Monday, June 30, 2014

Water Policy/Water Police

Water Policy/Water Police

There have been a few posts lately that are not directly related to Templeton politics, but indicate a disturbing trend that may impact Templeton in the not too distant future.

SWMI – Sustainable Water Management Initiative

Business perspective on SWMI – increased water rates and more regulation on aquifers.

Meetings 6/30 – 7/3/14

Meetings 6/30 – 7/3/14

Monday 6/30/14

BOS Kamaloht 6:30 pm

Tomb Restoration Burial Ground 7:00 pm

Tuesday 7/1/14

Cultural Council Scout Hall 4:00 pm

Wednesday 7/2/14

Elementary School Kiva 6:00 pm

Adv. Board Scout Hall 6:30 pm

BOH School St. 7:00 pm

Thursday 7/3/14

CPC 6:00 pm

From the Town Website:

Thanks to the hard work of countless community volunteers, Town employees (including a few laid off Town employees), Board & committee members and the donations of time, labor and materials from area businesses, the New Town Hall, located at 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton (the former East Templeton School) is opening on Monday, June 30, 2014!

The Treasurer & Collector will be at 690 Patriots Road on Monday (available at their current phone numbers)and will be moved over to Town Hall on Tuesday morning . The Planning Office will be re-opening at Town Hall on Tuesday, July 1, with CDBG joining them in the Land Use office. The majority of the Town workers that were laid off in May will be back on July 1, including the Board of Health and Building Department.

Solar Taxation Case is Watched

State law on assessment being argued

By Donna Boynton TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
dboynton@telegram.com

The 856-panel solar array at 113 Milk Street in Westboro belonging to Forrestall Enterprises Inc. is at the center of a tax dispute with the town. (T&G STAFF/CHRISTINE PETERSON)

WESTBORO — An 856-panel solar array on Milk Street is at the center of a legal test case regarding the taxation of solar panels.

Under state law, solar panels can be tax-exempt for up to 20 years if used as a primary or auxiliary energy source.

Forrestall Enterprises Inc. owns the solar panel array at 113 Milk St. Forrestall Enterprise's principal owner is Westboro resident Bruce Forrestall, who also has an ownership interest in four other local properties that benefit from the energy and the net metering credits generated at the Milk Street site.

The Board of Assessors has assessed a property tax against the solar array, saying that it does not meet the criteria to be tax-exempt because it does not supply power to a building on, or adjacent to the Milk Street solar panels. Instead, the power is sold to the grid and the net metering credits are applied to other local taxable properties

The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires

You probably don’t know me, but like you I am one of those .01%ers, a proud and unapologetic capitalist. I have founded, co-founded and funded more than 30 companies across a range of industries—from itsy-bitsy ones like the night club I started in my 20s to giant ones like Amazon.com, for which I was the first nonfamily investor. Then I founded aQuantive, an Internet advertising company that was sold to Microsoft in 2007 for $6.4 billion. In cash. My friends and I own a bank. I tell you all this to demonstrate that in many ways I’m no different from you. Like you, I have a broad perspective on business and capitalism. And also like you, I have been rewarded obscenely for my success, with a life that the other 99.99 percent of Americans can’t even imagine. Multiple homes, my own plane, etc., etc. You know what I’m talking about. In 1992, I was selling pillows made by my family’s business, Pacific Coast Feather Co., to retail stores across the country, and the Internet was a clunky novelty to which one hooked up with a loud squawk at 300 baud. But I saw pretty quickly, even back then, that many of my customers, the big department store chains, were already doomed. I knew that as soon as the Internet became fast and trustworthy enough—and that time wasn’t far off—people were going to shop online like crazy. Goodbye, Caldor. And Filene’s. And Borders. And on and on.

Detroit and Iraq: Plundered by the Same Bandits

By Margaret Kimberley
Global Research, June 26, 2014
Black Agenda Report 25 June 2014

The Race to the Bottom under global, militarized capitalism creates communities of shared misery. Increasingly, it is almost as dangerous to be inside U.S. borders as on the outside. “Iraq was invaded with soldiers, guns and bombs. Detroit was invaded by the corporate ‘suits’ who made a fast buck for themselves.” Both are plundered by the same bandits.

