Tis the Town budget season and Templeton selectmen want to move elections and Town Meeting around so the people who put together a spending plan can or are there to defend said spending plan.
One reason given is because the selectmen receive things late and they are working on the spending plan right up to Town Meeting date so if we move Town Meeting back, selectmen have more time. A Phillipston resident suggests beginning work on the spending plan sooner, as in earlier in the year and since the state spending plan, that includes chapter 90, chapter 70 and unrestricted general government aid is usually not available with hard numbers until around June 30, most, if not all cities and Towns are in the same boat. Does not seem like the Templeton selectmen's argument holds water, seems more like an excuse to hold information back that could and should be available to attendees of Town Meeting at an earlier date! Why do we have a special Town Meeting in the fall if all the spending plan numbers are good before our current Town Meeting date?
Watching the joint meeting of Templeton and Phillipston selectmen, one cannot help watch the Templeton selectmen falling all over themselves trying to swoon Phillipston selectmen into some "deals" and different scenarios. Does not look like Phillipston was taking the bait.
On another front, a point has been made that with Templeton having a new elementary school, Phillipston students could now be at a disadvantage, because Templeton elementary students will have "all the new stuff" and teachers in Phillipston school may have to work harder or put more effort into their task at hand and that seems unfair. Also, subject of a regionalized elementary school mentioned as a way of getting all kids into a new school.
Note that those subjects are things just being tossed out there and most will be up to the school committee in the end, having said that, people should pay attention, as in attend, the meetings of these advisory committee and sub committee groups. Other wise, you may find your self behind the proverbial eight ball when things are rolled out.
Once again, Templeton Town Administrator and selectmen Richards were absent from last evenings meeting of the district reorganization advisory committee.
Next meeting for that entity is suppose to be February 26, 2018, at 5:00 P.M. (a Monday)
This is a problem that seems to be ongoing in Templeton. We place BOS members on every single committee yet they rarely if ever show up. Why waste the space with these assignments.
ReplyDeleteWhen you have the executive administration unwilling to attend meetings they have volunteered to be members of it shows the taxpayer and other members just how concerned, involved and committed you need to be.
Seeing that our TA did not bother to attend, do you think his pay should get cut ? Another no show, Ms. Richard should attend these meetings ! The same goes for her as with Ms.Haley Brooks. Show or go ! Do your jobs.
DeletePhillipston residents/selectmen are indeed not “taking the bait” that was obvious to this observer as well. Philipston has a great little school well maintained and staffed with great people. They didn’t over build and have plenty of land to expand/renovate if needed and the money and support from their town residents if needed. The Dispatch $ is also not something that will be pulled over the eyes of Phillipston “ it would serve you well to keep your customer “ I paraphrase the TA on that.
ReplyDeleteThe impression I was left with after viewing the meeting is that Phillipston is looking out for Phillipston and is not playing the tag along game Templeton would like.
ReplyDeleteI do feel that Templeton needs some out of the box thinking to cure what ails us. I spoke to a few people this week regarding this issue. One contractor who moved here 15 years ago says it wont make sense to live here in a couple years. He moved here for the tax rate from 30 miles east.
Another wise old bird told me how far his Social Security increase will go to cover the last tax increase. He figure half his entire years increase goes to cover the 60 cent increase. Can anyone guess what the (highly doubtful) $1.74 per $1000 will do to his increase in the future..........yup, send him backwards financially.
We have set are self up to be in a tough spot. Standard procedures will not fix this..........
Hello, what About the bigly federal tax break !
ReplyDeleteHelps the retired citizens alot. If you're poor and old you get a pound of coal.........Fuel assistance.........lol
ReplyDeleteGot that right !
ReplyDeleteMoving the date of the elections and annual town meeting will not solve the problem that Templeton spends (expends) more money (revenue) than it brings in.
ReplyDeleteShell games will not correct this situation which has been going on for years.
IMO, no override until Templeton has a bond rating.
What happened to the FY 17 audit?
Has Free Cash been certified from FY 17?
Coming up to Town Meeting time!
Will there be articles at the May AnnualTown Meeting to "backfill" the budget?
Maybe we can start a town lottery regarding these issues to generate revenue?
What's the over/under?
Mrs. Farrell are you associated with the conspiracy page Templeton Times ?
ReplyDelete