An interesting comment from this blog:

DO is STUPID7:12 AM

Surprise Surprise Surprise, Seems quite odd that Chartier has been doing continuous restoration and repairs on town hall without going out to bid, right now they have the go ahead to install air conditioning in the building according to an employee at town hall. always wondered where all that money was coming from and why they automatically get every job.

I think the bigger concern should be if Mr. Chartier is on the planning Board and there is a Christoff Chartier listed as an elected member of the Templeton Planning Board. So, does that raise an issue? Does it have the appearance of an elected official using their position for personal gain? Is that work going their way because they are in that position or because they are in Town Hall often? Has the work been bid? Has the contracts been broken down so as to be below the threshold of having to go to bid, so as to only use good business practices and get three quotes? Is this the item the auditors have found and raised concerns about? Is this something that needs to be reported to the Inspector General's office? You bet it is and it will be reported by me! If it has improper appearance, avoid it. Perhaps Mr. Chartier did nothing wrong but it looks suspicious, so in my opinion, it should not have been done. Templeton does need these clouds now or in the future, Templeton needs sunshine, open curtains and transparency. Templeton needs residents to be involved and Templeton needs people to speak up. This is not really a new situation, as almost every small town has the "good ole boy network" there is always a few who seem to be involved in Town stuff and appear to be trying to help out, but in almost every case, if you look close and be honest, they usually end up benefiting themselves personally and that is not good, just or what this Town needs, especially at this time. This is another issue that I will send to the director of accounts on the DOR.

posted by Jeff Bennett

FY2017 Single-Family Residential Tax Bill
Andrew Nelson, Supervisor, Bureau of Accounts (BOA)
Tony Rassias, Deputy Director, BOA

The State Total single-family residential tax bill for FY2017 is $5,621, an increase of $202 or 3.7 percent from FY2016, according to data captured from 332 of the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns in the DLS Muncipal Databank.

In addition, the average value of a single-family residential home was $399,413, the highest value since the FY2008 average value of $403,705, which was set as values were starting to drop in the real estate market.

So far in FY2017, with 345 communities reporting valuation data to the Division of Local Services (DLS), single-family residential parcels statewide represent:

Remember, a reduction is the tax rate does not always equal a lower tax bill: if your home goes up in value, such as when a new school is built, your home may increase in value but your tax bill can also increase. This amount would be added to any increase resulting from a debt exclusion vote, so you get a double increase. Nice!

posted by Jeff Bennett

Did Templeton selectmen follow the law?




Q5: We would like to hire an executive search firm to aid us in our search for candidates for a number of executive level positions in our town, including a Town Administrator and new Superintendent of our public schools; is this service exempt from Chapter 30B?

A5: No. An agreement by a city or town with an executive search firm is not exempt from Chapter 30B. Section (1)(b)(22) of Chapter 30B exempts certain service contracts related to employment, including “jobrelated training, educational or career development services,” but these services apply only to the “employees of a governmental body.” This exemption does not include services related to recruiting prospective employees. Therefore, you must secure executive search firm or recruiting services in accordance with the competitive procurement procedures, based on the estimated value of the contract, outlined in Chapter 30B.


Chapter 30B hotline is (617)722-8838

posted by Jeff Bennett

Question: Would you consider it a raise if you were told to work fewer hours but get paid the same as you did while working 40 hours? It appears that is what has happened at Town Hall. Here I thought selectmen were making moves to save money, not give raises.

posted by Jeff Bennett

from Templeton Town hall:
There is word around Town Hall that the auditors, as in financial auditors have found some major violations with regards to procurement, as in the Town buying products or services, such as work on Town Hall. The person responsible for these acts - Holly Young. That is the word from Town Hall and that question will be asked at the next selectmen meeting.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Kate Fulton does not speak for me nor do I think the Advisory Committee;


Definition of “consensus” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary

a generally accepted opinion; wide agreement

I wonder if Kate Fulton thinks a 5 for and 1 against with one absent is  wide agreement or not?

If there was not general agreement of the Advisory Committee on the subject of funding and debt for a new school, why then did the committee vote 5 to 1 in favor of sending a letter raising those very points? There are seven members on said committee with one member being absent from that meeting. Kate Fulton is the same member who objects to being marked as absent when she misses a meeting. She makes the point "I sent with regrets that I will not be at the meeting' What part of not being present at a meeting does absent not include or explain? If you are not there, you are absent. This is on the video record of Advisoryy Committee meetings.

I have to ask and will ask if Kate Fulton was at the meeting of the MFOB or not. If Kate was not present, how would she know how Julie Farrell presented herself? If Julie Farrell stated she was there as a representative of the Advisory Committee then I have a problem with that. If however, she merely stated I am also a member of the Templeton Advisory Committee, then that would simply be a factual statement.  In my opinion, Kate Fulton's letter is just pure politics, plain and simple. Any member of the community who could make time and take the trouble to attend that meeting could have done so. In my opinion, Kate Fulton is a member of the build it at all costs and the hell with the consequences, even if it puts the town in another very large financial hole. One can be in favor of the school or any project, but still question and state concerns with more debt. At some point, it has to be about can we afford it? 

