I am
answering Julie's comment of July 25, 2012. Okay all is said to protect the
$220 to Koonce. If you follow the rules, you, yes you Julie could draw up a
letter to Mr. Koonce (I will pay for the paper, envelopes, stamp) to return the
$220 and it will be the end of the story. If not I will as a taxpayer take
Koonce to small claims court for making a false payroll claim and getting a
selectmen to sign it.
Did you ask your police chief About this illegal activity?
Did anyone make note that I PHC opposed giving Koonce the money and was waiting
for the board of selectmen agenda to approve this money. Who did? Jeff Ritter
knew that I did not want Koonce to be paid $220. But by no fault of mine, I
ended up in the hospital on that board of selectmen meeting the night of June
23. But nothing was brought up about it why not? Then three weeks later July
20, 2012 I find out through word of mouth that koonce got $220 and signed off
by Virginia Wilder, sound sneaky? Yes it does. I went to the treasurer and got
a copy yup-yup-yup. The voucher was also signed by chairman George Andrews.
Check Koonce’s -sick days, yeah right. Now listen up in 2008 I complained to
Carol Skelton that Koonce was being paid grade 10 that he was not a grade 10,
he was only a grade 6. So after 23 months he was overpaid thousands of dollars
okay. During this time he lied about his travel mileage at $.45 per mile okay I
PHC with my own expense watched his work days. He got paid for days he was not
there, I proved this on paper-day, date, times of each offense, okay. Now Koonce
says to himself my position is not going to be funded in fiscal 2013, I only have
time for one more illegal scheme-sick time. Koonce had hundreds of hours at the
concom, office to know the rules on sicktime. But he knew of the system and put
in his voucher for $220 and got the VW to sign and got Debbie to cut a check,
along with George Andrews and Koonce laughed all the way to the bank. Do you
taxpayers understand where Dennis O'Brien got the saying Templeton taxpayers
are stupid, and who are the stupid people that are looking out the rest of us stupid
taxpayers? You are right, the board of selectmen should this issue be given to
the police for an investigation? Why not? Koonce worked in collusion with
George Andrews and VW to gain monetary reward $220 is this illegal? Yes it is
in my opinion some one is afraid to bring in the police. What say Detective
Hall of the Templeton PD ? Not chief Whitaker because chief Whitaker works with
koonce on the con com in Winchendon. Pretty good huh? – Charlie Perkins says
these kind of people will not stop until one of them go to jail. Send in your
comments people, $220 that is not worth chasing, who will be exposed next?
Don't forget Koonce in his own handwriting and signature made the voucher for
$220 and George Andrews and Virginia Wilder signed it under the oath they both
took when sworn into their positions by the Town Clerk, read it, does
"uphold the law" still mean anything? So my suggestion is to have VW and
George Andrews call Koonce, first to inform him to cut a check for $220 to the
town of Templeton for the check of what Koonce actually got paid after taxes.
And it was $220 and they VW and GA can drive to Boxborough to pick it up. Won't
that be better than me PHC taking Koonce to small claims court? Go ahead VW
call our town attorneys and witness what that call will cost. Don't forget I am
charging you and George Andrews as accomplices to a crime, get it? I want that
$220 returned to the town of Templeton by David Koonce and yes I am also going
after all the other money he owes Templeton and I am not worried about my legal
costs. And to you "Bev on the pond” it is worth going to war on, in my
opinion Koonce fired the first shot, get it the first shot. If I have to fight
this war myself, I will and I have the strategy to win, just watch? What about
the $23,000 Skelton cost us taxpayers with the Graves issue, pretty good huh?
How would Julie have handled it? Back then it was a big secret, how come? Thanks
for reading my opinion – Pauly
PS – did you
know that when Koonce was hired back in Feb 2008 at a Grade 6 step 5, Shaun
Grimley, JoAnn Burdin, Carol Skelton and Jerry Skelton decided to give him $4.05
more per hour from the “wetland protection fund” to supplement his pay –
illegal, (against the personnel policy) yes I have the papers to prove this.
