Button, button, whose got the button?

With a straight face, Lebanon's transfer station manager told selectmen on Monday he needed three personnel at the transfer station whenever it was open: one on the trash compactor, one on the recyclables compactor and one where residents drop off TVs, appliances, tires and unwanted furniture.

And where does the manager station himself?

"I stay in the little building working the (trash) compactor. I don't even go outside."

I wonder if the town pays for the cable on his little TV in there while he's getting $16 an hour?

At the first selectmen's meeting after the election earlier this month, Patch brought in a letter asking to be "grandfathered" into the old policy of getting town benefits for just 25 hours a week. At the time Heath and Nadeau were still transfer station employees.

Patch handed the letter to Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson who read it after which Heath made a motion to grant the grandfathering request and Nadeau seconded it. They then passed the motion 2-1 over Thompson's objection.

Of course it was all as illegal as hell and the motion is effectively rendered null and void, keeping the town benefits threshold at 35 like the last board voted.

The board went into executive session with Patch toward the end of Monday's meeting, most likely to address the benefits threshold again.

I would hope Nadeau and Heath would remember they no longer work at the transfer station after their recent resignations, would remember they no longer work for Patch and do what's right for the town in good conscience.

As for the transfer station work rules, one in the front to push the trash compactor button every 20 minutes, and one in the back 15 feet away to push the recyclable button every 20 minutes is about as ludicrous - and laughable - as is possible to imagine.

In fact, I'm laughing right now.

I'm sorry, I can't stop.

Oh, my property tax bill is paying for this nonsense? Not so funny.