Well things have not improved, at the Templeton Light and Water. You might note that the word municipal is gone from the letter head. The water meeting was first. There was alot of general talk, and finally things got to the fact that the sewer dept had asked the water dept to shut off the water, to the people who will not pay their bills. The attitude of the water part of this business, has not improved one ounce. There was some mud slinning about the water guys, not coming to their meeting to talk to them! OH BOY, AS pauly would say, the gloves came off when Will asked them if they had asked the water dept guys to come? No, these guys could give a sh-- less, and they will not shut off the water. Their solution is to have a lein put on the property, and wait until the property is sold.. The issue once again, , is the failure of the light and water depts., to post their meetings on the town web site.
These guys just can not get this done.!! Will asked them different things, they were not very receptive!. Bart can not understand why the water and sewer bills are not one? That is how they do it in Leominster and it works. The light section of the meeting got more touchy. I could not stand them anymore, I must admitt, I told them they were a bunch of ass holes. Well Dana threatened to throw me out of the room, but attitudes improved alot. Their refusal to do things right, post the dam meeting on the web site, what is your problem?? Along with giving Will a hard time about anything he asked, or suggested,the overall attitude in the room, was something else. At the end of the meeting, I told them, all of this attitude was not necessary. As far as the pilot, they pretty much said, don't look for more, if we give you more, it will come from your pocket, you are not getting it out of us. I finally said,"Look do I have to get signatures to put a ByLaw on the books, so you post your meetings on the web site, like every one else?"' " Because , if I have to I will!" I told them we have our workers cut to 35 hrs, and it has been hard. I told them, we did that so we would not have to cut positions. These guys do not have a clue!!! I told John Driscoll, that he should ask Princeston where they got their web site done, seeing he is determined to do their own thing. Julie mentioned the town looking at one, that he should talk to Mr. Ritter. Good luck with that! It seems that their needs to be a meeting with the selectmen and light and water, dam fast. They are living life, like they always did, NO PROBLEM BE HAPPY!! Someone needs to drop them a dime, and let them know they will screw them selves out of a job, if they don't smarten up. THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM, THEY HAVE NO CLUE, THEIR MAGIC LAND CAN NOT BE SUBSTAINED, WITH THE LOSS OF HOMES, AND INCREASED COSTS!! Some body better speak up, before they give everyone a big raise that we can not afford., fill in the blanks, about the fiscal state of our town. Because they don't get it. Bev. Oh yes, I have to ask Bud, do you need the truck they are giving you? ,It is like when I was a kid, and I used to get my cousins second hand clothes. THEY NEVER FIT , BUT GIVING BUD STUFF, IS ONE OF THE GOOOD THINGS THEY DO FOR THE TOWN! If you don't believe it, just ask them. Bev
Let's see now, cast of characters include: Driscoll (arrogant and thinks he is smarter than anyone else), Blais (arrogant, abrasive, and possibly stupid. DRISCOLL/BLAIS motto = "IF I WANT YOUR OPINION I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU", Stewart (lazy, lapdog. Be careful he carries a sidearm at the SS office to fight off all the terrorists in gardner)
ReplyDeleteLet's take our town back! Citizens petition #1. Separate the Water Department. #2 Liquidate the Light Department. Municipal Light Departments have outlived their usefulness.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ?
Sorry, I cannot identify myself due to certain retaliation.
Bev, you are as classy as you are literate.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I am not classy, I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I know right from wrong. I also make mistakes, The sewer commissioners were thrown under the bus for not coming to the meeting, and the mud came their way also. In my haste, and my lack of cool, when I got home, I wrote the water guys, nope, it should have been Sewer Comm. I should not have called them all ass holes, that was not classy, but I just could not stand it any more. Oh how I wish other people had been there. Dave Smart did a nice job last night. He asks good questions, does not loose his cool. He brought in some information about re-linning pipes. {The answer was it does not work?} We will be in big trouble if the EPA decides we have to replace old asbestos pipes,down the road. {better hope that never happens!} No matter how you look at it, we have enough problems to keep us broke for a long, long time. I feel we do need a DPW. I know that the light and water need to contribute to our cause, even though they don't have any comprehension, of that, right now. We can take no more from our workers, they have done their part. Maybe the light needs to cut back on something, to free up some money, to help us out. They will not go there unless we force them to. This is down the road. We need to take care of Thursday night first. Bev.
DeleteDon't worry about the sewer commissioners being thrown under the bus. Mr. Driscoll is too stupid (my opinion of course) to have asked the questions about which he criticized the sewer department on. i.e, there are already municipal liens on the most delinquent accounts, that he accuses the department of not doing. Everything he criticized the sewer department for has already been done (had he just inquired rather than accusing). The only possible remedy is to suspend water service, but he is too arrogant to cooperate for the well being of the taxpayer. Well guess what....everyone else (the ratepayers and taxpayers) will have to take up the slack to make up the shortfall. You can thank Mr. Driscoll. ALL BECAUSE THE WATER DEPARTMENT THINKS ITS NOT NECESSARY TO COOPERATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS ! I think Mr. Driscoll is just digging his own grave. His job is at the pleasure of the commissioners. If I were him I would be very worried when people get elected to that board who are not so sympathetic to his attitude toward the taxpayers and ratepayers of this town. In my opinion Mr. Driscoll really needs to look for another place of employment. My opinions expressed here are as a taxpayer, not a sewer commissioner.
