Saturday, August 17, 2013

Just say NO! ...and Advisory Board...the movie


Just say NO!
And Advisory Board…the movie.

Mrs. Farrell please stop blaming the school board! The reason you want to lower the minumum contribution is so you can have the pleasure telling them they now get to tell the state the town wants to lower their budget! Sounds like a fun plan of revenge to me. All week the talk has not been in favor of this idea. The 22 should be interesting! :) the children will suffer! Not a good idea! For this alone I'm voting yes, I'm aware this town needs an override with or without the school budget. The school shouldn't wrongfully take the blame for a poorly run town. I pray this upcoming year things get better. It is a shame.

Hey PI – A little current event update for you.


The school district orchestrated this entire situation of fiscal uncertainty for both the school and the Town of Templeton. All the drama… EVERYTHING!

The school superintendent did NOT work with the BOS when she put the override question on the ballot for the April 30th election. That decision by the school superintendent pre-empted any opportunity for a joint override or any cooperation between the school and the town regarding an override.

The school district made a failed attempt to hijack the ATM and move their budget article before town charges. Hello? - it's called a TOWN meeting for a reason. The vote on town charges passed the very well attended town meeting without one line item getting changed. That was your/the school's opportunity to cut $691,000 from the town's FY '14 budget. 

When the school budget came up for discussion, the amount voted was contingent on an OVERRIDE for the SCHOOL!! So town meeting voted to have another, yes, yet ANOTHER OVERRIDE for the SCHOOL on June 25th.

On June 12th, the school committee met and voted to re-certify the district's budget even though the second OVERRIDE FOR THE SCHOOLS had yet to occur. (June 25th).

I believe this vote by the school committee was to force a default of $691,000 from the town of Templeton’s FY’14 budget. That didn’t happen because of the EMERGENCY BOS Meeting on July 1st to set a date for yet another STM on July 26th.

The only reason to have a STM on July 26th was because of the actions of the SCHOOL COMMITTEE and the SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT on June 12th! Am I blaming the school committee and school superintendent for these events?

ABSOLUTELY!  YES!  I AM !

When I met back in February with the school superintendent, we discussed the pros and cons of an override vote BEFORE the ATM. It is difficult to get an override to pass, once it has failed at the ballot. The margin of loss increased from the override on April 30th to the override on June 25th. So the voters have said NO twice at the ballot box…maybe because the number was the exact same figure - $691,000 which seems to indicate an unwillingness to compromise on the part of the school committee.

One reason I feel the BOS may want to try to lower the minimum contribution, is to try to preserve public safety in the Town of Templeton. I will advocate using any tool or legislation to that end. The IGR is a new piece of legislation. We were informed of it in the middle of July. I have no idea if it will work or not, but I will try any legality or piece of legislation to preserve public safety for the residents in Templeton.
Advisory Board meeting…the movie

Part 1 of the August 15, 2013 Advisory Board meeting

Part 2 of the August 15, 2013 Advisory Board meeting

Part 3 of the August 15, 2013 Advisory Board meeting


My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !

Julie Farrell

Please continue to VOTE NO as often as necessary.



Please preserve public safety in Templeton.


14 comments:

  1. All lowering the minimum contribution will do is widen the gap between the 2. That doesnt sound like compromise to me, it sounds like revenge.

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  2. Julie, It does not matter how many times you try to explain why and how we we are at this point, Poison Ivy still does not get it..Ten points for trying anyway. With every town meeting over this issue, people are getting angrier, because their opinion has not mattered, one bit. As I always say, it will come out in the wash, but it is unfortunate that this issue has to be dragged out that out until December. Bev.

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    1. Yes, that is right, Bev. And the school Supt. Costs the town even more by having those extra town meetings, printing of the override ballots, paying out for added expenses for the town (going to the polls costs money) when she has been told multiple times that people cannot fund the override. She is thinking with a salaried mind of $137, 000.00+ annual pay We give her. Of course it is easy for her to think, well, it's only $20 or so. She has no idea (at least it appears that way) how hard it is for this community. And again Bev, it seems like it doesn't matter how many times people on that side of the issue are told that the DOR report puts Templeton yearly average wage earners at Only $23,000 to $25,000. That is not much these days. I know huff & PI get very annoyed with this fact & think there are those who are not trying to better themselves but that simply is not true. If you haven't lost your job yet ( I know huff is a success story & that is wonderful) but not everybody can do that, even when they try. The jobs & resources & other opportunities are just not out there right now. And PI if you think Templeton is so terrible, you may find that a lot of other communities are running into similar problems. I know huff does not want me to blame the economy but it is a big part of why we can't solve this situation like the Supt. wants. Key word what she WANTS. I agree with another blogger who said maybe she needs to be fired if she can't do better than what basically looks like not working with the BOS at all. Thanks, Mrs. Farrell for all the work you do getting added info online in addition to your hands on duties. It is appreciated by many. I am glad you don't let the occasional fireball comments get you down. My opinion this fine day.

