Massachusetts General Laws - chapter 41,
Officers and employees of cities, Towns and Districts
Section 56; Warrants for payment of bills.

As you read this, think about who should see first that there are not enough funds to pay for things such as pay raises? Could it be a complete failure of a system or lack of following an already established process? One procedure is for the accountant to produce an end of the fiscal year budget to actual report for the entire past fiscal year. This lets everyone see what was appropriated and what was actually spent. The fiscal year ended July 15, as that is the last day to do any transfers within the past fiscal year. Someone needs to be held accountable for this lapse. we already have an incomplete annual town report for 2015. Audits are not required to do this.


Section 56. The selectmen and all boards, committees, heads of departments and officers authorized to expend money shall approve and transmit to the town accountant as often as once each month all bills, drafts, orders and pay rolls chargeable to the respective appropriations of which they have the expenditure. Such approval shall be given only after an examination to determine that the charges are correct and that the goods, materials or services charged for were ordered and that such goods and materials were delivered and that the services were actually rendered to or for the town as the case may be; provided, however, that such approval may be given to any bill received from a state agency for the town's share of the costs of a federal urban planning assistance program, established under the provisions of section 701 of Public Law 83?560, as amended, before any goods, materials or services ordered or to be ordered under such a program have been delivered or actually rendered, as the case may be. The town accountant shall examine all such bills, drafts, orders and pay rolls, and, if found correct and approved as herein provided, shall draw a warrant upon the treasury for the payment of the same, and the treasurer shall pay no money from the treasury except upon such warrant approved by the selectmen. If there is a failure to elect or a vacancy occurs in the office of selectman, the remaining selectman or selectmen, together with the town clerk, may approve such warrant. The town accountant may disallow and refuse to approve for payment, in whole or in part, any claim as fraudulent, unlawful or excessive, and in such case he shall file with the town treasurer a written statement of the reasons for such refusal. The treasurer shall not pay any claim or bill so disallowed by the town accountant. So far as apt this section shall apply to cities.

posted by Jeff Bennett

As for the school, I hope the house is packed and questions are asked. Concerning finance, how will this go, again please, so it is clear. How much will be borrowed, what will the percentage be and can we afford it? How much in interest will we be paying in addition to the principle. At this point in time, a sales pitch is not wanted, just the cold hard facts. I hope a real estate agent would not tell you that you can afford more house than you really can just to make a sale and or commission!


posted by Jeff Bennett

It may be time for Templeton to swing over to a more conservative approach when it comes to funding things. Rather than looking for every penny available, begin but pretending the funds are not there. Take new growth for instance, it is an unknown, cannot be counted on and when it is "only" 60 to 100 thousand dollars, Perhaps, just ignore that for a year or two. The same can be done with vehicle excise tax, use a very very conservative approach. Take 2013 for instance, the estimate for excise tax was $821,000.00, the actual was $813,759.00. Estimate for 2014 was $888,779.00 and the actual was $948,747.00. A much better outcome and one that probably needs to be repeated for at least two years. In a very simple example, say you make 100 thousand per year in salary, but you live as though you only make 50 thousand per year. You should be able to save substantially, have few bills and not have the worry about how to pay for this or that. It may be time for Templeton to take the same approach. Stop looking at the documents to show how much is available and start looking at what we can live without, at least for say three years and plan it that way and then things should really work the way it has been presented the past 2 1/2 years. Just a thought.


posted by Jeff Bennett

It must be time for games, so lets play:

The following is posted on Diane Haley Brooks face book page:
it is something from my blog page.

Templeton Watch
It sounds like it would be good for people to start working five days a week again. Maybe that would give people more time to get something done. The thought I had about outsourcing these jobs looks better all the time.
JEFFBENNETT01468.BLOGSPOT.COM|BY JEFF Jeff Bennett

What is actually there is a comment from someone and as you can see, that was a little cut n paste work on the part of someone.
The comment can be seen on the this blog, under the post - ask not what your selectmen and employees can do for you, ask them if they know what they are doing?

Beverly Bartolomeo10:17 AM
It sounds like it would be good for people to start working five days a week again. Maybe that would give people more time to get something done. The thought I had about outsourcing these jobs looks better all the time

I do not wish to get credit for something I did not write. Maybe someone will send this "correction" over so it is all straight.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Some recent responses to questions concerning Templeton Town debt.
So the question of the day, who is keeping track of Templeton debt?
Does John Columbus need another compelling reason to look at a budget again?

