Sunday, July 23, 2017
Attention K Mart shoppers and those people who seem to think they know what my intent is when I write certain things, well, you know the saying about what happens when you assume . . . .So when you see something like GTH posted, if the first thing you think of is "go to hell" perhaps you have a problem. GTH = Glad To Help or Good To Hear, Great to hear, Gate To Heaven.
or my favorite; Get The Hint, No, you cannot compel me to resign, I will not go, it will not happen, GTH or for those challenged individuals, Get The Hint, not going anywhere!
posted by Jeff Bennett
or my favorite; Get The Hint, No, you cannot compel me to resign, I will not go, it will not happen, GTH or for those challenged individuals, Get The Hint, not going anywhere!
posted by Jeff Bennett
RE: Request for extension to respond to complaint
Dear Mr. May:
On July 20, 2017, our office received your request seeking an extension of time for the Templeton Advisory Committee ("Committee") to consider its responses to two complaints that allege violations of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25. The complaints were originally filed with the Committee by John Caplis on July 17, 2017.1 In your request, you state that a quorum of the Committee is not able to meet within the fourteen-day period to respond to the complaint. With the hope that the parties involved can use the additional time to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of the complaint, our office hereby grants the request for an extension pursuant to 940 CMR 29.05(5)(b). Please send the Committee's responses to the complainant by Wednesday, August 16, 2017, and forward copies of the complaints and the responses to our office.
Please contact the Division of Open Government with further questions.
Sincerely, Jonathan Sclarsic
Assistant Attorney General Director, Division of Open Government
cc: John Caplis (By mail)
Templeton Advisory Committee (By mail)
Perhaps the Division of Open Government is hoping the two groups can just sit down and say to each other, we do not like your attitude toward us and right back at you. We agree we both disagree on many things, so lets have the Division of Open Government come to town hall and hold a training session and call it a day. Sounds promising but just how likely, time will tell. One thing is for certain, the four members of the Advisory Committee whose resignations were "asked for" by the board of selectmen, all four members have said "NO". So, sometime in August or September perhaps, there will be a determination from somebody on this mess. In the mean time, I hope there is a budget schedule in the works that improves upon the timeline from the past few years. Can Templeton have a budget or spending plan completed by March 31 so Templeton residents can get a look at it before stepping into Town Meeting? Is that possible? Could that be a goal of the selectmen this time around?
posted by Jeff Bennett
Dear Mr. May:
On July 20, 2017, our office received your request seeking an extension of time for the Templeton Advisory Committee ("Committee") to consider its responses to two complaints that allege violations of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25. The complaints were originally filed with the Committee by John Caplis on July 17, 2017.1 In your request, you state that a quorum of the Committee is not able to meet within the fourteen-day period to respond to the complaint. With the hope that the parties involved can use the additional time to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of the complaint, our office hereby grants the request for an extension pursuant to 940 CMR 29.05(5)(b). Please send the Committee's responses to the complainant by Wednesday, August 16, 2017, and forward copies of the complaints and the responses to our office.
Please contact the Division of Open Government with further questions.
Sincerely, Jonathan Sclarsic
Assistant Attorney General Director, Division of Open Government
cc: John Caplis (By mail)
Templeton Advisory Committee (By mail)
Perhaps the Division of Open Government is hoping the two groups can just sit down and say to each other, we do not like your attitude toward us and right back at you. We agree we both disagree on many things, so lets have the Division of Open Government come to town hall and hold a training session and call it a day. Sounds promising but just how likely, time will tell. One thing is for certain, the four members of the Advisory Committee whose resignations were "asked for" by the board of selectmen, all four members have said "NO". So, sometime in August or September perhaps, there will be a determination from somebody on this mess. In the mean time, I hope there is a budget schedule in the works that improves upon the timeline from the past few years. Can Templeton have a budget or spending plan completed by March 31 so Templeton residents can get a look at it before stepping into Town Meeting? Is that possible? Could that be a goal of the selectmen this time around?
posted by Jeff Bennett
On snow & Ice spending and Town vehicle fuel.
The Budget versus Actual document from the Town Accountant, dated May 11, 2017 shows an allocated amount of $80,500.00, and the Budget versus Actual document dated June 29, 2017 shows an allocated amount of $73,000.00.
