Templeton Watch

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

another past public record email.

Remember, the selectmen budget is ok! . . . except for that little $200,000.00 shortfall.

gordongmoore@yahoo.com

To Robert Markel, Mark Barrieau and 5 others

I have spoken with the town administrator.

Our budget numbers work. There was a summing error in one of the codes. He has told me he is fixing it and we should have correct print outs.

Gordon

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.

Robert Markel

To Mark Barrieau, Bev Bartolomeo and 5 others

No. Selectmen budget is OK. It seems that TAB budget is off because the new growth figure was reduced from $80,000 to $50,000 and the Veterans Benefits account was raised from $30,000 to $95,000.

Bob

Robert T. Markel
Interim Town Administrator
Town of Templeton
160 Patriots Road
East Templeton, MA 01438
(978)894-2753

On May 13, 2016 at 3:14 PM gordongmoore@yahoo.com wrote: Is the selectman also off? Did the revenue numbers change‎? Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone. From: Robert Markel Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 3:01 PM To: Barrieau, Mark; Bartolomeo, Bev; Fulton, Katharine; Greene, Michael; jpb01468; Moore,…

posted by Jeff Bennett

email from Bob Markel on May 13, 2016 - one day before annual town meeting.

I was about to print the FY'17 budget with Advisory Committee recommendations. Decided to check all formulas and found that the TAB budget recommendation is $19K over.

Recommend that you convene tomorrow and vote changes. The Selectmen are going to vote the change that I implemented with regard to the Veterans Services budget, although they have already approved the changes.

Bob

Robert T. Markel
Interim Town Administrator
Town of Templeton
160 Patriots Road
East Templeton, MA 01438
(978)894-2753

posted by Jeff Bennett

What selectmen knew then . . .and John Columbus stated they were/are solving issues.

From: Robert Markel <townadministrator@templeton1.org>
To: Brooks, Diane, Columbus, John, John Caplis <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>, Morrison, Doug, Richard, Julie
Date: May 12, 2016 at 11:20 AM
Subject: Advisory Committee Recommendations

The proposed operating budget for Fiscal 2017 with Advisory Committee recommendations is attached.

Their approach is based upon a reduction in expected revenue from New Growth. For Fiscal 2016, new growth brought in an additional $94,000. In the prior year, it was $69,000.

I estimated new growth producing an additional $80,000 in revenue for FY'17. Thought that this was a conservative estimate, below the current year, in an economy that is doing better. The Advisory Committee cut the expected new growth revenue to $50,000, and they reduce the Town Administrator salary to $52,000 from $80,000 and they reduce the line item for wage and salary adjustments from $35,000 to $12,000 while giving a raise to the Deputy Assessor, the only Town employee given a raise directly in the budget of the Advisory Committee.

Assessors are always ultra-conservative about estimating new growth. Have never encountered Assessors who do it differently. If our Assessors stand up at Town Meeting and support the lower number, the ATM will likely go along with Advisory Committee recommendations. Singling out their Deputy Assessor for a raise will likely increase the pressure on the Assessors to support the AC new growth figure.

The BoS and I have supported a higher salary for the Deputy Assessor during the past year. Her salary in FY'15 was $43K. She was given two increases in FY'16 that brought her salary to $54K, and she was given an additional $2K in t our FY'17 budget. Luanne is an excellent employee and she deserves a good salary. I question why a $12K increase over two fiscal years is inadequate. Is the AC attempting to influence the Assessors to support for their view of new growth?

I had $25,000 in the Selectmen's budget for raises for non-unionized employees. It was raised to $35,000 in case we need to increase the Fire Chief's salary during recruitment. The current Chief is paid $64K. I put $70K in the FY'17 budget and an additional $10 buried in the BoS budget in case we need it.

Also, the BoS has said that they want to recruit a permanent T.A. during Fiscal '17. Why reduce the T.A. salary in the budget when it will have to be raised back to $80K or beyond during recruitment?

Kelli said that Jeff Bennett prevailed upon the AC to raise the budget for Veterans Benefits to $95K. Not sure why. AC supports the revolving fund which will use state reimbursements to fund Veterans Benefits.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Monday, November 21, 2016

Article II of Templeton General By-Laws; Town Meeting.

