Selectmen Workshop - note the local option meals tax. Taxing local mom and pop small business even more, now that is a plan to attract more small business to Tempeton.

Templeton Board of Selectmen 
Workshop
Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton
Monday, December 4, 2017, 6:30 p.m.

Agenda
1. Call the Meeting to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Templeton EDC RE: Recommendation to Pursue MassDevelopment Grant for Civil Engineering Services Related to Industrial Park Development

4. MRPC RE: Pursuit of Community Development Block Grant Funds in FY’18 (Grant Proposal Due on March 2, 2018) and Beyond

5. Fall TM Lessons Learned

6. Proposed Amendment of Financial Management Policies

7. Employee & Volunteer Recognition Program (E.Pollitt)

8. Lapel Pin Policy (J.Caplis)

9. Proposed Informational Meetings RE: Local Option Meals Tax (E.Pollitt)

10. Disposal of Baldwinville Elementary School

11. Lease of Templeton Center Elementary School

12. 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.
THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Templeton tax rate set by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue;

$16.72 per thousand, couple that with increase in valuations and people will see a nice tax bill increase coming their way - Merry Christmas

On Templeton Town website, one can find the bid/contract proposals for the police station addition listed at $2,133,200.00. This seems to contrast with the amount listed in a memo from the part time town administrator to selectmen.

part of that memo: 

The initial reaction is that we will not be able to obtain a MIG 1 rating.  There is a strong possibility we can achieve a MIG 2 rating but that is never certain until one formally submits the documentation for review.  Even if we achieve a MIG 2 rating it is at least .25% above the interest rate of a borrowing rated MIG 1 rating.  Our advisor has recommended, and I agree, that we not seek a formal bond rating at this time but instead finance our needs through unrated bank notes. 

The maximum for this in this calendar year will be $10,000,000 which is more than enough to cover our needs ($5M BAN, $1M Police, $2.3 Sewer, $1.7 new money).  This gives us $5.4M+/- for the school in CY ’18.  We will then seek an additional $10,000,000 in CY 2019 and continue to work toward an acceptable bond rating as your financial picture slowly improves.

Notice that 1 million for the police station - time to regroup/ so does that mean only 4.5 million for the new school for FY 18?

Does anyone remember that 1.9 million dollar number for a 12,000 sq. ft. building for a town hall? I think the bid proposals came in near 4 million, leaving me with the opinion when the elected ones tell you it will cost this $$$, you should take that number and double it.  Lets not forget that 5 million dollar BAN (bond anticipation note) due in December. Will there be a bond or will that note be extended?

On another front, Hubbardston is the latest town to change to all salt for the winter months. Some of the reasons given, saves money, keeps road side drains clean, salt is actually a anti ice - de-icing agent while sand is neither of those. That is from an article in a news paper with the DPW director explaining that. No mention of a required $250,000.00 for a new storage facility.

Massachusetts Municipal Association votes:

At its Nov. 14 meeting, the MMA Board of Directors discussed recommendations from the MMA Fiscal Policy Committee on two of the questions expected to be on the November 2018 election ballot.
 
The board voted to oppose a question that would reduce the state’s sales tax rate from 6.25 percent to 5 percent, and decided to continue discussion on a ballot question that would increase the tax rate on incomes of more than $1 million.
 
The Fiscal Policy Committee unanimously recommended that the MMA Board oppose the sales tax ballot question, which would reduce state tax collections by an estimated $1.25 billion. The policy committee vote followed presentations by Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, which drafted and filed the ballot question, and Chris Dempsey, director of Transportation for Massachusetts, which opposes the plan. The committee recommendation was based on concerns about a substantial loss of revenue that is needed to help pay for state and local capital programs and balance the state’s operating budget.
 
The Fiscal Policy Committee had also recommended that the MMA Board support the proposal to amend the Massachusetts Constitution to impose a surtax on incomes of more than $1 million to be used for public education and transportation purposes. The committee recommended that support for the question be linked to using the new revenue to pay for updating the Chapter 70 school finance program and other school aid programs and to support an increase for the Chapter 90 local road and bridge program.
 
