It is Public safety damn it!!!
Phillipston school assessment goes down, Templeton stays the same, Templeton debt goes up, big. . . really big, as Papi says, Phillipston dispatch cost stays the same, Templeton dispatch costs goes up, Templeton needs to transfer more money into the council on the aging, Phillipston comes in to Templeton COA and pays nothing, as far as I know. Templeton taxpayers fund more costs for Phillipston and they pay practically nothing! Are you happy Templeton? Templeton fire department needs a pump, call them and tell them to contact the Advisory Committee for the reserve funds for this purpose. Do not let the selectmen shaft you more!
posted by Jeff Bennett
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Town finance still not right and Templeton fire department needs your help! Call them and the selectmen to tell them to go to the Advisory Committee to request funds from the Templeton reserve fund to pay for a pump repair or replacement. 25 thousand is needed and it is public safety!!
According to Templeton Town Administrator, Templeton group insurance (health insurance) will probably need a transfer of +$50,000.00 by May 2017. Templeton unemployment insurance fund will need a transfer by May. Town building and vehicle maintenance will need five figure transfers by next May (or before). Selectmen are also taking money (actually asking you at town meeting) from many accounts to cover their shortfall as it is demonstrated their so called budget was not balanced after all. They promised more than they had to promise.
On another note, the fire department needs about 25 thousand dollars to pay for a pump repair/replacement. Call them and the selectmen and tell them to come to Advisory Committee to request a transfer from the Town reserve fund, that is what it is there for. Public safety!!!
Selectmen want to keep the reserve fund in place to cover their ill-advised spending of snow & ice money on a truck. Which is actually more gambling and credit spending, remember, deficit spending on snow & ice is allowed. Tell them to take care of public safety now and allow fire department to come to advisory committee and request funds, that is what it is there for, unforeseen and unexpected emergency funding. Public safety is at stake!!
posted by Jeff Bennett
According to Templeton Town Administrator, Templeton group insurance (health insurance) will probably need a transfer of +$50,000.00 by May 2017. Templeton unemployment insurance fund will need a transfer by May. Town building and vehicle maintenance will need five figure transfers by next May (or before). Selectmen are also taking money (actually asking you at town meeting) from many accounts to cover their shortfall as it is demonstrated their so called budget was not balanced after all. They promised more than they had to promise.
On another note, the fire department needs about 25 thousand dollars to pay for a pump repair/replacement. Call them and the selectmen and tell them to come to Advisory Committee to request a transfer from the Town reserve fund, that is what it is there for. Public safety!!!
Selectmen want to keep the reserve fund in place to cover their ill-advised spending of snow & ice money on a truck. Which is actually more gambling and credit spending, remember, deficit spending on snow & ice is allowed. Tell them to take care of public safety now and allow fire department to come to advisory committee and request funds, that is what it is there for, unforeseen and unexpected emergency funding. Public safety is at stake!!
posted by Jeff Bennett
Some more town finance for Templeton.
From the DOR; Templeton's new growth dollar figure will be $69,000.00. This is 11 thousand lower than what the selectmen voted in to present to town meeting back in May 2016. Even as the Board of Assessors were saying 65 thousand was probably a likely number. Advisory Committee recommended a dollar figure of $50,000.00. I believe it is better to get the "surprise" that you have a little bit more money coming in rather than learn you counted on more and you end up short.
At the recent meeting of Advisory, the Town Administrator informed the committee that the Town's group insurance (health insurance) fund may run out and require a transfer before the annual town meeting in May 2017. The administrator did say the time frame is a little flexible, as in it could be sooner than that. In my opinion, this shows again that Templeton selectmen need to open a can of moxie and change the health insurance approach. Put the lower cost plan on the table along with the cadillac plan now available. Then change the town / employee cost split. employees are going to have to pay more. With union contracts in place and pay adjustments in place to be more competitive or in line with other area towns, this can and should be done. Time for selectmen to think about the good of the whole town. Looking at town finances and the numbers, the system in place now cannot keep going without some changes. Back to the health insurance cost, when I was a civilian federal government employee, I had a yearly choice to pick the health insurance plan I wanted. If I wanted the cadillac plan, which I mostly chose after one year on the cheap plan, I agreed to pay more for it by choice. If town employees wish to keep the current plan, they have to pay more.
