$$ Budget Time $$ version 2.0
These “Green Sheets” contain
the line by line accounts for Town Charges. The following document
is the second version of the Town Charges
for FY 13.
Print out this draft. Review
it. Think of line items YOU would cut to
make the bottom line. Maybe you would cut a program. If enough “non-essential”
programming is cut maybe the across the board reduction would be 5% instead of
20%.
This budget is YOUR money! Please help our current BOS make
decisions about YOUR hard-earned tax
dollars! Be prepared for town meeting. Ask questions.
Town charges are one
component of the budget. These sheets
have more information from the Town Accountant regarding the revenue and
obligations in Templeton.
Do you support an override
to pay for a settlement of Jeffrey Ritter’s contract? Do you support an
override to pay for runaway legal costs from K&P? Do you feel the current
BOS has a credibility issue? Do you support the current BOS’ personal agenda?
Do you feel the current BOS is misusing YOUR tax
dollars?
The “blue links” are active!
Julie Farrell
24 Myrtle St.
Baldwinville, MA 01436
978-939-2501
978-340-2503
Is this a joke? Okay, it looks like there are some cuts here and there. Some of the salaries are cut, some are not. For instance, I notice the Planner is cut, but, the Affordable Housing Coordinator is not at all. Can the Selectmen give us a good reason why this program, that has done nothing for 3 to 4 years should be kept in the budget? Now is the time to put a halt to this so called service until the town can afford to put it back in. Also, the end result is that budget #2 did not decrease, the total is #350,000. more than Budget #1. HUH? Who in this town feels that the "powers that be" are working for us?
ReplyDeletechecn000, any voter attending town meeting can do that, it is a motion to amend the article, change line item #--- from $14,000.00 to zero. a vote is taken on the amendment and then if it passes vote on the article with the change in place. If it is zero, that position will be unfunded. Of course it should not have to come to that, the selectmen should do it before town meeting, a position we cannot afford/not need and simply not fund it. eliminate ALL elected salaries, stipends etc. eliminate those positions not needed as in "core services" ie planner, con com agent affordable housing coordinator. MRPC recommended a short time ago of having a committee rather than a paid position. cut all expenses as much as can be done, keeping in mind we do need money for certain things and then if still needed, everyone takes a 10% salary cut for this year. 10% or a lay off. we could always close the doors on everything except police one day a week as in no Friday operations then we work real hard for the next 6 months towards getting this mess straightened out which did not get this way overnight or in a year. It has been moving this way because of past management in not dealing with what was needed, small tax increases while making Templeton government smaller and efficient, not larger while spending all your reserves. May 7th is coming and the change can begin again and hopefuly this time the recall foks get the point, get out of the way.
ReplyDeleteAgain I thank you Jeff for reading and responding to my opinions and comments. I know that you are working long and hard to bring these suggestions to the selectmen's meetings and I agree that we, the citizens, should speak up for our own financial security. Pauly said it a while ago, and I feel, also, that we should request a paper vote for some of these issues. Not only because of anonimity, but because of the attendance and the counting of hands, which would be a horror show.
ReplyDeleteHas there been any thought of talking to the applicable personnel involved in closing the doors on Friday. Aren't we dealing with unions as well. Wouldn't most people rather take the day off withhout pay than to receive a cut in pay and work the same hours....Just saying.
With a new treasurer shouln't that salary be reduced or is that another back door deal?
ReplyDelete10% pay cut for everyone!
ReplyDeleteeveryone= all town employees and enterprise employees?
or just the lower paid employees,who can't afford it.
lets get it done fairly if not,shame on us.not picking on the other departments but when its said all town employees what are we saying? Highway,water,school,electric,sewer,police,town offices,fire,ambulance,? just wondering!
reachout, as a matter of fact, Deb Dennis will be starting out at entry level so it will reduce the salary at the treaser position by about $6,000.00, down from about $40,173.00 to $34,195.00 so you get a reduction in salary expense and a svings in the budget.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately, we do not have much control over the unions, teacher unions cannot strike, they have to work even without a contract. We are also stuck with the union inspired required prevailing wage which simply means you do not get the lowest bid, you get the lowest amount the unions want you to have. Unions did alot of good things early on, and it is why we have good labor laws, but as usual, we have ended up with alot of corruption and inflated cost to the taxpayer. Case in point, a few years ago, Templeton put out to bid a job to put a doorway in a closet, I will show you the place anytime. The initial bid came in at a price around $1400.00 if memory serves me, then about two weeks later, Harris construction comes back that he forgot about prevailing wage, so the bid went up to around $1800.00 bucks and that is what you paid for a door in a closet, the door was provided, at least that is what was put out at selectmens meeting. I can get the meeting minutes of these votes and awards too. So prevailing wage cost you an extra $400.00 for a job. I am sure there are well qualified non union people who could and would do work as good cheaper but are prevented from doing so because of union requirements, as in vote on prevailing wage laws and the whole political picture on how that came about. A right to work environment may make it easier on taxpayers to pay for public projects, but don't look for that to change anytime soon. The question is how can Kirk Moschetti put a septic system in my yard for $10,000.00, but if he does it for the town, he has to charge $20,000.00 for the same job? Kirk did not actually put a septic system in my yard nor the town (to the best of my knowledge) but you get the point, public work always cost way more than private work. This will not change until the boys and girls of Beacon hill change the laws. So budgets for expenses and projects will be high to cover the costs of these requirements, it is the system we are stuck with for now.
