Use this link to check how much Templeton Assessors have put aside for overlay reserve.

https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=Dashboard.Cat_1_Reports.OL1PerLevy351 

Town overlay fund

https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.mass.gov%2Finfo-details%2Fhighly-recommended-understanding-the-overlay-and-overlay-surplus%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000195b58b0bd9-ec349c48-1f7a-42a9-aea6-ab1056119aa4-000000/umWznGcotERmjsRc-WqfyoSS5HzkloTfqWgFxQFIJmg=397 

https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=Analysis.TaxImpactCalc

https://www.templetonma.gov/home/news/budget-book-for-fy26 

 A face book post by a Templeton resident, who may not be alone in their thoughts.

"Long meeting. So apparently the chair and the co-chair think they are the selectboard as a whole. It was the right thing for Currie to resign as chair. Now I think the co-chair should also resign. Since the two of them have been making decisions, seeking legal counsel prior to even telling the rest of the board. Currie refused to answer Jeffs questions about the complaint was it verbal, was it an email. What was the complaint. It was silence, I mean besides for saying he did feel like he did no wrong. Also listen to the taxpayers and stop just offering people promotions. We need a qualified with experience town administrator. This let's just keep promoting administrative assistant to new roles without putting out the job posting is the nepotism people are talking about. Also, no talk about how to deal with a regional school district with no legal regional agreement. This school system is too expensive on the taxpayers. 7 percent every year is not affordable. I've been saying that since 2018. We need an adhoc to look at cost comparison for the taxpayers, in regard to the school system. So, 2019 the selectmen ignored a vote and letter, from the then advisory board, stating we should have cost comparison that we can't afford these increases. We just lost a town administrator over the same issue. This is ridiculous. By the way selectmen you were elected to micromanage the taxpayer's money. You were not elected to go to bat for a regional school system which is a separate entity that simply currently educates the students with our tax money."

 No one had a problem back then, but was anyone going against a push for override?

October 18th 2019 

Sept. 19th, 2019, the advisory committee had a discussion, motion and a vote about the town having a need for an ad hoc committee in regard to the town's financial constraints within the current education yearly budgetary increases. When a town only has the ability to increase revenue based on a 2 ½ percent and consistently the school budget is being increased by 9 percent. In the past and present this has caused the town to make cuts in order to fund the total amount requested by the school, above the minimum contribution. In the long term for the town, we as the advisory committee feel that an ad hoc committee should be created to look at a comparison of municipal school finance versus continuing in the current regional school finance. Giving the town the ability to gather needed information to see what the best education solution would be to lesson these education budgetary increases. Regional School district investigation and comparison.

 As a committee look at the current Massachusetts laws to make sure the town is utilizing all its avenues in regard to the towns allowed roles within the process of being a district member. 

  Do a cost comparison of other regional districts similar in enrollment size. 

  Committee should take a look at the current regional district agreement, recommendations on any changes that could help curve the yearly school budgetary increases. 

  Projection of 5 and 10 years of growth and costs to the town if the current regional district is continued.  Research into what state laws could be changed to give the town a break on these increasing educational costs. Municipal school district Investigation and comparison. 

 Research if there is currently a way for the town to be able to sever its ties to the regional school district. Costs associated with changing the towns education from regional to municipal. 

  Do a cost comparison of local municipal school districts 

 Research costs of the town removing elementary school from the current school district.

 Westminster police dept. fiscal year 25 budget = $2,812,242.00

1 acting chief, 3 sgts., 1 detective (school resource officer CAPS), 10 FT officers (2 as school resource officers), 3 reserve officers, 3 secondary officers, 1 executive assistant, 4 ft dispatchers, 2 PT dispatchers, animal control is with city of gardner.

Ashburnham police FY25 budget = $1,935,534.00 - 1 police chief, 1 admin assistant, 1 LT, 2 sgts., 2 detectives, 8 FT officers, 3 TCO, 4 FT dispatchers.

Templeton police FY25 budget from annual town meeting = $1,708,000. Under town website = 1 chief, 2 sgts., 1 detective, 1 court officer, 1 clerical dispatcher, 5 patrolmen, no other accounting of dispatchers.

* One patrolman is shown as William Chapman, a William Chapman is also listed as Phillipston police chief, so perhaps town website of Templeton is once again not up to date.

A William Chapman is also listed as reserve officer in Westminster, perhaps another town website not updated. Can you say accountability to residents? 3 different William Chapmans in local area police depts?

So, by these numbers, an additional 200 thousand dollars could get Templeton a police LT, another detective, an admin assistant for police station.

All other towns on one community comparison spread sheet need to be looked at. All communities being compared need to be with towns in a regional school district, as those towns have less control over school budgeting costs.