I could not
attend the Monday August 27th Selectmen’s meeting but Sue did bring home a print out from the Advisory
Board – Our Advisory Board. I say our Advisory Board because, Woo Boy! It
looks like we finally have a group looking out for the taxpayers. So for all of
you who could not be there and because even with a new person covering the
meeting for the Gardner News (Mark Harranas is on his honeymoon) They still didn’t
print anything! No surprise there. Sooo here’s the information the advisory
board provided. (now remember click on the blue words as Julie would say) First
there is their “Vision and Mission” Read the Vision, read it, read it again and
again – it says it all – thank you Advisory Board members!!!! The Adv Bd will be “fiscally responsible to the residents and businesses”
Then read the Mission, read it again and again. All I can say is – this is what we have needed
for years. I especially like the part that says “to ensure Town departments deliver exceptional service
while optimizing financial resources.” Thank you to the dedicated
members.
Goals – Planning
for the future of Templeton, financial policies, Open Government, what great
concepts. Watch where the money is going. Plan, plan, plan.
This should
be a very important lesson to us all, without planning and watching the cookie
jar- we will be back to where the Skeltons, BC, DO’B took us. Lets not forget
this – ever!
FinancialGoals/Recommendation/Objectives – Bond Rate – One question, isn’t that the
treasurer’s job? I think all of us are all too aware of interest rates, on mortgages, loans, credit
cards etc. This should be automatic for the person paying the town’s bills. Insurance
Board – get the best plan for the best price, again an obvious thing. With my
businesses I have changed insurance
companies a few times due to cost and service. Again the treasurer pays these
bills – they should be questioned – can we get more for our money? I know in
the past we had a selectboard who would have and did, ridiculed our past treasurer
when she questioned things. But we have a pretty decent selectboard now
(excluding scrappy who obviously doesn’t care what something cost a town).
Now I
especially like the recommendation of establishing and inventory of all town
meeting – I know that the Advisory Board have mentioned that they had a
projector and a recorder that. Where did it go – probably the same place as the
ConCom’s laptop and underwater camera.
The last
thing I will comment on is the employee time sheet – this speaks for itself –
no more cheating on hours or sick time or vacation time. The only thing better
would be timeclocks! Let’s get this started now!!
So thanks to
all the hardworking members of the Advisory Board and keep up the good work –
Keep protecting us taxpayers!
Thanks for
reading my opinions - Pauly
I agree, Pauly!
ReplyDeleteThe advisory board has put in a ton of work and should be commended. It is hard to believe that the most discussion was generated by the time sheet! Is it that difficult a concept to standardize a time sheet? Apparently it is!
As for the interest rates on our long term bonds -
Some of the long term bonds can not be "called" or re-negotiated. This does not mean that the bonds should not be looked at.
Starting up the insurance advisory committee is also a good thing.
Creating an inventory of everything in town will take a lot time time but is a worthwhile project. Because Templeton does NOT have a centralized town hall, there may be many items that are in storage that could be used by other department/offices. A complete inventory will help reduce wasteful spending.
Not on the list, but important nonetheless, is the collection of back taxes. Maybe the people on the wage and compensation plan hours would not have been cut, IF the Town had been pursuing the taxes owed. The town needs to put liens on property where back taxes are owed in order to protect ourselves.
Quite honestly, I am shocked at the lack of checks and balances in own town government up until this point. I just assumed that standard business practices were being followed when it came to running the town. I knew things were bad due to the less than stellar personalities that had control over the last ten years as well as the bullying virus which also plagued the town. But, wow! Any employee that has stuck around through all of this, I applaud and thank profusely. I do not blame others for leaving. It has not been an ideal workplace, for sure. So, lets begin the next 250 years by "scrapping" the attitude of "this is how its always been" and begin to build up an efficient, transparent, healthy, productive, and positive town government and place to live. Thank you to the Advisory Board for leading the way. Oh, and if there is equipment missing, there should be receipts on file for their purchase. If they are not found, the manager/chair of each dept/committee at the time should be held responsible for its whereabouts. Please do not write it off as an "oh well. that's how it is in Templeton". Please take the time to track it down. Accountability. Which reminds me...did Ms. Skelton turn in her laptop and her keys? And when the inventory is completed, how about creating a town-wide wish list of equipment needed which is made public so that citizens who wish to donate something will know exactly what is needed. Example-if I had known the offices needed new desks so badly, I have a brand new desk not in use in my garage that I would have happily donated. Or maybe the furniture & cabinet companies in town could have gotten some free PR by donating desks. If so, we'd have and extra $3k to put towards our budget. Every cent counts!
ReplyDeleteRemember when I told you Walter Rolf went to a second hand store to get desks for the Bd. of Health, when we finally got a office. No way would Walter have gone and bought new ones for three thousand dollars. More people should think the way he did. The Advisory Board is setting the foundation, on which the town will grow. It is needed now more than ever. My husband keeps telling me we are going to have dirt roasd again. If the government funding stops he may be right. Skelton backers neet to wake up and truly see how the town was used for their benefit, on the backs of the taxpayer. We have some big peoblems coming down the road. One them is the sewer plant. I know Mark Moschetti spoke with Denise Andrews the day of the fair. Some woman at the state level wants us to move the sludge at the treatment plant. That will cost a million dollars or more. It does not make any sence to me. Give it a sight assignment throught the Bd. of Health and bury it on sight. That way it will not be disturbed, and every one will know it is there. Mark needs some one help him convince this lady, this is what needs to be done. This is what Denise can do once she gets into office. This is a free country, so vote, the way you want. Just make sure the one you vote for does not spend all day on a bar stool. This will do no one any good. My opinion, Bev.
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