July 28, 2014 BOS Meeting

July 28, 2014 BOS Meeting

Part 1 of the July 28, 2014 BOS Meeting

Part 2 of the July 28, 2014 BOS Meeting

Part 3 of the July 28, 2014 BOS Meeting

After the Town Administrator’s report which was given verbally due to the power outage, Glen  Eaton Executive Director of MRPC presented a draft Hazard Mitigation Plan to the BOS for review and consideration.

A liquor license was transferred and a two-day liquor license was granted to Martin Winery for the Templeton Arts & Crafts Fair ( August 16^th & 17^th)

Alan Mayo had some good news! The funding for the playground at Templeton Center was passed. A 3-day community build will be scheduled to build that playground later this year. It will be similar to the community build for the playground at Gilman –Waite.

The grant to refurbish the Jackson Civil war monument has been funded as well.

After much discussion, the BOS will vote on an override at its meeting August 4^th. This is not a popular decision. There is no other way to fund positions that have been cut.

Both the Assessors Office and the BOS Office will be closed  from August 4^th- August 11^th. 

In September, there will be no police night shift in Templeton.

It will take taxpayer money to fund positions so town government will remain open and functioning.

Selectman Morrison brought forth the local meal tax option for the BOS consideration. No action was taken. The information included a spreadsheet from the DOR which estimates if Templeton adopted a local meals tax option the revenue generated would be approximately $33,000/year. Templeton would be the only municipality in the area if this MGL were adopted. There is a significant downside to adopting the local meal tax option, placing Templeton restaurants and caterers at a great disadvantage.

After the resolution against the Kinder Morgan gas pipeline was read, the BOS voted to adopt this resolution and pass it along to the governor and our state representatives. The resolution reads:

Town of Templeton

Massachusetts

Resolution Opposing the Northeast Expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline in Massachusetts

WHEREAS, the so-called Northeast Expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline is a high-pressure natural gas pipeline (hereafter “the Pipeline”) proposed by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, Inc. that would run through many communities in Western and Central Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Templeton has a regional interest in protecting the environment in the North Quabbin and in the United States, and the public health generally; and

 WHEREAS, the Pipeline would transport natural gas obtained through hydraulic fracturing, a drilling method well known for its potential for ground water contamination, impact on air quality, and the harmful health effects of its chemical byproducts, among others; and

WHEREAS, pipelines of this kind carry inherent risks such as leaks and ruptures, and, as conveyors of flammable gas, can cause accidents such as the 2010 explosion in a residential neighborhood in San Bruno, California that resulted in the death of eight people and the destruction of 38 homes; and

WHEREAS, the Pipeline may pass through environmentally sensitive areas in our region such as forests and wetlands, as well as through The Birch Hill Dam Area; and

WHEREAS, taxpayer money would pay for evacuations and emergency response in the event of explosions, fires or other accidents; and

WHEREAS, an energy tariff will be placed on all homeowners and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to pay for the pipeline; and

WHEREAS, our energy challenges are better addressed through investments in green and renewable energy solutions. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Templeton Board of Selectmen

1. Stands in opposition to the Northeast Expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline and all similar projects that may be later proposed.

2. Stands in solidarity with nearby communities working to disallow the Pipeline within their borders.

 3. Affirms the need for public policy at the local, state and federal levels to encourage renewable energy and combat climate change, and supports legislation to ban or impose a long-term moratorium on hydraulic fracturing as well as storage, treatment or disposal of hydraulic fracturing fluid or byproducts within the Commonwealth.

4. Shall cause a copy of this resolution to be presented to the Town of Templeton’s legislative representatives and the Governor, asking them to take action to prevent the construction of the Pipeline within the borders of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Activity (2)

Before discussion of the waiver for the town’s minimum contribution, Chairman Robinson read a letter from the NRSD Superintendent of Schools, Ruth Miller. Even though the school committee voted to allow the supt. to reduce Templeton and Phillipston’s contribution because of the 90 % transportation funding from the State, the Supt. chose not to give Templeton or Phillipston any money back to reduce our local assessments.

After discussion the BOS voted 4-1 to investigate the option of a waiver for Templeton’s minimum contribution.

The BOS also voted to pursue CPC funding for replacing the roof at Templeton Center School. This will be a long process, but we may be able to fix that roof which has needed to be repaired for many years. Using CPC funding to fix the roof will not impact the tax rate.

My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !

Julie Farrell