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
As a resident that pays taxes, pays a light bill, pay a water bill and pays a sewer bill I agree. why punish the L&W dept or the Sewer dept by taking or asking for money from them. They are not there to bail out the town. Now that said am I happy with my L&W bills Hell no! let's face it the L&W dept is corrupt - but taking money from a corrupt entity is not the solution. we need to get rid of the commissioners. Get some new selectmen (this anonymous thinks that only Ms HB is the only good one) Stop wasting money paying people who can't do there jobs and find a TA with experience and not a Bul-----er. Until we get some real leadership in this town we a all screwed!
ReplyDeleteI think it was me that Jeff was referring to. Looking back over the years the Town of Templeton as relied on the Light Company for funding. Right or wrong ! We absolutely should be getting a PILOT from these guys. It is my belief that the Town cannot function on a full time basis, meaning Town Hall, without more revenue from someplace. Bev.
DeleteTraining will begin for the new Town Administrator in Feb. as neither of them have been a TA before
ReplyDeleteand how much will we be paying an inexperienced TA
DeleteDid you see the strings ? Who will be pulling them ? We have people in our own community who would be able to fill that seat. Why would this committee chose someone with so little experience ? What has it cost us? It seems using the Collins Institute does not seem to have done us a lot of good. I give this person six months, provided they can find East Templeton and Town Hall.
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