Thursday, February 18, 2016

Lets ruffle the selectmen feathers;

The Department of Revenue (DOR) division of local services puts out many publications to aid local officials with regards to municipal finance. One of them is a municipal calendar and within said calendar, it has listed that  December 31 is the timeline when the board of selectmen should begin to finalize budget recommendation for review by Finance Committee (Advisory Board)

February 28; Finance Committee continue budget review and develop recommendations.

That is pretty hard to do with the selectmen telling people they appoint not to meet with the Advisory Board. Pretty safe to say this BOS do not want any checks n balances in place.

Templeton Town by-laws, article IV (4)  Advisory Committee, section 5 states:

In the discharge of its duty, said committee shall have free access to all books of record and accounts, bills and vouchers on which money has been or may be paid from the Town treasury. Officers, boards and committees of the Town shall, upon request, furnish said committee with facts, figures and any other information pertaining to their several activities.

Included within the draft 2017 Templeton budget is an item of interest, a $47,000.00 salary figure for an assistant town administrator, Holly. Could that be Holly Young, current secretary in the BOS office and perhaps this is why she was sent to training for MSBA paper work.

Perhaps what is needed is one selectman with some moxie to speak up on some of these issues and to ask why at a selectmen meeting.
Some sunlight is clearly needed down at that office.

Speaking of sunshine, it was stated at last nights Advisory Board meeting that the secretary from the highway department went to MSBA training as well so i hope the Treasurer has been as well. 

Jeff Bennett

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