“All of former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s incompetence could not have created the ongoing occupation of Detroit by the thieves in high places.”

The ugly face of empire and disaster capitalism is visible all over the world. Detroit, Michigan, was once a thriving city but was sent into a tailspin by the deindustrialization of the United States, white flight, and institutional racism which blamed black people who were in fact the victims of catastrophe. The coup de grace was delivered by big banks like UBS, Bank of America and Barclays, which sold risky derivatives schemes to corrupt Detroit politicians. When the financial deal inevitably headed south, the banks were the creditors first in line for a payout.

Devens Federal Medical Center houses insider traders

By Peter S. Cohan WALL & MAIN

Drive about 26 miles North from downtown Worcester and you arrive at the gates of the Federal Medical Center Devens, located in Ayer. In addition to being the temporary dwelling place of alleged Boston Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, FMC Devens houses two former Manhattan masters of the universe.

One of them, Raj Rajaratnam, was a Sri Lankan native and billionaire who used to run a $3.7 billion hedge fund called Galleon Group. The other, Rajat Gupta, a native of India and former global managing director of the international consulting firm, McKinsey & Co., and board member of Goldman Sachs and Procter & Gamble, was a relative pauper who was convicted of breaching his fiduciary duty to Goldman Sachs.

That's because Mr. Gupta let a mere 23 seconds elapse between the time he left a board meeting at Goldman and the time he called Mr. Rajaratnam — who on May 11, 2011 was found guilty of 14 counts of securities fraud and conspiracy and has spent the last three-and-a-half years serving an 11 year sentence — to tell him about the investment bank's $5 billion investment from Warren Buffett.

80th Birthday Bash

The Chairman of the Largest Private Company in America Just Told the 1 Percent to Worry About Climate Change

But will Greg Page’s call to arms influence business leaders? Or the Republicans his firm donates to?

Robert S. Eshelman June 25, 2014

Gregory Page, Executive Chairman and former CEO of Cargill. (REUTERS/Denis Balibouse)

The US economy could suffer damages running into the hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century due to climate change, according to a study released yesterday. The report, titled “Risky Business,” is the first comprehensive assessment of the economic risks of climate change to the United States. It was commissioned by a panel of influential business leaders and former government officials, including hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Bush administration Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

“I have had a fair amount of experience over my career in attempting to understand and manage risk,” said Paulson, alluding to the 2008 financial collapse. “In many ways the climate bubble is actually more cruel and more perverse.”

Among the study’s conclusions:

• By 2050, between $66 billion and $106 billion worth of coastal property will likely be below sea level, rising to $238 billion to $507 billion by 2100.

• Extreme storms and hurricanes will likely cause damages exceeding $42 billion annually along the eastern seaboard and Gulf Coast.

June 23, 2014 BOS Meeting… And the movie.

June 23, 2014 BOS Meeting…

And the movie.

Part 1 of the June 23, 2014 BOS Meeting

Part 2 of the June 23, 2014 BOS Meeting

This is the last BOS meeting held in 690 Patriots Rd. Future BOS meetings will be held in different locations until a ramp and a handicap bathroom can be installed at East Templeton Town Offices.

TA Report-

Meetings 6/24/14 and 6/25/14

Meetings 6/24/14 and 6/25/14

Tuesday 6/24/14

MRPC Fitchburg 7:00 pm

Wednesday 6/25/14

MPO MART Leominster 1:00 pm

Adv. Board Scout Hall 6:00 pm

Adv. Board Scout Hall 6:30 pm

BOS Scout Hall 8:00 pm

Parking at Scout Hall is extremely limited. Please park at East Templeton Elementary School, if possible.

Happy 250th Anniversary Winchendon!

The Summer Solstice was transformed in Winchendon with a 250th birthday bash! The day of celebration included 5K road race, carnival and dunk tank as well as a parade. Fire trucks from surrounding communities participated including some Templeton's Fire equipment.

