All the rant - an example of one transfer request; from conservation commission, "we are asking for a transfer of funds from conservation administer assistant salary account for the amount of $31.00 to go to our conservation commission expense account to cover $65.98 for ink and $21.00 for name plates a total of $86.98. Our balance in the expense account is $65.44, we are short $21.54." The transfer request put before advisory committee at last meeting was for $30.00 for the above issue. Perhaps the superior board, the selectmen could have taken care of this out of the selectmen office expense, as that is something the town administrator said the selectmen could do at the end of the year, which if you view the dvd of town meeting, that was one of the reasons given for the $16,000.00 transfer into the selectmen office expense account. Remember, the selectmen used the office expense to pay for repairs o the police chief vehicle rather than use the town reserve fund. That would have been an appropriate thing to bring before advisory committee as it is an unexpected item an a good reason to use the reserve fund.
Again, at some point, town departments and employees have to live within their means, ie; a budget, and I believe that has to start now. There has to be consequences for failing to do that and people need to be held accountable. Sweeping it under the rug with more financial transfers is just enabling this practice to continue. That in my opinion is a bad use of YOUR money. You have to run your house with what you have and the town should be no different. That is why I voted no on all transfers. Yes, this may create some other issues but perhaps something will be learned from this and it will not be repeated. Different selectmen, treasurer, accountant, deputy assessor, town coordinator/town administrator and there are more transfers now than ever and that is not progress or moving forward, that is going backwards and that is not good.


posted by Jeff Bennett

Found something recently, it is a legal opinion concerning the Advisory Committee's question about the selectmen authority to present the annual budget to Town meeting. Advisory sent question to Town Administrator who forwarded to Town Council. That opinion was shared with the Advisory Committee. Town Council opines that Templeton has a "strong" advisory committee because they are responsible for not only financial articles, but all Town meeting articles. The opinion goes on to explain that Templeton has some conflicting and unclear Town by-laws concerning this issue. The opinion goes on to state "we recommend that there be a clearer statement by the voters at town meeting to resolve this issue. Absent an article on the warrant for the upcoming special town meeting to clarify whose motion is made first, we suggest that the town administrator and advisory committee reach an understanding based on what is clearest for the voters to follow. Failing any agreement, at a town meeting, have the moderator ask the people to adopt rules of the meeting, which could include a rule as to which/who makes the initial motion to be brought before town meeting. If advisory committee objects to town administrator or vice-versa, let voters decide what is the procedure. Perhaps this should be the number one item at a joint meeting of advisory committee and selectmen.


posted by Jeff Bennett

from face book - enjoy

Diane Haley Brooks

45 mins · Templeton, MA · 

So when the Advisory Committee votes to not make transfers and now it affects
 the community, is that responsible? What is the reasoning behind this? I wish I
 could have been at the meeting, but I cannot sit in a chair that long.
 The COA will now not be reimbursed the 100% of funds that needed to be
 transferred. How about pay? Yes, we need to pay employees as last I checked
 it's the law. I am not sure exactly what transfer was approved, but you bet I will
be asking this tomorrow first thing. How will that impact the budget? This is
 YOUR money Templeton. I want an explanation as YOU deserve one.

I have heard that we have made too many transfers this year, but we are
 still working on the budgets since the fiscal crisis that was created by errors
 and lack of communication etc. This year we couldn't get together with the
 Advisory Committee as they ignored the requests from the Interim
Town Administrator. We have some major communication issues to
work out and also how things are done with the budget. I agree, the
transfers were a lot, but how come the Advisory Committee didn't see
some of this coming? Who else is supposed to be looking at those things?

I will admit there are many things I now see that were wrong that I didn't
 know what to do about, but this coming year that is changing.

This is ridiculous how all this plays out and I feel those decisions not
to transfer is negligent with YOUR funds. This is about our community,
 not one Board or Committee. I cannot wait to hear the explanations
for only 1 transfer happening. You should want to hear those explanations also.
We just lost 100% reimbursement from MART and the taxpayers should
accept that?

To the residents, the Board of Selectman is responsible to YOU the taxpayer.
Please, let us know what you like, don't like, want changed etc.
Get involved. Stay involved. Come to meetings to know what's happening
with YOUR tax dollars.


posted by Jeff Bennett