Your Voice: A letter from Chip Harlow

Town politics – wow, don’t you just get sick of it. Seems like everyone has their own agenda!

The polarization of our town politics is a case of leadership, or rather lack thereof. Seems that no one realizes that it is the people of the town they serve, and not their own interests or agendas. They think they are doing right and thinking that they know best, and that they don’t need to disclose anything, but in fact, this is taken as arrogance and deceit. It is all of the town's people they serve, not a select few. So when they lose your trust, it is imperative that you work extra hard to regain that trust. Where’s the leadership?

 Instead you have a PR spin machine in Jason Cole. Jason is a Jekyll and Hyde type of person. Jason does a tremendous amount of good for this town, in the volunteering he does, the community events he organizes, and I’m sure there is a lot more that goes unnoticed. But, he also obscures, obfuscates, and spins news he puts out to the general public, be it as general announcements or attacks on anyone that remotely criticizes his leadership and policies.

For some reason he thinks there are people in town that have a vendetta against Rescue volunteers. I certainly don’t, as I highly respect and admire every volunteer’s effort in helping this town be a safer and better place to live! I have seen no attacks or criticisms of the volunteers, only criticism of Jason and some policies. Yet he always spins any criticism as though people are attacking the volunteers. It just ain't so!

Political spin machines like to “control the narrative.” What that means is, that if you don’t like what you’re hearing, change the subject and control what is said. If you can do this anonymously, all the better. So, in like manner, Jason has created the Lebanon Community News Facebook page. He got in trouble making posts and comments on the Rescue page, so now he does it anonymously on the Lebanon Community News page. Here he can attack townspeople with no repercussions going to Rescue. He can also control the narrative by choosing who can comment and by deleting certain posts that are critical.

Now, Jason may say it’s not him, and he may be right, but it is certainly someone like minded, who is trying to spin and control the narrative. And awfully coincidental that posts, that show up on Rescue, are simultaneously posted on Community News. Wake up people, you're being played!

Before you think I am attacking freedom of speech, I’m not. Jason can say anything he wants, but he should do this on his own page. Hiding behind a Rescue page and now behind a Community page is deceitful! Also, Jason is supposed to be a leader, of both the Rescue Department and as a Selectman. How is this setting a good example? How is this considered good Leadership?? Is leadership not turning in your hours worked, for months on end, while maintaining a policy that town workers have to submit theirs on a weekly basis? I don't think so, but this is what is happening.

Turning my attention to Chairman Bob. I think Bob tries to do the right thing, but my sense is that he doesn’t like to deal with all the BS that is in town politics. In a way, I don’t blame him, but that’s part of the job. And by trying to avoid dealing with the BS, he comes across as hiding stuff, delaying stuff, and just not showing up to meetings. And then, when as Chairman, he needs to take corrective action, I don’t think he wants to be “the bad guy.” Well, as a leader, sometimes you have to. He runs a company, so he should know this! Remaining silent is not good leadership.

Karen is odd woman out. With three Selectman, two votes is all you need, so there’s only so much she can do. But, I think she’s trying the best she can, and having office hours for townspeople, shows that she truly understands, who it is that she is serving.

Now Leadership does not have to be perfect. People make mistakes or oversights. It happens. But no one is "stepping-up" and admitting they made a mistake or an oversight and then seeking to remedy it. Instead they hide and spin!!

A perfect example of this lack of leadership and spin machine has centered around the Rescue Department grievances. Initially reviewed last October, but no findings were ever recorded. All this was hush hush at the Selectman's level until a Lebanon Voice article this Spring. Then, big scramble by Selectmen to put out a report of the findings. Several weeks later that report was recorded and found no issues. The delay of the findings, and the fact that no outside organization or people were involved, left many questions. None of these questions have been answered or given satisfactory answers. In frustration, the State was asked to get involved, and the AG office was contacted. The AG office responded that it was not in their jurisdiction. Of course the spin machine has said that the AG found nothing wrong, but the fact is they didn't review the report because it wasn't their jurisdiction to oversee at the municipal level.

Now a Freedom of Information request has been given to the Selectman for this report, and it was denied, because supposedly there is no report. Does any of this make sense?? Why the hiding? Why the spin?? Is this how you foster trust in your town government? Why don't Chairman Bob and Jason see the big picture? No leadership!!

So, this long-winded opinion piece is my way of saying, please vote carefully. This great town of ours will only change if we change the leadership. This can be done in two ways, either vote in someone new or get an existing person to change. So, if you plan to vote for Bob, then at least implore him to “step-up” and do the right thing. If not voting for Bob, then vote for someone that is willing to stand up and lead our town to an open, ethical and honest political system and to not stay silent or allow the polarization to continue. Thanks for listening.

- Richard "Chip" Harlow

Lebanon, Maine