Templeton's Fire chief, Ray LaPorte, used his personal equipment to bring a piece from the Narragansett Historical Society to the parade. Capt. Denis Hamel paid for the fuel to bring Ladder 1 to the parade.

Thank you!

Monday, June 23, 2014

Some Town Offices CLOSED !

Town offices and departments located at 690 Patriots Road are closed this week in order to move to East Templeton. The Tax Collector's office is open on Monday June 23rd for tax payments.

Selectman's Meeting Tonight!

Tonight's BOS meeting will be held at 690 Patriots Rd. at 6:30.

Agenda items include:

Town Administrator's report

Appointments, appointment policy and dissolve defunct committees

Gravel permits

TMLWP FY 15 contribution

Federal Highway Trust Fund nearing depletion

Written by MMA Legislative Analyst J. Catherine Rollins

The federal Highway Trust Fund, which represents about one-quarter of total public spending on transportation infrastructure and transit projects across the country, is projected to run out of money by Aug. 29, according to the latest update from the federal Department of Transportation.

The highway portion of the fund is projected to reach a critically low level of $4 billion around July 25, at which point payments will not be guaranteed in a timely manner.

Federal gas tax revenue goes to the Highway Trust Fund, but this revenue source has declined in recent years due to decreased fuel consumption. In Congress, House leaders do not favor increasing the gas tax in order to increase revenue.

The federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon hasn’t been raised since 1993. If it were indexed to inflation, the tax would be approximately 30 cents per gallon now.

DEP extends deadline for comments on water management regs

Written by MMA Senior Legislative Analyst Tom Philbin

The Department of Environmental Protection has extended by one month the period for written comments on proposed revisions to water resources management regulations.

The deadline is now July 10 at 5 p.m.

The DEP held a series of public hearings this month on proposed regulations to incorporate components of the Sustainable Water Management Initiative into Water Management Act permitting.

The Sustainable Water Management Initiative creates a plan for water allocation in Massachusetts. Four years ago, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs convened a stakeholder committee to advise state agencies on the development of the plan.

Central Mass. housing has yet to feel recovery

Kenneth Wilson of K W Construction in Spencer installs siding on a home under construction in Millbury last week. (T&G Staff/RICK CINCLAIR)

By Lisa Eckelbecker TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
leckelbecker@telegram.com

Enlarge photo

Amid the cities and towns of Central Massachusetts, the housing recovery is a spotty affair.

Home prices are appreciating in some communities and stagnating in others. Distressed properties are still piled up in some places and dwindling elsewhere.

Together, the communities make up a region that is climbing out of the nation's housing recession at a rate slower than that of Massachusetts in general. In April, the Worcester metropolitan area's median home price fell compared to the same month last year, a dubious distinction shared by only four other large metro areas in the nation.

Lyme Disease

The following articles from the Worcester Telegram by Craig S. Semon and Bethany Daley from the New England Center for Investigative Reporting depict many of the problems people with Lyme disease encounter. After the articles, there is a link to the video Under Our Skin as well as link to resources on Lyme disease.

Area Lyme disease sufferers condemn CDC's test protocol

Patricia A. McCleary of Sturbridge, a member of the Massachusetts Lyme Legislative Task Force, at her home on June 18. (T&G Staff/PAUL KAPTEYN)

By Craig S. Semon TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
csemon@telegram.com

Patricia "Trish" A. McCleary of Sturbridge is co-founder of S.L.A.M. Sturbridge Lyme Awareness of Massachusetts and a member of the Massachusetts Lyme Legislative Task Force. She is also a Lyme disease sufferer.

Not only was she bedridden for two-and-a-half years because of the disease, Ms. McCleary said she was misdiagnosed even longer.

"When I was still paralyzed, I was sent away from every hospital in Boston and they all said, 'Oh it's all in your head,' " Ms. McCleary recalled. "I went to see a therapist for this 'psychiatric problem' and she took one look at me and said, 'Oh my God, this is the worse case of Lyme I've seen yet.' And she picked up the phone right then and got me to a doctor in Connecticut who took one look at me and was horrified…I thought, how on Earth could every hospital in Boston that we have been to not know this?"

