from the finance committee handbook, chapter 3, page 20
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) has ruled
that finance committees are responsible for preparing and
submitting their municipality’s annual budget (Chapter 39 s
16, Ch. 41, s 59 and s 60M.G.L.), unless there is a charter or
bylaw giving this authority to the board of selectmen or town
manager (DOR’s In Our Opinion, 93-310). The exact format
of an annual town budget is community specific. DOR has
determined that while the law regarding annual municipal
budget format is directed to cities, it should also be followed
by towns.
The format found in the law addresses itself to budgetary
basics. Almost all towns and cities in the Commonwealth go
well beyond this in their annual budget presentation package (see Chapter 2). DOR has also ruled that only a townmeeting — not the finance committee or selectmen — maydetermine the exact budget format to be used (see In OurOpinion, 92-145). As a practical matter, town meetingwould have to vote to reject the present format and request a
new one for the following year.
If you wish to send a message to the selectmen, try a citizen's petition to change the budget format at Town Meeting. (Who is really in charge?)
Friday, July 6, 2018
How it gets done in Templeton selectmen office;
Following last night's meeting, I checked the "mail slot" of the Advisory Committee in Town Hall. Mail from the school district, which contained a letter informing Advisory that on June 18, 2018, the school committee voted an interim assessment concerning Templeton's contribution. The amount voted is $6,332,752.00. This does not include the debt service for the district. Letter states assessments (dollar figures) will be recertified for both member towns after such time as Town of Templeton holds it's fall special Town Meeting in October to include the debt service. (letter dated June 22, 2018)
Also included, a letter to the district from Carter Terenzini (with cc to BOS, treasurer/Collector and Accounting) Advisory Committee was left off, probably not on the Christmas card list of the Town Administrator.
That letter sent to district superintendent, states that "I write to assure you that sufficient funds were appropriated to pay the Town's NRSD debt." (I need to see that warrant article) Letter goes on as; "While those funds may not have been appropriated in the conventional manner within your article, the general fund contains a $500,000.00 sum of monies which were originally intended to reduce a Bond Anticipation Note from $10,000,000.00 to $9,500,000.00 upon it's rollover in the fall of 2018. This payment is not required but was anticipatory. Therefore, we will use this uncommitted fund to pay your assessment upon as it becomes due."
"I shall leave to the BOS the matter of whether or not to backfill it at the fall Town Meeting."
"Please feel free to call upon me if I may provide you with any further information or certifications on this matter of the availability of these funds."
signed Carter Terenzini, Town Administrator.
CC: BOS, Treasure/Collector, Accounting.
The letter is dated May 22, 2018
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Is it the entity of government or the administration of government?
I see it as the action or lack of action that gets most people to speak on the subject of government.
Why are our roads not fixed? Why are you giving out raises and then asking for an override (tax increase issue), interestingly, a prop 2 1/12 override does not automatically equal or mean a tax increase, however, it is generally perceived as such.
So, I attend a sewer commission meeting and the Town Administrator and town accountant are present. A subject is moving sewer collections from the sewer department to Town Hall. Why is the Town Collector not present? Why were the employees in the selectmen's office unaware of where the Town Administrator and Town Accountant were at that time? Some big secret meeting?
Is that how someone gets mentored and shown how the job works, by being left out of things?
Take the FY 2019 Templeton spending plan for instance; it has $65,250.00 for town administrator salary, $48,185.00 for management fellow, $13,742.00 for an administrative assistant and there is the $40,000.00 for raises included in the spending plan. (The contract for Carter Terenzini's for 16 hours per week - contract is on Town website)
In an article in the Gardner News, Templeton employee Carter Terenzini was quoted as saying Templeton is on the low end of the pay scale in the market regarding Town Administrator salary.
If the selectmen use the above available funds, there is conservatively $140,000.00 available to offer as salary for a full time T/A. That is not on the low end of things. Hubbardston, for instance pays $85,000.00. Athol Town manager in FY2018, proposed his salary at $135,000.00.
Templeton could be labeled as average or slightly above average on the pay scale for a T/A, but I do not think anyone can honestly state it is on the bottom or the low side of the market place.
I look at the Gardner News article as another piece of misinformation coming from the selectmen's office.
I see it as the action or lack of action that gets most people to speak on the subject of government.
Why are our roads not fixed? Why are you giving out raises and then asking for an override (tax increase issue), interestingly, a prop 2 1/12 override does not automatically equal or mean a tax increase, however, it is generally perceived as such.
So, I attend a sewer commission meeting and the Town Administrator and town accountant are present. A subject is moving sewer collections from the sewer department to Town Hall. Why is the Town Collector not present? Why were the employees in the selectmen's office unaware of where the Town Administrator and Town Accountant were at that time? Some big secret meeting?
