Penaltie$ threatened if town reneges on lease

Rescue 2 parked at Central Station on Route 202. (Matthew St. Jean photo)

LEBANON - In response to an email request for explanation of selectmen's turnabout on the ambulance question, Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson pointed out a list of punitive measures sought from the leasing company should the town default on its lease agreement as the board unanimously recommended on the Nov. 4 ballot.

"If the town votes to retain the ambulance, All American Investment Group will forgive the interest and require only the original payment of $40,504.76 for the fifth of six payments," Thompson wrote in an email received by The Lebanon Voice on Saturday. "If the town votes to send the ambulance back, All American Investment Group's position is to insist that the town pay the full payment, plus 12 percent interest for (being) two months late, plus damages, plus return the ambulance. Their position (fiscal claim) is estimated to be around $51,000."

Selectmen, who unanimously recommended townspeople give up the ambulance in November, all urge townspeople now to vote to keep it this time around when they vote in January.

Meanwhile, the budget committee has also done a complete about face, voting 7-0, to keep Rescue 2, most likely, in part, after hearing what Thompson said in his email to The Lebanon Voice.

Budget committee members voting to keep the ambulance earlier this month included Becky Batchelder, Roger Varney, Judy Churchard, Chris Gilpatrick, Bettie Harris-Howard, Vice Chairperson Chip Harlow and Board Chairperson Nancy Neubert, who has failed to return phone calls from The Lebanon Voice for comment.

Budget panel members who voted in October to give up Rescue 2 included Neubert, Harlow, Tom Torno, Karen Gerrish, Gil Gerrish and Christine Torno.

Thompson said in his email that all the fees the leasing company is threatening are subject to legal challenges.

Both Thompson and Christine Torno admitted they voted to keep the ambulance on Nov. 4. Other elected officials have either refused to comment or failed to comment on how they personally voted at the polls on Nov. 4.

On the Nov. 4 ballot selectmen and budget committee members unanimously recommended that residents vote to defund the town's lease agreement and give up Rescue 2 - the town's newest and best ambulance - in a voluntary repossession.

Townspeople overwhelmingly followed the two boards' recommendations, voting to defund the lease agreement and give up Rescue 2, 1,360-730.

Residents' dissatisfaction with what many considered an ambiguously worded ballot question sparked a successful petition drive for a revote, which selectmen approved thus setting up the January ballot.

Officials expect a far smaller turnout than the November election, which drew more than 2,000 Lebanon voters to the polls.

The revote will take place Jan. 24, a Saturday. A public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6, a Tuesday, at 7 p.m. at the Lebanon Elementary School.

Selectmen added three additional questions to the ballot, two on whether residents want to pay Rescue 2 off in one payment or two, and one on whether townspeople want to get rid of the Rescue Department's Enterprise Account.

Of course, if residents vote to get rid of Rescue 2, they would skip questions 2 and 3 and go directly to Question 4.