Pauley,
Let all you readers know the way they left the budget for the town Amblance it a possible that the town will lose the Amblance for lack of funds and will have to have a Amblance company come to town.town is on the hook for having a Amblance for the town.I think CS forgot to call the attorneys to check on that MGL.
To this day i dont know why they are screwing with the fire dept. they could have all the needs a new engine and new rescue and a new ambulance at no cost to the tax payers it would all be funded out of ambulance recipts These guys put tons of hours on at no cost to the town. Leave them alone.
ReplyDeleteTrust us, Nobody wants to take the Ambulance money. The ONLY one that did that was Carol Skelton so they could use that money to cover all the losses because of their failure at running the town. We will be there in force at the Town meeting to be sure that does not happen.
ReplyDeleteI went to the advisory bd. meeting tonight. Good ol Ms. S. sure messed up the articles. Good thing Will Spring and Jeff are trying to straighten them out. If what she has submitted is any indication of how she handles business for the town, I now understand why we are broke. I also understand why the accountant gave his notice. [he must have been pulling his hair out]
DeleteIt was great to see 3 selectman and a former(recalled) selectman at tonight's meeting. I find it very interesting that the one selectman that was looking for $$ to fund her dear friend's position was not there(maybe because there was no police presence). Although we all know why GW ran for her position she continues to confirm her intent and loyalty. Good job by the Chair. Now about Kate!!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this warrant is so confusing the people might just vote NO across the bard. Then who is held responsible? SKELTON? Its a shame, by the way the warrant is written you cannot vote without voting for the override. The school might not get their money either. Look it your town report teachers are making 70, 80 , 90 k a year that's more than a professor with a doctorate. Our new superintendent is making over 110,000. Sorry but scientists, don't even make that. She was at a school meeting telling the board to leave out a monies amount, then the people would be more opt to vote for the school to be built. I feel as long as she gets what she wants screw us. SORRY only going on what I seen and heard. If you notice if you vote for the school you vote for the override. Has there been secret conversations in this? I just don't trust anything anymore!!!
ReplyDeleteDid they complete the review of the warrant? Budget? I don't see any future meetings posted.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be some confusion with the salaries being cut from the fire departments budget, but let me try to explain it. Some 5 or 6 years ago at Town Meeting the Fire Chief offered the Town a free ambulance service to be paid for out of the insurance receipts. The Town voted in favor of this action. So, here is an example, say the fire department takes in $275,000 in receipts and the related salaries for the department are $175,000 dollars, that would leave $100,000 from receipts for the fire department to use to purchase equipment and so on. The fire department wanted the salaries to be paid for by the town and to keep the ambulance receipts in full. This is not what was voted by the towns' people and presumably why the budget was purposed as it was.
ReplyDeleteas i understand it the guys that go on ambulance calls gets paid out of the ambulance account guys that respond to fires get paid out of the fire dept account that is from taxes!
DeleteThe May 14th Selectmen's meeting agenda is on the Templeton Website. Take a look! VW is going for an "alternative" method of payment for the Town Coordinator. WAA-WAA-WAA. Re-organization of the Board should be interesting, and, discussion of Article 31 and 34 as well.
ReplyDeleteForgot, No discussion on the Warrant or budget on the agenda either.
ReplyDeleteDear Bias,
ReplyDeleteHow will the town fund the ambulance for FY 13 with a budget of $20,000 for the year?
If Virginia's "alternative method" for funding the Town Coordinator's position is rejected, as was the case at the Advisory Board meeting, and the special town meeting article regarding $4,000 is also rejected the next evening, will the Board be forced to terminate CS? There will be no money to pay her for her services! Wouldn't want the town to be sued...again!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the word terminate should be used - she was hired as a "temporary interim Town Coordinator" that means when the money is gone or they decide to advertise and hire a perminent TC. Just one question - how many time do they have to be told NO for moving money? and someone should tell VW that one should not be going to the advisory board on behalf of the selectmen unless the selectmen VOTED on it.
DeleteIf my memory serves me correctly, the money is gone as of today. It will be interesting to see the discussion at Monday night's meeting.
DeleteNovember-7-2011 Artical 8 passed
ReplyDeleteWe voters started a Fire Department-Ambulance Receipts Account for the purpose of funding various Fire Department capital requests-pursuant to the betterment of the Fire department services as deemed by the Templeton Fire Chief!
Keeping article 8 is the only way we will have a fire and ambulance service we need and may some day need to personally use! We need to keep it this way.
Agreed - as it was originally voted back in 2006 - But the receipts were all thrown into the general funds Illegally over the past years. this is exactly what I have been talking about - wrongdoings in thia town under the TC CS and JS - BC - Dob etc
ReplyDeleteLook back at the annual town reports, look who was in office and in charge of fiscal year 2006 and beyond. You will find carol skelton was town coordinator and husband Gerald Skelton was on select board. Next look for the ambulance receipts account voted at town meeting. Apparently it was set up as 100 thousand dollar limit. when the ambulace brought in over 200 thousand, someone decided you could no longer have that account because of the 100 thousand dollar limit. so rather than putting aside 100K and placing the remainder in the general fund, the account was abolished and all the money went into the general fund. At town meeting, watch for someone to speak on this issue and bringing up a former motion or speech by tom smith. As for who was in charge from fiscal yr 2006 and beyond, look closely at town finances, the same ole speech every year, balanced budget, no tax increase and no layoffs. so while expenses were going up, income to the town, through taxation, state aid and local receipts were relatively even, expenses going up, income steady, the gap between expense and income got wider and wider and the powers at be said or did nothing to address this, except make the town of Templeton's government larger, more people on payroll. All these years, tax increases were needed and justified and expenses not addressed, no financial plan, as in looking forward say five years out and no savings, as in stabilization fund and free cash spent before it even comes in. Pretty much a shell game being played for 6 years. It will be a hard difficult couple of years, but it can be fixed. We just need some changes and the first is at town coordinator. You cannot keep in place or put back in place one of the people who got you in the mess to begin with. I don't want to hear her blame it on the selectmen because "they vote on the budget" They do take part of the blame for failing to even consider the financial review from the dept of revenue. We need some change and at least a five year financial capital plan and sorry to say a tax increase and I believe the taxpayers will vote for it but not until they are sure there is a plan and the board shows they can be trusted by making changes in the way business is done.
