LETTER | Biddeford needs to learn from its mistakes, not repeat them

We do not expect perfection. What we should expect, however, is that City Hall learns from the financial mistakes of the past rather than repeating them

By JASON G. LITALIEN | Biddeford

Last year, Biddeford voters heard over and over that City Hall needed greater fiscal accountability. We were promised that taxpayer dollars would be managed more carefully, spending would receive greater scrutiny, and government would make better financial decisions.

A year later, Biddeford homeowners will soon open their property tax bills and find that we are paying even more. At the same time, we are funding one of the most expensive leadership transitions in recent memory. For roughly three months, taxpayers are paying an outgoing city manager who quit her job while simultaneously paying an interim city manager to do her job. The city has doubled our costs for three months.

Mayor, is that what you meant by fiscal responsibility? Learn from prior mistakes; stop repeating them.

The city is hiring a national executive search firm to recruit another city manager after the prior recruitment was ineffective. One proposal estimated the cost of those recruitment services at $24,625, so the search itself is another significant taxpayer expense.

Learn from prior mistakes;
stop repeating them.

The previous nationwide search resulted in a city manager from Washington State who had zero experience as a city manager and resigned after about nine months. Who could have seen that coming? You mean that someone who has never run a city was overwhelmed by it. And yet, we are paying for another nationwide search to manage a city of roughly 22,500 people? Learn from prior mistakes; stop repeating them.

Biddeford is not a major city, and there are talented people throughout New England who understand our community, our history, and our unique challenges. Why are we recruiting people from the other side of the country again? Learn from prior mistakes; stop repeating them.

The decision to hire the city manager was made just a year ago. Before that, when Chief Roger Beaupre retired, the city conducted a nationwide search as well, only to hire his deputy—which was a surprise to no one who follows Biddeford politics, even casually.

**BIDDEFORD IN A REAR-VIEW MIRROR** | *File Photo*

The prior administration failed to learn from prior mistakes; stop repeating them.

The part I find most difficult to understand is why taxpayers continue paying a city manager after she voluntarily quit. She should be absorbing these costs for failing to finish out her contract; she should not get a paid vacation while job hunting. If this impossible-to-justify condition is permitted under her contract, then we need to seriously question the people who negotiated for the city.

If I negotiated like this, my law firm would be out of business, yet it appears to be par for the course in our city. Learn from prior mistakes; stop repeating them.

Because of the mistakes of previous administrations, you have an even greater responsibility to demonstrate fiscal discipline and avoid repeating the same costly patterns.

Every year, Biddeford residents are forced to pay more in property taxes because costs continue to rise. Families have to adjust their budgets. Businesses have to absorb higher expenses. Seniors on fixed incomes have to make difficult choices, and the government should be held to the same standard.

Every dollar spent on overlapping salaries, travel reimbursements, executive searches, and avoidable transitions is a dollar that cannot be spent improving roads, supporting public safety, maintaining parks, or reducing the burden on taxpayers.

We do not expect perfection. What we should expect, however, is that City Hall learns from the financial mistakes of the past rather than repeating them. Of course, keeping campaign promises would be great too.

Fiscal responsibility is not measured by campaign promises. It is measured by the decisions that follow. Biddeford deserves better stewardship of its taxpayer dollars. And taxpayers deserve a full accounting of what this transition will ultimately cost us.

Learn from prior mistakes; stop repeating them.

. . .

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