One idea to fund a cop. . . .

This may not be a popular idea but I believe it is one way to fund an officer if there is a real safety issue involving police officers and citizens. It was stated at the most recent selectmen meeting that there is a sum of money, $47,000.00 unallocated at this time. On line 77 on the budget draft for FY17, there is a $49,000.00 figure for salary adjustment for the selectmen office, most of that figure to make Holly Young assistant town administrator. There is also a raise being sought by the chief of police in an amount of $9500.00. There is a figure of $50,000.00 for the Town emergency fund under control of the Advisory Board. There is a combination of money to make funds available to hire another police officer. Take 40 thousand from unallocated funds, take the 95 hundred dollars from police chief raise, take the 49 thousand from salary adjustment/upgrades and if needed, take some from the emergency fund and you quickly have a dollar figure available to hire a police officer.
I do not believe current members of the board of selectmen have the will to do these things needed to bring funds forward so as to be able to pay for another police officer. My opinion is if they do not have the will to do this, then they are against the safety of the officers and the public of the Town of Templeton. In the future, Phillipston must pay more than 57 thousand dollars for dispatch. When you consume or use half of the pie, you must pay for half the pie. The selectmen should do what is necessary for the benefit of the whole ship rather than popular or personal small compartments. What is best for the financial welfare of the entire Town and yes, you will make some unhappy, but that is democracy in work. as anyone can see from the examples above, the money is there, it just needs to be applied in a way so as to be able to fund what is truly needed, a police officer, rather than what is wanted, an assistant Town administrator.

Jeff Bennett