Is that how someone gets mentored and shown how the job works, by being left out of things?
Take the FY 2019 Templeton spending plan for instance; it has $65,250.00 for town administrator salary, $48,185.00 for management fellow, $13,742.00 for an administrative assistant and there is the $40,000.00 for raises included in the spending plan. (The contract for Carter Terenzini's for 16 hours per week - contract is on Town website)
In an article in the Gardner News, Templeton employee Carter Terenzini was quoted as saying Templeton is on the low end of the pay scale in the market regarding Town Administrator salary.
If the selectmen use the above available funds, there is conservatively $140,000.00 available to offer as salary for a full time T/A. That is not on the low end of things. Hubbardston, for instance pays $85,000.00. Athol Town manager in FY2018, proposed his salary at $135,000.00.
Templeton could be labeled as average or slightly above average on the pay scale for a T/A, but I do not think anyone can honestly state it is on the bottom or the low side of the market place.
I look at the Gardner News article as another piece of misinformation coming from the selectmen's office.
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Not really complicated, just takes some effort and initiative from those in charge.
Reading emails involving funding for the new school shows that the selectmen can and did got to extraordinary lengths to make something happen, so why not do the same for some residents?
from the link posted by justsmartenough;
Deferred Payment Loans: Most programs place conditions on grants or offer them as forgivable or “deferred-payment” loans (DPLs). A property lien in the amount of the DPL is placed on the property for a specified number of years (15 year minimum.) However, a DPL becomes a grant if it is not sold or transferred within a specified period of time and if all other program requirements are met (e.g., rental agreement). If the lien conditions are violated, the borrower (i.e., the property owner) is subject to specified penalties -- generally, foreclosure on the loan amount. DPLs may take the form of interest subsidies or principle reduction grants to leverage other funds, or they may provide the full amount of rehabilitation costs up to a program’s established maximum limit. A property owner receiving a DPL would not have to make any loan repayments and the full amount of the loan would be forgiven if he/she still lived in the assisted property at the end of a specified number of years. If the property was sold before the end of this specified lien period, then the full amount or a portion of the amount would have to be repaid. This is the program design most widely used in the Mass. CDBG Program.
How can assisted properties be protected from speculation? CDBG-assisted housing rehabilitation programs must include in their design an anti-speculation / recapture /
forgiveness policy to protect against real estate speculation. (This is a required component of the program application. Refer to Mass. CDF/ME Application Guidance, page 25 for instructions.) Most communities impose a time limit in the form of a lien (15 year minimum is required) on the property that restricts the sale or transfer of ownership. Full or partial funds are recaptured (i.e., recovered) by the community if a property is sold or transferred before the expiration of the lien. All contractual agreements executed between communities and individual property owners must include anti-speculation and recapture provisions that are triggered in the event of (a) sale or transfer of the assisted property, (b) noncompliance by the property owner with the terms of the rental agreement, and (c) noncompliance with other provisions of the contract. a. Mass. CDBG recommends that the time limitations in a recapture policy be appropriate to the level of investment of public funds, the financial condition of participating property owners, and the nature of the rehabilitation work. Many municipalities waive the recapture of funds if the transfer of property is from one family member to another (e.g., parent to child or sibling to sibling) and the new occupant family (a) resides in the property, (b) is income eligible, and (c) assumes the balance of the years remaining on the lien. However, Mass. CDBG requires that assisted units be made affordable to low- and moderate-income households for a minimum of fifteen (15) years. b. The recapture policy must include a description of the community’s procedures for compliance monitoring and the corrective action(s) that will be required of violators. Liens and mortgages are two legal means employed by housing rehabilitation programs to enforce and protect the terms of recapture policies. Mortgages are generally used with funding mechanisms that require monthly payments by owner. In such instances, the banking institution and/or the municipality assume responsibility for filing, tracking, and clearing the mortgage. Consequently, the community must establish a system for filing, tracking, and discharging the liens and for filing, tracking, and clearing the mortgages.
Perhaps justsmartenough can provide the link to the Town's policy on this issue?
The issue that was before the selectmen could have been dealt with in a way to aid the two people that were before them (BOS), if the selectmen wished to help.
