Selectman
Update Part I 8/28/12
Community
Development Block Grant Update –
Mike
Pingpank from Communities Opportunities Group gave a presentation to the BOS
reviewing different options for next year’s grant application. The 7 options
included:
1. Complete Back Bay – Memorial
St. need bid ready
construction plans. Ch. 90 can’t pay for water
design.
2. A different infrastructure
project – need more lead time to
complete income survey…Graves development, Otter
River, ET. Same issue using Ch 90 funds.
3. Housing Rehab only – require
a joint application w/another town. Problem with losing $$ due to homeowners
losing their home.
4. Public social services –
fund first time home buyer courses, job training, elderly taxi.
5. Senior Center/ Phoenix Court
– new siding for Phoenix Court. Road to senior center and parking area (already
designed).
6. Partner towns – Need those
bonus points to be eligible. Can’t partner w/Hubbardston again. Might try
Winchendon.
7. Sit out a year – Templeton
would be eligible for maximum funding ( $800,000-$1 million) but lose momentum.
After much discussion, the BOS voted to proceed with
Memorial St. The Senior Center/Phoenix Court would be the backup.
I voted to abstain on this issue. While I do agree
that finishing the Back Bay project makes sense, I am reluctant to commit more
Ch 90 funds to this project. The water department has no money to commit to
this project. The total amount that Templeton is eligible for is $550,000,
because we were awarded $793,523.50 last year. I’m not convinced that $550,000
will complete Phase VI. The Town also needs to come up with the money for the
income survey and the grant application. The program administration costs for
these grants is about 15%.
I’ll be writing another blog regarding the report on
the July 14th water main breaks and other agenda items from the
8/27/12 BOS meeting, which was recorded by the cable commission in a stifling
hot Kiva
My opinions… supported by FACTS !
I'm not crazy about the date Asian girls on this blog site. What's up with that? I'm okay with advertising but 23 year old Asians?
ReplyDeletePauly wants us to date 23 year old Asian girls?????
DeleteI cant begin to tell you how upset i was when i first seen that advertisment . dont they realize that the 22 year olds might be offended . LOL Love it !!!
DeleteAre you kidding! Someone really reads ads on this or any site? I think your well may be poluted. Call the Bd. of Health. Oh dam, No one in the office to answer the phone! Where is the agent we can not live with out? Maybe if we regionalize, there will be some on in the office when you need them. My opinion, Bev.
DeleteI drink town water, Bev, why would you blame this on the Health Agent - its Pauly's site that has the ads that appear to be promoting dating young Asian girls (prostitutes???). So your assumption that no one reads the ads makes it alright to have these unseemly ads???
Deleteokay I have no control of the ads they are triggered by what words are used in the blog. remember the bathroom issue with the L&W and the coa person - well then we saw ads for toilets. I will see if I can block these ads but no promises - let me make a statement - I am not responsible for any ads!!! Pauly
Deletethe YOUNG girls ad must have picked up on the Stevie Brehio blog.
DeleteThank you Pauly You are off the hook. I never thought it was you asking for those ads! I did however think that the cheapened your blog page which I think is an asset to the town and we should be proud to be a part of namelessly!
DeleteGood job Julie. It is a darn good thing we have you and Jeff to carry the ball, ask good questions and include informed facts. I can see how easy it would be to steer the town down the wrong road. A new person usually does not know what is going on, unless they have been included in other town business or have attended a good number of meetings. Don't be fooled by the new people on the political field,{local or state included}. They will promise you the moon and deliver, not a whole lot. Look to the person who has contacts, and some experience to boot. I did not know Julie until this spring. We met at a road race in Baldwinville. It did not take me long to figure she is as smart as Gladys was, and not afraid to stand her ground. I told her" my name is Beverly and I would like to help you." One of the best things I have ever done. There is going to be alot of changes made in the way business is done within the town government, its self. This is a super good thing. This will cut down on the confusion of who gets paid what grade, how many sick days do they have, how many have they used? Questions that should have had a policy, and did not follow it if it existed! No wonder things have been screwed up. So much for the great job our past town coordinator did! This town owes a huge thank you to the people who have stepped up to get things on the straight and narrow. My opinion, as usual. Bev.
