Shedding
some Light…NOT!
Last
Wednesday, Pauly posted a blog entitled “Posting
Job Positions”. This blog described the creation of a new position at
Templeton Municipal Light and Water; that of Business Manager.
A
request was made at the January 10, 2013 TMLWP meeting for the job posting and
job description for the new Business Manager position. The job
posting is now available. It closed on January 25, 2013. The job was only
available to all full time employees of the Templeton municipal Light &
Water Plant.
The
Business
Manager Job description is now available. Makes one wonder how TMLWP can
state on its letterhead that: “This institution is an equal opportunity
provider and employer”, when there is a stipulation in the job description
(page 2 Requirements)
“3.
Normal eyesight with or without corrective lenses
4.
Normal hearing with or without hearing aids”
Might
have been a good idea to actually check out the EEOC
website before creating this discriminatory job description.
My
opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !
Julie
Farrell
Julie is this an ethics violation or a labor law violation? where can we complain about this? Equal opportunity employer - my ass!
ReplyDeleteDana works there as a commissioner. So i guess they do hire "Special People"
ReplyDeleteThey are so "full of them selves" I find it incredible! They have no commonsense! Even if it was a "real job posting", anyone with a half of a brain knows you can't discriminate, and by doing so, eliminate a huge number of people!! It is time for these people to wake up and smell the coffee! On the lighter side, maybe they were afraid Mr.Spring would apply, or maybe afraid I would!! He has hearing aids, and I can't read without my glasses, Hee, Hee. My feelings are crushed, I am going to go cry in my pillow! Bev.
DeleteDid we get a bad gearbox with the wind turbine also or is the rumor i hear false?
ReplyDeleteMetal shavings in the gearbox oil is a bad thing and like princeton's identical windmill cost 500k 1/2 million to repair and is to risky to run after repairs are done. Is it the end of the road for our windmill? anybody have any info about it.Please post a comment you light plant workers
Maybe the job description for the Business manager should include advice about really expensive green energy projects with lots of risk and low potential of return.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone called TMLWP lately? "Pleasant telephone manner?" Are you kidding me?
It does not help if you buy the thing from a company that has gone bankrupt, with a warranty that was gone before it was up. [2 year warranty, started when it was delivered, still on the ground!!] Gear box had problems last fall. I think it cost a lot to fix it then. Bev.
DeleteHow did the light commissioners let that purchase happen? Are they not supposed to oversee the light dept in the best interest of the town? Was this warranty expiration discovered after the sale or did they agree to buy "as is"? This shows very poor judgement. Who were the light commissioners when the turbine was purchased?
DeleteThe Commissioners at the time of the contract signing and the construction of the turbine were/are: Dana Blais, Gregg Edwards and Julie Farrell.
DeleteI know I spent a lot of time reviewing the contract and asking questions. I now know many of the answers I received were not the whole truth. Can't make a good decision with bad information.
Dana Blaise and Greg Edwards have been the commissioner the longest and have both been there for 16 years, So if it gets mentioned here and its about the light /water dept they own it. The 32,000 repair last time were the generator bearings and not related to the gearbox, I guess the brgs could have started this problem to show up ?
ReplyDeleteIt's all on their watch, 16 years too long for me and should be for everyone else too
Shareholder
Seems like there should be a rule that one cannot be on a board or commission for more than x number of consecutive years like most boards and committees and organizations already have. I'm kinda shocked that the makeup of that commission hasn't changed for so long except for one seat.
DeleteNot all boards are bad , be carefull what you ask for when it comes to the boards that issue permits for development in this town . If you think its easy ,then go to the planning board and pickup the development bylaw book and study it untill you think you can quote it cover to cover . Its not as easy as you think it is .
DeleteIt only takes 10 registered voters to get what you want to discuss and vote for change on at annual town meetings.
ReplyDeleteSpecial town meetings are 100 Templeton registered voters to bring a articale forward for discussion both can get you what you want to change and may need a bylaw change too? I and many others would support that idea and would help with the effort to bring the voters information to better decide how to vote.
As with the meetings at the light and water they'The Commissioners" see the voters resolve to change what we see wrong in our Templeton. It's up to us to do what we see needs to be changed and not be afraid to. The town is in a spot it's never seen and we need to change what got us here very soon. Get involved and see the town clerk pull the papers and change what is wrong,Don't be shocked.
Shareholder
Dave
FYI- By laws need to be voted and adopted at the Annual Town Meeting. 10 signatures needed for a Citizen petition for the annual town meeting. Suggestions could be made to the BOS office for by law changes. What we really need is a Bylaw review committee. There are many conflicts within our bylaws that should be corrected. This a big project that may need to wait for a year until we can get our financial house in order.
