To encourage cities and towns to adopt zoning that supports sustainable housing production, the Department of Housing and Community Development created the Housing Choice Initiative. That program rewards communities that produce new housing and adopt best practices to promote smart growth with grants and technical assistance. Passage of H. 4290 will make it easier for communities to achieve Housing Choice designation.

How will Templeton do this and benefit from the above if the Town leaders, the selectmen, basically tell a neighborhood to screw off when it comes to their road, etc.? Is the Town Administrator's position supported by the selectmen? Was this their initiative and instructions to the Town Administrator, with regards to a Town policy or did this begin with the T/A? This does not appear to be a day to day item, rather a policy decision and I believe this is one of those items that will define these selectmen. Again, is it the position of the selectmen to "take" their money (residents of Laurel View Road) and give them nothing in return. Perhaps sheriff Fortes (check out pictures on his twitter account) wishes to govern like the sheriff of Nottingham.

Templeton Board of Selectmen
                                  Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton
                                                Monday, June 25, 2018, 6:30 p.m.

Agenda
1. Call the Meeting to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Public Comment

4. a. Meeting Minutes~ 6.11.18
b. Executive Session Minutes~ none

5. New Business: 
a. Action RE: Appointments & Introductions
b. Public Hearing RE: Transfer of Liquor License, Baldwinville Station
c. Action RE: Minuteman Club Bike Race/Town Common Use Permit
d. Action RE: Change of Owner on Class II License Transfer~The Car Works
e. Action RE: Preparation of FY ’19 MA CDBG Grant Funds
f. Action RE: Request for Release of Lien, 749 South Street
g. Action RE: Purchase of PD Cruiser & DPW One-Ton (ATM Article #20)

6. Old Business:
a. Action RE: Change of Manager on Liquor License, continued

7. Board & Staff Member Comments & Reports

8. Potential Request for Executive Session per MGL Ch. 30;
§21
9. Adjournment

The listing of Agenda items is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent it is permitted by law.

So, who approved the building project now known as Laurel View Road? Who gave the permits for building those homes? Who owns the poles that carry the electric wires, etc., on that road?
I think that would be the Town of Templeton. Who has been plowing that road for a number of years? Who do the people who live on that road, pay taxes to? Again, that would be the Town of Templeton. If they are not even going to get one service, the plowing of the road, why should they pay taxes at all? So they can drive down Hubbardston Road? The Town of Templeton, through it's planning board failed to ensure that road was constructed properly and now the Town wants to hold the people who live on that road responsible for the Town's failings. On top of that, the Town wants to continue to charge these people fees for that privilege.

How about we, the people, hold the Town Administrator responsible for the recent financial issues, such as using free cash to back up a prior years budget? Lets have a Town Meeting in the fall and by way of citizen petition, move to eliminate the Town Administrator position. 

Laugh if you will, but if you by chance see a few employees from the highway and building & grounds department leave town employment, go ask why?

Now, on a public safety issue, I want to know what is the time table to repair Partridgeville Road?
Part of the road is very unsafe for public travel, especially for a school bus. A certified letter will be sent to the selectmen and Administrator, informing them of this so they will be aware of the situation.

We have skunks in the Senior Center, apparently down in the food pantry area and I think we may have a weasel problem in Town Hall. It is time for the selectmen to look out for the people, you know, the ones who elected selectmen to look out for them.

If anyone remembers Town Meeting, article 30, which included $10,000.00 for an infield groomer to be used at Gilman Waite field. Now, apparently, it has been "discovered" that piece of equipment actually costs somewhere in the $30,000.00 to $40,000.00 range. So the appropriation made will not cover the cost. It seems more apparent every day that information out of the selectmen office cannot be trusted. I feel from here on in, when the selectmen say this will cost X or we need this much money for that, the question (s) will be; where did that figure come from? Where is the bid or the quote and who gave it to you? What is the contact information so it can be checked out?  Does anyone still wonder why advisory would not approve $2,000.00 to be used under miscellaneous?

Do not worry, we have good numbers and the books are all set, well, except for some reconciliations and some unaccounted for checks and another possible payroll miscue.

Plus or minus 10%, give or take, not to worry.

Templeton's Jail cell: If you get arrested on a Friday, you will probably spend your time in the Athol State Police lockup until Monday morning.

If you are a qualified para-medic looking for work, Temple seems to need one - see the latest Templeton Town Administrator's weekly report. I hope all the shifts are covered beginning on July 1, 2018, as Templeton did pass an override to pay for that.

from the Town Administrator:

Weekly Report: Met w/DPW team. Sweeping runs behind due to staffing vacancy and maintenance needed on equipment. Have authorized the use of two Saturdays of overtime to try to get it caught up

Perhaps it is time to do a couple of things; first, contract out the street sweeping so it can get done, and secondly, use some free cash and chapter 90 money and build a salt storage shed and switch to road salt and skip the sand. Templeton can talk with the Hubbardston highway department and see how to do that and get some information on savings and other important work getting done when the crew does not have to spend weeks or month on sweeping streets. Time for the selectmen to manage, you know, their job.

Laurel View Road and the law.
Massachusett General Law chapter 40

Section 6N: Private ways; temporary repairs, ordinances or by-laws

Section 6N. Cities and towns may by ordinance or by-law provide for making temporary repairs on private ways. Such ordinance or by-law shall determine (a) the type and extent of repairs; (b) if drainage shall be included; (c) if the repairs are required by public necessity; (d) the number of percentage of abutters who must petition for such repairs; (e) if betterment charges shall be assessed; (f) the liability limit of the city or town on account of damages caused by such repairs; (g) if the ways shall have been opened to public use for a term of years; and (h) if a cash deposit shall be required for said repairs.

I traveled down Laurel View Road today and saw town property on that so called private road. Town property would be the light poles and wires etc,, belonging to a Town department, Templeton Light & Water. The united state postal service also goes down that road. I wonder if the Templeton police or fire department / ambulance have ever traveled down that road? I did not see any signs stating it is private property and since it has been open to the public and plowed for a number of years, I think  the tax payers over there have a good case to be made, otherwise, why are they paying taxes if they will get nothing for it?

If all of those people suddenly stopped paying taxes, what then? Would Templeton take all of it by tax title and then what? How long would Templeton hold on to them? Who would buy it knowing the history? A planning board developer perhaps?

Time for the elected superior selectmen and elected planning board to step up and serve these taxpayers. Make the hard decision and make it happen, it is possible and it should be done.

Templeton, MA; The Town's financial team has one certified member, that would be the Deputy Assessor Luanne Royer. Having successfully completed the prescribed requirements, Luanne has earned the recognition from the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers and has been named a Massachusetts Accredited Assessor. This demonstrates a level of dedication and professionalism to the Assessors office.

Now when people enter the office shared by the Town Clerk and the Deputy Assessor, they will meet two town employees who have earned certification from their respective associations / professional groups. Hopefully, eventually, the other members of the financial team will earn certification and recognition from their respective associations.