Friday, March 1, 2013

and from today's TGN

Department remains successful, effective operation
To the Editor: 3/1/2013
Dana F. Blais
Chairman, Templeton Light and Water Plant Commission

To the Editor:

Looking back on my 23 years as a commissioner of the Templeton Light and Water Department, I feel a great sense of accomplishment for what the management team has done to uphold the over 100-year tradition of dedicated service and stable rates for the people of Templeton. The Light Plant has been able to move forward with capital improvements, modern facilities, and safe equipment. Furthermore, we have kept up with the Green Energy Program (solar, hydro, and wind). When it comes to power outages and service, the department really shines.



We have been able to spend millions of dollars in capital improvements without having to raise our rates. To me, that is good management. Another area I feel a major source of accomplishment, is the way that all of us — the commission, past and present managers, and all the employees of the Templeton Light and Water Department, have been able to move the water department forward.

At a town meeting, the citizens of Templeton voted to have the light commission take over the management of the water department from the Board of Selectmen because of the way it was being operated. For example, there were 700 meters in the town that didn’t work. Also, 43 percent of the water that was being pumped was unaccounted for. Customers had not been billed for 14 months, so there was no money coming into the department. There was water that residents could not drink, and multiple water main breaks every month.

The first thing the commission did was to work with the manager to hire a water superintendent. Ron Davan was hired. He brought a wealth of experience to the department. The commission had $3.8 million that was voted on at a town meeting to spend on the water system. With this money, we installed all new meters that would allow the electric meter reader to read the meters more efficiently. Water mains were also installed, along with a new tank for fire protection.

The water department also had to build a water filtration system in E. Templeton, at a cost of over $2 million to improve the water quality in that area of the town. The commission was approached by residents of South Road in Templeton asking for a water main extension because their wells were not producing quality water. Again, we provided quality water and fire protection to these residents in Templeton.

So as you can understand, we took over a department that was in desperate need of new management and repair. After years of hard work and the spending of considerable revenue, the water department is now an efficient and well-run department.

So now the question is, why would anyone want to change the effective management of two of the most efficiently-run departments in town? The reasons stated by Mr. Smart, the petitioner, are totally unfounded. Mr. Smart states that the rates are too high. Which rates? Water rates or electric rates? Are the people who backed the petition taking issue with the fact that their property tax rates have increased by about 70 percent since FY08?

First of all, there are other central Massachusetts communities with higher water rates than the TMLWP (Ashburnham, Barre, Paxton, and Spencer to name a few). This information has already been disseminated at least twice at recent water department meetings, as well as in a May 2012 Gardner News article. There are also petition supporters who have frequently brought up the fact that their water rates have increased since the 2000 management change. Of course the rates have increased. Prior to 2000, residents did not even receive water bills for 14 months. With the millions of dollars that has been spent on improvements and the revenue required for daily operations, it is common sense that water rates would increase.

The water department is a true enterprise system. It operates only on revenue it receives from water-users. It is not subsidized by real estate taxes like the Sewer Department’s is.

Second, Mr. Smart’s assertion that our electric rates are among the highest in the state, is totally false. The manager’s electric rate comparisons show that Templeton’s electric rates are in the middle for most rate classifications, particularly, residential. In recent weeks, the rates have actually gone down.

Beginning in March, our rates will be less expensive than those of National Grid. Our rates also reflect the millions of dollars spent on system improvements. With the way rates have been structured over the years, the department does not have to borrow money every time we want to launch a new project. To me, this is another example of effective management. Mr. Smart also indicates that we have not begun the Wind Turbine Cost Certification process, even though the manager began it in February 2011, at the commissioners’ direction. Mr. Smart also stated that we have not initiated a department website, which in fact, began in July 2012, and is days away from completion and being online.

Another major issue that Mr. Smart and his group are addressing is the Pilot (payment in lieu of taxes). The light department has returned an average of $125,000 to the town of Templeton to help set the tax rate. Some communities do not even give a Pilot payment. With the way the town has been governed the last few years, and the fact that taxpayers are reluctant to pass an over-ride to help the town survive, some people feel that it should be the responsibility of the TMLWP to increase the Pilot payment. The amount of Pilot payment that Mr. Smart and his group suggest, is unheard of in the municipal industry.

Lastly, another issue that Mr. Smart stated was that the department is not “transparent.” The department has in fact been extremely forthcoming with information and has given Mr. Smart and his group answers to all of their questions. The TMLWP has over a 100-year history of successful and effective operation with its current team of three commissioners, a manager, and staff, all working for the rate payers of Templeton.

Dana F. Blais
Chairman, Templeton Light and Water Plant Commission

9 comments:

  1. Transparency does not mean submitting the same annual report two years in a row. Transparency does not mean refusing to report on a major multiple water main break for over 7 months--especially when a road reconstruction is about to begin next month over the exact areas of the breaks.

