Back in January, MA governor presented her budget for FY26. Commonly called house 1.

House 1 state aid to Templeton - $2,075,790.00

House ways & means $2,041,391.00

Senate ways & means $2,099,863.00

Used in revenue totals for the budget you just voted on Wednesday, total state aid for FY26 $2,048,909.00

Anyone have a crystal ball to tell me exactly how much total state aid Templeton will get? Can anyone tell me if Templeton will collect 100% of personal property and real estate taxes for FY26?

Town budget is a crap shoot based on estimates; there is financial history to aid in arriving at those estimates, but, nothing in stone.

Same with chapter 70 state aid to school districts.

Just in case you did not realize that.

 2025 Templeton Annual Town Meeting, article 7, surplus sewer easement.

Know this, the developer has a permit from the state, MA DEP -Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. If you do not want a sewer pipe running thru town owned wetlands, vote no on that article.

I went to the office of development services, where one can find information concerning planning board, conservation commission and building permits, I asked about any plans for that project, I was told there are none that have been submitted or presented. I feel that someone is looking for a blank check and article 7 should be voted down until the town residents know what is actually planned to be built. You know, go to planning board and lay down a plan for X number of homes or apartments/condos, etc. I was told they have the road frontage required to get a permit, but that is all I was able to get.

An answer to one of my questions regarding conservation on this subject: "On the Article, if the Town Votes NO - the Engineer for the applicant has said they would proceed forward with subdivision plans that involve septic systems."

Answer to another question on proposed project: Yes. Each proposed septic system would be subject to a perc test. The proposed subdivision would also have to pass through Conservation and the Planning Board's site plan review for subdivisions.

 Tax rate history of Templeton:

DOR Code	Municipality	Fiscal Year	Residential	Open Space	Commercial	Industrial	Personal Property

294	Templeton	2003	13.68	0.00	13.68	13.68	13.68
294	Templeton	2004	11.65	0.00	11.65	11.65	11.65
294	Templeton	2005	9.91	0.00	9.91	9.91	9.91
294	Templeton	2006	9.44	0.00	9.44	9.44	9.44
294	Templeton	2007	8.54	0.00	8.54	8.54	8.54
294	Templeton	2008	9.20	0.00	9.20	9.20	9.20
294	Templeton	2009	10.20	0.00	10.20	10.20	10.20
294	Templeton	2010	11.75	0.00	11.75	11.75	11.75
294	Templeton	2011	12.55	0.00	12.55	12.55	12.55
294	Templeton	2012	14.60	0.00	14.60	14.60	14.60
294	Templeton	2013	14.12	0.00	14.12	14.12	14.12
294	Templeton	2014	16.24	0.00	16.24	16.24	16.24
294	Templeton	2015	16.64	0.00	16.64	16.64	16.64
294	Templeton	2016	16.47	0.00	16.47	16.47	16.47
294	Templeton	2017	16.12	0.00	16.12	16.12	16.12
294	Templeton	2018	16.72	0.00	16.72	16.72	16.72
294	Templeton	2019	17.24	0.00	17.24	17.24	17.24
294	Templeton	2020	16.83	0.00	16.83	16.83	16.83
294	Templeton	2021	16.11	0.00	16.11	16.11	16.11
294	Templeton	2022	15.24	0.00	15.24	15.24	15.24
294	Templeton	2023	12.92	0.00	12.92	12.92	12.92
294	Templeton	2024	12.60	0.00	12.60	12.60	12.60
294	Templeton	2025	12.12	0.00	12.12	12.12	12.12

Massachusetts House approves state budget for FY26.

https://mma.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d974c04ac20a7b83c0bdb194e&id=102af2dfa8&e=97b45a867e 

 House to Start FY26 State Budget Debate on Monday, April 28

 

Lawmakers Will Decide All Municipal and School Amendments

 

Please Call Your Representatives TODAY

and Ask Them to Support Increases to

Unrestricted General Government Aid,

School Transportation Accounts,

Local Road and Bridge Funding

and Other Key Priorities

 Questions on Town Finance:

From Melanie: “Thank you for forwarding me the email from Liz Toth. I was going to respond to her directly, but thought I should go through you, and you can disseminate this information how you see fit.

 