Next time, if Kate Fulton wishes to address people by way of a letter to the editor of a newspaper, perhaps she does not chastise one person for misrepresentation while doing the same thing in a letter to the editor. Next time, simply sign it Kate Fulton, citizen rather than secretary, Templeton  Advisory Committee. That implies you are writing on behalf and speaking for the Committee, which there was no motion, second, nor any vote for you to do so. 


posted by Jeff Bennett

from the latest copy of the selectmen handbook.

Perhaps this needs to be read by the selectmen.


Role of the Chair:
 Being chair of the board does not mean forfeiting the right to vote or express an opinion. The chair, however, must be careful not to dominate the meeting. The powers of the chair—to prepare the agenda (see below), to call the items, and to recognize others to speak—give him or her enormous control over the way the meeting is conducted. A good chair will make the effort to ensure that the other selectmen are given an adequate chance to be heard. The greatest challenge facing a chair is keeping the discussion moving forward. A delicate balance must be established, allowing members to express their views freely, but without getting bogged down in long-winded expressions of opinion. By addressing issues one at a time, in an orderly fashion, and by steering conversation away from irrelevant subjects or personality clashes, the chair can help to build consensus within the board.

The chairman can make a motion, second, vote and express their view (s) Being chairman does not give one more power nor does it mean a chairman can make decisions on matters that belong in front of the entire board, such as having a joint meeting between two or more boards, committees or commissions. If a selectmen thinks that is up to only the chairman, I would say that selectmen has not learned much in three years.  I think if a selectmen wants a joint meeting, then they should let the board know in a public forum, such as a meeting of the board of selectmen. You do not get elected to be a go along to get along member. That is my opinion.


posted buy Jeff bennett

Do selectmen understand how the board works? Do they know their position and authority?

Diane Haley Brooks12:09 AM

"How many times do I have to ask for us to meet jointly. I did not say no. The Chairman did. That's his call. I asked if I could speak about it in the last meeting and I missed my chance. I asked the TA if I could send an email and I did." 

The above is part of a comment made by Ms. Brooks to a post on January 18, 2017 "Apparently the MA department of revenue . . . ."

Actually, it is not the chairman's call, it is the call of the board of selectmen, the chair only gets one vote, same as the rest of the members. The chairman gets to put items on the agenda but any member can request an item and it should be put on for discussion. It is not the call of the chairman whether the board has a joint meeting or not, rather it is a vote of the board, as in five members. I would think someone who has been a selectmen since January of 2014 would know that. Three years as a selectmen, you are not green any longer. In my opinion, this as well as other things are just more excuses as I have yet to see a vote of the board for a joint meeting of the selectmen and advisory committee.

There may have been one i missed but I do not think so. This seems to be just like the budget or spending plan of 2017, no selectmen asked for more time or more discussion on it, they just voted yes on it then a few days after the board of selectmen voted on a version for town meeting, the administrator changed it and no selectmen said anything about it at town meeting, which in my opinion, shows how little they paid attention to it in the first place. 

posted by Jeff Bennett

from

 "A guide to financial management for town officials" book published by the division of local services.
WHAT ARE THE BASIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE?
 

The primary duties of a finance committee
are to advise and make recommendations
to town meeting on the budget and other
areas of finance. "Other areas of finance, would that be like debt and long range planning for capital items?"

In addition to its research and advisory role at town meeting, the committee can play a
vital role in the financial planning of the town. In some communities, the finance
committee develops long-range revenue and expenditure forecasts, which are very useful
in scheduling large capital acquisitions and identifying major changes in the operating
budget of the town.
What a concept, the finance committee or advisory committee looking at and being involved in financial planning and long range, as in future finance of the town and changes in the operation of the town that affects future financial (money from your taxes) changes, such as elimination of department heads and mergers, such as a police chief being in charge of the fire department. Perhaps some selectmen should read this booklet, it is free, well, it has already been paid for by you through your state tax payments so you do not have to pay for it again through your property tax dollars.

posted by jeff Bennett

C.S. 1-ER Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Revenue FY2017
	NOTICE TO ASSESSORS OF ESTIMATED RECEIPTS
	General Laws, Chapter 58, Section 25A
	Templeton
	A. EDUCATION:
	Distributions and Reimbursements:
	Chapter 70	8,256
	School Transportation	0
	Charter Tuition Reimbursement	0
	Smart Growth	0

	Offset Items – Reserve for Direct Expenditure:
	School Choice Receiving Tuition	0