Reading emails involving funding for the new school shows that the selectmen can and did got to extraordinary lengths to make something happen, so why not do the same for some residents?
from the link posted by justsmartenough;
Deferred Payment Loans: Most programs place conditions on grants or offer them as forgivable or “deferred-payment” loans (DPLs). A property lien in the amount of the DPL is placed on the property for a specified number of years (15 year minimum.) However, a DPL becomes a grant if it is not sold or transferred within a specified period of time and if all other program requirements are met (e.g., rental agreement). If the lien conditions are violated, the borrower (i.e., the property owner) is subject to specified penalties -- generally, foreclosure on the loan amount. DPLs may take the form of interest subsidies or principle reduction grants to leverage other funds, or they may provide the full amount of rehabilitation costs up to a program’s established maximum limit. A property owner receiving a DPL would not have to make any loan repayments and the full amount of the loan would be forgiven if he/she still lived in the assisted property at the end of a specified number of years. If the property was sold before the end of this specified lien period, then the full amount or a portion of the amount would have to be repaid. This is the program design most widely used in the Mass. CDBG Program.
How can assisted properties be protected from speculation? CDBG-assisted housing rehabilitation programs must include in their design an anti-speculation / recapture /
forgiveness policy to protect against real estate speculation. (This is a required component of the program application. Refer to Mass. CDF/ME Application Guidance, page 25 for instructions.) Most communities impose a time limit in the form of a lien (15 year minimum is required) on the property that restricts the sale or transfer of ownership. Full or partial funds are recaptured (i.e., recovered) by the community if a property is sold or transferred before the expiration of the lien. All contractual agreements executed between communities and individual property owners must include anti-speculation and recapture provisions that are triggered in the event of (a) sale or transfer of the assisted property, (b) noncompliance by the property owner with the terms of the rental agreement, and (c) noncompliance with other provisions of the contract. a. Mass. CDBG recommends that the time limitations in a recapture policy be appropriate to the level of investment of public funds, the financial condition of participating property owners, and the nature of the rehabilitation work. Many municipalities waive the recapture of funds if the transfer of property is from one family member to another (e.g., parent to child or sibling to sibling) and the new occupant family (a) resides in the property, (b) is income eligible, and (c) assumes the balance of the years remaining on the lien. However, Mass. CDBG requires that assisted units be made affordable to low- and moderate-income households for a minimum of fifteen (15) years. b. The recapture policy must include a description of the community’s procedures for compliance monitoring and the corrective action(s) that will be required of violators. Liens and mortgages are two legal means employed by housing rehabilitation programs to enforce and protect the terms of recapture policies. Mortgages are generally used with funding mechanisms that require monthly payments by owner. In such instances, the banking institution and/or the municipality assume responsibility for filing, tracking, and clearing the mortgage. Consequently, the community must establish a system for filing, tracking, and discharging the liens and for filing, tracking, and clearing the mortgages.
Perhaps justsmartenough can provide the link to the Town's policy on this issue?
The issue that was before the selectmen could have been dealt with in a way to aid the two people that were before them (BOS), if the selectmen wished to help.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
As a member of the Templeton Advisory Committee, I have heard some members question the lack of a certified Treasurer/Collector. "Treasurer/Collector is not certified and that is not what I voted for".
As can be read from the Templeton Town website or annual Town report, there is no mention of being certified mentioned as a requirement of employment. While it would be a benefit to the Town and residents to have the selectmen hire an experienced / certified Treasurer/Collector, Town Meeting vote record does not indicate such requirement.
TOWN OF TEMPLETON
WARRANT FOR SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
MARCH 29, 2014
ARTICLE 8 To see if the Town will vote to consolidate the offices of Treasure and Collector and establish a joint Treasure /Collector position and an Assistant Treasure/Collector position to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen or their designee; or take any other action relative thereto.
Submitted by the Selectboard at the request of the Advisory Board
On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted that the Treasurer, who is appointed by the Board of Selectmen, be authorized to act as Collector and to be assisted by an Assistant Treasurer appointed by the Board of Selectmen, subject to the Town voting by ballot question pursuant to M.G.L. c.41, Section 1 to authorize its Treasurer to act as collector.
Passed/March 29th @ 1:10
TOWN OF TEMPLETON
WARRANT FOR ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION
MAY 5, 2014
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Question 3:
Shall the Treasurer, who is appointed by the Board of Selectmen, be authorized to
act as Collector?
YES_________ NO____________
Results: 865 Yes - 545 No and 66 blanks.
The intent may have been there, but that is not what was presented and therefor, could not have been voted on. Kind of hard to make a case that one voted for a certified treasurer/collector, when that was not part of the question.
So, while the observations and thoughts of some, might be that the office of the Templeton Treasurer/Collector is a disaster right now, that is probably a management issue and lack of engagement on the part of selectmen, rather than a lack of certification as a stand alone issue.
As can be read from the Templeton Town website or annual Town report, there is no mention of being certified mentioned as a requirement of employment. While it would be a benefit to the Town and residents to have the selectmen hire an experienced / certified Treasurer/Collector, Town Meeting vote record does not indicate such requirement.
