Friday, January 23, 2009

Snow Plowing & Sanding Contracting - big bucks

Last week we had a humdinger of a snow storm. Fortunately we've only had three or four measurable storms so far this year. Nothing like last year. Thank you, God. And gas prices are slightly less than half of what they were a year ago for which we can also be thankful.

But still, many people should still have ruffled feathers re: the $90 thousand plus dollar per year guaranteed (snow or not) contract our civic minded Selectmen awarded to the so-called sole bidder to plow fewer than twelve miles in this small town. You can imagine my shock - dismay perhaps - to be told it was not that same contractor plowing out the Town Office last week but someone from the Town of Holden(!). It would be interesting to see if the Town Office wasn't included in the contract for the $90K - or, if it was, did "our" contractor pay whoever it was from Holden? Our tax dollars at work.

Another bit of information from sources around town: Seems all the plowing and sanding businesses in the area buy their sand from the same source, including the contractor for Eddington - at the price of $2-3 dollars per yard. With the exception of Eddington's contractor, these contractors are charging their towns $7.00 per yard (a $5.00 mark-up). But Eddington's contractor is charging Eddington $15.00 a yard for the sand - a $12.00 per yard mark-up. Nice profit there on top of the improved profit because of the lower gasoline costs.

As I understood it last year, via one of Eddington's Selectmen, Eddington had to buy their sand through the contractor. Of course, that Selectman worked for the contractor at the time. But he didn't see any conflict of interest in advocating for that contractor at the time. It wasn't until there was a public exposure and noise made that it WAS a conflict of interest that the Selectman in question "chose" to withdraw from the final vote - whether to make it a one year contract with subsequent review (which the majority of attendees at the Town Meeting voiced when their veto of the amount of money for the contract was retaliated by the Selectmen) or to sign for a three year contract. As I recall, the remaining members went ahead and awarded the three year contract.

It is always good to have friends and buddies in position to take care of business, isn't it. Even at taxpayers expense.

Too bad David Aubaugh didn't win one of the Selectmen seats last fall. He believed contract bids should be at least solicited from local businesses and that the town buy its own sand (which would certainly have saved us money THIS winter).

BTW - my source says the current contractor has been telling other companies it only takes him 1.5 hours to do the roads he needs to cover in Eddington. Even if the contractor only has to do them three or four times in a bad storm, it's certainly good money he's making this year. When I asked my source why he didn't submit a bid last year, the response was, with the set-up on the Selectmen they didn't think they'd get a fair chance so why waste the time trying.

Considering my recent experiences, I don't think they're wrong.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

January 20th Selectmen's Meeting - Agenda, Etc.

Some parts were interesting - other parts were the "same old thing meaning the usual run-a-round, rudeness, and - well, you figure it out.

There was some discussion re: a pending Agreement with Dedham as to the maintenance of Mountainy Pond Road. Seems Dedham has received some federal funds in the past. Now there needs to be an Agreement between Eddington and Dedham as to which town is going to be responsible for what and the length of the agreement. The Selectmen are leaning toward a 3 year contract. The Town Manager was delegated to developed more data and bring the matter back to the Selectmen.

DOT is going to be paving Route 9 east of Edy Heights this summer.

The Selectmen heard a rather sketchy synopsis of presentations of the proposed RSU 15 school consolidation from the attending school board rep. and decided to take the position to oppose consolidation. They agreed to notify the Bangor Daily News of their position but not to mail out any letters or information to that effect to the town voters - even though both Clifton's and Holden's Selectmen are reportedly doing so to their voters. When I suggested the Eddington Selectmen place something on the large info board outside the Town Office to the effect "Selectmen oppose school consolidation" or "Selectmen say vote No", I was told they couldn't legally do that. ???? Understandably they probably can't say "Vote NO" but they could post they are opposed. Anyway, you might want to review my earlier blog for some basic details re: the consolidation costs. (At least the sign could be put to better use than be vacant most of the time.)

The Selectmen then signed the necessary papers for the Referendum Vote to take place at the Town Office on January 27 - 8am to 8pm at the Town Office.

Nomination papers need to be completed and turned in to the Town Office for two upcoming local positions: One Selectman position and One Eddington School Board position.

Selectman Charles "Chip" Grover, Jr.'s term is expiring. He will probably be running for re-election but anyone else who wants to run needs to pick up the necessary forms and gather the required number of qualifying signatures and get them turned in to the Town Office by (I think) February 6.