	Sub-Total, All Education Items:	8,256

	B. GENERAL GOVERNMENT:
	Distributions and Reimbursements:
	Unrestricted General Government Aid	1,340,791
	Local Share of Racing Taxes	0
	Regional Public Libraries	0
	Urban Revitalization	0
	Veterans Benefits	120,318
	Exemp: VBS and Elderly	62,775
	State Owned Land	110,786

	Offset Item - Reserve for Direct Expenditure:
	Public Libraries	11,309

	Sub-Total, All General Government:	1,645,979

	C. TOTAL ESTIMATED RECEIPTS:	1,654,235

How is $1,340,791.00 going to cover a 1.4 million dollar loan payment? Seems a bit short, which seems to be a habit of this board of selectmen. Someone failed 4th grade math.

posted by Jeff bennett

from the facebook page of Diane Brooks;

"There were many informational meetings to explain the building and design of the new school and the location AND how the tax rate would be affected 
and how the taxpayer would feel the impact of their taxes being raised. I am not going to belabor that point as it's been gone over a year and 1/2. This project has taken much longer than expected as it has repeatedly attempted to be blocked. This is just one more way to try to stop it. We had a ballot vote and here are the results:
QUES. 1 - New Elementary School
Yes 806
No 597"

The following is from Jeff Bennett:

I do not think the people who voted for the school voted to be lied to.
I also believe the people deserved to hear everything, the good and the bad. I was at many of those meetings and the attendance was very poor most of the time. Some of those meetings, I was the only person there besides the committee, the person recording the meeting and sometimes a reporter. So some of the fault lies with the people for failing to be interested in a project of this size and cost - 47 million plus. This is debt on the Town, not the school and the tax rate will / would not be $1.74 per thousand as was advertised and none of the selectmen said otherwise. Why would they, after all they wanted the school at all costs, even putting the town in jeopardy of not having access to any potential state aid, which the town budget is dependent on, just so this school and this debt could be placed in the laps of the people. Their own paper work on school finance and tax rate increase used $1.74 per thousand as a "net increase" while showing the old debt vote in back in 1996 and supposedly paid off in 2016 then to 2019, except the plan was / is to keep that debt on the books for another 28 plus years. check the facts for yourself. The debt exclusion that people voted for in 1996 was going to stay in place for an another 28 years. Isn't that nice, you thought that money, about 50 cents, was coming off your tax bill, not so fast.
We want our new school so just keep paying your taxes, we are the superior board and we know best. We cannot add, but we know best!
That is my thoughts and opinion, so the selectmen can post this on their facebook pages and all their followers can read it and maybe ask some questions.


posted by Jeff Bennett

Apparently the MA department of revenue thinks Templeton has too much debt to get a state guaranteed loan at this time. It seems Templeton has too much debt. Really? because at an advisory committee meeting, the Templeton town administrator told the committee that the school debt would not/does not count as the 5% debt limit. As I have previously asked, is or would Templeton be responsible for the 47 million dollars debt? The consequences Diane Haley Brooks is I am running for selectmen again this year! Sorry the selectmen and some others do not like advisory committee writing a letter to the municipal finance oversight board and they do not like the committee doing it's job, but someone has to try to tell people on the condition of Templeton finance. Diane Brooks should remember the MCAD training and realize that retaliation is against the rules.There is a correlation between real estate, loans, mortgages and what people can afford and i would think that would be apparent in municipal finance as well. It is not about for or against a school, it is about finance and what you can afford. I believe it was irresponsible for the selectmen to paint a healthy financial picture for the people of Templeton just to put them in debt for another 47 million dollars. I believe it is even more irresponsible to still try after you have been told things are bad and even worse than you thought.



posted by Jeff Bennett

According to a document prepared by the town accountant, it appears the selectmen are looking to ask for a transfer of $227,000.00 from the ambulance receipts fund to the general fund to help "balance" the fiscal  general fund baseline.

This looks like another take from peter to pay paul and it does not solve the issue of enough funds to cover all expenses that will be put to the voters at a town meeting.

Since it was a town meeting vote and the article was explained to town meeting that the ambulance receipts fund would be money set aside to cover the operating costs of the Templeton ambulance service. If this transfer is approved, where will the money come from to help pay the costs of the Templeton ambulance service? Where does the fire department stand on this? Too bad there is no fire chief to answer this. I know, we get a police chief yes man to oversee the administration of the fire department and all will be fine. What a plan!


posted by Jeff Bennett

Yesterday while watching a recent meeting of the advisory committee, I saw and heard something that is indicative of the financial problem in Templeton. One member stated the town administrator should go pound on the desk of John Driscoll, manager of Templeton light & water and demand that the light dept. give the town some money. That should not happen. Templeton needs to look at how much it can raise by way of property tax and local receipts. From property taxes, realize you will probably not collect more than 92% of that total. The town should attempt to collect as close to 100% as possible while understanding that a collection rate of 96 - 97% is very good. The town needs to stop holding it's hand out in order to provide services. Do not even count on state aid, especially if the selectmen plan on begging the state for a school loan and use state aid as collateral.