ReplyDeleteI think a full review of our bylaws would be a very smart and responsible thing to do in Templeton. The current bylaws and town management have gotten us in a losing spot at this point. Efforts need to be taken to review past practices and make changes to correct them. I am thankful the Advisory Board has been reviewing financial issues. Certainly the personnel bylaws need an overhaul. And, looking at things like how long someone can hold the same office would also be good to review. This is a good idea, Julie.
Deletelast time I checked, It takes 200 voters (registered) to sign a citizens petition for a special town meeting ( that is any town meeting other than the required annual town meeting) you may wish to check that and I believe Templeton has a requirement for 100 registered voters for annual town meeting and yes I know a citizens petition passed to change it back to the state norm of ten but is has to be approved in boston which usually takes about a year before that change woulde be valid. again check with selectmen office or town clerk to see if the change has been approved. boards can be changed every election or by recall. there is now a bill in Boston to update and simplify zoning. I do not see the need to memorize planning by-law book, you just need to have it available for review. besides I thought that is what those fees are for, to pay for professiona consultants and legal fees. If planning board members can resite the books cover to cover, why have so many fees for consultants? Perhaps someone should point out to the light department that it is the Templeton municiple light dept and there fore Templeton residents have a vested interest in ensuring that the hiring practices meet federal and state guidelines. What would be next, only women for office work and only men for line work? Someone please check the koolaid over there.
ReplyDeleteJeff Hope all is well . The point i was trying to make was ,its nice to have members that not only understand the bylaws but to help understand how they apply to there [our] town . having outside consulting is mainly for the engineering technical review .in my opinion , the final say and wishes for the final approval should be made by the members [towns people] and not by outsiders .
DeleteHello Jeff
ReplyDeleteThe bill to reduce the number of signatures to ten from 100 was signed into law in December. It takes 100 signatures for a citizen petition for a STm warrant article.
If citizens want to ask for a special town meeting itself, it takes over 200 signatures...like Chapter 93 acts of 2000... That special town meeting where all the citizens of Templeton rose up and demanded the Light department take over the operations of the water department...no Ction was taken by the light department management or employees to gather those signatures and stir the pot...
Good to hear from you..
Hey Jeff good to hear from you - missed you. hee hee hee
ReplyDeleteJeff hope all is well, Did the shopping and will ship out tomorrow, Don't forget to share. General Driscoll will have his plate full with no napkin in site. Questions abound and will be fully video taped for the world to see him choke.
ReplyDeleteThe wind turbine is a non turner for 2 weeks now and my guess is the gearbox has a short life as with the others of the like.Interest rate was at 1.5% and now 5.5% or 4.5% who knows and banks the winner there. Dana will no doubt try to limit the questions and will get what we can out asap. The coolaid is a very special brew for sure. It allows the deliberately obtuse answers that we get from them. The questions we want answered have been asked and answered differently multipale times. Pilot formula is 100k and that's it,why is the 2011 report 175,000 pg 49 The audit questions will need some tweek and will be special, customer charge and basic math doesn't add up to the extra 495,000 they have charged the ratepayers over 3 years. It will be interesting to see the reaction of the commissioners when the questions get asked wednesday at the next meeting. Every one call a friend and bring one with
you so they will get the message we are the shareholders,
and WE want to remove you!
Shareholder
Dave Smart
Julie , if your so smart , why did you sign the contract, no one forced you to sign it, you are a big hipocrite, the only thing in this town that is unstatainable is the town it self with you involved with any part of it. You have ruined it. You called Gerry a dictator, what the f k are you, you are Hitler recreated. Thanks for Ruining this town.
ReplyDeletePlease enlighten us on how Julie ruined this town? Inquiring minds want to know. And, I find it interesting that if she was as bad as Hitler, why was she voted back into office by a record-breaking voter turnout and winning margin? I think you may want to venture out of your little circle of friends and discover that the majority of people do not think like you do. And maybe brush up on your spelling abilities while you're at it. Maybe look up the word in a dictionary before using big words.
DeleteHope you got a good night's sleep Anon 11:37. I did, must be that clear conscious. Maybe we'll see you at the TMLWP on Wednesday Feb 6th. Then you can throw your insults around publicly in person.
ReplyDeleteJust shedding some much needed light on many of the problems in town. If asking questions is considered dictatorship, then I can only assume you've had your hand in some of the wrong-doings in town.
I can't wait for the investigation to begin on the 4 incidents in Templeton including Chapter 93 Acts of 2000. The investigation has a Senate docket number SD1747...I'll keep you posted on that as well.
Worried yet? You should be.
Julie i think he had his dumb hands in all of it, It has been 16 years you know!