ReplyDeleteJeff, you're absolutely right - the status quo for the past several years has been no layoffs, no tax increases, and a balanced budget, at the expense of our stabilization account. This has been the sales pitch of a certain few. This really speaks to the need for taxpayers to be more involved, and to look at the bigger picture besides our relatively stable tax rate with regard to our officials' job performance.
ReplyDeleteIf Ms. S. is so worried about town finances, {which she really is not] they would not have blown so much cash on getting rid of Jeff Ritter, lawyer fees, his payoff, what it cost the town for police protection,"to keep Ms.W.safe," payment to vidio all of the meetings we went to. It all adds up. Jeff some afternoon, sit back and add up the figures and we can ask her how they can justify what they have done. It is they, because she is just a pawn like every one else, her husband uses. At any rate, I think the only thing I would be carefull about, is creating a "monster" like the light dept. They have the best of everything, but give the town less than they did years ago. Sonetimes they seem far removed from the rest of the town boards.
DeleteCheck out the salaries at the light dept. Are any other town employees being paid those salaries. What quailification warrent those salaries?
DeleteIf anyone cares to look at the salaries for Light and Water, please remember that the water department union and the highway/sewer department union IS THE SAME! So why the big differences in salary? Part of those "operational costs".?
ReplyDeleteAlso remember, that during the ICE STORM only the Light and Water department heads received extra compensation. The fire chief, police chief, highway superintendent, cemetery supt. and sewer , emergency management did not receive an extra dime in compensation for all of their hard work and extra hours put in to help out the town .
It is time we started acting as ONE town.
Julie Farrell
Julie, can this be done? Can "we" and or the Selectmen vote to remove the enterprise status?
DeleteIf so, I think it would be a good move. if not, I think the personnel in these departments should at least forgo a raise in pay for a couple of years to help out the town.
At this point in time I would NOT recommend any drastic changes to the Light department. The light department "took ove" r the water dept with the enactment of Chapter 93 Acts of 2000. I am working on an addition to this blog and "Important Docs" page on Citizens 4Templeton website. I have a few documents related to what I consider a "hostile takeover" of the water dept. from the BOS b the Light department.
DeleteChapter 93 acts of 2000 is special legislation. Special legislation can be repealed. Any action regarding the Light and water department should be well thought out and planned, not a knee jerk reaction. We really need to look at our form of government and try to figure this out. That takes time and a willingness to put everything on the table- no more "sacred cows".
The best I could do at light and water was to insist on no rate increases or "service fee" increases whether to pay for raises or projects. I wasn't kidding when I said they hate my guts over there !
At this point in time I would NOT recommend any drastic changes to the Light department. The light department "took ove" r the water dept with the enactment of Chapter 93 Acts of 2000. I am working on an addition to this blog and "Important Docs" page on Citizens 4Templeton website. I have a few documents related to what I consider a "hostile takeover" of the water dept. from the BOS b the Light department.
DeleteChapter 93 acts of 2000 is special legislation. Special legislation can be repealed. Any action regarding the Light and water department should be well thought out and planned, not a knee jerk reaction. We really need to look at our form of government and try to figure this out. That takes time and a willingness to put everything on the table- no more "sacred cows".
The best I could do at light and water was to insist on no rate increases or "service fee" increases whether to pay for raises or projects. I wasn't kidding when I said they hate my guts over there !
Thankyou Julie. Interesting. What did the light company gain from a hostile takeover of the water dept? Mere control? Of course that was during the JS reign so "control" is the right word.
DeleteI think the bigger problem is more the fact that those employees, along with highway, police, etc. are part of a union and others in town are not. I know the law says employees have the right to unionionize, but, this is unfair to the rest. I don't suggest all should be unionized either, because more importantly it is a burden to the taxpayers. The School is in a different situation and cannot be considered in the same way.
Congratulations, you deserve it, and, good luck to you. Stay on top of it as always. I know you will make us proud. It won't be too hard after what we have been seeing in the past few weeks. hahahaha
In my opinion, what the light dept. gained by taking over the water dept. follow the money. Look at the increase in salaries for the Light dept manager. All you need are the annual reports from 1998- 2004. It will no longer be a mystery!
DeleteWhy? Can anyone tell me why? It makes no sense. I'm sure the secretaries/clerks/office employees work just as hard in every town dept. maybe even harder. WHY the difference in compensation? I do not want to single out any one employee of the Light department but what qualifications do they have to warrent the pay?
ReplyDeleteLooks like"BIG DADDY" takes care of his own. Like I said, they have the best of everything. Is it fair to the rest of the town employees? I never have had a problem with the light company, but I was surprises to see this bright, shiny truck go by my house, when the highway dept. is forced to use junk. Like Jeff says, it is not personal, its business. When Mr Dymbek,Mr.Columbus and Mr. Kwasney ran the department, they had things running like a top. Anyone taking over from them had it made. Bev.
DeleteBev -
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct when you mentioned the former light commissioners and their role in keeping things in line at the Light department. They were able to keep GPS in check.