The town administrator is trying to say that the school loan will not put the town outside of the 5% loan max and that school debt is not part of that equation. My only question is this; if borrowed, will the town owe that money/ Is the town ultimately responsible for all borrowed money on behalf of the town, such as the new water tank?

In my opinion, we cannot say we have to live within our means then turn around with your hand out to the light department, or any other entity, and ask for money to help us out.

posted by Jeff Bennett

My opinion on the subject of Templeton selectmen and town accountant: they are all law breakers for failing to keep records according to state law. So why should they be trusted with Town finances? Then look at prospective town administrators, none with experience on the job, just more on the job training and more bad news for Templeton. Another item in the newspaper with bad information from john columbus; a private road does not have to be accepted before the town can spend any money on them to bring them up to acceptable standards. There are laws on the books that allow this. Of course, selectmen have to follow the laws in order for any of this to work.

The selectmen and Templeton town accountant, in my opinion,  are right up there with the secretary of the commonwealth, bill galvin, all law breakers for failing to follow the law. Selectmen should stop coming up with new policy until they follow existing ones, like state law.

Also, the selectmen seem more interested in firing one town employee so they can say they are solving a problem rather than admitting they made several, such as giving out too many raises over the pas few years when they should have been holding everything even. When a few employees get what looks like 16 and 15 % pay increases, that just goes above any business sense at all. When selectmen decide to not have a fire chief just so they can balance the cost of town health insurance cost, they are not solving anything, they are just making that item look good for now. Eventually that thing will show its head again because this board of selectmen seem to like to let employees run the show rather than management. Again, john columbus lies and the rest of the selectmen go right along with him. The town does not have to accept the private roads before the town may spend public money on them. They just have to look at MGL chapter 40, section 6N. I will continue to do research and provide this information to the residents of laurel view road. All of the selectmen lied in the past when they stated it is a matter of law that the NRHS building and grounds director had to be on the school building committee, that was/is another lie and they are all guilty. All of the selectmen lied at the annual town meeting when they told all that their spending plan was correct, balanced and proper. Seems like what this board of selectmen does best is lie, I think it is time for some different selectmen, who will at least tell the truth. That is my opinion. 

See, if these selectmen did not vote to spend all the chapter 90 money on an un-needed excavator, perhaps there would be some funds to repair laurel view road. 

posted by Jeff Bennett

Selectmen in the past have tried to go after the betterment money and there has been transfers from sewer to aid the Town general fund budget, it is in town meeting "minutes" and annual town reports. There have been past attempts by selectmen to take over the sewer department. There now seems to be the same attempt to repeat history and take from there to cover here. What happens when there are no places left to take from? The audits are general fund expenses and should be paid as such.

So when will the selectmen be meeting with the light and the water departments to look at thier budget? How much will the Templeton Municipal light and water departments be contributing to Town audit expense? I hope selectmen Brooks is looking at those items as well. We did have to have a town meeting to see if the voters would allow the borrowing of money to build a new water tank. Remember, when a town gets a certain amount of federal dollars, a separate audit from the Town's audit is required and none of those federal dollars are suppose to be used to pay for that required separate audit.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Annual Town Meeting, May 13, 2003:

Article 27 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town to borrow Six Million Dollars ($6,000,000) to upgrade the Town’s Publicly Owned Wastewater Treatment Facility as required by the Department of Environmental Protection Administrative Consent Order, subject to the successful passage of a debt exclusion, or take any other action relative thereto. On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to raise Six Million Dollars ($6,000,000) to upgrade the Town’s Publicly Owned Wastewater Treatment Facility as required by the Department of Environmental Protection Administrative Consent Order, subject to the successful passage of a Debt Exclusion Question. Passed/May 13th.



Special Town election on November 17, 2003

ONE BALLOT QUESTION AS FOLLOWS:

1.      Debt Exclusion for Sewer Department

Shall the Town of Templeton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2-1/2, so-called, the amounts required to borrow to upgrade the town’s publicly owned Wastewater Treatment Facility as required by the Department of Environmental Protection Administrative Consent Order. The cost of the debt exclusion for this project would be six million dollars ($6,000,000), with 25% of the project costs paid through sewer betterments and 75% paid through tax levy.

democracy in action, so how about the selectmen find another source of money to pay for there mess up!

posted by Jeff Bennett

Templeton Sewer debt

On the new Templeton Master plan, page 18, there is reference to the Templeton Sewer treatment facility. "Citizens of Templeton approved a proposition 2 1/2 override to fund a WWTP upgrade."

