Thursday, June 22, 2017

Financial transfer not approved

At the Advisory Committee meeting held last evening, a request by the office of the Board of Selectmen by way of the Town Administrator was voted against. Main reason, failure of that office to provide the committee with a copy of the most recent, up to date budget versus actual document so the committee could do it's due diligence in checking an official document for the balances of the fund (s) or accounts to which money was requested to be transferred from to cover town counsel expenses. The total transfer amount requested was $10,000.00 of which $7,500.00 was to come from DPW or highway department wage/salary fund. The reason given for that money being available was the Town Administrator did not replace the two employees who apparently left employment in Templeton.

Now it appears the Advisory Committee gets the same response that the DOR/DLS got, request paper work but receive nothing for what ever reason. The DOR had requested some documentation from the Town Accountant but did not receive it so there was no free cash available for the annual town meeting held May 13, 2017. Seems to be a pattern there and does this indicate that perhaps not is all well with regards to Templeton's books?

Hopefully, the requested document will be provided and this subject can be discussed again so a town bill can be paid and there will be funds to cover the check!


posted by Jeff Bennett

3 comments:

  1. It must be the Blogs fault! I mean can you imagine people actually stating opinions about the type of job a public official is doing, how dare they? Dont they understand it is far more important to make the Board of Selectman feel all warm and fuzzy than to point out regulations they are avoiding, by-passing or straight up not even acknowledging.

    Don't the people who read these blogs understand it is really hard to do your job, follow procedures. It is much easier to spend taxpayers time and money discussing how hurt your feeling are for being called out regarding your avoidance of the Town policies.
    It's really easy when you change the facts as you go. It seems a loose relationship to facts is spreading. Numbers are changing, facts are changing, stories changing. Will the membership of the Board be changing? Will THEY start to deal with Templetons issues or will THEY continue to play 3 card monty with taxpayers money while complaining about being critiqued!

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  2. Great article in the Gardner new today,a must read.
    "Boards trade barbs"
    I guess they can't say they weren't warned.
    But can they listen?
    Doubtful!

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  3. Anonymous5:20 PM

    From MGL Chapter 41 Section 58 The town accountant shall, at regular intervals and as often at least as once each month, send to the selectmen and to each board, committee, head of department or officer having the disbursement of an appropriation a statement of the amount of orders approved and warrants drawn on behalf of said board, department or officer during the preceding month, and a statement of the balance of such appropriation remaining subject to draft.
    and
    Section 61: Annual report

    Section 61. The town accountant shall make an annual report, to be published as a town document, giving a statement of all receipts and expenditures of the town for the past financial year, including those of funds managed by trustees or commissioners for the town and showing also the amount of each specific appropriation, the expenditures therefrom, and the purpose for which money has been spent; and said statement shall be arranged in accordance with the classifications prescribed by the director of accounts. Such report shall contain a statement of any change in the amount of the town debt during the year and a list of indebtedness incurred and unpaid at the end of the financial year.

    ReplyDelete