Wednesday, August 1, 2018

I understand there are three non-union people within the Sewer Dept. who been left out with regards to budgeted raises.

For a raise to take place someone has to inform someone else and that someone would have to enter that into the system, unless told not to do so. There is another meeting coming up where that question will have to be asked and hopefully answered.

I do not believe the Sewer Dept. should move collections to town hall and thus not have to pay indirect costs to the Town until at least that issue is straightened out.

Me thinks there is a fox in the hen house.
You can go to the Templeton Town website to find this:

http://www.templeton1.org/home/pages/fy19-town-budget-draft-annual-town-meeting-information

you can look at this as well:

http://www.templeton1.org/sites/templetonma/files/file/file/atm_2018_voter_guide_051118.pdf


look down until article #30 and see what it shows: infield groomer @ $10,000.00.

That is the dollar figure voted on (appropriated by Town Meeting)

Lawn tractor purchase report as $16,311.00

voted at town meeting - $10,000.00
purchase price less than appropriation? (No subject)
Today, 6:59 AM
Okay, according to some, Templeton taxpayers saved $7,000.00 by being asked to vote for one thing and then end up paying for something else. Should taxpayers be happy with the savings, yet be upset with being the switch?

As selectmen Fortes said and is quoted in the snews, "I agree with the purchase but not the process"


So, if this lawn tractor is such a good deal, why did the company not suggest it in the first place, I mean it seems like a great way to build a customer base; showing a perhaps unknowledgeable customer how to get a machine that will do what you want it to and then some and save you money.

Looks like a department did not do enough research. Moving forward, how is anything presented to town meeting to be trusted, as in, is this one tone truck with a plow and wing really best for the job it is "sold" as doing. (as in sold or presented to the voters in order to get money for it)

I did see that trying to compare an infield groomer to the lawn tractor purchased was "it is really comparing apples to oranges comparing one machine to another" (that is from Padula Brothers John Deere dealership.)

Newspaper states new lawn tractor costs $16,311.00. I wonder what the bids came in at dollar wise?

Page 177 of spending plan lists infield groomer with a requested amount of $22,000.00*

* = moved to Capital

page 273 of the spending plan  shows Capital; FY 2019 request of $15,000.00 for infield groomer

page 273 of spending plan shows Capital; FY 2019 T/A approved of $15,000.00 for infield groomer

page 274 of spending plan shows spread sheet for Capital:

DPW / B&G - defer  - infield groomer/ $5,000.00 from TMLWP and $10,000.00 from free cash or overlay.

*TMLWP = Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant.
Meeting minutes from TMLWP of March 6, 2018 show the TMLWP commissioners voting to "donate" $5,000.00 towards infield groomer for Templeton.

Article 30 from the May 2018 annual Town Meeting voters guide shows a capital item as Infield Groomer for $10,000.00.

So, the news paper has the lawn tractor at $16,311.00 and between the light department and town meeting vote, there is $15,000.00 voted/appropriated for an infield groomer. Looking at the information in hand, where did that $7,000.00 savings come from again?

From what is on the town website and meeting minutes from TMLWP, is shows $15,000.00 voted and now the newspaper shows $16,311.00 spent?

Was/is this tractor switch up used to get eyes off of something else or is it just another Templeton goof by a board of selectmen that are not engaged in Templeton business?