Hi Jeff,

I don’t not have any paperwork on the new school.  Maybe the selectmen’s office or the school.  If you are looking for general ledger information that would be Kelli.

Kate Myers

Town of Templeton

Treasurer/Collector

PH 978.894.2764

FAX 978.894.2790

From: jpb01468@comcast.net [mailto:jpb01468@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 8:04 AM
To: Treasurer
Subject: Re: End of year transfers

Good Day,

       Kate,

   I am wondering do you have the latest project budget versus actual for the Templeton new elementary school? If you do and it is available electronically, could you send that to me? If it is not, please advise me when i could pick up a paper copy.

respectfully;

Jeff Bennett

Jeff you will need to put this in writing to the selectman office…I can just provide you a balance.

Kelli Pontbriand

Accountant

Town of Templeton

978-894-2765

From: Jeff [mailto:jpb01468@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 11:51 AM
To: Kelli Pontbriand
Subject: Re: Year End Transfers

The document I am looking for is just for the school project, it would show for instance, what has been spent on engineering as in what has been submitted and what has been received from MSBA

Thanks,

Bennett

Jeff:

I don’t have a specific project budget versus actual document, but I do have a rough copy spreadsheet with the amounts spent and reimbursements to the Town that was given to me when I started processing the reimbursements. I have not had the extra time to update it and enter all of the hard copies of payments and reimbursements that I have processed. I’m hoping to have some time to do that soon, but it may be a while-most likely after we get a Town Administrator and new assistant in place.

Holly A. Young

Holly A. Young,

Assistant to the Town Administrator

Town of Templeton

Town Hall, Room 6

P.O. Box 620, 160 Patriots Road

East Templeton, MA  01438

Phone 978-894-2762 - Fax 978-894-2801

AssistantToTownAdmin@templeton1.org

posted by Jeff Bennett

252 Baldwinville Road - No debt exclusion

Annual Town Meeting - May 2010 - all on the record:

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of One Million, Nine Hundred Eighty Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,980,500.00) for the purchase and renovation of a building located a 252 Baldwinville Road, Baldwinville, to include architectural services and all costs incidental or related thereto; and to meet such appropriation, to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow One Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,900,000.00) under G.L. Chapter 44, section 7, or any other enabling authority, and the sum of Eighty Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($80,500.00) shall be transferred from the Pajari Municipal Capitalization Fund; and that the Board of Selectmen is authorized to apply for, accept and expend any grants or loans in connection therewith and to take all actions necessary or convenient to effectuate this project.

Passed Unanimously/May 17th @ 10:24

There was an intent to apply for a 40 year USDA loan which did not happen.



posted by Jeff Bennett

If we have finished good clean books ready for audit, why can we not get simple records for debt exclusions?

"If you cannot make them see the light, make them feel the heat" quote from Ronald Reagon

Massachusetts General Law, chapter 41; officers and employees of cities, towns and districts
section 61 annual report:

Section 61. The town accountant shall make an annual report, to be published as a town document, giving a statement of all receipts and expenditures of the town for the past financial year, including those of funds managed by trustees or commissioners for the town and showing also the amount of each specific appropriation, the expenditures therefrom, and thepurpose for which money has been spent; and said statement shall be arranged in accordance with the classifications prescribed by the director of accounts. Such report shall contain a statement of any change in the amount of the town debt during the year and a list of indebtedness incurred and unpaid at the end of the financial year.

So when the Advisory Committee requests a financial document (s) that concern Town debt and Town debt exclusion (s) information, that information should be readily available and according to town by-law, readily furnished to said committee without delay or excuse.
Time for selectmen, accountant and treasurer to do their job, duty and follow the law.

This is a simple request from the Advisory committee and this is something covered by Templeton Town by-law, approved and voted on by the voters. The same people who elect selectmen, Advisory Committee members may only be appointed but Templeton Town by-law, Article IV, Advisory Committee, section 5 - In the discharge of its duty, said committee shall have free access to all books of record and accounts, bills and vouchers on which money has been or may be paid from the town treasury. Officers, boards, and committees of the town shall, upon request, furnish said committee with facts, figures, and any other information pertaining to their several activities. 

I am beginning to wonder how people who are charged with keeping track of town bills, payroll, debt, etc, can state they did not know about pay raises, if they are doing their job!

posted by Jeff Bennett