I'm back - although I am not feeling 100% and I still need that extra rest I have been reading the blog and trying to keep up! First with school starting I would like to thank C4T for all their hard work with raising money for the Naarragansett kids. to Ruth Miller hope this money actually goes to the kids. I've been hearing some rumors that that there is some monkey business going on there. Hiring a lawyer that is a personal friend of Mr Riken. A position created for a person who could not handle their job as principal! I know c4t raised that money for the homeless kid in need - hope that all goes to them!
Now let's talk about the selectmens meeting they had last week. I have a friend who lives in Maine that still owns land in Templeton. Last week he gave me a call - seems his land is in Tax title and he has been making payments to the town regularly. a hundred dollars or so every other week. seems he has been trying for months to get a print out of his account with our treasurer. His wife even called selectman Chris Stewart. well from the minutes I can tell that the meeting started out in open session. see the meeting was about whether the Treasurer was doing her job. as soon as the issue of whether the treasurer had paid her own taxes came up, she said she wanted to go into executive session. This was ILLEGAL - either you are in executive or open - you can not change your mine just because the issues get touchy! I am not hammering on anyone - I just believe in the open meeting laws. Open government and the Town of Templeton Employees work for us the tax payers. Now I heard that Carolee helped resolved the issue that my friends from Maine had even though it was not on the tax Collectors end - so I say thank you Carolee for helping my friend - another templeton employee that did her job or should I say someone elses job! So I ask you all what is best for the town - we have to think of the town not the person! Again I ask what is best for the town - I have heard that Ms Mary Lang who is on the Advisory board has ask repeatedly for the information on the town Bonds to see how we can save money - good work Mary - But she has not been able to get the info from the treasurer-for months she has been asking. What is the hold up?? Are we back where we were several years ago were we had a treasurer that did not know what she was doing? I for one do not want to go backwards - what say Julie and Jeff?? I heard that VW even has the sense to question whether the treasurer can do her job. Hate to say it but good job VW. uggg.
What is best for the town - that is how we should look to the future. What is best for us the taxpayers!! we need to watch everything from the failing infrastructure to whether or not the employees are doing their jobs to where our tax dollars are going. I for one cannot afford to have my tax dollars be wasted. There is too much that needs to be fixed in this town.
Okay come on now comment - lets get the opinions going.
Just my opinions - thanks for reading -Pauly. Thanks Bev for the pudding!!!!
Ps - Sue was rear ended today on her way to see her Mom at the hospital - she's ok just sore. I told her to buy me some megabucks tix tonight to change her luck. lol!!!
The town cannot afford to keep an employee that is not qualified, especially one in a office as important as treasurer. I feel the position was filled in haste, not a good move from the start. It is nothing to do with personalities, the job needs to have a experienced person on board. Things will not get better with time. Most of the problems we are trying to fix, are because people were paid, but did not follow basic town by-laws, or made their own rules as they went along. The town of Barre, is now going through a nightmare. Their tax collector did not do things right, people did not save reciepts when they paid their taxes years ago,{paid cash}, so they have no proof that they paid, and the town paper work is missing. Two wrongs will not make this right, for us. Time for the selectmen do do the right thing, and let our present treasurer go. She had to know she was not qualified, so the mistake was as much hers, for takeing the job. my opinion, Bev.
ReplyDeleteSo Tammy left her job here in Templeton as our Treasurer, and then Deb was hired as her replacement. The job was/is a stretch for Deb. The BOS offered her the position and she took it. There have been complaints heard aloud at meetings regarding her ability to focus on the job, and her unknowing of the complexities of being a treasurer. It appears that not everyone is pleased with her performance. Well there are two solutions, pick one. 1- Do nothing, and let her grow into the job. 2- Remove her from the job, and find a more qualified replacement.
DeleteTempleton has had a history of not hiring truly qualified people to run the day to day operations of this town, with CS running the show this could have been for multiple reasons. But it has happened. The town now needs to be “lean and mean”. We need the best people we can find, as there is no room for being unable to do your job. The town made a mistake by hiring Deb as Treasurer, and Deb made a mistake by thinking she could do the job. As nice of a person as she is, Deb needs to leave the position, so that the town can move away from past practices. We need an experienced professional in this vital role.
Case in point – who appears to be the experienced professional when thinking of of the two most recent Town Coordinators, Carol Skelton or Jeff Ritter? Easy answer, for the Town of Templeton to be ready for the future, we can no longer hire our friends. We need to hire the right person for the job.
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So glad you are back Pauly!! But sorry to hear Sue got in an accident this evening. Hope she isn't hurting too much. With all she has going on with her Mom she didn't need to get slammed into. Hope her luck changes & she gets those magic winning tickets!!
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago, we got a tax billthe last Thursday of December. We went to town office to pay it on Friday, but the employees were all gone, it was about 11:30. A girl exiting the building told us we could pay on-line, at templeton1.org.