If school consolidation doesn't pass, there will be one current seat/term expiring. Whether or not the person will run again is unknown. Anyone interested in the position needs to pick up a candidacy form and gather the required qualifying signatures and get them turned in to the Town Office by (same date, which I believe is) February 6. If consolidation does pass, the current school board positions probably become moot and the two from Eddington on the RSU Board may have to go through some new selection process since the terms are staggered. Who knows.

Now for the "interesting" and You-can-call-it-whatever-you-want-to-News:
The individual who's business issue was on the Planning Board's agenda without his knowledge (see earlier posting) appeared and explained his issue. He was treated most courteously. The Selectmen were quite surprised he had not been advised of the Planning Board's agenda (his issue) by the Code Enforcement Officer and felt that his matter should be placed on hold until he had an opportunity to be heard. The Selectmen also expressed the idea that a rep from the Planning Board should be making reports to the Selectmen's meetings. Interestingly enough when I later mentioned - as I do every meeting - that posting the Selectmen's agenda on the Government Access Channel would meet the same need of informing the community of the issues the elected officials plan to be addressing - they saw no compelling need or civic responsibility to do so.

I then told the members that I had contacted various area governing bodies (Brewer, Bangor, and two other unnamed locales) and was told there was no legal reason why they couldn't or shouldn't. (Refer to earlier blogs re: this matter.) After minor discussion when it was noted that adding the phrase "subject to change" would cover any additions or deletions to any published agenda, the Selectmen, as usual, agreed to take no action. Once more this body who would not be in their positions but for the votes of the individuals/taxpayers of this town feel no responsibility to communicate to those same people what business is being conducted which will impact them. Perhaps not tell anyone will help insure as few as possible show up to any meeting where they might see their government in action.

Now - as to the on-going saga of the Recycling Newsletter... Smile here people as we go around the barn once more.

One of the hand-outs for the meeting was the 2008-2009 Appropriations and Expenditures (Budget). The Selectmen have already had one preliminary budget planning meeting for the 2009-2010 fiscal year (December 2.) and they are planning the entire February Selectmen's meeting to be devoted to that topic. Please note - no discussion of any alternative Recycling collection program here. No questionnaire has gone out to the townspeople - so no feedback from them either after six months. When I pointed out I had made change after change at either the Selectmen's request or that of the Town Office and nothing had been done, I thought I deserved an answer as to why they had bottle-necked the data and questionnaire from getting to the people who pay for the services. I won't bore you with all the gobbledegook - but this time (a) it is too expensive to mail (the money had previously been approved) - (b) I should put it on the Government Access Channel (!) - and (c) certain members wanted to go over everything that was covered at the November meeting.

Bottom Line: they have delayed it for so long there is no time to get it out, get the feedback from the community, use the feedback as the base for any Request for Bids, and (drum roll here.....) one can expect they will go with the same vendor for no less than $11,000.00 per year AGAIN.

The real sticking point(s) - Even after being directly WHY the Selectmen were so afraid of having the townspeople just see the data in the newsletter - not one of them would answer the question. Second point: Not one of them had the personal or professional integrity to say - in six months - they weren't going to mail it out. They just played games. Not just with me, but more importantly - played games with the town taxpayers.

March 3 and 17 are scheduled for Public Hearings on the 2009-2010 Budget. (Wonder if they will use the same format as what they'll use at the Town Meeting March 24. Last year there were different formats which made it difficult to trace the errors discovered at the Public Hearings.

One Selectmen thinks the way town government works isn't broke - and that's why no one shows up at Selectmen meetings (except me, of course. And I'm sure they wish I wouldn't.) Out of 1600 registered voters, only approximately 300 people showed at last year's Town Meeting - and a lot didn't vote!

People tell me they don't go to any meetings because no one in town government listens to them when they do go so why waste their time and breath. Based on my experiences I think the people are more right than that Selectman.

See tomorrow's blog re: Who plowed the Eddington Town Office during last week's snow storm - and what company had the $90,000.00 annual snowplowing contract?

Monday, January 19, 2009

School Consolidation - RSU 15 - Overview of Points - Vote NO

On Thursday the 15th, an overview of the proposed RSU 15 was provided at the Eddington School. Fewer than 100 people were in attendance; however prior overview presentations have been provided and well attended. This overview was the only one I have attended but it was very informative. My notes here will be just a few of the highlights - of the HairRaising points and the "You've Got to be Out-of-your Mind" projected costs.

