Closer to Feb 6

Hello friends
While we are getting close and down to the wire of February 6. I just want to mention a few things about the article that will be on the ballot for the additional $400,000 for 252 Baldwinville Road. The municipal building committee keeps saying that the additional money is needed because the roofing codes changed. However if you read the actual ballot, the article states for the purpose of designing, free construct being,
project management, originally equipping and furnishing the building. Which basically means in my opinion that they can use this money for anything to do with the property at 252 Baldwinville Rd. They mention originally equipping, the comment has been made that they plan to purchase new office furniture for this building. I have spoke to some of the employees and they all plan on keeping the furniture they have in their office is now. I know on one of the papers that Gerald Skelton handed out, at one of the meetings, I saw the figure of $100,000 for furnishings. I find this amount ridiculous!

There are too many unanswered questions surrounding the purchase and reconstruction of this building. Who has the information regarding the purchase and sale, the settlement statement, etc. etc. at the time of the purchase of this building the board of selectmen consisted of Dennis O'Brien as chairman, Bob Columbus, Chris Stewart, Bob Mitchell and Julie Farrell. We know that Bob Mitchell and Julie Farrell have been against this project from the start. The building committee has consisted of Gerald Skelton as chairman, Bob Columbus, Chris Stewart and Dennis O'Brien and a few others. Why didn't the selectmen back in 2010 vote to have that building inspected by an independent firm, as you would if you were purchasing a house. Why didn't the selectmen back in 2010 have an independent appraisal done on the building before signing a purchase and sale? Did they even sign a purchase and sale? All the information on the purchase etc. of this building is rumored to be in the white binder in the possession of Gerald Skelton, chairman of the municipal building committee. Selectmen Julie Farrell and Bob Mitchell have been kept out of the loop, the taxpayers have been kept out the loop. There are no records concerning this building at 690 Patriots Rd. Why did it take us all long to get a copy of the environmental phase 1. And why didn't the selectmen take a vote on whether or not they should proceed with phase 2 and phase 3, the groundwater and soil testing. This property when it was in business handled chromium, mercury, creosote etc. has anyone taken the time to explain any of this to the taxpayer. From what I've seen at the selectmen's meetings in the past year every time Julie Farrell and Bob Mitchell have tried to get information regarding anything to do with 252 Baldwinville Rd. they are stonewalled. We don't even seem to have the deed to the building on file at 690 Patriots Rd., the Treasurer had to download a copy from the Worcester Registry of the deeds.

The municipal building committee had an informational session last Wednesday at the Kiva. They gave the handout of questions and answers. I guess they thought that we the taxpayers couldn't come up with our own questions. One of my questions is where the actual specs. Where are the actual plans, all the handed out was a drawing of the building floor plan at 1/32 equals 1 foot scale.
One of the questions and answers on the handout sheet addressed the roof. It stated that the roof structure had been inspected by our structural engineer and determined to be in sound condition. Where is that report in writing?
One question and answer stated that the environment report did not find asbestos or any other hazardous material on the building walls goes on to say that black residue on some of the floor sections has been removed and the concrete floor sections had been sealed with paint. Who did this work? What kind of paint was used? Who inspected that all this residue was removed?
The part that they talk about the geothermal heating system, I take exception to the statement that says the town of Templeton has one of the lowest electrical rates in the state partly due to the contribution of the wind turbine. Okay everybody has anybody honestly seen their electric bill and the wind turbine went up? When the wind turbine went up we were all told that that would only help the middle school and high school buildings.

The question-and-answer sheet states that all they asked the building inspector for was as zoning opinion. They go on to say that the building was inspected in assessed by an architect Paul Lieneck. Where is the written report? Just a few selectmen meetings ago, Julie Farrell asked the question, if the building had ever been inspected prior to purchase. Neither Jerry Skelton or any of the other members of the municipal building committee gave a direct answer. If they're now saying it was inspected with a written report? If I were going to purchase a house or building, I would invest the money in having an inspection done and it appraisal done, and I would be handed a written report for both. A report that I could look at and read and reread!
One of the question and answers had the question who gave final and official approval to purchase the building. It states that the purchase and sale agreement was signed by the board of selectmen. Where is the copy? Where is the settlement statement that you get at the closing? The municipal building committee keeps saying I don't know that stuff should be all at the selectmen's office. Well my question for them is who was the town coordinator for the past eight years that would have been in charge of the selectmen's office on a day-to-day basis? Carol Skelton! Who was on the board of selectmen up until last May, Dennis O'Brien, number of the building committee.

So what is this big white binder that everyone says building committee chair man Gerald Skelton has? When he is asked we are all the documents he says they should be in the selectmen's office. Well Jerry where did your wife put them when she was there up until October?

You know what's sad? Is that up until the May recount, so many things were hidden from selectmen Julie Farrell and Bob Mitchell. Then Jeff Bennett came on board, and suddenly there were three selectmen asking questions. They hired a new law firm. And they have hired a new town coordinator. These three selectmen have started to dig and asked questions and get information about things that have been going on in town. Things that they in the rest of us taxpayers couldn't get the information on and still can't. So we where does it get them, Julie Farrell and Bob Mitchell at a recall! Welcome to Templeton folks! When you ask questions, try to resolve problems, look out for the taxpayer, tried to do what is best for the town, try to do what's best for the employees, and try to keep the town from wasting money they try and throw you out of office. And if you happen to be a taxpayer like me, and you try to ask questions and you ask for information, you either are given a response in writing saying it will cost you, the taxpayer, hundreds of dollars or they get the chief of police to hand you in order barring you from all town buildings! Remember October 2010?

So I will in this blog, the ballot vote is less than a week away. I ask all you voters, let's be heard, let's get the answer to all these questions, let's let Julie and Bob do the work. Let's hold off on 252 Baldwinville Rd. until we can get all of our questions answered and get all the reports in front of us to read and to ask more questions.

And for those of you who have not heard, a beloved Treas. Tammy Coller is leaving to go to the accountants position in Ashburnham. We wish her luck, she has done so much in this town, straightening out the Treas.'s office, collecting back taxes from some of our biggest overdue taxpayers. She did this with her head held high despite being bullied by selectmen Bob Columbus and past selectmen, municipal building committee chairman Gerald Skelton. Bullied and harassed by both of them over all these years. What is wrong with this town? Why didn't the former town coordinator put a stop to that? Oh yeah I forgot the past town coordinator is married to one of the harassers Gerald Skelton! Now what people I hope realize is what an amazing person Tammy Coller is. Despite being bullied and harassed by elected officials, she would not and will not ever sue the town. Why? Her answer is always the same when I asked her, I can't do that to the people of Templeton. What an amazing person, and what a loss for the people of Templeton. My only hope, is that Tammy moves to Templeton in runs against Selectmen Bob Columbus in the May election. You have my vote Tammy!

Well that's it for today folks and as always is my opinion. Pauly