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Cameron Fortes‏ @CameronFortes

Templeton's finest journalist really dug up the dirt on me. Check this link out for a slow news day in Templeton https://jeffbennett01468.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-tough-life-of-elected-official.html?showComment=1495995032535#c5863442060549415030 …

Good thing I never claimed to be a journalist. I simply like to once in a while peruse the postings of elected officials face book and twitter and even snapchat and all those other things out there. Never know what one may find. Besides, you may find you are being talked about. If I had a thin skin, I would never have volunteered for the Advisory Committee. Now, as a Thomas Taylor posted, referring to me "He is scrapping the bottom of the barrel to report on a twitter feed." But Thomas (if that is your real name) I am simply trying to give Cameron's twitter postings the attention they deserve. So are you saying that Cameron is the bottom of the barrel? That kind of implies Templeton has scraped the bottom of the barrel for a selectmen. Not my opinion at this time, but I think it is a conclusion that could be reached following your "logic."
People have lost jobs for things posted on say a face book page so why not have a look see every so often? What can be the harm?

posted by Jeff Bennett

It is being paid out of the 911 Grant as budgeted for this year.

Kelli Pontbriand

Accountant

Town of Templeton

978-894-2765

From: Julie Farrell [mailto:jfarrell59@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2017 8:48 PM
To: Kelli Pontbriand
Cc: Advisory Committee; Beverly Bartolomeo; Gordon Moore; Jeff Bennett; Paul Grubb; Wilfred Spring; Cameron Fortes; Carter Terenzini; Diane Haley Brooks; Doug Morrison; John Caplis; Julie Richard
Subject: Re: Budget VS Actual as of 5/11/2017

Hello Everyone,

At tonight's Advisory Committee meeting, it was voted that I should contact you to bring an issue in the latest Budget to Actual to your attention.

On page 4 of 17 of the Expenditure Ledger, Dispatcher wages is expended 97.38 %. According to the May 11, 2017 version of the Expenditure Ledger, there was $6,933.19 left in this account to pay for dispatcher wages for the rest of this fiscal year. 

​

The Advisory Committee is concerned that there is not enough money in this account to meet payroll this week and for the rest of this fiscal year.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We are look forward to your response to this matter.

One time revenue to cover reoccurring expenses - hope this is not part of that five year plan our new selectmen is talking about on Twitter.

Cameron Fortes‏ 
@CameronFortes

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Templeton is going to get such a revival. Working out a 5 year plan with no more debt, no higher taxes, and no more petty politics

posted by Jeff Bennett

from the E911 Commission (you can google it and read it all for yourself)

Templeton will again this fiscal year - 2017 use grant funds (one time funds) to "balance" a budget, as in cover reoccurring expenses with grant funds - shows again how Templeton does not have its finances straight.

V.        Use of Funding

Grantees may only use grant funds for the purposes listed below.  Use of all grant funding shall be: (a) related to the provision of enhanced 911 service; and (b) approved by the State 911 Department.   Funds shall not be used for any equipment, personnel or services that are not directly related to the provision of enhanced 911 service.  The State 911 Department reserves the right to reject the funding of items that are equivalent to items that have been purchased with State 911 Department grant funds and are still within their industry standard accepted shelve lives.  Additionally, the State 911 Department reserves the right, consistent with these guidelines, to provide or deny funding for types or classes of items that have been permitted or denied in prior grant cycles.

The State 911 Department will allow funding for the purchase or lease of equipment and for debt service on equipment, including without limitation, principal and interest payments on loans, notes, and bonds.  The State 911 Department will allow grantees to assign lease, debt service, and/or or incremental purchase costs to this grant.  However, any and all funding requested under this grant program shall be for goods and/or services received.  Funding will not be disbursed for obligations made without receipt of goods/services.  The State 911 Department makes no guarantee of funding from year to year and does not assume any obligation, as guarantor or otherwise, under any purchase, lease, or debt instrument. 

1.                  Allowable Expenses

Unless otherwise noted, primary PSAPs, regional PSAPs, regional secondary PSAPs, and RECCs shall be eligible to receive reimbursement of allowable expenses related to the categories below.  Primary PSAPs, regional PSAPs, and RECCs who transfer 911 calls to a secondary PSAP may be reimbursed for the allowable expenses of such secondary PSAP.   Funding shall not be available for expenses of a ringing PSAP or a limited secondary PSAP, except where such limited secondary PSAP is the certified emergency medical dispatch resource for the PSAP.