Live Animal Show

Hands-On Live Animal Show on Saturday June 21, 2014 from 10 am to 11 am at the Otter River State Forest. Sponsored by MOC Family and Community Engagement Program . Contact Sonya at 978-652-5531 if interested.

Environmental Update

From time to time there will be postings of a global information. This information is posted because it may be of interest to some, but not all readers of this blog. The number of toxins present in the human body is increasing rapidly. Those toxins are present in the environment.

Fukushima Update -

This video was produced by Vice News - "VICE News is an international news organization created by and for a connected generation. Bringing you an unvarnished look at some of the most important events of our time, and shining a light on underreported stories around the globe. We get to the heart of the matter with reporters who call it like they see it."

True story- The Worcester Telegram carried an article on Fukushima within the past month. When the comments on that story became controversial, the article was pulled from the online version of the Telegram.

Bee -pocalypse

Worcester opposes state's proposed water regs, saying ratepayers could get soaked

By Nick Kotsopoulos TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
nkotsopoulos@telegram.com

WORCESTER — The city is teaming up with the local business community to oppose a state proposal that would regulate the amount of water municipalities and water districts can draw from reservoirs and wells.

Under the regulations proposed by the state Department of Environmental Protection, the city would not be able to withdraw from its reservoirs more than 24 million gallons per day.

The proposed benchmark set by DEP was what the city's water use was back in 1985.

Currently, the city draws about 22.5 million gallons of water per day from its reservoirs, which have the capacity of safely providing up to 30 million gallons per day, according to Paul J. Moosey, commissioner of public works and parks.

Templeton cemetery vandalized

Greenlawn Cemetery stones were toppled and one was destroyed in Templeton. (T&G Staff/GEORGE BARNES)

By George Barnes TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
gbarnes@telegram.com

TEMPLETON — Vandalism in Greenlawn Cemetery was limited to four stones, but it happened at a bad time.

Alan Mayo, superintendent of parks and cemeteries, said that over the weekend vandals toppled three gravestones, including one marking the grave of a Civil War veteran, and destroyed a fourth stone, smashing it into pieces.

"Somebody was probably out looking for a quick joy," Mr. Mayo said.

The badly damaged stone can be repaired for $750 to $1,000, with another $500 added to the bill to return the other three to their bases.

Templeton Information

Cemetery-

Sad news. Cemetery vandalism at Greenlawn cemetery in Baldwinville. Several headstones were destroyed including a headstone of a Civil War Veteran. The vandalism was reported on Monday June 16th. It appears the damage occurred a few weeks ago.

With the Cemetery department reduced to the superintendent working 20 hours a week, work to repair the damage can't begin until after July 1st.

On a positive note, thank you to all the residents who have been mowing the commons and parks. Thank you for stepping up to help out the town. Your efforts will go a long way toward recovering our common and park areas after July 1st.

School Facilities-
At a recent meeting of the NRSD School Facilities Sub Committee meeting each of the schools' administrators submitted a list of repairs for their respective buildings. According to a recent news article the high school needs at least $100,000/year in repairs while collectively the elementary schools need $555,600 in repairs. $24,000 has been budgeted for the maintenance of the elementary school buildings.

Adv. Board Chair Wil Spring is mentioned in the article. He suggested looking at fundraising or MSBA for funding some of the needed repairs. The article further states " According to Ms. Miller, the district had previously gone through the MSBA for roof and boiler work and while working with the group[MSBA?] would net them a 60 percent reimbursement, following their standards would result in more costly repairs overall."

*********************************************************************************

One approach to repairing the roof at Templeton Center School would be to submit a request to CPC for funding. The Templeton Center School is historically significant and would be a good use of CPC money.

One item of interest in the article was the approach of replacing the windows in 1 or 2 classrooms at a time. This approach was used in the past to replace the windows in the elementary schools.

