As most people know, the Templeton budget was a little shaky at last Annual Town Meeting. Most people agreed that we either had an override or make cuts and we chose cuts. Well as I have said before, most people are for the cuts and budgets being looked at except, "don't cut mine." That issue has raised its head from a few employees and / or departments. One or two slipped by but others were caught and not paid. Part of things making it by are due to the fact that town accountant left and a new person was doing data entry and it took a couple of times to get a good grasp of how things go. What struck me was that one town employee actually looked at their salary account and saw the sum of approximately $16.00 was left and they just added it to their pay just because they thought they could.
Another group saw that there was money left and rather than return it to the town in the general fund, decided to give everyone a raise for the last pay check of the season. These items were caught and the amounts were changed to what they should be and a call was made to said employees explaining the big no no they tried to do. So what that shows is that some employees and departments are as much of the problem as the people that had done the so called budget process in the past. One thing I will make clear here and will formally inform all town departments and employees in a letter from the personnel board is that according to the town personnel policy, the three personal days that town employees earn or are given are not the same as vacation days and are not to be combined with vacation or holiday leave. A statement was made at a personnel board meeting by one town employee that personal days are vacation time and I believe as Personnel Board Chairman it is time for the employees to here what is and what is not according to the personnel policy. Vacation time does not carry over year to year so no employee with less than 3 years service can have 200 hours of vacation time on the books. I write this so taxpayers can know that these things are being looked at and taken care of. Time does not move fast in government of any form, federal, state or local, unfortunately. Selectmen should be able to trust town department heads, other elected boards and town employees, but perhaps that trust does need to be verified week in and week out. Perhaps we need to change the way we now do business.
Jeff Bennett
Another group saw that there was money left and rather than return it to the town in the general fund, decided to give everyone a raise for the last pay check of the season. These items were caught and the amounts were changed to what they should be and a call was made to said employees explaining the big no no they tried to do. So what that shows is that some employees and departments are as much of the problem as the people that had done the so called budget process in the past. One thing I will make clear here and will formally inform all town departments and employees in a letter from the personnel board is that according to the town personnel policy, the three personal days that town employees earn or are given are not the same as vacation days and are not to be combined with vacation or holiday leave. A statement was made at a personnel board meeting by one town employee that personal days are vacation time and I believe as Personnel Board Chairman it is time for the employees to here what is and what is not according to the personnel policy. Vacation time does not carry over year to year so no employee with less than 3 years service can have 200 hours of vacation time on the books. I write this so taxpayers can know that these things are being looked at and taken care of. Time does not move fast in government of any form, federal, state or local, unfortunately. Selectmen should be able to trust town department heads, other elected boards and town employees, but perhaps that trust does need to be verified week in and week out. Perhaps we need to change the way we now do business.
Jeff Bennett
Yes, I agree & in my opinion, trust & accountability in ALL Depts. should be verified weekly to stop any future abuse of power or altering of the system for personal gain. Thanks for looking out for the taxpayers & all residents for that matter!!
ReplyDeleteIt is time for everyone working for the town to realize that this is a business. The good old days are gone, the cookie jar is closed and it is time to act like adults, not little kids who will get away with as much as they can. Some of this behavior is shamefull, just what are you people thinking? If you want to be respected, get with the program. I spent some time at the Advisory Board meeting tonight. The members of that board are getting alot done, setting up goals, and procedures for the operation of our town. What they hope to accomplish, is more than anything that has been done in the last hundred years. The time to go is now, if you don't want to play by the rules. This town is in a financial mess. Everyone is going to have to pull his own weight. Hopefully we can catch up with our past conservation agent, and have him caugh up the money he claimed was due him, apparently it wasn't. Maybe the word will get out that he can't count. {Gee I would not want people to think I was dishonest, would you?} A big thank you goes out to the people who are working on the Advisory Board. The town needs you now more than ever. This is my opinion, Bev.
DeleteHow about accountability with Chairmans and dept heads? I sat through the Advisory board meeting last night. when Concom Chair George Andrews was ask why he signed off to pay the former agent for unused sick time and if he verified the amount. All he could say was "I've only been the chairman for a year" and " I thought the selectmen would check on it" well this is one time I will stick up for VW. It was Mr Andrews job to make sure what he signed to be paid was correct.(and wow is he arrogant, thought we were talking to J Discoll) why didn't he bring this before the Concom and ask the other members. That is what is suppose to be done, get the board or commission to vote and sign. had he brought this up at a commission meeting I bet Pauly would have asked questions and asked for the records!