1. Advisory Supplies: Jeff Bennett notified me this week that the previous accountant entered the voted beginning balances incorrectly. This will be rectified on the next BVA.
2. There was no “losing account” for the 155-5200 account as the funds were never actually sent anywhere. This was an error in the payroll report uploading, which was caught by Nancy, and was reversed. It was done as a beginning balance as there was no other clean way to enter the correction. Unfortunately, only so many of the comments entered are seen on the report. If they all showed up, you would also see the note, “To Reverse Entry”. Good eye on this one, though.
3. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. This looks like another beginning balance entry error made by the previous accountant. This will be fixed for the next BVA release.
4. As was voted at the FTM 10/23/2024, Article 9: “On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to transfer from certified free cash the sum of Forty Thousand Dollars and No Cents, ($40,000.00) to the account of Development Services for additional compensation for the Building Commissioner, plumbing/gas and electrical inspectors, to account for the additional inspection work load created by the construction and renovation at 12-16 School Street (the former Baldwinville Elementary School). Passed Unanimously/Oct. 23rd @ 7:57pm”.
5. I cannot answer your question regarding a contract for Sealer of Weights and Measures.
6. Cell Phones: I would suggest asking both department heads who their contract are with, how long the contracts have been in place and what incentives they receive.
7. I would suggest changing 430 in the budget book to the 630, as it would cleaner. I wasn’t here when the accounts were set up so am not sure why they were entered into Vadar that way.
8. I wasn’t here when the Economic Development Grant was applied for, but after asking around, I understand that the finalization of the grant was in the control of the Select Board. To my knowledge the grant has not been received. If you have any other information on it, I am happy to look into it for you (with Holly’s permission) as I hear the EDIC is no longer in place.
9. Debt: I cannot speak to how the budget was constructed.
10. Demo Revolving Account: I am not sure who is in charge of that account, but no revenue has been turned over so there is nothing to be updated. I would suggest reaching out to who is in charge of the revolving account to determine when revenue may be expected.
11. Brine Revolving: While I cannot speak for Director Szocik, I am aware that he is in the process of billing the other towns now that the winter weather is hopefully over.
12. Negative Balances:
1. E911 Grant: Reimbursable Grant. Not to speak for him, but Chief Dickie is in the process of submitting his expenditures for reimbursement.

Correction: 12.a. is incorrect. I had originally thought this would have been a great for emergency management but see      now that it is for the 911 Dispatch. Please let Liz know that their revenue will be posted to the account before the next BVA is sent.

2. CDBG: Reimbursable Grant. Thank you for pointing this one out as I’ve learned that it is periodically reimbursed throughout the year. I will update with the received revenues as beginning balances for the next BVA release. Please be mindful that this leger may, from time to time, have a negative balance as reimbursements are requested.
3. FF Safety Grants: Reimbursable Grant. Not to speak for him, but Chief Dickie is in the process of submitting his expenditures for reimbursement.
4. Hazard Mitigation Grant: Reimbursable Grant. Not to speak for him, but Chief Dickie is in the process of submitting his expenditures for reimbursement.
5. Chapter 90: Reimbursable Grant. Again, I cannot speak for Director Szocik, but am aware that he is in the process of the expenditure reimbursement with the state, which is the typical process.
6. Sewer Roof/Crotty Ave: Thank you for noticing this. I need to add the beginning balance from the debt issuance.
7. Water Enterprise Fund: We are not supplied with a budget for the water department so this will always be negative.
8. Transfer out to General Fund: With the way this account is linked in Vadar (and has historically been used), it will show negative and then hit their cash when it is closed out at the end of the year. The cash is not transferred to the “transfer out” account and then again to the general fund. I hope I explained that via email okay.
9. Light Plant: We are not supplied with a budget for the light plant so this will always be negative.
12. Trust Funds: The Treasurer Collector holds the information on those.

 

 

The answers to your questions that Melanie did not have the information for are as follows:

 

For Sealer of Weights and Measures, #5 above, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Division of Standards handles that service/inspections and Development Services invoices local businesses for their use and we pay that to the Division of Standards.

 

For the cell phones, #6 above, The Police Department, and Fire Department both have their own account through FirstNet/AT&T. The Sewer Department has their account under the Town account with FirstNet/AT&T, for the Highway dept, Buildings & Grounds, Emergency Management, Development Services, and Veterans, those phones are under the Town’s account with FirstNet and paid through the Technology account. The accounts with FirstNet give all users the best service especially in an emergency situation at a great price.

 

For the Demo Revolving Account, #10 above: That account is managed by the Town Administrator. The funds received from the sale of 10 Pleasant Street have been transferred into the account which is now in the amount of $86,984.94.

 What town meeting voted for, November 15, 2023 - ARTICLE 6: ADOPT M.G.L. c. 90, § 17C

To see if the town will vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 90, Section 17C of the General Laws, to authorize the Select Board to establish a speed limit of 25 miles per hour on town-owned roadways within thickly settled or business districts.

Or take any other action related thereto.

Submitted by the Select Board

Majority Vote Required

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to accept the provisions of Chapter 90, Section 17C of the General Laws, to authorize the Select Board to establish a speed limit of 25 miles per hour on town-owned roadways within thickly settled or business districts.

Passed/November 15th @ 7:17 pm

The law states this: Section 17C. (a) Notwithstanding section 17 or any other general or special law to the contrary, the city council, the transportation commissioner of the city of Boston, the board of selectmen, park commissioners, a traffic commission or traffic director of a city or town that accepts this section in the manner provided in section 4 of chapter 4 may, in the interests of public safety and without further authority, establish a speed limit of 25 miles per hour on any roadway inside a thickly settled or business district in the city or town on any way that is not a state highway.

(b) Upon establishing a speed limit under this section, the city or town shall notify the department. The operation of a motor vehicle at a speed in excess of a speed limit established under this section shall be a violation of section 17.

I am not sure when they were put in place, but on April 9, 2025 around 10:30 A.M., 

A Templeton town highway dept. employee just removed the 2 25 MPH speed limit signs that were on Brooks Village/Carruth Road. My opinion, this was a case of good use of face book. The process was not followed so a town employee (s) wasted time and material, to place a couple signs and then took them up all because someone did not follow procedure.