For
a short agenda,
last night’s BOS meeting lasted a little over two hours. We had an update on
the Clerical Union organizing. The bargaining for this newest union may be
completed in time for the new budgeting cycle.
The
BOS voted to post the tax delinquencies and properties in tax title to the Town of Templeton website. The
vote was three in favor and one abstention. Selectman Mullins abstained. This
is not an easy decision to make. The Town needs every dollar it can get its
hands on. The Advisory Board has voted to begin the budget process for FY 14
with a 5% cut from level funding. I hope that is enough of a cut to stave off
bankruptcy and/or receivership. New growth is estimated at about $30,000.
Valuations are down. I’m thinking taxes will go up just to maintain. That’s
without falling off the “fiscal cliff”.
Dennis
O’Brien was unable to attend the meeting to give the BOS an update on Veterans
services. Apparently, the cost to administer $35,000 in veterans benefits in
Templeton is $22,000. The cost of administration is based on population, not
the number of veterans served. Personally, I liked to see more of the money
going to our veterans.
The
semi annual performance review of the town coordinator was conducted in open
session. We agreed to read the Overall Rating comments, while the chairman
calculated the average. I read my Overall Rating (here is my evaluation in its
entirety). I read most of Jeff Benett’s Overall Rating before I was rudely
interrupted. What else is new? All of the evaluations are public record and
available with a public record request. Jeff Ritter’s overall evaluation was a
4.2 – 4.3 out of 5 – Above Satisfactory to Outstanding. Awesome job! I feel we,
the Town of Templeton, are very fortunate to have a highly competent and
qualified town coordinator.
Under Old Business:
I
mentioned the letter the BOS voted to send to Mr. Driscoll at TMLWP. We voted
on October 22, 2012 to send two separate letters asking for information about
the water department. The votes was 3 in favor to send the letters and one
abstention. I’ll write a separate blog about this topic. The letters have yet
to be signed…
New Business:
The
Advisory board chairman gave an update on progress about East Templeton school
building. Good news! There is no asbestos in the boiler. Bad news! New furnaces
are very expensive.
The
Planning Board chairman asked if we could investigate coordinating the list of
delinquent taxes throughout the town. The feeling and belief is that NO as in NO permit should be
granted to any entity that is delinquent in taxes.
There
is a continuation of the hearing about Hearthside conversion and use as a
treatment facility tonight in the KIVA.
250th
Anniversary Committee-
There
was some discussion about a report or accounting of the money raised and
expended by the 250th Anniversary Committee. I mentioned that I
thought a report should be submitted for the Annual town report. The committee
was formed by the town and received an appropriation of $12,500 at town meeting
as seed money to fund the 250th Anniversary activities. I was
informed that the 250th Anniversary Committee created a non-profit.
I know the Town did not handle any of the money that was raised.
I
believe a report included in the Annual Report is appropriate.
My
opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !
Julie
Farrell
Based on the numbers last night, it's clear that Scrappy was the one who brought Ritter's average down, yet he was unwilling to share his evaluation. If all three of the other people sitting at the table share theirs, wouldn't it make you feel even more uncomfortable NOT to share yours? Maybe he couldn't read Gerry's handwriting? Between that and the abstention on the tax issue, it just goes to show you how useless he is. He'll score the Town Coodinator poorly, but he doesn't have the guts to share his findings. Oh, and he's rarely ever in Town Offices, so he must be basing his score on breakfast meetings with Gerry.
ReplyDeleteScrappys one and only function is to take up space, so that no one else can use the space to be peroductive. We will have to wait until May, to fill his seat, he will have done his job to screw up the works. I think the board has worked better than I had hoped, with Jeff gone. Chris looks relieved to see May coming. We still have alot to do, and May is still a long way off. Bev
DeleteI hope the meeting was taped. I'd love to know why Mullins abstained from putting the tax delinquencies on the website. Any reasons given? Also, why would he not share his eval of Mr. Ritter in an open meeting? I'm not surprised. He cannot think for himself due to being under the thumb of certain people that helped him get out of jail time. May elections cannot come too quickly.
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful Mr. Ritter came back to Templeton and has helped bring professionalism to the selectmans office. He is a brilliant man. I wish public opinion counted for something.
I'm also not surprised that the damn letter to Light dept. hasn't even been sent. Such a perfect example of our leaders dragging their feet based on personal agenda and NOT working for the citizens of Templeton.
This meeting sounds like it was very frustrating. The only glimmer of positive news is that the Advisory Board will be involved with the budget early on and will not have to have any emergency meetings at the 11th hour to correct an unbalanced budget like last year. There's hope that the next annual town meeting will not go 4 nights. There's hope that the budget is now being managed by responsible people.
I would love to know what the BOS top 5 priorities are and a timeframe attached to each to complete them.
We need to have us taxpayers and residents evaluate our selectmen.
ReplyDeleteAbstaining from a vote to put delinquent taxpayers on the website in a year that every penny is going to count. Abstain, not for the best interest of the town, more for personal reasons?
Chairman not taking a stand on an issue because he is on two boards. Well Chris I guess your being on the L&W and the selectmen is not in the best interest of the town.
and VW ooooh we can't get Mr Driscoll upset, poor Mr D is feeling harrassed because rate payers and the Advisory Board and some selectmen want some answers. oh no he might sue the town. Hey VW this is not working for the town.
so there you have it 3 selectmen get a grade of unsatisfactory from me......
Can we get a copy of the evals posted on the blog?
Would it be possible to obtain and post PM's evaluation of Mr. Ritter? I'm sure many of "us people" would love to read how Skelton and Skelton, woops, I mean how PM feels about his job performance?