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New Business in Town-
Martin's Barber Shop is open for business in Baldwinville. Located next to the Memorial Congregational Church this business is a welcome addition to town.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

LOCAL ZONING THREATENED BY WIRELESS TELECOM INDUSTRY BILLS

June 16, 2014

LOCAL ZONING THREATENED BY WIRELESS TELECOM INDUSTRY BILLS

BILLS WOULD STRIP CITIES AND TOWNS OF CONTROL OVER WIRELESS FACILITIES

HOUSE ADOPTS LAST-MINUTE INDUSTRY AMENDMENT IN ECON. DEV. BILL

SENATE BILL 2183 MOVES OUT OF COMMITTEE

PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY TO STOP THIS TAKE-OVER

The telecommunications industry is moving quickly to fast-track legislation to pre-empt virtually all municipal zoning or control over the siting of wireless antennas and equipment in Massachusetts.

These powerful companies are determined to pass a state law that would allow them to place wireless antennas and equipment on any building or structure in any location in any community, and override all zoning and any local provision or condition to protect neighborhoods and the public from unsightly and intrusive antennas.

The legislation has surfaced late in the session, and is advancing quickly through both the House and Senate. Local officials must contact their Senators and Representatives today to stop this effort to trample municipal control.

East Templeton Update

There is a lot of work going on to prepare East Templeton Elementary School for Town Offices. The big move is planned for June 25th.

Offices at 690 Patriots Road will be closed next week with the exception of the Tax Collector who will be open on Monday June 23rd.

The BOS meeting for June 23rd will be held at 690 Patriots Rd.

Water service is turned on East Templeton. We are looking fr a plumber to address some of the plumbing needs at East Templeton. If you know of anyone who can help with plumbing, please contact the BOS Office 978-939-8801.

Monday, June 16, 2014

NJ educators file lawsuit to block Gov. Christie’s proposed pension raid

by Brian Washington

New Jersey educators are joining with other public workers who serve their communities to block Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed raid on their pensions.

New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), which represents 200,000 educators from across the state, in conjunction with other public employee unions, has filed a suit against Christie and state Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff. In May, Christie issued a statement announcing he would not abide by pension funding requirements outlined in a law that he championed and signed.

Meetings 6/16/14- 6/18/14

Meetings 6/16/14- 6/18/14

Monday 6/16/14

Elementary School Kiva 6 pm

Wednesday 6/18/14

Assessors School St. 2 pm

Adv. Board 690 Patriots Rd. 6:30 pm

NRSD Kiva 6:30 pm

Ice Cream Party!

The Narragansett Regional Middle School Pottery group is sponsoring an ice cream party on Monday June 16th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. There will be ice cream, raffles and pottery for sale. Al of the proceeds go to the Templeton Food Pantry (New hours until July 1, 2014 due to budget cuts)

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Happy Father's Day

East Templeton Volunteers

Work will begin at 9:00 am Saturday June 14th

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Senate Blocks Elizabeth Warren's Student Loan Refinancing Proposal

Shahien Nasiripour

shahien@huffingtonpost.com

Posted: 06/11/2014 12:40 pm EDT Updated: 06/11/2014 3:59 pm EDT

The Senate on Wednesday declined to approve a measure that would have enabled millions of Americans with expensive student loans to refinance into cheaper debt.

The 56-38 vote on the refinancing proposal, sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), failed to garner the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster. Warren’s proposal, which mostly targeted student loans owned or guaranteed by the Department of Education, sought to fund the reduction in borrowers’ student loan payments by increasing taxes on wealthy households.

“With this vote we show the American people who we work for in the United States Senate: Billionaires or students,” Warren said minutes before the vote.

Other than Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who voted against the measure on procedural grounds in order to preserve Democrats’ ability to reconsider it at a later date, only Republicans voted against it. They said the measure wouldn’t help reduce the skyrocketing cost of college and argued that it was not the best way to help former students manage their debt.

Saturday June 14 @ 9:30 AM

Otter River Paddle access clean up + optional paddle.
Gardner/Templeton

MRWC and the Gardner Conservation Commission are co-sponsoring clean up along land in the Otter River Conservation Area near the Gardner Airport entrance. Bring gloves if you have them. Snacks will be provided and there will be an optional paddle at 12:30-- --bring your boat and lunch if you plan to paddle. Please contact MRWC so we can get a head count. Airport Road in Gardner is located off Route 2A near Kendall Pond and the Templeton town line.