Two printed hand-outs were provided - a short Power Point synopsis and a more detailed line item budget packet to explain the bottom line cost of the RSU if the plan is passed.

It is IMPORTANT to know:

1. If the current plan is NOT approved, Augusta (State Superintendent of Schools) is prepared for the RSU committee to resubmit a proposal where the towns will have a K-8 plan with a contracted high school AND Augusta has indicated it will approved THAT plan.

Why? Because the RSU committee has demonstrated that consolidation will NOT reduce any property taxes - it will cost nearly three MILLION dollars more than the current school budget.

2. What voting factors January 27 can cause the current consolidation plan to FAIL?

A. If Brewer votes "NO" - If Brewer votes down the plan, the plan will automatically fail because Brewer is the required High School needed.

B. If any of the remaining "partners" vote "NO" - the partner town will continue to function as they do now, but the others will become RSU 15 (as long as Brewer votes "YES). NOTE: I'm not sure how that would work if one of the SAD 63 opts out of the plan but the rest opt in. Frankly, based on the people at the meeting, I didn't see any support for the plan by the end of the meeting. It is IMPORTANT to VOTE. If people automatically vote for the plan because they haven't been to an overview presentation and don't know the facts, and the "yes" votes outnumber the "no" votes, we will be forever stuck in this RSU...No getting out. Period!

3. But the Governor has stated that any town(s) voting against consolidation will (A) be fined and (B) will not receive state education money. Don't we have to approve the consolidation plan or face huge financial penalties and increased town taxes to cover the loss of state funds?

You will want to obtain the two handouts mentioned above to see all the details I'm about to reference. (You should be able to get copies at the Eddington Town Office. If not, respond to this blog and I can make copies of my set.) - BUT, if you read the data that follows, this question becomes a non-threatening issue, believe me.

  • As I understood the information presented, generally speaking, Eddington will be responsible for 26-29 percent of ANY maintenance costs to ANY building in the RSU - not just to the Eddington school. That's On TOP of the other financial facts listed below.
  • Eddington will hold 2 of the 16 RSU Board seats. Brewer will hold 6. (Two is NOT 26 percent of 16.)
  • Remaining fund balances of the "partners" (Eddington, Clifton, Dedham, Holden, Airline Community Sub-District, Orrington, and Brewer) will be transferred to the RSU including Scholarship and Trust funds.
  • Current contracts (individual employment or collective bargaining) will continue until they expire and then they will be grouped and negotiated by the RSU Board - which means they will all equal what Brewer contracts are/become. The detailed budget documents these costs will significantly increase.

While it is expected that there will be a net cost savings the First Year - relating to a reduction in Administrative personnel costs, Year 2 and 3 have estimated COST INCREASES of $1,595,067 & $1,598,966 because of the increased collective bargaining higher compensation levels across the board for all positions.

4. How this will impact Clifton, Eddington & Holden (current SAD 63 communities)

Year ONE '09-'10 - projected cost SAVINGS - Year TWO - '10-'11 projected cost INCREASES

Clifton : + $13,777 : - $ 64,760

Eddington: + $28,708 : - $134,943

Holden: + $47,982 : - $255,543

Total: + $90,467 Savings : - $425,246 INCREASED COSTS

Year THREE '11-'12 - projected cost INCREASES

Clifton: - $ 64,918

Eddington: - $135,273

Holden: - $226,094

Total: - $426,285 increased COSTS

5. So what about those PENALITES? Should SAD 63 fail to adopt the consolidation plan, how much would the penalties for SAD 63 be PER YEAR?

$157,505 -Total

6. How does that break down Per Year/per town in SAD 63?

Clifton: $21,712

Eddington: $45,718

Holden: $89,832

Total: $157,262

7. When you compare the individual town's "penalty" to the increase cost the same town will have to bear under consolidation, the penalty is cheap!

PLUS, the cost of the consolidation budget ASSUMES the state is going to pay its education portion of the budget. The state hasn't been paying its education portion of the current SAD63 budget - and the legislature is already talking about additional future cuts to next year's education budget. SO, why would ANY town want to take on an even higher educational budget knowing it may have to pay the state's portion as well as the local town's portion as well?

BOTTOM LINE: VOTE "NO" - January 27 on RSU 15 consolidation.

8am - 8pm Clifton and Eddington Town Offices.....

