Public Hearing set for Monday night

Selectmen Chairman Robert Frizzell, right, Selectwoman Karen Gerrish and Attorney and meeting moderator Alan Shepard at the conclusion of last year's meeting. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

LEBANON - Whether the town should spend another $60,000 on fixing the Old Town Hall, implement a reverse 911 townwide notification system and begin videotaping municipal meetings will be among referendum questions to be discussed by town residents tomorrow night at the Public Hearing on the June 11 ballot.

The meeting, which grew stormy at times last year, is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Lebanon Elementary School on Upper Guinea Road.

Other questions that are expected to draw heated debate are two that concern town funding of insurance and dispatching for the Lebanon Rescue Department, which claims to be self-funded.

Town officials say they have been told by the town’s insurance carrier that the Rescue Department portion of the town’s insurance cost cannot be determined. Assistant Rescue Chief Jason Cole said at a recent selectmen’s meeting that if the cost could be determined the Rescue Department would pay it.

An earlier estimate of $7,000 has been called into question as too low by some. Meanwhile, Budget Committee Chair Nancy Neubert told The Lebanon Voice last week her panel urged Rescue Department Chief Samantha Cole that a donation to the town of the $7,000 would be appreciated as a good-faith gesture.

The town’s entire insurance bill is about $130,000 and is covered in Referendum No. 8.

The reverse 911 question at a three-year cost of $14,000 is backed by Selectmen Robert Frizzell and Jason Cole, while Selectwoman Karen Gerrish voted against it. The Budget Committee voted against it, 6-0.

The two boards didn’t see eye to eye on the Old Town Hall renovations either, with selectman voting unanimously to fund another $60,000 to finish the project and the Budget Committee voting 9-0 against the measure.

The town will also have to decide if it should spend $14,000 to hire a constable to help enforce a crackdown on out-of-state vehicle registration scofflaws.

Some at last year’s meeting thought the format too rigid as residents were told at the outset by town attorney and meeting moderator Alan Shepard that selectmen were not compelled to answer questions.