MRWC
council@millersriver.net
978-248-9491

Serving the Millers River Watershed and its inhabitants.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

BOS Meeting June 9th… The movie

BOS Meeting June 9^th…

The movie

Part 1 of the June 9, 2014 BOS Meeting

Part 2 of the June 9, 2014 BOS Meeting

Part 3 of the June 9, 2014 BOS Meeting

Part 4 of the June 9, 2014 BOS Meeting

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

BOS Meeting June 9, 2014

BOS Meeting

June 9, 2014

The meeting began with the Town Administrator’s Report. The Purchase & Sale agreement for 252 Baldwinville Rd. is being prepared. Bi-Weekly paychecks may begin on July 1^st. Three internal candidates were interviewed for Police Chief.

The minutes were approved and appointments were made. Holly Young, Sr. Legal Administrative Assistant, presented a report on the tax title property auction, which brought in $8500 for the town.

The BOS appointed the Town Administrator to represent Templeton on the MART Adv. Board and MRPC.

Meetings 6/9/14/- 6/13/14

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Meetings 6/9/14/- 6/13/14

Monday 6/9/14

BOS 690 Patriots Rd. 6:30 pm

Light 690 Patriots Rd. 6:30 pm

BOS Exec 690 Patriots Rd. 7:00 pm

Tuesday 6/10/14

Water Bridge St 6:30 pm

Light Bridge St. 6:30 pm

Wednesday 6/11/14

Housing Authority Bridge St 4:00 pm

Senior Center Senior Drive 6:30 pm

Thursday 6/12/14

Cemetery & Parks 690 Patriots Rd 6:30 pm

Information for Light Commissioners for BOS Meeting June 9th

Enlightening...from Bev

Last year I looked at what some of the other electric companies did for their communities. The facts at that time were for 2011, and they were on Shrewsbury's Electric & Cable Operations Web Site. I thought this was worth putting on the blog just so you know what other Light Companies will do.

$198,116 Direct cash payment in LIEU of taxes. SELCO is tax exempt. Light Commission votes annually to make a payment to the town.

$138,490 Estimated interest income from operating Cash and Depreciation funds. SELCO elects to give interest income from depreciation fund to the town.

Narragansett Regional High School graduation

Bryce Mosher, right, snaps a selfie with friends Jacob Rader and Peter Edwards, while waiting for Narragansett Regional High School's graduation to begin. (MICHELLE SHEPPARD)

BALDWINVILLE — Narragansett Regional High School held graduation ceremonies Friday.

These are the graduates:

