The details of how a town administrator came to be - in Templeton

Annual Town meeting of 2013, began on May 14, 2013.

On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted that:
 Article III of the Revised General By-laws be amended, by adding the following new section 4, as follows: Section 4: Town Administrator- “The Board of Selectmen is authorized and empowered to appoint a town administrator who may be appointed for a term of one or three years, and to remove the town administrator at their discretion. The town administrator appointed under the provisions of this section shall be sworn to the faithful performance of the duties of the office. During the time that the town administrator holds office the town administrator shall hold no elective town office, but may be appointed by the Board of Selectmen or, with their approval, by any other town officer, board, committee or commission, to any other town office or position consistent with the town administrator’s office. The Town Administrator shall receive such aggregate compensation, not exceeding the amount appropriated therefore, as the Board of Selectmen may determine. The Town Administrator shall act by and for the Board of Selectmen in any matter which the Board may assign to the town administrator relating to the administration of the affairs of the town or of any town office or department under their supervision and control, or, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, may perform such other duties as may be requested by any other town officer, board, committee or commission.” And, further, to reflect the above-mentioned amendment to Article III of the Templeton Revised General By-Laws, the following Templeton Revised General ByLaw sections will also be amended by replacing the title of “Town Coordinator” with the title of “Town Administrator” in Article XLII-Capital Planning By-Law- Section 1: And in: Article XLVII-Personnel By-Law –Section 3(b) and Section 3 (c)
 Passed/May 16th @ 8:37

At the annual town meeting of May 2014, this happened:

ARTICLE 20           CHANGE TO THE TOWN BUDGET PROCESS

To see if the Town will vote to change Article IV “Advisory Committee,” Section 4 of the Town By-Laws to read: 

“It shall be duty of the Town Administrator in conjunction with the BOS to consider expenditures and develop a budget for the ensuing fiscal year of the several boards, officers and committees of the town, as prepared by them in such form and detail as prescribed by the Town Administrator.”; or take any other action relative thereto. Submitted by the Board of Selectmen

On a substitute motion duly made and seconded the Town voted that Article III “Town Officers“ of the Town By-laws be herby amended:

4. “It shall be duty of the Town Administrator in conjunction with the BOS to consider expenditures and develop a budget for the ensuing fiscal year of the several boards, officers and committees of the town, as prepared by them in such form and detail as prescribed by the Town Administrator.”

Passed Unanimously/May 19^th @ 8:38pm

As you can see, Article III, town officers of the Templeton general by-laws have been changed twice in 2 years. The question is was it suppose to be section 4A or was it meant to completely change section 4?  That question was asked of Town counsel and hopefully the email from counsel can be brought to the next Advisory Committee meeting so all members can see what Town legal counsel suggested in their opinion. It differs from what was put out at the last select board meeting. Just another glitch in Templeton governance. Templeton light, as in the rate payers , paid for a really detailed and expensive study of Templeton town governance. Perhaps that can be shared with the whole town through the Town website.

posted by Jeff Bennett