Of interest for Town meeting - Town Operating "budget" article 18
Transfer from ambulance receipts fund to support the general government operations, the amount of $225,000.00. Per DOR meeting on 4/25/2017, "Must be able to show funds transferred were on hand at time of vote. Must supplement in the fall (Fall Town Meeting) failing that, cut the budget."
There will be a shortfall of 100 thousand dollars in the operating budget that will have to be taken care of in the fall and if the transfer is not approved, the budget will have to be cut by 100 thousand dollars. A wonderful thought and plan! I believe we should start at Town Meeting and remove the expense of two full time fire fighters/Para medics, which we clearly cannot afford at this time, those positions are listed on page 121a under fire & EMS
Fund 1000
Account Number 220 5100
Account name Personnel
FY 2018 administrator recommend $88,400.00 for two (2) fire fighter/EMT-P
page 121c lists fire fighter/EMT-P as full time 48 hours at $22.00 per hour for total at $54,912.00
page 121 c lists fire fighter/EMT-P as full time 48 hours at $22.00 per hour for total at $54,912.00
both of those lines have ** next to them with an explanation below at; both above for 52 weeks.
** original budget was 42.5 hours
one of the above positions has * next to hourly rate and below it has;
* EMTB RIG employee at 90%
There are two fire fighter?EMT-P listed as full time for 48 hours ** for 13 weeks.
each one of those two has salary listed $13,728.00.
I was unaware Templeton had moved to a full time fire department, I was under the impression we have a volunteer on call department. Perhaps this impression is wrong.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Don't forget the cost of the benefits if they take a family plan that's about 13,000 each including Medicare and life insurance
ReplyDeleteContradictory to John Caplis I would rather have 2 FT EMT's by decreasing the Police budget ( How do you like those freebies Jeff) and would personally feel much safer.
ReplyDeleteWe presently spend about $3 on Police compared to $1 on Fire/EMS. I think some alignment is due particularly when Ambulance generates cash.
First off Bob, until the Town votes to have a full time fire department, I do not think it should be slipped in the back door. The Police department has been full time for a while. If you wish a full time fire department, be ready to pony up the tax dollars to pay for it. I believe if you look at what happened in Gardner, to cut down on overtime costs, we will hire 8 (at least) new people and save money? Fow many years, a private firm provided ambulance service to Gardner and I happen to feel Gardner would have been better served if it had renegotiated the contract and payment to the city for that service. I feel the same would be better for Templeton, a private company PAY Templeton for the privilege of providing service to the Town. Just my thought. Ambulance receipts so far have not covered all costs of ambulance service and I do not think they ever will. Taxes will be required to do that. Look at the increase in dispatch costs (which are more than $37,000.00 per year). Now about those freebies you ask of; I am not in favor of the education reimbursement, which I do not think automatically makes for a better police force. Uniforms for police are pretty much a requirement, uniforms are not a requirement for DPW workers nor are safety Tee shirts, one safety vest per man would work just as well. As for public safety being untouchable, what about if there is no one to set valuations, collect the tax dollars and someone to pay the bills, it is all entangled and I suppose I will continue to be in the minority in my thinking and that is fine. I will watch the costs rise, the fight for few tax dollars with the residents in the middle of the squeeze continue. So, the question will soon be, do you want higher taxes and are you in favor of a tax override or are you in favor of doing something smart and business wise. Think about this; Phillipston now writes one check, for $57,000.00 (soon to be 60 or 65 thousand - hopefully) for the same dispatch service that Templeton residents will be spending at least $340,000.00 on - for the exact same service! Phillipston does not have health insurance costs, retirement costs, labor contracts, building maintenance costs, nothing, other than writing one check. I find that to be absurd, but no Templeton police chief, fire chief (or Phillipston for that matter) thought it a good idea for Templeton to regionalize with Gardner. Ask yourself why? Why is it good for Phillipston to be in that situation but it is not good for Templeton? I ask, what is your take on that Bob M.?
