A reason to attend joint meeting;

Attached is the document I have prepared for the Joint Meeting tomorrow night.  This will give you a chance to review and come with any questions to bring to the meeting.  Here is a list of some of the issues that have been changed to bring to your attention:

Revenue:   1.  New Growth had been reduced by $15,000

                    2.  Excise Tax has been reduced by $40,000

This is based on the actual numbers from the Assessors Office.

Expenses:   1.   All of the raises have been given out and I removed the Salary and Wage Adjustment and moved to the

                           correct departments and updated the hourly rates for the ones that are applicable.  Also every employee

                           per department has been recalculated to make sure the full 52.2 is included to avoid any salary transfers in

                           FY 2017.

                     2.   Reduced the Advisory Committee’s Expenses to $200 and the reserve to $30,000

                     3.   Removed the $3000 for Accountant Certification and put $400 into the Accountant Expense for possibly

                           one of the classes.  Will hold off one year for certification…will be easier once the audits are completed in

                           FY 17.

                     4.   Increased the VADAR software support $1318 for the increase in fee.

                     5.   Reduced Harpers Payroll $2000 as we have taken money each year from the account.  Reduced Tax Taking

                           and Tax Lien $1000 as the huge land court issue with American Tissue was taken care of in FY 16

                     6.   Reduced Town Fuel by $5000 as it looks like gas prices are remaining low at least for the time being

                     7.   Increased Unemployment $20,000 to a more realistic amount

                     8.   Increased the Fire Chief salary $10,000 to reflect the correct amount

                     9.   As an accurate budget was not received from the fire department increased the Deputy Fire Chief Salary to

                           estimated correct amount including OT $4083….same with the administrative assistant increase $4836.   

                   10.   Increased the Fire Department Expense $5000 to help with the purchase of additional canisters

                   11.   Increased the Inspection Service Salaries $1250 for a more realistic amount

                   12.   Removed the $5000 Contingency from the Highway Department that was a place holder in case the

                           revolving fund was not approved.

                   13.   Corrected the Library Wages and Expense to the correct line item

                   14.   Split the Debt payments to show interest and principal

I believe this is all the changes.  All of this is subject to change and not set in stone.   Will discuss all the issues at tomorrow night’s joint meeting.    Please do your best to attend this meeting if possible at the School in the Kiva at 6:30.

Thanks…enjoy this glorious day!!!!

Kelli Pontbriand

Accountant

Town of Templeton

978-894-2765

posted by Jeff Bennett

Templeton end of the year transfers; Again, at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on July 13, 2016, I voted no on all requests for reconsideration. Reason; accountability and consequence. Take the request for an additional $500.00 for certification money for Town Clerk after Town meeting voted for $500.00. When asked, Town Clerk stated she had asked for the $1000.00 allowed by the GL Templeton accepted years before. So someone penciled in $500.00 rather than the amount submitted by the clerk. So Town meeting was presented with $500.00, discussed that amount then voted for and appropriated it. Why override Town meeting vote? Selectmen presented a budget with a different number than was submitted by another elected individual and that number was not challenged at Town meeting, so the accountability lies with selectmen for changing the number and consequence is the individual and selectmen live with it. Advisory Committee was told by way of an outline of sorts listing all of the transfers originally requested, questions on them and the ones that passed or were taken care of in another manner. A notation on one request was that if it was refused, it would be a violation of the law. I called the division of local services, legal section, municipal tax and finance and asked that question; is refusing the transfer a violation of law? Answer: perhaps a violation of the intent or spirit of the law but not something that would end in court. Also, this was not an emergency or extreme unforeseen event. Last, you would be overruling Town meeting vote, on something that was presented to them, discussed and voted on and appropriated by Town meeting vote. Advice was that the next time, Town clerk make a batter case for the whole amount. The transfer passed but I voted against and that is why.


posted by Jeff Bennett