A while ago, I did a blog about Templeton revenue and about some inter-municipal agreements and how I did not find those agreements on the Templeton town web site, even under "Town Contracts and Agreements" which I thought was odd and less than transparent. Well, I now report all three of those IMA's are posted to town website under Town Contracts and Agreements. Who says blogs and face book does not work? Who says "they" do not read those things?

Your voice, your vote matters.

The blog post was on November 9, 2019 and the agreements were finally posted on Templeton Town website on about November 11, 2019. Yes that was Veterans Day and town offices were closed but that does/did not prevent some email action to take place. Important take away is people spoke and someone listened.

By NOOR ADATIA

For the Gazette

BOSTON — State legislators along with school officials are reexamining the commonwealth’s commitment to fully reimburse all regional transportation costs — a promise that has never been met by the government. 

State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, said the state pledged years ago to reimburse the regional transportation costs of schools. 

“It was part of an original commitment that if you regionalize schools, then the state will provide an incentive by paying for the busing,” Hinds said. “We’ve never really done that.” 

A special commission established last year by Hinds and state Sen. Alice Peisch, D-Wellesley, met this week to discuss ways to streamline student transportation costs and increase efficiencies. 

Hinds said the commission plans on drafting recommendations for Gov. Charlie Baker to make the school transportation system more effective.

He also noted that other municipal schools — including special education and private schools — have felt left out from receiving assistance to cover transportation costs. 

“Another goal is looking at a wider approach to funding in general,” he said.

The Student Opportunity Act — which the Senate unanimously passed last month — did not deal with transportation directly and allowed the special commission to do that work, Hinds said. 

“It’s a big part of funding in that equation and how we put more money into classrooms and getting that right is important,” he said. 

The commission has invited several leaders in education, including superintendents, school committee representatives and even bus drivers to testify and voice their concerns with costs related to school transportation. 

Dan Hayes, who serves on the Shutesbury School Committee and is part of the commission, said that transportation costs are expensive for schools to cover. 

“I think there needs to be stronger support from the state in providing reimbursement for the districts,” Hayes said. 

Hayes, who attended the hearing, also chairs the board of the Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton, which provides special education and professional development services to member school districts. 

He said that because many special education students are placed in schools outside of their district, transportation costs are high. 

“Sometimes the costs to transport them is exorbitant, and it is difficult for small communities to pay for that,” Hayes said. 

High costs also apply to transport homeless students and students in foster care, Hayes said. 

In addition, the commission has been looking into environmentally-conscious initiatives such as rolling out electric buses and encouraging more students to carpool or bike to school. 

Hayes said that he thinks this is more of a public health issue and is more concerned about the well-being of students who are exposed to a polluted environment. 

“My priority is to make sure kids aren’t exposed to particles and diesel fumes, so I do think there’s an opportunity there,” he said. 

Moreover, according to testimony at the hearing, districts have had difficulty paying bus companies. 

Hayes said the commission has looked into districts purchasing smaller vans which can be driven by their own staff, instead of paying outside bus drivers. 

“The cost is generally reduced because they can use their own staff,” he said. “That might be an example of savings for some districts.” 

The commission is also looking into starting a program to train and license potential bus drivers because of the current shortage of independent drivers. 

“I think that if we share best practices with other districts, it might give one district an idea of what another district is doing,” he said. 

Hays said he credits Hinds and Peisch for putting the commission together. 

“We are all listening to each other and trying to build consensus in how we can make solid recommendations for the governor,” Hayes said. 

Hinds said he is hopeful the special commission will have a recommendation before the end of the year, or certainly before going into next year’s budget.

“It has been a very inclusive process to hear people who grapple with these issues every day,” he said. 

He noted that in the end, every school district in the commonwealth will benefit from the restructuring of transportation costs and reimbursements. 

Noor Adatia writes for the Gazette from the Boston University Statehouse Program.

Since the school committee has voted a budget for FY2020, Templeton can now work on tax rate, bills, etc.

Massachusetts Department of Revenue Division of Local Services

---

Christopher C. Harding, Commissioner
Sean R. Cronin, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Local Services

11/15/2019

Templeton Board of Assessors
Templeton Board of Assessors
PO BOX 620

East Templeton, MA 01438

Re: NOTIFICATION OF FINAL CERTIFICATION - Templeton

Dear Board of Members:

The Commissioner of Revenue has determined that the locally assessed values of real and personal property in your municipality represent full and fair cash valuation as of January 1, 2019 for fiscal year 2020 and that these proposed property assessments satisfy the minimum requirements for certification.

The Commissioner further certifies that:

1. All real property has been classified according to its use as of January 1, 2019 as required by Chapter 59, § 2A(b).
2. A majority of the assessors have been qualified to classify property by their
   attendance at a classification workshop conducted by the Department of Revenue.