FYI, Personnel Board meeting minutes, Nov, 2, 2007, meeting called to order at 08:40 am, yes am as in morning, who is or can be available to attend a public meeting before 9 am real interesting. Present at meeting, board members gerry skelton, carl giacobone, bob hackenfort. Also carol skelton, jean fountain doreen noble, Priscilla LeClerc, shaun grimley. grimley made statement that bob maki was going to another job (former con com agent in Templeton) grimley said agents make about 25 - 28 bucks per hour. Templeton currently pays $21.42 per hour. gerry skelton explained the position was already in the personnel policy. it was recommended to pay the agent under the current fee schedule to stay in budget and the rest to be paid by the con com from the wetlands protection fee account. The entire salary to cover the 25 bucks per hour could be inserted into the budget at town meeting. A motion to accept the draft job description of conservation agent. WTF, I thought gerry already stated that the job was listed in the personnel policy and if it was there has to already be a job description so a pay schedule can be set, as the con com agent was placed at grade 6 (more to follow) well when your meeting is at 8 am and no one is around and who goes and reads minutes of personnel board meetings (besides me, and I admit it is a little nuts to read this stuff all the time but it is my hobby) So that is how this play began and this is the item that got Pauly stared on his blog along with the $1400.00 that was paid to joanne burdin back in 2002, 2003. I remember that because that is the year I moved back to Templeton and it was in the snews. Yes I have these personnel board minutes in front of me as I collected them all while reseaching Pauly's claim about the con com agent. I did this to see if there was anything blantantly criminal,perhaps, the con com agent was criminal in accepting pay he was not authorized to receive as a grade 6 and there is a note of an opinion of joe fair in BOS minutes that the agent was being paid outside of grade. Apparently the selectmen were not interested in going after that money at the time. town coordinator was only playing Pauly like a fish and that is the beginning of the story. all of the above is fact backed up by town records except for carol skelton playing pauly like a fish, that is my opinion, (or is it?, ask Pauly)
ReplyDeleteI know I have heard of a "den of thieves", but what do you call a "bunch of snakes"? Mr.GS sure is good at finding a way to go around rules, bend them or break them,{only so it does not show} to do what he wants. The snakes in the grass need to get run over by the lawn mower. This transaction reminds me of the 252 Baldwinville Road building. Put up the article on the third night of town meeting, late after most every one has left. Now they could slide it through, under every ones noses. No wonder he has so many loyal supporters. He bought them all, with OUR MONEY. The crap that these people have pulled is unreal. Jeff., Someday try to add up what GS has cost us. Of course you will only find the stuff he has kind of left in the open. I hope all his Lions Club members, {followers} realize this is their money he has spent to. My opinion,Bev
DeleteMove to november 19, 2007, con com minutes. JoAnne Burdin states bob maki last day is Dec 1, 2007. Shaun grimley states he has been in touch with Winchendon who also needs a con com agent (Templeton police chief also serves on the con com in Winchendon, later this makes sense) shaun says two towns could share agent and we could use wetlands protectionfee account to supplement agent salary.
DeleteAt a February meeting of the selectmen, there was a request from the con com to supplement the salary of the agent & clerk in the amount of $!,120.00 to come from the wetlands protection fund filing fees. It was voted in by the 3 selectmen present March 17, 2008 con com minutes show town resident had several questions for shaun about how the changing of con com agent labor grade took place. shaun states con com initiated all changes and justified the hours required. heated discussion followed with Pauly asking about salary change and benefits being paid to agent JoAnne Burdin stated the agent grade 6 was error and now has been fixed (really?) Shaun went on record saying he is requesting to have pauly removed from commision because Pauly's conduct was unbecoming his position. for the record, shaun would later request a legal opinion if Pauly could be kept from sitting in on executive session by the con com because Pauly did not agree with the session, opinion said Pauly as a member of con com could not be denied to si in session, and here I thought shaun said Pauly's behavior warranted removal.