Templeton annual Town report, 2005, page 111, states Town Meeting approved as well as at the ballot, both Town meeting and by ballot vote, monies in the amount of $6,000,000.00 for WWTP upgrade. The money was to come by way of 25% from users by betterment and 75% by way of taxation through a proposition 2 1/2 override. Lets not have another afront to democracy by trying to change this and then go after sewer betterment money to attempt to come up with funds to run the town because selectmen can not come to grips that the spending has to stop until someone is able to present a truly balanced expense (spending) plan that actually shows there are enough funds available to pay for it without stealing from one time revenue sources. 75% of expense comes from taxation and if that needs to be audited as part of the Town's books, that is a general fund expense, therefore, the Town needs to have those funds set aside and not to take from one time sources, which just creates more issues down the road.


posted by Jeff Bennett

Templeton General Town by-laws Article IV - Advisory Committee

Section 4. - It shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee (there is no TAB or advisory board) annually to consider the expenditures in previous years and the estimated requirements for the ensuing year of the several boards, officers, and committees of the town, as prepared by them in such form and detail as may be prescribed by said committee. The said committee shall add to such statement of expenditures and estimates, another column, giving the amounts which in their opinion should be appropriated for the ensuing year, and shall further add thereto such explanations and suggestions relating to the proposed appropriations as it may deem expedient, and report thereon as provided in section five of article II.

That is what the Town by law states and it, along with Massachusetts general law, is what some members of the Advisory Committee has stated and made a case for for some time. In fiscal year 2014, that committee got their shot and some mistakes were made. Then the town's people, in my opinion, decided to go back to listening to the selectmen and so we got fiscal year 2017.

Now who is blaming who for the 2017 mess, the selectmen, so Bev, were the selectmen setup too?
You cannot have it both ways, mess up in 2014 and blame management for everything. You can of course, get information that is wrong, which in my opinion, is why several sources should be used.
If you want responsibility for something, then you must also take responsibility when things go wrong as well as when they go right. Can't blame the selectmen for 2017 then turn around and blame management for something you put together. That does not fly and people will see that. You lose elections, faith and belief from the people.  You also lose trust which is very hard to get back, in my opinion. Past Town meeting records were available, past annual town reports were available along with past town tax recap sheets were available. There are many sources of information as well as the advisory committee having access to the Massachusetts division of local services technical division.
 Some mistakes were made, not the first and apparently not the last. Which is why I believe that two entities rather than one should be looking, discussing and voting on the expense appropriations to be presented to the town, rather than only one.

I wonder if Dave Smart has ever file charges in court against the Town?

posted by Jeff Bennett

Looking at the past to help the future.


There was some discussion on the past with regards to Templeton with a statement being made about how the advisory committee did the budget and presented it to town meeting in 2013 - for fiscal year 2014, the year of the %505,477.00 short fall. In looking over a document that was used to explain 
how this happened, there is one item that stands out: Town meeting articles and the dollar figures associated with them. The total expenses of town meeting articles should have been $212,694.00 in the FY 2014 budget presentation. Unfortunately, the figure of $52,694.00 was used, leaving off the figure of $160,000.00 of the ambulance receipts, which should have been included in the expenses under articles. These figures are available from the town clerk and or the town reports of previous years. This was one mistake made in the budget presentation and it shows the detail approach that is needed to present a municipal budget. This was not an error of management, it was an error by the advisory committee, which to my knowledge has never been owned by that committee. As to the entire short fall, it was a result of some error and bad information, again, demonstrating the effort that is required along with the knowledge of what to look at. As far as I know and I have paid attention for quite a while, there was and is no missing money, no one has stolen it. Until there is proof of that, I stand by that statement. The only thing missing were the correct numbers on paper, which has happened again in fiscal year 2017. Which should demonstrate that the selectmen and the advisory committee should agree to disagree but agree to work side by side to check the numbers and information for the benefit of the entire town. For the record, at that time, I was part of management and I have back in 2013, stated at a public meeting, that if you, the people wanted someone to blame, blame me, as I am the current sitting chairman of the board of selectmen, having been voted in at the first selectmen meeting after the election of 2013. That happened with me participating remotely because I had been in Afghanistan during that time and as such, I was not even in the country when this budget presentation occurred. Not an excuse, just a fact. As far as I know, I am still the only one who publicly owned that error. Hopefully, perhaps not this year but next, the two entities, selectmen and advisory, will get together and do what is best for the WHOLE town. We really cannot put one department on a pedestal and say they are untouchable, the whole ship must be kept afloat. We sail as one or we sink slowly, compartment by compartment.

posted by Jeff Bennett

State agrees to reopen a public records appeal by Jeff Bennett, 

The item is in regard to Massachusetts state law, chapter 164, section 56c, which states all contracts between the town and any other separate entity (to include contracts done on behalf of the town through the Templeton municipal light department) must be in the hands of the Town accountant, in a separate book so any resident can look at said documents. One item sent to the state was a letter from the MA DOR that stated, among other things, that with regards to MGL chapter 164, Templeton light is NOT a separate legal entity. Hopefully, Templeton selectmen will be informed that they too must follow the law. Of more importance, the law actually means something. We will see how this goes. My question is this; why would the selectmen not wish to follow the law? If they do not follow thiis law, how can Templeton people have any confidence that the selectmen are following the law concerning municipal finance?

