Once again, Templeton selectmen show they do not know town bylaws, do not understand them and this is a serious and sad state of affairs. First, Templeton has a bylaw on advisory committee, it states how members are appointed and who appoints them as well as when a vacancy happens during the year at any time.

One section of said bylaw states:

Upon the effective date of this revised article of the Town Bylaws, the terms of all existing members of the Advisory Committee shall terminate at the next Town Meeting; the Moderator shall then appoint five members to serve until the conclusion of the next Annual Town Meeting. The Moderator of the Annual Town Meeting shall, within 30 days after said meeting, appoint one member of said Committee for a term of one year, two members for terms of two years, and two members for terms of three years. After the term of these initial appointments, the Moderator shall within 30 days after the adjournment of every Annual Town Meeting, appoint for a term of three years the number of persons as may be necessary, to provide a committee of five members. The terms of office of said members shall commence immediately upon being sworn in by the Town Clerk and shall expire at the close of final adjournment of the Annual Town Meeting at which their successors are appointed. The Advisory Committee shall choose its own officers and its members shall serve without pay, and it shall cause to be kept a true record of its proceedings.

Another section states:

Vacancy - If a member resigns or is absent from five consecutive meetings of the Advisory Committee, except in case of illness, the position shall be deemed to be vacant and shall be filled as herein provided. The Advisory Committee shall notify the Town Administrator, who will first check to determine if there are any interest forms of Town registered voters on file to fill the vacancy. If none, the Town Administrator will ensure the vacancy is posted to the Town web site. The Select Board shall thereupon fill such vacancy of the Committee, and this appointment shall expire at the final adjournment of the next succeeding Annual Town Meeting. The Select Board shall instruct the Town Administrator to notify the Town Clerk and the Advisory Committee of any such appointment. The Moderator, at the next annual Town Meeting, shall appoint a successor to complete the unexpired term.

I submitted an interest form to serve on advisory, I attended BOS meeting to get appointed and when the item came up, the chairman of the select board asked me how I wanted to be appointed because we are less than 30 days from town meeting. Templeton just had a town meeting on November 15, 2023, which is after the town had our required by state law annual town meeting, which makes the November town meeting a special town meeting and the moderator cannot, according to the bylaw appoint anyone to advisory after more than 30 days have passed since the adjournment/dissolve our annual town meeting. Our selectmen need to read and understand town bylaws, those are "marching orders" from town voters, you know, the boss of the selectmen.