Ashlynn Renae Allain, NHS, RK, SHS; Matthiew Ross Arsenault; Robert Joseph Astuccio; Benjamin Richard Bancroft; Michelle Mary Beaulieu, MAT, NHS, RK, Tri-M; Kymberly Reed Bodkin; Elijah Lee Bosselait; Stephanie Anne Buda; Thomas Gordon Burchat, NHS, RK; Emily Anna Burdett; Samantha Haley Burgess; Corrine Leigh Burnett, NHS; Kya Sean Burns; Joseph Russell Canney; Anna Marie Capps, MAT, NHS, RK; Renee Elaine Capps, MAT, NHS, RK; Noah Castle, MAT, NHS, RK, Tri-M; Brian Mathew Chadbourne, NHS, RK; Kylie Ann Chartier, MAT, NHS, RK, SHS; Catrina Ann Chojnowski; Chantal Desire Coleman; Elizabeth Ann Coleman, RK; Emily Hannah Como, MAT, NHS, RK; Roger Phillip Couillard, MAT, RK; Rachel Erin Courtemanche; Alayna Maria D'Addeo; Nicole Marie Denis; Julia Marie Donarumo, MAT, NHS, RK, Tri-M; Brianna Lynn Dowse, MAT, NHS, RK, SHS; Kylee Michelle Duteau; Peter Robert Edwards; Erick Matthew Eiben II; Gaelin Isabelle Farrell, NHS, RK; Sierra Grace Fleming; Jesse Daniel Gauvin, NHS, RK, SHS; Alexis Margarita Geyster, RK; Stephanie Jane Girouard; Katherine Iris Goguen, RK; Michael Austin Graham; Gabrielle Mary Hammond, NHS, RK; Danielle Emily Harris, MAT, NHS, RK; Lindsey Marie Hastings; Dalton Raymond Johnson; Kristopher Carl Kodys, NHS, RK; Brianna Rae Kulvete; Abygail Donna Lamore, MAT; Acacia Lee Langlais, MAT, NHS, RK, SHS; Lillian Ruthe Lapoint; Allison Nicole LaPointe; Jonathan William Silvio Lashua, NHS, RK; Seth Timothy Leslie; TyanaKandi Maki; Julie Rose Melanson; Dominic Alfred Moschetti; Bryce Robert Mosher; Raegan Leigh Mulherin; Ethan Thomas Oliver; Emily Paige Parillo; Kurt Emond Peterson; Jacob Dale Rader, MAT, NHS, RK; Kelsey Lynn Rayner; Keith John Reid, RK; Shane Alexander Rickman, RK; Elise Claire Robichaud, MAT, NHS, RK, SHS; Dominic Karl Rubin; David Salinas III; Cam R E Savoy; Delani Louise Savoy, RK; Mackenzi Leanne Savoy, RK; Erin Marie Smith, NHS; Amanda Rae Stanislaw; Jacob Edward Stanley; Austin Michael Stillman; Jessica Rose Suchocki; Tiffany Rebecca Tarr; Thomas Simon Taylor; Maryssa Mae Thompson; Rebecca Nichole Toledo; Evan Robert Welch; Courtney Lynn Wentz; Amanda Elizabeth Whittle; Eric David Wilson; Sarah Lynne Wrigley.
MAT signifies members of Mu Alpha Theta.

NHS signifies members of Shaman Chapter of the National Honor Society.

RK signifies members of Rho Kappa.

SHS signifies members of Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica.

Tri-M signifies members of Tri-M Music Honor Society.

Friday, June 6, 2014

East Templeton

Work Bee at East Templeton beginning at 9 :00 am Saturday

Uxbridge school board delays action on budget

By Susan Spencer TELEGRAM GAZETTE STAFF
susan.spencer@telegram.com

UXBRIDGE — With the town's fiscal 2015 budget $951,000 out of balance after annual town meeting, the School Committee Tuesday opted to wait until final state aid and school employment figures were in before making budget adjustment decisions. These numbers should be more clear after June 30, officials said.

Voters in May had approved an amendment offered by the School Committee to bring next year's level-service budget to $18.5 million, as recommended by the School Department, from the $17.6 million proposed by the town manager.

At Tuesday's meeting, School Business Manager Donald R. Sawyer recommended that the School Department look at budget cuts based on $300,000 in delayed technology and curriculum programs and salary and insurance savings.

Thirteen Communities Sign Up for TAP

I am pleased to announce that 13 communities reflecting the diversity of city and towns in Massachusetts have enlisted in our new pilot, the Taxpayer Assistance Project (TAP). These communities will "tap into" DLS experience and expertise to efficiently and successfully set a timely tax rate in November.

The communities include the cities of Revere, Worcester and Chelsea, as well as towns that range the length of Massachusetts from Egremont, Becket, Heath and Royalston in the west to Pepperell, Tewksbury, East Bridgewater and Hanover to the coastal communities of Newburyport on the north shore and Dartmouth in southeastern Massachusetts.

Four of the communities - Revere, Heath, Pepperell and Hanover - are conducting their triennial property revaluation; the remainder of the communities is in an interim cert year.

Democracy wins in Shrewsbury

Something both ordinary and extraordinary happened in Shrewsbury on Tuesday.

Yes, for the first time since the passage of Proposition 2½ in 1980, voters passed an operational override of the limits imposed by that legislation, choosing to add $5.5 million to the town's budget for school, municipal, and capital purposes.

