from the most recent copy of the Board of Selectmen Handbook, put together and published by the Massachusetts Municipal Association. Selectmen should read this!
The town meeting can have a great deal of control over department heads. The town meeting can, for
example, investigate town problems or administration through its finance committee, other standing
committees or special ad hoc committees. On the basis of findings and recommendations by such
committees, or on the petition of ten or more local voters, the town meeting may adopt resolutions
and bylaws establishing new town policies or initiating new programs [G.L. c. 39, §10]. The town
meeting can also, within certain limits, reorganize town agencies and control development in the
town. The most important power of town meeting is the power of the purse. By appropriating or
withholding funds, the town meeting can force, prevent or influence actions by town officials and
departments.
Unhappy with Town Administrator - with hold the cash! Unhappy with a department, withhold the cash. Want to see the spending of your money in more detail, demand and vote for a line item budget for the next fiscal year. It is the power of the purse.
Remember, in Templeton, the Advisory Committee (Finance Committee) belongs to you, not the selectmen or the Town Administrator. It states that in the handbook of the Board of Selectmen!
Saturday, January 19, 2019
As a follow up, I looked at the by-laws involved and the response of the Town Administrator concerning a possible conflict.
So, as a recap, Templeton Town General By-laws state:
Article II - Town Meeting, section 14: All committees shall report as directed by the Town. If no report is made within a year after its appointment, a committee shall be discharged unless, in the meantime, the town shall have granted an extension of time.
The above requires a report to Town Meeting.
Article VIII - Records and Reports, section 2: All officers, boards, standing committees, and special committees of the town having charge of the expenditure of town money shall annually report thereon in writing in such manner as to give the citizens a fair and full understanding of the objects and methods of such expenditures, referring, however, to the report of the Town Accountant for statements in detail of receipts and payments, and may make therein such recommendations as they deem proper. Such reports shall be submitted to the Selectmen for inclusion in the Annual Town Report on or before the thirty-first (31) day of January of each year.
The above references an accounting of business to be included in the Annual Report of the Town.
Article LVI Veterans Advisory Board
Section 4 Reports The Committee shall annually file a report on its work, to include such recommendations as it deems worthy of consideration, with the Board of Selectmen in December of each year. Passed 5/19/18, Approve by A/G 8/3/18
The above references a report of a board to the Board of Selectmen.
So where does the response of the Town Administrator come in to play?
What conflict? There are three separate items and I inquired about one of them, a report to the Board of Selectmen. The report has not been made in the required time frame, will there be any accountability? What is the solution?
So, as a recap, Templeton Town General By-laws state:
Article II - Town Meeting, section 14: All committees shall report as directed by the Town. If no report is made within a year after its appointment, a committee shall be discharged unless, in the meantime, the town shall have granted an extension of time.
The above requires a report to Town Meeting.
Article VIII - Records and Reports, section 2: All officers, boards, standing committees, and special committees of the town having charge of the expenditure of town money shall annually report thereon in writing in such manner as to give the citizens a fair and full understanding of the objects and methods of such expenditures, referring, however, to the report of the Town Accountant for statements in detail of receipts and payments, and may make therein such recommendations as they deem proper. Such reports shall be submitted to the Selectmen for inclusion in the Annual Town Report on or before the thirty-first (31) day of January of each year.
The above references an accounting of business to be included in the Annual Report of the Town.
Article LVI Veterans Advisory Board
Section 4 Reports The Committee shall annually file a report on its work, to include such recommendations as it deems worthy of consideration, with the Board of Selectmen in December of each year. Passed 5/19/18, Approve by A/G 8/3/18
The above references a report of a board to the Board of Selectmen.
So where does the response of the Town Administrator come in to play?
What conflict? There are three separate items and I inquired about one of them, a report to the Board of Selectmen. The report has not been made in the required time frame, will there be any accountability? What is the solution?
Good Day Jeff:
We haven’t received the report as of yet and Sheila is out today so we’ll get this to you over the next few days.
Interestingly your request brings out some conflict/issue within the by-laws that I’m asking Town Counsel to follow-up on in the codification process as you can see below.
Tom/Carol:
Article LVI, Section 4. Says that “The Committee shall annually file a report on its work, to include such recommendations as it deems worthy of consideration, with the Board of Selectmen in December of each year.”
Article VIII, Section 2. Says that “All officers, boards, standing committees, and special committees of the town having charge of the expenditure of town money shall annually report thereon in writing… and may make therein such recommendations as they deem proper. Such reports shall be submitted to the Selectmen for inclusion in the Annual Town Report on or before the thirty-first (31) day of January of each year.
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