DeleteApril 30, 2008 personnel board meeting held at 8:35 am ?? why these meetings so early? so no one can attend?? proposed job description for con com secretary (thought they just gave money for clerk at con com, how can that be if there is no job description?) No job description because it is only a few hours a month, so how did anyone determine how much to pay if there was no set requirements for duties or abilities??
DeleteSo as of July 1, 2008 (FY09) Templton was paying con com agent at grade 10 although he was a grade 6 but Jo Anne Burdin previously stated it was an error and had been straightened out back in March 2008. So how come the minutes of the selectmen has an attachment A (minutes of 1/26/2010) showing a request for grade change from grade 6 to grade 10 if this so called error had been fixed according to Jo Anne Burdin. (maybe Jo Anne should turn in all those receipts for that work she claimed she did back in 02 so as to receive that $1400.00 dollars she was paid by con com) If it had been fixed back in 08, why have question in 2010?? Dec 2, 2008, peronnel board minutes (8:30 am) don't sleep in ya might miss somethin!! grimley asking what grade would agent be in under new compensation plan? answer gerry skelton "he will remain in his current grade of 10, it says grade 6 on master list of positions but this is an error (thought it was fixed back in march) So why was there a grade change question on town meeting held in May 2010?? I spoke against this and it was removed so the agent grade remained at grade 6 (someone tell gerry!) On May 24, 2010, selectmen voted to make agent grade 6 top step, from grade 6 step 3, completely stepping over, around and thru the personnel policy!!! September 20, 2010 con com votes to increase hours of agent because there are enough money in the salary account to cover this expense (we have the money so why not spend it, and shaun said Pauly's behavior warranted removal??) This has been a quick layout / outline of how Pauly has become so angry with events of last selectmen meeting, he sees the same thing happening with sick pay to agent and end round of system by the council on aging director salary thru grant and other funds that not all boards /employees have access to. It is about fairness and responsible use of taxpayer monies. we may not always get it right which is why we need taxpayers at meetings and we need to listen to them. Perhaps we should use these funds and grants to benefit the people who cough up the money in the first place, the taxpayers!!!! not for salaries but for services to those affected. Take 11 grand from a grant and supplement your salary, okay we the taxpayers cut 11 grand from the budget and put it in stabilization, thank you.
DeleteOn another note of the last selectmens meeting, I do not work for the fire department, I work for the taxpayers of Templeton and the selectmen did not screw up per say, first off, larry bankowski sent e-mail to secretary in the selectmen office that he was taking vacation rather than sending email to selectmen or calling them on phone or speaking to that issue prior to it happening so virginia wilder may not even had known he was on vacation. Second, larry submits his own pay sheet to be paid, if he was not suppose to get pay, why submit the sheet, virginia did not submit time sheet, larry did. Larry ma be working for 1 or 2 weeks without pay to pay back the money received he was not due, if I have my way!!
DeleteEven if one was paid in error shouldn't one be honest enough to say "hey I wasn't suppose to get paid for that week I took off" But what do expect from someone who hangs around with Stevie B.
DeletePauly went to carol skelton and brought this up and got no where, he talked with gerry skelton then went to the town clerks office and was informed there was no question concerning the con comm agent so Pauly went back to gerry where after a colorful comment or 2, gerry told him that it got left off by mistake and that is why the difference of grade and pay. Fair enough so why not try to fix it in 2009? Why not place the grade change question on town meeting to correct this problem, adjust the pay and stop the questions? maybe skelton & company do not like being questioned or told what to do, not sure, but that scenario was explained to me by Pauly, as far as the conversations with carol skelton gerry and town clerk, I was not present. What I do have on paper is the fiscal year 2009 shows the con com agent at a grade 6, then I have a wage classification for April 2010 that has con com agent at grade 10. Annual town report 2008 has con com agent making $23,522.00 for FY 2009 and annual report of 2009 has con com making $24,347.00 for FY 2010. Remember the town meeting held in May of 2008 is for financial matters that begin July 1, 2008 until June 30, 2009 = FY 09 and so on. Question, if agent hired in Feb 2008 at grade 6 with 6 months probation, how did he get a raise for FY 2009 before he even finished his 6 months probation? What was so important about David Koonce who holds a degree in physics, not anything environmental. If there were no grade change question in 2008 or 2009, how could the agent belisted as a grade 6 then a grade 10?? We need to have that question answered.