ReplyDeleteGetting back to the subject...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update, Julie. The more info we share and discuss, the better decisions we all can make together. I have to say, its a miracle that we were able to get 5 phases done in Back Bay. It has been a very positive project. It absolutely helped the neighborhood which is one of the oldest in town. And the people who were able to get vital parts of their homes fixed through the housing rehab, I'm sure are also grateful. I know there will be some Crabby Appletons in town that will find fault somehow or say its a waste of money. Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion. I respectfully disagree with them. Just because it didn't affect your life doesn't make it a waste. It really would be great to actually have a finished project to stand on in town. Memorial St. is dangerous and does need attention. And with a church there where the sidewalks are used on a regular basis, it really is a safety issue to address the hazards that exist. But only if the numbers work. It would be great to also fund the road for the senior center without having to lean on the town for it. It seems the project will qualify, too. I'm just wondering if the timeframe will work out. Do we need a road for senior center way before this grant money would be awarded and available?
My mother-in-law was one of the people in Back Bay to have her house fixed. She is 88 years old and could no way have afforded to do this on her own. She has new siding, new windows, and a new roof which has help save a little on heating. The streets are looking amazing also. Thank you to all who helped make this happen.
ReplyDeleteKimber your family is exactly who the grants are suppose to help, homeowners people in need, trying to stay in their homes and their homes need repairs. Not people who then can go out after getting a grant and get a $90,000. equity loan and ask the town to subordinate the grant (take 2nd place lien behind the new line of credit) or people who use the money to up grade their home so they can sell it and make more of a profit. Funny how these people were good friends of the Skeltons.
DeleteEveryone is in favor of pork-barrel projects in their neck of the woods. The problem is, whose money are the feds and the state giving us? The answer - our children's money, our grandkid's money.
ReplyDeleteAh! I knew a Crabby Appleton would chime in. You obviously do not live in a home that was helped by this project. I guess in your world we should let all the old homes, roads and neighborhoods fall apart and be ruined. May I suggest a trip to the Narragansett Historical Society to look at all the old photos of the better days in Templeton's past. Back then, people had pride in their town and worked hard to maintain buildings and houses throughout the town whether they lived in them or not. Whomever was in need got the help. Back Bay is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Templeton. It has fallen into disrepair over the last 30 years. Slowly its coming back up. The houses are now being fixed up by hard working, middle class people who have been hit the hardest in tough economic times. And that is why the people in Back Bay are so thankful for the help. The CDBG project has made a HUGE difference in the lives of hundreds here. If you need proof, come down here on 4th of July morning and see what a great community looks like as everyone gathers for a parade around the neighborhood. How more patriotic and American can you get? Having pride in your town and respecting the past is never a bad thing. Government is an entity to provide assistance and order to the people that live under it. Taxes exist to help provide safe and healthy places to live. If towns were self sufficient, then there would be no reason to apply for grants or receive money for schools, safety and other essential services. However, a small rural town like Templeton is not self sufficient. So, it needs as much help as it can get. If you want Templeton to be self sufficient, then go out and get business and industry to thrive here. Thank goodness there are non profits and grants available. I guess you've never needed help from a non-profit. Well, good for you. I have. And I've given back via fundraising and volunteering to keep the cycle flowing. Of course our kids and grandkids will pay for today's projects. We are currently paying for our grandparents and parents' generations of war, aid, and other government spending. That will never end. Its how big government is set up. You don't like it? Pick up a sign and join the Occupy movement. There is so much wrongdoing in politics--absolutely! There is unnecessary spending--yes! Not all is unnecessary. And that was my point. Let us have SOME high points in this tough life and have the opportunity to say THANK YOU for the grant money that went to good use. Its not like the CDBG grant money went to buy 252 Bald. Rd. (i.e. waste of money). This project was needed and appreciated. Let us focus on SOMETHING POSITIVE in all this mess. The construction company, engineering company and Mike Pingpank from the Community Opportunities Group have been wonderful throughout this project. You can say bah humbug. But I say hooray!
DeleteA non-anonymous "crabby appleton". You can see where I live, because I sign my name, unlike you who hide behind "anonymous".
DeleteI object to spending money the country does not have. That we expect our children and grandchildren to pay. It matters not that you think this area is deserving of spending money that will be billed to future generations. If everyone is entitled, who will pay the bills? You have to be an adult, and you have to realize the government gives with one hand and takes with the other. They have no money to "grant". It's all taxpayer money, and we're not collecting enough money to pay our way. Simple facts, we can't afford to have all this government largesse.
