A slow news day in Templeton

Templeton's newest selectmen has so far as I can see has failed to deliver! At a meeting of the Templeton Advisory Committee discussion came up concerning the school project and a budget versus actual (so called) and selectmen Cameron Fortes stated he had also looked into that and he had the information. He was asked if he could forward that information the the Advisory Committee and he stated he would. That was two weeks ago and no information yet. So much for the contention from the spokesperson of Templeton highway and the select board, Dave Smart (in my opinion) on how this board delivers on questions.

Also notice that at tonight's selectmen meeting, there is a topic on updating selectmen policies and procedures. Interesting to see what additions or deletions come about. Hopefully there will be a full board present tonight so they do not go against their own policies, again!

Potholes on Barre Road must be multiplying as I drove that road yesterday and saw more than a few (a few being three or more) on a road that was supposedly already had its pot holes patched. Perhaps they ran out of material or the 7 hour work day is not enough time to complete the tasks.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Some selectmen meetings now called "Workshop" meetings. This seems to imply, in my opinion, that these meetings will only involve discussion rather than action. Do not assume that, if interested in your business, please attend.

Templeton Board of Selectmen Workshop Meeting Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton Monday, June 5, 2017, 6:30 p.m. Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order 2. Scholarship Committee Guidelines 3. Cable TV License Renewal 4. Electronic & Check Policy 5. Financial Policies Manual – Table of Contents Review 6. Management Letter & Audit – Follow-Up Discussion 7. FY ’17 Budget Transfers (If Any) 8. Updating Policies & Procedures of Board of Selectmen 9. Town Service Lapel Pin & Policy 10. General Discussion 11. Potential Request for Executive Session ~ Per M.G.L. c.30A, Sec. 21.2, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-union personnel. 12. Adjournment The listing of Agenda items is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent it is permitted by law. THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Scheduled By:	Holly Young
Posted At:	Jun 1, 2017 4:14 PM EDT
Last Modified:	Jun 1, 2017 4:14 PM EDT
Minutes:	Minutes are not on record with the Town Clerk's office

posted by Jeff Bennett

FROM: Carter Terenzini, Town Administrator

RE: Request for Transfer

DATE: May 25, 2017

CC: K. Pontbriand

______________________________________________________________________________

I write to provide you with the information you need to understand the attached request(s) for a transfer of funds. The Treasurer/Collector has resigned her position. In her absence, we have an obligation to pay the out-of-class compensation due the Deputy Treasure/Collector for covering this absence. We have also had to extend the hours of the Clerk to ensure we had enough staff time to process the work. In addition, we have had to cover the sick leave buy-out due the Treasurer/Collector upon her resignation.

First let me deal with the issue of pay for temporary assignments. Section 8E. of the Personnel Policy provides that:

“When an employee is temporarily assigned to a position with a higher rate of pay for forty (40) or more consecutive work hours, the employee will be compensated at the same rate of pay as the current employee holding that position after the first forty (40) hours and for the remainder of the temporary assignment.”

This requirement puts the T/C Salary account $950.00 short (# 1000-147-100-51-5110-0000). [As an FYI; In addition, we will be asking the BoS to authorize the carry-over of the Deputy’s vacation so that she can stay on the job during this interim staffing shortage.]

Next let me deal with the issue of the account entitled Treas/Collector Clerk wages (# 100-147-100-51-5115-0000). The need of an additional 13 hours per week for the Part-Time Clerk, which still leaves us roughly 20+/- hours a week below normal staffing levels, will leave this account short by some $2,500.00.

This is a total of $3,450 of inflows required. Given there will not be a permanent TA in place prior to July 1, 2017 there will be roughly $5,750 available in the personnel account for transfer by the end of the Fiscal Year. I propose to tap this source.

If we do not infuse the money to cover the temporary assignment, I would have no choice but to put the employee upon vacation. If we do not infuse the money to cover the added Clerk’s hours I would have no choice but to close the office. After a careful review of these and other options various options, I truly cannot see an alternative to this transfer.



posted by Jeff Bennett

david smartMay 28, 2017 at 5:27 PM

rocker scientists Bev we are short two laborers and patch what we can when other most important things are taken care of.I will say i did patching on both south and Barre rd.

We take care of the worst first.

Have a call we go out. If you see a problem report it.Call and report it we don't go around to patch until the sweeping is concluded and this year the money is tight to purchase patch as it has a high cost.

I guess you can't please all the people all the time.

But then some people exaggerate just a little!!

So, the apparent spokesperson for the Templeton Highway department and the selectmen, Dave Smart says money is tight to purchase road patching material. He also states no chapter 90 funds have been spent on buying road patching material. Perhaps that is the answer, poor management on both ends. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts providing funds to do just that, purchase road repair materials like cold patch, it states that in the post about Chapter 90 funds, but Templeton, according to the highway department spokesperson Smart, does not use those funds to purchase said material. If that is true, the question should be why not? Money is provided by way of what is described as a grant for certain things and road repair seems to be one of those things. Yet, it is not done, again, according to selectmen/highway spokesperson Smart. That my friends, is a lack of governmental services, decent roads without the pot holes. This is about the here and now, not three, four or more years ago, the present, today, the present sitting board of selectmen.

