from the Massachusetts Municipal Association:

May 5, 2016

Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore has announced that local governments are no longer required to submit a report by June 30 each year indicating whether they have taken any action to reduce health insurance costs.
 
This annual reporting requirement was part of 801 CMR 52:00, the municipal health insurance regulations, which accompanied the 2011 reform law. Municipalities were required to file a report the secretary of Administration and Finance outlining their health insurance plan design and the maximum possible savings that would be generated if they were to engage in the municipal health insurance reform process.
 
Throughout 2015, the Baker administration solicited feedback on all executive department regulations. Based on feedback from local officials during this process, the administration eliminated the reporting requirement.
 
Municipal health insurance reform law allows cities and towns to change health insurance plan designs outside the traditional collective bargaining process by entering the Group Insurance Commission or making plan design changes that mirror the most-subscribed GIC plan. To date, at least 257 local governments have adopted the reform tool or made changes using the law as leverage for a collective savings of approximately $250 million statewide.

Templeton selectmen decided to stay with the more expensive plan at the request of town employees.

posted by Jeff Bennett

At last nights selectmen meeting, a new position with a new job description was voted in and the position will not be advertised. 
Also the Town Administrator stated there was a change to the school debt on the FY17 budget. Funny thing is, the school presented their budget on April 6, 2016 and the documents given to us had already been given to the selectmen so there should not have been no last minute surprise. If the selectmen were looking at the budget when the school gave out their information on the budget, it should have been noticed right then rather than on the 10th budget document put out by the selectmen. The school district had the debt at $443,879.00 and the selectmen had the debt list at $433,627.00 which is a difference of 10 thousand dollars and the Advisory Committee found this right away. If only the selectmen were paying attention to what they put forward, 10 times!

Jeff Bennett

Diane Haley Brooks

May 2 at 8:41pm · Templeton, MA · 

I love working at the polls in my town. I truly do enjoy seeing all my friends and neighbors. I want to take an opportunity to give a shout out to Carolee, Laurie Oliva Wiita and Carol Harris for coordinating efforts to get something done for another Realtor.

It is a blessing to work with people who will go above and beyond to get the job done. It is a blessing more so to call you all friends.

And yes Laurie, I really do love you!

Diane Haley Brooks

17 hrs · Templeton, MA · 

It was a great Mother's Day and I hope for all of you amazing Moms out there it was the same! I did a bit of relaxing today and now I feel like I can push the limits this coming week and that's a good thing!

In other news, I will be blocking some people that think back door politics along with a lack of care, concern, and even a bit of "can't keep your mouth shut" are the way to go... ahem, not in my world. So, you're out. I'm not usually this snitty (don't look it up as I'm sure it's not a word), but I've had enough. ‪#‎growuppeople‬

Real estate is busy, busy and May and June are going to be like gangbusters! Hard to believe we are almost 1/2 way through the year... oh my!

And Mother Nature, thank goodness you are taking more meds because this week looks to be a nice one. If you please, let's change the weekend forecast to nice too and this girl will be happy!

Rock on this week friends! Love to you all!

State Ethics Commission:

Selectmen

As a Selectman, you are a "municipal employee" and are covered by the conflict of interest law, G.L. c. 268A.
 (1) All municipal officials and employees, whether elected or appointed, full or part time, paid or unpaid,
 must comply with the restrictions of the conflict law. The law also regulates the activities of former employees
 and business partners of current and former employees. (2) The purpose of the law is to ensure that your
 private interests and relationships do not conflict with your responsibilities as a public official.

Now if an elected official is doing everything correct and right, (as in legal), why would it be so important
 for people to keep their mouth shut? I do not know if this is or could be, a case of someone using their
 elective position to influence events or to provide "professional courtesy" but if it looks like a duck, swims
 like a duck, well it does not have to quack to be thought of as a duck. The face book postings of a selectman
has the appearance of asking for favors from Town employees.

Jeff Bennett