from Board of Selectmen meeting May 29, 2019:

Part of the public record;
Not only do some selectmen feel they should be paid now (when some ran first / second time, there was no pay) but now paid, they suddenly feel the need to have fewer meetings. Selectmen Bennett was the lone no vote on reducing the number of meetings. Why does anyone volunteer, run for election and then not wish to follow through with responsibilities, such as meetings?

Legislature continues in it's failure to meet their obligation;

This failure causes Templeton to have to pay over $700,000.00 in transportation costs (busing)

So the legislature continues it's practice of not keeping its promises. 

Because the 58 regional school districts in Massachusetts cover larger geographic areas, they face greater costs to ensure all pupils can get to and from each school. The state is, by statute, supposed to fully cover the expenses as a way to help manage the burden, but for years has fallen below the rate of full reimbursement, creating strain at the local level.

The initially proposed 80 percent rate was an improvement over the 60 percent offered as recently as 2012, but senators argued Thursday the growth still does not go far enough.

"It is necessary to show that we are committed to our regional school districts," Gobi said during debate. "This is one thing that helps to keep them going and it keeps a promise. We should not be known as the state that does not keep its promises to its school districts. We are going in the right direction."

Please be aware that the Templeton Board of Selectmen will be discussing the Stone Bridge report from Milone & MacBroom at the Board of Selectmen meeting starting at 6:30PM on June 5, 2019 at Templeton Town Hall.  Milone & MacBroom will do a presentation on Stone Bridge.  We would truly appreciate your presence. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

from the Annual Town Meeting Warrant of May 19, 2018:

ARTICLE 21: FY 2019 GENERAL FUND OPERATING (OPEX) BUDGET
 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Eight Million Town Hundred Twenty Thousand Two Hundred Ninety Eight Dollars and no cents ($8,220,298.00 ) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2019, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation. Or take any other action related thereto.
Submitted by the Board of Selectmen
Majority Vote Required

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of Eight Million, Two Hundred Twenty Thousand, Two Hundred Ninety Eight Dollars and no cents ($8,220,298.00) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2019, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation.

Passed/May 19th @ 12:46 pm


ARTICLE 24: SUPPLEMENTAL FY 2019 OPERATING BUDGET RE: FIRE/EMS
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Seventy Thousand Two Hundred Forty Six Dollars and No Cents, ($470,246.00), subject to the successful passage of a Proposition 2 ½ Over-Ride, so-called, for supplemental appropriations to the FY 2019 Operating Budget for the following departments:

                                    Fire/EMS                       $290,740
                                    Police                             $  23,000
                                    Insurance & Benefits     $133,890
                                    Highway                        $  15,000
                                    Snow & Ice                    $    7,616
Or take any other action related thereto.
Submitted by the Board of Selectmen Majority Vote Required


On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Seventy Thousand Two Hundred Forty Six Dollars and No Cents, ($470,246.00), for supplemental appropriations to the FY 2019 Operating Budget for the following departments:

                                    Fire/EMS                       $290,740
                                    Police                             $  23,000
                                    Insurance & Benefits     $133,890
                                    Highway                        $  15,000
                                    Snow & Ice                    $    7,616



Passed/May 19th @ 12:54 pm

FY 2019 GENERAL FUND OPERATING (OPEX) BUDGET - $8,220,298.00
FY 2019 supplemental operating budget (override)                       $   470,246.00

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,690,544.00


Perhaps selectmen Julie Richard can explain how the above figures do not represent the general fund budget / spending plan.

FY 2020 General Fund Operating  (OPEX) Budget figure . . . . . . .$9,690,274.00

Can selectmen Julie Richard explain how the above figure does not represent the general fund operating budget?   How is this not an approximate one million dollar increase over the prior fiscal year?

Massachusetts General Law, chapter 41:

Section 108N: Town manager, administrator, executive secretary, or administrative assistant; employment contract

Section 108N. Notwithstanding the provision of any general or special law to the contrary, any city or town acting through its board of selectmen or city council or mayor with the approval of the city council, as the case may be, may establish an employment contract for a period of time to provide for the salary, fringe benefits, and other conditions of employment, including but not limited to, severance pay, relocation expenses, reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performances of duties or office, liability insurance, and leave for its town manager, town administrator, executive secretary, administrative assistant to the board of selectmen, town accountants, city auditor or city manager, or the person performing such duties having a different title.

