Some local information for Templeton taxpayers;

If you look at the table, you see a curious thing, more money spent on a project than what was appropriated. This is just one more example why I always fought to have one entity overseeing this project, the board of selectmen. Taxpayers do not need nor should they be asked to keep up with multiple entities for a Town building project.

List of Projects for the District are as follows:

School name	MSBAID	Project Type	Project Phase	Total Project Budget	Reimbursement Rate	Estimated Building Completion Date	MSBA Amt Paid(to Date)	Estimated MSBA Payment Amt Remaining	Anticipated MSBA Investment Amt
Narragansett Middle	201107200305G	Green Repair	Final Audit Approved	$1,144,511	59.84 %		$663,544		$663,544
Phillipston Memorial	201107200003G	Green Repair	Final Audit Approved	$161,232	59.84 %		$78,095		$81,401
Templeton Center School	200807200020	Core Program	Design Development	$550,000	59.84 %		$536,174	$92,146	$628,320

One idea to fund a cop. . . .

This may not be a popular idea but I believe it is one way to fund an officer if there is a real safety issue involving police officers and citizens. It was stated at the most recent selectmen meeting that there is a sum of money, $47,000.00 unallocated at this time. On line 77 on the budget draft for FY17, there is a $49,000.00 figure for salary adjustment for the selectmen office, most of that figure to make Holly Young assistant town administrator. There is also a raise being sought by the chief of police in an amount of $9500.00. There is a figure of $50,000.00 for the Town emergency fund under control of the Advisory Board. There is a combination of money to make funds available to hire another police officer. Take 40 thousand from unallocated funds, take the 95 hundred dollars from police chief raise, take the 49 thousand from salary adjustment/upgrades and if needed, take some from the emergency fund and you quickly have a dollar figure available to hire a police officer.
I do not believe current members of the board of selectmen have the will to do these things needed to bring funds forward so as to be able to pay for another police officer. My opinion is if they do not have the will to do this, then they are against the safety of the officers and the public of the Town of Templeton. In the future, Phillipston must pay more than 57 thousand dollars for dispatch. When you consume or use half of the pie, you must pay for half the pie. The selectmen should do what is necessary for the benefit of the whole ship rather than popular or personal small compartments. What is best for the financial welfare of the entire Town and yes, you will make some unhappy, but that is democracy in work. as anyone can see from the examples above, the money is there, it just needs to be applied in a way so as to be able to fund what is truly needed, a police officer, rather than what is wanted, an assistant Town administrator.

Jeff Bennett

Funding the Operation of Templeton, Town of.

It is apparent that there is not enough money to operate the Town of Templeton, at least that is the impression I left the selectmen meeting with.

Examples; Police Chief stated there is not enough money to give me what I want/need so I will pass on what funds are available.

Fire Chief stated he had people working ambulance shifts for free so the shifts would be covered.
So my take from that is the Ambulance receipts account really does not fully fund the ambulance service. There is no money to buy replacement Scott air packs which are the "tanks" fire fighters wear when inside a building engulfed in smoke, they are an emergency fresh air source.

Remember too, that Templeton Police Chief wants to start a canine program so we will have expense of at least one dog with all the expense, and veterinarian service is as expensive as a people doctor.
Selectmen need to make some calls and give directives on Town spending, not popular or nice but it appears to be needed. If we are going to create a position of assistant Town Administrator then we should be able to fund a police officer, in my opinion.

Jeff Bennett

The Town of Templeton may try to use the Dover amendment, or MGL chapter 40A, section 3 to get around the height restrictions in the Templeton zoning by-laws. There is already or coming, a legal opinion that says or will say, the Dover amendment applies in this case. When or if there is a meeting of the Board of Appeals on this subject, it should be interesting.

This was put out by the Town Administrator at tonight's meeting of the selectmen.

Jeff Bennett

Good news people. . . .

I believe I have already posted this, but in case I did not, Templeton assessment for Monty Tech is going up $97,000.00 from last year and health insurance costs will increase 7.9% or $78,000.00, leaving un-allocated funds for fiscal 2017 at $47,000.00.

The Town Administrator stated that the fiscal 2013 books are almost complete and an audit on them should begin next week. It is hoped that fiscal 2014 will follow when complete. Fiscal 2015 books are in good shape so that year should go quickly. The old certified free cash was mentioned again.
The T/A also mentioned that the school district just received word that they have $335,000.00 in surplus funds, as in the E&D fund, (sort of like certified free cash for a town or city).

