MA Division local Service reports fiscal year 24 meals tax paid to town of Templeton.

first quarter - $23,990.00

second quarter - $23,189.00

records show fiscal 23 payments to town from meals tax:

1st qtr - $19,909.00

2nd qtr - $20,687.00

3rd qtr - $17,384.00

4th qtr - $19,366.00

 Perhaps as a service to residents, town hall should be open with extended hours during the last week of the calendar year, rather than only 2 days. Extended hours so residents/taxpayers have maximum opportunity to pay taxes before end of year. Also, would allow anyone with any type of license that requires up to date tax payments prior to issue or re-new. Stuff sometimes happens and residents should have maximum time to address any issues or things that might come up end of year. This would be a very good service from government, who after all is supposed to work for the people.

 Determination is in: MA attorney general's office of open government finds Templeton board of selectmen violated Open Meeting Law.

For the reasons stated above, we find that the Board violated the Open Meeting Law as alleged. We order the Board’s immediate and future compliance with the Open Meeting Law and

caution that future similar violations may be considered evidence of an intent to violate the law.

Because the Board has already amended the meeting minutes at issue, we do not order additional remedial action.

Open Meeting Law determinations may be found at the Attorney General’s website,

www.mass.gov/ago/openmeeting.

 Templeton received less chapter 90 funding in FY2023 than in 2008.

Bad idea to use chapter 90 funds to buy equipment!

2008 Templeton chapter 90 $ = $396,906.07

2021 Templeton chapter 90 $ = $334,835.00

2022 Templeton chapter 90 $ = $362,341.00

2023 Templeton chapter 90 $ = $358,804.00

 Today I received a copy of the November monthly finance report from accountant via a records request to the town records access officer.

Looking at page 7 of report, balance of infrastructure stabilization fund shows $158,908.47. Comparing this balance to October monthly finance report, on page 7, shown as $113,908.47.

Next, looked over report of November special town meeting; article 13 "On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to transfer the sum of Sixty Five Thousand Dollars ($65,000) from the Infrastructure Stabilization Fund, " then looking at article 20 of same special town meeting, n a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of One Hundred Forty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars and No Cents ($147,500.00) to make deposits into its Operations (OPEX), Capital (CAPEX) and Infrastructure stabilization accounts and the OPEB reserve account as follows: OPEX $35,000 CAPEX $45,000 Infrastructure $45,000 OPEB $22,500. 

 

recap: infrastructure stabilization fund balance as of October 31, 2023 - $113,908.47 - $65,000.00 (article 13 STM) =$48,908.47 + $45,000.00 (article 20 STM) = $93,908.47. November monthly expenditure report a special article for Royalston road title work at $65,000.00. My question is why does the infrastructure balance show $158,908.47 if the $65,000.00 has been set aside, as in transferred to a separate account?

 

So, is my calculator broke? Is this Templeton math? Is this a new way to report town finance? A keying error? 

 

https://www.mass.gov/doc/fy2024-parcel-and-address-update-status/download

from mytowngovernment.org: Board of Selectmen Meeting Agenda

Executive Session

Monday, December 18, 2023 1:00PM

Phillipston Memorial Building

Meeting Room

20 The Common

Phillipston, MA 01331

This agenda lists all matters anticipated for discussion; some items may be passed over, and other items not listed may be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. Any member of the public planning to record the meeting must first notify the Chair.

1:00 Call to Order

1.Vote to participate in mediation between the Massachusetts State 911 Department and the Town of Templeton regarding dispatch services. Shows meeting cancelled.

from Templeton TA weekly report:  12/14/2023 Meeting has been set to attend next week in Phillipston with state 911 department.

from 12/17/2023 Athol Daily News: 

from Athol Daily News: (12/17/2023)

PHILLIPSTON — Officials from Phillipston and Templeton are planning to meet with representatives of the State 911 Department to see if an accord can be reached to renew the Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC) agreement between the two towns.

Phillipston’s Selectboard has weighed terminating the agreement with Templeton and had been in talks with Athol regarding the possibility of setting up a regional dispatch service with that town’s police department.

In an exchange of emails with the Athol Daily News, Melanie Jackson, the board’s administrative assistant, said, “Templeton has always provided excellent dispatch service over the years, and we are grateful to them for that. The main issues at hand are financial transparency and collaboration.”

At last Wednesday’s Phillipston Selectboard meeting, members reviewed a letter from Joseph Crean, director of special projects for the State 911 Department, stating it was his agency’s belief that “it is in Phillipston’s best interest to remain in the Templeton RECC.”

In his letter, Crean noted “projects involving Athol will not be considered by this department at this time. It is critical to understand that the department will not support or consider any regional 911 project involving Athol due to their ineligibility to receive any department grant funding until fiscal year 2028.”