The community must now hold a public hearing on the issue of selecting a residential factor, which will determine the percentages of the tax burden to be borne by each class of property for fiscal year 2020. Prior to the hearing, we urge you to promote public understanding and discussion of the options available to the town in regard to allocating the tax burden among major property classes. The Selectmen or the City Council with the approval of the Mayor may elect a factor greater than the minimum residential factor, or a factor of "1" which will result in a uniform allocation of the tax burden among all classes of property. In addition, they have the option of granting an open space discount, residential exemption and small commercial exemption.

It appears that you are progressing satisfactorily in complying with your responsibilities under the classification law. It is important that you complete the final steps expeditiously so that tax billing will not be delayed.

If you have further questions or require assistance in completing the final steps for a classified tax system please contact the Bureau at (617) 626-2300.

Fiscal Year 2025 Certification Directives:

In order to prepare for the next scheduled recertification of all real and personal property we are enclosing your community's program directives. These directives were made by your Bureau of Local Assessment advisor as a result of your FY 2020 certification review. You should have a budget in place for any work that needs to be done two years in advance of the next certification to avoid costly delays in obtaining timely certification from the Bureau.

As you plan and implement your next triennial certification, please consult the Bureau's Certification Standards in the Division's website, www.mass.gov/dls, in the Local Assessment section. If you need assistance please call your appraisal advisor.

Sincerely yours,

Joanne M. Graziano, Chief

Bureau of Local Assessment
Massachusetts Department of Revenue

FY 2025 Directives
TOWN of Templeton

Cyclical Reinspection
Cyclical inspections of property descriptions over a specified time should be continued. The residential, apartments, commercial, industrial and exempt properties should be complete for FY 2026. The business personal property should be complete for FY 2025. (A full field inspection and revaluation of all pp was conducted for the FY 2020 certification.)

Neighborhood Review
The assessors should review all residential neighborhood delineations in accordance with indicated land value and adjust them as needed by the next certification.

Land Schedules
The residential land residuals had to be trimmed by approximately 30% to be statistically compliant. The assessors should consider adjusting the land curve so the size adjustment value is closer to location adjustment value. The current size adjustment, 87120 square feet to 5000 square feet, is 3.77 times the location adjustment between neighborhoods. This may mean more neighborhoods are needed.

Other Directives
The assessors should continue to enhance the GIS capability so a GIS, color-coded neighborhood map can be produced for assessing purposes.

Other Directives
All unused site indexes should be removed from the Site Index Table.

Commercial-Industrial Land Schedule
Review recognized methods and techniques to establish the land values for Apartment, Mixed Use, Commercial and Industrial properties. Acceptable methodologies include: Sales Comparison (vacant land sales), Abstraction (land residuals), Allocation, Land Residual Capitalization, Capitalization of Ground Rent.

The Gardner News, Tuesday, November 12, 2019, on page A10;
Templeton Advisory Committee pre-town meeting.
The notice incorrectly states the date of the meeting as Thursday, July 11, 2019. The actual date of this planned meeting is November, 14, 2019, which is Thursday and it is at 6:30 P.M.

The upcoming Templeton Special Town Meeting will be on November 20, 2019, rather than the stated date in the advertised notice, which incorrectly shows July 18, 2019.

So, again, Templeton Advisory Committee will hold a pre-town meeting on Thursday, November 14, 2019, at 6:30 P.M. in the main conference room, Town Hall located at 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton, MA

You may also look at the meeting calendar on the Templeton Town website to check the time, day, date and location. You can also call Town Hall to check

Templeton Advisory Committee Pre-Town Meeting

Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 6:30 P.M.

160 Patriots Road, E. Templeton, MA

Conference Room

Warrant for up-coming special town meeting

Advisory Recommendations 

School Finance, if one is interested in education, funding and the rules ??

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.masbo.org/resource/resmgr/Subj_Regional/MASBO_RSDguideFINAL.pdf

 Revenue and Service in Templeton.

Economic Development in Templeton.

from Board of Selectmen, April 24, 2017:

Information gathered via a phone interview between and economic committee member and James Meehan, chairman, economic development and industrial corporation, Town of Athol
 Using EDIC to foster business development and create jobs in Athol.

Athol agreed to provide a development incentive financing agreement to Market Basket which funded the extension of the water system to the Templeton Road/Route 2, exit 18 site.

Property taxes generated:

Total assessed parcel value is $12,846,500.00 which generates about $254,746.10 annually in to the municipality.

The Market Basket site has grown considerably to date, a much larger buildable site than the once proposed Templeton Mall.

Suppose Templeton had that proposed mall and suppose it generated $254,000.00 per year;
consider the school with the budget proposed of $19,786,889.00 was passed. Templeton would be looking for new money in amount of $632,236.00 to pay for that budget.