ReplyDeleteJeff I have a question that maybe you can answer. The town clerk is an elected official. she has been in that position for 12 years, yet I'm told that she is not certified. why does she make over 40,000. a year as an elected official working for us tax payers should she take less money like the other elected officials. also as an elected official does she get health insurance on the town? I know she gets a lot of paid vacation time. is she an employee or an elected official?? Affordable Housing should go. planner should go. Conservation Agent. Why is it always the town non union employees take the hit. Dispatchers, Sewer, light, water, police, highway, teachers all union. How many raises have the non union people (not counting Carol Skelton) gotten over the last 8 years as compared to the union people. Could we close the town offices on Fridays but like someone else said it's the lower paid non union who get hit - sorry folks but these unions are making us go broke. I beleive in the past we have reopened union negotiations to help the town,why not now.
ReplyDeleteTown clerk is elected position and yes she should take a hit like the rest of us and since town clerk office is only open half day on Friday, just close it up on Friday and as an elected official, take salary hit like rest of us, I believe the town clerk is niether a "certified clerk nor a notary public. Insurance question is I don't believe she lost her insurance as all other elected officials did a few years back. If the board spent more time on budget and less time on firing Jeff Ritter, we could probably cut enough with out hitting the hired employees to much if at all. Still some time but is getting close.
ReplyDeleteAfter searcing the MGL I understand no certification is required for persons elected or appointed to the Town Clerk position. There is, however, training offerred. Where? I don't know. Ms. Harris worked in that office prior to being elected. Don't know how long.
Deletetry this link you may have to copy and paste it http://www.newenglandclerks.org/filestorage/121/212/mtcacert.pdf
DeleteThanks observer. This is the Mass Town Clerk Assoc. MTCA that has created a certification process that they believe all Town Clerks should have (not required by law). In order to apply for certification the person must have at least 3 yrs experience as Town Clerk, earn 100 points to be certified, and it must be renewed every four years with 4 courses given by the MTCA. It looks like the Academy is in Norton, MA.
DeleteA letter dated March 26, 2012 came into selectmen office on March 29, 2012 from USDA. States that due to other projects in need of community facilities program support the $1.9 million is needed elsewhere if Templeton is not going forward with project. They must receive decision by April 25, 2012 30 days from this letter. Funny thing is bids won't come in until a couple of days after May 7 election so it seems the selectmen have a question to answer, send this funding back and still deal with the $400,000.00 short term borrowing used to buy this building, without a formal vote by the entire board of selectmen I will add back in 2010, signed by of all people Dennis O'Brien who may have a small problem with ethics and oothers since his home is right across the street and if town hall was done certainly the likely hood of property values increasing in that area and if Dennis sold his house and made money because of his vote, oops no vote just signing email to spend $400,000.00 of your money so his propert value goes up, sweeeeeeeeeeet. Hey Dennis, we can bring you back on work release so you can clean offices to offset property tax. Maybe we can sell it for what was being asked as in around $260,000.00 to $280,000.00 before the town went after it and in my opinion some wealth was spread around if you catch my drift. Lets see if the selectmen act in your favor this time?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree ....that building in this economy was no way a 400.000.00 building. somebody made money at the tax payers expense i just wonder what the real cost of that building was and how many gifts the owner gave out to certain people in town if you know what i mean!!!! just my opinion!!!!
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Mikec should ask Dennis what happened to the gift card that came in the mail at the selectboard office after the closed on 252 baldwinville rd. It was addressed to Jerry Skelton only from the building owner. It was opened by accident then Dennis was called in to handle the situation.
DeleteI heard a gift Card came into the selectmens office addressed to GSkelton (only him) right after the closing on the building. It was opened by mistake so DObrien was called in to handle it. I understand the building committee took care of it at another meeting. Maybe one of them will weigh in on it......
DeleteThanks Jeff One more question on the town Clerk is her salary based on a 40 hour work week? I know she is open late on Monday but does't she have her asst work either Wed or Thurs afternoons so she can take time off. I was once told she only works a 35hr wk
ReplyDeleteAs far as 252 Baldwinville Rd has anyone told the USDA that that property has not had any soil testing or about what building was used for? I was told they will not finance dirty properties.
Maybe someone should contact the USDA about the pile of documents Pauly got from the DEP regarding the violations at 252 Baldwinville Road? It is believed these documents include fines for improperly disposing hazardous waste...some fines were $30,000.
ReplyDelete