Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Attempt to repeat history? ? ?

Recently there seems to be talk about the selectmen interfering with the sewer department. Selectmen seem to have gotten the idea they can take over and sewer funds to help bail them out with their screwed up spending plan presented to town meeting back in May. I believe it was referred to as a balanced budget. I have ideas who may be guiding at least one selectmen and it seems to be the plan that was tried in the past: selectmen become sewer commissioners and then selectmen will have control of the sewer budget and get their hands on the betterment funds. (in my opinion) There is a substantial amount of money in the Templeton sewer betterment fund and the exact amount shoulld be available from the Templeton Town accountant..


 ACCOUNTING FOR REVENUE:

  Betterments and special assessments are special property taxes. Anticipated revenues from apportioned and un-apportioned betterments and special assessments, including committed interest, are treated as estimated receipts when setting the tax rate and actual receipts are credited to the general fund unless:

 A. Enterprise Fund An enterprise fund has been adopted under G.L. Ch. 59 §53F½ for the capital improvement or facility for which the assessments are made. If so, the revenue belongs to the enterprise.

B. Estimated Sewer Assessments The revenue is from estimated sewer assessments made under G.L. Ch. 83 §15B for a sewer treatment plant or facility. If so, the revenue is reserved for appropriation to pay for the cost of constructing the plant for which the assessments are made or the debt service on the plant.

C. Special Act Betterment Reserves Special legislation specifically authorizes the betterment and special assessment revenue to be reserved for appropriation to pay for debt service or other purposes.

A thought on this subject is why the selectmen do not take the same approach to the light and water department? Templeton light & water is not a legal separate entity from the Town. Selectmen have a letter from the Massachusetts department of Revenue stating that.

posted by Jeff Bennett

14 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:47 PM

    the selectmen are going after the money!!! just like there after the ambulance receipts !! that is the reason they raised rates and why they want the chief of police running the fire dept . with that move the strong chief law for the fire dept is gone and the selectman can rape there budget!!

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  2. well you guys have taken 112 grand from them all ready!!!back last November why dont you give the money back then ??

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    Replies
    1. That was Markle ' s doing. It is my fault also. I believed his down right lie that it was a duplicate line item. I asked Ray and I don't think he dared to say anything. That will never ever happen again. I am sorry firefighters. Bev.

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    2. I think something is wrong if the whole BOS is not in agreement, and someone is going rogue. I have learned a lot in old age, ad I will not stand by to let our town go from the frying pan into the fire. Bev

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  3. Why do we all have to agree? We have our own minds and opinions and we discuss and vote. Something is wrong when we don't get all the information or half the info. We are rushing. There was vote on Monday after only seeing some of the info in 3 days time to review and 2 of us were not present. For something this big we should ALL be there. I thought at a first meeting we were not supposed to vote, just discuss and I will be bringing that up for sure. How about those debt exclusion numbers?? Ya they are wrong. Didn't know that until recently but you all asked for that right? The deficit was 87,0000 something and then all of a sudden it's 200,000. I learned of it in documentation for a meeting. Blows my mind as well. I will say I have a lot to learn and I have done my best. I'm sorry where we are at and that I took at face value numbers and advice from people that have been doing this awhile. Ugh

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    1. Diane, what I was referring to was that, I hope everyone on the BOS agreed that Carter and Caplis could take these road trips to other Towns trying to get people to join in on a regional agreement for different departments. Julie pointed out the fact that you and Doug were not present, so shouldn't a vote be held up until there was a full board. Caplis had the vote anyway. Don't let him get away with this stuff, especially if the vote was not supposed to happen. Taking what you are told at face value, those days are gone, for the both of us. I do not understand how anyone can stand in front of their Town, or the people they work for and tell then something that is not true. If a person's word is no good, they cross a line that should never be crossed. This is a new reality, I am sorry to say. Bev.

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    2. I didn't know about road trips and I have had a hard time focusing these last weeks. Sorry. The Chair is allowed to go to various things as a rep of the BOS but decisions are not made. That's my understanding. I think we should be making the decisions together. I think we should all be coming to the AC meeting on the 21st as these issues are too important for us to make with only a few or couple members. I am pissed any vote was taken while 2 of us were not there, but it was a quorum so it it legal. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I have a lot to catch up on. Thanks again for the conversation and the updates.

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  4. Mike, 112,000? We took finds as it looked like a duplicate entry and then with more research it was not andbwe gave a lot of it back. I can find all my notes on that. AND here is another reason we beee to our things in writing more clearly. The budget docs were 20+ and still wrong.

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    1. Markel knew that the money in the Ambulance receipt account was money that the Town could not touch. That was a agreement that was made when the account was set up at the Annual Town Meeting. He did it anyway !! Show me where it came back. It went the same place the Library money went, where ever that was.

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    2. I will look into thirst things. I see the info was posted here for Fire.

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  5. I will show you we have some back. I have to get it from Kelli. I will do that. I need to get better first.

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  6. Anonymous12:28 PM

    $111,000 taken from Fire and then $45,000 given back it's all on the town reports

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  7. Anonymous1:25 PM

    taken
    1000-220-200-54-
    5420-0000 FIRE/EMS
    EXPENSE
    111,608.50 NO ACCT. NUMBER 2015 SNOW &ICE DEFICIT



    returned
    1000-123-100-
    51-5110-0000
    Town Administrator
    Salaries
    $12,949.00 1000-220-200-
    51-5117-0000
    Fire/EMS
    Salaries
    $12,949.00
    1000-424-400-
    52-5210-0000
    Street Lights $19,478.00 1000-220-200-
    51-5117-0000
    Fire/EMS
    Salaries
    $19,478.00
    1000-630-600-
    51-5115-0000
    Recreation Salaries $73.00 1000-220-200-
    51-5117-0000
    Fire/EMS
    Salaries
    $73.00
    1000-710-700-
    59-5910-0000
    Debt $12,500.00 1000-220-200-
    51-5117-0000
    Fire/EMS
    Salaries
    $12,500.00

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  8. Anonymous4:38 AM

    You're right Beverly. 1 Selectmen one Towwn Administrator making decisions for the entire town. Sounds like history is repeating itself if you know what I mean

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