But adding (or refusing to add) dollars here and there to a municipal budget is, after all, a fairly routine decision.

HOUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILL OMITS LANGUAGE TO RESTORE LOCAL CONTROL OF LIQUOR LICENSES

House Members Will Likely Debate the Bill Next Week

Please Call Your Representatives Today and Ask Them to Include Local Control of Liquor Licenses in The House’s Economic Development Bill

The House of Representatives is expected to debate a comprehensive economic development bill next week. However, House leaders are advancing a bill that excludes important language contained in Governor Patrick’s economic development bill that would lift statutory caps on local liquor licenses for bars and restaurants.

Templeton COA Newsletter

Templeton COA Newsletter

Senior Sentinel Newsletter is full of vital information for all seniors. In this newsletter, COA Director Bethany Loveless outlines the process taken to “Weather the Storm” of budget cutbacks.

Distance lunch /day trips have been discontinued until July 1^st. One local lunch will be offered on Wednesday June 18^th to the Gardner Ale House. Please call 1-978-632-4592 to reserve your space.

SNAP is a Federal program to provide assistance to seniors for groceries. The average benefit for seniors is $122/month. Please contact Cindy Shea (978-632-4592 or coaoutreach@templeton1.org) to apply!

Veterans Luncheon will be held on Monday June 9^th at noon. Please call our Veterans Service Officer John Caplis 978-894-6971 or he can be contacted veteransservices@templeton1.org

Shedding Some Light… Solar Dis-Array

Shedding Some Light…

Solar Dis-Array

The Templeton Light Commission met on June 3, 2014 to discuss the Ten K Solar Proposal on Farnsworth Rd. Before the executive session was convened, there was some discussion about the town meeting vote on May 19^th that voted down the solar PILOT agreement.

The letter to the BOS on May 23^rd was mentioned. (Please see: General Manager Driscoll scapegoats Julie Farrell for his own incompetence. )

According to GM Driscoll “a lot of people were surprised” by the outcome of this vote. The department is in a holding pattern until “they can get around this.”

Mr. Driscoll remains mystified.

When asked about the time line to restructure the PILOT agreement according to DOR guidelines, the citizens in attendance were informed by Mr. Driscoll “that it was too late.”

A request for an agenda item to discuss the solar PILOT payment has been made for the next BOS meeting on June 9^th.

My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !

Julie Farrell

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Invention that could change the world

Solar Pilot Agreement

Solar PILOT agreement

This agreement was signed by the BOS on Sept. 24, 2013, BEFORE the DOR published its guideline on Energy PILOTS in March 2014. Why not request a review of this agreement by the DOR to see if it abides by the new guidelines? A review by the DOR doesn't cost anything - It's FREE!!!

So before rushing off to violate an Open Meeting Law and wasting ratepayer money on legal counsel, just ask for a review by the DOR.

DOR Bulletin

Energy PILOTs

Communities receiving “payment in lieu of taxes” (PILOTs) pursuant to the provisions of G.L. c. 59, §38H(b) must follow the requirements spelled out in IGR 98-403 for tax agreements regarding power plants of generation and wholesale generation companies, which include solar generation facilities that provide electricity to the grid. Note Part I. C. which indicates that:

Agreements should fix values or formulas for determining values (rather than fixing tax payments). These values should be representative of the future full and fair cash values of the plant for the term of the agreement and payments resulting from them will be treated as property taxes for Proposition 21⁄2 and tax classification purposes. The payments are subject to the municipality’s levy limit, and the values will be used to calculate its levy ceiling and minimum residential factor. (emphasis added)

For FY2015 forward, communities will not be allowed to place a negotiated dollar amount as part of PILOT estimated receipts on page 3 of the Tax Rate Recapitulation form. The negotiated payments must be translated into assessed value and applied as indicated in the Guideline.

For more detailed information on the matter, please contact the Bureau of Local Assessment.

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Please review page 11 of the Agreement For Payment In Lieu of Taxes. The schedule of payments are FIXED tax payments for 20 years.