Before we go taking on animal shelter to convert to office space, how about we finish Stone Bridge, Main Street bridge (the one that was supposed to be 75% design complete back in 2020) Scout Hall (decide what we are going to use it for) the cupola on town hall (perhaps waiting for it to fall off roof) finish building at gilman waite. We also need to see what the result of one million dollars of tax dollars is, going into the rehab of the old Baldwinville school. I believe there is a proposal of another 80 thousand dollars of tax dollars going into Grange Hall for the upcoming annual town meeting. Yeah, CPA / CPC money comes from tax dollars, as in a 3% surcharge on your real estate, so that is tax dollars.
What is the need or want to put the building currently occupied by Ahisma over to DPW? Office space, space for employees? What is the plan, how much money? If say space for lunch with micro, fridge, table & chairs etc., perhaps a small office trailer or a converted 20 foot container would work and be less money and would allow Ahisma to stay. That building was constructed by volunteers with donated materials and expertise for a purpose and it was not office space for DPW.
These CPA funds have been misused since its inception.
ReplyDeleteWe put $17,500 aside a few years ago to create an affordable Housing Trust. Has it been done, NOPE!
This excuse has been used as to why we cannot maintain the Day Mil Properties allocated as affordable housing. Thats right, it's the Administrations Fault cause they have just sat on it.
My property will be exempted from CPA as soon as I legally can. Good idea, run poorly in town like most things.
Main St Bridge was major economic issue back in 2019 when Carter presented the need for $200k to get to 75% design. Taxpayers did thier part and voted for it. Administration sat on it again and its still not at the point planned for Aug. 2020.
How much have we spent on Stone Bridge for absolutely nothing!
What about Scout Hall. This project started in 2016. Town Administration just spent $13,484 or better to delead the building based on RESIDENTIAL LAWS even though its a Municipal Building. Maybe this is why they have asked for more money 2 or 3 times and haven't even solidified a plan for use.................you cannot make this shit up!
Town Hall Cupola quote back prior to 2015 was $80,000. I see $30,000 being requested by the Administration. Be prepared for more unfinished, over funded nothing. Maybe if we put Bob S in the old Cat House the employees will stop quitting?
Didn't we just spend $4800 to re-roof the "cat shed" as it was listed on Capital Planning list..........
Employees in municipalities quit all the time, just look around and see most highway / dpw are looking for people. When they think they are getting a cushy muni job and then are expected to work and they do not get to run the show, perhaps that is why they leave. Remember, paid for 8 hours, only 7 hours are available for work and as I hear it, lucky if 4 hours of work happens. Major issue I see right now is asking to use stabilization money to pay off snow & ice. At least I have not seen a town truck plowing private driveways in say Gardner. 1045 West Street in Gardner, 3 storms in a row I have seen Phillipston animal control pickup plowing that driveway out.
ReplyDeleteUsing Stabilization to fund Snow & Ice shows just how bad the money management of Adam and team have been and are moving forward.
ReplyDeleteAdam in his arrogance increased the "working capital" portion of "free Cash" to 60% which basically means He had over $660,000+ and then fails to manage it properly.
$92,000 engine lease
$97,000 tanker lease
$56,000 ambulance lease and we have a 10 yr old ambulance to replace this year based on plan.
Remember this when Fire seeks money..........
This type of mismanagement would not happen if we had a town administrator with the balls to do what is right. He is just a yes man to the incompetence of the chair of the select board and the Highway. He needs to go. we need someone with the skills like Carter
ReplyDeleteI was with you until you said we need someone like Carter.
DeleteAnonymous, I agree with what you and Mr.May have said about our Town Administrator, but I really think we should strongly consider a EXPERIENCED Town Manager. Under all of the comments is hidden our biggest problem. We continue to elect people with little or no business or municipal experience. Those decisions come back to bite us every year. We elect people who cannot manage their own finances, but we expect these people to manage a multi milliom dollar budget. What could go wrong ? This fact alone, should give the reader a reason to pause. Another reason we have had financial problems is the inability to follow thru with projects that are started and never finished, as the above posts show. A general lack of consistancy is the biggest failure of our Town Government. Projects are left behind often because their is no follow thru when members of the Bord of Selectmen change. What is one persons pet project, does not matter to a new member of the board, even though money may be sitting in an account ready to be used. Often our Board of Selectmen only reacts to hot botton issues, but as soon as the noise is gone, so is the issue. This solves nothing. We need a Town Manager who will address a problem and have it resolved, not put on hold or forgotten. We desprately need consistancy and that is not going to happen unless we have a big change. Read the things Mr.May and Mr. Bennett have brought to your attention. This is only the tip of the iceberg. What more for your money? Well nothing will change unless we make it.
DeleteReminder, Winchendon had a town manager and they got into finance issue, they had to take a loan from state. The title really does not matter in this case (my opinion) Some towns have a town manager because they have a town charter, which on paper should take about 3 years but in reality is probably closer to a 10 year process.
ReplyDeleteI really think what everyone wants and just can't seem to get there is to get "someone" who is accountable.
ReplyDeleteAs it sits right now in Templeton. Our Town Administration (yes, the office) is suppose to be being held to account by the Selectboard! Our Selectboard is far to busy worrying about, keeping employees happy ( not even their job anymore) or Chairing other Town Committees ( violating DOR request since 2009) and forget about Supervising their ONE actual employee to oversee, Adam!
Look to Scout Hall as example. Selectboard member appointed to Scout Hall committee (2016?) bypasses Committee applies for financing via CPC (which gets approved) Does everything off the cuff. Meetings takes place and sweeping under the rug is the result. Move forward a year or so and same Selectboard member put back in charge of Scout Hall project under Selectboard.
2016 to present and Scout Hall has eaten up thousands of dollars, hours of employee time and this band of ***fit toys just paid $13,484 to remove lead based on residential, not municipal requirements.
We've had meetings about the Towns lack of ability to do projects. It was a huge issue prior to TES being built. Right after the School we suddenly felt we could do what we have never done well. Police Station $975,000 NOPE, $2.450,000 Nope we still have about $275,000 to $300,000 to finish the building (HVAC system) Scout Hall, Stone Bridge, Main Street Bridge, Hamlett Mill Bridge. Heck Town Hall Cupola has been falling off since we turned it into a Town Hall. Gilman Waite.................not one of those projects is done and almost all have been "in progress" for 5-10+ years