Said contract shall be in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the city or town charter and shall prevail over any conflicting provision of any local personnel by-law, ordinance, rule, or regulation. In addition to the benefits provided municipal employees under chapters thirty-two and thirty-two B, said contract may provide for supplemental retirement and insurance benefits.

Nothing contained in this section shall affect the appointment or removal powers of any city or town over its town manager, town administrator, executive secretary, administrative assistant to the board of selectmen, town accountants, city auditor or city manager, or such person performing such duties with a different title, nor shall it grant tenure to such officer, nor shall it abridge the provisions of section sixty-seven of chapter forty-four.

Templeton Town website shows employment contracts fro Town Administrator and Treasurer/Collector but not for Town Accountant - why not?

What to expect from Selectmen Jeff Bennett: Engaged, Accountable and Transparent.

Why run for selectmen?

1.   There is a need for Town Residents to seek elective office or volunteer for committees, commissions etc. That is the form of government we have:

from Selectmen's Handbook:

Governance by committee, which is what Templeton has.

Most people may think the Board of Selectmen are all powerful, political leaders of the Town, at the top of the government pyramid.

That is far from the truth; Selectmen may be the principal administrative officers of the Town; other boards may wield as much authority, or more, as the selectmen, examples would be Planning Board and the Board of Health.

Very often, Selectmen do not have the only word or even the last word on what gets done in Town. (

If elected as a member of the Board of Selectmen, I expect my initial time to be focused on the immediate issue of school funding, depending on what happens at Town Meeting and Town Election, regarding ballot question concerning override.

If you wish to know how I will vote while in the voting booth; quite frankly; none ya business.

I cannot control what may or may not happen in the future with regards to override and school assessment, but I know the many options / scenarios possible and will be ready to deal with those as they come. The school budget and override is a voter’s issue that they will decide, as it should be. That said, if elected, I would be the only sitting selectmen who has experience in the process of a 1/12th school budget, district joint meeting, etc, if it comes to that.

Looking further down the road:

I attend meetings, miss as few as possible – I will not be a 50 percenter, as in only show for half the meetings.

Work for better transparency and clarity at meetings: rather than “motion to approve as presented” I would move to hear what is being voted on, appointments to committee; how many members, how many are we appointing and who they are. Have they served prior, etc. Are there enough members for a quorum?

Any Inter-municipal agreements, dollar figures listed within document, what is the cost benefit to Templeton?

Items involving large dollar figures, including IMAs, send to Advisory Committee for consideration; perhaps Town gets questions / concerns selectmen did not ask or missed.

Monthly review of expenditure report generated by accountant and be a regular attendee at Advisory Committee meetings.

I do not just sign the warrant for Town bills, I go through it and note any questions I may have for departments.

Accept no appointment to other boards, committees, etc., that I may, as a selectmen, oversee or appoint others to. [MGL 268A / conflict of interest]

Seek to amend previous Town Meeting vote concerning use of Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation: either use for general fund or to support ambulance service.

If you are simply going to use ambulance receipts for general fund, why have the ambulance receipts fund in the first place?

Amend current by-law, either with support of select board or by petition, concerning Town budget preparation and presentation to Town Meeting.

Look into employment contract for Town Accountant. With Police Chief, Fire Chief, Highway superintendent, Treasure/Collector, Town Administrator having employment contracts, why not the accountant? Include job responsibilities, appointment time frame, period of expected certification, etc.

I support no pay/stipend for selectmen, especially now, with a very large looming financial issue; school assessment costs.

 I have no family in Town Government, I do not belong to any clubs or organizations within Templeton, I do not foresee any conflicts of interest arising for me when it comes to things that appear before the Board of Selectmen.

So, is there approval of anything from the MFOB to Templeton?

A history lesson for kate fulton

MUNICIPAL FINANCE OVERSIGHT BOARD 

Meeting January 18, 2017 

Approved on February 23, 2017 

MINUTES 

Board Members Present: State Auditor Suzanne Bump (Chair), Craig Stepno (Office of the State Treasurer), Margaret Hurley (Office of the Attorney General), Marie Jane Handy (Department of Revenue)

Non-Board Members Present: Marissa Szabo (Office of the State Auditor), Sophia Apostola (Office of the State Auditor), Bill Arrigal (Department of Revenue), Zack Blake (Department of Revenue), Christine Smith (Gardner News), Mary Carney (Hilltop Securities), Julie Farrell (Advisory Board member, Town of Templeton)

For the Town of Templeton: Jonathan Winiker, Henry Mason, Kate Myers, Ann-Marie Geyster, Chris Casarant, Carter Terenzini, Tony Roselli, John Caplis

The meeting was called to order at 11:02 am. Auditor Bump opened the meeting with introductions of all Board members and representatives of the Town of Templeton.

