At the last selectmen meeting, a candidate for Town Administrator was back for a third time. This time, selectmen Fortes apparently had no conflict of interest for this meeting or interview. The cameras rolled on as the candidate sat for an "interview" so unlike the last time this candidate sat for an "interview" people get a chance to watch the process if they desire.

In the past when a document such as expenditures versus appropriations or revenue reports from the town accountant, they were always emailed electronically. So the accountant apparently knows how to send documents attached to emails, of which I have many. Suddenly however, they are not sent electronically available. Perhaps some more silly games from town hall. Maybe lost is the availability of scanners to put printed materials on line for all to see, as in public knowledge/information, transparency and the like. My opinion is the internet has become a pain in the backside for elected officials and others, unless they are being patted on the back, then by all means put it on twitter, face book, blog and front page. Don't critique us or write/post anything negative or we will shut off the information, remember, we are superior!

My thought (personal opinion)  on the superior ones (their words or description of themselves also used by one other town financial team member when addressing the "elected ones"

So, in a style sometimes referred to as to Lampoon:

So, the elected ones could be -

a kegger, a no show, a baby making machine, a professional, a bankruptcy/land baron expert, a liquor salesmen, a town crier, a clown, a service provider, a building rahab person, a referee, or a go between. I will let you all connect the dots if you wish .

Some members get a tad testy if any further questions concerning the school are brought up, such as did the Templeton Conservation Commission sign off on things.

At the last selectmen meeting, the subject of public comment not being included on the agendas for BOS meetings as indicated in policies & procedures for selectmen, the answer was "because of all the things going on, that was not included for about the past four months." Looking back through agendas for selectmen meetings beginning in January 2016, I could find no agenda with public comment included or on the agendas. If that item is no longer wanted by selectmen, why not simply vote to remove it from the policy, deal with the questions, comments that will probably follow and be done with it. End of criticism for not following a policy with regards to that item, end of story. In my opinion, this makes for another example of a BOS that is less than forth coming with regards to information. 

posted by Jeff Bennett

Lee, Lenox approve agreement to share town administrator [1]

June 2, 2017

Christopher Ketchen​Beginning on July 1, Christopher Ketchen will serve as the chief administrative officer for both Lenox – his current employer – and Lee.

On May 11, Lee Town Meeting approved a three-year shared services agreement that had also been approved by the Lenox Board of Selectmen in March. Under the agreement, the towns will split Ketchen’s $110,000 salary – the same as what he receives now as Lenox’s town manager.

The towns will hire a shared assistant chief administrative officer, who will focus on human resources.

“We’re not hiring a human resources director per se,” Ketchen said. “It’s actually a full-blown assistant position that will act as the CAO in the CAO’s absence and be fully empowered in that regard. Human resource management will be the primary responsibility, and we’re looking for someone with that background to be the assistant.”

While the agreement is for a three-year pilot, the board of selectmen in each town will take a vote in mid-April each year on whether to continue the pilot, Ketchen said. If, after three years, the towns decide to continue the arrangement, the appropriate special legislation and charter change will go before the town meetings in the two towns to make the arrangement permanent.

Ketchen said the arrangement is intentionally flexible, and that he plans to spend most of July in Lee to familiarize himself with the town. That said, the expectation is to split his time evenly between the neighboring towns.

“At first my main office will be here in Lenox Town Hall,” he said. “I’ll be spending substantial amounts of time in Lee, but working out of this office. But I might be in my Lenox town hall office working on Lee work.”

While there are cases in Massachusetts where town administrators work part-time in more than one town, Ketchen said he believes this agreement is different.

“These are two towns that have come together to share two full-time jobs and have sort of joint administration of government between the two towns, while maintaining their identity by having their own select boards and town meetings,” he said. “It’s a shared administration, not just the same person doing multiple part-time jobs. It sounds like it’s only a minor distinction, but I think it’s profound.”

Ketchen, a member of the MMA Board of Directors, said he hopes the agreement, if successful, can serve as a model for other communities, particularly those in the Berkshires with declining populations that face similar circumstances.
 

Written by 

MMA Associate Editor Daniel DeMaina

posted by Jeff Bennett

What was/is in the fiscal year 2018 budget book: versus Town meeting report on Town website.

