July 18, 2023, I requested from Town Aministrator a copy in electronic form of the June 2023 monthly expenditure report.

Todays answer to my request.

Adam D. Lamontagne <alamontagne@TempletonMA.gov>

You

Good Day,

We have not received the final End of Year BvA from the Accountant.

Adam D. Lamontagne;Currie, Michael;Toth, Timothy;Griffis, Terry;Rivard, Matthew;Richard, Julie

To all concerned, I requested an electronic copy of June 2023 monthly expenditure report from Town Administrator (who is also RAO). After receiving his response, I checked the towns financial management policy and found the following:

H-3 Monthly & Quarterly Reporting Background:

Monthly reporting helps a community to determine whether sufficient funds are available to cover current obligations, any surplus can be invested, or shortfall exists requiring temporary borrowing. Policy: The Town Accountant shall produce and distribute monthly budget-to-actual reporting to evaluate the Town’s financial position per Massachusetts state law. These reports shall be submitted to the Board, user agencies, Town Administrator, and Advisory Committee, among others. This will enable the Town to take prompt management action in the event that fiscal problems are indicated or adjust spending behavior to meet financial challenges. The Town's Financial Team (Accountant, Treasurer/Collector, Principal Assessor) shall make a formal public presentation to the Board and the status of accounts, their activities, and concerns over negative trends each month following the ending of a fiscal year quarter together with any steps recommended by the Town Administrator to deal with such negative trends.

NOTE: I did not ask for end of year final, I asked for month of June expenditure report, which according to the TA, does not exist yet. This seems to be more of employees deciding what will be done and when rather than management and is another example of failing to follow policy.

regards,

Jeff Bennett

 Special town meeting, November 2015.

Article 2 - On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of Nine Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($975,000) to pay costs of designing, constructing and equipping a 4,000 square foot addition to and remodeling of the Templeton Police Station, located at 33 South Road, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto; said sum to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen; and to meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow said sum under M.G.L. 44,

Section 7, or pursuant to any other enabling authority; provided, however, that no sum shall be borrowed or expended hereunder unless the Town shall have voted to exempt the amounts

required for the payment of interest and principal on said borrowing from the limitations on taxes by M.G.L. 59, Section 21C (also known as Proposition 2 ½).

Passed Unanimously/November 9th @ 8:33

Annual town meeting, May 2018, article 32 - On a motion duly made and seconded the Town to appropriate the sum of One Million Five

Hundred Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($1,500,000.00), in addition to the Nine Hundred and

Seventy Five Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($975,000.00) previously appropriated, for

designing and constructing an addition to the Police Station, and renovations thereof, including

the payment of costs incidental or related thereto; that to meet this appropriation the Treasurer

with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, subject to the successful passage of a Proposition 2

½ debt exclusion, so-called, is authorized to borrow such amount under G.L. c.44, §7(1) or any

other enabling authority; and that the Board of Selectmen is authorized to take any other action

necessary or convenient to carry out this project. Any premium received upon the sale of any

bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs

of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this vote

in accordance with Chapter 44, Section 20 of the General Laws, thereby reducing the amount

authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount.

Passed by a 2/3 Vote/May 19th @ 1:43 pm

from TA weekly report of June 15, 2023 - Station – Royal Steam was in and finally replaced the compressor for the AC unit, a huge difference was almost instantly noticed. BWC went into service. Templeton Bldg. & Grounds assisted officers with redesigning the front lawn area.

Started 2015, now 2023 and still not complete, simply awesome.