Lisbon Continues LACO Pantry Lease Negotiations, Considers Taking Over Local EMS Service

LISBON — The City Council rejected a proposed one-year lease with the Lisbon Area Christian Outreach food bank Tuesday night after a lengthy discussion at City Hall. The council also discussed the idea of making Lisbon Emergency Inc. a city service, though no action was taken on that issue.

Earlier this year, city officials asked the organization to find a new operating space so the MTM Community Center could be better secured for the recreation department’s after-school program.

At an Aug. 21 city council meeting, councilors asked City Manager Glenn Michalowski to negotiate a lease after the pantry requested a three-year agreement. The lease proposed at Tuesday’s meeting would have reduced the pantry’s footprint from two rooms to one.

Pantry officials have opposed the move, saying both spaces must continue to offer the same level of services, which also include a clothing bank, according to vice president Debbie Hill.

Many supporters feel the city is trying to push the pantry onto the street, without giving it a place to go. Supporters packed the meeting room Tuesday night to voice their concerns about the proposed lease.

Cynthia Hall reminded city councilors that they represent the people and that Lisbon Area Christian Outreach supports the people of the city. “They are trying to help our people, the people of this city, … and if you don’t support them, shame on you,” she said.

Amy King, a volunteer at the pantry, said the town was built by workers, who sometimes needed a “hand up.” She said the town is moving away from its roots and the people who have lived here for a long time. It feels like no one cares, she said.

“We know we are no longer welcome in this space, but we just need a little help to be able to find the space that will allow us to continue to serve the city the way it deserves,” King said.

After a roughly 20-minute rally of support from supporters, City Councilor Raymond Robishaw said he viewed the organization’s struggle to find new space as a community issue, not just a problem for the nonprofit.

Other councilors have expressed interest in allowing the organization to keep the two rooms while it searches for a new location.

However, that search was difficult and although pantry officials called many locations around town, they couldn’t find any that were affordable and suited the pantry’s needs, according to a council member.

Councillor Fern Larochelle urged councillors that change is needed, even though those running the food pantry cannot continue to work there “indefinitely.”

He said he is discouraged by the lack of safety for children attending the after-school program, as it is not as safe as it should be and affiliated churches cannot host the food pantry.

The after-school program is growing, Larochelle said, as is the food pantry, and city officials must figure out how to move forward with a plan that meets the needs of both programs.

Councilors unanimously rejected the proposed lease and asked Michalowski to draft a new one with input from pantry officials.

Later in the meeting, councilors discussed the idea of making Lisbon’s emergency department a city service. Michalowski presented councilors with a draft ordinance to give them an idea of what it would look like if the city took over the service.

Councilors took no action on the proposed ordinance, but expressed interest in having the service be its own department and not be run by the fire department.

In previous discussions, councilors did not appear to be supportive of the idea of making the organization a quasi-municipal department, but seemed open to the possibility of making it part of city government, Michalowski said.

The city already funds the service through taxes.

The only thing the order would change is the structure of the service.

One resident said that if the city funds the department with tax money, it should not charge residents who use the service.

Michalowski said that if the department doesn’t charge residents for travel, it can’t get Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement.

According to Larochelle, if the service did not bill insurance companies, then the city would have to pay more to support the service. Lisbon Emergency can recoup its operating costs by billing people.

Councilors had a lengthy discussion about the city’s emergency services, primarily the fire department, what resources the city has and how the city could utilize those services for EMS calls.