ReplyDeleteShareholder
Keep up the great work
Dave
Just a note, as an employee I have never been bullied by Julie. I have however been bullied by Columbus and Skelton.
ReplyDeleteSome people have a real problem with strong women. Thank goodness Julie cared enough about her town to get involved and try to help Templeton evolve! Julie has been there alongside these issues and tried to ask questions and raise issues that didn't seem right. But, when the boards and commissions are padded with the people making the problems, its hard to right the wrongs alone. Thankfully, Julie didn't give up and throw in the towel. She kept asking questions and raising issues until others heard her and agreed that things were not right. Julie has more balls than a lot of the yellow bellied bullies in this town who made bad decisions and treated others with no respect. Julie is not responsible for the harassment cases, the mishandling of contracts, accounting errors, and numerous other negative actions that previous selectmen have made. So, call her all the names you want. She can take it especially when she has the respect and backing of many people in town who know the real deal. "It'll all come out in the wash." And it will be supported by facts.
ReplyDeleteI'll second that about Julie!! We are so fortunate to have her here! That disgusting statement & reference was probably one of the notorious gang trying to rattle her. Yes, she is very strong to have withstood all the junk that has been thrown at her. Thank God she knows it is not about her!! The old regime are upset they can't get away with all the underhanded stuff anymore without being questioned. Thank you Julie & the others who are doing the questioning. I can't wait for that AG investigation to begin. It should be quite interesting to see just how deep this goes & all the connections tied to it!!
DeleteLets all give a hand for our Light Dept during the storm the othr night! My friend lives in Adams Mass and was out till noon time today. I love our local light plant.
ReplyDeleteWere there power outages in Templeton?
DeleteDid the turbine cost us more to turn it with power and how much power did it produce,oil tests back yet?How many oil changes have we done? when will the oil changers come to change the oil. How big were the metal particles that were in the oil test samples? was it 3 microns the 1st time?
ReplyDeleteSo many questions and so costly a mistake for Templeton.
Shareholder
Luck has a big part to play with power lines. Multiple lines were compromised and also multiple call ins for tree removals.
ReplyDeletegeorge of the jungle sublet also part of the costs charged up for the storm related issues. Cover your ears if you just don't want to here the truths, Templeton the truth is out there. Just listen!
Go to the special town meeting MARCH 6 and vote to remove the commission as we know we need to get the truth and very soon for the sake of our Templeton. A solar farm would have made more for less risk and less liability. Templaton is now stuck in a big way with the wind turbine. Just ask princeton light mgr Brian Allen,he's truthful!
Shareholder
Dave
The turbine is the turbine! It will cost us some to save alot. I love my local light plant!
ReplyDeletehey anon 2/1 10:30pm exactly when do we start saving.
DeleteGeorge of the Jungle had nothing ti do with storm restoration at all! Just wanted ti let you SANE people know!
ReplyDeleteWednesday you will again have a chance to show your,our love for the Templeton light and water plant. You should come and see the save alot, charge alot you want to love alot. If it is truly save you want ,come and tell them in front of us when we ask the question's people have their heads stuck in the sand about. Tell them in front of us on tape why the changes should not happen! Come tell them what the people in Templeton need to hear. I would gladly withdraw the petition.I don't think i will have to worry about the things you would say and you will probably add to the list of missteps that are your loved Templeton light and water plant. It starts in Ch93 Acts of 2000 Lovely things?
ReplyDeleteTrue Shareholder
Dave
Otter river road check the log and also let us know the charge for the tree removal, 2-1-2013 @2pm
ReplyDeletefacts are facts money is money. sanity is in the eyes of the beholder!
Shareholder
who did the tree cutting on gardner rd Rt101 for the light dept
ReplyDeleteI believe George of the Jungle did that. They must have gotten the bid for the tree trimming budget this year.
ReplyDeleteSaw an invoice for about $6,000 from George of the Jungle on the vendor warrant. I know the town didn't contract with George of the Jungle
ReplyDeleteDo TML invoices come through the Selectman office?
DeleteAll payroll and vendor invoices are signed off by the BOS for TMLWP.
DeleteDoes this imply or actual mean there is financial oversight of TMLP by the selectboard?
DeleteWhat if the selectboard refused to sign off on an invoice? Could the manager be called on the carpet to explain an expense?
Town trees are cut by hakala and wachusett tree service!
ReplyDeleteDoes the tree vendor mean the town pays for the invoice with general funds or the light co. free cash?
ReplyDeleteLight dept. pays not the town. There are separate budgets for town charges, the sewer budget, the water budget as well as the Light budget.
DeleteTree cutting usually comes out of Light Dept. maintenance account. ...but so do a lot of other vendor invoices.