MEMORANDUM-OFFICE OF THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR

TO;            Board of Selectmen

FROM:      Carter Terenzini, Town Administrator (part time)

RE:             Administrator's Weekly Report

DATE:        November 2, 2017

CC:             ALL Departments


______________________________________________________________________________

Important Notices

Positions Now Open: PT Police Officers and Dispatchers

Fall Town Meeting: 7:00 P.M. on November 14 at Narragansett Regional Middle School

Auditorium

Town Hall Hours Change 11/01 (Mon 7:30a to 6:30p; T/W/Th 7:30a to 4:30p)

Please post notices now and prepare to change web pages and printing CoB 10/31

It's not too early to begin to think about your  FY '19 OPEX and CAPEX budget requests.

Expect budget guidance on or about 12/01/17 and submissions due back on or about 01/01/18

Please make sure all of your units and committees are submitting their projects to the CPC!

Business Meeting or Workshop: The following is intended to supplement agenda items where a full memorandum may not have been required or updates are needed. N/A

Weekly Report: I taped a 1 hour show with Steve Castle to explain and discuss the various warrant articles and had the opportunity to do the same with the incoming Gardner News reporter who wil be replacing Christine Smith. Now that we have removed the "Interim" from the title, I'm looking to possibly do such informational show each month. I would appreciate suggestions of topics you think would be of interest to the community. I met with severa residents of Day Mil and subsequently attended the ZBA where - upon remand of the case - they did remove the over 55 condition from the development's comprehensive permit. This will resolve this matter. As you can see from the agenda, the major work effort was spent preparing FY "19 revenue projections, a staff response to the AC's presentation, working with our financial advisor on the next round of BANs, and preparing a Town Meeting Voter Information Guide for your consideration (please review the 10/27 report for possible distribution of article advocates) We have had a number of questions about whether or not the ConCom reviewed the elementary school project and if it complies with our storm water by-law. The bottom line is all requirements have been followed. I'l get you the detailed memo early next week. The management fellow started on Monday and has begun on special projects including the preparation of the information letter and affidavits for use of the finance team in clearing out the multitude of heck tailings. He has begun the development of a full organization chart on how this will be deployed and used for our web site and new email protocols.

Town Accountant: Laura and I worked on the benefits for all active and retired employees to make sure all the deductions and insurance coverage's are correct. Laura also has a the accrual numbers to enter for the employees to have their sick, personal and vacation appear on their cheks. We are waiting for Harpers to complete the set up and they hope to have this completed sometime in November. Continue to work with Cheryl each week on the different aspects of the Treasurer/Collector job that I can help with. Both Cheryl and Laura are making great strides in the learning of their positions.


Nothing personal here, but I think it would have been better if the selectmen had hired the experience and certified collector/treasure rather than going with an inexperienced person. That would have been in line with another Town Meeting vote and in my opinion, this board of selectmen seem to have a hard time with that subject. Following Town meeting votes, following Town by-laws and following state law seems to be a problem with this board of selectmen. This is not the past, this is in the here and now.

Templeton residents, by way of Town Meeting, approved money for a certified treasurer/collector, a full time Town administrator and a full time Town accountant. Templeton residents have gotten one out of the three, up until now. It may be for only a short time, but an employee using vacation time so as to work else where because of training being provided by the residents/taxpayers of Templeton raises a question; are Templeton residents/taxpayers getting what they asked for and are paying for?

Remember, Wednesday is the day that the bills of the Town and payroll of the Town are normally processed, looked over and signed by the selectmen. With the Town accountant away on "vacation", while actually working in another Town, who is there to answer any questions that may come up concerning those two important items? The assistant Town accountant? Do selectmen bother a full time Town employee who is on vacation for any questions? Did the selectmen hire an assistant Town accountant to allow the full time Town accountant to moon light at another Town?

More importantly, why are Tempeton taxpayers always aiding in the running of the Town of Phlliipston? Is that why Phillipston always seems to have a good financial picture while Templeton, well, not so much?  Phillipston pays little for dispatch (provided by Templeton taxpayers) while Templeton pays 300 thousand plus for dispatch (the same service) Templeton taxpayers pay for a senior center/food pantry and now Phillipston uses that facility and they pay what??  Now, Phillipston gets an accountant, training paid for by Templeton taxpayers, while Templeton pays for both a full time accountant and an assistant accountant. Templeton pays for vacation while Phillipston pays only for service. (is that double dipping by a Town employee?)

