So much for the new transparency in Templeton, request a public record, a schedule A, that the Town Accountant is responsible for filling out and you get the check with the selectmen, or "I am forwarding to the selectmen and all public record requests must go through them" Fill out this form they say (personnel in BOS office) I decide what goes out, etc etc.
Below is what I got from the Secretary of the Commonwealth (Secretary of State)

Must my request be in writing and do I need to use a specific form?
 A written request is not required but is recommended. An oral request made in person (not by telephone) is permitted. To appeal the records custodian’s response to the Supervisor, however, a request must be in writing. There is no specific form that must be used to request records, nor is there any language that must be included in such a request. A records custodian may provide a form, but cannot demand that the form be used.

The schedule A form (a detailed statement of revenues and expenditures) is prepared by the Town Accountant who is responsible for this (normally) and the selectmen have nothing to do with it, as far as filling it in or keeping it, it belongs in the finance office and it is filed to the DOR by a predetermined due date. State aid payments may by law be withheld if this is not done. So the person who is responsible for filling this out and is the keeper of these items (custodian) but is not allowed to release them?  In my view, this is equal to refuse to provide them. I will see what the Secretary of State has to say about this and the filling out of a form. Again, so much for transparency here in Templeton. I am curious to see what an email to the DLS gets me.

As one saying goes, talk is cheap and good whiskey costs money.
As a quote attributed to Ronald Reagan states; "if you cannot make them see the light, make them feel the heat"

posted by Jeff Bennett