JimAugust 25, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Well at least these latest actions by the school comity got people talking. I only wish that had happened before we got to where we are now. Seriously I think that any reasonable administrator should be able to live with a 10 % cut. Innovative solutions could help ease the pain. People should spend the towns money as wisely and with as much care as they use with their own. We should make every effort to work with everyone and try to find the best solution. Money can be found to make a new office as demonstrated by the last superintendent. Money can be found to build a scale model of a new elementary school prior to securing the land. Money can be found for 2 buses to take students and faculty on a trip to Boston to attempt to sway the vote to get land for a new school. All this and the voters have not approved a new school.
I do not wish to sound like I am bashing the school department however, couldn’t we have gotten a video teleconference going with the state house and saved a little money. Everyone knew of the situation happening with town workers and the financial situation of the town. Even that did not stop the school committee, they pushed their agenda forward. I saw money was urgently needed for band uniforms in the override request. I wondered how they were purchased 20 years ago. How did we afford it then? Let me tell you, students and facility got together and figured out a way to get the job done. Hard work, good ideas and dedication those were the lessons that were taught back then. Had they waited to be given new uniforms the uniforms would be 40 years old now. And really think about people doing the same amount of work for less pay each month and ask do we need these uniforms now, is there another way? Yet this is an urgent budget need?
We live in a town where 25% of the citizens are considered elderly. Most are on a fixed income and cannot afford more tax. That was and will be the answer we will have to live with. I wish we would all think about others and how the actions of one group has ripple effects on so many others. I also question what lessons are being taught to these children. Is it all for me and none for you? Or is it all for me and the heck with you? Most likely it is a little bit of both. Hopefully someone will teach the children to get involved in community and public service projects. Some of our elderly residents who have to decide between food and medicine will now have to figure out how to trim their budjets by 10 % to afford the new tax burden. Maybe we can get a community garden project going and make donations to the food bank to help them out. The people who do not have jobs and can hardly make it now will most likely move to shelters in the city and that should help save the town some money.
It reminds me of the golden rule to do to others as you would have them do to you.
May the good lord bless us and teach us to listen before we speak or shout out in anger. To consider others before we act for our just cause. May we learn to work together to resolve our problems.
This will hopefully not turn out to be one of those us against them battle. If everyone can get on the same page we can resolve the issues before they get out of control. Hopefully we can show that to the children and teach them some worthwhile values.
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isteachAugust 25, 2013 at 2:16 PM
Excellent blog, Jim!! Excellent!! One day those who just think of themselves will see that some of the others were right. Julie has done a miraculous job of getting awareness out of much that has been broken in Templeton & the country. No one can do it all alone & I am guilty of not being a hands on person as much anymore. As many of us age we hope that the work principles we grew up with can be rekindled in the generations coming forward & see that you cannot Always have what you want, immediately & when you want it without working & waiting for it. This is what a large segment of the population in town has been trying to say when they have voted No at the polls. These latest measures at meetings (a lot of residents cannot attend for a variety of reasons) to push the same agendas through that were voted down by them only show that there is the entitlement faction that will pound through something in another way until they get it. This is a sad thing for me to see from our current educators (certainly not all, there are many many good teachers) that are at the helm at the present time. I feel that the economy is going to continue to get worse before it gets better (hope I am wrong). Therefore, it has been a shock to a good deal of people that cannot seem to wrap their heads around the fact that reshaping business as usual is a need that is sorely lacking from what I can see. In my opinion, this town needs Mrs. Farrell, but as of late, doesn't deserve her, especially with the horrid comments that have been flung at her for doing a superb, thankless job. It is my belief, that if she had not stepped into the "fire" we would be in State receivership already. Again, I say, how much can a person do for others & be slammed in ways that have been far worse than the comments she has made, she has asked to receive her apologies. That is more than anyone has done for her with the nasty things that have come her way. I feel her frustration from the entitlement few who have slandered her & discounted her advice on lack of funds, in what I think , at least in part, may have lead her to her recent commentary. If she no longer wishes to lead for the majority (at the polls anyway) then I wouldn't blame her. We can't Judge anyone until we have walked in their shoes. I felt that way for a long time about the SC & Supt. until I saw that there was no give & take or re-budgeting to fit the times. It appears that there is only take. Eventually the well they seek to draw from repeatedly, without replenishing, will eventually run dry. My thoughts & opinions this fine day. I appreciate those who contribute with theirs. Have a good Sunday everyone & as Jim says May the Good Lord Bless us & teach us. And in all things as we go through this life. Thank you!
