The facts about Templeton Developmental Center

The facts about Templeton Developmental Center
To The Editor: 8/30/2014

To The Editor:

After reading The Gardner News article title, “Closing of center comes with many questions, few answers for officials” that appeared in Wednesday, Aug. 27 edition of the paper, I feel compelled to offer some facts or insight into some of the concerns noted by our community leaders, public safety officials and concerned townspeople.

Firstly, it is very important to distinguish the difference between state operated group homes and private vendors.

State operated homes are by far superior in regards to staffing, training, safety, recruitment, retention of caregivers and in many other ways — as I’ve seen first hand.

I know of two state operated homes in Templeton and would surmise that of the 89 calls for public safety assistance, at least 85 would have come from private vendors located in town.

Why such a disparity?

As I noted, the running of these homes are vastly different with low paid staff, inferior staff training or back ground checks of potential employees, moreover, these staff tend to stay less in these employment settings and ultimately the client care is not as good.


When a client has a crisis on the Templeton Developmental Center grounds, we are well trained in de-escalating behaviors and almost never require a call to the local police. If we looked back in the past year, I would guess perhaps one or two times maybe at the center — which has had a skeleton Campus Police Department for the last two years — we are well accustomed to resolving matters on grounds with Templeton Developmental Center staff.

Secondly, as the Union President of the center, I am aware that two Templeton Developmental Center employees were approved and earmarked for road maintenance while continuing to work in their current titles. I was made aware recently that the state Department of Capital Asset Management nixed those plans and are instead seeking to have the town of Templeton employees and resources take over that responsibility. As a longtime resident, I am absolutely against this plan, as I feel my tax burden as it already exists is excessive and I could not support another override at this time for that expense or any other.

The Commonwealth needs to step up with a plan in this matter — not dump it onto an already stretched, well documented town budget that needs all the town workers, public safety and fire services we have today.

Lastly, I want to commend those Select Board members who have spoken out against the lack of transparent communication from the Commonwealth, as well as our Legislators who represent us, and their lack of involvement throughout this process. With the state primary and election quickly approaching, I would suspect that may change very soon.

I would ask that these issues noted in The Gardner News article not reflect negatively on our disabled town residents at the center or living in town.

For those of you who know me, trust me when I say they don’t deserve that.

Andrew Stacy
Local 554 Union President
Templeton Developmental Center