Tuesday, August 13, 2013

August 12, 2013 BOS Meeting



BOS Meeting…August 12, 2013

After approval of the minutes, discussion began about a letter of complaint the BOS received from some residents at Phoenix Court. Three residents attended the BOS and delivered some disturbing news about the lack of maintenance and upkeep of the common rooms and the grounds. There were no representatives from the Templeton Housing Authority (THA) present. While the BOS has no direct authority over the Templeton Housing Authority, it was voted to send a letter to the director of the Templeton Housing Authority as well as the state agency (State Housing and Community Development) that oversees THA.


SBS Contract Elementary School –
A lengthy discussion based on archival research by Chairman Bennett and votes by prior BOS and town meetings determined that the Town of Templeton “acting by and through its duly elected Board of Selectmen” are the signing authority for all contracts regarding the Elementary school building project.

The BOS voted to allow the Chair to sign a corrected contract with Strategic Building Solutions and the TOWN.


Face sheet of SBS Contracts  





Legal review of SBS contract by K&P attorney Mark Reich

Narragansett Historical Society update –
This agenda item was taken out of order. Brian Tanguay, Harry Aldrich and Janet Haley attended the BOS to raise awareness of the Narragansett Historical Society (NOT the historical Commission). The Narragansett Historical Society is a non-profit organization, which preserves Templeton’s history and historical artifacts.  The historical society does not receive any tax money. It is maintained and operated on donations and memberships. The lack of operating funds may jeopardize the future of this important organization.

The discussion also concerned the Boston Post Cane. The original Boston post cane is kept at the Narragansett Historical Society. Replicas are presented to the oldest resident in Templeton. It has been three years since the last Boston post cane was presented and the search is on for the next recipient.

The Narragansett Historical Society will be open during the Templeton Arts and Crafts Festival August 17th and 18th. Stop by and check it out.

Fiscal Year Waivers- Education  Reform Spending:

There was a lengthy discussion regarding the material presented at last week’s BOS meeting:


Selectman Robinson contacted Rick Kingsley from the DOR and asked about the process for this new legislation. These waivers can only be applied for if there is an approved budget, which our school district  does not have.  The BOS agreed to table this issue for a future discussion.

There was a lot of discussion about the possibility of cutting public safety in Templeton. One resident felt it was a threat. Chairman Bennett stated cuts to public safety are not a threat, simply a reality to come up with an additional $691,00 from the Town of Templeton’s FY’14 operating budget. One resident commented that the town should contract out most of government services thereby preserving public safety. Another resident suggested consolidating all town offices to 690 patriots road and selling off all our assets. The increase in rent to $78,000 would not offset the costs to maintain the town buildings we already own outright.

Selling off ET was proposed. People were informed that ET was still being considered for office space. Selling off 252 Baldwinville Rd was mentioned. How much of a loss are we willing to take on that building? It was purchased for $400,000 and then an additional $300,000 was put into the building with nothing to show for it but an ethics violation by a former BOS chairman. Current market projections are that the Town would take a considerable loss on this property.

Selling any town asset would result in one time money, which would not address the future yearly increases from the school district. If the school district is successful on August 22nd, that additional $691,000 will be built into future school budgets. This action will bankrupt the town. If we gut public safety, next year there will be nothing left to gut…just the carcass of what was once the Town of Templeton.

Some people in attendance would like the state (DESE) to come in before December 1st. It was explained that the process is out of the BOS control. The school committee started this process by re-certifying their budget on June 12th , which was thirteen days before the second override ballot failed on June 25th. That vote by the school committee on June 12th began this process of multiple STMs, emergency meetings, joint town meetings and who knows what else! If you are unhappy with the process, please direct your complaints to the superintendent of schools and the school committee.

Police detail –
The BOS voted to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the police union regarding the negotiated increase of $1.00/hour in police detail rate. This action is revenue neutral as the contractors pay this rate for the police details.

Light & Water Manager Report to the Selectmen-
The BOS voted to send a letter requesting the presence of the L&W manager at a future BOS meeting to report on progress made complying with the BOS request for all contracts over $5,000 and un update on work proposals for TDC. This vote is a request for the Light and water manager to comply with MGL specifically MGL Chapter 164 section 56 and 56C.

My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !

Julie Farrell


Please VOTE NO on August 22nd.

5 comments:

  1. I question why we are asking the L and W for all contracts dating back to the year 2000. I can understand maybe the last year or two. To go back 13 years however seems to just be creating more work which takes the focus off of current issues that need to be resolved. To me, it seems to be a witch hunt. So if you find there was a bid that was $6000 that was questionable in 2001, what are you going to do? It was years ago. Let's move on please. We have other more pressing issues. Let the L and W focus on them. I don't see nearly as much to do about the sewer department. The water department ran in the red last year...huge issue. The sewer department runs in the red, takes tax money to help out and it is okay. It seems to be there still is this personal vendetta to get the L and W. They were disrespectful so we are going to show them. That attitude is childish and only serves to continue to cause a division in this town. That is what needs to change. Right or wrong this is just my opinion...based on my opinion!

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  2. Thank you Julie for the information you provide.

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  3. Joyce, As a matter of law. Please click on the links and read. The fact that our L+W department does not follow the law puts the town in harms way. Contacts are not in our office and no copies other than the ones MMWEC has is a problem of it's own. When you form your opinion please look at the big picture and think about the whole town as the debt is just that,the towns. Some issues would be swept under the rug and i can only imagine the things that would and have to be done. All contracts of 5,000.00 or more are to be kept by the auditing authorities and available for public to review. This is the law and like it or not if there is nothing to hide,get them and copy them and bind them for the people in Templeton to review. Our General manager told us he doesn't even have them to copy for us,There's a flag i want to check on for sure.Asking to comply with the laws,rules and regs is not a childish thing to have to do. Are "they" hiding or just stupid ?

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    1. I am sorry Joyce, that you think that way. I have learned that trusting any large department that have kept the selectmen out of the loop is dangerous business. Not only do these contracts need to be where they are available to the public, it is the law that the General Manager, report to the selectmen. Now what the problem is with that, is what the General Manager needs to explain to the selectmen. Some of the decisions that have been made by the Light Department, with no input from other departments may come back to haunt us, and could be costly enough to put the town in bankruptcy. I am sure that is not what the founders of the Templeton Municipal Light Department had in mind when they established the business many years ago. The Water Department is paying too many people on the Administrative Side. As a matter of fact, we are the only Water Department out of the towns our size that have as many people on the water payroll. This is where the money goes. When they can not pay their bond payment, for lack of funds, it is easier to just charge their customers $56.00, to make up the difference. As usual, they will not consider looking at their over head to remedy the situation. Are the people like Dave, and myself picking on the Light and Water Department? Absolutely Not! I want the Light and Water Departments to start behaving like they are a part of this town, because they are. This is my opinion, Bev. .

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