DeleteI would like to know why the Chair of the BOS who is also a L&W Commissioner was not in attendance at these two meetings. He is aware of the tension between the citizens and this dept. Why would he not go there to smooth out the issues and (more importantly) hold them accountable for following the town's procedures for posting public meetings which includes posting on the town's website as well as producing financial paperwork to the Advisory Board. This is a clear example why we need a bylaw to prevent selectmen from serving on other boards beyond the duties as a selectmen or as commissioners of any depts. If his first priority is not as a selectman, then he is not serving the citizens best interest.
ReplyDeleteThere is no need for the attitude that L&W has towards the rest of the town. It is unprofessional on every level. While I appreciate the work of the employees and the dept's services, I feel their management is not conducting their customer relations in a professional manner, therefore undermining their employees hard work and reputation. Management needs to correct their attitude and cooperate with the town and all their depts and committees by complying with the town requirements for posting public meetings and submitting requested financial documents to the BOS and the Advisory Board. Other towns' municipal utilities do not have the same issues and freely share information as well as maintain open relationships with their customers. Why is it different here in templeton?
The answers last night are a little confusing!
ReplyDeletepilot programs are a way for them to play fair with the competition, national grid etc.
Somehow that gets lost in Templeton for the good of Templeton light and water of course.For what ever reason the pilot payment is what it is.Formulas vary from management to management, new manager new pilot formula?
Why in 2012 don't we have a formula so town knows what the amounts will be?Why don't the investments reflect the amounts a pilot should increase not decrease?If the investments are good than pass its proceeds to the town its the towns money after all.The management has stated the income revenue is 7.7million.Give or take a 100k. That equals less than 1.5% the town gets in pilot money!
It feels like the bank when you tie up money lnog term cd getting 1.5%-2.0% wow- you loose you profit getting to the bank from the cost of gas!
Point is the pilot is at a lower amount and they say its cause of the repairs upgrades and overhead, truth be told would be overpaid undercharges and missmanaged!
A 4.00 customer charge started in 2009. that is per month and charged to 3500 customers and not charged to larger commercial users= 3500X 4.00=$168,000.00 the money is used for billing,they sub that out!why don't they do it in house?
who does it now? Did they get 3 bids to get the best deal?
Or is the 4.00 charge the way to get the pilot money they give us back, No that was only 100k not 168k
leaves 68k to pay for billing and pilot is taken care of?
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DeleteA customer is a customer, A bill is a bill, why do we charge one to bill and not the other. Other town light depts charge higher customer charge to commerical customers but Templeton does not charge them? who made that rule and why do we have to pay so they don't get charged?
ReplyDeleteThey get a better rate!Who get to pick up the slack if they don't pay?
"yup"the customer via the lower pilot money,
I guess my point is we need to charge the proper amount needed to increase the pilot to where the town is in better shape financially!
if we charged 6.00 customer charge like the others do and charge the commerical like the others do than the pilot would be a lot larger and rates won't change!
This would generate a pilot of double what we get now,its one way and the only way to get the amount to increase to the average 3% others give to their general fund!
7.7 million @3%=231k- thats the average pilot payment others get. ours should be higher but thats a start,do inhouse billing and than save 60k more?
The need for input and questions has never been more important than now!
the raises that the help gets should only be the amount of the pilot % 1% only if the pilot goes up do wages go up!
The town gets less the more the help gets
Time has come to have the town get more for the investment it has, or cash in and get out of the power production/distribution,business. Sell out and find the tax revenue increase to be as much or more than the pilot is now!
Time to get the calculators out and see how much we can get and pay off the debt we have!
most people I talk to about the sell out like the idea, We own a nice well maintained and modern system,we spent millions on, purchased millions in wind energy production equipment and can get 3x what we spent!
My guess would be 40 million plus increase in tax base for years to come.Lets add it up!There must be a formula for that? 188-have been sold or merge and can happen in Templeton too!
More to come!
Shareholder
Hey guys, Welcome to the TWILIGHT ZONE brought to you by the Templeton Water and Light department where nothing is as it seems !
DeleteWhat bothered me the most was the idea that if the town wants more money for the pilot, they will get it out of us, then give it back. No skin off their noses, making no changes to their "master plan," what ever that is? They have no desire to help the people of this town, or the other departments. Talking about a TWILIGHT ZONE, that is putting it mildley. Maybe these guys will figure it out, when their office fills up with shareholders, at their next meeting! They are so full of them selves, they may put them selves OUT OF A JOB!! You will not see me, shed a tear for any of them. My opinion, BEV.