ReplyDeleteThe dept heads or chairmen would have signed off on the other two Jeff mentioned? Remember the dollars add ud up to big dollars.
Just for the record , As chairman of the planning board i have always looked out for the accountability of the towns money . I have proof ,just ask our FORMER town planner .
Deleteactually, plannig bought or were going to buy a time clock for the planner, the planner resigned. My point is that it appears that not all boards committees commissions and elected boards have been doing due diligence on what is signed and checked, my-self and the BOS included. This apparently has been going on for quite a while, different rules for different groups and it is in the process of being fixed adjusted and one stop shopping, master list in selectmen office so when an employee resigns or a position is not funded, they come through the selectmen office and what ever is on the master list is what you get. Incentive to keep things current and also a way to track use of sick, personal and vacation. Just a communication to inform town residents of the misteps, short comings and the repair so to speak of the policies now in place. We are working for you to get things in order and fair, equal all around. I thought that was the idea behind the personnel policy but it may have been the fault of the people over seeing the policy that is/was the problem. we are evolving towards a better and even system with proper checks n balances.
DeleteKudos to the Advisory Board for getting our town into a more healthy financial state. Your motivation and knowledge are very much appreciated and valued. I'm surprised tp hear that town employees are not aware of the rules and policies that are pretty much common knowledge. Every place I've worked, I've never been able to carry over vacation time. Only sick time. And personal days are for instances when you have to take a day to do something during business hours. They aren't extra vacation days. Its been the same at every place of business in every state I've been. But, maybe I shouldn't be surprised when you look at who was calling the shots for the last decade--enforcing the rules for some and letting others slide. But there is no excuse for giving raises because there is extra money in the account. That's just plain silly and unprofessional. This is not a town full of stupid people, so let's act more professional in our business operations of the town. Thank you again to everyone working hard to right the wrongs. Instead of using the term "moving forward" which has been tainted and misused in the past 6 months, I will say I'm happy to see the town evolving.
ReplyDeleteThe Personnel Bylaws have a requirement for a "Pesonnel Administator". Section 3 (c) outlines powers and duties for this position that includes tracking of time worked, sick time, vacation and personal time. Who has this title?If we have such a person, why hasn't all of this been taken care of. If steps are not provided to Dept. Heads and Boards to follow, maybe the Personnel Board along with the Town Coordinator and the Personnel Admin. should get on this "forthwith". Again, too many loose ends in the system. I noticed that Personnel "Policies" are not on the website. This would be helpful for the public to review. My opinions as always. Thanks for your research Jeff.
ReplyDeleteAll I can tell you is when Jean was the Personnel Administrator - she was a tiger. If you didn't submit your weekly form that tracked you vacation, sick time etc. you got a call from her, if she found something that was not correct - she called you. That ended when she left the selectmens office and went to highway. Many of us still do those forms and submit them weekly and keep a copy in our offices - (just come in and ask Luanne or I for any week!!)(If I didn't keep it "on paper" as Pauly says I would forget what I had taken!)
DeleteI have been told that Nancy is the personnel admin now, she took Jean's job.
I have stated many times that the PP was only followed sometimes and it depended on who the employee was, how it was interpreted.
Hopefully this is changing right Jeff B???
Anonymously Sue
Yes Anonymously Sue, it is and we will begin with GPS on the Assessors vehicle so when Pauly wants you he can find you.
DeleteA line in the sand has been drawn by the Advisory Board. Maintain better attendance records. Do not circumvent the Personnel Policy. Do not take more money simply because it's there. If you're looking for compensation, make sure you have the documentation to support your request. Follow proper protocol.
ReplyDeletewow more info needed on who,what dept + $$$ involved please
ReplyDeletei don't know if this applies or not but lets take the fire dept expense account...at the end of the year with no major break downs and cost the left over money went to buy new fire hose ...i really do not see this as a problem you are giving x amount of money that's it. so you squeak thru the year and have a few hundred bucks left ya buy a few lengths of hose ...i am sure that's what happens in all depts ..that's where i bet the new desks came from in the selectman's office???
ReplyDeletebuying a fire hose is a legit expense, giving a raise because there is extra money is not
DeleteI do not think it matters who did what. The fact is that it will not happen again, If they got the message. You know this is learned behavior, a product of poor management, or a lack of management, period. I guess their is a fine line between the two. Our town should not be in the financial mess it is in, but this is where we are. It would be really nice if the Gardner snoos, would let the rest of the people in town know what is going on. There are still alot of people that think GS and company walk on water. It makes me laugh, so it is up to you guys to tell the people you know what is going on. My opinion, Bev.
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