Snow and Ice
Snow & Ice is one account that the town can deficit spend. We budget a fairly low amount - $125,000 for this account. When town meeting adopts the budget in May, there is no way to know what kind of winter we will have. When we have a winter like this one, the cost of snow removal can escalate quickly. No one can predict when the snow will fall ( week days or weekends) or how many pieces of equipment will fail and need to be replaced.
When the Advisory Board and the BOS vote to deficit spend the Snow and Ice account, our money from the state - the "Cherry Sheet" is reduced for the next fiscal year. In effect we a robbing Peter to pay Paul. Templeton doesn't have a lot of options. Many communities in Massachusetts have overspent their Snow and Ice accounts. The BOS voted to deficit spend the Snow & Ice account without a limit. This was voted to eliminate the need for a vote by the BOS after every snow storm. It was not a blanket vote for the highway department to spend frivolously.
Mr. Bennett has pushed for a complete change in the way we approach snow removal. There are merits to his approach. At this point in time, Templeton can't look at other approaches to snow removal due to our fiscal constraints. Our Town Administrator, Bob Markel, would like to take some of the money we currently budget for vehicle repair and do a bond program to replace some of our aging highway equipment. This will depend on the restoration of Templeton's bond rating.
Our emergency management director has asked for documentation from all departments during the declared state of emergency. At this point, we haven't heard about any potential reimbursement from the costs incurred during that state of emergency.
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BOARD OKs ANOTHER $45K FOR SNOW/ICE SPENDING
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
Templeton - With ice in the forecast for this weekend, the Advisory Board has authorized another round of snow and ice deficit spending for the Highway Department money that officials hope will last until the end of the season.
“Basically, we have snow and ice at zero, or about zero,” Advisory Board Chairman Michael Greene said Wednesday night.
The Highway Department ran into trouble last week when the snowblower attachment for one of its plows broke down and needed to be replaced taking up about $14,000 of the $20,000 left from the original deficit spending request. Following a hefty snowstorm that hit the area Saturday night into Sunday morning, the department was once again back in the hole.
“This was an emergency that they had to buy this equipment or else the sidewalks wouldn’t get done,” said member Wil Spring.
“Basically, we have snow and ice at zero, or about zero,” Advisory Board Chairman Michael Greene said Wednesday night.
The Highway Department ran into trouble last week when the snowblower attachment for one of its plows broke down and needed to be replaced taking up about $14,000 of the $20,000 left from the original deficit spending request. Following a hefty snowstorm that hit the area Saturday night into Sunday morning, the department was once again back in the hole.
“This was an emergency that they had to buy this equipment or else the sidewalks wouldn’t get done,” said member Wil Spring.
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| News staff photo by ERYN DION The Templeton Highway Department, which is already spending at a deficit for snow and ice removal this winter, incurred an unexpected expense when a snowblower attachment on one of its plows broke down last week. |
With still another month until winter breaks, and with the department already spending beyond its original $45,000 allocation, Advisory Board members agreed they needed to act quickly to approve the spending request. But there was disagreement over the actual amount to be granted. Mr. Greene explained that in previous years deficit spending had been presented as a blank check a practice he said made him uncomfortable.
“We just have to keep a handle on it,” he said.
Mr. Spring agreed, saying the board was not debating the merits of the department’s decisions especially compared to other communities that have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on snow and ice this season.
“I think he has done quite well with that amount,” Mr. Spring said, referring to Highway Superintendent Bud Chase.
Mr. Spring suggested that the board approve another $50,000. He rationalized that the $5,000 increase over the last request would ensure the department has more than enough to weather the rest of the season.
“I don’t want to see them back again,” he said.
Member Kate Fulton argued for a lower amount, noting that the regular meeting schedule makes it easy for the board to review additional requests as needed.
“If we need to vote further money, we’re in the position to do that,” she said.
Ultimately, the board unanimously signed off on another $45,000 in deficit spending, which will go to the Board of Selectmen for its consideration on Monday night.
“We just have to keep a handle on it,” he said.
Mr. Spring agreed, saying the board was not debating the merits of the department’s decisions especially compared to other communities that have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on snow and ice this season.
“I think he has done quite well with that amount,” Mr. Spring said, referring to Highway Superintendent Bud Chase.
Mr. Spring suggested that the board approve another $50,000. He rationalized that the $5,000 increase over the last request would ensure the department has more than enough to weather the rest of the season.
“I don’t want to see them back again,” he said.
Member Kate Fulton argued for a lower amount, noting that the regular meeting schedule makes it easy for the board to review additional requests as needed.
“If we need to vote further money, we’re in the position to do that,” she said.
Ultimately, the board unanimously signed off on another $45,000 in deficit spending, which will go to the Board of Selectmen for its consideration on Monday night.
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| News staff photo by ERYN DION The Templeton Highway Department, which is already spending at a deficit for snow and ice removal this winter, incurred an unexpected expense when a snowblower attachment on one of its plows broke down last week. |
The red truck above photo is the first repair i did for the towns fleet. The rear end gears were shot and was sidelined. Then we had a larger fleet and the fact it could be left to rot useless was a option. To replace the differential gears "ring and pinion" are a expensive job in any shop. Your highway crew took gears from a old truck in the disabled row of equipment and we put them in this truck 4 years ago. With the knowledge we have combined and the "get r done" mentality we still use this truck to clear the roads you use. We also use it to cold patch pot holes. Every storm we wonder what will go out back and add to the row of unuseable fleet. We weigh the cost and benifit on every repair to do the best we can and keep what we can going. When we see the TMLWP managers not allowing surplus equipment to go to us like in all the past years they add to the cost of our towns fleet in all other departments. The old screw driller truck only got them 4,000.000 to trade it in and could have made us a fine sander of other utility type truck. Due to the lack of cooperation by the TMLWP managers and commissioners we now have to look at a loan to keep up this antique fleet. The truck i operate is 30 years old this year and many miles. I have no problem operating it and trust my life and others on the road when i operate it. We check over all equipment best we can and do the jobs needed to be done on them to keep everyone safe including the public. The fact that TMLWP has decided to not allow surplus equipment reuse with highway to be traded in when the town as a hole ownes it is a poor judgment call and knowing the condition of our highway fleet it's also a bad business decision. The TMLWP has in the past given the surplus equipment to town departments and the school district for reuse. For them to stop is a burden on our town we can wind up borrowing to replace. Is this the way your light and water commisssioners should allow your town owned light department to be run?
ReplyDeleteWhen do you see our other investment the "WIND TURBINE" run and not cost us to sit and looks ugle. The day to day cost for it to sit broken and do nothing would stun you if they told the truth about it.
How much is the rate for the power we need to purchase when needed to replace for the turbine and solar farm?
Keep an eye on your power bills and water bills and you will see we were correct at town meeting when we said your rates will be raised.
Again and again they have raised them and will continue to in the near future.
Keep and eye on your bill and write to them and complain and question the reason for it.
As I have said before, this is not your father's Light Company ! That Light Company was as much a part of the Town as any other department. Selling their used equipment for small dollars, is just JD's way to be mean spirited, but he did not make this decision alone, so what do you have to say, Chris. Stewart ?? Up for re-election to a paying position a reward for doing your duty, from the "good old boys" ?? Just why should you be reelected? Bev.
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