Lane/Tommy: The town of Windham finally has a town council with a backbone made of steel instead of wielding a rubber stamp. Hopefully this will lead to a town government with a greater emphasis on accountability and prudent spending of our tax dollars. It seems every time we check into past spending practices, the more revealing facts about Windham’s abuse of tax dollars arise.

Lane: One area that needs an in-depth examination is the salaries of our local employees to include both municipal and school department. A quick glance at the salary for Windham’s town planner reveals the fact that his salary is as high or higher than many other municipalities, even those with a larger population. It is coming to light that this may also include salaries in other departments as well. Windham is not known to be a large industrial or manufacturing center.

Although its history is based on agriculture, changes are occurring because of an expanding retail sector. I must ask with a population of approximately 16,000, why does Windham have government salaries similar to positions in Portland or South Portland, which have higher populations? Another fact that gets my goat is that the recently hired town planner took a vacation soon after he was hired. All I can say is that it must be nice to be a government worker.

Tommy: I am of the opinion that Windham must hire a town planner with an engineering degree to facilitate Windham moving into the future. There are rational purposes why Windham should have an individual in the planning office with an engineering degree. One must realize one of the fees that must be paid above and beyond the normal costs of doing business is when a particular project needs review by a professional engineer.

Windham presently charges this fee and then pays an engineering firm to perform the necessary study. It makes sense to hire a licensed engineer to perform these duties because the amount of fees collected would pay for most, if not all, of the salary for such an engineer. Since the position would basically pay for itself, the advantage of having an engineer on staff who can assist other departments like public works or the parks and recreation department at no additional cost is a savings for the taxpayers of Windham.

Lane/Tommy: We cannot understand why a town planner with an engineering degree was not hired in the past. The advantages are obvious. All one has to do is look at the costs of studies paid for by the parks and recreation department for expanding the area around the skate park. We have paid for multiple studies and nothing has been accomplished. Of course, some of the problems over deciding whether the park should be expanded and whether it should include certain amenities was based on a miniscule survey, which was essentially meaningless. Should the director of the parks and recreation department stay?

Tommy: As proposed by the new councilors, a new committee must be formed to look at what will and will not work for the town of Windham. Are our tax dollars being utilized in an effective and efficient manner or is it time to swap our leaking dinghy for a Yankee Clipper?

Lane: We have discussed on numerous occasions the need to privatize in order to shrink the costs of wages and benefits like insurance and retirement. Although the budget could be decreased, there would be an increase in the amount of money going to private contractors and other businesses which is good for Windham’s economy.

Lane/Tommy: Is it conceivable the time has come for the citizens of Windham to contemplate whether to retain the services of our present town manager under whose leadership we no longer have a transfer station, a leaf and brush pile and bulky waste removal while the size and cost of municipal staff have continually escalated? Please keep in mind that the town manager’s salary and benefits are more than the governor of this state receives. Are you happy with the taxes you pay for his benefit? We also suggest an immediate hiring freeze with the exception of emergency personnel with the police and fire departments.

Lane and Tommy, of Windham, have begun securing their financial future by forming a business to wash municipal and school vehicles across southern Maine at a cost of one dollar per vehicle no matter the size or function of a vehicle. They estimate that in Windham alone with its vast fleet of government vehicles there are millions to be made.