BOS Meeting May 28, 2013…the movie

BOS Meeting May 28, 2013…the movie

Part 1 May 28 2013 BOS Meeting

Part 2 May 28, 2013 BOS Meeting

One of the best run meetings in a long time!

Julie Farrell

Marching Orders

Town Meeting is a very powerful form of government. Town Meeting gives the decision making power to the people who attend Town Meeting.

Some people mistakenly believe the BOS can circumvent Town Meeting votes. That is not true. The votes taken at Town Meeting are the marching orders for the BOS to carry out over the course of the next fiscal year.

The BOS gathers and submits warrant articles for Town Meeting approval from all town departments. These warrant articles need approval from Town Meeting in order to be carried out…the marching orders. If an article is defeated at Town Meeting the BOS can NOT override that vote by Town Meeting. If an operating budget is defeated at Town Meeting, the BOS can NOT sign off on any vendor warrants for that department, because Town Meeting said so.

Enterprise Fund Bylaw for STM

Shedding Some Light on…

Enterprise Fund Bylaw for STM

The warrant for the Special Town Meeting to be held later in June is open. The intent of the STM is to clean up some outstanding accounts that need more money to finish the fiscal year.  As a selectman, I am going to resubmit an article for consideration at town meeting- see below:

Move that the Town’s General Bylaws be amended by adopting a new Article LV – Municipal Water department, section 1 as follows:

Section 1. Consistent with c.93 of the Massachusetts Acts of 2000, the water department and light plant shall be named the Templeton Municipal Lighting and Water plant. The water department and the light plant shall keep separate books of accounts and the water department shall operate as an enterprise fund consistent with MGL c 44, sec. 53F1/2, until changed by law. The manager of the Templeton municipal lighting and water plant shall annually, not less than 120 days prior to the expiration of the fiscal year, furnish to the board of selectmen a detailed estimate in writing of the appropriations required during the next succeeding fiscal year for the proper exercise and performance of all rights and duties so the town may vote the same.

Chp 164

and for those that may want to read the special legislation that was passed - chapter 93 Acts of 2000

and of course here is Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 164 read section 56 management of plant

BOS Meeting May 28

Last night’s meeting was well attended and very well run. Good job Kenn!

After the pledge, the BOS discussed and voted to purchase playground equipment from the state bid list not to exceed $70,000. Playground equipment procured from the state bid list will speed up the process and is less expensive than going out to bid for playground equipment. There was discussion about the other playgrounds in town. The $70,000 will come form the Pajari stabilization account. The money from the Pajari stabilization account can ONLY be spent on Gilman Waite. With the change in CPC regulations, CPC money can be spent on other playgrounds in town.

After discussion from the Police Chief and the representatives from Charlie’s Angels, the tollbooth fundraiser was approved to run at Templeton Center on June 15^th from 9-1 p.m. It was pointed out that this precedent might open up the floodgate for other groups to petition the BOS for similar tollbooths.

A one-day beer and wine license was granted to the Templeton Fish and Game for the Annual Acadien day on June 15^th as well as a one-day entertainment license for the Otter River Sportsman Club for an event that has turned into a benefit on June 15^th.

June 15^th…busy day!

Special Town Meeting Warrant is OPEN!!

The STM meeting is now open. It will close on June 12^th at noon. The BOS have tow articles that need attention at the STM – pay for Snow & Ice $47,000 and Veterans benefits $35,000. There may be an article to create a capital stabilization account for East Templeton repairs. Maybe the TMLWP commissioners will submit a budget for the water department.

The date for the STM has not been set but will take place the last week in June.

No motion was made for temporary pay for COA administrative support. The COA Director job posting is up and will be published in the Gardner News.

The BOS directed the town coordinator to send out a notice all departments to curtail all non-essential spending from expense accounts. It was decided to try this approach instead of a more drastic spending freeze.

Proposed joint meeting with TMLWP commissioners-

The BOS discussed holding a joint meeting with TMLWP commissioners to try to resolve some issues…like the lack of an appropriation for the water department for FY 14. The BOS voted to request the “memorandum on town governance” ($16,000 and counting from Ferriter & Scobbo) from the Light and Water manager. Hopefully, the meeting will take place on June 10^th, which is before the date set for closing the STM warrant. 