Massachusetts General Law chapter 164;
Section 56C: Contracts of commission; filing with city or town auditor; preservation; public inspection; penalty

Section 56C. Every municipal light commission or manager thereof, who makes or executes a contract on behalf of a municipal lighting plant, where the amount involved is five thousand dollars or more, shall furnish said contract or a copy thereof to the city or town auditor within one week after its execution. Said city or town auditor shall keep such contract or copy on file, open to public inspection during business hours. Such contracts or copies shall be kept in a separate book, arranged according to the subject of the contract, or in other convenient form. An index of the subject matter of the contracts and to the names of the contractors shall be made semi-annually, and shall also be open to public inspection in some convenient form. All allowances under and additions to such contracts, or copies thereof, shall be filed with the city or town auditor, together with a sworn statement of the officer making such allowances or additions that the same are correct and in accordance with the contract. A city or town auditor, municipal light commissioner or manager wilfully failing to comply with this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars.

Is there a copy of the latest contract to construct a new water tank, which was approved at a town meeting of Templeton where borrowing was approved for this project.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Why would the selectmen try to charge an enterprise fund for a general fund expense?

With the town administrator stating and writing, which means the selectmen must agree, that the Town should be asking the sewer commissioners to "contribute" $11,000.00 to help pay for the town's annual financial audits. These are not audits of the sewer department, these are Town audits with appropriations made at annual town meeting. The selectmen even state there has been funds encumbered to pay for these audits, as in money already set aside. Why go after sewer department? Is the Templeton light and water departments being asked to provide funds to pay for the town's annual audits? The light and water are after all part of the town, they are departments of the town. There is a letter from the Massachusetts department of revenue stating that a municipal light depart is not a separate legal entity of the town. Me thinks the selectmen are just looking for funds because they need it to pay for things they are doing but have no money for, that is my opinion.

posted by Jeff Bennett

soon to be a follow up on what happened for  FY 2014 and what has happened for FY 2017.
One year, the advisory committee made some errors and another year, the selectmen made some errors. seems like there is proof on paper for the two sides or board/committee to agree to disagree but have the two entities looking at the same information in order to try to double check it so the entire Town of Templeton is better served and stop each other from one upping or one looking better than the other, it is not helping the whole Town which we both seem to like to say we do.

ANNUAL EXTERNAL AUDITS February 2016

The objective of a year-end, external audit is obtaining an independent assurance as to whether a community’s year-end financial statements are presented fairly in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). By integrating a review of the internal controls associated with financial reporting, the audit also helps to ensure that financial checks and balances are in place to protect public assets. Consequently, regular external audits can provide a powerful tool by which a community can build taxpayer confidence in government operations. The Technical Assistance Bureau (TAB) encourages communities to have independent audits performed by certified public accountants every year. Cities and towns that receive an excess of $750,000 annually in federal funds (even indirectly through a state agency) are required to complete annual audits that comply with the federal Single Audit Act of 1984. Financial statement audits provide information that is especially valuable when a credit rating agency reviews and reports on a municipality’s fiscal condition as it prepares to enter the bond market. A city’s or town’s inability to produce accurate financial reports could negatively impact a rating agency’s opinion on its financial outlook and therefore affect its bond rating. A credit rate reduction could result in hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions, of dollars in additional interest payments for taxpayers over the life of a borrowing. As important, a rate increase can create savings. The independent audit can also be a valuable management tool for assessing the fiscal performance of a community. Although communities that are not subject to the Single Audit Act or that do very little borrowing are free to operate without regular audits of their financial statements, it is not a prudent course. Funding audits at least every two or three years is still recommended.

copied from an article from the Massachusetts division of local service.