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  2. So when is Chris Stewart going to write a letter, too?

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  3. Smoke some more Dana!

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  4. How much did that lawn ornament (known as a windmill) cost? Did they ever monitor the site for suitability? Was there any sort of performance bond? Were there any sales commissions paid out and who sold that piece of equipment? Just wondering? Maybe Dana could answer those questions!

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    1. Any information we have gotten from them, was gotten after many meetings where they stonewalled, any attempt for us to get answers. The only way they were the least bit forth coming, was when David brought his camera to the meetings. The commissioners and the manager have no intention of helping the town. Their department should not be any different than the other departments in town. Try telling them that! No they do not want to hear it. It is good that these guys got some things done with the water department, but why does he not tell the good readers of the gsnoos, the huge amount of debt left for us to pay off?? Why doesn't Dana tell the readers how many people are paid by the water department? They call it a upside triangle, a few workers and too many people on the top. What do they do? No billing, that is done by a agency. Originally having the water dept. a part of the light dept, was going to help with the sewer dept's billing. That did not last. Now the sewer dept. has to send out their own bills, so we are paying for two departments to bill on their own. How crazy is that? In any other town the sewer and water bills are one bill. I would not want to be hanging on a branch, waiting for JD to get his web site up and running!! Dealing with these guys has been a great thrill. If I owned a business, and my help treated customers like they treated us, they would not have been employed a day. I am going to write a blog about how the PILOT is treated by a town, not to far from us. Through all of this, the light and water, still do not get it!! We own you, like it or not! Bev

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  5. I think this is very well written. Everyone that thinks this department is better off in the hands of the circus on patriots rd is completely out of it! These people have sustained good rates, quality service and funded the town with trucks and cash for many many years. If the selectman get this dept it will soon be another foul ball like everything they touch. Reliability will go down we may lose good staff along with a good asset! They will bleed it dry and then what?

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    1. OMG Good Staff ??? You must work there

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  6. only if you have idiots like Ginny, Stewart, Scappy, Skelton, Columbus and Obrien on the Board of Selectmen

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  7. Are you quoteing the Gregg letter and did you write it for them ? Talk to the people wendnesday march6 then i can give you my side, I can't buy your vote but will try my hardest to unbrainwash the people that think they have us now in a good position. The things you state are true to some degree but the big picture is not as yyou write it hear.Without going to any meetings, you could not relate completely. Reason for this petition are more that money. No jobs,service, or reliability will suffer and will probably improve when the big picture is revealed to the ratepayers.Tha big picture is how they have used us and our walets to gain the power they have now. Forming a power production corp and putting us in unsustainable debt.was never the job of the commission and will strap the town for many years to come.No audit to know where 4million plus went and why is no way to run anything. Holding them accountable is the Templeton taxpayers responsibility and we will try to "get the job done".The responsible thing you see now from the commission is to force the general manager to reduce the customer charge and lower the rates.Your welcome Templeton. We the people got that job done for you!
    the credit they take for the risk the underpaid linemen take is as bad as them charging us to be a customer of our own light department.For you to knock the BOS is a shot at the very people that your defanding Cris stewart how did that feel.It's got to suck to have that slung at you as a chairman of the board of selectmen.If it weren't for the money "the ruler of all evil" I think chris would see things a little different. He will have the next piece of work in the paper and take his shots.It doesn't change my resolve and i knew all along it would be a David and Goliath type thing. I started a just cause that can bring some good or the best if the vote passes. We the taxpayers and voters will have the final say and the debate should be the thing that shapes your mind, not the threats and misconseption. The fact is you all are saving money cause of this petition.You all can have your voice heard,opinions count and the commission has been put on notice. Wake up and smell the people that are not happy with the lack of compassion and arrogance you have to your customers and other town departments. The fact you give up your worn out trucks is as though you could have saved us more on the rates but overide the ratepayes walet and bought a uneeded new ride for your departments use.A true pilot payment would have the effect of the town being able to afford new trucks and would be better cared for as like the highway trucks get unbeleavable use and are actually antiques.Thats geting the job done for less.But then we don't have the ratepayers walet to siphon dry. Your commission has a lack of more things,value of a dollar for one,no reduced rates for low income people and elderly who do with less and less. When the reduction comes for rates i hope you ring the bell again,Is that why you raised them in the first place. The debate is not over till the vote takes place and for the towns sake we need to set up a system with a proper authority like acton has at there electric department.More open and transperent. Have a commission with knowledge of all the departments investments, power commitments and liabilities. Templetons Liabilities. They are all Templetons Liabilities. Money,Health and environmental.
    All Templeton's Liabilities. We don't even know about the audit, The money!
    Shareholder
    Dave Smart

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