Seems like a pretty picture is being painted by the selectmen and the painting continues to be photo shopped so as to continue looking pretty, all the while, the frame is being eaten by termites.

Might be time for residents to take control and only put aside enough money for a part time Town administrator and put the rest in savings as it makes no sense to put aside $110,000.00 for a part time employees while the selectmen use the rest of those funds as a slush fund.

from the annual Town Meeting of 2012 (year of the big selectmen recall)

Article 30. Too see if the Town will vote to rescind the vote taken under Article 8 of the Special Town Meeting held on November 7, 2011, creating a Fire Department-Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account for ambulance receipts commencing in FY’13, rescinding this vote will remand ambulance receipts to the General Fund of the Town; or to take any other action relative thereto. 

Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 

Main Motion Defeated/May 16 th @ 9:49

Special Town meeting of November 7, 2011

Article 8 To see if the Town will vote to create a Fire Department-Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account where collected ambulance receipts for services are placed beginning with FY2013. Monies out of this fund are expended only through town meeting vote for the purpose of funding various Fire Department capital requests pursuant to the betterment of the Fire Department services as deemed by the Templeton Fire Chief. 

Submitted by the Templeton Fire Chief 

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to create a Fire Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account where collected ambulance receipts for services are placed beginning with fiscal year 2013. 

Passed Unanimously/Nov. 7th @ 8:00

The following link should allow you to read a document, which seems to be from the Philipston Town accountant, who also happens to be the Templeton Town accountant. I believe Templeton hours are Monday to Thursday - 7:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. and on Mondays, back at 5:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.

So does this updated schedule have the Templeton Town accountant in Phillipston on the days the accountant is suppose to be in Templeton?


https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ag8wbGi1Ag0zgXh0Lu4m12YlxICo

note: once you open the ink, you may have to use the "keys" in the grey drop box to rotate the document right side up.

Perhaps a lack of understanding on Town government?
Perhaps an attempted fast one?

Either way, the attempt to change how the Templeton Advisory Committee would be appointed in the future seems to be on the shelf - for now. One item needs to be brought to every ones attention; the NRHS school committee having any say on the appointment of any town committees - why would a selectmen wish to have members of another town have input on the Templeton finance (advisory) committee? The NRHS school committee is a separate legal entity from Templeton Town government, made up of some Phillipston residents. Granted, Phillipston already rides Templeton taxpayers like a rented mule (my opinion) but I do not feel it is correct (or smart) to have out of town residents choosing who will serve on such an important committee. Especially when said committee will be looking at their budgets and making recommendations to same.

While it (the change) appeared to be patterned after Littleton's way of doing things, I do not believe Littleton belongs to a regional school district, which makes a difference. (my opinion) Perhaps selectmen Fortes can or will focus on the budget process and the following of Templeton by-laws and "fight" for a true balanced budget that does not have to be back filled at a later date because of lack of revenue to cover expenses presented to Town Meeting. Just begin at fiscal 2015 and follow through to fiscal 2018; you will find alot of "fixing" of the finances, which indicates their is still things to do and work on for Templeton finance and budgeting. There is really no excuse for having to "back fill" a department budget, especially salaries, these are known expenses and should and must be covered by monies available. If the money is not there, do not present nor ask for those numbers.

Concerning school enrollment and the supposed increase of 100 students or 2 students or what ever number you wish to put into the conversation, perhaps a question to the school should be; how many of those, say 100 new students, are actual returning students who have come back to Templeton schools because of the proposed new school? I believe during the budget talks this past year, that point was made by the current superintendent. I think that is worth asking as we go forward. I think these types of questions are important if, in the future, there is a drop in school numbers and we find our self with a half empty new elementary school. I hope the district would reject school choice and not take kids from outside the district. If parents wish to take their children to outside of Templeton schools, have at it, but do not take kids in from outside the district. Stop using kids as a commodity, to be used as a budget supplement, when it does not really work anyway.

The article that was included in the draft warrant for the upcoming November 14, 2017 special town meeting has apparently been removed. Perhaps waiting for the annual town meeting? Perhaps as word got around concerning the proposed changes, it was found there was little support for such a move. Whatever the reason, citizens should remain vigilant for future attempts at such change (s) to the Advisory Committee.