ReplyDeleteDear Pauly, Thank goodness for Jeff. It is amazing how far people will go to hide the things they do. It is no wonder you get heart burn, How you have kept your cool, I will never know. I thought it was strange when JoAnne Burdin, and Shaun Grimley quit their positions. At this time the list of Mr.S's dishonest dealings, grows longer, and longer. Now we have a list of accomplisses that has grown by two. {Mrs.S.} was already on the list. I think the AG's office will have to rent a room at the K.P., they will have to be here a while! For what has been done to this town, someone should loose their pension. That is one way to bail the town out of the big hole they got us into. You have been right every time, this is way more than a lousy $220.00. Mr.K should not have taken the sick pay, but the rest of the of the mess points to GUESS WHO? This is my opinion, and me 2 cents worth. Bev. Jeff, you do a super job for this town. Thank you for taking the time. I appreciate you. I don't think the "bad guys" do.
DeleteBart just said, "No wonder Pete Kasper calls them" a bunch of crooks", and grumbles under his breath! Oh yes, I know it is Petes opinion, Bev.
ReplyDeleteWell it is the "job" of a selectmen, in my mind anyways to not only show up to vote but to talk with citizens, listen and to inform them or help them get informed. So you may be pleased (or not) to know that because of the complaint carol skelton has against the town and bob mitchell, julie farrell and yours truly jeff beennett, the town's insurance provider (taxpayers) is providing an attorney (different from town counsel) how ever it has come in that there is apparently a one thousand dollar deductible (why did it take so long to come in, research time perhaps) anyway, since I have a conflict of interest, yes I do read them pesky things, I will not be signing to pay it. But not to worry, we have three selectmen who can sign, so we will be fine. Just another grand of taxpayer money to add to the list of the skelton cost to the town (taxpayers)
ReplyDeleteIf you wish to see some more attempts at an end run around the rules, please try to attend the Personnel Board meeting on August 8, 2012 at 6:00 pm at 690 Patriots Road. Good information for taxpayers!!
ReplyDeletePauly,
ReplyDeleteAs one selectman, I am not allowed to act . I can NOT go after Koonce on my own. It takes a vote by the BOS in order to act. I don't think you will get the votes from the BOS to after Koonce. Please do what you think is necessary to deal with this injustice. I am glad you have a plan.
As far as the lawsuit about paying Graves, at the time I was on the BOS and Pete was chairman of sewer commission. I could not participate in any discussions about that issue because of " conflict of interest" laws under Ethics. The proceedings were not a deep dark secret but on the front page of the snews. Another phenomenal waste of taxpayer money...at that time I RECALL you and Mr. Bennett thought Pete and Attorney Graves were in the wrong and had wasted taxpayer money trying to get some justice in the Obstruction of Justice case for the sewer department. I RECALL allegations that the Farrell's had "stolen" or "misappropriated" 6 million dollars....that's what I RECALL.
and people think Julie Farrell Jeff Bennett and Bob Mitchell were locked arm n arm tightly agreed on everything, I have said it before, think that and I will show you how many letters to the editor I have written with the name Farrell on them and not complimentary either! I did learn alot about how things were working in Templton by the way, what you learn sitting in that office back then. I have copies of them all and Julie probably has a few as well, entertaining reading. FYI I never thought Farrell had stolen 6 million but the so called missing 6 or 7 million did come up at a couple selectmen meetings straight from the mouth of GS - pretty sure there are still tapes in existance to that effect. I believe I have the gardner news articles concerning that item. I do believ Julie just fired a shot across the bow (Andres Caamano called it "a case of raging hormones") in one of his articles, pretty sure I have it or can get it so Pauly watch out!