We need to take a close look at the amount of Templeton Town debt, Town median income, property valuations and a five year look back at revenue. The current interim Town Administrator stated "we budget on expense, not on revenue." Regardless of how it is done, you cannot spend more than you have or expect to have. If you spend 20 dollars every week even as you only take in 15 dollars every week, sooner or later, you are in trouble. It does not change no matter how many zeros you add in, 20 dollars or 20 million. Spend more than you have, you get in trouble.
watch the Advisory Committee meeting of September 28 to see!
posted by Jeff Bennett
From the DOR; Templeton's new growth dollar figure will be $69,000.00. This is 11 thousand lower than what the selectmen voted in to present to town meeting back in May 2016. Even as the Board of Assessors were saying 65 thousand was probably a likely number. Advisory Committee recommended a dollar figure of $50,000.00. I believe it is better to get the "surprise" that you have a little bit more money coming in rather than learn you counted on more and you end up short.
At the recent meeting of Advisory, the Town Administrator informed the committee that the Town's group insurance (health insurance) fund may run out and require a transfer before the annual town meeting in May 2017. The administrator did say the time frame is a little flexible, as in it could be sooner than that. In my opinion, this shows again that Templeton selectmen need to open a can of moxie and change the health insurance approach. Put the lower cost plan on the table along with the cadillac plan now available. Then change the town / employee cost split. employees are going to have to pay more. With union contracts in place and pay adjustments in place to be more competitive or in line with other area towns, this can and should be done. Time for selectmen to think about the good of the whole town. Looking at town finances and the numbers, the system in place now cannot keep going without some changes. Back to the health insurance cost, when I was a civilian federal government employee, I had a yearly choice to pick the health insurance plan I wanted. If I wanted the cadillac plan, which I mostly chose after one year on the cheap plan, I agreed to pay more for it by choice. If town employees wish to keep the current plan, they have to pay more.
We need to take a close look at the amount of Templeton Town debt, Town median income, property valuations and a five year look back at revenue. The current interim Town Administrator stated "we budget on expense, not on revenue." Regardless of how it is done, you cannot spend more than you have or expect to have. If you spend 20 dollars every week even as you only take in 15 dollars every week, sooner or later, you are in trouble. It does not change no matter how many zeros you add in, 20 dollars or 20 million. Spend more than you have, you get in trouble.
watch the Advisory Committee meeting of September 28 to see!
posted by Jeff Bennett
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Templeton Town by-laws - Article IV - Advisory Committee.
Section 5. In the discharge of its duty, said committee shall have free access to all books of record and accounts, bills and vouchers on which money has been or may be paid from the town treasury. Officers, boards, and committees of the town shall, upon request, furnish said committee with facts, figures, and any other information pertaining to their several activities.
Section 6. It shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee to make an annual report of its doings, with recommendations relative to financial matters and the conduct of town business, to be contained in the annual town report.
It is the duty and responsibility of all Town departments and selectmen to provide Advisory Committee all financial documents involving public money. After the 2017 financial presentation of 2017 by the selectmen and the financial presentation to the Town by the Advisory Committee in 2014, both at the annual Town meeting, there needs to be much discussion and thorough breakdown of all financial matters involving the Town. Financial information should be readily available and easily obtained.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Section 5. In the discharge of its duty, said committee shall have free access to all books of record and accounts, bills and vouchers on which money has been or may be paid from the town treasury. Officers, boards, and committees of the town shall, upon request, furnish said committee with facts, figures, and any other information pertaining to their several activities.
Section 6. It shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee to make an annual report of its doings, with recommendations relative to financial matters and the conduct of town business, to be contained in the annual town report.
It is the duty and responsibility of all Town departments and selectmen to provide Advisory Committee all financial documents involving public money. After the 2017 financial presentation of 2017 by the selectmen and the financial presentation to the Town by the Advisory Committee in 2014, both at the annual Town meeting, there needs to be much discussion and thorough breakdown of all financial matters involving the Town. Financial information should be readily available and easily obtained.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Monday, September 26, 2016
Since someone in Town hall really hates this blog, here's to it:
Article IV – Advisory Committee
Section 1. There shall be an Advisory Committee consisting of seven legal voters of the town who shall be appointed by the Moderator as hereinafter provided. No elective or appointive town officer or town employee shall be eligible to serve on said committee, except that a representative from the Advisory Committee shall be entitled to serve as a member of the Capital Planning Committee and the Insurance Committee. Amended 5-13-03 & 5-11-11
The above is from Templeton General by-laws, and there in lies the problem, seems like the Massachusetts General laws now say something different:
MGL, chapter 32B, section 3:
Said committee shall consist of eight members as follows: seven persons to be duly elected or appointed to membership on such committee by organizations of the employees affected, and one person who shall be a retiree of a governmental unit who shall be duly appointed to membership on said committee by the appropriate public authority.
