Interesting item from last Advisory Committee meeting; The Town Administrator presented the committee with an end of year financial transfer request. Transfer from Insurance and Benefits fund to Veterans Fund. Amount of transfer request is $7,000.00. The amount shown to still be in the Veterans fund as of April 27, 2018 is $5,365.00. The amount shown to be in the Insurance & Benefits Fund as of April 27, 2018 is $519,538.00.

From the 3rd quarter financial report from Town Accountant dated April 23, 2018, Insurance & Benefits shows $745,860.27

A month earlier, expenditure report dated March 22, 2018 shows Insurance & Benefits as $747,776.49

Will be interesting to see what the end of year balance is for Insurance & Benefits, as in what is left over, if any.

I also have to question why a Town with a general fund spending plan of over 8 million dollars is going to use a meals tax, which does not even exist yet, as a basis to support 3 year leases on a car and a truck (police cruiser and highway one tone truck) while letting about $196,000.00 roll forward, untouched. I have to question why create 2 new 3 year bills when you do not have to. Spend the money you have and put the leftover into capital stabilization fund.

The warrant article states a three year lease for both vehicles at $42,000.00 per year with a limit of $126,000.00. If you just use the $126,000.00 as the case price for both items, there would still be $70,000 to put into capital stabilization without creating new bills that now have to be funded with future unknown money. What if the meals tax does not pass? Again,my view is it is a foolish move to let that $196 thousand roll on and bet on an unknown.

It is Time for a change - VOTE Jeff Bennett for Selectmen

SUMMARY:  Overlay and Overlay surplus

These guidelines explain recent amendments made by the Municipal Modernization Act that impact the Allowance for Abatements and Exemptions (overlay). St. 2016, c. 218, §§ 131, 133 and 152. They explain the statutory standard for maintaining an adequate overlay and the actions the Commissioner of Revenue (Commissioner) may take when approving a tax rate or determining available funds (free cash) to ensure compliance with that standard. Overlay is an account to fund anticipated abatements and exemptions of committed real and personal property taxes. The overlay amount is determined by the board of assessors (assessors) and may be raised in the tax rate without appropriation. Excess overlay is determined, certified and transferred by vote of the assessors to a Fund Balance Reserved for Overlay Released by the Assessors for Expenditures (overlay surplus). Overlay surplus may then be appropriated by the legislative body for any lawful purpose until the end of the fiscal year, i.e., June 30. Overlay surplus not appropriated by year-end is closed to the general fund undesignated fund balance. G.L. c. 59, §§ 23 and 25.

This is posted so as to try and inform people of what the item is and how it is used. If you hear or see overlay surplus at Town Meeting, now you will hopefully have an idea of what it is and how or why it comes to be.

In case you are paying attention:

If you look on the Templeton Town web site under departments and click Town Administrator, then click on the FY2019 Town Meeting Warrant, look at article 21; fiscal year 2019 General Fund operating budget (OPEX) and you will see a dollar figure of $8,220,298.00.

If you stay at the same place and look through the budget book presentation, sections 1-3, move down until you come to the summary - General Fund Operating budget and look down at the total: $8,315,481.00 is what you will see.

In the hard copy (paper) book that was handed out to selectmen and Advisory Committee members, we go to the same page, General Fund Operating Budget and we see a total of $8,220,231.00.
That was an "update"passed on to Advisory on April 9, 2018. So, which one is correct? Which one did the select board vote on? Do they know?

What is voted on at Town Meeting will be, but why don't all the dollar figures match?
How is putting conflicting information on the Town's website for taxpayers helping anyone out?

Does anyone remember the MA DOT complete streets program? Templeton is a compact member. According to the website, Templeton does not have or it did not work on the complete streets best practice policy. The website does not show any projects for Templeton. I recall this grant program was going to be used to aid in the design / re do of Wellington Road and part of South Road with regards to the area around the new school. I wonder if this is going to be another good opportunity left untapped by the selectmen like the CDBG program. That is the program used to rebuild infrastructure in the Back Bay area of Baldwinville. Water lines, drainage, sidewalks and road beds. Perhaps they are too busy with writing policies. Of course if you do not show up for meetings, it is hard to bring these things up.

The key word or phrase is complete streets best practice policy and the DOT web site shows a no for Templeton. No projects approved for FY 2017, rounds 1 and 2. No projects approved FY 2018 round 1 and 2. No prioritization plan approved yet either according to the website.

 VOTE

for Jeff Bennett for Selectmen

They may call themselves the superior board, but they cannot make me serve past my appointed term, if at the end of said term, I no longer wish to serve.

Proposed Town by-law change:

Town Meeting Warrant, article 4 - Advisory Committee:

in part, reads: "Annual Town Meeting at which their successors are appointed, provided however, that, in the event of a failure to appoint a successor, members shall serve until their successor is appointed and duly qualified." 

This proposed Town by-law change is brought forward by the board of selectmen.

They could not make me resign and they sure as hell are not going to make me serve longer than my current appointed term, unless I choose request further appointment. If after three years,, I say I am done, I am done. No volunteers, sorry about that, but I am on my way.

If someone volunteers or agrees to stay longer, that is one thing, but selectmen thinking they can tell people they have to serve beyond their term, sorry, the Advisory Committee is not the military!

Question; if you force someone to continue to serve after their term is up, that means their sworn in time has expired, so how long will the Town Clerk be told to swear that person in for? Six months, one month, one year???? You can not really participate if you are not sworn in by the Town Clerk?

Remember also, taxpayers are spending money to codify the Town's general by-laws, so why not wait until that process is complete, have a Town Meeting to repeal in their entirety and then vote in the new codified Town General by-laws? I don't think the superior board put much thought into this evolution.

From the 2016 Westminster annual Town report, salary for cemetery supt. listed at $53,028.72.

FY 2019 DPW director - Templeton salary listed at $72,287.00, to look after cemetery, building & grounds and highway. Not sure what the fiscal year salary will be in Westminster for Cemetery, but I am thinking it is close to Templeton DPW director and a whole lot less stuff to deal with. Add to that, something you really enjoy doing. 

Again, good luck to Alan Mayo!

Now the question becomes, who will lead the new Templeton DPW? Will the selectmen find a manager or will they simply promote from within?

According to the latest Ton Administrator report, 

Alan Mayo has resigned as Director of Public Works for Templeton.

I wish Alan well!

Alan mayo is apparently headed to Westminster to be superintendent of parks and cemeteries. I truly believe that is where Alan is happiest and that is a gain for Westminster.

VOTE Jeff Bennett for Selectmen