From: "townadministrator" <townadministrator@templeton1.org>Subject: RE: FY'19 TAC budget submissionDate: January 2, 2018 at 11:41:14 AM ESTTo: "'Paul Grubb'" <grubbp@comcast.net>Good Day:Follow-up InquiryGiven we have produced the Voters Information In-House previously and given this seemed to go fairly well at the ’17 Fall Town meetingWhat is the rationale and breakdown for producing booklets? Given the census mails to 3,300 households, there are 5,100 registered voters and there are probably some 3,000+/- households with voters I’m struggling to understand how you could produce some unknown number of pages and then mail it to some unknown to me number of households within the budget request.Many ThanksCarter TerenziniTown AdministratorTown of Templeton160 Patriots RoadEast Templeton, MA 014381.978.894.2753
Carter;
Advisory has discussed this approach in the past; rather than a simple yes or no recommendation with the summaries (which have been shown to be confusing) and motions, Advisory feels an explanation /reasons for a yes recommendation accompanied by a "minority report"; if any members of Advisory vote against an article, they can explain their reasons. Advisory feels this approach gives voters/taxpayers more information rather than less. Advisory feels with the changes made to the expense ledger report (budget versus actual) which now shows less information along with the lack of line item budget presentation to Town Meeting, voters should have adequate information to base votes on and to have debate if they wish. Advisory feels that is one of the main reasons to having a Town Meeting. As to whether Advisory Committee budget requests are granted is now up to you and the board of selectmen. It will come down to the selectmen to decide to give taxpayers more or less information.
As for determining a base line for mailing Town Meeting information, Advisory can use already available public information; the voter sign in sheets to see who has actually attended Town Meeting using records from 2015 to present, ATM and STM. From there, Advisory has a few other options, to be determined by Advisory. Again, this is a new approach for Templeton Advisory Committee. It is an attempt to provide the voters/Taxpayers with more rather than less information and the committee feels this is something selectmen would support, given these are the same people who may elect or re-elect them to office. The amount of information (number of pages) will be determined by Advisory. Since in one of your memos, there was mention of other arrangements having to be made due to security concerns, with regards to the copier in the Treasurer/Collector office, a taxpayer asset belonging to the Town, no longer available to Advisory, our presented budget is the means by which Advisory is attempting to do things differently. Again, this is an attempt by the Advisory Committee to provide more information to Town Meeting so they may make better decisions concerning their money. Advisory looks at this as something else selectmen and the committee would share common ground and agreement on. If that is not the case, then you and the selectmen will probably deny the budget requests as presented and will be the selectmen who will have to explain that to Town Meeting.
In closing, I would say the operating budget presented to you would allow Advisory Committee to operate in a responsible manner and do the job as outlined in Templeton Town by-laws. Whether Advisory is able to do this or not is up to you and the selectmen. Ultimately, the selectmen will have to explain this to Town Meeting and Advisory would rather show Town Meeting that we are on the same page with regards to good governance, transparency with a clear inclusive accounting of their money - taxpayer money.
regards;
Jeff Bennett
Chairman, Advisory Committee
January 7, 2018 TCTV “ Talk of the Town with Templeton Town Administator Carter Terenzini “
ReplyDelete"There are only two types of public speakers in the world: the nervous and liars." - Mark Twain
JC Read a prepared statement at the taping of this program you speak of 1800MrPlow. He had to read it all and made errors reading it. It could not have been prepared by him as he never looked up from the statement he just read it. If he had really prepared it he would have been able to look at the camera at times. So you know who really wrote the read statement for him was the person sitting next to him. The chief Liar in charge.
ReplyDeleteThe people in this community deserve to know what the Advisory Comittee has for recommendations and why. There is no time the BOS or TA should interfear with this function of a town board. We have the right to our opinions, and the taxpayers have the right to hear them. I do not intend to vote a budget that is as clear as mud. Our towns people deserve better ! If this BOS cannot produce a budget they can understand and defend, then we have a very big problem. It is time the government we have does it's job, or time for the people to say they have had enough. My opinion, as a taxpayer and home owner. Bev.
DeleteMass DLS 2016
ReplyDelete“The budget’s layout or format should be carefully considered since it tells town meeting the level of detail
being voted on. It reflects a decision on the degree of management flexibility the town chooses to give
department heads because it allows or restricts their ability to transfer money between budget line items
without town meeting approval.
Finally, the budget adopted by town meeting should be closely monitored throughout the year. This
involves reviewing financial data to verify that expenditures are consistent with town meeting votes, line
items are not overspent, and receipts are tracking in line with expected results. Monitoring actual
performance against the original budget can reveal problems early and give policymakers and managers
time to take corrective actions to avoid potential deficits.“
So, this does not happen in this town, why can't anything be done about it?
DeleteJames Madison put the current dilemma ( local, state and nationally ), clearly in focus almost 200 years ago, when he wrote in an 1822 letter to W. T. Barry: “A popular Government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”
ReplyDeleteI watched the Utube and the problem here is that those two believe that they are doing ever thing right and nobody else knows S***. Except Cam
ReplyDeleteI watched again as comments above warranted it I thought( painful by the way). I do believe the Selectman failed at the most simplistic of tasks for a “ leader “ . Delivery of a simply written statement to the towns folk without making numerous grammatical errors. Although, apparently it is now accepted on a Federal Level daily.
ReplyDeleteSeems that our Town Politicians have discovered the beauty of the tele-town hall, which allows them to pretend to interact with voters while sparing them the pain of actually talking with them or having those annoying questions asked. Templeton’s very own RT News if you will.
A cursory review of social media will tell you that if one of your selectmen is retweeting Trump, “Houston we have a problem “ . Reminds me of that pharmaceutical genius Martin Shkreli.
My observation here is that voting-age population is simply ignorant of basic facts—knowledge that is necessary to act reasonably and rationally in the political process.
Or, it really is the water.
It could very well be "the water", and in the end the results may not be one bit pretty. How ironic that many of the younger people will go out of their way to buy organic produce, spend a small fortune to feed their kids a healthier meal, but not vote to rid the town's water supply of fluoride. Oh, may be it is because these people do not attend any Town Meeting unless it has a "school " item on the adjenda ! It will come out in the wash, sooner than later. My opinion. Bev.
DeletePerhaps one should concern themselves with other chemicals besides Fluoride in Templetons water supply.
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ReplyDeleteI would like to know ( roughly of course ) what it takes maintain just the roads and drainage systems that have already been built. That number I’m requesting would not of course include : Sewage, water towers etc. Also assumes no new roads are built and existing roadways are not widened or substantively improved. Maybe someone could work up a sheet on that.
I think that system Alan had talked about will give you a answer someday. I am afraid the number will be mind numbing because I do not think enough has been done for maintaining the roads in twenty years. Roads and the fact we are years behind in money for retirements should be a top priority, along with money for Stabelization of course. Just saying, maybe it would be best to hold off on those promotions. Do something unique, don't kick the can further down the road like every other board has done. Just a thought ! Bev.
DeleteThankyou, but I have no idea who Alan is or “ his system “ please explain if possible. That’s an unacceptable time frame as well “ someday “ .
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