Special Election set to fill vacant selectman's seat

LEBANON - Selectmen on Tuesday voted to call a Special Election to fill the selectman’s seat formerly held by Jason Cole who abruptly resigned from his three-year term at the end of last year.

The board authorized an abbreviated election process, with nomination papers first available on Jan. 13. The nomination filings would have to be turned in by Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. Just 25 valid signatures of town residents are necessary for nomination.

The townwide election would be held March 11, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., indicated Town Clerk Laura Bragg. The winner's term of office would run until June 2015.

In other selectmen news, the board voted to increase the ambulance billing price to be in line with Comstar recommendations and closer to the going rate of surrounding towns.

As scrutiny into Rescue Department operations grew more intense last month, it was discovered the department under the leadership of former chief Samantha Cole had not raised ambulance billing rates since 2008.

In many cases they were charging less than half of what the going rate was, which likely contributed to its deficit to the town, Selectmen Chair Karen Gerrish noted.

During the public portion of the meeting there was much discussion of a replacement for the former Community Day Festival sponsored by the Lebanon Rescue Corporation.

The consensus was that there should be some sort of festival going forward that would bring the community together and enhance a spirit of pride and fellowship among residents, and be fun for the children, too.