Posted on the website of the Division of Local Services (DLS) is the December report of meals tax distribution. Templeton is listed as receiving 13,370.00. Report from town accountant shows amount to be $13,369.91. That amount plus the previous $4,384.31 = $17,754.22 in meals tax dollars to Templeton.
The magic number is $42,000.00 for the year (fiscal year)
from the 2nd quarter financial report of the town accountant:
Revenue Trends:
General fund revenues as a whole are doing ok, we are at 45% of budget, so under where we should be, but we have taken in a large amount of revenue the first part of January. I think will more than make up the 5%. As we have now received two of the meals tax payments, it shows we are on target or even higher for the $42,000.00 budgeted for revenue.
Town needs to receiver at least $12,000.00 for the next two cycles to hit just under $42,000.00:
$42,000.00 minus $17,754.22 + $24,245.00.
Also, stated in 2nd quarter report is the Veterans benefits fund will need a transfer of up to $20,000.00 end of year. This will involve the Advisory Committee if the selectmen / Town Administrator do in fact request end of year financial transfers to fix their budget short falls, again! Sure glad we have all these good numbers. Little ole appointed people to the rescue again! Bailing out that superior elected board is a full time job.
Friday, February 1, 2019
PHILLIPSTON — Town officials are investigating the managerial practices of the Fire Department, as well as examining two computers which have not been working properly since about the time a number of people resigned from the department following sexual harassment allegations.
The Board of Selectmen has hired Gardner City Solicitor John Flick to investigate the Fire Department following ongoing internal reports of missing equipment, missing files and altered reports.
Reports about these concerns, according to Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Flynn, had been coming to town officials prior to the recent resignation of staffers of the Fire Department following allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination from Capt. John Seamon Jr.
“The board was aware of things going on at station of concern, but they didn’t talk about it much in public,” Flynn said. “More has been brought to our attention since then. ... There’s missing equipment, reports that have been altered and bills that date back several years that haven’t been paid. With advice from Town Counsel and talking with insurance, we are hiring John Flick to do an investigative study on management practices in the department and how it’s been running the past few years.”
Flick is expected to begin his investigation next week, and will wrap up his work by the end of February.
“He expects to spend a few weeks interviewing folks, going through files,” Flynn said. “We promised him he has access to employees, our records and files and anything he needs. ... At some point the board will release what they find unless there is something criminal in there.”
The town will also be having forensic analysts come in to investigate two computers in the Fire Department that have had issues since the employees resigned at the end of December.
“Since the folks left the department we have had trouble getting access to computers and getting computers to work, and getting files to work,” Flynn said. “We contacted our insurance company, and they are providing a forensic team that is going to examine the computers.”
The computers in question are located in the Fire Department administrative assistant’s office, as well as the chief’s office. Both offices are typically locked, and are usually only accessed by the chief and administrative assistant.
One computer appears to have all of its files missing, while the other computer will not even turn on.
“They are sending a forensic team to examine the computers and hard drives and find out what is the problem,” Flynn said. “We use those computers to keep track of billing, fire runs, ambulance runs and reports. That will be paid for by our insurance.”
The resignations in the Fire Department happened following allegations that Capt. John Seamon Jr. was sexually harassing a new employee who had yet to start the job, as well as firefighter Amanda Griffith. Numerous other firefighters and Administrative Assistant Kristin Stanley resigned, as well as firefighter Anthony Jones, who resigned after his own issues with what he claimed were Seamon’s alleged dangerous and harassment practices at work.
The town initially refused to comment on the allegations following advice from their lawyers, but Board of Selectmen Chairman John Telepciak read a statement regarding the allegations at the most recent meeting.
“The Selectboard Office received a complaint from one individual regarding an incident with another individual in the Fire Department. They were the only two individuals involved in the complaint. There were no other witnesses to the alleged incident,” Telepciak said. “The complaint was investigated in accordance with Town policy. The parties were offered the opportunity to meet individually and confidentially with the Selectboard in Executive Session. The complainant declined the offer. The Selectboard reviewed the matter in Executive Session and took what it deemed appropriate action. The matter is now closed.”
The town has begun to hire replacements for the staff that resigned, and appointed Jack Seamon, the Capt.’s father as a driver, as well as firefighter Rob Smith. The town will be posting the other positions over time.
The town is also looking at finding a permanent new fire chief. While Chief Richard Stevens was away on medical leave, he had announced his retirement for early February, due to ongoing health issues.