I believe the original appropriation or allocated amount from Town meeting was for $100,000.00 for Town Vehicle Fuel. That is what the Budget versus Actual document from the Town accountant dated September 12, 2012 shows. The November 7, 2017 Budget versus Actual shows allocated for Town Vehicle Fuel as $80,500.00 after several transfers from Town Vehicle Fuel at the special Town Meeting of October 20, 2016. As the winter season approaches and the main job of the highway department is about snow and that involves using fuel for all the trucks, selectmen propose and voters approve the use of Town vehicle fuel dollars to pay for Unemployment compensation ($10,000.00), Council on Aging Director ($9,500.00), which takes the amount for town vehicle fuel from $100,000.00 down to $80,500.00. It would seem the statement from the selectmen concerning the FY2017 budget being proper, correct and balanced at the Annual Town Meeting was not so!
So, next, the selectmen by way of the Town Administrator proceed to "charge" fuel to the snow & Ice account rather than to use the Town Vehicle Fuel account, as I would think most if not all people at Town Meeting think would be done. (More just moving money around rather than having a real budget based on financial history and good financial forecasting - can you say DLS)
Now, the selectmen proposed and it did happen, to take $12,500.00 from Town Vehicle Fuel account to help pay for the snow & Ice deficit, which the selectmen helped increase by "charging" fuel rather than using monies appropriated by Town Meeting for Town vehicles fuel. Yep, seems this group of selectmen have not learned much - as in keep doing the same thing over and over but expect different results is .... It would seem this group of selectmen are continuing the same old same old, even as they have lessons to use that show what not to do. In my opinion, of course.
posted by Jeff Bennett
The Budget versus Actual document from the Town Accountant, dated May 11, 2017 shows an allocated amount of $80,500.00, and the Budget versus Actual document dated June 29, 2017 shows an allocated amount of $73,000.00.
I believe the original appropriation or allocated amount from Town meeting was for $100,000.00 for Town Vehicle Fuel. That is what the Budget versus Actual document from the Town accountant dated September 12, 2012 shows. The November 7, 2017 Budget versus Actual shows allocated for Town Vehicle Fuel as $80,500.00 after several transfers from Town Vehicle Fuel at the special Town Meeting of October 20, 2016. As the winter season approaches and the main job of the highway department is about snow and that involves using fuel for all the trucks, selectmen propose and voters approve the use of Town vehicle fuel dollars to pay for Unemployment compensation ($10,000.00), Council on Aging Director ($9,500.00), which takes the amount for town vehicle fuel from $100,000.00 down to $80,500.00. It would seem the statement from the selectmen concerning the FY2017 budget being proper, correct and balanced at the Annual Town Meeting was not so!
So, next, the selectmen by way of the Town Administrator proceed to "charge" fuel to the snow & Ice account rather than to use the Town Vehicle Fuel account, as I would think most if not all people at Town Meeting think would be done. (More just moving money around rather than having a real budget based on financial history and good financial forecasting - can you say DLS)
Now, the selectmen proposed and it did happen, to take $12,500.00 from Town Vehicle Fuel account to help pay for the snow & Ice deficit, which the selectmen helped increase by "charging" fuel rather than using monies appropriated by Town Meeting for Town vehicles fuel. Yep, seems this group of selectmen have not learned much - as in keep doing the same thing over and over but expect different results is .... It would seem this group of selectmen are continuing the same old same old, even as they have lessons to use that show what not to do. In my opinion, of course.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Saturday, July 22, 2017
How the selectmen and Town Administrator budget and plan????
A financial transfer request dated June 29, 2017 to transfer $12,500.00 from town vehicle fuel to help pay for the snow & ice deficit. Within the general ledger printout for snow & Ice are bills from Huhtala Oil Co. totaling $24,585.84.
So, charged off under the guise of snow & ice is fuel for the trucks and within the budget versus actual document from the town accountant is a fund for town vehicle fuel. It shows $73,000.00 appropriated with $52,312.97 used and $20,687.03 left. That document is dated June 29, 2017.
The game: Town meeting (registered voters) are asked for an amount of money to pay for fuel for town vehicles and the people approve it. Then the selectmen and town administrator "charge" all fuel used during the winter storms. They then use money from the town vehicle fuel account to help pay that "charged" stuff off. I think most people can and do understand keeping track of what is spent on snow removal but I think the game of moving money around is an attempt to show there is more money available than there really is. That is what I think turns people off and is one of the reasons the voters are reluctant to give more of their tax dollars up. They simply do not trust the people who are spending their money; too many games, too many curtains.
The Templeton Advisory Committee submitted it's report for the 2016 annual Town report and included were many financial transfers, that are not shown anywhere else in that report. Unfortunately, someone in the selectmen's office decided not to include that information in the annual town report. That information will now supposedly be included in the financial supplemental report due out later this year, we shall see!
posted by Jeff Bennett
A financial transfer request dated June 29, 2017 to transfer $12,500.00 from town vehicle fuel to help pay for the snow & ice deficit. Within the general ledger printout for snow & Ice are bills from Huhtala Oil Co. totaling $24,585.84.
