Should Templeton be in the ambulance business while it struggles financially. When the fire department had to scramble to buy new air tanks and pump repairs concerning fire safety. The new rate increases, some 100% and with talk and demands of the state agency overseeing ALS service, of the need for more full time employees to man the ambulance, should Templeton look to a private agency or business to provide this service for a fee, that is they pay Templeton an amount of money for the privilege of serving Templeton. Templeton could maintain ambulance service, just be prepared for a tax rate approaching or at $25.00 per thousand. The Town is currently at $16.47, then the police station debt will be on for 2 years, the new school will be on for 28 years, the "old" high school debt from 1996 will stay on for another 28 years, per information from the special town meeting of November 9, 2015. The increases that will come for health insurance and retirement along with salaries and future labor contracts. It all adds up to increase in tax rate, increases in property valuations which do not always end up in a reduction in property tax bills. As an old commercial said, "it is not what you make, it's what you keep". I am looking at history, financial trends and the costing of services and it all shows you keeping less and less and getting less in return. Watch the cut in hours and services. These are my opinions, other than factual information which I have paper work to back up. Go to Templeton website, town of, look under board of selectmen, contracts and agreements and look at the police chief contract, contract with local 39, etc. and you can see what these cost you beyond salary.



posted by Jeff Bennett

By Kim King
Telegram and Gazette

UXBRIDGE - Voters will go to the polls Tuesday for a special election to fill the Board of Selectmen seat vacated in May when Lance Anderson resigned

The unexpired term runs until the next town election in the spring.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at McCloskey Middle School, 62 Capron St.

Three names appear on the ballot, but one of the candidates, Kristen LeBlanc of 242 North Main St., announced last week that she is no longer running because of personal reasons. Ms. LeBlanc urged her supporters to vote for Justin Piccirillo of 47 North Main St.

Mr. Piccirillo, an engineer and alternate member of the Planning Board, faces Gary Lavallee of 118 Hartford Avenue East, a construction manager and U.S. Navy veteran who serves on the Pout Pond Recreation Committee and volunteers with the Italian-American Club and other organizations.

Two controversial soil importation projects, bringing in fill from construction projects largely in the Boston area, which have low levels of contaminants, have dominated the special election campaign as well as many other areas of town government.

Mr. Piccirillo is active in the grass-roots Uxbridge Citizens for Clean Water and said at a candidates forum held at the Senior Center Nov. 17 that if he could change one thing in town, "I'd take that dirty dirt and I'd stick it back in Boston."

He said he was running for the selectman's seat because he believed town government was getting bigger and inefficient, and he took issue with the board's handling of projects such as the reclamation soil importation at 175 South St. and 775 Millville Road.

Mr. Piccirillo said the board "either ignored our bylaws or misled the public or both on our laws around soil importation." He pointed to the table of use in the zoning bylaws, which does not list soil importation as an allowable use in any district. "I don't think you can grandfather an activity that was never permitted," he said.

He also advocated for more long-range planning and favored reducing the authority of the town manager, perhaps handing line-item budget veto authority to the Finance Committee.

posted by Jeff Bennett

by Kim King
Telegram and Gazette

In the first discussion about planning for the fiscal 2018 budget, selectmen were asked for their ideas about what budgetary priorities they'd like to set.

"It's just part of the budget process," Town Administrator Adam Gaudette said, adding that it's quite early to be working on specifics and that no numbers on which to base next year's budget are available.

Still, selectmen want to hear about capital purchases department heads feel they need to make and they want the School Department to weigh in on anticipated expenses too.

And like a Christmas list, selectmen will mull over their wants.

For Selectman Ralph E. Hicks, the list is easy.

He'd like to see the Town Hall open four days a week and he'd like some evening hours to accommodate those who work

In the first discussion about planning for the fiscal 2018 budget, selectmen were asked for their ideas about what budgetary priorities they'd like to set.

"It's just part of the budget process," Town Administrator Adam Gaudette said, adding that it's quite early to be working on specifics and that no numbers on which to base next year's budget are available.

Still, selectmen want to hear about capital purchases department heads feel they need to make and they want the School Department to weigh in on anticipated expenses too.

And like a Christmas list, selectmen will mull over their wants.

For Selectman Ralph E. Hicks, the list is easy.

He'd like to see the Town Hall open four days a week and he'd like some evening hours to accommodate those who work.

I think it's appalling that a community with 11(thousand) or 12,000 people doesn't have a Town Hall that's open one night a week," he said.

He'd also like to reopen Luther Hill Park and provide a summer recreation program and swimming lessons. He has some concerns about the library, too.

Many of the items were cut when the state Department of Education began overseeing the Spencer-East Brookfield School District and set a larger budget figure than the town had approved. Other cuts came after two failed overrides of Proposition 2½ in 2014, Mr. Gaudette said.

Mr. Hicks admitted that Proposition 2½, which limits taxes, makes it difficult to increase budgets for the wish list to be fulfilled.

"Proposition 2½ is a well-intentioned law," he said. "But it limits what we can do."