ReplyDeleteI guess all this boils down to the fact that, you never know the road someone else has traveled unless you walk in their shoes. I think there is a nice real quote some where, but I guess that is the best I can do. There are always things we can learn from ech other, and two sides to the story. When Mr.S made remarks about missing money, did anyone look under his b--? I think his job was to cover LK's a-- all this time, and why not scam a lot of coin at the same time? Just big of Mr.S. to deflect the blame on someone else. I was in Leominster at the time you are talking about. So, I thought after Gladys died, Templeton would be ok with out her. Boy was I wrong. With the cat away, the rats could play, and play they did! It is no wonder our taxes are high and we do not have anything to show for all the money we have spent. Like I say, it will all come out in the wash. My opinion, as always. Bev.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I find it strange the Snoos can do a big story about goings on in Jeffery, but can't find the ink for what is happening here in our little town. If people did not die, there would be no news at all. I find it humorous that Andres Caamino has not improved with time, and he still has a job. This is my opinion, you bet, Bev
ReplyDeleteJeff and Julie I have a couple of questions; Isn't what Eileen @ COA is trying to do what they did with Koonce. Giving him extra pay that violated the persnl policy? Also why does the Agriculture comm. meet @ JK Crossroads isn't this an ethics issue giving one business preferential treatment?
ReplyDeleteI believe you are correct about the COA situation.
DeleteThanks for the heads up about the Agricultural Committee....maybe the BOS meetings should rotate to different establishments that serve adult beverages. I may submit this as a by law change by citizen petition.
Oh yes, Julie, we can let everyone have a couple of drinks, then the snoos will have something to write about. Lets hope the Agricultural Comm. is not dumb enough to pay the tab out of the towns money. Don't know if they have a budget, but if they do, we do not need more problems. Bev.
DeleteI just hope they posted the meeting and did not accept anything over $50.00 and yes taking money from a grant to supplement salary after it had been set at town meeting is exactly what was done to con com agent, it was wrong then and it is wrong now
ReplyDeleteDidn't the chief say the police dept did that?
ReplyDeleteTo COA request on July 23, 2012, using grant money to increase salaries after budget cuts kind of defeats the purpose of the cuts to begin with. Please keep eye on ball, the grant formula contract guide to Council on Aging eligible costs and best practices states "the rate of pay/reimbursement to be set by the municipality (it is in bold type.) Further states that if the salary is paid from the grant, the pay should not exceed what the municipality would be willing to pay in the absence of the grant. Two things apparent from that, 1.) if you use the grant to pay a salary, you should only pay what the town would pay. 2.) The grant is not for increasing a salary after it has been set by town vote. Templton's share in FY 2013 is $11,179.00 and the grant payment #1 for 2013 is listed as $5,589.00. It also states "this amount may be adjusted per COA statement of grant/allocation balance for 2012. If you have money left over from 2012, FY 2013 amount may be decreased by that amount. Whatever the case, the state guide from the massachusetts executive office of elder affairs says the grant is not for increasing a salary. This is planned to be dicussed at a meeting of the personnel board on August 8, 2012 at 6:00 pm at the conference room on Patriots Road.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Jeff. The budget should be as voted by citizens at town meeting.
DeleteIn this light, did the COA pay the fuel expenses of the Templeton Highway Department for work done? Labor expenses, if any? If not, how is this different? The Highway Dept. budget was voted to fund Highway operations, not to supplement the COA budget for construction of the Senior Center. Thus my question. Don't know the answer, but I think you get my drift.
If the COA paid the expenses of the Highway Dept, who decided that it was OK for the Highway Dept. to take on this mission? Don't they have other work that they would normally do? What about the wear on equipment? I thought it was barely hanging in there and needed replacement?
I'm asking these questions because I don't know how a department that asked for an override for equipment and operation ended up performing a "non-traditional" mission. Was this planned, or was it done "spur of the moment"?
Mark, you're just full of hope and cheer, aren't you? The two depts that get the least support from the town but actually provide essential services to the majority of the population is the Highway Dept and the COA. If any depts can help one another out without upsetting their budget, then more power to them! That's the kind of attitude we need more of between depts. They're all on the same team, not competing against one another. And if you think about it, any project that the highway dept helps with, in turn, is doing their job because its for the town in the end. Go eat some ice cream or do something that will make you happy.
