come to the Candidates Night and DEMAND those answers!!
~~Deborah