posted by Jeff Bennett

2016 MESSAGE FROM THE TOWN MODERATOR
 Dear Neighbors: Please allow me to invite all citizens to North Andover’s upcoming Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday evening May 10, 2016 commencing at 7:00PM in the North Andover High School auditorium. You have allowed me the great privilege of presiding at Town Meeting the past four years. Thank you. During these years I have sought to significantly modernize the functions, rules, reach and conduct of Town Meeting while making deliberate effort to preserve the traditions and procedures of the past that work. Collectively, the deliberate introduction of technology, improved procedures and new rules has made the meeting what I have promised – fair, open and efficient. At this moment I can report that we will put a pause on new initiatives. As well, there are no rules changes for this upcoming Annual Town Meeting. I will continue to endeavor to conduct the meeting in a manner that offers a more appropriately informal discussion among participants for the purpose of easing voter understanding of the issues to be decided during this vital community conversation that we call Town Meeting. Your open-minded embrace of the changes made these years has had consequence elsewhere. Communities across the state have noted our initiatives such as use of real time on screen editing of articles, live web streaming and broadcast of proceedings, personal financial disclosure requirements and the appointment of Citizen Advocates to guide attendees in crafting motions or amendments that they wish to present. Our most far- reaching initiative to allow questions to be submitted from citizens, via email, who cannot attend the meeting itself has garnered significant discussion across the Commonwealth. In this, our third year of allowing more open access to the meeting, there will be at least one other community offering the same opportunity and several more planning to institute our groundbreaking program. These communities share my belief that Town Meeting serves two constituencies – those who attend and participate in the meeting, and those who are governed by what is decided at Town Meeting. Procedures for accessing the on-line email forum in North Andover will be published two weeks before the meeting on the Town’s web site. It is important to note that the power of the meeting remains with those who do take the time and effort to be present, listen, deliberate and vote at the meeting. While all power is in the room, all helpful knowledge may not be in attendance. Interestingly, there is an effort in the Legislature to allow full remote participation at Town Meeting, including the right to vote. While a full virtual Town Meeting experience will not likely come for many years, I am pleased that we sparked conversations in our Commonwealth to assure that Town Meeting does not become an anachronism – a dinosaur of governance anchored to history and not relevant to the lives
The North Andover Town Charter gives the Moderator the unilateral power to establish rules of parliamentary procedure in simplified form for Town Meeting. Significant new rules of procedure, including the first-ever in the nation requirement of disclosure of personal financial interest, have now been established and part of our practice for four years deserve note for those who have not participated before. If you are a first time participant or just need a refresher please do read the rules below in order to make our deliberative experience together the most productive possible for the entire community. Participating in our annual community assembly is a hallmark of Open Town Meeting. The general tenure of respectful deliberation and debate are governed by and evidenced in our neighbors’ adherence to the three simple behaviors below:  It is asked that petitioners and follow-up speakers who address the meeting provide only new information in an effort to persuade undecided voters. Continued repetition of previously heard information as a show of support takes time and does little to positively influence the outcome of a vote.  Please refrain from unnecessary applause or negative responses during discussions.  Keeping remarks brief and relevant shows respect for the value of your neighbors’ time. The most persuasive statements at Town Meeting are often those succinctly stated, disclosing new facts or arguments in an effort to advance a position while retaining the audience’s full attention. The five minute speaking time limit will be strictly enforced. Lastly, please review the Simplified Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, Addendums on Electronic and Visual Presentations, a Glossary of Town Meeting Terms and Participants as well as the Town By-laws that relate to Town Meeting. These rules and other information presented below will be helpful to all who attend, speak and/or present at Town Meeting. Town Meeting remains a unique tradition – one we are reinventing with each session and initiative we collectively establish. Open Town Meeting remains the most direct and inclusive form of participatory democracy ever utilized in any form of government on this earth. I invite you to contribute to our vital community conversation. Please do attend, as every vote counts - and at Town Meeting many votes have consequential generational impact. Be a part of the future.

posted by Jeff Bennett

What Town meeting voted on at the special town meeting of November 9, 2015.

A Motion was duly made and seconded to move the question.
 Passed by 2/3/November 9th @ 8:13pm

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the amount of Forty-Seven Million, Five Hundred Sixty-Three Thousand, One Hundred Eighty-Four Dollars ($47,563,184) for the purpose of paying the costs of designing, constructing, originally equipping and furnishing a new Templeton Elementary School located at 17 South Road, Templeton MA, including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto (the “Project"), which school facility shall have an anticipated useful life as an educational facility for the instruction of school children of at least 50 years, and for which the Town, through Narragansett Regional School District, may be eligible for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority ("MSBA"), said amount to be expended under the direction of the Templeton Elementary School Building Committee; and to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, is authorized to borrow said amount under M.G.L. Chapter 44, or pursuant to any other enabling authority; The Town acknowledges that MSBA's grant program is a non-entitlement, discretionary program based on need, as determined by the MSBA, and any Project costs the Town incurs in excess of any grant approved by and received from the MSBA, through the Narragansett Regional School District, shall be the sole responsibility of the Town; provided further that any grant that the Town, through the Narragansett regional School District, may receive from the MSBA for the Project shall not exceed the lesser of: (1) Sixty-Two and Eighty-Four Hundredths Percent (62.84%) of eligible, approved Project costs, as determined by the MSBA, or (2) the total maximum grant amount determined by the MSBA; provided that any appropriation hereunder shall be subject to and contingent upon an affirmative vote of the Town to exempt the amounts required for the payment of interest and principal on said borrowing from the limitations on taxes imposed by M.G.L. 59, section 21C “Proposition 2 ½”; and that the amount of borrowing authorized pursuant to this vote shall be reduce by any grant amount set forth in the Project Funding Agreement that may be executed between the Narragansett Regional School District and the MSBA. Passed by 2/3/November 9th @ 8:14

The biggest problem is the mixing of the regional school district and the town for a TOWN project, but no one wanted to listen to a certain person who time and again raised questions on this issue.

