Saturday, July 28, 2018

Annual Town Meeting May 2016


A substitute motion was duly made and seconded that Article 1 Report of Town Offices, Reports of Town Committees and the Revolving Funds be split into parts as follows:
1A-Reports of Tow Officers
1B-Reports of Town Committees
1C-Revovling Funds and voted individually


A motion was duly made and seconded to move the substitute motion. Passed Unanimously/May 14th @ 9:18am


On the substitute motion to separate Article 1 Passed/May 14th @ 9:19am


1A. A motion was duly made and seconded to have the Town Report accepted as is but to have the Board of Selectmen be authorized to add an addendum to report at a later date.
A motion was duly made and seconded to move the question.
Passed Unanimously/May 14th @ 9:41am
On the 1A motion. Defeated/May 14th @ 9:42am
So, since Town Meeting voted to not accept the Town Report of FY 2015, why is it posted on Templeton Town website as is? Did the selectmen not understand the question or the vote?

There was and has not been since, town employee salaries included in the annual town report (as in all employees) That was one of the issues with the report.

Selectmen had a financial addendum printed anyways.


Templeton general Town by-laws:

Article I
Section 4. Whoever violates any of the provisions of these by-laws whereby any act or thing is enjoyed or prohibited, shall, unless other provisions are expressly made, forfeit and pay a fine not exceeding twenty dollars for each offense.
Sections 1-4 Passed 3-5-51

Section 17. The most current issue of TOWN MEETING TIME is to be considered the general guideline for all procedures of town meetings, except those procedures already provided for by the by-laws.
Amended 10-15-82

(no where in Town Meeting times does it state a moderator controls what cab be brought into Town Meeting)


Article VIII
Section 2. All officers, boards, standing committees, and special committees of the town having charge of the expenditure of town money shall annually report thereon in writing in such manner as to give the citizens a fair and full understanding of the objects and methods of such expenditures, referring, however, to the report of the Town Accountant for statements in detail of receipts and payments, and may make therein such recommendations as they deem proper. Such reports shall be submitted to the Selectmen for inclusion in the Annual Town Report on or before the thirty-first (31) day of January of each year.

Where is the listing of Town employee salaries by the Treasurer, as a full accounting of the spending of public monies - what are the taxpayers paying their employees, since they are told said employees are under paid or under market etc.

Doing or ensuring things such as these are done or not done will cause the questions to cease. Otherwise, it will just continue, like it or not. I believe it is called free speech and questioning your government, it is the democratic process.

It is like the politicians saying the money needs to be removed or controlled from politics. If they would stop taking the bribes and stop accepting the money and doing things for the money, that "problem" would go away. They will not stop taking it and they will not stop pandering to those who give it.

The last posted meeting with an agenda:

Town:Templeton, MA 
Board:Community Veteran's Oversight Board
Time:Tuesday February 20, 2018 6:30 PM EST
Location:American Legion Post 373, 3 Central Street Templeton, MA 01468
Agenda:
1. Meet and Greet the New Committee
 Chair-MAJ Michael Currie
 Co-Chair Hal Bourgeois
 Secretary SGT Christine Caplis
 Treasurer Ted Furr
2. Approving Calendar FY14
3. Budget FY15
4. Director’s Operation Report (John Caplis).
5. New Business
 a. Look at Bylaws
6. Set next quarters meeting dates.
7. Executive Session, if desired.


Optics are important, appearances matter, so who is on the Veterans Oversight Board? Does Templeton even have one? Are the selectmen aware? What are the plans for this board, if any?

Massachusetts General Law, chapter 39

Section 16: Appropriation, advisory or finance committees; appointment; tenure; powers and duties

Section 16. Every town whose valuation for the purpose of apportioning the state tax exceeds one million dollars shall, and any other town may, by by-law provide for the election or the appointment and duties of appropriation, advisory or finance committees, who shall consider any or all municipal questions for the purpose of making reports or recommendations to the town; and such by-laws may provide that committees so appointed or elected may continue in office for terms not exceeding three years from the date of appointment or election.
In every town having a committee appointed under authority of this section, such committee, or the selectmen if authorized by a by-law of the town, and, in any town not having such a committee, the selectmen, shall submit a budget at the annual town meeting.

What does submit mean? - present (a proposal, application, or other document) to a person or body for consideration or judgment.

So, there is a Massachusetts General Law that states the Finance or Advisory Committee shall present a budget to Town Meeting, not create one.

Templeton Town General by-laws:

Article III - Town Officers: Section 4. “It shall be duty of the Town Administrator in conjunction with the BOS to consider expenditures and develop a budget for the ensuing fiscal year of the several boards, officers and committees of the town, as prepared by them in such form and detail as prescribed by the Town Administrator.”
Passed 5-16-13, Approved by A/G 8-22-13. Amended 5-19-14, Approved by
A/G 7-2-14


What does develop mean? - to invent something or bring something into existence.:

Article IV - Advisory Committee - Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee annually to consider the expenditures in previous years and the estimated requirements for the ensuing year of the several boards, officers and committees of the town, as prepared by them in such form and detail as may be prescribed by said committee. The said committee shall add to such statement of expenditures and estimates another column, giving the amounts which in its opinion should be appropriated for the ensuing year, and shall further add thereto such explanations and suggestions relating to the proposed appropriations as it may deem expedient, and report thereon as provided in section five of Article II.

So, clear as mud, as it may be, there is a law that states who should be submitting a budget to Town Meeting and since we (Templeton) does not have a by-law that clearly states who shall present a budget to Town Meeting, it seems the selectmen / Town Administrator shall prepare or create a budget, but Advisory Committee shall present a budget to Town Meeting. Looks like another interesting year.