A. Enhanced 911 Telecommunicator Personnel Costs – to defray the costs of salary for enhanced 911 telecommunicator personnel, including enhanced 911 telecommunicators who are emergency communications dispatchers or supervisors.  In order to be eligible for such funding, a grantee shall show that the personnel costs to be reimbursed: (1) cover only personnel who are trained and certified as an enhanced 911  telecommunicator in accordance with the requirements of the State 911 Department, or are in the process of obtaining such certification, in accordance with the requirements of the State 911 Department; and (2) except as otherwise approved by the State 911 Department, are solely for hours in which such personnel are working in the capacity of an enhanced 911 telecommunicator as their primary job function.  Reimbursement may be allowed for straight time costs for on the job training for new telecommunicators who are in the process of obtaining certification as an enhanced 911 telecommunicator, in accordance with the requirements of the State 911 Department.  Reimbursement for personnel costs related to training may be allowed only for training courses that have been approved by the State 911 Department under the Fiscal Year 2017 State 911 Department Training Grant, or with the prior written approval of the State 911 Department.  Reimbursement for personnel costs for individuals who have other primary job duties not directly related to enhanced 911 service, such as firefighters or police officers who may occasionally be assigned PSAP enhanced 911 telecommunicator duty, may be allowed only for the documented hours in which the employee is acting primarily in the capacity of an enhanced 911 telecommunicator.  For example, if a police officer or firefighter is assigned to work as an enhanced 911 telecommunicator 1 day a week, funding from these grants may only be used to cover the portion of such firefighter or police officer’s salary for the 1 day a week that he or she is assigned to enhanced 911 telecommunicator duty.  Funding awarded through these grants shall be assigned to specific identified personnel, and the funding shall be applied to the personnel costs associated with such specific identified personnel. 

All wage reimbursements authorized under this Program shall be allocated by the grantee in adherence with applicable collective bargaining agreements.  However, the State 911 Department is not bound by or required to adhere to grantee collective bargaining agreements when determining allocations or reimbursements.

Certified enhanced 911 telecommunicators for whom reimbursement requests are submitted shall be identified on the Personnel Costs form contained in the Application Package.   A PSAP may add a certified enhanced 911 telecommunicator or personnel working toward such certification following the award of the grant by submitting a request to 911DeptGrants@state.ma.us.  Said request shall contain the information noted on the Personnel Costs form contained in the Application Package and shall provide documentation of the required certifications received from attendance at courses hosted by an entity other than the State 911 Department.   The State 911 Department will review the request and advise, in writing, whether or not the request has been approved.

posted by Jeff Bennett

The tough life of an elected official: Twitter is happening

Cameron Fortes‏ @CameronFortes  May 10

Man, being a public official really limits what I can post on social media. How am I supposed to shitpost memes now?

Cameron Fortes‏ @CameronFortes  May 2

This morning at 9:00AM I was officially sworn in and will only respond to "Mr. Selectman." Thanks again everybody!

Cameron Fortes‏ @CameronFortes  May 18

Hatemail letter #1: "I have socks older than you." "You don't have the experience needed to run a town" I suppose this guys socks do..

Welcome to Templeton politics.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Town Meeting:

 Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee or Advisory Committee or Warrant Committee

What are the roles of the above with regards to budget preparation, presentation for and to Town Meeting - the legislative body of most Towns. The legislative body is NOT the board of selectmen, as one member of the Templeton BOS mistakenly (I hope) told me "the legislative body, the board of selectmen" in a conversation about something. 

From the Templeton, MA General Town By-Laws:

ARTICLE III - Town Officers

Section 4.  "It shall be the duty of the Town Administrator in conjunction with the board of selectmen to consider expenditures and develop a budget for the ensuing fiscal year for the several boards, and committees of the Town, as prepared by them in such form and detail as prescribed by the Town Administrator."

There is a section 4 under Article IV - Advisory Committee that also deals with the budget but for the moment, put that aside and deal with the above.

Page 88 of the Handbook for Massachusetts Selectmen:

Finance Committee (or Advisory or Warrant Committee)

The finance committee—or, in some towns, the advisory or warrant committee—is a town’s official

fiscal watchdog. Its primary, statutory responsibility is to advise and make recommendations to town

meeting on the budget and other areas of finance. One of the finance committee’s most important

functions involves making transfers from the town’s reserve fund (a contingency fund normally

created as part of annual budget appropriations) to other line items in the budget for extraordinary or unforeseen occurrences.

While the finance committee plays a vital role, it is within the executive authority of the selectmen,

and/or their appointees, to prepare the town’s budget. The selectmen have ultimate responsibility to

the residents for this service. The finance committee’s responsibility is to review the budget submitted to them and to make recommendations regarding the budget to the town’s legislative body: the town meeting. 

(In my opinion, that can only happen if the selectmen and Town Administrator have a time table that allows ample time for the Advisory Committee to do its job! - Jeff Bennett)

From the Finance Committee Handbook:

 "The board of selectmen, town manager, town administrator or executive secretary are part of the executive branch of government. It is their job to collect budget information, develop budget priorities and formulate a balanced budget, the same as the president or governor.

Once developed, that budget is presented to the finance committee (Advisory or Warrant) representing the legislative branch (body), Town Meeting. In effect, the local finance committee (Advisory in Templeton) has the same role as the House Ways and Means Committee in the State House. It is the finance committees responsibility to receive the budgets from the executive branch, either collectively or individually by department, analyze them, have hearings where the department heads and public can testify and present a balanced budget to Town Meeting. That budget should reflect the finance committees decisions based upon their best judgement of the issues and finances of the Town. The budget before town meeting is the finance committee's and it is their job to explain and defend it. This does not preclude department heads or the town administrator from being called upon to answer questions or explain items in more detail, but it is finance committees budget. 

