May 10, 2023, Templeton annual town meeting.
Article 1. Pay late bills - one bill is for senior services. As I understand it, this is to pay for or reimburse an expense for buying bottled water. So the first question that should be asked on this item; what is this late bill for and what are the circumstances of it being this late?
2nd part of article 1 is a late bill for I&B (insurance & benefits) as I understand this, it is because town does not have a dedicated HR person (human resources) employee paid some insurance charge they should not have had to pay out of pocket. Again, this requires explanation from administration and what if any steps have been taken to ensure this is not repeated.
Article 2. use free cash to increase the fiscal year 23 budget (the budget presented and voted on last May 2022, as balanced) $52,500.00 for insurance and benefits and $150,000.00 for snow & ice. Again, these items were presented and voted May 2022 as part of a budget that is stated balanced (revenue equal to or greater than expenses presented) Why do we keep underfunding snow & ice in the budget if all things are great in Templeton budget wise and beyond?
article 3. snow & ice deficit (budget short as in not enough money asked for in a so called balanced budget) This article asks town meeting to take money from a general stabilization fund to pay for snow & ice. (Yes this is a legal move but a dumb and recommended against move by the MA dept. of revenue) Also, another promise made to town residents by select board to not do this anymore, as in not to repeat things from the past that caused financial problems in the town. Why 2 separate articles for snow & ice deficit, not enough free cash to cover this expense? Wait, there are other articles using free cash, what is going on? Lack of a plan or lack of following policy? Again, these are questions town meeting needs to ask. It is why we have town meeting.
Regarding Article 3. I read the following in the Weekly Report put out today.
ReplyDelete. Adam worked with the Accountant on getting the transfer(s) together for action by the Select Board and Advisory Committee which can be done the last 2 months of the fiscal year up to first 15 days of new fiscal year. The above action will allow us to close the fiscal year snow & ice deficit with Article 2 at the Annual Town Meeting and pass over Article 3.
The only thing I can say is I hope everyone understands what this does.
1) It removes that $70,000 from next years free cash ( remember, we've already moved $68,500 for cruiser to next years free cash)
2) It avoids making hard choices now, preferring to instead push them into crisis management later and all the typical excuses.
3) Please ask your Selectman! What is the balance of the General Fund. What are our tax collections coming in at? Make them show you the numbers!
If you sit back listening to them tell you how much better we are doing they'll let you. If you start asking them to show you how we are doing much better, well, I want to be there.
3)
Perhaps someone finally realized it was a bad dumb move. Weekly TA report, financial transfers will be used to cover snow & ice deficit so article 3 will be passed over. Financial transfers are allowed by law from May 1 to July 15 involving the select board and advisory committee. That will be 70 thousand transferred from other accounts/funds and go to snow & ice to pay off that charge. That will be 70 thousand dollars less going to free cash which means 70 grand less to use next fall and next spring.
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