On Templeton Town website, annual town meeting May 2018, article 21 - fy2019 general fund operating budget $8,220,298.00 plus article 24 - supplementalfy2019 operating budget - $470,246.00, for a total fy19 general fund operating budget of $8,690,544.00

So as to be clear, this article 24, added money to the budgets of fire/EMS, police, insurance & benefits, highway, snow & ice, all of which are funded in general fund budget.

So May 2019, annual town meeting, article 26, general fund budget for fiscal year 20, $9,660,274.00;

A one-year increase in Templeton general fund budget of $999,730.00. Close enough to one million, what is $270.00 among friends?

 Over time, there have been some agreements signed that have been beneficial to other towns at the expense of Templeton residents. One of them signed on May 15, 2019 and is on town website was accounting agreement with Hubbardston, which had Templeton moving from a parttime assistant town accountant to fulltime and giving more money to fulltime town accountant, this resulted in lower accounting cost for Hubbardston and increased cost for Templeton. That agreement has ended but the cost increases from it are still with the town today. Perhaps not good idea to call out the current board when you signed off on that very bad agreement. You failed in financial fiduciary responsibility to Templeton. Especially after signing off on another agreement with a different town for dispatch service, agreeing to lower cost to one town while increasing costs to Templeton. This is easy to check, do not take my word, it is on your website. Can the town use more money to provide more things and/or better, yes, but it is very hard to ask for more with a history of making those bad deals for Templeton, which have placed a financial burden on residents that are still affecting things today. Again, failure in fiduciary responsibility to Templeton.

 It is a bad showing that all select board members vote to spend residents' money on something but then refuse to do their part. Pretty much shows a lack of concern for public money and their responsibility.

 There is no compelling reason for a town senior tax work off program should have to be done in steps, such as raising the amount that can be worked off from say $500.00 to $800.00, then $1000.00, and take 3 or 4 years to get to $1,500.00 per senior while being told if the limit is just increased from $500.00 to $1,500.00 per senior because it would not be sustainable. The funding for senior work off program comes from town's overlay fund, which is raised by the board of assessors by raising it on the tax recap sheet and when there is over $700,000.00 dollars already available. Senior tax work off program policy is set by selectmen rather than assessors, according to state law. Templeton seniors deserve the increase; the money is there and there is no reason Templeton should not have the amount set to $1,500.00 per senior. It will require a town meeting vote to undo something done many years ago and bring this item up to date. Everyone will be a senior one day!

 A while back, I donated a hard cover version of Town Meeting Times to the Templeton library, it is the lates copy of Town Meeting Times, which is the official guide book for Templeton Town Meetings. You can go there and check this out without having to to buy a copy. Moderators Association will not let the town post an electronic copy on Town website.

Page 217 - section 9.1 in Town Meeting Times, at bottom of page, an interesting paragraph of information.

Concerning the practice of anyone wishing to speak before the meeting, identify themselves, no matter how well they may be known in town. There is one sentence that is interesting: "Although this is accepted practice, there is no legal authority which expressly accords to the moderator the power to compel speakers to identify themselves if they do not wish to do so."

Town Meeting Times is a product of MA Moderators Association.

One member of the committee that produced this latest edition of the book, Templeton Town Counsel Tom Harrington.

 Join us to show your support of the Municipal Empowerment Act (MEA) next Tuesday October 28th!

 

Why the MEA is Important

 

The MEA is an important opportunity for the Commonwealth to further its support of all 351 cities and towns. This legislation promotes efficiencies in local government, reduces regulatory burdens, and provides tools for communities to solve age-old problems through additional revenue options and operational flexibilities.

 

The MEA:

• Reforms outdated procurement rules and thresholds including:
• Raising the 30B threshold for ALL municipal purchases to $100,000
• Exempting snow hauling from 30B requirements to match snow removal
• Eliminating the COMMBUYS publishing requirement
• Streamlining cooperative purchasing agreements for goods AND services
• Codifies existing COVID-era allowances for remote public meetings, currently set to expire on June 30, 2027
• Updates enforcement mechanisms and removal procedures for double poles
• Provides new or expanded local option revenues including:
• Option to increase the meals tax
• Option to increase the lodging tax
• Option to establish a new motor vehicle excise tax
• Improves efficiency of local operations through longer borrowing terms for school projects, tools for critical workforce shortages, and much more!

 Time has come for a review and update to Templeton Senior tax work off program. It is time for a presentation to Town Meeting and for Select Board to take the lead and increase to the maximum dollar amount allowed under state law to try and help seniors who can and are willing to do some things for the town in exchange for small abatement of property taxes. There is more than enough money in the fund that covers the cost of this program, it is called the Town Overlay fund and is controlled by Board of Assessors. Currently there is a very large amount of money in that fund, more than enough to handle the increase in senior work off.

Funding the Programs: Work-off program expenses must be budgeted in the allowance for abatements and exemptions, i.e. overlay account, rather than through departmental appropriations. The expenses can include the municipality’s share of federal Medicare taxes. Therefore, as part of the budget development process, the amounts needed to operate the programs should be considered. The assessors should factor these amounts into the amount of overlay being raised each year.