Saturday, January 4, 2014

Town navigates budget shortfall

Town navigates budget shortfall

Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
TEMPLETON — If this week’s blizzard intends to set the trend for 2014, Templeton’s snow budget may not weather the storm.

Although Highway Superintendent Francis ‘Bud’ Chase insists the budget is fine now, future storms may drain the available money faster than anticipated.

“We haven’t run out of money yet,” Mr. Chase explained. “But, it won’t be much longer ... I’m sure we’ll have to deficit spend.”

The option  has raised concerns with  many in the community as the town is currently trying to limit the damage done by an already substantial $505,000 budget shortfall which came to light last month.

Currently, the highway department has an estimated $125,000 in their snow budget to work with, but officials are authorized to deficit spend if needed — an outcome looking more likely as winter continues.


According to Mr. Chase, a budget freeze could seriously affect the department’s ability to continue operations and maintain their equipment. They are responsible for the upkeep of 72 miles of roadway around town, as well as repairs on all public vehicles.

Though there are no big projects planned for the spring, should the town’s money problems continue, even basic highway maintenance and labor could be compromised. Ultimately, the decision could come down to the select board.

“I haven’t personally seen the board,” said Mr. Chase. “But if we have a budget freeze, we’ll just have to work with it.”

Other departments are currently feeling the squeeze after a $505,000 budget shortfall recently forced the selectmen to put a hold on all discretionary spending and hiring.

Both the Cemetery and Parks Commission and Police Department have open positions they are unable to fill, with the commission currently understaffed and having difficulty keeping up with their winter responsibilities.

Commission Superinten-dent Alan Mayo said a potential consequence of being low on staff could be a delay in funerals and burials.


9 comments:

  1. The town has not left anyone on the top of the ground yet, and the town has seen it's share of hard times. I am confident that once we are through with this round of people picking the budgets apart, to see where we really are, the answers will be clear and we will be able to chart a course from now to the future. It is unfortunate that we have come to this point, but in reality there was no way to avoid it. There is no way the house of cards could be sustained with out the builders constantly shoring up the base, to maintain a illusion of stability. The people and the town departments that will be hurt because of the prior administration's shell games are the victim, and that is the sad result of blind trust in people who did not care about the end result of their manipulations of town money. My only hope is that we learn from our mistakes, and never go down this path again. Bev.

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  2. The cold hard truth of the matter Bev is they still rule at the L+W commission and are still in the position to do Templeton more harm. Not hard to see who they are and is the big reason Driscoll the GM is in the Gardner news every chance he gets.
    Spewing the crap like they did at the last town meeting against the Board now doing the dirty work to clean up after the last 10 years.I aplaud the fire chief Lapoine and other who back this BOS and also thank them all for not pulling a WILDER and porking the town with a"I QUIT" Although i think it was the most intelagent thing she did! Most people could see through her, I was ubable to get her to see the light, I know i tried my hardest!!!

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    1. please delete the above post as it critizes people

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  3. Wow, funny how Dave get to criticize both Driscoll AND Wilder, but if i criticize Bev, I get Deleted and Banned.
    I guess only certain opinions count

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  4. I'm sure the admin would know this to be fact and as time went on wilder was as obtuse as the GM and the commission. The fix to keep things under wraps is over and like it or not the out come is not a prety picture at all. It won't be long to see the proof and know where the Town of Tempelton was steer into the ditch After Dana and crew are out of the way the GM will have to answer with or without a lawyer to speek for him! When will the people get the answers and results their being paid to give us?
    Most all laws they were in violation of have come to roost and with that it cost us all and never should have cost a penny if they were on the up and up as they should have been when they were asked about it long ago. Even the numbers Discoll give in the Gardner news don't add up,and why don't the nuke plant power add up as renewable sources like the use too?
    It was said not long ago about the towns power portfolio there was not more than 1 megawatt of room and now theres over 3 megawatts. Time and again the recordings i've made tell a story of fact fiction conflicts. When i asked questions years ago they didn't have a clue why it was of interest and now their answers all are in play.

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  5. Vote Mitchell for Selectman.

    Remember the past to ensue a better future.

    The nuclear option should NEVER be used.

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  6. VOTE DIANE HALEY-BROOKS for BOS let Templeton move forward without repeating the past

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  7. Or you mean cover and forget?
    Fat chance,We're getting closer to open government than we have ever been!
    Vote yes and get the water boss and commission to listen.
    They work for us,Templeton our town.They have forgotten that part.

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  8. VOTE NO on giving the BOS control of the Light and water. They can't run a town right how will they run a Light and Water plant.

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