Town Meeting Warrant - Selectmen:          $258,750


from budget book
Town Administrator Salary      $110,000.00

assistant to Town administrator  $38,295.00
assistant to town administrator    $ 2,016.00
assistant to T/A - overtime                756.00


employee support                         $  9,250.00
legal services                                $60,000.00
employee physicals                           1,500.00
P.O. Box                                              125.00
Town Forrester                                   5,000.00
Office Supplies                                   2,500.00
reserve for equity, marit, COLA          10,000.00
posteage                                              500.00
MMA dues                                         1,250.00
advertising                                         1,500.00
annual Town report                              2,250.00
supplemental financials                       2,125.00


Town Meeting - accountant             $138,500.00

from budget book
Town accountant salary                      $68,141.00
assistant town accountant                   17,745.00
assistant town accountant                        700.00

employee support                                   3,250.00
purchase of services/audit                      28,000.00
Vadar support                                        15,325.00
OPEB calculation software                       5,000.00

note: 28K for fy2017/ plan $32,500.00 for FY2018 audit

town accountant supplies                             $500.00

from fiscal year 2018 budget book

deputy assessor salary                               $58,011.00

treasurer/collector salary                            $57,225.00

town clerk salary                                         $54,834.00

Fire chief salary - total                                $72,000.00

Health agent salary                                      $53,036.00

Building commissioner                                $31,824.00

DPW director /highway 60%                     $43,206.00
DPW director B/G                                        $28,804.00
total                                                             $72,010.00

library director salary                                    $31,200.00

posted by Jeff Bennett

david smart3:22 PM

If the chairman had asked that certain way it most likely would have been done.
If she had it electronically? Or to print it was easier why not.
She did what was requested.
If the advisory has any funds left over they should pony up for the unforeseen cost of the winter,and expenses.
Or how about to add to the unforeseen fleet expenses we have had the last few months after such a unforeseen hard winter.
Pony up AC Templeton needs your help again.
So the Snow and ice budget is ok at 125k?
No change?
Advise?

The above shows, in my opinion, that little davey does not know or understand how things work. The Advisory Committee has no power to put money here or there. Any funds left over from Advisory expense fund goes where left over money goes, it reverts to the general fund. The Town's reserve fund was lowered this year as well, so what was that money used to cover?


In the FY2018 budget book, it has a Town Administrator recommend snow & Ice $140,000.00 and the posted warrant has this:

Note: (1) Contains $10,000 Reserve Transferrable by BoS for Non-Union Merit & Equity Raises
 (2) Contains $35,000 transferable reserve for emergency & unforeseen circumstances (MGL Ch. 40 S. 6)

The Town website for the annual town meeting of May 13, 2017 has snow & Ice appropriation of $132.500.00, either way, it is not $125,000.00

Maybe selectmen can help you out davey!

The vote of the Advisory Committee was to ask for the general ledger and it is preferred electronically and I was designated by the Chairman to put forth the request. There was a "thank you in advance for assistance" Electronically saves paper and time. General ledger material has been sent electronically in the past. As I stated previously, little davey is the apparent spokes person for highway and the selectmen and in my opinion, davey needs to go ask how things work before he speaks.

posted by Jeff Bennett

Asked for electronically for reasons of ease of distribution to all members and saves paper and copying time which equals resources as in taxpayer money. The Advisory Committee received a printed copy which now has to be copied and handed out at the next meeting where members will see it for the first time rather than receiving it electronically so as to be able to review it and write down questions prior to the meeting. One has to like the cooperation of Town Hall and the open and transparent manner of operation.

Kelli Pontbriand <accountant@templeton1.org>

 

|

Yesterday, 10:55 AM

You;

'townadministrator' (townadministrator@templeton1.org);

185wilberdr@gmail.com;

'Board, Advisory' (templetonadvisoryboard@gmail.com)

In the box

Kelli Pontbriand

Accountant

Town of Templeton

978-894-2765

From: townadministrator [mailto:townadministrator@templeton1.org]
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 9:16 AM
To: 'Kelli Pontbriand'
Cc: 185wilberdr@gmail.com; 'Board, Advisory'; 'jeff bennett'
Subject: RE: snow and Ice general ledger

Kelli:

Pls see below and let Jeff know when it is in the AC box

Many Thanks

Carter Terenzini

Interim Town Administrator

Town of Templeton

160 Patriots Road

East Templeton, MA 01438

(978) 894-2753

From: jeff bennett [mailto:j_bennett506@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 6:48 AM
To: Town Administrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>
Cc: 185wilberdr@gmail.com; Board, Advisory <templetonadvisoryboard@gmail.com>
Subject: snow and Ice general ledger

Carter;

At the last meeting of the Advisory Committee, a discussion on the snow & Ice deficit and thinking of possible future transfer (s) to cover this years amount, the committee voted to ask and I was designated by the Chair to pose this request.

The Advisory Committee respectfully requests from you and the Town Accountant, a detailed general ledger printout, electronically if possible, so we may have this information for our next meeting on June 21, 2017. We would also use this information for discussion on possible future recommendations on increasing this fund.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.

respectfully;

Jeffrey Bennett

vice-chairman Advisory Committee

posted by Jeff Bennett

Special financial report to be published and it will not contain Town employee salaries, according to the Town Accountant. "It will be written according to the Town by-laws."

So what does the Town by-law say - Article VIII Records and reports.

Section 4. states The annual town report shall contain, in addition to the reports of officers, boards, and committees as herein before provided, a detailed report of all monies received into and paid out of the town treasury in the financial year next preceding. In my opinion, salaries are monies paid out of the town treasury, what do you think? showing separately payments made from the proceeds of loans as capital outlays for permanent improvements; the report of the collector of taxes, of receipts, payments  and abatements; statements of all funds belonging to the town or held for the benefit of its inhabitants; a statement of the liabilities of the town on bonds, notes, certificates of indebtedness or otherwise, and of indebtedness authorized but not incurred, and the purpose thereof : a statement  of transfers made to or from any appropriation; abstracts of the records of the meetings of the town held since publication of the last municipal year: and such other matters as the said report is required by law to contain, or as may be inserted by the selectmen under the discretion granted them by law.

So I will be making a public records request for a list of salaries for all town employees as that involves the spending of public monies and we will see where that leads.

On anther note, apparently the continued blogging about policies and procedures and the selectmen leaving public comment off the agenda (for the past 4 months) brought selectmen Brooks to broach that subject. Again, we will see for the next selectmen meeting if it is included on the agenda.

Now to go thru the meeting calendar and try to get an idea of how long it has been.

Oh, the selectmen are great dancers!

posted by Jeff Bennett

PS: to all the peeps on DHB face book - Howdy!

from my "stan" email folder which may show a few things such as why it is important for certain officials to do "their part" as in different portions of the tax recap being responsibilty of assessor, town clerk, town accountant etc. When one person handles it all and then departs, do all the "players" now know their part or is there a "stumbling in the dark" while they have to suddenly learn their part. This is one reason why it is important to have certified as in trained / experienced accountant, treasurer, assessor, accountant, collector. That is my opinion.

the email:

From: Fred Aponte [mailto:faponte@harvard.ma.us]

Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2012 10:46 AM

To: Wagner, Deborah

Cc: selectman@templeton1.org; towncoordinator@templeton1.org; assessors@templeton1.org; Assessors@templeton1.org;treasurer@templeton1.org; Mountain, Dennis P.

Subject: Re: Templeton 2013 Tax Rate Recap

I will look at it.

Fred Aponte

Accounting Officer

Town of Harvard

13 Ayer Road

Harvard, MA 01451

978-456-4100

"Wagner, Deborah" <wagnerd@dor.state.ma.us> writes:

Fred,

I think article 28 of the ATM was left off the B-2.

as posted prior, if it is article 28 from 2012 ATM, that involved possible use of stabilization funds but all of this leads back to why or how did the current board of selectmen/accountant give a stabilization number out and request a transfer from stabilization if the correct dollar figure for that fund was not known. In my opinion, that was a repeat of the transfer from fire/EMS salary to pay snow & ice deficit then having to put money back into fire/EMS because the original number given was wrong.

Which leads back to the Advisory Committee opinion of being more conservative with regards to revenue and why the town should at least use the percentage collected for a revenue base rather than the possible 100% if collected number, in my opinion.

posted by Jeff Bennett