Sent By:
Robert Markel On:May 05/13/16 2:59 PM
To: Mark Barrieau; Bev Bartolomeo; Katharine Fulton; Michael Greene; jpb01468; Gordon Moore; Wil Spring
Reply to: Robert Markel
2017 OPERATING ...d recomends.xlsx (2.2 MB) Download | Remove
I was about to print the FY'17 budget with Advisory Committee recommendations. Decided to check all formulas and found that the TAB budget recommendation is $19K over.

Recommend that you convene tomorrow and vote changes. The Selectmen are going to vote the change that I implemented with regard to the Veterans Services budget, although they have already approved the changes.

Bob

Robert T. Markel
Interim Town Administrator
Town of Templeton
160 Patriots Road
East Templeton, MA 01438
(978)894-2753

So if the Town Administrator changed a line item on the day before Town Meeting, is that correct and legal? How did the selectmen approve it without a meeting? The item by the way had a dollar figure of $30,000.00 and then it showed up at town meeting as $50,000.00. On Thursday I had called John Caplis to ask him if he was comfortable with 30K, he told me the veterans budget was 129 thousand and the spread sheet stated that. When I pointed out that the summary total showed 129 thousand bu the line items had 20 thousand for salary and veteran benefits had 30 thousand for a total of 50K, he said he would get back to me. I have the budget sheets to show this, dated of course. Just one of the details you may not have been aware of. Realize that the selectmen voted for that spread sheet with line item total of 50 thousand, I have to wonder if they actually looked at it line by line before voting on it? So you can decide if I was responsible or negligent in voting against further transfers for fiscal 2016. 

posted by Jeff Bennett

from the current Handbook for Selectmen:

Legal Authority
The board of selectmen’s formal, legal responsibilities are scattered throughout hundreds of state
statutes as well as in a given town’s bylaws, home rule charter and special laws (special acts) enacted
by the Legislature for that particular town. Boards of selectmen have general supervision over all
matters that are not specifically delegated by law, or by vote of the town, to another officer or board.
While the specific role of selectmen is broad, it varies from town to town. Generally, boards of
selectmen have at least several important responsibilities under state law:
• The power to prepare the town meeting warrant
• The power to make appointments to town boards and offices
• The power to employ professional administrative staff and town counsel
• The power to sign warrants for the payment of all town bills
• The authority to grant licenses and permits
(These responsibilities of selectmen are covered in detail in chapters 3, 4, 5 and 11.)

The selectmen should:
• Participate in the budget process by developing budget guidelines, reviewing budgets and
evaluating proposals for the expenditure of funds
• Participate in broad policy development on issues that will have a major impact on town
finances (e.g., a major expenditure such as a new school, authorization of debt, use of the
stabilization fund)
• Ensure the development of a capital improvement program
• Monitor financial performance
The selectmen also have certain statutory authority for financial matters, including:
• Signing bonds or notes when the town issues debt
• Signing the warrants for payment of bills
• Classifying property by use, for taxation purposes
• Setting water and sewer rates and other fees, unless this authority is assigned by bylaw to
another board or official
• Placing a Proposition 2½ override or debt exclusion vote on the ballot

Finance Committee (or Advisory or Warrant Committee)
The finance committee—or, in some towns, the advisory or warrant committee—is a town’s official
fiscal watchdog. Its primary, statutory responsibility is to advise and make recommendations to town
meeting on the budget and other areas of finance. One of the finance committee’s most important
functions involves making transfers from the town’s reserve fund (a contingency fund normally
created as part of annual budget appropriations) to other line items in the budget for extraordinary
or unforeseen occurrences.While the finance committee plays a vital role, it is within the executive authority of the selectmen, and/or their appointees, to prepare the town’s budget. The selectmen have ultimate responsibility to the residents for this service. The finance committee’s responsibility is to review the budget submitted to them and to make recommendations regarding the budget to the town’s legislative body: the town meeting.

Town Accountant
The town accountant is responsible for maintaining the town’s financial records, including the
statement of revenues and expenditures, balance sheet, and any other records required by law or
regulation. The town accountant reviews each proposed expenditure to ensure that money has been
lawfully appropriated for that expenditure. The town accountant prepares warrants for payment (a
list of bills compiled for signature by the board of selectmen or town manager or administrator) and
may withhold payment of an item if the expense is illegal, not an approved appropriation, or would
cause an appropriation to be exceeded.

posted by Jeff Bennett

 

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Question: Is it responsible to transfer money from one fund to another, which causes an eventual shortage/deficit in that fund? That is what happened with the fire/ems salary fund when the selectmen voted to put forward a transfer of $111,608.50 on November 9, 2015. March 21, 2016, the selectmen said we need to put back $45,000.00 and now the selectmen just said we need to put back another $7,000.00 into that fund, When the accountant was asked what would be the standing of that fund, fire/ems salary, if it would have been left alone? The accountant stated there would be around $50,000.00 left in it. So who was responsible and who was not? Contact selectmen Brooks and ask that question. Ask why only the accountant was present in front of the advisory committee for these requested transfers? Ask where were selectmen and where were involved/affected department heads to answer questions on these transfers. Contact selectmen Brooks and ask, you deserve to know. Ask her if taxpayers should accept department heads not keeping up with their expenses?

One thing you should know is that $64,608.00 voted for an OPEB fund is still sitting in the selectmen office expense account. Lets hope it is handled correctly.

posted by Jeff Bennett