Consistent inconsistency:
Monday, December 24, 2018, page A11, senior news, Templeton; Community veterans oversight board along with friends of Templeton veterans meets every fourth Thursday of the month at the American Legion in Baldwinville, at 6:30 P.M. to discuss veteran issues. Today, Sunday, December 30, 2018, on Templeton community TV, I saw Templeton veterans advisory board meets every third Tuesday at the American Legion, Baldwinville, at 6:30 P.M. There have been no meeting notices on the Templeton town website for this entity, nothing listed under boards and committees; veterans advisory board on the Templeton town website, only one member name is listed. Nothing under the Veterans Service on Templeton town website.

So, which is it and who is in charge? By-law states the selectmen are to appoint members to this board. I found nothing under Massachusetts General Law, chapter 115 that demands this board exist, rather it may be formed. The old Templeton town by-law stated this board was required under MGL chapter 115, section 208. I looked at MGL chapter 115 and found only 15 sections. Perhaps the wrong general law was quoted in the previous by-law, that according to voters guide (how reliable?) that the MA attorney general found issues with that previous by-law. Something as important as this, veterans, should be on the "radar" of the selectmen! Of course, it might take too much time at a meeting.

Templeton creates economic development corporation; okay, but how has that accomplished anything under the law or pretense for creating such an entity?

 First paragraph as amended by 2016, 218, Sec. 219 effective November 7, 2016:


There is hereby authorized in each municipality in the commonwealth the organization of an economic development and industrial corporation, a public body politic and corporate, hereinafter referred to as the corporation. No such corporation, however, shall be organized, transact any business, employ any personnel or exercise any powers until the city council with the approval of the city manager, in a city having a Plan D or Plan E form of charter, or with the approval of the mayor in any other city, or by the board of selectmen in a town, shall by vote declare a need for such a corporation because unemployment or the threat thereof exists in the city or town or that security against future unemployment and lack of business opportunity is required and that attracting new industry into the municipality and substantially expanding existing industry through an economic development project or projects financed under this chapter and implemented by such a corporation would alleviate the unemployment and lack of business opportunity problems.

Look up Massachusetts General law chapter 121c;

2016 Massachusetts General Laws
PART I ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
TITLE XVII PUBLIC WELFARE
Chapter 121C ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL CORPORATIONS
Section 3 Economic development and industrial corporation; authority to organize; consolidations; members of board of directors; surety bonds; compensation and reimbursements.

from annual town meeting of 2008:
article 12
On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to appropriate the sum of One Million, Four Hundred Ninety-One Thousand, Nine Hundred Thirty-Six Dollars ($1,491,936.00) to operate the Sewer Department; said sum is to be apportioned as follows: the sum of Eight Hundred Thirty-Nine Thousand, Three Hundred Twenty-Seven Dollars ($839,327.00) to be used for salaries, operating, maintenance, legal, engineering, and other expenses of the Templeton Sewer Department and the sum of Six Hundred Fifty-Two Thousand, Six Hundred Nine Dollars ($652,609.00) to be used for sewer debt of the Town. Said total sum is to be raised from sewer user receipts and fees, entrance fees, tipping fees paid by disposal contractors, sewer betterment fees, certified free cash, monies raised by taxation, and other fees collected as per Sewer Department Rules by the Town of Templeton Sewer Department. Said debt payments are to be paid as follows:
Bond Payments for FY’09
Paid by Betterments $151,000.00
Paid by USRDA Restricted Account 35,000.00
Paid by Sewer Enterprise Certified Free Cash surplus 133,189.00
Paid by taxation 333,420.00
Total payments for FY’09 $652,609.00

Passed Unanimously/May 13th @ 7:58

A public relations tour? Or out to make them look bad and try to win at town meeting?

I think there may be a surprise in recent real estate tax bills that went out from Templeton town hall.

Think back about sewer lines, sewer department, waste water treatment upgrades. . . . sewer betterment, liens on your property due to these improvements and such. Memory serves me that there was already an uproar over this subject years ago. Someone thinks it is time to revisit this. Perhaps some left over mess that needs to come out now when the selectmen and sewer commissioners are having a little tiff and somebody must want their way . . . .at all costs. Another classic move from this board of selectmen. They already did this type of thing to the Advisory Committee. But I think the naughty list is going to catch up with them this time. The sewer lien story needs to be revisited but it is not time to take eyes off the current issues; selectmen ignored town meeting vote . . . actually they went against it, and now they ask how they can get more people to attend town meeting? How about listen to town meeting vote. 

How about listen to and let people ask questions and have debate at town meeting, rather than fight against that like  selectmen Brooks did at one town meeting.

Special Town Meeting December 1, 2008


Article 5.
To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the Sewer Enterprise Fund the sum of Four Thousand, Three Hundred Fifty Dollars ($4,350.00) to fund the payment of $75 each to 58 residents listed on a document entitled “Taxpayers who paid the $75.00 to have liens released prior to the group release,” prepared by Deputy Assessor, Susan Byrne and on file in the Town Clerk’s office. Residents listed made individual payments to the Worcester County Registry of Deeds to release liens placed on properties prior to the Registrar of Deeds releasing liens for multiple assessed owners as one document with one $75.00 recording fee; provided, further, that the Board of Selectmen shall be authorized to adopt a policy relative to distribution of such funds, or to take any other action relative thereto.
A motion was duly made and seconded to let Luanne Royer speak.
Passed Unanimously/Dec. 1st @ 7:24 
A motion was duly made and seconded to move the question.
 Passed/Dec. 1st @ 7:38

 On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to transfer from the Sewer Enterprise Fund the sum of Four Thousand, Three Hundred Fifty Dollars ($4,350.00) to fund the payment of $75 each to 58 residents listed on a document entitled “Taxpayers who paid the $75.00 to have liens released prior to the group release,” prepared by Deputy Assessor, Susan Byrne, and on file in the Town Clerk’s office to reimburse such residents for individual payments to the Worcester County Registry of Deeds to release liens placed on properties prior to the Registrar of Deeds releasing liens for multiple assessed owners as one document with one $75.00 recording fee; provided, further, that the Board of Selectmen shall be authorized to adopt a policy relative to distribution of such funds.

 Passed by hand count/yes-54 no 18/ Dec. 1st @ 7:42

That was an easy find (good to have old town reports handy) Under Sewer department, it mentions the payment from special town meeting vote in fiscal year 2009 annual town report. Found it under Town Meeting on Templeton town web site.

Is it an act of fraud when one asks for money for a particular item and it is spelled out that the money is for a specific item: then that someone (s) who asked for the money, go and use it for something else? If someone did that, who worked for you, would you consider that a fire-able offense and secondly, would you fire them?

a notation on the red line draft of codification of by-laws: interesting.

Comment [KS4]: 59-5 [Sick Leave for FullTime Employees] deleted in its entirety because it conflicts with the personnel bylaw. The substance of the bylaw will be captured in Town policies. 59-6 [Compensation to Incapacitated Firefighters and Rescue Squad Personnel] deleted in its entirety because its terms are set by state statute and the bylaw redundant.


Current personnel by-law states:

The Board of Selectmen is responsible for the administration of all personnel policies and procedures. Passed 5-10-05, Amended 5-9-06, Amended 5-20-13, Approved by A/G 8-22-13

So, does the current personnel policy, including changes to sick time, constitute a violation of by-laws on the part of selectmen? Is that a reason for recall of selectmen?