During discussion, the treasurer, brought forward a letter from the TMLWP manager. In the letter the manager would like a response from the treasurer if he will pay water bills and payroll “despite the Town meeting vote to reject the FY14 Water Budget.” He needs “to receive written assurance from you by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 3, 2013 or I need to make arrangements to shut off water, lay off employees and/or take other actions.”

It is my hope that the TMLWP commissioners will agree to a joint meeting on June 10^th and resolve outstanding differences to include a detailed water budget (originally requested in January, February and March) so this issue may be resolved at the STM. I hope the request for the ‘memorandum on town governance” will be forthcoming as well. To note, the town treasurer is appointed by the BOS. The town treasurer reports to the BOS. A majority of BOS signatures is required for all payroll and vendor warrants for ALL departments. The town clerk may only sign the payroll warrant under certain circumstances – not the vendor warrant. Chapter 164 section 56 states in part:

“and the selectmen in towns, shall approve the payment of all bills or payrolls of such plants before they are paid by the treasurer, and may disallow and refuse to approve for payment, in whole or in part, any claim as fraudulent, unlawful or excessive; and in that case the auditor or officer having similar duties, or the selectmen, shall file with the city or town treasurer a written statement of the reasons for the refusal; and the treasurer shall not pay any claim or bill so disallowed. “

From Chapter 164.

BOS Vacancy – it was decided to take no action on the BOS vacancy at this point in time. The main reason is the cost ($5500) and timing – an election over the summer is not a good idea. The term of the vacancy expires in May 2014.

Other business –

Templeton Arts and Crafts Fair needs HELP!! Please call Darlene La Clair 978-939-7323 for details!

Forensic accountant, Matt Angell has been hired for no more than $1,000 out of BOS expense to reconcile the books between Vadar (new software) and City and Town (old software) for FY 13. We don’t want a repeat in setting the tax rate late.

Our ISP is going belly up…no more town website as of June 25^th. It is hoped to have a patch in place before June 25^th!

The BOS has been invited to the Relay for Life at MWCC June 7^th and 8^th.

My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !

Julie Farrell

From Friday's Gardner News

5/24/2013 6:46:00 AM Dunkin' Donuts hearing continued Neighbors express concerns over plan

Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer

Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — Following concerns raised by neighbors earlier this week, the Planning Board will continue a public hearing on a proposal for a Dunkin’ Donuts at the site of the former Grace Baptist Church in Baldwinville on June 11. “After hearing the conversation back and forth, we continued the hearing,” said board Chairman Kirk Moschetti. “We take everything under advisement ... We can see if the applicant can make any adjustments to appease the neighbors.”

GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT

Is Government involvement a good or bad thing? You would have to know the pros and cons and when the whole story gets told by someone truthful it still may only be an opinion. To fully make a proper judgment one must have the time to check the facts and also research on their own to come to a conclusion that is full of facts not misleading sound bites. If when government is involved and there are no other options is there no other choice? Take nuclear power plants for one subject. When no others will build them is it up to government to find a way to do it? Take wind power for another subject, when no others will build them it’s up to the government to find a way to do it. When the insurance industry cannot insure flood prone areas it’s the government that puts it on the line and takes over for them. If government see’s a way to get involved they will, the bigger the better. I can only say watch out if you think it’s all good, you’re wrong.

Memorial Day

Here is the information for the Memorial Day Parade

The parade route will be the same from the high school to the legion. The parade will begin at 10:00 am. If you are marching in the parade please be at the high school by 9:30 a.m.

Brian O'Coin is organizing the event.

Meetings the week of May 26th

Upcoming
Agenda for the Planning Board 5/28/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Sewer Commissioners 5/28/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Board of Selectmen 5/28/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Back Bay 5/29/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Monty Tech Workforce Subcommitte 5/29/13 Meeting

Saturday May 25th

First Church of Templeton

On the Common

Saturday May 25th   

 9 AM to 3 PM 

Country Fair

TouchTomorrow

Save the date…June 8, 2010

In celebration of our second year hosting a NASA Centennial Challenge, WPI is once again transforming our campus into a family-friendly festival of science and technology. Join us at TouchTomorrow 2013 on Saturday June 8th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for an out-of-this-world experience filled with interactive exhibits, learning, games, and fun.