The Town got what they voted for,, a 47 million dollar plus interest debt.

posted by Jeff Bennett

The Templeton Town Administrator screening meeting for tonight, Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at 6:15 P.M. has been changed to Monday, January 9, 2017 at 6:15 P.M.


posted by Jeff Bennett

Massachusetts Department of Revenue Division of Local Services:
Proposition 2½ Ballot Questions Requirements and Procedures

2. Other Information Override and capital expenditure exclusion questions must also include the total amount of additional taxing authority being requested and the fiscal year in which it will be used. This information is not included in debt exclusion questions. Any additional information about the requested amount, the services and programs to be funded by the requested amount, and the impact the vote will have on those services cannot be included in the question or on the ballot. That type of information should be provided in the course of a balanced, comprehensive, public information effort. Public information efforts undertaken by local officials must be consistent with election and campaign finance laws. See Sections III-F and G below.

please be advised, there is a small difference if the warrant article and ballot question is presented as a debt exclusion or capital expenditure exclusion.

posted by Jeff Bennett

What you voted on at the special town meeting of November 9, 2015 concerning the police station. Note the borrowing is through the treasurer under the direction of the selectmen. No time table voted on so does this allow selectmen and treasurer to borrow for one year, two years or threes years? Since it does not specify a time limit.

ARTICLE 2 DEBT AUTHORIZATION: POLICE STATION UPGRADE
To see if the Town of Templeton will vote to appropriate, borrow or transfer from available funds, a sum of money to be expended under direction of the Selectmen to pay costs of designing, constructing and equipping a 4,000 square foot addition to and remodeling of the Templeton Police Station, located at 33 South Road, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto; or take any other action relative thereto.
Submitted by the Board of Selectmen

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of Nine Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($975,000) to pay costs of designing, constructing and equipping a 4,000 square foot addition to and remodeling of the Templeton Police Station, located at 33 South Road, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto; said sum to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen; and to meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow said sum under M.G.L. 44, Section 7, or pursuant to any other enabling authority; provided, however, that no sum shall be borrowed or expended hereunder unless the Town shall have voted to exempt the amounts required for the payment of interest and principal on said borrowing from the limitations on taxes by M.G.L. 59, Section 21C (also known as Proposition 2 ½).
Passed Unanimously/November 9th @ 8:33

NOTE: The town voted, no one else.

special town election on December 8, 2015

Question 2.      Shall the Town of Templeton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to pay costs of designing, constructing, and equipping a 4,000 square foot addition to and remodeling of the Templeton Police Station, located at 33 South Road, Templeton, Massachusetts, including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto?

                                                YES___________                  NO____________

from "A primer on prop 2 1/2 by the DOR:

What is a Debt Exclusion? What is a Capital Outlay Expenditure Exclusion? Proposition 21 ⁄2 allows a community to raise funds for certain purposes above the amount of its levy limit or levy ceiling. Acommunity can assess taxes in excess of its levy limit or levy ceiling for the payment of certain capital projects and for the payment of specified debt service costs. An exclusion for the purpose of raising funds for debt service costs is referred to as a debt exclusion, and an exclusion for the purpose of raising funds for capital project costs is referred to as a capital outlay expenditure exclusion. Both exclusions require voter approval with very limited exceptions. These exceptions are explained on page 12. The additional amount for the payment of debt service is added to the levy limit or levy ceiling for the life of the debt only. The additional amount for the payment of the capital project cost is added to the levy limit or levy ceiling only for the year in which the project is being undertaken. Unlike overrides, exclusions do not become part of the base upon which the levy limit is calculated for future years. Reimbursements such as state reimbursements for school building construction are subtracted from the amount of the exclusion. A capital outlay expenditure exclusion or debt exclusion is effective even in the rare case when the exclusion would bring the community’s levy above its levy ceiling. Both of these exclusions require a two-thirds vote of the community’s selectmen, or town or city council (with the mayor’s approval if required by law) in order to be presented to the voters. A majority vote of approval by the electorate is required for both types of exclusion. Questions presented to exclude a debt obligation must state the purpose or purposes for which the monies from the debt issue will be used. Questions presented to exclude a capital outlay expenditure exclusion must state the amounts and purposes of the expenditures.

posted by Jeff Bennett