(Holden Town Office voting is from 7am - 8pm)

Maybe the Legislature will vote to repeal consolidation. Maybe it won't - BUT - any towns that vote to consolidate won't EVER be able to get out of those plans - no matter how bad their consolidation plan turns out to be!!!

Consolidation at this time - under this plan will definitely increase your property taxes - PLUS - absolutely nothing in consolidation is about the quality of the education our children will receive.

There will be next to NO local input or control over what the small towns/parents/families want in the education of their children.

Consolidation is ALL ABOUT MONEY - YOUR MONEY - MORE of YOUR MONEY. It will NOT reduce your property taxes as the Governor promised.

Vote NO--NO--NO

Planning Committee Info

Re: The Planning Committee Meeting January 13---

I picked up a copy of the Committee's Agenda on Wednesday following the meeting - because I didn't get there. Generally speaking I have a good feeling about the individuals who comprise the Committee, but I thought I should find out how the agenda issues were resolved. Well, no one at the Town Office could tell me - because, it seems, the Committee was not staffed by anyone from the Town Office support staff (!).

Small explanation needed here. The Committee is usually staffed by Denise. Unfortunately, Denise's father-in-law passed away prior to Tuesday's meeting and Denise was out of the office for the week. (Condolences extended.) However, there are two other full-time support staff employed at the Town Office. One would think that one of them would have filled in and staffed the Committee's meeting - ensured the meeting's business was not only tape-recorded, but that notes were taken for proper reference.

On Wednesday when I inquired of Shawna (one of the two remaining full-time staff) as to who staffed the meeting, she didn't know - she ASSUMED the Town Manager was at the meeting. Of course he has his own responsibilities at such meetings and it isn't to staff the meeting but I won't go there at the moment.

Of course, "assuming" is not good under any circumstances - especially when it comes to official government business - BUT especially last week when the Town Manager's father had also passed away the preceeding weekend/or on Monday. (Condolences extended). Therefore the Town Manager was also expected to be out of the office for the week - leaving only Shawna and Chris (the other full-time support staff) to run the Town Office alone. Apparently neither one seemed to think she should fill in behind Denise at the Planning Committee meeting. (I could make comment here for the need of staff function redundancy since it was not the first time/instance when some function assigned to Denise couldn't get done because she wasn't available, but I think the point has been made.)

Failing to obtain any basic info at the Town Office, I called one of the individuals whose issue was scheduled on the Committee's agenda thinking he could fill me in on what happened at the meeting. Lo and Behold, he didn't even know (1) his issue had been on the November meeting's agenda as New Business or (2) that it had been on the January meeting's agenda as unfinished business.

He HAD discussed the issues originally back in early November with the Code Enforcement Officer, telling that individual the issue had been resolved and approved nearly a year ago and which meeting minutes the Officer should review. (See my concern for having the recent meeting staffed properly?) Having been at the November meeting, I didn't feel the Officer's presentation of the businessman's position was presented with the same understanding as the businessman's. Therefore, consider how important it was the businessman be aware the Committee was scheduled to review/discuss his issue AND for him to be in attendance to present his own case.

Common business practices dictate he should have been notified. Apparently such practices don't apply in Eddington.

When I talked with him today (Monday) he stated he still has been unable to find out anything regarding what when on at the Planning Committee meeting nearly one week ago because no one working at the Town Office as of last Friday knew anything and today is a holiday (MLK Day) and the Town Office is closed. Of course, the Code Enforcement Officer was in the Town Office last Thursday or Friday. He didn't contact the individual in question even as a courtesy to provide any information regarding the Committee's decision even though it was that Officer to whom the individual had made initial contact. This is what passes as Government accountability in Eddington.

Tomorrow night there will be a Selectmen's meeting (6pm at the Town Office). The businessman will be in attendance to raise a few "issues" regarding government communications. I've been asking the Selectment to post their Agenda on the Government Access Cable Channel for approximately 18 months! They continue to avoid the issue. (Heck - as of last Wednesday, Shauna didn't know what the agenda was - and she's assigned to staff Selectment meetings.)

Tomorrow's meeting should be interesting. I think I'll mention the new President's issue regarding Transparent Government. Nothing around here is transparent and it won't be until the voters start demanding it.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Tuesday - the 13th - Planning Board meeting @ 6:30pm at the Town Office. (This may be changed because of pending snow storm. Check with town office - 843-5233. Town Manager should be there if meeting still on schedule.)

