Some thing to keep in mind when looking at a school district budget, which includes the number of teachers, teacher aids and even guidance counselors.

The Inter-District School Choice Program

The inter-district school choice program allows a parent to enroll his or her child in a school district that is not the child's home district. Because of space limitations, not all school districts accept out-of-district students under this program. Every year the school committee in each school district decides whether it will accept new enrollments under this program and, if so, in what grades. The school district profiles page on the Department's website shows, for each district, whether they are accepting school choice students.

If you are interested in having your child attend school in another district under this program and that district is accepting students, you should contact the superintendent's office in the district in which you want to enroll your child. It is advisable to contact districts in advance, generally during the winter or spring prior to the year in which you want to enroll your child. Districts generally require the submission of an application. If more students apply than there are spaces available, the district will hold a lottery to select which students will be admitted. If a district has fewer applicants than it has seats for school choice students, it may choose to accept students at any time during the school year. A sibling of a child currently attending school in another district under school choice will receive preference in the admissions lottery.

Your home district does not have to approve your child's application for admission to another district. Your child is eligible to apply for the school choice program in another district even if your home district is not accepting enrollment through school choice.

Once your child is accepted into another district under school choice, he or she is entitled to attend that district's schools until high school graduation. You do not have to reapply each year.

Transportation is not provided for students attending another school district under this program. You are responsible for getting your child to and from the school.

For additional general information about the inter-district school choice program, contact the Department's.

So, how much does Narragansett Regional School District report they spend educating each student; the pupil cost?

How much does the district receive for each out of district student (school choice students)

If you receive say $5,000.00 from the state for each student of school choice but you report spending say $11,000.00 per student to educate them, how does it make economical sense to participate in accepting students from school choice, which seems to be up to the school committee. Does accepting students from outside the district equate to having larger numbers of students in the class room? Does accepting students from outside the district have an effect on the number of teachers and teacher aids (para-professionals) required to be hired, which in turns adds to the cost of operating the district, which can cause increases to Towns school assessment charges - tax payer dollars.

I do not find the Phillipston selectmen trying to limit what or how the Phillipston finance committee may say or comment on at their annual Town Meeting.

While Templeton selectmen are proposing an article on the annual town meeting warrant to limit Templeton Advisory Committee commenting on the warrant.

from the slide presentation on March 26, 2018: page 9 on the handout.
Modify Town by-laws on the advisory committee by

allowing the moderator to fill vacancies

clarify their role in commenting on the warrant

float when materials are due to in relation to Town Meeting

provide earlier issuance of their report (s) to the public.

The last one will require selectmen to get the warrant and budget/spending plan out earlier, which would be a good thing.

The Advisory Committee's role in communicating to Town Meeting is already clearly stated in Town by-laws.

Selectmen Brooks stated that selectmen are elected, you (advisory) are just appointed. Selectmen went on to say they are the superior board with the Town Accountant echoing those same words.
Selectmen argued they should prepare the budget and present it to Town Meeting. It is their spending plan, so when they told Templeton that they had a good financial team in place, the numbers were good and the budget is proper and balanced (after some transfers and back fills), they should be the ones speaking at a meeting with school committee to ask the questions and deal with the override and or shortfalls and cuts.

Add to that, a question to myself, if you have a member of the finance committee who is also on the school committee, it is possible for the finance committee to have inside information prior to a meeting and therefore be better prepared for the "surprises"

When selectmen are using free cash from FY17 to back fill or supplement FY2018 and FY2019,
They are the ones who deserve to be in the hot seat (in my opinion) They are the ones who shoud be speaking to the override (s) and the problems it will cause for their budget/spending plan and their planning - or lack there of.

RE: Town Election Date

townadministrator

2/20/2018 9:15 AM

To  advisorycommittee templeton1.org  

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Many Thanks

Carter Terenzini

Town Administrator

Town of Templeton

160 Patriots Road

East Templeton, MA 01438

1.978.894.2753

From: advisorycommittee templeton1.org [mailto:advisorycommittee@templeton1.org]
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2018 8:29 AM
To: townadministrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>
Subject: Re: Town Election Date

This is on our agenda for or next meeting.

