Your government at work or not at work, for you!
The  failure of the board of selectmen to hire a full time experienced Town Administrator



TO: Board of Selectmen
 FROM: Carter Terenzini, Town Administrator
RE: Administrator’s Weekly Report
DATE: August 17, 2017
CC: All Departments

THE SELECTMEN’S OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY. OPENINGS THE REST OF THE WEEK WILL BE INTERMITTENT AS CARTER’S SCHEDULE PERMITS. 
If you have procurement questions, you are urged to consult with this Office ASAP.
It is imperative that all Town Departments understand that any contract which is entered into that is not in compliance with the statute “… shall not be valid, and the governmental body shall make no payment under such contract.” (MGL Ch. 30B §17). I think we can all agree that we certainly do not ever want to see the Town in such a position.

The following is intended to provide information where a full memo may not have been warranted or supplement the provided information.
Business Meeting or Workshop: N/A
Weekly Report: I worked with the Diane and Keith on the IMA in keeping with a request from the Winchendon representatives to try to move the IMA forward. In keeping with our backup/supplemental plan of 08/14, the Management Fellow position was posted with 15+/- colleges and universities, ICMA, the northern four New England municipal associations, the municipal mangers email blasters, our typical web site postings and the like. Please remember to get me comments on the financial policies ASAP so we can pull them all into the next Draft w/a target of your 09/06 policy setting workshop to finalize them going into budget season. Time was spent seeking additional information on the procurement issue for finalizing the memo for the state. The BAN paperwork is off to the bank and the monies will be in our account(s) shortly.
Administration & Finance:
 Town Accountant: Nothing to report this week.
Treasurer/Collector: Nothing to report this week. (Out of the Office)

From Massachusetts General Laws:

Chapter 268A: CONDUCT OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES;

Section 21A: Members of municipal commission or board; restrictions on appointments to certain positions

Section 21A. Except as hereinafter provided, no member of a municipal commission or board shall be eligible for appointment or election by the members of such commission or board to any office or position under the supervision of such commission or board. No former member of such commission or board shall be so eligible until the expiration of thirty days from the termination of his service as a member of such commission or board.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to a member of a town commission or board, if such appointment or election has first been approved at an annual town meeting of the town.

Does this section apply to the Templeton selectmen being on/serving on or being appointed or voted on by the board of selectmen? Putting themselves on so many committees seem to give undue influence to the selectmen; for instance, two selectmen serving on the elementary school building committee and then those same selectmen voting on that issue. Conflict of interest? A selectmen serving as veteran service officer and receiving pay which is voted on by the board of selectmen. Signing the warrant for town meeting which that selectmen has a financial interest in, conflict of interest law violation? In fact, is serving on any committee that is overseen by the selectmen, with one or more selectmen serving on the committee, is that a violation of the law? Questions that need asking and will be asked. First up, questions about conflict of interest.

Selectmen serving on far to many committees and having way to much interest/influence over them cannot be good for the town. This could be one of the reasons for the change at the VSO position in Templeton. (lack of certification could be another reason) A selectmen stepping away from serving on the veterans oversight board could be the result of this chapter/section of MA law. Question (s) concerning this chapter/section brought to the interim - part time town administrator by member (s) of the Templeton of the community who really care about this Town.