So, charged off under the guise of snow & ice is fuel for the trucks and within the budget versus actual document from the town accountant is a fund for town vehicle fuel. It shows $73,000.00 appropriated with $52,312.97 used and $20,687.03 left. That document is dated June 29, 2017.
The game: Town meeting (registered voters) are asked for an amount of money to pay for fuel for town vehicles and the people approve it. Then the selectmen and town administrator "charge" all fuel used during the winter storms. They then use money from the town vehicle fuel account to help pay that "charged" stuff off. I think most people can and do understand keeping track of what is spent on snow removal but I think the game of moving money around is an attempt to show there is more money available than there really is. That is what I think turns people off and is one of the reasons the voters are reluctant to give more of their tax dollars up. They simply do not trust the people who are spending their money; too many games, too many curtains.
The Templeton Advisory Committee submitted it's report for the 2016 annual Town report and included were many financial transfers, that are not shown anywhere else in that report. Unfortunately, someone in the selectmen's office decided not to include that information in the annual town report. That information will now supposedly be included in the financial supplemental report due out later this year, we shall see!
posted by Jeff Bennett
Friday, July 21, 2017
Do the selectmen actually read things they sign and/or vote on? This is a serious question as I read the two open meeting law violation complaints the board of selectmen filed against the Advisory Committee.
On one complaint, selectmen write/state "Farrell, Bennett and Bartolomeo have had great exposure to the open meeting law. Given this and their lengthy public service, we consider their violation of the statute to be intentional. Given Mr. May's relatively short service, we do not believe his violation to be intentional."
On the second complaint, these same selectmen write/state "The BOS request the resignation of Farrell, Bennett, Bartolomeo and May for their gross negligence and intentional violation of the open meeting law. This recommendation is based off initial response of notification by selectmen Fortes of a complaint by three of the individuals with harassment, threats and intentional disregard of open meeting law and further dissemination of the material being discussed in violation of the open meeting law upon his blog site."
First, I find not such blog and secondly, which is there selectmen, intentional or not? Do you all know what that word means? Ya'll seemed to have strung a bunch or official sounding words together, but did ya'll read them before sending? The selectmen seem to put about as much thought into this subject as they did the FY2017 budget/spending plan.
Oh, selectmen, on your request for my resignation, the answer is NO, as in GTH.
posted by Bennett
On one complaint, selectmen write/state "Farrell, Bennett and Bartolomeo have had great exposure to the open meeting law. Given this and their lengthy public service, we consider their violation of the statute to be intentional. Given Mr. May's relatively short service, we do not believe his violation to be intentional."
On the second complaint, these same selectmen write/state "The BOS request the resignation of Farrell, Bennett, Bartolomeo and May for their gross negligence and intentional violation of the open meeting law. This recommendation is based off initial response of notification by selectmen Fortes of a complaint by three of the individuals with harassment, threats and intentional disregard of open meeting law and further dissemination of the material being discussed in violation of the open meeting law upon his blog site."
First, I find not such blog and secondly, which is there selectmen, intentional or not? Do you all know what that word means? Ya'll seemed to have strung a bunch or official sounding words together, but did ya'll read them before sending? The selectmen seem to put about as much thought into this subject as they did the FY2017 budget/spending plan.
Oh, selectmen, on your request for my resignation, the answer is NO, as in GTH.
posted by Bennett
Templeton Board of Selectmen & Zoning Board of Appeals Joint Meeting Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton Monday, July 24, 2017, 6:00 p.m. Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order 2. Potential Request for Executive Session-M.G.L. c.30A, Sec. 21-3, to discuss strategy with respect to litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares. 3. 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
______________________________________________________________
Templeton Board of Selectmen Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton Monday, July 24, 2017, 6:30 p.m. Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Meeting Minutes~ 5.30.17, 6.27.17, 6.28.17, 6.29.17, 7.10.17 4. New Business: a. Action RE: Presentation of Hometown Hero Award b. Discussion RE: South Road-Joe Dimucci c. Action RE: Waiver of First Refusal-37 Old Mill Lane, DayMill d. Action RE: DPW Bids e. Action RE: IMA/TM Subcommittee f. Action RE: OML Update g. Action RE: Gift to Police Department h. Discussion RE: Monthly Financials (C.Fortes) 5. Old Business: a. Action RE: Town Website Project (C.Fortes) 6. Public Comment 7. Board & Staff Member Comments & Reports 8. Potential Request for Executive Session 9. 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
posted by Jeff Bennett
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