Here is the link to the letter from Mr Driscoll
As anyone can read, Mr. Driscoll seems to have an air of arrogance about him, so if he is responsible for the water dept budget etc, how about he comes up with a plan to replace the aging water mains in Templeton so rate payers can actually have water, for which they pay a bill for. Mr. Driscoll should also address the wind turbine and its problems as well. One thing I hope Mr. Driscoll is not doing is telling the Advisory Board and Select Board that they have no business looking at the water budget and rates. The constant loss of water through broken water mains is a concern of the Selectmen who are charged with basically running the town. A consistent loss of water because of a poorly maintained water main system is their responsibility. My question to the light & water commissioners and Mr. Driscoll is what are you doing to solve this problem of constant water main breaks. It just may be time to dissolve the acts of 2000 and break that party up and that Mr. Driscoll does concern and involve the Selectmen and the Templeton taxpayers, because they would be voting on that, not you!
For the longest time the light company ran very well. That was when the commissioners worked for the benefit of the town. You had Mr.Dymbek Mr. Columbus and Mr.Kosloski who worked for the people. Mr. Dymbek would proudly stand up at town meeting and announce how much money they would return to the town each year. Somehow this mission has got turned around, and instead of working with a eye on the taxpayer, the focus is on the light department and how much they can pay themselves and the people who work there. Now, I do not have a problem with paying a person a fair wage. I think all people should get paid their worth, but to over pay, to buy loyality, that is just wrong! What makes a worker in the office at the light company worth more than the ones in the town offices? Nothing, as far as I have seen. It is nice that the light company has the ability to pay more, but is it fair? No, It isn't. The town is in the worst financial mess in its history. Not something to be proud of after 250 years. But it is where we are, and we have to fight our way out of it. Why are we doing the fighting all alone. Where is the sacrafice from the light Company? Our dear friend Mr. Driscoll should have been fired for fudging the town report. In big business, he would have embarrased his bosses once, and would have been gone the same day. How much money do we pay this guy? Where is the help we should be getting from them? Why are they still paying us the same ammount every year that they did twenty five years ago? The 100,000. today is not worth what it was thirty or more years ago. Something is wrong with this picture. I have news for Mr. Driscoll, this is our light company! It was when My grandfather voted to help establish it, and it will be tomorrow and the day after. Smarten up or you will be on the outside looking in. You could bully Julie, but you can not bully the town. The workers in our town offices were hurt very bad so we could come up with a budget that worked. As I see it when Mr. Spring asks you for a budget, it would behouve you to come up with one. If you do not get the message, you need a hearing aid, and a seeing eye dog! My opinion, incase you didn't notice. Bev
ReplyDeleteYou know, I said six months ago or more, the selectmen should have put a freeze on raises, across the board. As things stand, we need to abolish chapter 93, Acts of 2000. It is very apparent, that we are not going to get any cooperation from Templeton Light and Water. Bev.
ReplyDeleteIf it would help the town, I would gladly do it. Ha Ha, You think your funny, why don't you contribute something usefull, and by the way, sign your name. I sign mine,coward! Bev
DeleteBeverly Bartolomeo you got enough wind to turn the windmill for the next 100 years we should all get power for free with how fast the blades would turn.
ReplyDeleteBeverly: Thank you for all the time and effort you are putting in to righting the wrongs of the prior powers. Templeton needs a massive wind storm to blow away all the wrongs of the GS era and you need all the blade turners you can get. Keep up the good work. Templeton needs more Beverlys to get this town back into shape. If this town was a corporation the shareholders would have fired 3/4 of the GS crew and started over.
DeleteDear Mr. Driscoll-
ReplyDeleteI believe the request from the Advisory Board and the Selectmen was to review the Water Depts' records, not to change or accept or reject them. As a public utility company, all records of operation are subject to review by anyone that submits a public records request. As the town officials, (Advisory & BOS) they should not have to go to these lengths to review financial operations of a town department as it IS their business and their right to review all departments' operations at any time they feel is necessary. Your need to point out the Acts of 2000 and imply their intensions to alter the records in any way implies that you expect they will find issues in which they will not be pleased. Therefore, you are showing your lack of confidence in your own management. Please be advised that the Acts of 2000 does not give you the right to act like you are above public scrutiny. Your lack of cooperation is unprofessional and will not be accepted. Perhaps you should move your family to Templeton in order to fully understand the frustrations that the citizens here have with our financial situation as well as the poor customer service we are receiving from our public utility departments. Maybe then you will be more understanding as to why the Advisory Board and the BOS are so motivated to review the light and water reports. Please be on notice that your customers are dissatisfied with your work performance and your leadership. Submitting a previous year's annual report to the town is unacceptable and shows a lack of organization under your supervision. The Acts of 2000 can be repealed and unless you change your attitude and cooperate with the Advisory Board and BOS it will be repealed by your customers, the citizens of Templeton, and your employment will be terminated. I look forward to seeing more cooperation and a better attitude from you moving forward.
Signed,
Templeton Light & Water customer & Templeton taxpayer
RIGHT ON!
DeleteI think everyone that agrees with the above "letter to Mr. Driscoll" should copy this post into a letter, print it out and actually send it to the L&W. This guy needs to hear from the townspeople how upset they are with his actions.
Also send your letters of discontent to the TMLWP Commissioners. They are:
DeleteDana Blais
Gregg Edwards
Christopher Stewart
It is painfully obvious that the L&W dept wants to be an independently run business. They do not to be beholden to the Town in any way, shape, or form. Gerry worked hard, (and spent funds illegally) to get this independence for the L&W dept through the Acts of 2000. The time has come to repeal these Acts. The financial belt on this Town needs to be tightened. Like it or not, the L&W is part of this Town. It would not exist without the Town. And now, soon, will not exist as is, because of the actions, or inactions of the powers “in charge” of the L&W.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for exploring the repeal of the Acts of 2000. I can see it now: Paul Q. lumbering up to the microphone to say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and an audience grumbling because they know that he has no clue about what's broken.
ReplyDeleteIn my book, Paul Q lost any creditability when he stood up and he said he agreed with the recall. Just because someone is old, that does not mean they are right. That goes for me too. By the way I try to admitt when I am wrong. Bev
DeleteBy law and town by-law, the advisory has the power to look at any and all records having to do with finance within the town of Templeton, this includes the light & water dept. Any citizen has the right by state law, check with the secretary of the commonwealth to be sure, to look at any public record during normal business hours and you do not have to put that request in writing. Just have a witness with you and if they refuse write a complaint, have it notorized along with witness and see what happens. That is Mass General Law, public records are open to public review without a request in writing. Publice entities do not have to respone to requests made over the phone. The main reason a public records request should be in writing is if you are denied because you can not appeal a public records request unless the request was made in writing. Simply google secretary of state massachusetts and all the info is there.
ReplyDeleteJeff, hope all is well and safe as it can be!I would like to send a care pkg to you/your unit and need to know where to send it. you can post it or email me at smart@nii.net.
ReplyDeletethanks for your service!
dave
Thank you Dave, will send, and I wish that care package could include a cold one, a very cold adult beverage, but at least they have ice cream so I have one vice available.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to eat the whole container in one sitting. Stay safe.
DeleteHey Jeff that goes for a lot of us send us you address so we can send you and your fellow troops some care packages.
ReplyDeleteSue