Continuing a stellar tradition

Last summer over 7,000 people attended TouchTomorrow 2012 to help WPI celebrate our historic achievement of being the first university to host a NASA Centennial Challenge. The event was truly a day to remember as participants of all ages engaged in hands-on learning and exploration.

We’re working hard to make sure that this year’s festival continues the tradition and brings guests even more excitement and education around science, technology, engineering, and math.

Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect:

 

Explore Space, Robots, and More

• Meet Captain Stephen G. Bowen, a NASA astronaut from Massachusetts who has completed three spaceflights and seven spacewalks
• Check out returning NASA favorites including the Robonaut Hand, MarcBot, Be a Bot, Mac 3 Suit, and the Starfish tent
• NASA’s Lunar Quest, a simulated trek across the moon’s surface using satellite imagery
• Magic Planet, a dynamic digital exploration of the Earth, other planets, and space
• Lunarscape floor map
• Rock out to a Robot Band. The band will be on stage a few times during the festival so be sure to check out the schedule when you get here.
• Make your own slime! Combine a few basic ingredients to make this unique substance that has qualities of both a liquid and a solid.
• Play Pop fly, the football game with a twist. Take a ping pong ball, paint stirrers, a wooden spool, and tape. Add your foot and ready, set, launch!
• Discover an enlightening and delicious way to explore numbers with M&M® Math
• Learn about the lifecycle of a star
• Craft your own flying devices at the paper airplane station
• Design a device to protect a water balloon brain
• Challenge your peers to see how long you can keep a specially designed bubble in the air
• Examine soil samples to detect nematodes (roundworms), and bring home a kit to test your own yard
• Find out why you love, or hate, cilantro. Take part in this Citizen Science project to explore the genetics of taste.

Get your hands on innovative research from WPI

• Meet Archie, a PR2 (personal robot) that is spurring advances in human-robot collaboration and the use of robots in manufacturing
• Check out medical robots at the Automation and Interventional Medicine (AIM) Lab, including a robotic penguin used in therapy for autistic children, a rehabilitation glove for people recovering from strokes, and a robotic arm assistance device
• Tour the Assistance Technology Lab, where students and professors will be demoing research devices created to assist people with disabilities
• Try out other exciting developments from WPI’s robotics team, including mobile robots, intelligent autonomous ground vehicles, and a robot that can mimic human emotion
• Visit the WPI Aerospace Engineering tent to see the student-designed micro-aircraft that recently won a national competition
• Drop in at the Interactive Media and Game Development labs to play student-designed video games, watch game trailers and view student animations.

Engage with local and national exhibitors

Check our exhibits and activities from a variety of organizations:

• Coastal Studies for Girls
• The Discovery Museums
• FIRST Burncoat Green Reapers robotics team
• iRobot Corporation
• Maine Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy
• Museum of Science “Super-Cold Science” presentation
• Science from Scientists
• VEX Robotics, Inc.
• VEX Worcester Tech team

*If your organization would like to participate, contact touchtomorrow@wpi.edu.

Interesting News…

I found this notice in my e-mail backlog. I thought I would pass it along.

Brown Bag on

Abner Kneeland,

  the last man in

the country jailed

         for

    Blasphemy

Join us for a Brown Bag Lunch

on Thursday,  May 30th

State Library of Massachusetts

Room 442, State House

12 until 1:30 PM

Bring your lunch and join us to hear Carla Charter, amateur historian, tell the story of Abner Kneeland.  Kneeland, a Gardner native, was tried and jailed in Boston on the blasphemy charges in 1838.  Learn about other aspects of his life as well, including his staunch views on abolition and women’s rights.  Charter will speak about his connections to William Lloyd Garrison and Fanny White and will discuss the Iowa community Kneeland developed after his release from prison.

Ms. Charter has a keen interest in New England history.  She has published three novels, including Across Lots, based on the murder in 1855 of Abner’s sisters in Gardner.  She has currently begun work on a non-fiction book about the same topic.

