A way to have streets plowed while being cost effetive:
“Needless to say, it is absolutely vital to running a successful winter program to maintain an adequate fleet of hired plows and sanders,” Mr. Moosey wrote in a report that goes before the City Council Tuesday night. “Maintaining an experienced and reliable fleet of hired equipment that can be quickly pressed into service when need arises is both cost-effective and operationally efficient.
The above is a quote from the Telegram with regards to the city of Worcester and it shows an approach that some towns use as well. Ashburnham, Hubbardston both use limited numbers of hired contractors. One of the benefits is the Town only pays when the contractor is used. The Town increases the number of plows/sanders on hand without the big investment of equipment and the costs of full time employees (salary and benefit package). Contractors help control costs while aiding in clear and safe roads during the winter months. What a concept?
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
We each have our point of view on the value of input of effort versus the value of the output and I shan’t belabor it.
That said, we will continue to do our best to get you the answers to your questions as they arise.
Many Thanks
Carter Terenzini
Interim Town Administrator
Town of Templeton
160 Patriots Road
East Templeton, MA 01438
(978) 894-2753
From: jeff bennett [mailto:j_bennett506@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2017 7:18 AM
To: townadministrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>; 'Kelli Pontbriand' <accountant@templeton1.org>
Cc: 'Selectman Caplis' <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>; 'Selectwoman, Diane' <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org>; 'Doug Morrison, Selectmen' <seldmorrison@templeton1.org>; selectmen.fortes@templeton1.org; selectmen.richard@templeton1.org
Subject: Re: Advisory Committee and Town by-laws
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2017 7:18 AM
To: townadministrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>; 'Kelli Pontbriand' <accountant@templeton1.org>
Cc: 'Selectman Caplis' <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>; 'Selectwoman, Diane' <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org>; 'Doug Morrison, Selectmen' <seldmorrison@templeton1.org>; selectmen.fortes@templeton1.org; selectmen.richard@templeton1.org
Subject: Re: Advisory Committee and Town by-laws
Not to continue to hit a foul ball, but in the past, as in the end of the fiscal year 2017 BvA, there is a line item with group insurance, an appropriation and an expended amount, also a percentage of change, as in 100 %. So anyone can actually see what had been spent of the group insurance appropriation. If one million dollars had been appropriated at town meeting and the July BvA shows 100% spent, I believe anyone can take from that; the "premium was paid in full, saving taxpayer dollars. I know that the change with less detail is your preference Carter, but lets be honest; the budget format you chose to use has less detail, less clarity and it is designed to give town meeting less detail, less to look at, less to question and gives you more room to move things around. If there was the kind of line item detail as before, there would be no need to spend much time, of which you only have a couple days per week, on emailing questions back and forth. The explanation would be there for all to see. I believe you can expect many questions concerning town finance coming your way very very soon, so you may wish to clear the calendar.
respectfully;
Jeff Bennett
Advisory vice-chairman
respectfully;
Jeff Bennett
Advisory vice-chairman
From: townadministrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2017 9:06 AM
To: 'jeff bennett'; 'Kelli Pontbriand'
Cc: 'Selectman Caplis'; 'Selectwoman, Diane'; 'Doug Morrison, Selectmen'; selectmen.fortes@templeton1.org; selectmen.richard@templeton1.org
Subject: RE: Advisory Committee and Town by-laws
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2017 9:06 AM
To: 'jeff bennett'; 'Kelli Pontbriand'
Cc: 'Selectman Caplis'; 'Selectwoman, Diane'; 'Doug Morrison, Selectmen'; selectmen.fortes@templeton1.org; selectmen.richard@templeton1.org
Subject: RE: Advisory Committee and Town by-laws
Good Day:
While it was not uncommon for some towns to use the accounting systems for the kind of details you had formerly it is also not uncommon for a town to have as few as two (personnel and expenses) accounts. We chose to collect our expenditures around their activity. Even reverting to the old system would not tell you if the insurance was paid in full for the year. We can always give you a specific response to any question that you have and are more than happy to do so.
Kindly understand that there is no addition to the overall staffing levels within the finance unit. We had 5 f.t.e’s and when we added the .5 Assistant Town Accountant we reduce the Deputy Treasurer Collector to .5. The total staffing remains at 5 f.t.e’s. That said, we are looking at how we might give you some better access to payments (perhaps posting the payment register on-line) and would hope to complete that within the next week or two.
