Revenue and Service in Templeton.

Economic Development in Templeton.

from Board of Selectmen, April 24, 2017:

Information gathered via a phone interview between and economic committee member and James Meehan, chairman, economic development and industrial corporation, Town of Athol
 Using EDIC to foster business development and create jobs in Athol.

Athol agreed to provide a development incentive financing agreement to Market Basket which funded the extension of the water system to the Templeton Road/Route 2, exit 18 site.

Property taxes generated:

Total assessed parcel value is $12,846,500.00 which generates about $254,746.10 annually in to the municipality.

The Market Basket site has grown considerably to date, a much larger buildable site than the once proposed Templeton Mall.

Suppose Templeton had that proposed mall and suppose it generated $254,000.00 per year;
consider the school with the budget proposed of $19,786,889.00 was passed. Templeton would be looking for new money in amount of $632,236.00 to pay for that budget.

Consider also, that from Fy 2019 to FY 2020, Templeton Town operting costs increased almost one million dollars (10%) See annual town meeting reports.

FY 2019 -ARTICLE 21: FY 2019 GENERAL FUND OPERATING (OPEX) BUDGET To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Eight Million Town Hundred Twenty Thousand Two Hundred Ninety Eight Dollars and no cents ($$8,220,298.00 ) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2019, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation. Or take any other action related thereto.
Submitted by the Board of Selectmen Majority Vote Required

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of Eight Million, Two Hundred Twenty Thousand, Two Hundred Ninety Eight Dollars and no cents ($8,220,298.00) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2019, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation
Passed/May 19th @ 12:46 pm

ALSO:

ARTICLE 24: SUPPLEMENTAL FY 2019 OPERATING BUDGET RE: FIRE/EMS To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Seventy Thousand Two Hundred Forty Six Dollars and No Cents, ($470,246.00), subject to the successful passage of a Proposition 2 ½ Over-Ride, so-called, for supplemental appropriations to the FY 2019 Operating Budget for the following departments:
Fire/EMS $290,740
Police $23,000
Insurance & Benefits $133,890
Highway $15,000
Snow & Ice $7,616
Or take any other action related thereto. Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 
Majority Vote Required

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Seventy Thousand Two Hundred Forty Six Dollars and No Cents, ($470,246.00), for supplemental appropriations to the FY 2019 Operating Budget for the following departments:
Fire/EMS $290,740
Police $23,000
Insurance & Benefits $133,890
Highway $15,000
Snow & Ice $7,616
Passed/May 19th @ 12:54 pm

Total dollars for operations of general government for FY2019 /
$8,220,298.00 + $470,246.00 = $8,690,544.00


FY 2020 -ARTICLE 26: FY 2020 GENERAL FUND OPERATING (OPEX) BUDGET To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Nine Million Six Hundred Ninety Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Four Dollars and no cents ($9,690,274.00) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2020, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation. Or take any other action related thereto. Submitted by the Board of Selectmen  -Majority Vote Required

Advisory Committee recommends favorable action on this article. (5 yes, 1 no)

On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted to appropriate the sum of Nine Million Six Hundred Ninety Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Four Dollars and no cents ($9,690,274.00) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2020, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation.

FY 2020 general government expense = $9,690,274.00
FY 2019 general government expense = $8,690,544.00

Total increase  FY 2019 to FY2020 =     $    999,730.00

Not exactly one million (10%) but what is $270.00 between friends?

As you can see, if Templeton had the Templeton mall and if Templeton received $250,000.00 in additional real estate taxes from it, it still would not be the big be all, end all that many people might think; it would help, but a big business in Templeton is not going to solve financial issues.

There are many pieces to the puzzle. Another piece would be for management to stop making bad deals for Templeton, such as Inter-municipal agreement with Hubbardston for accounting service, voted in place by selectmen on May 8, 2019.

That is correct, Templeton has agreed to do the accounting work for Hubbardston for $37,000.00 in FY2020, $42,000.00 in FY 2021 and $43,000.00 in FY 2022.

The Breakdown:

FY 2020, Hubbardston pays $37,000.00 to Templeton, for Templeton Town Accountant to spend 10 hous on Hubbardston work (plan so far) and then spread the money out as follows:

Town Accountant pay goes from $70,190.00 to $77,690.00

Ass't accountant pay  goes from $20,346.00 to  $49,780.00

Total salary expense for Templeton accountant office goes from $90,000.00 total to
$127,470.00.

Math time - $90,000.00 + $37,000.00 (from Hubbardton via IMA) = $127,000.00.

Not so bad Mr. Bennett; except the ass't accountant went from 19.5 hours (no benefits) to 38 hours (with benefits) at an additional cost of approximate $25,000.00, which shows an added cost to Templeton residents so Hubbardston can get their accounting work done for $37,000.00.

Why can't Templeton get our accounting service done for $37,000.00? For $42,000.00??

Anyone, anyone?? (This was by a vote of the board of selectmen, not the accountant)

Maybe this was part of that fabulous 5 year plan "that we did in 3 years"

You may check out the accuracy of the IMA figues by first looking at town meeting calendar on Templeton website, look at 2019, May 8, 2019, board of selectmen and it is included in packet.

Then got to find it fast tab and click on T for town meeting information, go to budget book, look for accountant section and check salaries. Then you can do the math. You could also attend selectmen meeting and ask about this under public comments.

This was voted into affect one week before Town Meeting and 2 weeks before Town election. Sweet!

This is an effort to inform Town residents of actions of your selectmen and to show how your money is being managed. We really need to attend meetings. pay attention and speak up, ask questions.