252
Baldwinville Rd. - Why I do NOT trust Carol Skelton
On
the webpage of our current town counsel, Kopelman and Paige. P.C. there is a checklist
on how to purchase a municipal building. It is interesting to note that the law
firm of K&P was the attorney of record for the purchase of 252 Baldwinville
Road. On this checklist
It mentions the importance of: entering into a purchase and sale or donation
agreement; Obtain a G.L. c21E site inspection of the property by a licensed
site professional; obtain a “Disclosure of Beneficial Interest Statement” and
file with the DCAM; Prepare a settlement statement showing closing adjustments
and funds to be disbursed
There
is a Purchase
and Sale Agreement for 252 Baldwinville Road. On page 6 of this agreement,
sections 2.18 and 2.19 refer to hazardous material and representations and
warranties. On page 8 of the purchase and Sale agreement, please note the
signatures. There are three signatures; those of Dennis O’Brien, Robert
Columbus and Christopher Stewart. There are five selectmen. I was a member of
the BOS at this time. I believe Carol Skelton kept this document from me,
because she had the three signatures needed on this document.
E-mail
as an Invoice - This document serves
as the official invoice to release $399,925 for the purchase of 252
Baldwinville Road. Again, this document has three signatures, those of Dennis
O’Brien, Christopher Stewart and Robert Columbus. I believe Carol Skelton
acting in her capacity as Town Coordinator deliberately kept this document from
my attention.
This
e-mail thread is an indication of the struggle that I had to obtain any
information about this project. In order for this electronic conversation to
make sense, you read it from back to front- from former treasurer’s e-mail
forward. Please keep in mind that I was a member of the BOS throughout this process.
I
had repeatedly asked for information regarding this project and was stonewalled
at every turn by Carol Skelton. This is one of the main reasons why I do not
trust Carol Skelton. After Carol
Skelton was placed on paid administrative leave on September 26, 2011, a letter
from Lyndon Nichols appeared in BOS office. This letter was in regard to a USDA
loan for the 252 Baldwinville project. It took about 2 months for former
attorney Lisa Mead to obtain the USDA loan application. None of the documents
made available here were available in the BOS office and Ms. Skelton was town
coordinator throughout this time period.
I
believe in open and honest government. I believe it is possible to have open
and honest government. The entire process for the purchase of 252 Baldwinville
Rd described here is WRONG! “Let the
People Speak/Team Columbus” crowd want to characterize this as a feud between
the Farrells and the Skeltons. The whole process for the purchase and USDA loan
for 252 Baldwinville Road is WRONG! These actions are WRONG!
Please
click on the “blue words” they will open up the
documents.
There
will be another installment regarding the USDA loan and the bids for 252
Baldwinville Rd.
Julie
Farrell
As a sitting selectmen, I can attest that I went through the drawer with the files on town hall project. there was alot of information on 252 Baldwinville road in there and there was alot missing. In conversations with Dennis O'Brien and Kirk Moschetti, the response heard was "Jerry has all that information" In fact after I was elected, that large white binder that Jerry has at all muni building committee meetings was on top of a filing cabinet for a few weeks then it disappeared from the office. When people requested copies of meeting minutes for the muni building committee, there were none to be found, not even the town clerk had copies, it is my understanding the town clerk had to chase them down and eventually the minutes that were asked for were produced. My question is if that project was the responsibility of the selectmen, why were those minutes not in the town office? Why were they only in the possession of Jerry Skelton? In my opinion, that project is dead in the water because of how it was handled by Jerry Skelton. This again demonstrates my contention that if you lie, stonewall and keep from view of the taxpayers, information concerning them and their money, you will lose their confidence, trust and support. Now we will not only have to clean up the mess, find a way to pay for the 600 or so thousand dollars that have been wasted but plan for a place to have a town office for the future. Where was the leadership Mr. Columbus and where was this let the people speak and move forward ideas from you and your recall selectmen buddies?? You were too busy with looking out the back window because you have been backing up for the past 3 months that the car is off the road in the ditch. The "car" is the town of Templeton and it will get back on the road and moving in a forward direction. It will begin to do that after the election of May 7, 2012, god willing. I believe the people of Templeton want us to move forward and I believe they will make us do that since we have failed to do it on our own. I believe they will be looking over our shoulders for a long time until we domonstrate that we are for them and not ourselves. A good place to start is to either sell 252 baldwinville road or bulldoze it down and start from scratch. "from the ashes we rebuild" Essayons (we will try)
ReplyDeleteThere are also checklist on the K&P website for making motions to go into executive session and what needs to be on the agenda posting and what needs to be included within the minutes but apparently Bob Columbus will not or can not read them because he has attorneys from K&P write them for him which the taxpayers pay for, a brilliant move. That explains a legal bill for the month of March in execess of 7 thousand dollars
ReplyDeleteMaybe mr Discoll of the light and water should take some notes on "executive sessions" seem he posted an executive session for last Tuesday (May 1) Light & Water meeting - the reason - "to discuss floridation and a commissioner's blog" can we all say "Open meeting violation" oh but that's right Mr Discoll doesn't work for the town as he likes to say! I heard Julie left the meeting because it was not legal - let's re-elect her to light and water.
DeleteThank you Jukie and Jeff for getting all this information out to the public. With being new to town it is nice to see documents that backs up your view. My mother-in-law has lived here all her 88 years and she is even confused about what is happening. Thank you and if you need any help let me know.
ReplyDeleteOn top of this project's financial mess, the town operating budget from the selectmen office, there seems to be some confusion about the situation. The town clerk salary shows no decrease while most other department heads are taking a hit. The affordable housing coordinator shows no decrease either. The select board is in for $10 thousand without a prop 2 1/2 tax increase and $20 thousand per year with a prop 2 1/2 tax increase. Why are the selectmen not leading the way and refusing any wages at all in these tough economic times. Is this the leadership you talk about in your political add on page 2 of todays gardner news Mr. Columbus? Why do the people not have this information so they can review it before town meeting? What is so important about the affordable housing coordinator that he does not have to lose any salary amount/ What say you Mr. Columbus?
ReplyDeleteSorry Jeff, Remember who you are trying to talk to. He cannot give you a honest answer, that would be against everything they stand for. No, information, can't talk about anything! Do you think at night when he's trying to sleep, just maybe he wonders what he got himself into? Oh, I forgot, you have to have a conciense. While JS is asleep in this bed. Hope he sleeps now, things just may change...
DeleteSo before the Treasurer was even informed of the borrowing options for 252 Baldwinville Road, Jerry Skelton had already begun the application process, as noted in the email thread. Unbelievable! Carol's avoidance of Julie's questions is incredible, and I better understand her frustration with the level of secrecy surrounding the entire project. There is a clear pattern of people going rogue and asking and applying for things without the Board's approval. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Notice how Carol acts like she doesn't know what's going on...
ReplyDelete