ReplyDeleteHave just sent my evaluation of Jeff Ritter to the blog so no one has to pay for it. If the L&W letter needs signing, send it to me in Afghanistan, I will sign it, have it notorized and mail it to the L&W manager, it just takes a few weeks for the complete turn around but it may be quicker than waiting on a majority of the board. With Chris Stewart's apprehension or percieved or actual conflict with being a selectmen and Light & Water commissioner, perhaps it is time to follow a recommendation of the DOR Selectmen do not serve on any other boards or committees.
ReplyDeleteCome May, you get to evaluate your selectmen...it's called voting.
ReplyDeletePM's evaluation is full of wisdom. He didn't have time to take it to Echo Hill...echo hill. It looks like he completed it in the hall ten minutes before Monday night's BOS meeting.
Pat Mullens's evaluation looks like it was done riding down Athol Rd. at 50mph. Too bad he does not spend any time at the selectmans office, then maybe he would know what is going on. Well, I think he is more comfortable, he is not hiding under the desk as much as he was, in the first five months of his term. I will bet he will be thrilled when May comes! Bev.
DeleteI wish that Ms. Wilder would see that the citizens who support Ms. Farrell and Mr. Bennett are not bad people who are taking sides. These citizens simply want professional leadership and for all to follow the letters of the law. Is it possible that she can see that her dear friends have given her false info to run with? If she can understand that, there is hope for her. I would suggest to her that she fully research issues and laws before she formulates an opinion. She did not read CH 93 Acts of 2000--Light/Water Dept because in the first paragraph it specifically states that the water dept will be maintained as an enterprise fund. I suggest to her to stop protecting the L&W manager and his poor professional behavior and read up on the whole situation and understand her responsibilities lie with protecting the citizens of Templeton by addressing their concerns. In doing her homework, she should come to the conclusion that it is perfectly legal, normal and necessary for the BOS to request info from this dept and that this dept must comply in a timely manner.
ReplyDeleteA note to the Manager of the LW Dept: if you do not like unhappy cusotmers, then address their questions and concerns. That is what you are being paid to do. If you do not like the responsibilities of your position, resign! Obviously you are not cut out for the job. And if you think suing someone who expresses their concerns regarding your job performance will somehow benefit you, guess again. You will end up wasting taxpayer money and will come out looking worse than you do now because there are MANY unhapy customers that will back up anyone that you choose to sue. Do your job well and you will never have a citizen at a meeting again. Continue to have the attitude you currently possess, and the number of unhappy customers will only grow. No lawyer or dear friend will get you out of that situation. And Virginia, if you want to have a discussion on harassment in the workplace, choose your words wisely. Because you are walking a thin line. You have accusations of harassment yourself and you have supported two former selectmen who have actual harassment claims filed against them where they were ordered to apologize by the state. I do not think its a subject you should be addressing unless you acknowledge all the harassment that has occurred in Templeton in the past 10 years. Its probably best for you to be quiet on that subject.
Just a note on Mr. Stewart's conflict of interest being BOS Chair and LW Commissioner...he stated that he will not act on the letter from the BOS. He said that he will not act on the letter as a Commissioner. So, basically he is leaving the town with two voids on two depts. He is resigning his duties as BOS chair to resolve a town issue. He is resigning his duties as Commissioner to resolve a dept issue and comply with state law. In my opinion, his priority lies with self preservation over all his duties in town government. Obviously, we need a new bylaw to not allow a BOS member to sit on any other elected boards or depts. But until that time, we do need a BOS Chair that shows leadership and is man enough to voice opinions whether they are popular or not. We need a L&W Commissioner to do damage control between the dept and the customers they serve. You can't just sit there and do nothing. Otherwise, you may be mistakenly called Mr. Mullins.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:59&8:09, I can't think of another blog that has been written, that has more truth than the ones you have written. Well said and well thought out. Virginia will never have the trust of the people in this town, until she stops covering for her "friends" and the people they hired. She has a rough edge to her, and seems to think she has It all figured out. To cover Driscolls butt, after he has treated his share holders so badly, instead of finding out what he is trying to hide, is just pain wrong. I tell you it will all come out in the wash, and it will! If the Light and Water don't play ball with us, it is ok, we will not approve their budget at town meeting! As share holders, we have the last say, and we will say it loud and clear. My opinion, Bev
DeleteJust to make things clear, we can not vote on the light budget, but we can on the water budget. We can make a subsitute motion of 0, and shut them down. If the managers and commissioners, at light and water do not step up to help the town, when we are in such a financial mess, then we will have to take matters into our own hands. I do not care how many faces Dana makes, or crap he writes on the blog, right is right, wrong is wrong!! What are these guys hideing?? My opinion. Bev.
ReplyDeleteWrong again Beverly, Water runs under chapter 64 just like Light. Commissioners set budget and not effected by town meeting vote. Vote as you want it will not change operation of water. " Shut them down" Never Happen !
ReplyDeleteits not chapter 64 an if you mean 164 that is the light department only. and we DO vote on the water dept look at Article 13 of last May's town meeting, so who's wrong now
DeleteIf one takes time to google Massachusetts enterprise funds then click on enterprise funds - gov it will take you to a whole section by the dept of revenue that explains enterprise funds, also you may look at MGL chapter 44 about enterprise funds. One goal of this selectmen is to separate water from the light department, a long term goal is to look at a department of public works. Another goal is to look at highway and see where and how we can make changes to save money, improve equipment and use of funds. We will of course need a board of selectmen who are interested in working for the town and not a special interest group.
ReplyDelete