Templeton town accountant gives resignation
Two days in the office of the selectmen and apparently that was all town accountant could take, Scott Sawyer gave a letter of resignation, effective June 30, 2012. I have not yet spoken with Scott and I will not put words in his mouth, but it seems strange that after two days of Carol skelton, he would do this. So it seems what the recall has accomplished so far is the loss of two competent selectmen, the loss of one of Templeton's best Treasurers, a very dedicate secretary/assistant treasurer, Sue Adams and now a town accountant.
What did Templeton get in return, wilder, patrick "scrapit" mullins and probably one of the worst selectmen ever, boob columbus who does not seem to understand how to have someone removed from a meeting. Last night at the meeting of the advisory board, issac matson failed to recuse himself for a conflict of interest. He along with columbus, wilder and his mommy were directly responsible for the recall that got Templeton to this point. No way should isaac be voting on any transfer of funds to supplement the pay of carol skelton. Once again I will call on taxpayers to get together and got to town meeting and speak with YOUR checkbook. If the budget is not properly cut of nonessential service, expense and positions, then it is up to you to deal with it by the use of line item by line item changes, as in do not fund these expenses and positions and I will volunteer to help the taxpayers because that is whose side I am on, the taxpayers!!!! State receivership, here we come and taxpayers of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, don't blame the residents of Templeton, blame the state agencies such as Secretary of the Commonwealth, the attorney General, state Elections division, state Ethics Commission and our so-called state representatives who have failed to help us when we ask for help. Thank you for your support. RespectfullyJjeffrey Bennett
Two days in the office of the selectmen and apparently that was all town accountant could take, Scott Sawyer gave a letter of resignation, effective June 30, 2012. I have not yet spoken with Scott and I will not put words in his mouth, but it seems strange that after two days of Carol skelton, he would do this. So it seems what the recall has accomplished so far is the loss of two competent selectmen, the loss of one of Templeton's best Treasurers, a very dedicate secretary/assistant treasurer, Sue Adams and now a town accountant.
What did Templeton get in return, wilder, patrick "scrapit" mullins and probably one of the worst selectmen ever, boob columbus who does not seem to understand how to have someone removed from a meeting. Last night at the meeting of the advisory board, issac matson failed to recuse himself for a conflict of interest. He along with columbus, wilder and his mommy were directly responsible for the recall that got Templeton to this point. No way should isaac be voting on any transfer of funds to supplement the pay of carol skelton. Once again I will call on taxpayers to get together and got to town meeting and speak with YOUR checkbook. If the budget is not properly cut of nonessential service, expense and positions, then it is up to you to deal with it by the use of line item by line item changes, as in do not fund these expenses and positions and I will volunteer to help the taxpayers because that is whose side I am on, the taxpayers!!!! State receivership, here we come and taxpayers of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, don't blame the residents of Templeton, blame the state agencies such as Secretary of the Commonwealth, the attorney General, state Elections division, state Ethics Commission and our so-called state representatives who have failed to help us when we ask for help. Thank you for your support. RespectfullyJjeffrey Bennett
I was at that meeting last night - what a joke, even when Mr Keeney a man who spent 20 years on the advisory board, tried to tell Matson that there were rules and MGL's about what money could be transfered for (and salaries was not one) - Matson as cocky as he is didn't even listen to Mr Keeney. Also a public speaking tip for boy Matson, it not such a good idea to be making faces and rolling your eyes when you chair a meeting - grow up! All I can say is Write in David P Bergeron for Moderator - if Boy Matson gets it town meeting will last all summer! Now on this salary issue - Boob C could not answer questions on how much the coordinator was being paid per hour or what pay step she was. only that she she would be making $251.28/day I don't recall the selectmen discussing this or taking a vote. How many hours a day, hour many hours a week? This is ridiculous. Again our taxpayer money being wasted - if the selectmens office did not spend $3000.00 on 3 desks and $1700.00 on a printer with what was left in the selectmens office expense account this could have been transfered to the salary acct to pay CS salary - of course if they had just Kept JEFF RITTER we would not be in this mess!!! Did anyone else hear Boob C say if Jeff R had not resigned he would have been dismissed.. I want to know why, Bob and if I have to hear him or Queenie Virginia one more time say how knowledgeable, educated blah blah blah CS is I will be sick!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting or more so curious that the "treasurer", the "asst. treasurer", and the "accountant" have resigned from this town. All of the people who have had to deal with, or should I say manipulated by, CS and BC concerning the budget and how the taxpayers' money is spent have had it and moved on. We are really in trouble, and for sure, state agencies and auditors with oversight should do an investigation to find out what has gone on in the past. As for Receivorship, my questions are: Does the town have to declare bankruptcy before the state takes over? What is the towns assets vs debt ratio right now, before we add more debt.