Carter Terenzini provided an overview of his background followed by an overview of the school project plan and the city’s financial situation.

Tony Roselli provided an overview of the progress his firm is making in getting the Town’s books in order. Marie Jane Handy added to this that financial records from previous year had to be reconstructed.

Margaret Hurley asked if the debt exclusion vote received the required majority in 2015 and John Caplis indicated that was the case.

Auditor Bump asked for clarification of the school project’s history and Jonathan Winiker provided an overview of the history of the project and an explanation of why it has taken so long.

Carter, Mary Carney, and Chris Casarant explained the relationship of the Narragansett Regional School District to the elementary school project in terms of funding.

Marie Jane addressed the representatives from the Town of Templeton and explained the State Qualified Bond Act and the fact that the Town does not receive enough local aid to qualify for it. Carter and Mary asserted that the project needs to move forward or it could lose MSBA funding. Furthermore, the Town simply needs bond anticipation notes and would never issue the total amount for the project.

The Board deliberated on the possibility of a modified State Qualified Bond Act request.

 Marie Jane expressed concern about what the Town’s financial statements would show once they are completed.

The Board deliberated on what other options may be available to the Town.

Margaret Hurley suggested tabling the Town’s request until the financial statements are completed for the Board to review. Carter stated that he would like the opportunity to revisit the request at a later date.

Auditor Bump permitted Julie Farrell, a concerned citizen and member of the Town’s Advisory Board to speak to the Advisory Board’s concerns about the project and funding request. Julie provided a summary of those concerns.

The Board further deliberated on other options.

Craig Stepno made a motion to table the Town’s request for 6 weeks, thereby providing time to complete the financial statements and present them to the Board at a later date.

Margaret Hurley seconded the motion.

The Board unanimously approved the motion and set the date for the next meeting with the Town for March 8th.

Approval of the minutes: On the question of the approval of the minutes from the meeting on December 19, 2016, the Board voted approval with Margaret Hurley abstaining due to her absence from that meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 12 pm

Templeton Board of Selectmen
Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton
Monday, Novemver 21, 2016, 6:30 p.m.
Minutes of Meeting/Workshop

Present: Board of Selectmen: John Caplis, Diane Haley Brooks, Doug Morrison, Julie
Richard, and John Columbus; and Interim Town Administrator, Carter Terenzini.
1. The special business meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Action RE: Authorizing Treasurer to File Application w/MFOB RE: Elementary
School Bond ~ Carter Terenzini explained the reason that this was needed. It provides an
insurance to the lending institution and tends to earn you a higher rating. Ms. Haley
Brooks made a motion that the Board authorize the Treasurer to file an application with
the Municipal Finance Oversight Board to be signed by the Clerk of the Board. Ms. Richard
seconded the motion. The vote was 5 yes.

So did Templeton receive anything from the MFOB?

from the archives:

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given in accordance with M.G.L. c. 30A, §20, that a meeting of the Municipal Finance Oversight Board, established under Chapter 46 of the Acts of 2003, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 in room 230 of the State House, Boston, Massachusetts.

Town of Templeton: A Chapter 44A request for $47,563,184 in qualified bonds for the following:

• Elementary School Construction

Since my rolodex is a little slow these days and kate fulton apparently wanted to speak only about my commitment to the school and she stated she had some emails that showed I wrote a letter to the MFOB while a member of Advisory Committee, (even as Kate Fulton is a former member of the Advisory Committee, she mistakenly called it the advisory board), I thought I would share this from the archives:

From DHB FB page:

Diane Haley Brooks
Yesterday at 2:17pm · Templeton ·
Thank you Kate Fulton, a member of the Advisory Committee for this information:
Last night the advisory board voted 5 to 1 to send an email to the state Municipal Finance Oversight Board a letter bashing the elementary school project. The project is referred to as "ill-fated."
It stated that "the taxpayers were sold a bill of goods," that information given to voters "have proved to be false, as in lies." The letter was written by Julie and Peter Farrell and will be updated to include specific examples as requested by Paul Grubb. The names of five members of the committee will appear on the letter. I made it clear that my name was not to be included and Gordon Moore was not present.
I have also telephoned to Maura Healy and Deb Goldberg's office about the matter, both are on the oversight board. Let people know, make phone calls, attend the meeting, tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the state house room 230 and let the school board and selectmen know of your dismay at this interference to the elementary project. As a former newspaper reporter, I thought Fulton would have her facts straight at least.