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  4. Poison Ivy, please explain what you think Ms. Farrell is seeking revenge for? And why? This woman has served her town for many, many years in a professional manner. If we all had listened to her years ago when she was the minority voice amongst other BOS members who made some pretty expensive mistakes operating the town, maybe Templeton wouldn't be so bad off as it is.

    You know, its comments like that and many others you or For the People have made that does a disservice to the school's position. Have you watched the Advisory Board meeting? You will see 3 out of the four selectmen were present. Mr. Robinson was not present. Ms. Miller was present and graciously answered a lot of questions. I didn't feel anyone in that room was there to seek revenge or to fuel any kind of feud. They were all there to work towards a solution. By constantly coming here to this blog--not to engage in honest discussion, but only to hurl insults and ruffle feathers--is so incredibly pointless and ANTI-COMMUNITY.

    So, PI or FTP answer these questions:
    What are your suggestions to solving the budget issues permanently?
    What are your suggestions for promoting new business to come into town or to generate new revenue?
    Where can the town cut $691k if forced to?
    Where can the school cut $691k if forced to?
    How can towns facing unsustainable school budgets lobby the state for unfunded mandate reform successfully?
    How can all of us strengthen our community?
    How can the school and town communicate better with its citizens?
    What kind of fundraising suggestions do you have?
    Do you have original ideas that are not insults?
    You claim to be far superior to us stupid taxpayers, so lets hear some of your genius ideas to improve?

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  5. Well Templetonian I don't feel the taxpayers are stupid! I have felt some of them are. I guess it's not their fault they are learning this process just as I am! Some of my past comments were spicy and to be honest I can't take them back. I'd love to say I didn't mean them in their entirety but I would be lying. I don't always disagree with YOU and MRS. FARRELL. Truth is politics aside I find you quite nice. I get enraged at times when people are talking down to others whether they know it or not. I realize my spelling to be frank sucks and my grammar can be awful! I guess we all have our strong points and weaknesses. I've never been one to back down when I feel in the depths of my soul that things aren't right. I don't want people of Templeton to be hungry and/or homeless and I do want kids to have a great school. I understand there is not a lot of places to cut. But then we need to work together as a community and find a way to get businesses in town and not run them off. All I hear is people of Templeton can't afford their taxes. They are so cheap here and if they keep decreasing my house will not have any value as will be the same for everyone else and it will make Templeton just that much less desirable. I have made many friends in this town and as of yet they haven't told me I should back off with my thoughts. They may not fly off the handle like I do but they love to watch the show. I do think people on here and in this town have great ideas that would have worked 40-50 years ago but today is much much more complicated. my only solution is the town needs an override. It's the only way we can save our services and our school. If people want to ignore the fact that our budget doesn't allow us to cover all these things and they want to keep voting NO on overrides then I guess it is the selectmen and selectwomen's job to cut from the town what's left. I do realize its SELECTMEN but I feel it's sexist! ;) I would like to work together as a team and learn to respect one another wile moving this town forward I'm just weary that agendas will get in the way. This is the REAL me! I'm cool headed at the moment and wish to reside there! I would say if I've actually used the word STUPID in the past I apologize! There are better key words I could use to get my point across. Thank you for your time. I realize actions speak louder then words so that will be my new objective from here on in!

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    1. Poison Ivy, my grandmother had a saying and I sometimes forget myself, "You can't put a old head on young shoulders." I would like everyone reading this to stop for a minute and think about that means. Most of us, meaning myself, and the people who write on this blog, have lived, and worked for this town for a long time. Not working as a employee, but as supporters, on different committees, sometimes on different boards. Not all of us are as old as me, some are younger and some are older. We do have something in common, we have a similar set of goals for out town. What you want is not a lot different from what we all would like. What we want, and what we can get are two different things and that is sad but it is the truth. One of the things younger people need is to learn to listen. I am not talking down to you, even if it sounds like I am. As Julie has tried to explain to you, the mess the town is in now could have been avoided if the School Committee had been willing to compromise. The town had no chance to work with them to make the school budget something we all could have lived with. I want you to understand one thing, just because the people have not voted for the school override did not mean they are cheap. Did it ever occur to you that some people do not have the money?? Some of the people older than me are trying to hold on to their homes. Some of these people did not make a large amount of money when they worked, so what they get from Social Security does not support them today. They are a member of our community, and did their share when they were younger and I will not sit back and have them driven from their homes. For what ever the reason, people have voted no a number of times for a school override. I do not think the town's people cared one ounce if the Selectmen spoke for it or not. This is a very bad situation the town is in and I really feel the School Committee and Ms. Miller put us there, but this is my opinion. As of right now the average homeowner and voter are not the least bit happy with having town go back and forth from now to December, because their vote was ignored. The town is bigger than just the schools, and the Selectmen are responsible for all of It. Yes, we need a override for the town, but not this year. People are still on uneven footing with the economy still in rough shape in our area. We will get there one step at a time, but until we do I hope you will take a deep breath, and stop long enough to listen. Bev.

