Capital Planning Committee:
Tempeton has a Town by-law concerning capital planning, in fact several Town Meeting votes were redone because these items did not foow that by-law and did not go before the capital panning committee.

There has also been mention of accuracy on the town web site;

Right now, the web site shows capital planning committee as follows:

Doug Morrison
Charles Carroll II
Wil Spring
Lori Mattson


Tuesday, December 19, 2017 - Capital Planning Committee

Agenda shows the supposed membership of this committee;

Doug Morrison - Chairman
Robert May - vice-chairman
Cheryl Richardson - (Town Treasurer)
member at large - vacant
member at large - vacant
Carter Terezini, Town Administrator
Ex-officio member

While attending this meeting, I observed Doug Morrison and Cheryl Richardson present. Also present and apparently counted as a member was Eric Pollitt.

Question; was there an actual quorum present so the planning committee could conduct business?
Question; is it the policy of the board of selectmen to allow this kind of merry go 'round as to anyone can fill in on this committee?
Question; is there really enough members on this committee for it to function as designed?

To me, it looks similar to all of those selectmen policies, there on paper but not much substance. If anyone is going to make issue about how much time is spent on A and should Town entities B, C and D  perhaps "pay" for service provided by Town Employee M, perhaps the Capital Planning Committee should become functioning and maybe devise a true plan and follow it.

I might follow the lead of Capital Planning committee members; when I cannot make a meeting, I wi simply send someone in my place so they may conduct business.

The term “ex-officio” is a common Latin phrase which when literally translated means “from the office.

Ex-officio” means “by virtue of office”. An ex-officio committee member is a person who is automatically entitled to a position on a committee, for as long as he or she holds a certain office in the organization. An ex-officio position on a committee exists only if a governing document (legislation or bylaws) provides for it.

from the Tempeton Town genera by-laws:

Article XLII – Capital Planning By-Law Section 1:
Capital Improvements Committee:
There is hereby authorized a Capital Improvements Committee, to be composed of five members, as follows:
• One (1) from the Board of Selectmen;
• One (1) from the Advisory Committee;
• Two (2) from the community at large to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen; and
 • The Town Treasurer/Collector

The Town Administrator, or designee, shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member provided, however, that this person shall be designated by the Chairman as a voting member whenever the Committee lacks a quorum because of a recusal of a member or to provide a sufficient number of members to establish a quorum and conduct business.

This by-law was amended May 13, 2017 and approved by the attorney general on August 1, 2017 which is when the by-law may legally take affect. So, are there some minutes of a recorded meeting where a designee was voted on to fill in or take over for the town administrator or does this just happen on a whim and whenever it is convenient?

Once again, a very confusing by-law - a five member committee, apparently with "spare" in waiting.
Does that mean it is actually a 6 member committee? Was or is there an official change from the town administrator to a designee or is that also carried out on a whim when one does not feel like attending?  Again, perhaps before we go counting pennies and making things complicated, perhaps we should get the foundation solid first.