ReplyDeleteSCORE ONE FOR US, THE TEMPLETON TAXPAYER! If we had not been there last night Bubba would have walked out the door with more money. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Good job Dan. and Will. This board needs all the help it can get. Credit to the lady on the board who seems to have some commonsence. She was sitting to the left of Matson. No wonder the selectman could do anything they wanted. The advisory bd has no clue as to what they are doing, or the role they are supposed to play. I am waiting for the legal bill for the month March. This will ring the church bells! Maybe they schould take up a collection. All we can do is control the money at town meeting, so lets do it.
Delete$251.28 per day works out to $41.88 per hour (she worked 6 hours on Tuesday, assuming she took 1/2 hour lunch).
ReplyDeleteWhat is the scale for this position? This would be an annual salary of $87k were she to work 40 hours per week. This high salary could have long-term implications for Templeton, if it results in a higher pension should Ms. Skelton ever retire.
At the meeting Regina asked Bob C what CS's hourly rate was and what pay step. Bob C ahhd and errd and never gave a straight answer. Regina asked what CS's hours would be an what days again no straight answer - just a lot of double talk - so they need 9000.00 plus the 2000.00 plus left in that acct 11 wks left - I guess no matter what hours or day she works she will get $1000.00/wk that is what Bob C wants.
DeletePauly Monday night i will sit in front of Mr.Columbus use the microphone hand it to him and repeat I would like an answer until he throws me out. Why did you Mr. Chair not consult your board before you asked the Advisory board for Skeletons pay. Why has this become your personal agenda? Speak up Mr. Chair the people cannot hear you. No Mr. Chair I am waiting for my answer!
DeleteWell the latest "green sheet", draft copy, has more math errors on it than the time sheet of the town planner! Thist demonstrates why we need and needed to keep someone like Jeff Ritter around. Guess how many times the annual town meeting warrant articles have been sent to the town attorneys? They were sent last week, April 12, 2012 and I have a copy of the email!! before CS was back and now I understand another, "changed" copy was sent to the attorneys. When did the selectmen authorize this? When did a secretary to the board of selectmen, part-time to boot get the authority to do this, guess taxpayers know the drill by now, you will pay twice for the same question. I guess this is the professional, educated and experience columbus speaks of when talking about CS. I wonder how much taxpyer dollars will be paid to the town accountant to sesign, just following the logic of columbus. hope there is enough money in the salary account to cover it.
ReplyDeleteGuess "Ole Lenny" is not a math major, but he still knows how to bleed this town dry. Leonard Kopelman may not have the accounting background necessary to correct our green sheets.
ReplyDeleteShould probably make a public records request for the phone bill from mid-April to the end of the fiscal year. CS needed to return to town hall; I heard the cost of her private line to Lenny was too expensive. Better to call Lenny from town offices at taxpayer expense....while sitting at $1,000 desk...barricaded from the lowly, "stupid" taxpayer.
Now why would dear Ms.S want to come back to work so bad? Its her retirement of course...Just wants to see how bad they can screw the town, then leave. Sorry Pauly, my emotions got the best of me..But I am right.{so i'm not going to erase it.} WILL THIS NIGHTMARE NEVER END?
DeleteWhy is it that the criminals are running the asylum? I rember being at town meeting when the sewer guys said them red barn folks belonged in prison, now she's back runnin this town. Just how far up our butts can we stick our collective heads?
ReplyDeleteWith regard to people leaving their jobs in the town of Templeton, I'm sure there will be more. I personally know of people who are looking elsewhere. If the job market was better they would have been gone long ago. Some employees are at their job at the appointed time everyday and do not leave until they are supposed to. They do their jobs, don't complain and are paid very low salaries. Then you pay someone like CS an outrageous amount for what she does. I have heard that she was in the habit of going in and leaving whenever she felt like it. At least now she may show up on time since she knows there will be people watching her. It's too bad that we have to lose good employees because three members of the BOS seem to think it is important for CS to hold the position of town coordinator. They have turned this town upside down, but I have a feeling it is coming to a head and "what goes around comes around". I'll definitely be voting for Julie Farrell on 5/7.
ReplyDeleteI am always at work when I should be, I usually put in extra hours, but low pay doesn't change. Unfortunately, Templeton is one of the lost paying towns in area, may be even in the state, I not sure. You are right, there are folks looking, and I am one of them and I would have been gone long ago if the market was better...sorry to say. I enjoy what I do, but rest of it is just very stressful, all this CS, GS, BC, VW, & PM crap is so dumb, it makes this stupid employee feel smart. Unfortunately, it is what it is and this too shall pass.
DeleteKARMA oh ya Karma!
ReplyDelete