Bennett

On February 14, 2018 at 11:37 AM townadministrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org> wrote:

Good Day:

I’m not sure if I sent this along before so my apologies if I did;

At the joint meeting with Phillipston it was discussed to have a group of the BoS, Town Clerks, Advisory/FinCom and Each set of School Committee representatives to discuss the desired change to the Town Election dates.

Kindly advise as to who your representative to this effort will be.

Many Thanks

Carter Terenzini

On February 21, 2018, the day of Advisory Meeting with agenda already posted; this came.

FW: Joint Town Boards Meeting

townadministrator

2/21/2018 1:29 PM

To  Advisory Committee,    Diane Haley Brooks   and 4 others

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Kindly advise ASAP if you Are available on 02/28 or 03/13 for a joint meeting of the schools.

I would urge you to be available for 02/28 to deal with the budget matters as quickly as possible.

Many Thanks

Carter Terenzini

Town Administrator

Town of Templeton

160 Patriots Road

East Templeton, MA 01438

1.978.894.2753

From: Dr. Christopher Casavant [mailto:ccasavant@nrsd.org]
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2018 12:05 PM
To: townadministrator <townadministrator@templeton1.org>; PhillipstonSelectmen'sOffice <selectman@phillipston-ma.gov>
Cc: Susan Varney <svarney@nrsd.org>; Rae-Ann Trifilo <rtrifilo@nrsd.org>; Margaret Hughes <mhughes@nrsd.org>; Holly <hyoung@templeton1.org>
Subject: Joint Town Boards Meeting

Dear Carter and Kevin,

Thank you for participating in our Doodle Survey.  As of today, you have both indicated that you are available either Wednesday, February 28th and Tuesday, March 13th at 5:30.

Please confirm as to which day is best for you and your Selectboards and Fin Com/Advisory Board to meet. As all we know, everyone's availability is in "short supply" this time of year.  

We also want to make sure that we have ample time to post the meeting.

Thanks for all your help.

It was not on our agenda to discuss questions on a budget which we did not even have to begin with. Perhaps if we had an advisory member on the school committee, we could have been better prepared with questions.

As a refresher from fiscal year 2017;

Phillipston annual Town Meeting
Narragansett
School assessment -       $1,514,664.00
District long term debt -   $     87,522.00

Templeton annual Town Meeting
Narragansett
School assessment -          $5,624,744.00
District long term debt  -     $   443,879.00

I know the internet is just about universal  today. Not everyone is on it but most are, so yes, I assume people in Phillipston have internet and can read this blog.

So, if you can find it, and it is on the net, you can find in the selectmen's handbook stating that finance committee/advisory committee are financial watchdogs for the community. I live in Templeton, not Phillipston, so I try to look at things from Templeton perspective.

So, when it is put out that one is a member of both the school committee and a town finance committee, I ask, how can one serve two masters? When the finance committee has a school committee member on board, can that individual make a recommendation to Town Meeting that is unbiased. I believe school committee members should and do always make strong cases for the school, you know, it is all about the kids, but they also have labor contract negotiations, so as a member of the school committee, you vote to agree to a, b and c, you have in essence made a promise to honor and fund those things that can and surely do come from bargaining talks and agreements.

So now, being a member of a town finance committee, you go to Town Meeting and recommend for an override for the school district in order to cover something you have already agreed to and promised. Is or will that individual making a recommendation for an override (increase in taxes) because it is in the best interest of the taxpayers and their money or is it because of the already made promises and agreements made as a school committee member? I just feel appearance sometimes matter and it seems like a very debatable conflict of interest. Same with a former or present individual who is or has been in education for 40 years plus. I understand where their feelings and loyalty may lie, but is that a true independent look and again, recommendation?

It is really no different with the selectmen being on many committees, such as the school building committee. Some communities, selectmen appoint members of the finance or advisory committees and how does it work for someone who is appointed by the same people you should be questioning and challenging on say a budget or expense (s).

Again, sometimes it looks as though some have a problem with information being put forth and sometimes some dislike any debate at all. I believe there has been discussion on and recommendations concerning the makeup of and/or stacking of committees, boards, etc. I also understand that in a small community, these things can happen and probably for a long time. I am merely putting that information out there so when people of Templeton and beyond, see, hear or read that Phillipston finance committee is probably in favor of supporting and or recommending an override, or just funding an increase by whatever means available such as Town savings, etc., they are aware of the connections and makeup of the Phillipston finance committee.