Maybe she will read this!

just in case you missed it:

603 CMR 41.00 - Regional school district budgets.

(3)  Reconsideration of Rejected Budgets

(a)If the budget is not approved by two-thirds of the members, the regional school committee shall have 30 days from the date of disapproval by more than one-third of the members to reconsider, amend, and adopt a revised budget. With the approval of the Commissioner, this 30-day period may be extended an additional 15 days. Where the local appropriating authority is a town meeting and the annual town meeting is dissolved prior to voting on the budget, the budget shall be deemed disapproved by that member as of the date of such dissolution.

(b)The revised budget adopted by the regional school committee and the assessments corresponding to such budget may be less than, equal to, or greater than the amounts in the previously adopted budget.

(c)Within seven days following the regional school committee's adoption of a revised budget, the treasurer of the regional school district shall calculate and certify the assessment of each member and shall transmit the assessments and a copy of the revised budget to the members. Each member's local appropriating authority shall have 45 days from the date of the regional school committee's vote to meet and consider the revised budget.

(d)The approval of a revised budget shall be as set forth in 603 CMR 41.05(2)(a). If a local appropriating authority does not vote on the revised budget within the 45-day period, that member shall be deemed to have approved the revised budget.

(e)In a regional school district comprised of three or more members, if the revised budget is not approved, the regional school committee shall again reconsider, amend, and adopt a revised budget. The revised budget shall be resubmitted to the members pursuant to the provisions of 603 CMR 41.05(3).

(f)In a regional school district comprised of two members, if the revised budget is not approved by both members, the regional school committee shall again reconsider, amend, and adopt a revised budget and shall convene a district-wide meeting, at which the revised budget shall be placed before all voters eligible to vote at said meeting. If a majority of voters at this district-wide meeting votes to approve the revised budget, such vote shall constitute approval. If a majority of voters at this meeting votes to approve a greater or lesser amount for the budget, such amount shall be placed before the regional school committee for its ratification. If the regional school committee by a two-thirds vote ratifies this amount, it shall constitute approval. If the regional school committee rejects such greater or lesser amount, it shall again reconsider, amend, and adopt a revised budget and shall reconvene a district-wide meeting pursuant to the provisions of 603 CMR 41.05(3)(f).

(g)A district-wide meeting convened in accordance with 603 CMR 41.05(3)(f) shall only consider budgets based on the statutory assessment method.

(h)A regional school committee may reconsider, amend, and adopt a revised budget at any time prior to the approval of a previously adopted budget.

(i)If a local appropriating authority votes to approve an adopted budget subsequent to the required date for such action but prior to the regional school committee's revision of the budget, such vote shall be deemed valid.

(j)Whenever a member's assessment is reduced to a smaller amount than previously appropriated by the local appropriating authority, that appropriation shall automatically be reduced to the lesser amount.

(4)  Establishment of Budgets by the Commissioner

(a)If the operating budget for a regional school district has not been approved by July 1, the superintendent of schools shall notify the Commissioner, and the Commissioner shall establish an interim monthly budget for the regional school district. The interim monthly budget shall be one-twelfth of the regional school district's budget for the prior fiscal year or such higher amount as the Commissioner may determine. The interim monthly budget shall remain in effect until an operating budget is approved pursuant to 603 CMR 41.05(3) or December 1, whichever comes earlier.

(b)If a regional school district's budget has not been approved by December 1 of the fiscal year, the Commissioner shall assume fiscal control of the regional school district pursuant to M.G.L. c.71, §16B, and 603 CMR 41.07, and shall establish the final budget for the fiscal year.

(c)Whenever the Commissioner establishes an interim or final budget for a regional school district under the provisions of this section, the treasurer of the regional school district shall calculate and certify to the members their respective assessments. Every member shall pay its respective assessment in accordance with the payment schedule in the regional agreement. The appropriation of funds to pay an assessment ordered by the Commissioner under 603 CMR 41.05(4) shall not be deemed approval by the municipality of the district's budget.

HUBBARDSTON — The town has approved this year’s fiscal 2020 school budget for $4,693,549, leaving a gap from what the Quabbin Regional School District requested.

 Quabbin recommended a budget for Hubbardston at about $4,852,039 and was about an eight percent increase from last year,  Hubbardston officials say that figure would greatly harm the town. Increases in the budget come from transportation costs, which for the school itself went up 12 percent over the last year, according to Regional School Committee member Mark Wigler. Hubbardston in particular, is being hit hard is due to the formula which the school calculates the cost for each town.