I was going to serve on insurance committee until a "discussion" came up as to how I was appointed to the insurance committee, hey, some people in Town Hall do not like me, but hey, who cares. During this "discussion" it was noted that the law said something else which contradicts the Town by-law so the Advisory Committee requested an article for the special town meeting in October to have 3 words removed from that by-law section. That would make the by law follow state law. Seems simple and logical, until it reaches the selectmen, who, voted to not place this item on the warrant. They stated they wished to wait until they bring in a consultant, for a fee, to have all the by-laws looked at and changed, eliminated so as to be compliant with current law. I agree with the concept, but why wait to remove 3 words which does what they say they wish to do.
from my personal opinion: "Perhaps they do not like Advisory Committee bringing something up that may derail their school project. Since the Town would be getting very close, if not passing, what is the allowable debt limit for the Town, and to allow the Town to get word on the condition of it's fiance, it does not seem to be a bad thing to do, to put the brakes on the project. The Town will be able to go into 47 million dollar debt later. So the beat goes on and it seems that this board of selectmen still has advisory Committee on its target deck and wants to go around it and not follow Town by-laws, they still feel like they are the superior board." You can make the call as to how you see it.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Article IV – Advisory Committee
Section 1. There shall be an Advisory Committee consisting of seven legal voters of the town who shall be appointed by the Moderator as hereinafter provided. No elective or appointive town officer or town employee shall be eligible to serve on said committee, except that a representative from the Advisory Committee shall be entitled to serve as a member of the Capital Planning Committee and the Insurance Committee. Amended 5-13-03 & 5-11-11
The above is from Templeton General by-laws, and there in lies the problem, seems like the Massachusetts General laws now say something different:
MGL, chapter 32B, section 3:
Said committee shall consist of eight members as follows: seven persons to be duly elected or appointed to membership on such committee by organizations of the employees affected, and one person who shall be a retiree of a governmental unit who shall be duly appointed to membership on said committee by the appropriate public authority.
I was going to serve on insurance committee until a "discussion" came up as to how I was appointed to the insurance committee, hey, some people in Town Hall do not like me, but hey, who cares. During this "discussion" it was noted that the law said something else which contradicts the Town by-law so the Advisory Committee requested an article for the special town meeting in October to have 3 words removed from that by-law section. That would make the by law follow state law. Seems simple and logical, until it reaches the selectmen, who, voted to not place this item on the warrant. They stated they wished to wait until they bring in a consultant, for a fee, to have all the by-laws looked at and changed, eliminated so as to be compliant with current law. I agree with the concept, but why wait to remove 3 words which does what they say they wish to do.
from my personal opinion: "Perhaps they do not like Advisory Committee bringing something up that may derail their school project. Since the Town would be getting very close, if not passing, what is the allowable debt limit for the Town, and to allow the Town to get word on the condition of it's fiance, it does not seem to be a bad thing to do, to put the brakes on the project. The Town will be able to go into 47 million dollar debt later. So the beat goes on and it seems that this board of selectmen still has advisory Committee on its target deck and wants to go around it and not follow Town by-laws, they still feel like they are the superior board." You can make the call as to how you see it.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Since Templeton is going to be looking for more debt to replace a sewer pumping station, I hope they are looking into this:
Sewer Rate Relief Fund - FY2017
The Division of Local Services has released Bulletin 2016-04B: Sewer Rate Relief Fund - FY2017. It can be found by clicking here.
The Division of Local Services has released Bulletin 2016-04B: Sewer Rate Relief Fund - FY2017. It can be found by clicking here.
The Sewer Rate Relief Fund operates under the provisions of Chapter 29 Section 2Z of the General Laws. The Fund was created in 1993 to mitigate escalating costs of sewer service in the Commonwealth. Awards were based on "eligible debt service" and were calculated at up to 20% of debt service. For FY2017, $1.1 million has been appropriated. Applications must be returned by Friday, October 28th, 2016 to the address noted in the bulletin.
posted by Jeff Bennett
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