Why is a post about a Templeton Town accountant possibly applying for a part time accounting position in another municipality being talked about or brought up?
Since there is a thing here in Massachusetts called the Uniform Massachusetts Accounting System
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Scope and Purpose:
This Manual comprises the Uniform Massachusetts Accounting System (UMAS). The
scope of the Manual is the operation of an accounting system for a local governmental
entity in Massachusetts. Its purpose is to provide a reference for the City Auditor, Town
Accountant or official with similar responsibilities in accounting for financial transactions
and reporting results of municipal financial operations. The Manual is based on
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), but is written to meet the particular
needs of Massachusetts local accounting officials.
Massachusetts General Laws (G.L.) c. 44, § 38 requires the Director of Accounts in
the Department of Revenue to prescribe uniform accounting systems for local
governmental entities. Accounting for municipally owned electric light plants is
prescribed in G.L. c. 164 and is regulated by the Department of Public Utilities;
accounting for retirement systems is prescribed in G.L. c. 32 and is regulated by the
Public Employment Retirement Administration Commission.
This Manual deals solely with accounting policies. Municipal financial issues such as
budgeting or audit procurement are not included. Other publications of the Division of
Local Services (DLS) address such subjects.
So it seems like if the Templeton Town Accountant takes a part time position in another community (and that is fine as long as Templeton does not take a back seat), it does not appear that the accountant would pick up any pointers or other things because the LAW cited above states there is one standard for ALL cities and towns.
Now, perhaps not known to some current selectmen and others, once upon a time there was a full time Health agent working in Templeton with a very generous compensation package who also worked part time for a few other communities. One of those communities was the Town of New Salem. On the New Salem town web site was a section involving that town's health agent and on that page, the health agent listed "my office number is 978-939 etc., which happened to be the telephone number for the Templeton Board of Health. It seemed to me the Templeton health agent could be conducting other town's business on Templeton dime. I found that website along with other communities where that individual was listed as part time health agent and there did not seem to be enough hours in the week to do all the work the individual was doing while also spending 40 hurs per week in Templeton. Somewhere I have a print out of the New Salem website. There was also a building inspector doing essentially the same thing. potted in another town during hours he was supposed to be in Templeton. That is why, in my opinion, the Templeton Town accountant possible part time position was worth a mention. Also of note, not to long ago at a selectmen meeting, there was mention of Phillipston was looking for a Town accountant and it could be possible for the two towns to share an accountant. A few weeks later, it was stated at another selectmen meeting that Phillipston was not interested. So, just in case any residents happen to see or hear of the Templeton accountant working for Phillipston, we try to avoid any assumption that "hey, I guess the two towns are sharing a town accountant and maybe we are saving some money." .
posted by Jeff Bennett
don't forget the employee who is always on the computer checking their favorite teams stats ,the employees who ate breakfast on town time, and the ones who babysat their children at work on town time. we also have one who was late and was seen doing their shopping when they were on work time. this all happened while the selectmen we have were on the board. They will say not me and claim i never saw that. that is because they were friends with the empolyees
ReplyDeleteA working relationship, is different from being friends. Who does not know that? Maybe being a friend of a selectman is just another way for the employee to play the selectman ? Some people cannot see the forest thru the trees !
DeleteFound the blog you posted re: Health Agent .
ReplyDelete"Friday, April 24, 2015
Templeton Health Agent out of line?
As posted on this blog, from information found on the world wide web (is that thing great or what) and that information shows that the current Templeton Health Agent is or has in the past, using Templeton resources, as in a telephone in an office as well as an employee with benefits, all paid for by the Templeton taxpayers, to do the business of at least one other Town. Phil Leger is or has acted as a health agent in a number of other towns on an apparent part time basis or on a per diem basis (paid when needed) while being paid as a fulltime employee of the Town of Templeton. This raises a number of questions for me and you will have to decide for yourself. In my mind, how much business for the Town of New Salem did Phil Leger do on Templeton taxpayer dime? Did the elected members of the Templeton Board of Health know of these goings on and did or doo they approve of them? what other business, besides giving the telephone number for the Town of Templeton Board of Health as "my office number" as is documented on the New Salem Official Town website? Did Phil Leger use other office equipment and supplies, such as copier and paper, fax, computer etc., to do other town's business while being paid by the Town of Templeton? Did Phil Leger charge other Towns for service while he was actually in the office of the Templeton Board of Health?
As you contemplate these questions and others, ask yourself this; if Phil Leger can do the work of Health Agent for all these other towns on a part time basis, why does he need to be full time in Templeton? My answer is Phil Leger needs someone to pick up his fulltime pay which leads to benefits and retirement pay. Why else has Phil Leger been advocating to fill this position at 40 hours?
My thought is to only fund the Health Agent for Templeton at 19 1/2 hours and if he says he cannot do the work required in that amount of time then he should seek help from the elected members of the Templeton Board of Health, which if checked, those are the people who get all the power from Massachusetts General Law. If those elected members are unable or unwilling to do the work, then resign, don't run and don't volunteer.
It seems the only control that voters have over the Board of Health is the election and the pocket book, they can only spend what you give them, as if you don't fund a fulltime agent, there will not be one. If the Board of Selectmen wish to fund the position at 35 hours then go to Town Meeting and try to amend the motion and change the dollar figure for the line item for salary for Templeton Health Agent. It is easy and it is your right. It was stated at last nights BOS meeting that all town departments were going to be united this year at town meeting, almost if they were unionizing in principle, so voters should be united in efforts to spend their money as they see fit.
Look for a financial breakdown on the Board of Health in the Templeton Town reports, as in how much is spent to bring in X number of dollars. You might be surprised.
Jeff Bennett