TOWN OF TEMPLETON
WARRANT FOR SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
MARCH 29, 2014
ARTICLE 8 To see if the Town will vote to consolidate the offices of Treasure and Collector and establish a joint Treasure /Collector position and an Assistant Treasure/Collector position to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen or their designee; or take any other action relative thereto.
Submitted by the Selectboard at the request of the Advisory Board
On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted that the Treasurer, who is appointed by the Board of Selectmen, be authorized to act as Collector and to be assisted by an Assistant Treasurer appointed by the Board of Selectmen, subject to the Town voting by ballot question pursuant to M.G.L. c.41, Section 1 to authorize its Treasurer to act as collector.
Passed/March 29th @ 1:10
TOWN OF TEMPLETON
WARRANT FOR ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION
MAY 5, 2014
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Question 3:
Shall the Treasurer, who is appointed by the Board of Selectmen, be authorized to
act as Collector?
YES_________ NO____________
Results: 865 Yes - 545 No and 66 blanks.
The intent may have been there, but that is not what was presented and therefor, could not have been voted on. Kind of hard to make a case that one voted for a certified treasurer/collector, when that was not part of the question.
So, while the observations and thoughts of some, might be that the office of the Templeton Treasurer/Collector is a disaster right now, that is probably a management issue and lack of engagement on the part of selectmen, rather than a lack of certification as a stand alone issue.
Friday, June 29, 2018
Route 202 needs some checking, 2 police officers, fire truck, ambulance along with about a mile or more of speedy dry on the road. Serious fuel leak? Highway/DPW truck. This requires some detailed checking, as a fuel spill of this nature requires reporting and usually leads to fines and / or cleanup costs, near to closed Templeton dump, environmental issues? Conservation commission, better check this out? Developmental services? Board of Selectmen, ah, somebody may need to wake them up, as this was around 11:00 A.M today.
Templeton Treasurer/Collector Contract:
Looking on the Templeton Town website under contracts and policies, there is a copy of a contract between the Town of Templeton and it's Treasurer/Collector. Under duties, it states the treasurer/collector shall assume administrative control of and be responsible for all operational functions of the department, including, but not limited to, the supervision of daily operations of billing and collections of betterments, real, personal property and excise taxes and miscellaneous revenues, managing and disbursing cash, managing the placement and servicing of debt, supervision of all personnel; preparation and submission of the annual budget (s) to the Administrator; submission of required reports; responsibility for all expenditures and grants within approved budgets, presentations before any Board of the Town at which the Treasurer/Collector 's presence is required and before any Town Meeting when necessary; communication with the public, including the media, on matters related to operations and policy, and any other related and relevant duties as assigned by the Administrator.
Seems pretty straight forward, and considering the new elementary school involves debt of the Town, such as BANs, as in borrowing, which involves the Town having a responsibility to pay things back, seems like there should be some mention of this in the weekly Town Administrator's report, under Treasurer/Collector. So, how or why is it allowed, that continuously, from the Treasurer/Collector has nothing to report? Perhaps the puppet strings are a little tight. I mean, there are bills coming in regarding the school project and presumably, they are being paid along with processing receipt of MSBA reimbursements? Surely there is something to report out of the treasurer / collector office?
Perhaps this is the real issue with so many vacancies, management rather than salary?
Looking on the Templeton Town website under contracts and policies, there is a copy of a contract between the Town of Templeton and it's Treasurer/Collector. Under duties, it states the treasurer/collector shall assume administrative control of and be responsible for all operational functions of the department, including, but not limited to, the supervision of daily operations of billing and collections of betterments, real, personal property and excise taxes and miscellaneous revenues, managing and disbursing cash, managing the placement and servicing of debt, supervision of all personnel; preparation and submission of the annual budget (s) to the Administrator; submission of required reports; responsibility for all expenditures and grants within approved budgets, presentations before any Board of the Town at which the Treasurer/Collector 's presence is required and before any Town Meeting when necessary; communication with the public, including the media, on matters related to operations and policy, and any other related and relevant duties as assigned by the Administrator.
Seems pretty straight forward, and considering the new elementary school involves debt of the Town, such as BANs, as in borrowing, which involves the Town having a responsibility to pay things back, seems like there should be some mention of this in the weekly Town Administrator's report, under Treasurer/Collector. So, how or why is it allowed, that continuously, from the Treasurer/Collector has nothing to report? Perhaps the puppet strings are a little tight. I mean, there are bills coming in regarding the school project and presumably, they are being paid along with processing receipt of MSBA reimbursements? Surely there is something to report out of the treasurer / collector office?
Perhaps this is the real issue with so many vacancies, management rather than salary?
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