ReplyDeleteWe did that. I got an e-mail from collector@templeton1.org acknowledging the payment. The money was deducted from our checking account, but apparently was not properly credited against our tax bill. So when we got the Spring tax bill, there were penalties and the bill incorrectly showed we owed for the December payment.
It all got straightened out, but left me with the belief there was gross incompetence in that building. I don't know whose job it was to match up that payment with our tax bill. I do know that I have avoided that mickey-mouse system ever since.
Hey Pauly I have a question if a member of the advisory board cannot get important info from our treasurer what the hell is going on? If you all look back at the advisory board goals posting one of the items was looking at the bond interest rates. we have a great advisory board and they can't get information from a town office. Do you all know that in the event of a natural disaster the treasurer is required to be part of the emergency team (remember the ice storm, Tammy put in a lot of hours for no extra pay) God knows Massachusetts towns have had their share of disasters lately- floods, tornadoes, hurricanes etc) Would our current treasurer be able to be there 24/7 like Tammy was? without her whinning about not having a town vehicle to use or bringing her daughter to work and letting her play on the town computer or have to leave to pick up her husband. Hell does anyone even know what hours she works? I heard at the last selectmen's meeting that she did not get her hours cut so she is still to work 40? what are her posted hours? That's what is wrong with this town no one acts until it is to late - Chairman Stewart get some backbone and do what is best for the town.
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ReplyDeleteThe gentlman you are talking abour is Dan Keeney. He is presently the Chairman of The Board Of Assessors. And has been on the board for 4 + years.
DeleteDan Keeney would be a great choice but not a "yes" man so not liked by some. He is a very intellegent man and perhaps to smart to be voted in. Maybe for fear of what is lurking in the finances waiting to be uncovered by the wrong or right person(depends on which side of the fence you are on)?
DeleteYou make very valid points J. I for one do not trust VW and do not believe anything she says. My opinion is that she is a wolf in sheeps clothing waiting for an opportunity to pounce. No Templeton resident should ever fail to recall the "recall". All the lies that were told be LTPS group should never be forgotten lest we have a replay of the dirty politics that has plagued this town for many years. Where are all those big mouth liars now? Were they really doing what they thought was best for Templeton? Really? We are on the right track right now with the "watchdogs" guarding the best interests of Templeton. Let's never let our guard down. We need to continue attending as many meetings as possible so as to get as much knowledge as possible. There is a position opening soon on the selectboard. Any thoughts on who's running or who should or should not run?
ReplyDeleteDoug Morrison from the Senior Center should run for Selectman.
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DeleteWhile Mr. Morrison is intelligent, I feel he has too much on his plate already - he has also dropped the ball regarding "follow up" and communication with other team members.
Deletedoug's got my vote
ReplyDeleteIt is one thing to avoid a messy situation, kick the can down the street, but in the end it will come back to hurt the town very badly. When you have the job of selectman, granted it is not for the faint of heart. There are times you will have to do some unplesant things. This is one of them. Chris, you need to suck it up and take care of this problem for the sake of the town. We have a new accountant, don't make things so difficult, he will throw in the towel. I do not feel Deb. can grow into the job. There is not the time for anyone to baby sit, and show her how to do her job. The most responsable thing to do, is find someone new. Do I think the Selton gang is just sitting back, waiting for the next election, I want all of the people who have stayed by Paulys side, to not think the war is over. Nothing can be further from the truth. Keep your eyes and ears open. The strongest thing Templeton Watch and the Citizen4Templeton has is this blog. Think, there would be no other way for the truth to be told with out it. That in my opinion is a pretty bad thing. Keep the faith, when you see Chris, tell him to do what is right for the Town of Templeton. My opinion, Bev.
DeleteDoug M hasn't dropped the ball and i have heard him give updates at selectmen's meeting etc. And isn't he the person who got all those building in the first place? lots of skeltonites speading lies again.
DeleteDan Kenney was the clear choice of the candidates that night. He has the knowledge, the drive, and the ability to be part of the leadership team. There was no doubt that the BOS put their personal agendas before what was right for the town.
ReplyDeleteI would feel very happy if Dan was the Treasurer. He's very qualified and intelligent. He tried to warn the town years ago that they needed a financial plan. And he should have gotten the job in the first place. My opinion.
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ReplyDeleteYou guys have got it right! They did not pick Dan, I think they felt he sided with C4T. That was a poor reason. The point is he could have done the job, and he was descriminated against. The poor choices these people made, did nothing but cause another headache for the town. Give Chris a call, tell him what you think. We need to take care of this before it is too late. Bev.
Deletemy mistake, DAN Kenney not David....
ReplyDeleteONE MORE TIME, IT IS, DAN KEENEY.
ReplyDeleteNo offence, but let`s get his name right. He has been in Templeton Town Poitics for over 20 years. Chairman of the Advisory Board most of the years and now Chairman of The Board Of Assessors for the second year. (Just to name a couple of boards.)
okay, its been a long weekend, Dan Keeney. sorry for the error, i knew who i was referring to, just spelled his name wrong... sorry Dan (and Steve L.)
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