Wednesday, August 30, 2017

So, there was an open meeting law complaint dropped off at Town hall yesterday. The Town Clerk and the selectmen office. It is in response to perceived improper posting of executive session meeting of the selectmen.

A question asked of the "Town" concerning the lack of information on two Templeton Town meeting votes involving money for OPEB funding. This item is missing from the monthly or quarterly budget versus actual documents that come from the Town Accountant. Why wolld the accounting of public money for health insurance payments and other benefits not be included in that report?

Apparently the pay scale and generous benefits package offered by the Town of Templeton does not keep people away. Two new employees at the Templeton highway department. Seems like the individual who made a comment about that situation did not or does not nderstand or know how things work, in my opinion.

For example, in the fiscal year 2018 budget book put forth by the selectmen, it shows health insurance costs; it has highway employee dave smart having the plan HMO blue vale plus - family at a monthly cost of $2094.07. According to the book, that is the monthly town cost for that option per employee.That is a 13.30% increase over the last year.

If those kind of increase trends in health insurance alone continue, something has to change. I mean where does the money come from? How long can the shuffle keep going? Time for the cost split to change and the 50/50 number should not be far off.