Thursday night was a long stretch from being a well run meeting, in my opinion. Why do I say that? Well to start, a person I know well said someone had a hand full of paper ballots, and was handing them out to people in the hall. The police chief took them away. I was also told people who were not registered voters, voted. I was not alone in thinking the moderator did not take a independent stance, when discussing if we should use paper ballots or not. Using the door at the middle of the building was very difficult for the people with a handicap. Just whose idea was that? Since when is it that we do not count hands? How much did the article win by, or loose by? Sorry, we did not count? Why were people in the other room? They could have been moved into the auditorium because there were empty seats. This is not sour grapes, but it does bother me that with a vote as important as this, the meeting was run so poorly. Maybe it is because the School Committee should not be running a town meeting. Bev
ReplyDeleteIt was disturbing to learn that voters were present in another room. As far as the Phillipston town moderator being "with them" (I think that was said), he was not sworn in for this meeting, and it wasn't clear that he was acting in a supervisory role or acting as a monitor. Why swear in tellers to count hands? Certainly not a textbook meeting. Maybe people will cut Mr. Bergeron some slack after this experience.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, the vote was obviously "yes" in the auditorium.
Talked with my father who attended the meeting,he says it was the biggest joke to even consider it a combined town meeting.
DeleteI understand that is was a yes, but going down the road, it passed, but by how many? Why were people allowed to just walk in? This was a important vote, and it will impact what is decided in the future. Bev.
DeleteOK Bev, I hadn't thought about the possibility of voter fraud. There should be no concerns about voter fraud in any election. The Chief was not a sworn official for this JTM. Kudos to the Chief for his actions. I hear no criticism of the moderator commensurate to the criticism heaped upon Mr. Bergeron after previous meetings. Maybe the adult voters who criticized him should search their souls, and possibly offer Mr. Bergeron a most sincere apology.
DeleteNOBODY JUST WALKED IN IF YOU DIDNT HAVE A BALLOT YOU DIDNT GET IN UNLESS YOU WERE IN THE UNREGESTERED SECTION WITCH HAD A ELECTION PERSON STANDING THERE ALL NIGHT TO MAKE SURE THEY STAYED IN THERE SECTION ,AND THE PERSON WHO HAD THE BALLOTS WAS THE WORKER FOR THE PHILLPSTON TOWN CLEARK AND DID NT WANT TO LEAVE THEM UNATTENDED ON HER TABLE WHEN SHE WAS WATCHING FROM THE HALL AND WHEN PETE COMPLAINED SHE GAVE THEM TO THE POLICE CHIEF TO HOLD FOR SAFE KEEPING UNLESS SHE NEEDED ONE FOR SOME ONE WHO WAS NEW CHECKING IN I WAS THERE AND WATCHED VERY CLOSE CONSTABLE FOR TEMPLETON RANDY BROWN
DeleteLmao. Constable or not. You surely are not one that can be trusted.
DeleteBut Phillipston residents do no wrong. Just ask them.
ReplyDeleteWe could argue about this for a year, and not gain anything. I sincerely hope we never have to have another meeting like last Thursday night again. Nothing was right about not counting hands for a tally. In history there will be no numbers to show how many people voted to drag our town down, once again. How can we bring our people back to where they should be, now that the money is gone. The young people and some of the older people, members of the School Committee think this override vote will be a walk in the park. I hope they are right. Bev
DeleteMrs. Farrell needs to resign...Continual disgraceful acts from a town official should not be tolerated.. In order to heal as a community, to move forward, Templeton Needs to move on without Mrs. Farrell representing the town residents...If Mrs.Farrell truly wanted what is best for Templeton she will resign...The town being completely divided before the latest unbelievable comments(those who have not heard read earlier post referring to the voters "gang raping" the town)is certainly further apart now. This will only get worse. Templeton needs a fresh start..Mrs. Farrell if you truly want the best for Templeton you will admit your resignation as a selectperson...my opinion...based on FACTS!!!