Interim Fire Chief John Duguay is doing well according to Flynn, but is looking to retire and will not take a permanent full-time chief position.
“We cannot speak on it too much, but we wish Stevens well. It can be tough and we hope the best for him,” Flynn said.
At this point in time, what could possibly be any benefit to Templeton in merging ambulance service with Phillipston? What possible benefit to Templeton taxpayers exist regarding merging anything involving fire / ambulance services from Phillipston with Templeton?
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BOARD OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS 33 RESERVOIR STREET BALDWINVILLE, MA 01436 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019 4:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE REVIEW AND SIGN MEETING MINUTES REVIEW AND SIGN VENDOR WARRANTS NEW BUSINESS: 1. Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator withholding all Sewer Department Non-Union Employee raises. These raises were budgeted, approved by the Board of Sewer Commission and Voter approved at Annual Town Meeting. 2. Admin. Asst. Correct Pay Rate still being withheld by Town Administrator and Board of Selectmen. 3. Discuss Warrant Article for ATM 4. Review Annual Report 5. Discuss Union Negotiations OLD BUSINESS: 1. Pleasant Street pump station update SECRETARY REPORT: 1. Budget to Actuals SUPERINTENDENT REPORT: 1. Legal invoice issue 2. SBR Mixer break down
TO: Board of Selectmen
FROM: Carter Terenzini, Town Administrator
RE: Administrator’s Weekly Report
DATE: January 31, 2019
CC: All Departments
Weekly Report: We participated in the Moody’s Credit rating conference. We expect to have the actual rating in hand early next week though it may be a few weeks longer until we have all of their rationale. I attended the public meeting on improving Town Meeting attendance. We will get those minutes up on the web site in the next few days. We have been advised by Phillipston they have signed off on the Community Compact Fire Study so we will proceed to file that early next week. They have also signed off on the dispatch IMA subject to review by their town counsel. We had a second round of budget reviews. We opened the proposals on the revaluation (there was only one). They have been referred to the Board of Assessors for review and may be viewed there if you are interested. This will be an item for action on 02/13 although it may be the evening of 02/12 before we can get the BoA memo of advice out to to you. Please remember to send me items of concern if you have not yet had a chance to review the DPW CBAs.
CBA: = collective bargaining agreement / union contract.
Administration & Finance Town Accountant: Nothing reported?
from an email of the Town Administrator:
STM article 13 of the special town meeting, the town voted to appropriate $15,000 to the highway department; the accountant in error put it to the B & G and it has now been corrected.
Why is something like this not reported? There had to be some activity in the town accountant office.
I mean selectmen Brooks all but demanded departments respond to the weekly report, stating that there has to be some business being conducted and should be reported; on this, we agree on!
Note; the above mention error is one of many small errors made over the past several years. While looking ahead, one always should look in the mirror, at the past, to ensure the same miss-steps are not being repeated.
FROM: Carter Terenzini, Town Administrator
RE: Administrator’s Weekly Report
DATE: January 31, 2019
CC: All Departments
Weekly Report: We participated in the Moody’s Credit rating conference. We expect to have the actual rating in hand early next week though it may be a few weeks longer until we have all of their rationale. I attended the public meeting on improving Town Meeting attendance. We will get those minutes up on the web site in the next few days. We have been advised by Phillipston they have signed off on the Community Compact Fire Study so we will proceed to file that early next week. They have also signed off on the dispatch IMA subject to review by their town counsel. We had a second round of budget reviews. We opened the proposals on the revaluation (there was only one). They have been referred to the Board of Assessors for review and may be viewed there if you are interested. This will be an item for action on 02/13 although it may be the evening of 02/12 before we can get the BoA memo of advice out to to you. Please remember to send me items of concern if you have not yet had a chance to review the DPW CBAs.
CBA: = collective bargaining agreement / union contract.
Administration & Finance Town Accountant: Nothing reported?
from an email of the Town Administrator:
STM article 13 of the special town meeting, the town voted to appropriate $15,000 to the highway department; the accountant in error put it to the B & G and it has now been corrected.
Why is something like this not reported? There had to be some activity in the town accountant office.
I mean selectmen Brooks all but demanded departments respond to the weekly report, stating that there has to be some business being conducted and should be reported; on this, we agree on!
Note; the above mention error is one of many small errors made over the past several years. While looking ahead, one always should look in the mirror, at the past, to ensure the same miss-steps are not being repeated.
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