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Virginia
Wilder
Templeton
To the Editor:
There are some things that you need to know before going to the polls on
Election Day on April 30 and before going to the Templeton Annual Town
Meeting on May 14.
First of all, I would like to thank all of you who attended the Special Town
Meeting where you showed overwhelming support for the Light and Water
Commission. At the Annual Town Meeting, however, there are six articles being
presented by citizens petition to undermine the light and water commission.
It saddens and concerns me that there are people in our town who continue to
want to destroy rather than build on what we have here. Please lend your
support against these articles once again.
Also, what you must know is that there will be two articles on the town
meeting warrant designed to move the town to a town administrator form of
government. I think this is a good thing as long as it is done the right way.
The first article would accomplish this simply by creating a new bylaw. This
is not the recommended way to go about this. The best way (as in the second
of the two articles) is to form a government study committee to look into
forming a charter and to create the new form of government using the
legislative process. The Department of Revenue has previously recommended
this second process to the town.
Another important issue is the override vote for the school budget. I clearly
understand the burden of increased taxes, but if we do not vote for this, it
may actually cost us more in the end. If dramatic cuts have to be made, we
take the risk of losing students to other schools who offer those things that
we would have to cut. The other issue is that if the school does not get an
adequate operating budget, the state could come in and set the budget for us.
(This could be a higher number than what thy are asking for now.)
This town needs to start looking and moving toward the future. We need to
build on what we have rather than using our energy and resources for breaking
down what we have. We need to give assistance with problems rather than
criticize those who are trying to make a positive impact. We need to actively
look for new revenue. We need to communicate with each other and to the
public.
You have a right to make your voice and your vote heard. Please use that
right both at the polls on April 30 and again at the Annual Town Meeting on
May 14. Thank you for listening.
Virginia Wilder
Templeton
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I believe Templeton has a government study committee and I believe Ms. Wilder was/is on it so when was the last time this committee met and has a town charter ever been discussed? I am unaware of this being brought forward to the selectmen. I believe the process is about 2 years. Article 49: To see if the town will vote to AMEND vote taken by the town on June 23, 1998 (which resulted in the town adopting MGL chapter 41, section 23C) this article would amend that vote to accept MGL chapter 41, section 23A sec. 4. As section 23A gives better clarification (less grey area) on the position and the authority that the selectmen can vote to give the position, it would seem the prudent thing to do is vote this amendment and then look at a town charter which may be good for the town. I see no reason to not more clearly define the position of coordinator/town administrator now and look down the road to a charter. By clarifying the position and role, the job desription would most likly change and require in the future, a high degree of qualifications for the position. This to me would be an example of building on what we have and moving forward, something Ms. Wilder seems to be in favor of. The choice will be up to the voters, stagnate or move forward and build on an already improving town since 2011.
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing this editorial, Virginia. I too would like look forward and move ahead. I would also like all departments to operate in an open and transparent manner. I believe the way forward is to strive for open and honest government and hold all departments accountable. ALL departments should follow the rules - including Light and Water.
ReplyDeleteI believe your opinions get in the way of FACTS once again when you state the six light and water citizen petitions seek to undermine and destroy "what we have". A citizen petition to negotiate a PILOT payment is not destructive; A citizen petition asking for a forensic audit of the multi-million wind turbine is not destructive; The request for a report on the water system is not destructive; the warrant article to treat all enterprise funds in the same manner is not destructive. These articles, if passed would result in open and transparent government. To hold a government entity accountable is NOT destructive.
I need to ask if the articles mentioned above are DESTRUCTIVE, how should one consider the sewer department citizen petition YOU submitted... the article I will refer to as the Dana Blais Sewer Relief Act of 2013?
Once again I will state we are fortunate to have three good candidates running for Board of Selectmen - Paul Cosentino, Doug Morrison and Kenn Robinson.
Please vote on April 30th!