"Without finance committee independent review, the town meeting would be at a severe handicap in voting on financial matters when all of the recommendations are coming from one source. Separation of powers was designed by our founding fathers for a reason - Defend it!" Alan Tosti, Chair, Arlington Finance Committee, Treasurer ATFC and Editor of the Finance Committee handbook (as presented in 2014 update of the handbook)

posted by Jeff Bennett

Templeton Town Counsel:

Sherborn Selectman Paul DeRensis was reappointed by Governor Charlie Baker on Feb. 10 to a ninth term as a member of the Massachusetts Local Government Advisory Commission. Former Governor Deval Patrick had initially appointed DeRensis to this commission. Baker first reappointed DeRensis in February 2015; this is the third reappointment by Baker. Lt. Governor Karyn Polito administered the oath of office on Feb. 14. State law provides that responsibilities of commissioners include the following:
“1. to review and analyze proposed legislation and regulatory changes from the point of view of municipal government and present such point of view to the governor, his executive secretaries and to the general court;
2. to act as an independent advocate for the interests of local governments in their relations with state and federal governments;
3. to advise officials of the commonwealth and the federal government on the needs of local governments, assist in mobilizing state and federal resources to deal with problems of local governments, provide coordinating support to Sherborn’s Paul DeRensis reappointed to state commission agencies responsible for administering federal, state and local programs, and promote legislative and administrative proposals reflecting the interests of local governments;
4. to establish, from time to time, study committees or task forces to consider issues pertaining to local government in detail and to present the results of those considerations to the governor, the secretaries of his executive offices and to the general court;
5. to meet monthly with the governor and at such other times...;
6. to meet quarterly with the legislative leadership, and at such other times as may be necessary.

Templeton is lucky to have Mr. DeRensis as it's main legal counsel.


posted by Jeff Bennett

from Division of Local Services - who can be contacted for questions.

REVENUE AND APPROPRIATION DEFICITS
 March 2017

Field visits with municipal finance officials have revealed certain misconceptions about what constitutes a “budget deficit.” The term is often used when projected revenues are lower than anticipated expenditures at the start of the budget process. However, because municipal budgets must be in balance, policymakers must close this gap before the start of the fiscal year. After the tax rate is set, appropriation and revenue deficits can arise during the course of the fiscal year and must be addressed before the following year’s tax rate can be approved. An appropriation deficit is an excess of expenditures at any point in a fiscal year over the legally authorized amount approved by the local appropriating authority for the same period. With four spending exceptions (court judgments, snow and ice costs, overlay, and emergencies threatening public health or safety), a city or town department may not overexpend its appropriation under M.G.L. c. 44, §31. Unless corrected prior to year-end through transfer or appropriation of unexpended reserves, all appropriation deficits must be raised on the tax rate recapitulation sheet (tax recap) for the ensuing fiscal year. Illegal appropriation deficits also negatively hit free cash, which creates a double penalty. A revenue deficit is the amount by which actual revenues at year-end fall short of projected revenues and are thereby insufficient to cover actual expenditures (not including appropriation deficits). A revenue deficit must also be raised on the tax recap for the following year, but unlike an appropriation deficit, it does not affect a community’s free cash calculation. It is useful to remember that in determining revenue deficits, municipalities are allowed to regard the current year’s net real and personal property taxes as 100 percent collectible. This effectively narrows the source of a revenue deficit to state aid or local receipt categories. With either deficit type, town accountants and city auditors should monitor expenditure and revenue trends during the fiscal year to identify potential problems. Appropriation deficits can often be corrected through transfer or appropriation. An identified revenue deficit usually requires a corresponding midyear spending reduction. However, it is not possible to fully quantify a revenue deficit until after the fiscal year closes and a balance sheet is prepared. In addition to monitoring revenues and expenditures throughout the year, these are other methods to avoid or remedy deficits:  Under M.G.L. c. 41, §56, the accountant or auditor should disallow any departmental payment request when the appropriation balance in the line item to be charged is insufficient to cover the invoice amount. The timely exercise of this authority when processing warrants will prevent appropriation deficits. 
 A town meeting or city council may approve midyear line-item transfers or appropriate from reserve balances. In either case, the executive branch must originate the request.
 Under M.G.L. c. 44, §33B, a board of selectmen (with the finance committee’s agreement) or a city council may approve the transfer of appropriations between line items during the last two months of the fiscal year or the first 15 days of the ensuing fiscal year, provided that the appropriations are not taken from the school department or municipal light plant.
 Under M.G.L. c. 40, §5A and M.G.L. c. 40, §6, a city council or town finance committee may vote to transfer from the reserve fund an amount to fund extraordinary or unforeseen expenses.


posted by Jeff Bennett