DeleteI might be full of questions, maybe something else, but you did not answer my questions.
DeleteWhat did the highway department "save" the town by constructing the senior center? Is the saved money reverting to the town?
Taxpayers of Templeton appropriated money to fund the Senior Center. They appropriated money to operate the Highway Dept. Can Highway decide to wotk on building construction? With "junk" equipment? Who paid wages and expenses? If Highway, then I don't get it. We had a request for an override to fund operation of the Highway Department. They have a mission, which is to maintain town roads (mostly, to plow them). So they all of a sudden can accomplish that mission and have spare time and resources to save money on the construction of the Senior Center?
Mr or Mrs "Anonymous", my questions are no different, and are asked in a much "nicer" tone than many on this blog. There should be no sacred cows that can't be questioned.
My concerns are, how did Highway afford to "help" COA? If after hours, without pay, you still have the wear on equipment. Remember, this equipment is all "junk"? If during hours, was Highway reimbursed for fuel, labor etc? If not, is COA going to return the "saved" money to the general fund? If not, then why did Highway just decide to increase the amount of money available to spend on the Senior Center? That is not right, as citizens voted a budget for the Senior Center. We voted a budget for operating the Highway Department. The highway department warned that their equipment was junk, and we might not get plowed this winter. Now, that same equipment is OK for on outside-of-mission construction project?
Mark you are so right, There was no money for anything just a few short weeks ago, we were threatened with lack of road maintenance because we would run out of money for Gas and Maintenance of equipment. I agree it is a right thing to do to help other departments as we are all one. BUT when everthing is so tight it seems like one group is getting all the favors and higher pay requests
DeleteI certainly don't think it should be wrong to have cooperation between town departments. And my feelings do not change just because the budget is tight. That makes no difference. What matters is that townspeople vote each budget and each budget must be spent properly.
DeleteEach budget should be spent only on what voters approved. If there is money left over, return it to the general fund. Don't buy new desks. Don't fund construction of the Senior Center with money voted on to fund highway plowing and maintenance. It's not right.
I don't think the agricultural Committe has a key to 690 patriots rd. I was just kidding about that citizen petition.
ReplyDeleteI also don't think the agricultural committee has a budget. I just checked town charges and I couldn't locate agricultural committee line item.
I agree with the other anonymous, the town departments are a team, not competitors, and should be helping each other out as much as possible. The COA didn't ask the highway department to help spur of the monument. The Senior Center Oversight Committee approached the Board of Selectmen and requested that they authorize all town departments to help work on the project and provide their expertise as best they can.
ReplyDeleteWe are tring to complete the senior center at the lowest cost possible and without 40 years of debt on the backs of the taxpayers. The departments pitching in to help is going to save US taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. And it should known the Bud and Mark spent many of their vacation days working on the Senior Center site FOR the taxpayers.
Doug Morrison
Mr. Morrision - I don't understand the reference to "40 years of debt". I thought that the Senior Center could be constructed with a 1 yeartax-increase of roughly $500k.
DeleteThat's all the money that taxpayers authorized. Town employees can work as volunteers while on vacation. I do have some concerns about operating town equipment that has been described as "junk" for the construction of a Senior Center. Why was this necessary? The COA had an override, for a certain amount of money. That override passed. That amount of money is all that should be available to build the Senior Center.
The reference is "WITHOUT 40 years of debt" and because of road blocks by some former people and board makeup, this project took longer than necessary. Someday when you and I are at the senior center, we will be glad that work was done. The without 40 years of debt may have been a remark saying unlike the former town hall project that was gonna put the town in debt for at least 20 years, the senior center did it with a one year debt exclusion.
DeleteThank you Jeff for hitting the nail right on the head. The reference was WITHOUT 40 years of debt. Yes there was a 1 year debt exclusion for 500k approved and has already come on and off the tax rate. About six years ago the SCOC sent out a questionnaire to the entire town, and the responses that came back indicated that yes we need a new senior center, we want it without long term debt, and we want local labor to build it. Without the help of the internal town expertise and resources that debt exclusion would have needed to have been at least 800k.