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    2. Bev, thank you for responding! I actually really love that saying. I don't feel anywhere in this response there is an ounce of down talking. I wish to continue this comunication! Thank you again! Im looking forward to a fresh start of comunication!

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  6. I agree PI that the town needs an override. At this point in time I don't feel the voters will support an override for the school Or for the town.

    The actions and votes of the school committee have created a very hostile situation with the voters in Templeton. It will take a long time to rebuild voter trust in its elected officials whether school committee or selectmen.

    I feel the best option for the town in this political climate is to try to minimize the impact of budget cuts to public safety. That is why I advocate to use the new legislation signed into law to reduce Templeton's minimum contribution for this fiscal year. I see no other viable way to preserve some semblance of public safety in Templeton.

    If the school budget is not resolved, DESE will come in and set a budget for the school. I don't think DESE will force the town of Templeton to fork over the entire $691,000 demand from the school department. I don't think DESE will reduce the $691,000 figure to zero either.

    I believe in this political climate, if the town were to ask for another override it would be defeated by an even larger margin than the vote on June 25th. The voters are very angry.

    These are my opinions, like it or not.

    Julie Farrell

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    1. Mrs. Farrell thank you for your response! I agree that it will take time to bring this town out of the shadow that has fallen on Templeton. Good luck this up coming year I know it won't be easy but I have faith the BOS as a whole will come together and guide this town. I hope all other boards will as well. Hope you had a great weekend! Take care.

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  7. My observation is that Ms M when asked a question by the the lady on the advisory board.sorry I don't know here name. When asked exactly what positions had been cut last year and what we're the rates of pay. Ms M doesn't answer the question she talks about the closing of ET and moving people but she never says exact who was cut and the salary amount. I do know that a resent college grad was just hired in her office not a teaching position for a excellent pay ans benefit package. Better than the towns. Of course this person's grandmother had worked for the school and her aunt works there too. I heard that Ms M has been saying to one person she could not hire to wait until the budget was settled and she would find a place for them. Can anyone say nepotism. . How about custodians making more than our Town Clerk, Treasurer etc. She also says that the salaries are high because people have been there a very long time. I don't consider 8 years a very long time so why are those people making more than our fire chief, highway sailed etc There is no way that DESE will wipe out the whole town. Maybe it's time to write ethics on this whole who on the school committee wanted to get someone they knew the superintendents Secretary job at $60,000. And if you think contacting ethics don't work just ask Mr O'Brien

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  8. I agree with many of the points that were made. Unfortunately I can't completely agree with the "people can't afford it" argument. Before 'yall fly off the handle let me explain...If you could go back and look at *any* request for money in *any* city or town across the nation in *good* times or *bad* times, the argument is ALWAYS *we can't afford it* It's been that way since the wheel was invented. We could reduce taxes to nearly zero and there would still be some people that "can't afford it". How do we help those people? I do not have an answer. That is the conundrum. It's like trying solve world hunger on a local level. I don't know how to solve that problem.
    Having said that, I might agree to an override IF I thought the money would be put to good use by the school department. By *good use* I mean not wasting money on programs that do not return value and money wasted on the latest unfunded and wasteful mandates by the DESE. You know what programs I am referring to. How about spending more on AP courses or Dual Enrollment for kids that go to college and who might be the one that cures cancer or discovers alien life. Until more towns "just say NO" there will be no changes in funding at the State and Federal levels. Unfortunately speaking like I do marks me as mean and uncaring which is NOT who I am.

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  9. As we went around to post the new signs. Stopping at one house to ask a man if we could put one on his lawn. His reply after explained to him about the budget and what it means to the town and some of the town employees. I don't want to get involved with it ,i don't have the time to be involved. OK thank you for your time sir. Thinking as we left his driveway i said to Bev. How will he drive his truck up the road to go haul sand if we don't have the employees to drive the trucks to clear the snow for him. I think he and others will have allot of time then to get involved and call to find out what happened and why. Please just leave a message at the tone.
    BEEP. Sorry the message box you have called is full. Have a nice day!
    The future Templeton.
    Vote "NO" preserve safety

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    1. Gee, I don't have to go anywhere. My opinion of clearing snow is, why bother, it will melt. Bev. See, there is a advantage to being as old as me, hee, hee.

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