Selectmen Workshop - note the local option meals tax. Taxing local mom and pop small business even more, now that is a plan to attract more small business to Tempeton.

Templeton Board of Selectmen 
Workshop
Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton
Monday, December 4, 2017, 6:30 p.m.

Agenda
1. Call the Meeting to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Templeton EDC RE: Recommendation to Pursue MassDevelopment Grant for Civil Engineering Services Related to Industrial Park Development

4. MRPC RE: Pursuit of Community Development Block Grant Funds in FY’18 (Grant Proposal Due on March 2, 2018) and Beyond

5. Fall TM Lessons Learned

6. Proposed Amendment of Financial Management Policies

7. Employee & Volunteer Recognition Program (E.Pollitt)

8. Lapel Pin Policy (J.Caplis)

9. Proposed Informational Meetings RE: Local Option Meals Tax (E.Pollitt)

10. Disposal of Baldwinville Elementary School

11. Lease of Templeton Center Elementary School

12. Adjournment

The listing of Agenda items is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent it is permitted by law.
THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Templeton tax rate set by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue;

$16.72 per thousand, couple that with increase in valuations and people will see a nice tax bill increase coming their way - Merry Christmas

On Templeton Town website, one can find the bid/contract proposals for the police station addition listed at $2,133,200.00. This seems to contrast with the amount listed in a memo from the part time town administrator to selectmen.

part of that memo: 

The initial reaction is that we will not be able to obtain a MIG 1 rating.  There is a strong possibility we can achieve a MIG 2 rating but that is never certain until one formally submits the documentation for review.  Even if we achieve a MIG 2 rating it is at least .25% above the interest rate of a borrowing rated MIG 1 rating.  Our advisor has recommended, and I agree, that we not seek a formal bond rating at this time but instead finance our needs through unrated bank notes. 

The maximum for this in this calendar year will be $10,000,000 which is more than enough to cover our needs ($5M BAN, $1M Police, $2.3 Sewer, $1.7 new money).  This gives us $5.4M+/- for the school in CY ’18.  We will then seek an additional $10,000,000 in CY 2019 and continue to work toward an acceptable bond rating as your financial picture slowly improves.

Notice that 1 million for the police station - time to regroup/ so does that mean only 4.5 million for the new school for FY 18?

Does anyone remember that 1.9 million dollar number for a 12,000 sq. ft. building for a town hall? I think the bid proposals came in near 4 million, leaving me with the opinion when the elected ones tell you it will cost this $$$, you should take that number and double it.  Lets not forget that 5 million dollar BAN (bond anticipation note) due in December. Will there be a bond or will that note be extended?

On another front, Hubbardston is the latest town to change to all salt for the winter months. Some of the reasons given, saves money, keeps road side drains clean, salt is actually a anti ice - de-icing agent while sand is neither of those. That is from an article in a news paper with the DPW director explaining that. No mention of a required $250,000.00 for a new storage facility.