Why people should attend: The Planning Board considers/recommends new Town Ordinances and changes to the existing ones. It also reviews all initial business purchase applications to see if they comply with the Ordinances. If you don't have a set of the Ordinances, you can (and should) get a copy from the Town Office. They're free. Do you know what defines a commercially zoned lot from an industrially zoned lot? Apparently neither does the owner of the vacant lot between the New Hope Hospice and the Weather Vane Company. He advertises his lot for sale as an industrial lot (in huge letters on an exceptionally tall sign) which it is not, BTW, as well as a commercial lot, which it is. A potential buyer (for industrial purposes - to put 300 (!) used/junked cars on it and then sell off the parts) - appeared before the Planning Board this past Sept./Nov. Because a few of the neighboring residents and the two businesses on opposite sides of the lot had been alerted, we had a turn-out and were prepared to speak up. Fortunately, Susan Shane, a great member of the Board - with detailed email notes from Board alternate, John Allen - explained very courteously to the potential buyer why he couldn't do what he wanted to do on that lot.

The buyer subsequently took his business idea to the Libby Auto business at the other end of town so not all was lost from his point of view, but the significant environmental issues regarding that particular lot (which is a watershed area) were brought up to not only the Planning Board but to the Selectmen, the Code Enforcement Officer (who was quite resistant to being brought into the discussion BTW), and the Town Manager as well.

Thursday - the 15th. The Final Review of the proposed school consolidation of SAD 63 with Brewer and Orrington - to become Regional School District (RSU) 15 before the town votes to accept or reject the proposed plan. This meeting begins at 6:30pm and will be held at the Eddington School on Main Road.

This meeting was scheduled for last week but needed to be rescheduled because of the snow storm. What is critical to understand - according to earlier information provided at a Selectmen's meeting - is that the proposed budget for the next three years will NOT result in any reduced costs (as the Governor promised) either for the school budget OR in local property taxes. In fact, the first year's budget will be nearly $3 Million dollars higher than the current year's budget. (See my Jan. 11 posting for more info. and related questions)

Tuesday - the 20th - Selectmen's meeting @ Town Office @ 6pm.

Of interest will be the School Board rep's report of her take on the Proposed RSU meeting of the 15th, the state of the current school budget (how much in the red thanks to slow/low/no funding this year from the state - see the Jan. 11 posting for more info.); what - if any action - has been taken regarding the vacant lot next to New Hope Hospice and its absent owner (see Planning Board info above);- and last, but not least, my repeated questions why the Government Access Channel (7 on Cable TV) doesn't list the Selectmen's agenda prior to (or the results of) it's monthly meeting. I have been raising this issue for over 18 months. My persistance in this matter hasn't accomplished much except to generate the Chairwoman's ire.

For a "government access channel", there is no reason why the Selectmen's agenda cannot be shown in advance for the townspeople to know what business is going to be conducted at the one and only official meeting each month. (There used to be two monthly meetings but, for some reason, it was reduced to one sometime this past fall. Could there be less business to be conducted? Is it to reduce heating costs in the building? Has the town become so self-governing we need the Selectmen less? They used to spend two hours a month officially on town business - one hour per meeting. Now they "officially" conduct one meeting a month - and are still hell bent for leather to get out in one hour.)

Since the town employee who is listed on Channel 7 as the Town's Treasurer is the same person responsible for preparing the slides for the channel - but is not the person who staffs the Selectment's meeting, it might be difficult for her to glean the necessary info to post any results unless she listens to the taped recording of the meeting. However, since the agenda should be prepared at least days in advance, it shouldn't be difficult to post it on the channel.

Maybe the person who staffs the Selectmen's meetings could/should be taught how to make the slides and then she, too, could participate - maybe create slides on what the Selectmen actually did/decided on agenda issues during the meeting...especially on BUDGET issues. After all - IT IS THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.

Tuesday - the 27th - from 8am - 8pm at the Town Office - RSU Consolidation VOTE

All of the towns for proposed RSU 15 will be voting that day - Eddington, Clifton, Holden, Orrington and Brewer. It is my understanding that ALL of the towns have to approve the plan by at least a majority vote.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

During the late summer and then through 2007 and into 2008 a Recycling Committee met to explore improving the town's recycling collection program. The Town's 2007 Annual Report provided a synopsis of the committee's work in 2007. It stated there would be quarterly newsletter provided to town residents in 2008.