While it was not uncommon for some towns to use the accounting systems for the kind of details you had formerly it is also not uncommon for a town to have as few as two (personnel and expenses) accounts. We chose to collect our expenditures around their activity. Even reverting to the old system would not tell you if the insurance was paid in full for the year. We can always give you a specific response to any question that you have and are more than happy to do so.
Kindly understand that there is no addition to the overall staffing levels within the finance unit. We had 5 f.t.e’s and when we added the .5 Assistant Town Accountant we reduce the Deputy Treasurer Collector to .5. The total staffing remains at 5 f.t.e’s. That said, we are looking at how we might give you some better access to payments (perhaps posting the payment register on-line) and would hope to complete that within the next week or two.
Many Thanks
Kelli &
Carter Terenzini
Interim Town Administrator
Town of Templeton
160 Patriots Road
East Templeton, MA 01438
(978) 894-2753
Kelli &
Carter Terenzini
Interim Town Administrator
Town of Templeton
160 Patriots Road
East Templeton, MA 01438
(978) 894-2753
From: jeff bennett [mailto:j_bennett506@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2017 7:03 AM
To: 'Kelli Pontbriand' <accountant@templeton1.org>
Cc: Selectman Caplis <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>; Selectwoman, Diane <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org>; Doug Morrison, Selectmen <seldmorrison@templeton1.org>; selectmen.fortes@templeton1.org; Town Administrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>; selectmen.richard@templeton1.org
Subject: Advisory Committee and Town by-laws
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2017 7:03 AM
To: 'Kelli Pontbriand' <accountant@templeton1.org>
Cc: Selectman Caplis <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>; Selectwoman, Diane <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org>; Doug Morrison, Selectmen <seldmorrison@templeton1.org>; selectmen.fortes@templeton1.org; Town Administrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>; selectmen.richard@templeton1.org
Subject: Advisory Committee and Town by-laws
All;
I have again been tasked by a vote of the Advisory Committee to bring to your attention as well as to high lite one article/section of the general by-laws of Templeton;
Article IV, section 5 -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.
We bring this up because in the discharge of our stated responsibilities and duty, we look at the recent document of expenditures or the budget versus actual and we do not see the accounts and records in the detail required to look at and analyze the spending and care of taxpayer dollars. For instance, with the current presentation, the committee cannot see if the Town has paid group (health) insurance in full, which if done, saves taxpayer dollars. This is one of the reasons for the committee asking for a return of detail in the monthly expenditure reports sent out from the office of the Town Accountant. With the addition of more staff, assistant town accountant, the committee feels this would be a simple and beneficial step towards bringing resident confidence back to town government.
respectfully;
Jeff Bennett
Advisory Committee vice-chairman
on behalf of the committee
Selectmen Fortes calls this email a threat to town employees; I ask where is the threatening statement. Seems master Fortes feels informing a town employee (s) to expect many questions very soon, so you may wish to set aside some time is threatening town employees. In my opinion, master Fortes has a problem with the facts and reading comprehension. My opinion of master Fortes and the by-law change is so he and his fellow BOS members can have a rubber stamp committee so as to cut down on the many questions they receive on their questionable financial moves.
I have again been tasked by a vote of the Advisory Committee to bring to your attention as well as to high lite one article/section of the general by-laws of Templeton;
Article IV, section 5 -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.
We bring this up because in the discharge of our stated responsibilities and duty, we look at the recent document of expenditures or the budget versus actual and we do not see the accounts and records in the detail required to look at and analyze the spending and care of taxpayer dollars. For instance, with the current presentation, the committee cannot see if the Town has paid group (health) insurance in full, which if done, saves taxpayer dollars. This is one of the reasons for the committee asking for a return of detail in the monthly expenditure reports sent out from the office of the Town Accountant. With the addition of more staff, assistant town accountant, the committee feels this would be a simple and beneficial step towards bringing resident confidence back to town government.
respectfully;
Jeff Bennett
Advisory Committee vice-chairman
on behalf of the committee
Selectmen Fortes calls this email a threat to town employees; I ask where is the threatening statement. Seems master Fortes feels informing a town employee (s) to expect many questions very soon, so you may wish to set aside some time is threatening town employees. In my opinion, master Fortes has a problem with the facts and reading comprehension. My opinion of master Fortes and the by-law change is so he and his fellow BOS members can have a rubber stamp committee so as to cut down on the many questions they receive on their questionable financial moves.
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