The Fiscal Policy Committee took its vote following presentations by Eileen McAnneny, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, in opposition to the proposal, and by Noah Berger, president of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, in support. The committee supported the ballot question based on the need for new revenue to update and fully fund important school aid programs and to provide more Chapter 90 funds to help local officials keep municipal roads in a state of good repair.
 
The MMA Board decided to continue its consideration of the so-called millionaires tax question at a future board meeting to ensure time for full discussion. The question is expected to be back before the board early next year.
 
Proponents of the nearly two-dozen proposed ballot questions had until Nov. 22 to file enough signatures (64,750) with local elections officials to move forward with their questions. For any questions not approved by the Legislature early next year, proponents will have until June 19 to file an additional 10,792 signatures with Secretary of State William Galvin’s office in order to qualify for the November 2018 state ballot.
 
The income tax question, a proposed amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution, has already qualified for the ballot.
 

Written by 

MMA Legislative Director John Robertson

Board of Selectmen meeting agenda for Wednesday, November 29, 2017 @ 6:30 P.M.

One item strikes me as odd for this time of year - request for proposals for legal services.

Usually, town counsel is chosen in June, at the end of the fiscal year. Of course, this could be for something involving the elementary school project, but it does seem strange for this time of year. Last time town counsel services were discussed by this board of selectmen, it was agreed that no change was necessary. Unfortunately, with this group of selectmen, always expect the unexpected.

Whatever the reason for this subject, it will be interesting for the reasoning. Maybe it is for bond counsel -:) Oh, wait, Templeton does not have a bond rating!

Narragansett school district project - propane heat and wood chip system.


Who inspected the removal of oil fired boilers at the district school, NRHS? Who sign the permits, if indeed any were obtained? Who did the inspections for plumbing, gas and electrical for the installation of propane heating at the district school? Who paid for and who did the inspections fro the wood chip boiler?


So, when the town of Athol built a new elementary school, using MSBA, who paid for the inspections of that project? Since the selectmen stated it was against statute for the district to pay the town for these inspections, who paid for them? Are these inspection fees reimbursable from MSBA?

Remember, there is a revolving fund for inspection services and while there is a spending limit set (I believe it is $7,500.00) there seems to be a provision that it can be increased by selectmen and Advisory Committee.

Honesty and transparency in government - not in Templeton! (my opinion)

Follow the money - the town can only borrow so much and it has multiple projects, police station, sewer pump station, school, and it can barely borrow the amount to move along on these projects, especially the school. I do not say this, the selectmen say this via a part time town administrator.

Since so few showed up for town meeting, perhaps people do not care how their money is spent or saved?

The MMA encourages new municipal officials, including selectmen elected this spring, to attend. The morning of Jan. 19 will feature a special session for first-time attendees to help them get the most from the two-day event.
 
The advance program registration rate is $180 for members and $295 for registrants from other government entities. After the early registration deadline of Jan. 10, all registrations will be done on-site at a rate of $230 for members and $345 for other government entities. MMA Business Partners qualify for member rates.
 
Annual Meeting registration forms must be returned to the MMA, and no registrations can be accepted over the phone. Registrants are urged to return their form with payment. The MMA accepts credit cards for Annual Meeting transactions.
 
Reservations are also being accepted for the Women Elected Municipal Officials Leadership Luncheon on Friday, Jan. 19, and the Friday and Saturday evening dinners, which will feature engaging speakers and entertainment.
 
• See registration details
 
The Sheraton Boston Hotel, conveniently located adjacent to the Hynes, is the host hotel for 2018. The MMA negotiated a reduced room rate of $174 per night for a single or $184 per night for a double. The reduced-rate rooms are expected to sell out quickly, and reservations must be made by Dec. 22 to take advantage of the special rates.

Templeton Town Administrator has it in contract to attend and yes, you pay for it. Also, if all five selectmen attend, that is quite the bill just for attendance and rooms, there is also parking and meals. 

Looking at the so called special financial report, I find no reporting of all town employee salaries, no accounting of the individual trust accounts, only a total of all trust funds. No real accounting of town debt. A very lacking report from the treasurer, no showing of actual cash flow, no accounting of the spending of taxpayer dollars