[NOTE: You didn't receive an Annual Report? Well, that's another one of those pieces of information you're supposed to have a Crystal Ball to know about. They aren't mailed to anyone. You're just supposed to know when they're available ONLY at the town office, the Eddington Town Store (the Citgo station) and the Tradewinds general store. Not interested? You should be. It's the one legally mandated document that reports the previous year's approved town budget and how much the town spent and for what - your tax dollars at work...more or less. It's a pretty booklet - good quality paper and card stock and not cheap to print. Too bad the town fathers & mother don't think it's their responsibility to insure every taxpayer receives one.]

So back to the Recycling Newsletter...
You haven't received a newsletter? Neither has anyone else. And that's because the Town Office hasn't sent it to you. The Selectmen have a copy of it. They know what's in it - and they know the committee intended for all residents to have the information, and to complete and return the included questionnire BEFORE the Selectmen began planning the 2009 budget. They began planning the 2009 budget on December 2, 2008.

Why hasn't the newsletter been copied and mailed out?

The newsletter shows how we could reduce the cost of our recycling collection program by over $8,000.00 (that's eight THOUSAND dollars) annually if we changed to a program used by the nearby town of Clifton. Considering the hard economic times and the potential increase in state taxes (that news came out this past week) not to mention the three MILLION dollar school budget increase if the school consolidation issue passes (more on that in a future blog), don't you think everyone in our town's government should be looking at how we can reduce any line item? I do. Especially since ANY increased costs are only going to increase our PROPERTY TAXES.

The town office has had the newsletter (a two page, back-to-back document that provides a half a page for address labeling and post-stamp) since AUGUST. I know this because I was the Chair of the committee and I wrote the newsletter.

The original draft was provided to both the town manager and the town office employee who was on the committee. (Other committee members included two women who work at the Eddington School, a retired Bangor city hall employee who knew a lot about local government contracting rules and procedures, a retired gentleman who has since had to go back to work, and a gentleman who worked full-time but served as a great resource.) The town office employee was at every committee meeting and a valuable asset - no complaints there. The town manager was at some of the meetings and stayed through one or two. He's also the one who recruited me for the committee, BTW.

The committee met with several vendors who provide recycling collection, the primary representative from the Bangor Recycling Center (where our recycling items are delivered), the representative from PERC (where our regular trash is delivered - and this was an important meeting), and a representative from a new system that doesn't require separating out different recycling items before collection. The committee did a lot of work and learned a lot more than any of us knew before we began. BUT - then came the work of putting the information together for the people to review and that's where we hit a snag -

You can say the snag is in the town office - or you can say it is with the Selectmen. But, how much work does it take to get a two page document to a copying company in Brewer or Bangor for an over-night printing job, especially when one town office employee lives in Brewer? Let her leave early one day (the office closes at 4pm anyway) and pick up the copies the next morning.

When I took the newsletter to the Selectmen's meeting in November and complained that it had still not been mailed out in spite of numerous requests for additions that had become outdated and therefore needed to be removed and STILL nothing had happened, the Chair acted shocked that I expected a newsletter would be mailed to EVERY resident household. Why not? They expect every resident taxpayer to receive (and pay) a property tax bill - and they can use the same company to label our newsletter - if the town office can't. (BTW, the Chair attend a committee meeting and knew about the neewsletter mailings so her "shock" was either a lapse of memory - genuine or otherwise - or something else.)

Bottm line: The "powers that be" appear to be more willing to spend $8,000.00+ more on a recycling collection system than whatever it would take to mail a simple newsletter and questionnaire to you to find out how YOU would feel about a two-year pilot program to test this cost-saving method. And if you don't like it? The newsletter provides really interesting information about how PERC is, in actuality, a recycling program in its own right - generating electricity which it sells to the power grid that is then sold back to Bangor Electric Company. And THAT reduces the town's costs for processing its regular trash - one of the lowest in the state!

So, I say - again - what is the problem?

Except that it is part of the overall basic problem in our town - OUR local government. They avoid, at all costs, communication between them and the people. Maybe even more important - they avoid communication FROM us to them.

Call the town office. Tell them - Tell the Selectmen - You want your Recycling Newsletter. Tell them you won't approve any recycling vendor contracts until you have received the newsletter and the TOWNSPEOPLE have made a decision.

