Updates:
As I posted before, the number given for the school assessment at a previous meeting of selectmen and Advisory Committee when the FY 2018 spending plan was handed out and discussed was NOT the actual school budget. It was an estimate and as the selectmen were told last night, that estimate was off and low and there will now have to be some adjustments to meet the school budget numbers presented to them (BOS) by the Town Administrator.
Weekly Town bills warrant; After checking on that, I learned that not much has changed since i served on the board, the warrant still comes with reference material in the form of bills, receipts, purchase orders etc., except for the legal bills. Apparently one change made by Bob Markel and also apparently okay with the selectmen, was that the details of the bill were removed from the warrant and now only a cover sheet is included in the warrant with date and some totals. Apparently the detailed "backup" or the when, who, what and how much is kept in the office of the selectmen. So Diane Brooks was telling the truth when she said the details of the legal bills were/are not in the warrant. My question now is, who or why would anyone sign off on a bill without seeing or knowing the details? i know I would not pay a credit card bill with out seeing dates, places, items and dollar figures first. However, from what Diane Brooks commented and from what I found out by checking on the warrant, it looks that is exactly what selectmen Brooks did and has done, signed off on paying a bill without any explanation of those bills, without any real invoice and perhaps this present practice should stop and the process should go back to the way it was, when the details of the legal billing was included in the warrant. Of course, the warrant being a public record that anyone can go to town hall and ask to see it. That is the way it is suppose to work anyway. Perhaps that is the reason for the change, so not just anyone can go to town hall and see the details of the legal billing. Of course, there is John Columbus who served as chairman of the selectmen and as he stated, he and Markel shared the same thoughts and ideas on alot of things.
The recommendations of the insurance committee were put off until the April 3 meeting, when the selectmen and advisory committee will be meeting jointly.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Like I have said before, there had better be a "plan B." This glorified budget book has no way to make changes, say like a computer generated copy would do. I have a feeling there will be major (damage), changes to our town departments, because of the school's need for more than the town can afford. This in my opinion, is the same reason the school was put on the ballot when it should not have. There is a huge disconnect between the town boards and school committee, that has constantly created problems. Someone needs to figure out a solution because this stress does a number on the whole community. Bev.
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