Mr. Gaudette said he simply wants to set some budget goals and then work with the numbers to see what's possible.

"You start off optimistic," he said. "And then you either maintain your optimism, or you lose it.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Time to send all the goofed up information of Templeton and actions and screw ups involving the selectmen and Bob Markel to certain entities; the Boston Globe, town of Stoneham, channels 4, 5, 7 and Fox news. Time to write letters to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, this mess has gone long enough and with trying to shut out the seniors during the winter months is just too much. How is any business going to want to move in to this town with all this going on?


posted by Jeff Bennett

What is possible in Templeton for Fiscal Year 2018, a $projected $400,000.00 shortfall or structural deficit. This scorch and burn is a result of john columbus and others to get a new school at all costs. He was the chairman of the board of selectmen when all of this went down. He said "we are solving issues" He now says he needs more proof and discussion to see the problem and the solution. Hopefully john, there is a surprise coming for you and the others. That is my opinion as I look at multiple things that have happened and others that seem to be in the planing stage. In my opinion, there was a deliberate effort to paint a very good picture of Templeton finance just to get a new school. Nice job johnny, in my opinion of course.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Just to enlighten a few people who think they do not owe Veterans and that it should not be the responsibility of taxpayers to pay for an office for Veterans services:

Chapter 115 Under Massachusetts General Laws M.G.L. ch. 115, the Commonwealth provides a needs-based means tested program of financial and medical assistance for indigent veterans and their dependents. Qualifying veterans and their dependents receive necessary financial assistance for food, shelter, clothing, fuel, and medical care in accordance with a formula which takes into account the number of dependents and income from all sources. Eligible dependents of deceased veterans are provided with the same benefits as if the veteran were still living.

 Department of Veterans’ Services
600 Washington Street, 7th Floor Boston,
MA 02111 617-210-5480
www.mass.gov/veterans Email: mdvs@vet.state.ma.us

Today M.G.L. Chapter 115 requires every city and town to maintain a Department of Veterans’ Services through which the municipality makes available to its residents the part-time or full-time services of either an exclusive or district Veterans’ Service Officer (VSO). It is the job of the VSO to provide the veterans (living and deceased) and their dependents access to every federal, state, and local benefit and service to which they are entitled—including assisting in their funerals and honoring them on Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day.

I urge all to look for themselves, under Massachusetts General Laws and at the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office. Some may think that the general public should not have to pay for office space and or other things for Veterans, Apparently, you do owe, for the bill (s) because it is a matter of law. Whether you agree or not, you owe for the bill and you pay for it via taxes and other fees.


posted by Jeff Bennett

for the benefit of johnny columbus!

Message from Town Administrator Bob Markel

The Department of Revenue has always discouraged the use of free cash to balance the budget. Bond rating agencies do the same, and the low bond rating for the Town reflects, in part, the lavish use of free cash to fund the operating budget. However, this is not illegal; it is simply unsound financial policy.

The amount of free cash available changes yearly, and it is not predictable. Free cash is considered one-time revenue, and the Department of Revenues recommends that it used to augment the Stabilization Fund (reserves) or for one-time purchases like capital items.

Audit firms do not do a thorough job of auditing the books (unfortunately). They come and test various areas of the town’s finances to see if there are problems, but some problems are not caught and can persist for years. They tell you up front that they cannot do a thorough audit for the relatively modest amount they charge. The DOR representative at today’s meeting called the standard municipal audit a “hit and run” audit. Still, some firms are more reputable and more competent than others. I cannot name names in this message, but there are several firms that I would never hire.

Recommendation: The Selectboard should create an Audit Committee of knowledgeable citizens who will have two responsibilities: 1) Bid the audit contract every three years, and hire an independent auditor; and 2) Receive the annual audit and do a public review of the findings and the management letter. Municipal auditors are typically hired by the Town Administrator, Town Accountant or Finance Director. This is an inherent conflict of interest since town officials who do the hiring are the ones whose work is being audited. Hiring and receiving the audit should be an arm’s length transaction from the Town’s financial team.

The Department of Revenue oversees 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. They accept data provided by the Town Accountant, the Treasurer/Collector and the Assessors. They often question the data, but they are not always able to verify if data submitted on the Tax Recap or Schedule A are accurate. The DOR does not have access to the town’s accounting system. For example, the DOR was in Templeton today to question whether the Town has properly reported debt obligations on the DE-1 section of Schedule A. Some debt is paid from general revenue within the town budget and some debt is paid through debt exclusion. There is a correct way to report these two types of debt on Schedule A. The DOR representatives checked to see if the Town reported the data correctly, but they are limited in their ability to verify the accuracy of the data.

The long term solution to Templeton’s financial problems is to hire a professional Town Administrator who will put in place a competent financial management team – Accountant, Treasurer, Collector and Assessors. The Selectmen and Advisory Board have the responsibly to oversee the T.A. and the financial team on their management of the Town’s finances. To complement the BoS and Advisory Board, the Audit Committee should retain a reputable accounting firm to conduct an annual audit with the results made public.

Bob Markel
Interim Town Administrator

posted by Jeff Bennett