To register, please go to http:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VPFBH97

You may also register by calling the Reference Department at 617-727-2590 or by e-mailing to Reference.Department@state.ma.us

Way to go Carla!

Now I have another book to read on my summer reading list!

Julie Farrell

PS from Pauly - For anyone who doesn't know Carla Chartier is from Phillispston, you all may remember her several years ago writing for the Athol News. Carla is also and advocate for special needs! Good work Carla!

Shedding some light…on PILOT Payments

The rules and regs that govern municipal light plants can be found in MGL chapter 164. Even commissioners who have served for a long time can be forgiven for not being familiar with Chapter 164 in its entirety. What is difficult to understand is how the Chairman of TMLWP can speak out a town meeting and say: “the light department doesn’t even have to make a payment to the town!”

Well, if ignorance is bliss, Mr. Blais must be one happy guy! Maybe he should read Chapter 164 sec 47C (j):

(j) Except as provided for herein, a municipal lighting plant cooperative shall be exempt from paying taxes, including, but not limited to taxes on its income and real and personal property situated within the commonwealth and owned by the municipal light plant cooperative; provided, however, that the cooperative shall agree, in lieu of property taxes, to pay to any governmental body authorized to levy local property taxes the amount which would be assessable as local property taxes on the real and tangible personal property if such property were the property of a domestic corporation; provided, further,

ATM

ATM is done!

But is it over?

Last might completed the outstanding warrant articles.

Article 51 was not reconsidered. The town and TMLWP will continue to be at odds on the water enterprise until this issue is resolved. I did find a few interesting FACTS in the Financial statements on the TMLWP website.

Water Financial Statements 2011 + 2012

On page 9 of the financial statements:

1. Organization

The Town of Templeton, Massachusetts, Municipal Water Department (“the Department”) is an enterprise fund of the Town of Templeton, Massachusetts. The Department provides water related services to consumers within the Town of Templeton.

On the bright side! A new business in town‏

After years of proving the people of Leominster, and the surrounding area, with top quality vegetable plants and flowers, Bart's Farm closed up shop and relocated to Templeton. I am more that happy to say, Bart has down sized, from 6 large green houses to 1. I had been on the verge of rebelling for a number of years, because I wanted to go home. It became a standing joke with the regular customers, "Oh, you are still here!" This time I am happy to say I am home, and the people who are used to doing business with Bart, have

Upcoming Meetings

Upcoming
Agenda for the Monty Tech Capital Improvements Subcommittee 5/16/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Conservation Commission 5/20/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Agricultural Committee 5/20/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Board of Selectmen 5/20/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Planning Board 5/21/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Monty Tech School Committee 5/22/13 Meeting
Agenda for the Common Improvement Committee 5/22/13 Meeting

And don't forget night 4 of the Annual Town Meeting - Monday My 20th 7:00pm

Original article from 2000

Here is the original article from the March 8, 2000 Special Town Meeting regarding article 51.

When in doubt… GET IT OUT!

I support all three articles (Articles 54, 55, and 56) regarding water fluoridation.

The BOS office received an interesting e-mail from James Reeves. James Reeves is a retired civil engineer from Lafayette, LA. He writes:

“From: James Reeves [mailto:james.reeves@lusfiber.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 7:59 PM
To: selectman@templeton1.org
Subject: My Professional Opinion
Importance: High

To:          Board of Selectmen, Templeton

From:    James W. Reeves,  Ph.D.,  Retired Professor of Civil Engineering,   Lafayette, LA,   70506
                   Tel. (337) 981-3255

Regarding Virginia

Since there seems to be some interest in my side of the Virginia Wilder statement / letter of resignation, I thought I would write a small blog on the subject. First off, I was very surprised that Virginia would resign, I thought she would stay and work for those who elected her. She was one of the group known as Let the People Speak so why would she not stay and work for and speak on behalf of those who supported her? Then the vision of Virginia speaking at a selectmen meeting in the cafeteria at NRHS saying to a Police Officer " remove that whole section over there" and the vision of that night tends to make me ask myself if Virginia was there (as a selectmen) for the people or for some other reason. Hard for me to understand how someone could be a leading member of a group called Let the People Speak and then turn around and attempt to toss out a whole group of towns people from a public open meeting of the Board of Selectmen. The BOS is there to among other things, Let residents speak, listen to them and help them if we can. We are not there to toss them out en mas, that to me is real bullying at its worse! After the recall and reorganization of 2012,