So, do I worry what the people of Phillipston think of me, no I do not. If any Phillipston resident comes to any meeting of any committee, board, etc. where I am involved, I will be respectful, civil and listen. Maybe Templeton taxpayers will vote themselves a tax increase of $1.50 per thousand and call it a day, who knows? But they should know, that it is possible that the Phillipston finance committee is stacked in favor of the school and I say possible, but that is how it appears to me.

It is also possible for the increase in school assessments to the two towns could go down, even late in the game as they did in 2013.

Interesting facts,
One member of the Phillipston finance committee is a 40 year educator (associated with schools) and a current member of the Narragansett school committee representing Phillipston is also a member of the Phillipston finance committee. So how does someone fight for the school as a school committee member then ask the school committee to justify any increases in assessment in looking out for the Town's finances. Remember, the school committee is involved in union negotiations, so how does that work? Inside information happening? Seems like a very big conflict of interest, just in appearance.

Seems pretty hard to be logical and independent when looking at the district budget as a member of the finance committee when you are part of the district pushing for a budget as well as union negotiations.

Close the Town down, not just the senior center.

From the March 1, 2018 Town Administrator report;
The good news is the school district is not looking for $750 thousand more, they are reportedly only looking for $485 thousand additional dollars over last years assessment.

That is $335 thousand more than the Town of Templeton can do without devastating the Town budget.
Some made suggestions Templeton go for a larger tax override (permanent tax increase) to cover this.

Phillipston finance committee appeared okay with funding there portion.

See, just pay more taxes and you will be okay.

Narragansett budget hearing is March 21, 2018 and the administrator feels the Town should have a well thought out plan and a strong presence at the meeting. Oops a daisey, we got budget meeting of the Town on that date/advisory committee meeting as well, almost as if planned so it would be hard for Templeton selectmen and advisory committee to attend. I say scrap the budget hearings and pack the house at the school and let them know what you think.

Fair is fair, right?

On a selectmen meeting om February 26, 2018, the initial fiscal year budget/spending plan was presented and the spending plan books were handed out. The seven member Advisory Committee was invited and all members were emailed informing them of this meeting.

Of the seven, only two members showed, Robert May and Jeff Bennett. There can be many reasons for not showing, but you cannot question or critique without expecting some in return, even from within.

On the flip side, selectmen scheduled a few budget meetings on days of already, ahead of time scheduled regular meetings of the Advisory Committee. This equals less time for the Advisory Committee to meet and discuss and plan for a pre-town meeting and annual town meeting. Yes, the committee could choose alternative dates to meet, but some volunteers plan ahead by using the regular schedule of meetings. One solution would to begin earlier in the year, have these meetings on Mondays when selectmen do not have their regular meetings and then Advisory could hold regular meetings and have more time for discussion, questions etc., Be that as it may, the advisory committee will probably do what they usually do, spend more time, as in longer meetings to get done what needs to get done. In my opinion, this scenario puts Advisory at a disadvantage which also puts the residents/taxpayers at a disadvantage, less time to gather information and ask questions of Advisory Committee. There has to be a better way.

What the board of selectmen seem to want you to void; they are looking for Town Meeting to approve the selectmen to continue to pack committees with members of the select board, who later fail to show up for those committee meetings.

Massachusetts General Law chapter 268A

Section 21A: Members of municipal commission or board; restrictions on appointments to certain positions

Section 21A. Except as hereinafter provided, no member of a municipal commission or board shall be eligible for appointment or election by the members of such commission or board to any office or position under the supervision of such commission or board. No former member of such commission or board shall be so eligible until the expiration of thirty days from the termination of his service as a member of such commission or board.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to a member of a town commission or board, if such appointment or election has first been approved at an annual town meeting of the town.

Selectmen are also involved in trying to limit what the Advisory Committee can comment on at Town Meeting. The question I have is; why do the selectmen wish to limit what the Advisory Committee has to say concerning the Town Meeting warrant? I do know one thing, selectmen cannot stop individuals from asking questions or commenting on warrant articles, not yet anyway.