Selectmen OK revote of ambulance question

Selectmen Chair Ben Thompson (Lebanon Voice file photo)

LEBANON - Lebanon selectmen have agreed to a revote on the ambulance question to determine whether voters in the town want to keep Rescue 2, the town's newest and best ambulance.

Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson made the announcement today in an exclusive interview with The Lebanon Voice.

Thompson said the vote would most likely be in mid-January, with a public hearing a week or so before the vote.

The decision by selectmen came after their review of a petition signed by 245 registered Lebanon voters demanding the revote due to what they claimed was ambiguous wording of the Nov. 4 ballot question.

Save Our Ambulance volunteers were ecstatic with the news.

"Beautiful, awesome," said Maranda Gagnon today. "I'm so happy to hear that."

Thompson said the board has been in contact with the leasing company to try to get a final payment cost, which may have a few additional fees and penalties since it will be coming later than Saturday when it is due.

While there is no guarantee that the next vote will have a different outcome, Save Our Ambulance organizers believe that with the explainer box they demanded below the question, the majority of Lebanon residents will vote to keep the ambulance.

Thompson said today it is likely there will be three additional questions on the ballot pertaining to the ambulance and Lebanon Rescue.

Question 2 will likely ask if voters want to pay the year's ambulance payment, including late fees and penalties, probably somewhere around $42,000.

Question 3 will likely ask if voters want to pay off the ambulance, probably somewhere around $80,000.

Question 4 will likely ask voters if they want to eliminate the Rescue Department enterprise account and put the department on a town budget like any other department.

For now, selectmen are working hard to draft the questions, submit them for legal approval, get the budget committee's opinion as well as schedule a public hearing and a vote. One question they won't have to draft is the one petitioned for by Save Our Ambulance, which will be presented verbatim as it was represented on the petition.