PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT AMENDMENT #258 TO THE TRANSPORTATION BOND BILL

Please Talk with Your Senators Today and Ask Them to Support Long-Term and Increased Funding for the Chapter 90 Program at $300M Per Year for 5 Years, Indexed to Inflation

The Senate’s Version of the Transportation Bond (S. 2813) Does Not Include Long-Term Funding for Chapter 90. The MMA is Strongly Supporting Amendment #258 to Guarantee Chapter 90 Funding Over a 5-Year Period With a 50% Increase Above Current Funding Levels

This Bill will be Debated in the Senate Tomorrow, Thursday, July 16. Please Reach Out to Your Senators Today About Supporting the Transportation Bond Bill With Amendment #258

Wednesday, July 15, 2020 - School Committee meeting scheduled to begin at 5:00 P.M., virtual meeting; couple things on agenda, Phillipston Town Meeting vote and budget re-certification.

Stated meeting can be watched by way of live stream (TCTV face book live)

So MA chapter 90 money is going to get the roads all fixed:

Looking at Templeton chapter 90 apportionment over the past five years.

Fiscal Year 2015 - state DOT allots 300 million, signed by the governor.
Templeton receives $509,797.00

fiscal years 2016 through 2021 - state DOT allots 200 million signed by the governor.

Templeton receives the following:

fiscal year 2016 - $338,351.00

fiscal year 2017 - $335,950.00

fiscal year 2018 - $333,245.00

fiscal year 2019 - $333,029.00

fiscal year 2020 - $399,634.00

fiscal year 2021 - $334,835.00

2015 was governor Baker first term and one of first moves he made and set us up for failure regarding road money (chapter 90) ever since; costs go up, but he holds at 200 million for 6 years in a row.

The beginning of Scout Hall re-use:

http://mytowngovernment.org/viewer?document=ahNzfnRvd25nb3Zlcm5tZW50LWhychoLEg1Eb2N1bWVudE1vZGVsGICAgJSZnaAID

http://mytowngovernment.org/viewer?document=ahNzfnRvd25nb3Zlcm5tZW50LWhychoLEg1Eb2N1bWVudE1vZGVsGICAgLT-05IJDA

Maura Healey reminds businesses it remains illegal to refuse cash over coronavirus fears.

from Boaston.com. - Across the country, stores have recently begun refusing — or at least strongly discouraging — the use of cash due to fears that paper money could be a vector of the coronavirus.

And while Maura Healey says she understands the need to take “extra precautions” in the midst of the pandemic, the Massachusetts attorney general issued a reminder Wednesday to local businesses.

“It’s illegal to refuse cash in Massachusetts,” Healey tweeted. “Businesses should take thoughtful measures to keep their employees and consumers safe, but let’s keep our economy open to everyone.”

Some fun financial facts for Massachusetts cities and towns.

In what is largely a win for municipalities, the Legislature unanimously passed the Municipal Modernization Act on the last day of the 2015-2016 session. The Bill should improve municipal administration, mostly over financial matters, by reducing red tape and a number of obsolete laws.

Many of these changes will go into effect in early November, but some apply retroactively, and the implementation of others is delayed until 2017.

Requiring municipal audits.  The flip side of decreased DOR oversight is that municipalities must now commission periodic audits of their accounts using private accounting firms and DOR standards. Previously, towns and cities could ask DOR to conduct such audits, but were not required to do so.

Year-end appropriation transfers.  The Bill eliminates limits on year-end appropriation transfers.

Massachusetts General Law on end of year financial transfers for cities & Towns:

MGL chapter 44, section 33B: (b) A town may, by majority vote at any meeting duly held, transfer any amount previously appropriated to any other use authorized by law. Alternatively, the selectmen, with the concurrence of the finance committee or other entity established under section 16 of chapter 39, may transfer within the last 2 months of any fiscal year, or during the first 15 days of the new fiscal year to apply to the previous fiscal year, any amount appropriated, other than for the use of a municipal light department or a school department, to any other appropriation.

https://www.templetonma.gov/home/news/road-construction-july-6th-thru-july-17th-2020