Templeton Sewer Commission's chairman Moschetti airs frustration over memo

Templeton Sewer Commission's chairman Moschetti airs frustration over memo

By Chance Viles 
Reporter

Posted Feb 28, 2019 at 8:30 AMUpdated Feb 28, 2019 at 8:39 AM 

TEMPLETON — Sewer Commission Chair Mark Moschetti voiced frustration and concern during the Board of Selectmen meeting on Feb. 27 over a recently released memorandum exploring the idea of the town treasurer and collectors handling the Sewer Department’s billing and collection.

Currently the bills are collected in the Sewer Department itself, but selectmen would like to see that money collected by the town’s treasurer in Town Hall. Officials have looked at this plan since about 2009 when the Department of Revenue and different auditors recommended the change.

The idea is that it would save employees’ time and it would save the Sewer Department money, while being more efficient since the rest of the town’s billing is done through Town Hall. While the Sewer Department has voiced support for that plan, Moschetti read a letter voicing his issues with the memorandum, finding issue chiefly with the idea that the town would handle the billing.

“I agreed with handling the collection on record in 2009 ... but the billing I do not agree with,” Moschetti said. “It feels like a power grab.”

Moschetti also said that he was offended by selectmen Chairman John Caplis’ comments about the Sewer Department not being able to reconcile all of its receipts with town officials, feeling that Caplis implied that the Sewer Department is “hiding something.”

When asked to explain some of his comments, Moschetti would not discuss the comments in the letter any further, pointing to the upcoming Sewer Commission meeting on March 4 as a time for discussions to happen, reiterating that the letter was Moschetti’s opinion and not necessarily that of the Sewer Department as a whole. Members of the Board of Selectmen agreed to attend that meeting.

“If people take comments I make out of context, I cannot help that,” Caplis said. “I grew up in a world where perception is reality. I am not saying they are hiding anything, but the facts are in the memorandum.”

The memorandum can be found on the town website, http://www.templeton1.org/.