In case it has slipped anyone's mind. . . . .
from the 2009 Department of Revenue Financial management review of Templeton:
2. Prohibit Elected Officials from Holding Any Other Position
Article IV of the town bylaws already prohibits an elective or appointive town officer or town employee
from serving on the town advisory board. In its personnel policy, with the exception of two selectmen and an
advisory committee member, no elected or appointed official may serve as a personnel board member. With
these precedents in place, we recommend that the town approve a bylaw precluding all elected officials from
serving in any other elected or appointed positions. This will allow them to focus on their primary
responsibilities.
Two current selectmen, one of whom also serves on the personnel board and the other as an elected
light & water commissioner, are continually at odds. It is our impression that their adversarial relationship
arises as well when the board of selectmen addresses issues that involve the personnel board, the light &
water commission, or the sewer commission. The extent to which their differences impact the progress of
town business is reason enough to enact a bylaw that makes elected or appointed officials ineligible to serve
on other boards and committees. If a bylaw were to pass, each selectman would fill out the remainder of his
or her term on other boards and commissions.
from Templeton Town by-laws:
Article III – Town Officers
Section 1. The Selectmen shall have the general direction and management of the property and
affairs of the town in all matters not otherwise provided for by laws or these ByLaws.
(a) Selectmen shall not serve in any other elected capacity within the Town or
Municipal Light Department as recommended in 2009 DOR Financial Management
Review.
Passed 5-16-13
The above causes me to have a head scratching moment while reading an article from The Gardner News recently. In the article, which appeared in the Saturday, March 26, 2016 edition, there was mention of one person going for an elected position on Board of Selectmen and an elected spot on the Board of Health. Personally, if someone wants to go for two elected positions, I say go for it. From my experience, being a selectmen required a great amount of my time, to do what I thought was needed to do the job at hand. Also, if one is trying to get a seat on the Board of Selectmen and to represent the people of Templeton, is it a good thing to flip the people off, with regards to their by-laws. You know, the rules selectmen expect them to follow. To be sure, running for something and getting elected are two different things, but if asked, how does one answer the question of, are you aware of the Town by-law prohibiting you from doing what you appear to be trying to do? Of course, if you pay the $20.00 fine for violating a by-law, what else do you face, from a punishment factor?
Perhaps one can go before the Board of Appeals and get a waiver?
Jeff Bennett