From: "Katherine Cohen (SEN)"
To: "Katherine Cohen (SEN)"
Cc: "Meghan Kelly (SEN)"
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 5:15:17 PM
Subject: FY 2013 9C Reversals

Dear Local Official:

Senator Brewer is pleased to inform you that he just received a phone call from Glen Shor, Secretary of the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, relative to the Governor's decision to restore key education accounts that were cut earlier this year through the 9C process:

* $1 million to the Regional School Transportation Account;

* $5.25 million to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Student Transportation Account; and,

* $11.5 million to the Special Education Circuit Breaker.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.

Sincerely,

Kate

Kate Cohen, District Staff Director
Chairman Stephen M. Brewer

Senate Committee on Ways and Means

State House, Room 212
Boston, MA 02133
p: 617-722-1540
f: 617-722-1078

www.stevebrewer.org

More on Art 51

To fully understand article 51 we must first listen to what the lawyer said to us at the meeting.

We have paid a lot of lawyer money to get to the point where we are on this subject. The town was high jacked in 2006 or 2007 when the water department stopped declaring itself an enterprise system. It started to operate under a different set of rules and regulation and ultimately cost us in state revenue. It came at a time when Templeton was in need for more not less revenue from the cherry sheet. The state calculates everything from debt and income from the overall amount and balances of all town assets, liabilities and figures out what we get. How much the schools get for help and other means of financing. The water department has used and received money from grants and other sources that would be even greater if the power struggle and greed for control of town assets weren’t there by

Please reconsider ARTICLE 51!!!

Shedding some light… on water

Annual Town Meeting was continued to Monday night, May 20^th at 7 p.m. Please attend and bring a friend!

A motion was made to pass over Article 51 as the last business item. The motion to pass over can be reconsidered on Monday night. Please consider the following:

Original warrant posting:

Article 51: To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following bylaw:

Notwithstanding any special legislation to the contrary, all funds identified as “Enterprise Funds” shall operate under MGL Chapter 44 section 53 F1/2.

Link to the motion as read. Please print it out and read it.

If town meeting votes to adopt this new bylaw, it would need to be approved and reviewed by the Attorney General…AT NO COST TO THE TOWN OR TMLWP!!!

May 9 Advisory Board/BOS Budget Meeting

The movie

Part 1 of the combined meeting of Advisory Board and Board of Selectmen.

Part 2 of the combined meeting of Advisory Board and Board of Selectmen.

This meeting was held to review differences between BOS budget and Advisory Board budget.

Julie Farrell

any coments on night 2

Truth Fairy has left a new comment on your post "Night 1 - town meeting":

Round 2 of ATM was grueling. Hard to think the "townspeople" could have been more rude to the moderator.

Dear Supt. Miller -
We get it! You want the town to go broke. The advisory board and the most of BOS get it as well. You want the town to amputate itself at the knees by taking $691,000 from town charges.

Go for the override.

If it fails, then the state will come in and amputate town government at the knees. The advisory board and the BOS do not seem interested in self mutilation.

May 13 BOS Reorganization…

The movie

Part 1 of the BOS meeting held on May 13 to reorganize the BOS.

Part 2 of the BOS meeting held on May 13 to reorganize the BOS.

Welcome Doug and Kenn! It was good to hear from Chairman in abstentia Jeffrey Bennett.

Night 1 - town meeting

Well, the first night of town meeting did not go so bad. I only have one article that bothers me and I will tell you why. Article 25, was poorly written, who knows why. I have to give the people in the selectman's office, credit for pulling this years warrant together. It must have been a huge job, being short handed, for as long as they have been. Back to Article 25, when we got to the East Templeton School, and the money to use CPA funds, to fix the school roof. This building is not in real bad shape. I had never been in there, and it is beyond me why the school was not being used. At any rate, the windows are nice and big, the rooms are not in bad shape, and the yard in the back has more than enough room for parking. I thought we could use ET School as a polling place for half of the town, and the Senior Center for the other half, once that is off the ground.