DeleteWith the funds the taxpayers generously approved and the help of the town departments we won't have a Taj Mahal but we will have a nice functional senior center.
As a taxpayer I am glad the BOS is willing to use common sense and utilize the resources we have. Now more than ever it is important to keep cost down and realize the taxpayers are not an unlimited funding source.
As for equipment if the town would put together a capital plan and work to that plan we could have good equipment and not bankrupt the taxpayers. The advisory board started ringing this bell back in 2003 (maybe before) but the powers that were wanted nothing to do with planning for the future and protecting the taxpayers.
Doug Morrison
Mr. Morrison - Was it always planned to spend the equivalent of $800k? I don't remember that being said when the question was voted as a debt exclusion.
DeleteMaybe I missed it, maybe I didn't. If it was expected to require more than $500k, it should have been budgeted. Certainly, this year, there was nothing included in Highway budget to assist in constructing the Senior Center.
Accounatbility for every dollar spent on public works is very important. Without it, taxpayers are not supportive of public works. If it was sold to the taxpayers as a $500k expense, that is how much we approved for the project. Any diversion of town resources over and above that $500k requires approval by the people who pay the taxes.
If you're worried about your tax dollars being spent erroneously, then pay attention to Light & Water. The COA and Highway Depts follow the rules and are honest with their customers. Not so with L&W. If you want to streamline Public Works, then support the mission to eliminate the Acts of 2000 and put all public works back under one entity. If you want to streamline your tax dollars even more, then support regionalization of other town services. The COA building has been quite a successful project despite the sour pusses that tried to throw monkey wrenches into the project because they were jealous that their preferred town construction projects didn't go as they planned or because they couldn't skim their own $$ cut off the top of the project budget. Anonymous phone calls about soil testing and questionable concrete contracts were unfounded and unsuccessful at derailing the project. There simply is no fault to find with the COA building project so stop trying. I don't know many people who would give up their vacation time to continue to work for a town project. So, please, stop knocking this project. Its a good thing and there is no smoke and mirrors going on here. Focus your energy on the bigger, more important issues that are actual "issues". How about settlement agreements that weren't voted at town meeting or pay steps not voted at town meeting? Those are actual violations of town bylaw and they actually happened more than once!
DeleteThis is an open forum, I have merely stated my opinion. Try to be more tolerant of opinions with which you disagree. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
DeleteRight on!! I think most of the answers to ALL the problems in Templeton can likely be traced back to L&W or at least GS & CO. ALL the ABUSES of Power (man, as well as electrical) seemingly lead back to this nasty, greedy, arrogant, self-entitled being & his henchmen(can't even call him a man) would be an insult to the real men around here. Anyway, it is my opinion & strong belief that the anonymous calls to try to derail the COA project are probably from the same ones who lit the torch for the Otter River School, had dealings with the landfill, WWTP issue, 252 building, etc. etc. We have had a HUGE problem with this person & his "followers" for a long long time. What an absolute mess he made of this town for his own personal gain. Anyway, I could go on but most people here have expressed similar views yet many points are worth repeating because this person & his "company" have used & abused us to the degree that it appears like there has been some criminal activity here. I say appears & alleged to have been unlawful practices. I am only saying what I am seeing & hearing that has gone on for quite some time now. It makes me think of the Bell, CA debacle where that town was held "captive" by a few greedy abhorrent individuals. We have had similar goings on in town that if Pauly & a few others hadn't shone the "light" on the subject (subjects) we would undoubtedly be where that town was & completely finished as a township by now. Thank you to Pauly & all the watchdoggers who have stopped them short of bankrupting us to the point of no return. Also, I say thank you to the people who have given of their time to make a very important project for seniors be a reality & dream come true. And I say shame on those who tried to squash it. Let's hope there are some who have to "PAY" in many ways for all the damage they have done to Templeton. There should be some retirements that have to be relinquished in the process, too. One can only hope!! And that is my opinion, No actual accusations, just my thoughts as I see things this day.