“The proposed budget from the school is so much higher than the overall increase because you look at the overall budget, you see they are asking for an increase of under 3 percent overall,” Hubbardston Finance Committee Chairwoman Susan Rayne said. “Because the formula used to calculate member town’s contributions,  increases year to year can swing dramatically, as they did this year for Hubbardston, and this has happened for other towns, too.”

The amount a town has to pay is in part due to enrollment, but also because of a number of other variables, including the resident income and property valuation. Hubbardston was the most recent town to have their valuation done, and consequently, they were hit with a higher number than expected. Rayne notes that other towns in the school district have faced this in the past.

“We want to get other towns on board to revise the district agreement to the formula by which these assessments are calculated,” Rayne said. “What we recommended was that the selectmen take this up with member towns.”

Still, the overall budget increase of the school is not particularly high, sitting at exactly 2.8 percent.

“We are trying to keep our services good, but at a 2.8 increase it’s tough to do that ... the situation is Hubbardston is unique,” Wigler said.

Aside from changing the formula, the hope is when the state Senate passes the budget with school funding, the school will receive enough funds to close that gap. Worst-case scenario would be that negotiations cannot be made and the state will decide the budget for them.

"Quabbin school budget has to be reworked. The current ask would cripple the town’s operations and would mean positions would have to be eliminated and people would be losing their jobs,” selectmen Chairman Dan Galante said.

“The district serves us and our kids,” Rayne said. “We want it to succeed. We want to fund it, we want to do well for the kids and the other kids who come in to attend, but we as a member town, we can’t absorb these unpredictable swings. We were able to go up almost five percent with no additional ask. If we had predictability going forward, we could see the increase and its effects and we can plan for that.”

The budget will be voted on at Town Meeting June 4 at 7 p.m. in the Hubbardston Center School gym, but hope still remains that the state budget would fill in the gap between the town’s approved budget and the school’s requested budget.

From the Phillipston Annual Town Meeting Warrant:


ARTICLE 11: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide the sum of $1,657,099 to pay its share of the Narragansett Regional School District budget for FY20, or act in relation thereto. Requires a majority vote to approve. Narragansett Regional School District Summary. This is the basic portion of the annual appropriation for the operating budget for the Narragansett Regional School District.

ARTICLE 12: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide the sum of $93,053 to pay its share of the Narragansett Regional School District budget for FY20, provided, however, that the vote taken hereunder shall be expressly contingent upon approval by the voters at an election of a Proposition 2 ½ override question pursuant to Chapter 59, Section 21C(g) of the General Laws, or act in relation thereto. Requires a majority vote to approve. Narragansett Regional School District Summary. This is the override portion of the annual appropriation for the operating budget for the Narragansett Regional School District.

from the Templeton voter's guide for Annual Town Meeting of May 15, 2019:

Anticipated Motion:

To see if the Town will vote I move to raise and appropriate the sum of Seven Million Four Hundred Seventy Nine Thousand Four Hundred Six Dollars and No Cents ($7,479,406.00), or some lesser amount, to fund the Town’s assessed share of the costs of the Narragansett Regional School District for FY’20, contingent upon the passage of a ballot question pursuant to G.L. c. 59, §21C(g) (Proposition 2 ½);

Or take any other action related thereto.

The motion means you are voting on an additional $988,336.00 in money so the Town (taxpayers) can pay the "bill" from NRSD. This simply increases the Tax levy limit, which in turn, allows for increase in property taxes in order to raise the additional funds to pay said bill. If you vote yes on article six, you are voting for one step of a two step process to allow an increase in your taxes. The next step is to vote for a question on the ballot for the annual Town election on May 20, 2019.
Phillipston voters already have approved the first step vi Town Meeting, their election is also on May 20.


Summary: We are required to put before you the appropriation needed to fully fund the assessment upon us certified by the Narragansett Regional School District. However, we do not have sufficient funds available without having to ask for additional taxing authority through the passage of a ballot question allowing us to over-ride the current taxing limits we operate under. If that override fails, we will have to come back to you at a Special Town Meeting to seek an appropriation for any revised request from the NRSD and any cuts we have to make to the Town budget to cover such a request.

The summary is just that; it is NOT what you are voting on, you vote on the MOTION!


Advisory Committee Comments & Recommendation:

This article is a contingent article, meaning it not only has to pass at Town Meeting, but an override ballot question must also pass at the annual Town election on May 20, 2019.