Section 6. All articles in any warrant for a town meeting shall be referred to the Advisory Committee for its consideration. The Selectmen after drawing any such warrant shall transmit immediately a copy thereof to the chairman of said committee. A public hearing shall be held, upon all such articles, unless a public hearing by some other tribunal is required by law, and a notice of such hearing shall be given by inserting in the local newspaper. Said committee shall, after due consideration of the subject matter of such articles, report thereon to the town meeting, in writing, such recommendations as it deems best for the interests of the town and its citizens. Copies of the report of the Advisory Committee shall be made available to the voters at least two days before town meetings and at all town meetings.

Section 17. The most current issue of TOWN MEETING TIME is to be considered the general guideline for all procedures of town meetings, except those procedures already provided for by the by-laws.

I believe the Templeton by-laws allow for the Advisory Committee to put it's recommendations on a table (s) outside of Town meeting hall, as in before you sign in and enter Town Meeting, where the Moderator presides, not outside of Town Meeting. Also people are free to bring into town meeting said recommendations to have has reference material when a vote or discussion comes up. Any interference in this practice seems to be a violation of town by-law and an infringement on democracy, in my opinion. Perhaps that needs to be asked of a municipal lawyer and/or the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Massachusetts General law - powers of the moderator

Section 15. The moderator shall preside and regulate the proceedings, decide all questions of order, and make public declaration of all votes, and may administer in open meeting the oath of office to any town officer chosen thereat. If a vote so declared is immediately questioned by seven or more voters, he shall verify it by polling the voters or by dividing the meeting unless the town has by a previous order or by-law provided another method. If a two thirds, four fifths or nine tenths vote of a town meeting is required by statute, the count shall be taken, and the vote shall be recorded in the records by the clerk; provided, however, that a town may decide by by-law or vote not to take a count and record the vote if a two-thirds vote of a town meeting is required by statute; and provided, further, that if the vote is unanimous, a count need not be taken, and the clerk shall record the vote as unanimous.

A town may pass by-laws, subject to this section, for the regulation of the proceedings at town meetings. Such by-laws shall be approved and published in the manner prescribed by section thirty-two of chapter forty.

In any town having a representative town meeting form of government the town meeting members shall not use the secret ballot when voting in the exercise of the corporate powers of said town or on any motion unless two thirds of the town meeting members present and voting thereon vote that a secret ballot be used.

Section 17. No person shall address a town meeting without leave of the moderator, and all persons shall, at the request of the moderator, be silent. If a person, after warning from the moderator, persists in disorderly behavior, the moderator may order him to withdraw from the meeting, and, if he does not withdraw, may order a constable or any other person to remove him and confine him in some convenient place until the meeting is adjourned.

Section 18. The moderator shall receive the vote of any person whose name is on the voting list or who presents a proper certificate from the registrars of voters.

posted by Jeff Bennett

At tonight's selectmen workshop, John Columbus blamed the Advisory Committee for their financial problem and the fact that a majority of town meeting attendees did not vote for an article the selectmen proposed; to take $87,500.00 out of the Town's stabilization fund to cover the selectmen screw up. A financial mistake, misstep, error or problem is not new for Templeton, but as the chairman of the board of selectmen when the FY 2017 expense spread sheet was prepared for presentation to town meeting, John Columbus has to own that one. The Advisory Committee has seven members, so even if we all raised both hands, we could not make that vote happen, the people did that. He also made a comment about some unauthorized information at town meeting and I plan on asking for an explanation of that remark. I heard a $200,000.00 shortage for 2017 and I will ask for clarification on that too.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Sunday, November 20, 2016

More "where the money comes from?"

So, Templeton has a projected ability to raise $9,639,288.00 by way of real and personal property taxes and debt exclusions.

From the Mass.gov webpage, under state aid for Templeton:

notice to Assessors of estimated receipts:

Unrestricted general aid of $1,340,791.00
Veterans benefits of 120,318.00
Exemption of VBS & elderly 62,775.00
State owned land 110,786.00
public libraries 11,309.00

Total estimated receipts $1,654,235.00

notice to Assessors of estimated charges:

air pollution $ 1,969.00
RMV non renewal surcharge 11,700.00
regional transit 49,652.00

Total 63,321.00

Receipts of $1,654,235.00
Charges of 63,321.00

net receipts $1,590,914.00

Figures presented at annual town meeting by selectmen:
State aid $1,599,038.00
charges 56,700.00

posted by Jeff Bennett