VOTE SMART
It would be foolish to think this idea came to Virginia out of the blue. It seems I heard Mr. Skelton mention a town charter both times I heard him speak at the last two candidates meetings. If this is the case and Ms. Wilder is fronting for Mr. Skelton, she should say she is speaking for him. A citizens petition asking for a PILOT from the Light and Water Dept. is nothing more than what the DOR had told us we needed to do. At any rate, everyone knows that. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to know there is a huge need to find out how bad we are on the hook for the wind turbine. Doesn't she think it is about time we found out!! All of these things will not destroy a thing!! It is just another way for, the go to girl, to scare the people who do not understand what is going on. This letter to the editor, is way up there on dumb things to do, along with her throwing the people she is supposed to represent, out of a selectmans' meeting. It is time for some people to think for them selves. My opinion, Bev.
Deletelets see, when it comes to following advice on town administrator from DOR, Virginia says lets do it that way, but when DOR reccomends a PILOT agreement she says that is destroying the light dept. How very interesting. And I cannot see how asking for an audit does any harm, if anything, it may bring forth ideas on improvements. She suggests we build on what we have but she questions and seems to oppose the advisory board having a say on the budget, she does not want to move forward on a town administrator and she thinks a pilot suggestion from the DOR is destroying the light co. For someone who talks about building, MS. Wilder sure does appear to wish to maintain the status quo.
ReplyDeleteJeff, well said and i might add after sitting with virginia for hours and informing her of many reasons for my doings ,it's clear to this candidate that it is a lost cause i get her to think any part of light and water are a problem. Even after all the infomation i share with her and put laws in front of her she still has no clue!Her and stewart have done every little thing they could to slander /undermine and also lie about what we have uncovered there!my opinion and supported by facts. It's on Utube-Ask the tgn editor they required the proof prior to print. Shortly after the lies from stewart it started to make scence that they were the team to protect the empire that has been built on the ratepayers backs over the years. Now the spand game is in play et TMLWP and boy are they spending it quick. When you look at the 10k and nothing to show for it, who would stand up for that? Echo hill puppets and followers that their livelyhood depends on them! Funny thing it's the voters that provide it for them and they will soon find that out.
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Dave Smart Vote Smart
TAKE BACK OUR LIGHT AND WATER!
At the Annual Town Meeting, there are six articles being presented by citizens petition to require action from the light and water commission and the municipal department they oversee. It gladdens me that there are people in our town who continue to want to build on rather than destroy what we have here. Please lend your support for these articles. There will also be two articles on the town meeting warrant designed to move the town to a town administrator form of government. The first article would accomplish this simply, by creating a new bylaw. The other way (as in the second of the two articles) is to form a government study committee to look into forming a charter and to create the new form of government using the legislative, at least two year, process. The Department of Revenue has previously recommended this second process in 2009 to the town however the Board of Selectman (which Candidate Skelton was a member of) at that time felt that this was just a way to fire a Candidate Skelton’s wife from the position of Town Coordinator. They chose to ignore both the DCR and the committee. This town needs to start looking and moving toward the future not to the past, remember revisiting the past with the rehiring of CS and K&P. We need to build on what we have rather than using our energy and resources for breaking down what we have. We need to give assistance with problems rather than criticize those who are trying to make a positive impact. We need to actively look for new revenue except for another dump project.
ReplyDeletePhil, you are so right. It has been beyond frustrating to get answers to questions, every resident has a right to know. The waves we have made has driven our good buddy, ENOUGH out from under the rock, he was using for shelter. The old boy's kingdom has been threatened, and he has come out to fight for it. He fights dirty, NO, I did not fire his wife!! Not once or for that matter twice. I had nothing to do with that, at all. It does not matter, he will say it anyway!! Oh yes, I am not the one who screwed up his municipal building, he said I was, but that is not true, either! It does not dawn on him that 100 signatures put the town hall on the warrant, not 10, like he said. He is the master of looking like a victim, but he also fails to acknowledge that not one person stood up for him, when we asked for the investigation, by the AG. I hope more than anything, that the people were not fooled by him. We do have three good candidates for selectmen. Please do not forget to vote. My opinion, Bev.
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