DeleteEveryone should ask mr.driscoll. #1 What is the total amount to date for the renewal energy credits payments the TEMPLETON MUNICIPAL LIGHT AND WATER PLANT have recieved.
ReplyDelete#2 What it will be used for and why.
I think it is the whole reason they got into the wind deal in the first place.Money is the ruler of all evil,always has been and will be!Its the bigest problem in our Templeton!As a shareholder I would like the rec money go to the general fund and not the jon boy club. Sorry just my way of saying thats mine/ours not theirs!Its been said at the tmlwp meetings the money will go to fund pention liabilities/retirements? My thought is with the millions they have, the liabilities aren't covered?The renewable energy credits are and should be town credits for general fund money,not shell game income to fund lets see 80+thousand gs funds. Who out there feels the credit for our investments should go to the light department that has not funded the liabilities they should have but haven't.
They didn't because the rates wouldn't allow it. The rates are not reflective of fully funded liabilities.The manager was asked to put in a writen policy ,to be able to transfer the money to the retirement acct.So if the r.e.c never comes the money is not there!
On your bill they charge you for renewables then they keep the credits, get it double wammy!
Templeton should get the R.E.C. money + pilot + commercial customer charges, The shell game stops here and the buck comes back to the Town Our Buck Our Town. OUR TEMPLETON MUNICIPAL LIGHT AND WATER PLANT. SOON THEY WILL KNOW HOW THE PEOPLE FEEL!THEY THINK THINGS ARE FINE AND ALL ARE HAPPY. I THINK THEY ARE WRONG ON ALOT OF THINGS.
ATTITUDE FOR ONE THING,NEGITIVITY,RESPONSIBILITY, THEY FEEL THAT RELIABILITY IS THE WHOLE GAME. BUT TO BE RELIABLE YOU NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE!
SHARHOLDER
If we do sell it it will be a very bad idea we will not get the service from a larger company like we do for the light company when power goes down we are their only problem, sell out it we will be last on the list for fixes, the repsonse time will be hours instead of minutes there are other ways to solve towns problems then sell the light company. There is tons of dead weight in town that can be dealt with without selling light department. A resident
ReplyDeleteThe service may be a bit better. That's because they have NO oversight, they can charge the users WHATEVER the market will bear. They can buy ALL the newest and latest equipment. National Grid service is not awful. Service might be slightly slower in the case of an outage. Ask the Light manager why:
Delete1. We don't get a rebate at the end of the year as in years past?
2. Why they won't allow green energy generators to feed excess back into the grid?
3. Why they won't allow the rate payers to shop for power?
4. Why to we get charged $4.00 a month for nothing?
5. Why they don't have a formal PILOT program as recommended by the MASS DOR?
No, I say liquidate the light department. It might have been useful back in the days of rural electrification, but its a big burden today. The liability outweighs the benefits. AMEN
OK, I agree selling the light company, should not be on the top of the list of things we do, to try to get on our feet. I say that only if we can clean up the business so that the town gets more out of it than it is now. I am sick of providing a space for people to get fat and rich, with out getting anything in return. I think your idea that during the power outage, the time we may be in the dark may be hours, is looking very good, except when it comes to reality. I have a friend that has NG, she has been with out power for days at a time. It happens all the time th her. My step daughters house froze up, ruined everything, pipes, toilet, gone. The best part was, the light truck was 500ft. away, but they would not come over. If you have not already looked at the pay these people get, at the light co. please do! Go to the town office building and get a copy. That alone will wake you up. If you can show me any dead weight, I will be more than happy to look. Bev
ReplyDeleteAlthough a pilot payment would be good i still comes from us Ratepayers/taxpayers. we need to look at where the money is going - when times are tough no one should get raises. Just look at the private sector. When is the last time any of you people got a raise?
ReplyDeleteWOW dana what a sore looser you can be, I have a set of balls and also a brain! If you think I'm going away your wrong. The lies I keep hearing from yours will never end and the truth be told your days at light and water are numbered,That's on you not me!You and the boys clubs games are soon going to be public and thats on you also!
ReplyDeleteIf you were on Templeton's side, than you would see things differently for Templetons investments. 16 years is way to long!
Time to replace you too!
Shareholder
please opine or does it take one to know one?
Dave , Please write down all the lies you accuse me of ,Pauly also says Write it on paper. You know where to find me. It's one thing to face your accuser not hide behind the computer screen. Bring your list of so called lies and we'll discuss them ., That is one thing I have never done is lie about any water and light business. The balls in your court write it down and lets play ball. Dana Blais
ReplyDeletehey dana you may not lie because you never ansewer any questions.
ReplyDeleteDana, let's hear more about how you Took that house from Mrs. Strazdas on Depot Rd. That sure was not an honest and legal move on your part.
ReplyDeleteomg I forgot about that, to the day Wanda died she always talked about how Dana ripped her off.
ReplyDelete