Westbrook leaders are looking to pull the wool over the eyes of Westbrook taxpayers!

In mid-December 2014, Westbrook residents became aware that their beloved Riggio Building had been cited for numerous life safety and building code violations. I supported to allocate budgeted funds to bring a number of the life safety violations to code to ensure the safety of those currently occupying the building.

In February, I asked and received support from members of the Board of Selectmen (BOS) that residents have the opportunity to weigh in on the renovations needed for the Riggio Building in light of a $250,000 price tag to bring the building into compliance.

Last month I made a formal motion, which received unanimous support from the BOS, to obtain a second opinion from the state’s Fire Marshal Office to review the accuracy of the code violations presented to the town. To my dismay, members of various town boards and commissions have blocked this request and our first selectman, Noel Bishop, sits idle, not supporting the actions of the BOS.

For months I’ve asked where would the $250,000 come from. To date there has been no response from Bishop, Westbrook’s Board of Finance chair, or finance director.

What I do know is there are a few Westbrook leaders looking to keep residents in the dark about how their tax dollars will be spent. Residents have the right to weigh in on a $250,000 proposal that has not been budgeted nor voted for. Enough is enough: There needs to be transparency in Westbrook’s Town Hall and less of the good old boy network.

Selectman Chris Ehlert

Westbrook

Democrat Chris Ehlert is not seeking re-election in November.