The letter did not provide the details behind Athol’s ineligibility for State 911 grants.

Town Manager Shaun Suhoski said that Athol’s funding through the State 911 Department was suspended for a period of 10 years after Athol withdrew from a regionalization effort with Gardner. Suhoski explained that this was done at the urging of residents.

“The Special Town Meeting that night was well-attended, and folks were riled up and they voted to show their displeasure with the (agreement),” he said. “The Selectboard then withdrew from the regionalization effort with Gardner. So, we put that in the rear-view mirror and focused on centralizing police and fire dispatch at our dispatch center in Athol. So, anyway, as a result of that we were kind of placed on the ‘naughty list’ for 10 years.”

Suhoski added that he was a “bit irritated” with the tone of Crean’s letter. Had Athol and Phillipston reached agreement on a new RECC, Suhoski said, “Were not expecting that 911 would be funding us immediately. We felt there would be a sufficient budget from our own resources – economies of scale – and whatever Phillipston pays to Templeton anyway.”

from The Recorder 2017:

 ATHOL — After the town voted in February to withdraw from an 2-year-old intermunicipal agreement to regionalize the town’s dispatch services, the state is presenting a new option.

Frank Pozniak, executive director of the state 911 Department, tasked with coordinating and implementing enhanced 911 service in Massachusetts, sent Athol Town Manager Shaun A. Suhoski a letter detailing new option, one where Gardner and Athol could execute a new agreement — one different from the selectmen reversing their February vote or canning the agreement and forcing the department to repay $739,564.54 in state money for the project. Athol officials continue to have misgiving about the state’s response.

Selectboard Chairman Lee Chauvette said Thursday that all board members feel it is unacceptable for the department to transfer Athol’s 911 calls simply because Athol opted out of the intermunicipal agreement, which he said did not contain any language regarding when an opt-out could occur.

Chavuette said Selectmen Steve Raymond and Holly Young will work with Suhoski, Fire Chief John Duguay and Police Chief Russell Kleber to draft a response and offer additional information “as to what the town is doing to combine its police and fire dispatching within the community under one dispatch center at the Athol Police station.”

The Selectboard voted to withdraw from the agreement following a nonbinding special town meeting vote following a petition drive started by Young, who at the time was not on the board.

 Having watched things for the past few months, I have to wonder if the concept of regionalization of our schools is lost on those making decisions.

Why would a legal separate entity from Templeton go before a town capital improvement committee for any upgrades or repairs/ Is it the plan of Town "leaders/managers/admin to have Templeton residents support the school district without monies from the other member town? Templeton already pays at least twice for some of the costs of NRSD - playing fields and associated costs such as maintenance, electric, insurance, capital costs, etc. and yes, I am speaking of Gilman Waite Park. This is almost up there with funding water enterprise dept. projects and then not having the enterprise fund budget go before town meeting, same as sewer and tctv enterprise fund budgets go before town meeting. (Templeton water dept. enterprise budget went to town meeting until 2015 ATM - did the law change??)

 December meeting for Advisory Committee cancelled due to lack of quorum?

Town Administrator can predict how much town will take in from new growth, but is unable to predict ho much will be transferred from Town's enterprise funds to cover costs on insurance and retirement and is also unable to predict how much money will be received from state aid. With 6 years of financial data, the administrator should be able to pencil in some good estimates. I mean where did the figures for future new growth and vehicle ese tax come from??

Financial data shows the enterprise funds have not transferred over less than 1.5 million dollars each of the last 6 years. Total state aid has not been less than 1.6 million for each of the last 6 years.

https://www.mytowngovernment.org/viewer?document=ahNzfnRvd25nb3Zlcm5tZW50LWhychoLEg1Eb2N1bWVudE1vZGVsGICAwOL9wNcJDA

Emails within this document show a disturbing trend in Templeton governance.

Templeton needs a bylaw limiting selectmen to serve only on the board of selectmen, per recommendations from department of revenue in 2 financial reviews of the town of Templeton. Templeton already has bylaw limiting elective offices held by selectmen - only the board of selectmen.

 What’s the difference between annual and special meetings?

Each town must hold an annual Town Meeting. Additional Town Meetings are called special meetings. They may be called as many times during the year as necessary.

Templeton had a town meeting on November 15, 2023- it was a special town meeting, which means the moderator cannot appoint anyone to the advisory committee. According to town bylaws, the moderator can appoint a person to the advisory committee up to 30 days after annual town meeting dissolves. Selectmen and town administrator can call it a fall town meeting, but it is a special town meeting and people (voters) need to know and remember that.