ReplyDeleteMy opinion, based on facts, is that there have been other questionable comments made by past selectmen as well. Let's remember that O'Brien called the whole town stupid at a school building committee meeting and Columbus called someone chicken sh*t at a BOS meeting (both on video). I do not remember either one apologizing for their comments. At least Ms. Farrell had enough sense to recognize her mistake and apologize for it. Everyone has said and done things that were not in the best interest of the town. Everyone. Recalling Ms. Farrell or asking her to resign will not help the town move forward. It is only a distraction from the real business at hand. Let's all agree to move on and pay closer attention to the words we use. Let's make sure that our comments and actions --on the blog or in a meeting--are meant to help find solutions to our serious problems. Enough with tearing each other down. It doesn't solve anything and only continues to hurt our community.
DeleteHey truth
ReplyDeleteFor someone so appalled by the phrase, you sure do like to use it.
this is an information blog as stated many times by Pauly, Mrs.farrell , Mr. Smart...It is important the people know what the selectman are doing and saying...Those are Mrs.Farrell's words not myself..When I saw Mr.Bergeron the other day he didn't know what was being said he was completely shocked.... As Mr.Bennett said many times we need to do a better job of communicating to the townspeople.. So truth fairy- Those are not my words those are Mrs. Farrell's words..Am I telling everyone I encounter in Templeton, absolutely. It is not an easy job. I do know a lot of town residents and they all have been shocked and disgusted by Mrs. Farrell's latest comments. Just trying to help the process along...Or do the selectman mean that people should only communicate what THEY want people to know...That would be Hypocrisy!!!
ReplyDeleteTempletonian- is Mr. O'Brien presently a selectman, Is Mr. Columbus a selectman?? So I disagree with your example of this being comparable to other inappropriate behavior..it all comes out in the wash!!
ReplyDeleteThat makes absolutely no sense to me. Inappropriate behavior is inappropriate behavior. They all made them as sitting selectmen. That's my point. One apologized and owned up to it. Two did not. But, of course, you are entitled to your own opinion and so am I. In the end, it doesn't matter what Ms. Farrell or Mr. O'Brien or Mr. Columbus said. It does matter what they did to help improve the town, how they voted on important issues, and how they governed the town.
DeleteIn my opinion, its important to keep our focus on solving the problems that face the town. Like how did the town end up with zero money? We should figure it out in order learn from it, not to repeat it again, and strive to do better in the future. Also, lets try to figure out how to bring more money to the town.
Go ahead and continue to focus on a personality issue you have with Ms. Farrell. While you're busy doing that, a lot of other people will be busy trying to save our police and highway depts. When you weigh the two issues, in my opinion, solving the budget issue has more weight than a personal issue. So, why not make some suggestions about how to bring in more money to town? Are you planning on voting for the override? Why or why not?
Thank you Templetonian once again for being a voice of reason. Kudos to you for trying hard to keep the focus FORWARD and not BACKWARD. As stated before we will help get the word out about an override and ways to keep communication going. I will ask this one question and then make a statement.. if the town did not vote for $691,000 why on earth would they ever vote for 1.5 Million as I read today. That is over $2 on the tax rate and how would someone ever vote for that if they couldn't afford it before? Why are we not just asking for what is needed along with bringing back the hours to the town employees? I am all for that, but not to put excess funds back in stabilization ~ we need to work towards that just as if the school had kept that excess $140K everyone would have been livid. So, let's not crush the folks that cannot afford this and find a way to bring back what was lost last year and continue to find ways to communicate and move forward on all the issues at hand. I also will be seeking ways to help the school save money and volunteer efforts with Gansett Greatness. Thank you everyone for the opportunity to speak and have respectful conversation here.
ReplyDeleteDiane- I don't think anyone is seeking a 1.5 million override figure. That figure was mentioned in passing but, to me, it sounds as if the 1 million figure is more the target figure. Nothing has been decided upon yet. So, lets make sure that people interested in the override conversation go to the Advisory Board meeting to get the correct information, much like we all tried to get people to go to the school committee meetings for correct info during the school override.
DeleteI predict that the passing of another override will be too close to call and its going to come down to a handful of votes that passes it or not. Which will probably mean a recount will be demanded too. So, regardless of where everyone stands--yes or no--every vote is going to really matter.
I agree about getting people to go to meetings and getting them out to vote. We have accomplished the vote, but not the meetings. We will continue to work towards that. I will be sure to do my homework and ask questions because an override not passing will not be good for anyone.
ReplyDelete