Outdated town fees grab lion's share of Nov. ballot

LEBANON - The majority of town ballot referendum questions that will be discussed at Tuesday's public hearing deal with updating town fees that have been on the books since the 1970s and '80s.

The result, according to Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson, is that the average taxpayer is sometimes paying too much and the builder, homeowner or pet owner utilizing the fee structure is paying too little.

"We just want to make sure the fees are up to date, that they are subsidizing our costs on a year to year basis and those using these services are paying the freight," Thompson said on Thursday.

The ballot questions ask residents to allow selectmen to set the fees in question annually in accordance with the town's costs in administering and enforcing the various ordinances.

Fees that would be impacted include Special Amusement permits, Massage permits, building and zoning ordinances, loose dog enforcement and Mass Gathering permits.

Town Clerk Mandy Grenier first proposed the changes earlier this year.

"These fees were voted in so long ago," she said recently. "They aren't supporting what they're doing."

Code Enforcement Officer Mike Beaulieu agrees with the transition to a selectmen-driven annual review of the fees.

"This is to take the burden off the general taxpayer," he said this week.

Beaulieu added that many of the fees being paid now, in fact, may not rise and are at appropriate levels, but allowing selectmen to make that determination on a fee by fee basis is a good thing.

Some of the current fees include, Animal control ordinance/loose dog, $50; mass gathering, $100; Special amusement, $75; Massage therapist, $75; and many construction permits: $2 per thousand of estimated cost of construction and material (Minimum $20).

Of the 14 town ballot questions seven have to do with putting annual fee adjustments in selectmen's hands.

The only question that calls for town funds is one that would allow selectmen to spend up to $6,000 to take out the wall between the Code Enforcement office and the selectmen's office at Town Offices to create more space for the public at selectmen's meetings.

It was one of the rare ballot questions selectmen unanimously supported. The budget committee also voted for the change, 4-2.

None of the fee-change referendums were unanimously supported by the Board of Selectmen.

Other questions deal with uniformity of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance, other building code changes and a proposed Lebanon Events and Outdoor Festivals Ordinance, which would be similar to the Mass Gathering Permit, but come into play with expected crowds of between 250-500.

The Mass Gathering Permit applies to 500 and over.

The three state questions on the ballot include increases in Clean Election funding and two 10-year bonds for senior housing and housing improvements ($15M) and transportation infrastructure ($85M).

The Public Hearing begins at 6 p.m. at Lebanon Elementary School.

Voting day is Nov. 3 at LES.