FYI: The company that currently collects the regular trash weekly is the same company that collects the recycling trash every other week - and it has separate contracts for each kind of trash collection. The recycling trash collection contract was over $10,000.00 in 2008 and it has steadily increased every year. That contract is up for bid or renewal in 2009. All this information is in the newsletter.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Shortly after moving back to Maine and buying my home here in Eddington, I began attending the Selectmen's meetings. Meetings were conducted the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, beginning promptly at 6pm. They are now conducted (usually) on the 3rd Tuesday of the month - still prompty beginning at 6pm. They usually last no more than 1 hour.

For those unfamiliar with the term "Selectmen", these are the 5 elected representatives who govern the town of Eddington, set the annual budget, approve business licenses and business permits and other general official town business not previously delegated to either the Town Manager and his staff or to the town's Planning Committee.

Unless there is a "Public Notice" issue, the first order of business is the Flag Salute. Then the Chairwoman, who has been the Chair for several years, begins the meeting's agenda. The first and last items on the agenda is "Public Access."

Public Access: any member from the "public", meaning the community or from outside the community can ask questions or bring forth issues not on the agenda to the Selectmen or Town Manager during these allocated periods. In truth, the best time to bring forth any issue for which you want the broadest attention is to do it at the beginning of the meeting - the first Public Access - because most people leave as soon as they have finished their particular business. Anyone who wants to know all the decisions and issues raised at any meeting should stay until the meeting is officially declared closed.

In between the Public Access items is the planned agenda which usually includes monthly reports from the town's Fire Chief, the contracted County Sheriff's Deputy, and the representative from the local School Board. Only members from the Selectmen are permitted to ask questions regarding these reports. Agenda items may include people representing groups or businesses from Eddington or outside. Only the Selectmen, Town Manager or Code Enforcement Officer (if present) can exchange communication with these people. No questions are authorized from "Public Access" people attending. (Even if we might have some valid or relevant questions.)

One of the full-time employees of the town office staffs each meeting, taking notes and running the tape controller. She also provides copies of the agenda to anyone attending who wants one.

Members of the Selectmen and the Town Manager, and the Code Enforcement Officer all sit at the table at the head of the meeting room. The individual staffing the meeting sits at a table at the rear of the room. In between those two tables are chairs for people who are attending the meeting. There are usually more than 60 chairs set up for each meeting.

I tell you all this so you will be able to envision what I am about to tell you - in case you have never attended a Selectmen's meeting. I have been attending Selectmen's meetings on a regular basis since moving back here in March 2007. I'm usually the only member of the community in attendance who is not there for a specific piece of business (and then leaves as soon as it is concluded!). This leaves a lot of empty chairs - plenty of room to put your coats and jackets and prop up your feet if you're tired.

Based on my experiences and observations I decided there needs to be more, a LOT more communication between the activities of OUR elected government and the people. Since our government doesn't appear willing to communicate with its electorate, I decided to begin this blog. It is my hope the information I bring here will generate more people in Eddington to attend Selectmen meetings and get actively involved in local government.

Relevant Fact: There are 1600 registered voters in Eddington; 1300 voted in the Nov. 2008 election; fewer than 120 voted in the 2007 election for two Selectmen and one School Board rep.

The first time I went to a Selectmen's meeting (I think it was in April 2007), I was asked by the Chairwoman WHY I was there. Frankly I was surprised by the question. After all, I was a tax-paying resident, a U.S. citizen, and I had family who had been living here for more than 50 years. Granted, other than those officials there to give a report (not the rep from the school board. At that time no one ever heard from the school board.) I was the ONLY person sitting in one of those chairs between the two tables.

I hadn't raised my hand or attempted to speak. I was just sitting there - didn't think I should have to explain why I was there. The Town Manager knew who I was; I had been in the town office more than a few times to find out how and where certain kinds of business were done.

But I answered her question. "I came to learn how government worked here."

And I've been "learning" ever since. I'm at most meetings, with a break this past summer when my sister-in-law passed away unexpectedly. Truthfully, a lot of what I've been learning is pretty frustrating. That will be the subject(s) of future blogs.

Most frustrating? The lack of community attendance at the meetings. This is OUR town and these are OUR elected representatives - people who are accountable to US. But how can WE hold anyone accountable when we don't know what they're doing? We can't.

If you find yourself frustrated with what our State or Federal government is doing, remember - government starts at the local level and the citizenship role models we provide to our children.