We question why Livermore Falls’ town officials – elected and appointed – seem so determined to punish taxpayers.

It’s a confounding position for public officials to take, considering they are representatives of the public to serve at the wish and will of the people. Officials in Livermore Falls appear unable to comprehend that structure.

At June’s annual town meeting gone bad, voters nixed the budget because it wasn’t generous enough. The consequence is a complete shut-down of government starting July 1.

Rather than scheduling an emergency meeting the day after that disastrous vote to figure out how to stay in business, one selectman left on an already-planned vacation and two more intended to do the same, preventing any possibility of convening in emergency session in the following week.

Deputy Tax Collector Dawn Young told the Sun Journal that she was glad selectmen were taking a break. A break? From what? Representing voters?

First Selectman Julie Deschesne and Selectmen Russell Flagg, William Demaray, Jaqueline Knight and Michael Collins don’t get a break when the town they are elected to operate becomes inoperable.

Although the board did meet Monday and scheduled a special town meeting for July 10, selectmen did not do enough – care enough – to prevent the complete shut-down of the town between July 1 and July 10.

That’s a little over a week with no trash collection, no police, no firefighting, no road maintenance, no vehicle registrations, no summer camp (which would have provided free lunch and breakfast to campers), no library hours, no general assistance, no building permits, no code enforcement, no municipal service whatsoever.

In 2005, after a series of voting irregularities and the sudden resignations of a quorum of selectmen, Hartford managed to stay open because town policy allows a single employee to sign checks. If Hartford residents needed to register cars, buy fishing licenses or conduct other business, neighboring Buckfield opened its doors to help and Hartford graciously accepted the offer.

Livermore Falls doesn’t even appear to want to arrange for a little neighborly help.

This week, Livermore offered to collect and dispose of Livermore Falls’ trash for $3 a bag during the time the town was without a government. Instead of accepting the offer, allowing residents to dispose of waste that is certain to rot and stink in 10 days’ time, Deschesne politely declined. Her reason was that the board had already “authorized commercial tipping fees for people to hire individual curbside haulers, but no other costs” during the shutdown.

So, rather than call a special selectmen’s meeting to discuss this offer, the town of Livermore Falls is leaving it up to individuals to arrange for trash pickup rather than grab this cost- and time-efficient offer from a neighbor. That’s not leadership. Forcing residents to arrange their own trash pickup is nothing but more punishment from selectmen.

Livermore Falls, nestled along the Androscoggin River, was founded by hard-working folks. Its residents are proud of their history, which they describe as “steeped in the lore of railroad, papermaking, lumber and logging.”

Those hard-working, do-anything founders would not be impressed by the town government’s reaction in this crisis.