The money is there and so are the pot holes! So, What to do?

Monday, June 5, 2017

To: Templeton Board of Selectmen
       Templeton Town Hall
       160 Patriots Road
        E. Templeton, MA 01438


I am inquiring about the use of Templeton's apportioned share of Massachusetts Department of Transportations Chapter 90 money to the Town of Templeton. I wish to know how and/or what is was used for in Fiscal Year 2016. I would also like the same information for Fiscal Year 2017 and what are the plans, if any, for Fiscal Year 2018 with regards to chapter 90 monies. I ask these questions because of the many potholes on Town Roads and according to Templeton Highway department / Templeton Selectmen spokesperson Dave Smart, Templeton does not use any chapter 90 monies for pot hole repair, such as purchasing cold patch material. I take Mr. Smart at his word as he is a Templeton Town employee of the Templeton highway department and seems to know what goes on at the department as well as what and how the selectmen work. I am puzzled at his various statements about Templeton highway not using chapter 90 monies for some of its intended uses. Any assistance to these questions would be greatly appreciated. If an electronic copy of a detailed general ledger fund on the spending of chapter 90 monies is available, I would also request a copy in electronic form.

Thank you in advance for any and all assistance in this matter.

respectfully:




Jeffrey Bennett

1 copy to selectmen office
cc all selectmen members


Perhaps some official explanations can be had on the pothole situation and why no road repair money is being spent on road repair.

posted by Jeff Bennett

What is chapter 90 program and monies?

The Chapter 90 Program was enacted on March 23, 1973, by vote of the Public Works Commission to entitle Municipalities to reimbursement of documented expenditures under the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 34, Clause 2(a) on approved Projects. The Funds provided from Transportation Bond Issues authorizes such Capital Improvement Projects for Highway Construction, Preservation and Improvement Projects that create or extend the life of Capital Facilities as follows:

Chapter 90 is a 100% Reimbursable Program

Grants are made in accordance with Section 34 Chapter 90 MGL. These funds shall be used in compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations, including but not limited to, Chapter 30, Section 39M; Chapter 149, Section 44J; Chapter 149, Section 26-27F; as applicable for maintaining, repairing, improving and constructing town and county ways and bridges which qualify under the State Aid Highway Guidelines adopted by the Public Works Commission.

Project Guidelines Included in the Chapter 90 Law

Funds must be allocated to roadway projects, such as resurfacing and related work (the minimum for resurfacing shall be 3/4" course with a continuous length of 500') and other work incidental to the above such as preliminary engineering including State Aid/Consultant Design Agreements, right-of-way acquisition, shoulders, side road approaches, landscaping and tree planting, roadside drainage, structures (including bridges), sidewalks, traffic control and service facilities, street lighting (excluding operating costs), and for such other purposes as the Department may specifically authorize. The municipality shall provide documentation of compliance with Chapter 149, Sections 44J and 26-27F; as applicable.

Additional Project Guidelines for Chapter 90 Work Voted and Approved by the Board of Commissioners on September 28, 1994

Highway Construction, Preservation and Improvement Projects that Create or Extend the Life of Capital Facilities

Resurfacing, Graveling, Microsurfacing, Pug Mill Mix (cold mix), Chip Stone Seal, Oil and Stone, Infrared Repairs (in connection with surface treatments), Recycled Aggregate Pavement, Rip Rap, Fabric, Crack Sealing, Drainage, Intersections, Shoulders, Guardrails, Sidewalks, Footbridges, Berms and Curbs, Traffic Controls and Related Facilities, Right of Way Acquisition, Street Lighting (excluding operating costs and decorative enhancements), Construction, Direction and Warning Signs (must comply with MUTCD), Bridges, and Tree Planting/Landscaping in association with a project.

The above is from Mass DOT.

posted by Jeff Bennett

There does not seem to be a lack of funds for road repair, which would or should include the process of using cold patch for repair of pot holes.

March 31, 2017

Town of Templeton

PO Box 620

East Templeton, MA  01468

Dear Board:

We are pleased to inform you that Chapter 90 local transportation aid funding for Fiscal Year 2018 will total $200 million statewide, pending final legislative approval.

This letter certifies that, pending final passage of the bond authorization, your community's Chapter 90 apportionment for Fiscal Year 2018 is $ 333,245. This apportionment will automatically be incorporated into your existing 10-year Chapter 90 contract, which will be available on the MassDOT website, http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/chapter90.

Chapter 90 FY 2016 Apportionment - April 1, 2015 - TEMPLETON - $ 338,351

Chapter 90 FY 2017 Apportionment - Templeton - $335,950.00 (The fiscal year we are in now)

So it would appear that if this money for road work was not used to buy equipment, the holes in the roads could be repaired, before the sand is swept up so people could drive down Templeton roads without hitting all those holes out there. There does not seem to be a lack of funds, no matter what the cost of the material is, it seems to be again a management issue. Filling in the holes on Town roads is providing a service and that is the primary job of a government (in my opinion) and this service is really lacking. The only thing not lacking is excuses. Then again, when a selectmen meeting is not packed with people demanding action, do not expect much action other than the usual excuse, "we do the best we can with what we have."

posted by Jeff Bennett

Free Advertisement and now featured on Twitter.

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