Jeff Bennett

In case it has slipped anyone's mind. . . . .

from the 2009 Department of Revenue Financial management review of Templeton:

2. Prohibit Elected Officials from Holding Any Other Position
      Article IV of the town bylaws already prohibits an elective or appointive town officer or town employee from serving on the town advisory board. In its personnel policy, with the exception of two selectmen and an advisory committee member, no elected or appointed official may serve as a personnel board member. With these precedents in place, we recommend that the town approve a bylaw precluding all elected officials from serving in any other elected or appointed positions. This will allow them to focus on their primary responsibilities. Two current selectmen, one of whom also serves on the personnel board and the other as an elected light & water commissioner, are continually at odds. It is our impression that their adversarial relationship arises as well when the board of selectmen addresses issues that involve the personnel board, the light & water commission, or the sewer commission. The extent to which their differences impact the progress of town business is reason enough to enact a bylaw that makes elected or appointed officials ineligible to serve on other boards and committees. If a bylaw were to pass, each selectman would fill out the remainder of his or her term on other boards and commissions.

from Templeton Town by-laws:
Article III – Town Officers Section 1. The Selectmen shall have the general direction and management of the property and affairs of the town in all matters not otherwise provided for by laws or these ByLaws. (a) Selectmen shall not serve in any other elected capacity within the Town or Municipal Light Department as recommended in 2009 DOR Financial Management Review.
 Passed 5-16-13

The above causes me to have a head scratching moment while reading an article from The Gardner News recently. In the article, which appeared in the Saturday, March 26, 2016 edition, there was mention of one person going for an elected position on Board of Selectmen and an elected spot on the Board of Health. Personally, if someone wants to go for two elected positions, I say go for it. From my experience, being a selectmen required a great amount of my time, to do what I thought was needed to do the job at hand. Also, if one is trying to get a seat on the Board of Selectmen and to represent the people of Templeton, is it a good thing to flip the people off, with regards to their by-laws. You know, the rules selectmen expect them to follow. To be sure, running for something and getting elected are two different things, but if asked, how does one answer the question of, are you aware of the Town by-law prohibiting you from doing what you appear to be trying to do? Of course, if you pay the $20.00 fine for violating a by-law, what else do you face, from a punishment factor?
Perhaps one can go before the Board of Appeals and get a waiver?

Jeff Bennett

A piece of interesting news from Hubbardston, MA;

Police Chief Dennis Perron could be the Chief that other Towns need to look to. In an article in The Gardner News, page one & four, weekend edition March 19-20, 2016, the Chief states "he doesn't see the need for a secure lock-up. With the advent of the regular lock-up being built in West Boylston, I don't see the need for a secure lock-up in this station." "That one meets the standards that we need to meet, Detainees can also be brought to Rutland." Chief Perron also went on to say "officers would have to watch detainees 24-7 in the station, adding to costs. He added that a temporary booking pocess will do, moving detainees somewhere else immediately after." Could Chief Perron be the one who is being honest and practical when talking about taxpayer dollars? To be sure, Chief Perron and Fire Chief Hayes are trying to get a police/fire complex funded and built in Hubbardston, but Chief Perron seem to be doing what most chiefs and department heads do, embellish their importance and their need for big spacious buildings that require this and that.

This is a Chief I would like to talk to and find out what is really involved in taking a prisoner to say the West Boylston lock-up, as in who watches them after they arrive there and who is responsible for transport to say Gardner district court.  I think we can look at the schools for ideas, regionalized school districts because it does not make sense for Templeton to have a high school and Phillipston to have a high school with all the associated costs involved in two buildings versus one. Just like it is a good business decision to close three old school buildings and go to one, you only have one furnace to operate and maintain, one parking lot to plow, etc, etc. The money pie is only so big and with everyone going after pie, the slices are getting thinner/smaller and smaller and perhaps not to far off, their is simply not going to be enough pie to go around.

Speaking of pie, the Templeton dispatch pie is getting expensive, especially for Templeton pie bakers (taxpayers) with them providing the pie dish, the oven and the gas to cook the pie. My opinion is this; divide the pie and the costs associated with it in half and then send half the costs to Phillipston in the form of a bill. It is time for Templeton residents/taxpayers to get an even break and it is time for Phillipston residents/taxpayers to pay their fair share. That needs to come via the Templeton Board of Selectmen, time for them to stand up for Templeton and negotiate a tough but fair contract with Phillipston concerning dispatch. It is time for selectmen to stick up for the people who elect them, Templeton residents. It is simply business, nothing personal.

Jeff Bennett