Consider also, that from Fy 2019 to FY 2020, Templeton Town operting costs increased almost one million dollars (10%) See annual town meeting reports.

FY 2019 -ARTICLE 21: FY 2019 GENERAL FUND OPERATING (OPEX) BUDGET To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Eight Million Town Hundred Twenty Thousand Two Hundred Ninety Eight Dollars and no cents ($$8,220,298.00 ) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2019, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation. Or take any other action related thereto.
Submitted by the Board of Selectmen Majority Vote Required

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of Eight Million, Two Hundred Twenty Thousand, Two Hundred Ninety Eight Dollars and no cents ($8,220,298.00) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2019, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation
Passed/May 19th @ 12:46 pm

ALSO:

ARTICLE 24: SUPPLEMENTAL FY 2019 OPERATING BUDGET RE: FIRE/EMS To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Seventy Thousand Two Hundred Forty Six Dollars and No Cents, ($470,246.00), subject to the successful passage of a Proposition 2 ½ Over-Ride, so-called, for supplemental appropriations to the FY 2019 Operating Budget for the following departments:
Fire/EMS $290,740
Police $23,000
Insurance & Benefits $133,890
Highway $15,000
Snow & Ice $7,616
Or take any other action related thereto. Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 
Majority Vote Required

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Seventy Thousand Two Hundred Forty Six Dollars and No Cents, ($470,246.00), for supplemental appropriations to the FY 2019 Operating Budget for the following departments:
Fire/EMS $290,740
Police $23,000
Insurance & Benefits $133,890
Highway $15,000
Snow & Ice $7,616
Passed/May 19th @ 12:54 pm

Total dollars for operations of general government for FY2019 /
$8,220,298.00 + $470,246.00 = $8,690,544.00


FY 2020 -ARTICLE 26: FY 2020 GENERAL FUND OPERATING (OPEX) BUDGET To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Nine Million Six Hundred Ninety Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Four Dollars and no cents ($9,690,274.00) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2020, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation. Or take any other action related thereto. Submitted by the Board of Selectmen  -Majority Vote Required

Advisory Committee recommends favorable action on this article. (5 yes, 1 no)

On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted to appropriate the sum of Nine Million Six Hundred Ninety Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Four Dollars and no cents ($9,690,274.00) for the operations of General Government for Fiscal Year 2020, and to meet said appropriation with a transfer of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($250,000.00) from the Ambulance receipts reserved for appropriation, anticipated receipts, and the balance from taxation.

FY 2020 general government expense = $9,690,274.00
FY 2019 general government expense = $8,690,544.00

Total increase  FY 2019 to FY2020 =     $    999,730.00

Not exactly one million (10%) but what is $270.00 between friends?

As you can see, if Templeton had the Templeton mall and if Templeton received $250,000.00 in additional real estate taxes from it, it still would not be the big be all, end all that many people might think; it would help, but a big business in Templeton is not going to solve financial issues.

There are many pieces to the puzzle. Another piece would be for management to stop making bad deals for Templeton, such as Inter-municipal agreement with Hubbardston for accounting service, voted in place by selectmen on May 8, 2019.

That is correct, Templeton has agreed to do the accounting work for Hubbardston for $37,000.00 in FY2020, $42,000.00 in FY 2021 and $43,000.00 in FY 2022.

The Breakdown:

FY 2020, Hubbardston pays $37,000.00 to Templeton, for Templeton Town Accountant to spend 10 hous on Hubbardston work (plan so far) and then spread the money out as follows:

Town Accountant pay goes from $70,190.00 to $77,690.00

Ass't accountant pay  goes from $20,346.00 to  $49,780.00

Total salary expense for Templeton accountant office goes from $90,000.00 total to
$127,470.00.

Math time - $90,000.00 + $37,000.00 (from Hubbardton via IMA) = $127,000.00.

Not so bad Mr. Bennett; except the ass't accountant went from 19.5 hours (no benefits) to 38 hours (with benefits) at an additional cost of approximate $25,000.00, which shows an added cost to Templeton residents so Hubbardston can get their accounting work done for $37,000.00.

Why can't Templeton get our accounting service done for $37,000.00? For $42,000.00??

Anyone, anyone?? (This was by a vote of the board of selectmen, not the accountant)

Maybe this was part of that fabulous 5 year plan "that we did in 3 years"

You may check out the accuracy of the IMA figues by first looking at town meeting calendar on Templeton website, look at 2019, May 8, 2019, board of selectmen and it is included in packet.

Then got to find it fast tab and click on T for town meeting information, go to budget book, look for accountant section and check salaries. Then you can do the math. You could also attend selectmen meeting and ask about this under public comments.

This was voted into affect one week before Town Meeting and 2 weeks before Town election. Sweet!

This is an effort to inform Town residents of actions of your selectmen and to show how your money is being managed. We really need to attend meetings. pay attention and speak up, ask questions.