If we had to pay for those improvements with "real" money, money that we had to pay out of our pockets, how many people would vote for the override?
So, did you object to bailing out the banks in 2008? Should our government have taken loans from China years ago? There's been so many poor decisions made with our money, its going to to take major reform to fix it and I don't think it should be on the backs of regular citizens. All I'm saying is if the government is helping people out with grants and bailout money, I'd rather it go to people who need and deserve help rather than to big banks who in turn give golden parachute bonuses to their CEOs. There's clearly a difference in government spending there. So, should we do away with all grants and funding until all the debt is paid off? Let our infrastructure fall apart? Ignore the people who truly need help? I believe the federal govt budget was once balanced by the Clinton Admin. So what happened since then? Where's the happy medium in providing quality assistance to citizens and curbing out of control greedy politicians that line their pockets with kickbacks? I don't know the answer and I don't think you do. I don't think anyone knows. I simply want to thank the people involved who helped make one tiny difference in this crappy world. And I hope this grant money will continue to help more people in our community and surrounding communities that need help. Sorry my words offend.
DeleteLike it or not, the budget was balanced when Mr. Clinton was President. George W. started two wars, and gave all the millionairs huge tax breaks. The Republicans have refused to increase the taxes of the ritchest people in this country, even to the limit that existed before George W. came into office the first time. The new plan for the future means more will be taken from the middle class, we will be the new poor, and the rich will keep their money. The few benefits people have will probably not exist a year from now. If some of you don't agree, thats fine. Just remember, I told you so. Bev.
DeleteBev - I don't want to debate W versus Bubba on the Templeton blog. But I must say we were attacked, by Al Quaeda, that is what started those wars. And Bubba neglected to take out Osama Bin Laden when he had ample opportunity.
DeleteProtecting America is a fundamental responsibility of the Federal Government. Pork Barrel projects are not a fundamental government responsibility.
Bin laden wasn't in Iraq. W (I mean Cheney) started that war. Funny how no one at the RNC has given any credit to Obama for actually killing Bin laden and the 18 people below him in Al Quaeda power structure. W had 7 years to kill him and he didn't. All because of oil. Look at the connections between his family and Bin Ladens. To me, that's a pork barrel project. Bailing out banks is a pork barrel project. Ask Senator Ted Stevens (bridge to nowhere) about pork barrel projects. Fixing roofs for the elderly and fixing failing roads in a lower middle class neighborhood is NOT a pork barrel project. I agree with Anonymous and Bev. I"m an Independent. And I don't like the sense of entitlement that the Republicans are flaunting at the convention. How about suggesting some solutions to real problems instead of patting each other on the back saying "We built it". We'll see what the DNC displays. But I do not care for people who frame the less fortunate as lazy or stupid. And I don't like when people lump a relatively small community improvement project as a pork barrel project. It has no basis in reality. Bev, I believe Bart will be correct when he said --we're going back to dirt roads-- if people out there think we should not apply for grants to improve our infrastructure because their grandchildren will have to pay for it. Silly. The Republicans claim to be sooo Christian. Well, if they want to mix religion with politics (the exact opposite of why this country was formed) then let me say the bible teaches us to help the needy before helping ourselves. So, if they want to follow the teachings of the bible, they should be the party that helps the middle class, not help the richest class. I believe they have lost their identity since the Regan era.
DeleteIf I need a roof or siding I will get the money myself and have it done. MOST people who take the money to have these things done can very well afford it as much as anybody else. It is YOUR house KEEP it maintained like the rest of the world. These handouts are ridiculous and reak of inproprieties, more often than not the ones recieving these free rides are taking from others who really do need it. Anonymous 02134
DeleteMy mother-in-law could not afford to do the roof and siding she is having a hard time keeping her house with the taxes and insurance that we had to move in with her and I am unable to work due to severe medical issues so my husband is supporting myself, his Mom and due kids on a small salary. The roof and siding help a little with fuel. If she sells the house to anyone but family she has to pay the grant money back.
ReplyDeleteSo we DID NEED the help. With this grant we did not have to choose between life saving medication or siding for the house to help insulate the house for heat.