Advisory Committee recommends favorable action on this article. (5 yes – 1 no)

Recently received email from a Templeton Town team leader via a Town email address:

On one hand, an open forum is a good way to hear what people running for office have to say, one problem with this email is it does not include all who are running for office - while two candidates for selectmen are included, the third candidate is missing.
On the other hand, is it appropriate to use tax dollars to do this?

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Greetings,

Congratulations on your inclusion on Templeton’s Town Election ballot as a candidate for Town office. 

The Town of Templeton appreciates your willingness to serve our community and represent the residents of Templeton.

Templeton Community TV (TCTV), the Senior Citizens Community Center, and the Community Services Office will be hosting an   Election Forum 2019 on Saturday, May 11, from 4-6 pm at the Senior Center, Senior Drive, in Baldwinville.

We encourage your participation in this event to discuss your candidacy and to address any ballot issues and other important issues facing our Town and our people.

Each candidate will be allowed 5-10 minutes to address voters who are present. This is a wonderful opportunity to let the people of Templeton know about the issues and initiatives that motivate you, and the direction you feel our Town should take. You also should be prepared to answer questions from the audience and the event moderator.

As you know, participation in our civic affairs are critical today. Building our community stronger through participation starts with leaders like you. 

Election Forum 2019 will be recorded by TCTV for broadcast on Cable Channel 8 and YouTube, thereby reaching much wider audiences in Templeton. 

Let your voice be heard, so that you may inspire others.

Please respond by Tuesday, May 7, 2019 and let us know if you are available to participate in this important event, for the future of Templeton.

If you watched or plan on watching the Templeton Advisory Committee meeting of May 2, 2019, please be aware of a math error; discussion on a by-law change proposal, regarding zoning changes on Baldwinville Road, a 6 month time frame was brought up; the problem is we all failed third grade math! Meeting date referenced happened on December 11, 2018 and the 2019 annual town meeting is on May 15, 2019, that is 5 months rather than 6 months, so at least part of the MGL was met. Thought you should hear of this error from a member of Advisory Committee first. Best to be in front of mistakes rather than hope no one notices! I apologize for the error and any possible confusion, etc. The point concerning the 6 month time period came from a resident, whom I very much appreciate taking time to attend the meeting; but the mis count was not realized until today.

As an FYI, one of the parcels of land affected by the zoning change is owned by a member of the Templeton planning board.

A message from a member of Council on Aging:

Message:

I watched the video of the Advisory Committee meeting for 4/25/2019. I am on the Board of Directors of the COA, but am speaking as a citizen of Templeton who visits the COA at least 2 - 3 times a week. Just to clarify two statements that were made by Mr. Spring. The line item for "carpeting" in the
COA budget is for the entry way which now has a PLYWOOD floor. Concerning the bathrooms - I have never seen the ladies' room in any condition except IMMACULATE, either when the custodian was on medical leave or when he was
working. I cannot attest to the condition of the men's room obviously.
Occasionally, if there is an "accident" in one of the bathrooms, the staff at the COA immediately dons the rubber gloves, grabs the bucket, soap and disinfectant and cleans up the area.

Thank you for the opportunity to clarify these two matters. When speculative statements are made publicly, it always affects the reputation of a department.

I appreciate the work and effort of all the boards and committees in the Town of Templeton. Thank you all for serving our town.

The above message came to me via my email address on Town website. I thank the individual for not only watching the meetings, but taking time to relay their thoughts and information to the Advisory Committee.

In case you missed it, this years budget (FY 2019) for Templeton emergency management was $1,000.00. After a proposal to increase that amount to $1,750.00 for (FY2020) which begins July 1, 2019, it was explained that over the last 10 years, over $60,000.00 in grants have come to Templeton via the Emergency Management department. So, when the appropriated amount for EM has been $1,000.00 and about $6,000.00 per year for ten years has been brought in, that is a pretty good return on investment or money spent. Those grants came with no added costs to local taxes (taxpayer). I believe that shows there is little concern for adding $750.00 to  an entity that regularly demonstrates value to the Town (residents) Emergency Management covers something called CERT; = community emergency response team, which does some mundane things like traffic crossing, as in the craft fair, mac n cheese party, motor palooza, etc, which brings attention to Templeton, probably brings exposure to Historical society, may bring in extra business to the country store along with aiding some fundraising efforts. 

That is an organization that looks for volunteers too! 

Hope this helps explain where and how some of your dollars go.