DeleteThe town mechanic is rebuilding a truck at highway barn (new frame rails and such) basin cleaning is being done, cross walks got painted and streets got cleaned and some people worked on vacation over there. Look at the town's legal bill for June 2012, less than 200 dollars with jeff Ritter back in office versus the 8 grand with CS in there and with the actions of columbus wilder & mullins. Progress on all fronts is being made (slowly) and things are being worked out. My bigger concern is the amount of uncollected tax money and the fact that it has been allowed to be so far in areas for so long. Yes the selectmen had other agendas between February 6 2012 and May 7 2012 but hopefully the train will stay on the progress tracks this time. A large amount of uncollected taxes once dealt with will help in many ways and help us dig out from the mess we are in and maybe next spring the taxpayers will know and remember the amount of tax money the highway dept save us and will pay them back by fundung a piece of equipment.
ReplyDeleteI have been suggesting for a long time that the bylaw allowing taxpayers to be 12 months behind (acticle XXXII) on there taxes be changed to a shorter period. Also any vendors that owe taxes should have a lien on their payments like the irs or Child support does.
ReplyDeleteAnoynmously Sue
why don't we just be a writin who is 12 month behind on dis here blog? pay de taxes or the collector be a comin, jus like dem big city folk do in dat der newspaper, bet dat be gettin som folks a payin der taxes
ReplyDeletehey Jeff and Julie can this be done, put deliquent taxpayers names and amounts on the blog. Pauly if it's legal would you do post it?
ReplyDeleteThis blog is NOT a place for that, keep that in the local paper, no need to embarass people here, some sincerely are having a hard time.
Deletenot old looking to embarrass, not talking about the people who are having a hard time. Talking about the ones that are collecting rents but not pay their taxes. or the ones that still are trying to get building permits for new projects but not paying taxes on the old projects, or the ones that wait until their licenses have to be renewed and only get caught up to the "year" behind.
DeleteI believe if this plan -to publicly post people who are behind in tax payments to the Town - is to go forward then everyone who is behind in their taxes would be notified first by mail and given a deadline to get caught up.
DeleteThen the remaining people, who have not met the deadline, would be publicly posted. Hopefully, this topic will be discussed at a BOS meeting.
Delinquent taxpayers can be listed in the newspaper, usually after notification, some towns do it all the time others not so much, sometimes the idea alone gets many people to pay up. But that information can be placed in the public domain
ReplyDeleteJust looked and city of Haverhill and Weymouth put tax list on their town website, Springfield advertised in paper, Newton, Mass had 4 million owed in back taxes....4 million dollars, that is alot of services
ReplyDeletepeeps no want to pay de taxes and town employees go afta ever plug nickle that is layin bout, dat der con com agent and wet land fee, con com agent and de sick time and now de agin directa want dat grant monies jus like dem de buzzards dat wait for somthi die and pick all de meat off to da bone. how bout dem poor seniors gettin somthin out dat monies? dem peeps bout as bad as dat der carol skelton ah takin ever last dime out of de coffers, shameful
ReplyDeleteBefore posting anywhere the homeowners should be contacted. If they are interested in paying they should be making arrangements. The town is in just as bad shape as the homeowners that cannot pay. If they were making an effort it would help. Ignoring the debt will not help the homeowner or the town. If they can't afford the home and taxes it's time to rent.
ReplyDeletePaul use to be in the paper for late taxes and would pay at the last minute ,so as to cost your town.Could he put himself in the middle of that , what say you uncle?
ReplyDeleteBack in the early 90's yes when I was busy working and trusted someone to do the bookkeeping.(don't think we want to go there) and yes I paid them in full with all interest & fees. Haven't been late since 1996.
ReplyDelete1996 must be when Sue took over da books cause she use ta be in bankin, I be a bettin der was an ex in dat category of "don't think we wanna go der"
ReplyDeleteNever worked in banking - work at an accounting firm
ReplyDeleteanonymously sue