The Lebanon Voice Voter Guide 2013: Free, uncensored and full of good stuff

Even though The Lebanon Voice is looking forward to the day when the town's Lebanon Voter Guide goes the way of the Edsel and the Dodo bird, we thought we’d let town officials see what one is supposed to look like. We didn’t do all the articles, just the ones that need doing.

Best of all, this didn't cost a dime, unlike the one your town produced for you, which probably cost taxpayers about $2,000. And worst of all, their guide was made under the pretense of being objective. But don't get me started.

On with the Inaugural Lebanon Voice Voter Guide 2013. Fasten you seat belts, it'll be a bumpy ride.

Referendum No. 1: Asks to spend up to $500 for videotaping equipment and make it mandatory to have all selectmen’s as well as many other government meetings recorded.

Pros: This would ensure residents get an accurate accounting of all meetings within a week, rather than having to wait for minutes to be approved, which sometimes takes months.

Cons: Selectmen Robert Frizzell and Jason Cole say the logistics of the program are too unwieldy.

Lebanon Voice: For about 1/10 of a penny on your tax rate, this is a better buy than a $5 footlong. Vote yes.

Referendum No. 2: Asks for $14,000 to hire a constable to prosecute Lebanites who continue to use N.H. auto registrations to skirt insurance costs and rip off the town of Lebanon.

Pros: If scofflaws are made to pay their fair share it means hundreds of thousands of dollars for Lebanon every year.

Cons: If you’re one of the miscreants, you don’t want this, quips Selectwoman Karen Gerrish. Well said, Karen. Vote yes

Lebanon Voice: We need this, vote yes.

Referendum No. 3: Asks for $60,000 to continue the Old Town Hall renovation project.

Pros: Check your town’s 2013 Voter Guide

Cons: As Budget Committee Chair Nancy Neubert indicates, the foundation is now solid and the town still doesn’t know how damaging state aid cuts to the town will end up. We can wait on this. The Lebanon Voice would also like to see an independent panel set up to mull how the Town Hall is to be used rather than trust selectmen to negotiate a lease that they say is “best for the town.”

Lebanon Voice: We give the nod to Nancy. Vote no.

Referendum No. 4: Asks voters to adopt a town Special Amusement Ordinance

Pros: This will regulate public dancing so there can be no striptease in Lebanon.

Cons: This will regulate public dancing so there can be no striptease in Lebanon. (lol)

 Lebanon Voice: Vote yes to adopting the town Special Amusement Ordinance. IT KEEPS STRIP JOINTS OUT OF OUR TOWN. VOTE YES VOTE YES VOTE YES.

Referendum 5: Asks voters to approve $327,356 for general government. (no pros or cons needed)

Lebanon Voice: The Voice votes a begrudging yes on this. It is our feeling that officials could be more precise in their line items for town government. Town officials have also been given to switching funding line items with no explanation to voters. A town manager or administrator would stop this. We still need one or the other. However, increases aren’t so overwhelming, so we say vote yes.

Referendum 8: Asks for $129,000 to pay for all insurances of the town.

Pros: Whether you think the Rescue Dept. insurance is being illegally paid for by town funds or not, it is essential to have the Rescue Dept. insurance intact. It may even be guaranteed by Referendum 10 if it passes as it is an essential service.

Cons: It’s illegal, because in last year’s referendum residents voted to exclude Rescue Dept. insurance yet we paid for it anyway because the insurance agency claimed they couldn’t segregate insurance costs among town departments. Next year, make the agent do a segregated cost or tell him we’ll go elsewhere for our insurance. He’ll do whatever you say.

Lebanon Voice: All town departments must be insured. Again begrudgingly, the Voice votes yes.

Referendum 9: Asks the town to appropriate $25,000 for legal fees.

Pros: The town needs legal counsel and town attorney Alan Shepard has been doing it for decades at a reasonable cost.

Cons: There is a perception in town that the town’s legal counsel works more for the selectmen than he does in the interest of the town. He has moderated at Town Hearings during which access to answers from selectmen continues to be a frustrating experience.

Lebanon Voice: We think the Board of Selectmen should rebid this position. Maybe it’s time for a change. Maybe we rehire Shepard, who knows? The Maine Municipal Association is there to give legal advice if Shepard tenure ends June 11. We think it’s time for some new blood. We say vote no.

Referendum 24: Asks voters to approve selectmen’s pay at $12 an hour.

Pros: Selectmen do a good job and deserve the salary.

Cons: Selectmen do deserve a salary but not one that makes a fool out of taxpayers. Selectmen should be made to detail every single hour they put down on their time slip and submit that time slip like normal Americans, at least every two weeks. Not just “2 hours building the Lebanon Voter Guide 2013.” We want hours like, “2-4 p.m. working on budget at Selectmen’s Workshop.”

Lebanon Voice: We want no more than what you would demand of someone working for you. A very begrudging vote yes and a wish for selectmen to clean up their act on this front, sans Selectwoman Karen Gerrish.

Referendum 27: Asks voters to approve $48,147 for dispatch costs for fire and rescue.

Pros: You need dispatch

Cons: The Rescue Department’s share should be paid from Rescue since in June 2012 Referendum 6 states that no more taxpayer money will be expended on Rescue without being brought back to taxpayers. Rescue officials say dispatch costs cannot be segregated because the fee is based on population, but a finance officer for the city of Sanford says it can be apportioned by percentage of calls against all town calls.

Lebanon Voice: You need dispatch, but we can fix this for next year and give Rescue a bill. For now, vote yes.

Referendum 34: Asks voters to expand $4,660 to set up a reverse 911 phone, text messaging and email service at the local level.

Pros: Gives local safety officials ability to alert residents in the event of an emergency.

Cons: We already have a similar alert system in place at the York County level, so it’s unnecessary.

Lebanon Voice: Put Code Red to bed. It’s a waste of money. Vote no.