If we have finished good clean books ready for audit, why can we not get simple records for debt exclusions?

"If you cannot make them see the light, make them feel the heat" quote from Ronald Reagon

Massachusetts General Law, chapter 41; officers and employees of cities, towns and districts
section 61 annual report:

Section 61. The town accountant shall make an annual report, to be published as a town document, giving a statement of all receipts and expenditures of the town for the past financial year, including those of funds managed by trustees or commissioners for the town and showing also the amount of each specific appropriation, the expenditures therefrom, and thepurpose for which money has been spent; and said statement shall be arranged in accordance with the classifications prescribed by the director of accounts. Such report shall contain a statement of any change in the amount of the town debt during the year and a list of indebtedness incurred and unpaid at the end of the financial year.

So when the Advisory Committee requests a financial document (s) that concern Town debt and Town debt exclusion (s) information, that information should be readily available and according to town by-law, readily furnished to said committee without delay or excuse.
Time for selectmen, accountant and treasurer to do their job, duty and follow the law.

This is a simple request from the Advisory committee and this is something covered by Templeton Town by-law, approved and voted on by the voters. The same people who elect selectmen, Advisory Committee members may only be appointed but Templeton Town by-law, Article IV, Advisory Committee, section 5 - In the discharge of its duty, said committee shall have free access to all books of record and accounts, bills and vouchers on which money has been or may be paid from the town treasury. Officers, boards, and committees of the town shall, upon request, furnish said committee with facts, figures, and any other information pertaining to their several activities. 

I am beginning to wonder how people who are charged with keeping track of town bills, payroll, debt, etc, can state they did not know about pay raises, if they are doing their job!

posted by Jeff Bennett

Ask not what your selectmen and employees can do for you, ask them if they know what they are doing?

Advisory Committee members,

A request for Debt Exclusion information that we wanted from the Treasurer / Collector as you recall was done June 27. It seems that we have selectmen stating that the Accountant will get us this information. This indicates to me that there is a problem in the town Finance office. The Treasurer is clearly responsible for all DEBT. Why are we being told that the accountant will get us this information? I thought you should all know what was sent to us from our selectmen. I also find it unacceptable to get a response from a Real Estate office for Official Town business. To say it has only been a few weeks since our request is not true. It has been 6 1/2 weeks and we have been patient.
This request was for information on 5 debt exclusions which our Treasurer should have been easily able to provide us. It is the job of the Treasurer not the Accountant. As you can see I am quite upset with this type of response. I
e-mailed the TA to see if he could check why this is taking so long since my e-mail over 2 weeks ago to the Treasurer had no response for the second request after waiting over a month, How long do we have to wait to get a response so we don't get accused of being impatient?

Wil

Good day all
The accountant will assist and I know it's been a few weeks but a lot is going on just be patient we will get it done. Don't forget the account has day to day operations that need to get done throw in vacations, surgery, death in distant family, a new TA getting caught up to speed ect
As you can see we have limited staff and all department heads have to prioritize the week and day to day operations for the BoS and the TA to track all your request is it possible to go through the BoS office this way we and the TA have visibility of the request and we can track and monitor for our end of year report.

Respectfully
John Caplis

On Aug 11, 2016, at 5:31 PM, Diane Haley Brooks <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org> wrote:

I believe that we are in transition again with a new TA, The paperwork for the budget, audit, daily tasks, vacations and Kelli just had surgery and she is working on all the paperwork for the meetings.

We have limited manpower as Carter has stated to the BOS and in meetings. I am sure Kelli is working on this.

Please can we have some patience as she works through all the challenges we have.

My thoughts. Thanks!!

Diane Haley Brooks, Realtor

From: "MA Advisory Board Templeton" <templetonadvisoryboard@gmail.com>
To: "Kelli Pontbriand" <accountant@templeton1.org>
Cc: "Diane Haley Brooks" <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org>, "Nodrog here" <GordonGMoore@yahoo.com>, "Wilfred Spring" <185wilberdr@gmail.com>, "Kate Fulton" <fultonkate@hotmail.com>, "Jeff Bennett" <jpb01468@comcast.net>, "Beverly Bartolomeo" <bartsfarm@comcast.net>, "Julie Farrell" <jfarrell59@gmail.com>, "Selectman Caplis" <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>, "Doug Morrison, Selectmen" <seldmorrison@templeton1.org>, "John Columbus, Selectmen" <seljcolumbus@templeton1.org>, "Julie Richard, Selectwoman" <seljrichard@templeton1.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2016 2:43:35 PM
Subject: Re: End of year Budget to Actual for FY16

Kelli,

What is the status of the end of year Budget VS Actual report for FY16 which the Advisory Committee asked for 2 weeks ago? We would still like that report before our meeting next week.

Wil

On Thu, Jul 28, 2016 at 3:38 PM, Selectman Caplis <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org> wrote:
Kelli
Thank you, you are doing well please let the BoS have a look prior.

Thank you
John Caplis

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 28, 2016, at 3:10 PM, Kelli Pontbriand <accountant@templeton1.org> wrote:

I was waiting on the last of the Revenue…and I think Kate got it all entered today…so you will have it on Monday…I want to just go over it one more time before I send it out.

Kelli Pontbriand

From: Templeton, MA Advisory Board [mailto:templetonadvisoryboard@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2016 2:57 PM
To: accountant@templeton1.org
Cc: Nodrog here; Wilfred Spring; Kate Fulton; Jeff Bennett; Beverly Bartolomeo; Julie Farrell; Selectman Caplis"Doug Morrison, Selectmen" <seldmorrison@templeton1.org>,

"John Columbus, Selectmen" <seljcolumbus@templeton1.org>,
"Julie Richard, Selectwoman" <seljrichard@templeton1.org>
Subject: End of year Budget to Actual for FY16

Kelli,

Last week I asked if the the Advisory Committee would be able to get the End of Year Budget to Actual for FY16. It was indicated that it would be ready this week. Will it be available this week? The Committee is meeting next Wednesday and it will be necessary for us to receive it by then in order to help us with reviewing the BOS proposed budget changes for FY17.

Thank you in advance for providing the BvA for FY16

Wil

posted by Jeff Bennett

While Robert Markel was Town Administrator, Templeton hired a new police chief, long time Templeton employee Mike Bennett, Templeton appointed new Treasurer/Collector - long time Templeton employee Kate Meyers, new Council on Aging director - long time Templeton employee Dianna Morrison, Health Agent, former Templeton employee from the Templeton Board of Health, new accountant who by her own admission, is still learning the job while being paid over 65 thousand per year, a new building inspector not formerly employed by Templeton. What all of this shows is majority of "new" department heads were already here and were not attracted by any new policies or pay. Apparently they like working for Templeton and/or, they like having a job with good benefits. Perhaps in his letter to the editor, Robert Markel was trying to show he did a job for which he was paid 1000 dollars per week (part time). He is the same person who touted that Templeton had $750,000.00 in certified free cash coming, until after the school vote, then we suddenly have a deficit of 850 thousand to one million dollars. Was that by design?



posted by Jeff Bennett