Build Back Better, in Templeton, no really!
Put less money or none at all into general stabilization fund, because we don't need to do that anyone, we have reached our goal. (now we can start taking money out of it)
Give the town administrator more money to play with, say 67.5% of free cash rather than 50 or 60%.
Why do this? Because department heads are crying there is not enough money for us to spend.
Notice few if any department heads push hard for new or repaired sidewalks, better drainage (have you been down North Main Street lately/) anyone see a plan or push from a department head to improve the town common? Why is it always town employees first and town residents second?
Remember, just because the town administrator or board of selectmen put something in front of town meeting does not mean you have to do it. You can put more money where you want it, such as your general stabilization fund, because we are told and it is stated, more money in general stabilization fund = a better bond rating which lowers the cost for the town to borrow money. Perhaps town management now wants to follow the joe biden plan, bad or lower bond rating so it will cost us less.
ReplyDeleteWhy are Capital items drying up? I will venture to explain as I see it.
The Crux of the entire matter as I will show you, is the absolute lack of Accountability and Understanding!
As I am aware this is all viewable, searchable, trackable based on meeting minutes and video over the years. I am just not going to spend time pointing them all out but rather summarize the results.
Before Carter left many discussions were had regarding righting this ship we call Templeton. I've witnessed what I can only call a complete assault on that progress.
This is Adams second time upping the "The TA's working Capital" portion since taking over from Carter. He added 10% and Capital expenditures went down. He is now adding another 7.5% and Capital expenditures will decrease again. It's a lack of technical understanding.
Now He is doing the above by reducing the amount of money put into Opex Stabilization "because we met out goal". Really, what if we stopped at 3% of 5% cause those were goals. Walking before you crawl comes to mind........well, we are crawling again as you propose reducing OPEX Stabilization contribution from Free Cash as Free Cash is decreasing rapidly (happens when you spend off both ends and the middle) and just as you propose to use OPEX to cover Snow and Ice from a 3rd account.
Ask yourself this, How are we doing Better?
Our free cash is decreasing!
Our Stabilization accounts are decreasing!
Our Capital is lacking (says Bob S, and many others)
No Bridges fixed
No real pavement program
Our Audit is consistently late. ( done by same firm for 11 years, far beyond DOR recommendations)
No agreement with District School(proposed dumps all facility costs on Templeton)
Phillipston students filling TES without compensation for building.
Overreaching Committee members costing taxpayers
More Bad contracts-Scout Hall Lead issue, 10 Pleasant street Garage issue, ACO contract
No longer following replacement program for police vehicles. (first failure in 6 yrs I believe)( next yrs free cash plan)
Replacing items that maintain employees, not better service, less cost to taxpayer.
And the list goes on. It's called a Select board that does not hold the TA Accountable. A TA who is unable to manage his staff or duties. It's only going to get worse. These Selectman are going to say its out of their control, nothing they could do. The only way that is correct is if they are walking into this position deaf, dumb and blind.
Ill give you one exception in many cases. I may not always agree with Mr. Bennett, but at least I can count on him to know and follow the policy as He understands it. How many 4-1 votes have you seen. Usually the only one who is even going to review the material is Jeff from responses given at many meetings.
I want to Thank Mr. Bennett for trying many times to get this group to follow their own policy, their own by-law, only to end up as 4-1. I guess even a Marine gets sick of all his labor amounting to banging his head against the wall.
Do you know just how difficult it is watching these Select Board members smiling , enjoying playing Santa with other peoples money while literally spending people out of their homes.
We need new financial management NOW, before we dig to deep into stabilization just to maintain Operations with little to no Capital that seems to be just around the corner without drastic change..............
Demand Change before we are back in 2013 all over again. Make no mistake. It's right were we are heading!
IMHO
When you start off with a "Finance Committee" Advisory Committee Chaired by a man who just paid $2,500 Civil Penalty from the State Ethics Office for submitting a false invoice of $484.00 for a friend, Matt LeClerc.
The same man who was at the time President of "Friends of Templeton Veterans" whose Director was Mike Currie, the Chairman of the Selectboard that appointed him to Advisory Committee.
No repayment has been required by town. No Accountability!