ReplyDeleteJeff you think a town run ambulance is so bad then why is every town in the area have there own run service to supplement the fire department. Just maybe your type of thinking will put the town in worst shape !
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on Town Ambulance service is from a financial stand point. That concern or thought is from watching costs continue to rise beyond the 2 1/2% constraint of prop 2 1/2, as in the Towns are under that but school districts are not. The fact there is a 100 thousand dollar shortfall built into to fiscal 2018 is an example of that concern. eliminate the four full time positions of the fire department that are proposed and that deficit goes away. Perhaps that is a decision for Town meeting? Heart strings and all! So Mike, first question; are you or have you been a member of Templeton fire department? Do you have family / friends on Templeton fire department? If there needs to be a budget cut of 100 thousand dollars in the fall, where do you think it should come from? Lastly, how large do you think Templeton Town government should get? While you consider that, check on what percentage of the state budget is consumed by Mass Health, then check out the effect of high health costs is having or may have on insurance reimbursements from health insurance companies/or plans and how that would affect municipal ambulance services. Once again, from a financial/business stand point, if the Town wants the service, prepare to pay for it and be ready to pay more than you are now and ambulance receipts are not going to cover it all. Lastly, say all things equal, as in town para medic and say Woods ambulance service para medics are equally trained and experienced, would I receive better care if I had a town ambulance show up or would I get better care if Woods showed up? The difference I see is if Woods is showing up, there are fewer Town employees (full time w/benefits) and that helps to reduce Town costs. That is my point. It is probably a moot point because the last time I floated that idea, towns people said they wanted town Ambulance and they were told in 2013 that the ambulance receipts would pay for it all, it did not, now they have to live and pay for that. This year there was talk of combining the library with the senior center and having the food pantry taken over by a church or something. There has already been talk of closing the senior center next year because of costs and budget issues, at least that has been stated by the T/A. Whether that happens or not, rising costs and restraint of prop 2 1/2 will soon force the issue. More of your income goes to the town in the form of taxes so then you have less disposable income to go towards the future business boom in Templeton. Not to worry Mike, the idea will probably never happen and the fire department will be full of full time people in no time.
ReplyDeleteMike i agree. Athol just backed out and if you add all the dispatch items there are more to it than police we would have to provide.
ReplyDeleteOK, good info and happy to discuss views.
ReplyDeleteI to feel Gardner should have kept the private ambulance service. I disagree with much that was done by Mark H. in Gardner.
I'll say this. If I had a choice between a new police officer and a EMS I'd choose the EMS. If an option was available I certainly would support the private service over the towns control. The less fixed costs we have the better. With a private service we get paid. We do not have to deal with billing, regulations, pensions, health care, workers comp, etc, etc. The private sector has more flexibility due to less "mandates" from on high........
Jeff, we could probably outsource many "town functions" and we could potentially pay less overall is long term costs, but....... To do this Templeton would have to seriously upgrade its management. The issue that usually needs to be seriously controlled by taxpayers from that point is Administrative costs. Administrations love to grow, cut others and consume vast somes of money for little taxpayer benefit (my opinion).
In 1998 Worcester County government was abolished. I find it funny that we seem to be heading back that way now saying its a costs saving?
Saving money is great and many alternatives should be looked at, discussed and worked through. Some will be good and other will have many holes. I really think we have a serious management issue and until we fix it or vote in a stronger taxpayer driven Selectman our management will remain sloppy, slovenly and feed on the taxpayer.
I'm really open to many ideas and believe their is "more than one way to..." but without a strong management wee are stuck.
So once again my post got deleted off Paulys Watch, all I did was congradulate Cam, and made a reference to rumors and heresay and I guess Davey didn't agree.
ReplyDeleteIt is about the identification Jeff just email me At smart@nii.net.
ReplyDeleteIt not that stupid! just need to know but the past will catch up to you if you do,Won't it look stupid then?
HUH!
DeleteHUH? why are you "do is stupid" on The other blog and here you post as a anonymous.
ReplyDeleteMake one wonder how many different posters you are.
I've had a hunch for some time and now without getting a email from you it adds up.