Emails show BOS thought default budgets could prevail no matter June vote

LEBANON - A series of emails between the Board of Selectmen's secretary and a Maine Municipal Association lawyer reveals that selectmen had thought just a week ago that any rejection of the three budgets being discussed at a Town Meeting later this month would result in last year's budget being approved because the lawyer called the town meeting June 25 "a fresh start."

The disturbing email string obtained by The Lebanon Voice begins on May 13 when Board of Selectmen secretary Susan Collins emails MMA staff attorney Amanda Meader asking her, "Is there a state law that says if a town's referendums for budgets don't pass in an election do they automatically revert back to the previous approved budgets or does there need to be a question on the ballot saying that the budgets will revert back if not voted in?"

Meader emails back three days later that there is no such law and that, "In the future the (Board of Selectmen) may not want to include this second (default budget) warrant article."

Collins then emails back on May 19 for further clarification, "Because the article reverting to the old budget didn't pass, does this affect the Open Town meeting when we vote for the new budgets?"

Meader responds the same day to confirm the thumbs down vote on the default budget is a moot point.

"As I understand the facts, the town recently voted on a proposed budget and said no. ... the town (also) voted on whether to revert to the old budget and said no. ... Now the town is going back to try to vote on a budget again. This should be thought of as a fresh start."

Almost two weeks later the morning of June 3, Collins emails Meader yet again, this time with what some might call a bombshell.

"We are being challenged by a couple of residents who don't think the budgets will revert back to the previous year because that article was voted down during the May 10 elections, as well as three budgets for essential services. You explained to me previously that the open town meeting ... would be a fresh start and has nothing to do with the May 10 election. Therefore, if the budgets don't pass again, they will automatically revert back to the previous year budget. Is this correct?"

A few hours later Meader fires back, "Nowhere below (in previous emails) did I say that you revert to the previous budget if Lebanon continues to refuse to adopt a new budget. ... If the budget continues to fail then you have a serious problem on your hands and the town may ultimately have to shutter its operations.

"What I did say is that the May referendum warrant articles do not have anything to do with the June vote. In May the voters made it clear that they weren't happy with the proposed budget figures. They also made it clear that they didn't want (selectmen) to fall back on the old budget figures."

Meader ends the email by saying, "Hopefully the town will come to some agreement at the June meeting on what it is willing to spend, though it's possible that a budget of $0 will pass."

Selectmen were not immediately available for comment. Their next regularly scheduled meeting is expected to be Monday.