Board backs $750K override
Calls for 30-percent cut if bid for funding fails
Kerry O'Brien
News Staff Writer
Kerry O'Brien
News Staff Writer
TEMPLETON — The Advisory Board has recommended a $750,000 Proposition 2 1/2 town override request following an increase in Templeton’s assessment to the Narragansett Regional School District, and is also calling on the Board of Selectmen to make 30-percent across-the-board municipal budget cuts if the request for additional funding fails.
“If the override doesn’t pass, cuts will have to take place,” said advisory board Chairman Wilfred Spring at a meeting Wednesday.
Mr. Spring said his board will not recommend specific cuts to the budget, and said making the uniform reductions would require only the selectmen’s approval, not a town meeting vote.
The advisory board’s recommendation is to have the selectmen approve making the 30-percent cuts across all departments as soon as possible. Department heads would then decide where cuts will be, and be able to provide their employees with notice.
“We cannot not tell (employees) what the impact is,” said Mr. Spring.
Selectmen Chairman Jeffrey Bennett voiced opposition to the advisory board’s recommendation, saying that the 30-percent budget cut would impact each department differently.
“That’s a thought to have, but it’s not the road to go,” he said.
The 30-percent cut would provide the town with the approximately $551,000 in additional funding for the school district that voters approved at a joint town meeting.
“We cannot not tell (employees) what the impact is,” said Mr. Spring.
Selectmen Chairman Jeffrey Bennett voiced opposition to the advisory board’s recommendation, saying that the 30-percent budget cut would impact each department differently.
“That’s a thought to have, but it’s not the road to go,” he said.
The 30-percent cut would provide the town with the approximately $551,000 in additional funding for the school district that voters approved at a joint town meeting.
The advisory board reviewed several possible override amounts, settling on the $750,000 figure. Aside from meeting the increased school assessment, board members said that amount would also restore employee hours that were cut in fiscal year 2013 and provide cost-of-living increases for town employees.
In other business, the advisory board held a moment of silence Wednesday to mourn the loss of a member of their board, Charlie Perkins.
The board voted to appoint Michael Green, a software manager at Tyco, to the vacant position.
At the end of the meeting, board member Mary Lang announced her resignation.
Mr. Spring indicated he has received numerous inquiries from parties interested in serving on the board
I think that at this time $750,000 is to much for an override. Town employees deserve a raise and to go back to 40 hour work weeks, but this override should only be for the amount needed to get back the extra money voted for the schools. Next year at annual town meeting would be a more appropriate time to try and get the additional money needed to bring back other items. I do not think an override that high will pass at this time.
ReplyDeleteYou may think it will not pass, but would you personally vote for it?
DeleteHow about giving us an exact number?? I highly doubt restoreing hours & pay adds up to exactly 750k.
ReplyDeleteExact numbers are not a wise idea. Let’s remember that we have found out the School Budget is loaded with round numbers so that anything left over can go into the E&D fund the following year. Well the same is true for the Town budget. Except it would go into what is known as Free Cash. So is what is good for the goose, not good for the gander?
DeleteA point of clarification, the excess is supposed to go into the Free Cash account as long as the account isn't spent down at the end of the fiscal year. Anyone remember the $3,000 desks BC, VW, CS and PM bought for the selectmen’s office last year?
Deletethnx Phil, thats where I was going with it.
DeletePuff your still an idiot
ReplyDeleteYou ever have anything constructive to say? Double posting....hmm....
DeleteBtw, "Do" is a weird first name to be given, but thanx for letting us know your weakness right up front.
DO is Stupid
DeleteD= Dennis
O = O'Brien
Get it now idiot.
Yeah, had it the first time, thnx. But you are proveing my point on how it could also be your first name.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know at what tax rate the $750k will be at? And as David has said we should be funding the town at its present state not reinstating lost things. Next year if we can get the school board and superintendent to set a reasonable budget the tax rate would enable some reinstatement. Probably not what town workers want to hear but, we should not be overfilling our bucket just because we lost the war with the school. So now its punish the town residents for the school budget and raise pays so that we need more money and larger tax rate. Makes no sense. This should be done over the next couple years not at one time. Will you lower our tax rate next year since you won't need the extra money? Does anyone on the Advisory Board or BOS actually know how businesses are run? Town government should be run as a business not just something you think OH lets do this we can raise taxes pay for it then lower taxes until we need something else. This town truly is run by clowns. VOTE NO ON ANY OVERRIDE
ReplyDeleteIf you know so much about finances and have such a strong opinion, why don't you submit your name to be on the Advisory Board? They have a new opening. Maybe you can lend your superior financial knowledge to the Board. Or maybe you can find out firsthand that armchair quarterbacking is way easier than actually doing the work this board does. Where was the criticism of the Advisory Board two plus years ago when all the financial mismanagement actually occurred? Oh, that's right the Advisory Board was practically non-existant and barely had a quorum to meet. So, there was zero oversight on town finances for how many years? Hmm, I think I would support ANY recommendations from an active Advisory Board over zero recommendations from a dysfunctional Advisory Board. Just sayin'.
DeleteAlso, remember that the elementary school building committee will be looking for money next year to fund their project. I don't think that tax payers will want to approve money for that project as well as more money for town operations. I have voted for every override and will vote for 750k override. I make very little money, but I'll make it work if it will solve some of the problems in town. The town employees have continued to work very hard even with pay freezes and hours cuts and through years and years of hostile work environments and poor management. And, with equipment that is far from superior. I highly respect and appreciate their efforts. If I can do anything to give back to them, I will. If you look at the town demographics, the elderly do not make up the majority of residents in Templeton. But, they do vote religiously whereas the younger generations do not. If every "school supporter" voted yes for the next override as well as got two new people to vote that didn't vote previously, then the override will pass. But, the question is, will the school officials rally their parents to support the override as diligently as they did for the school override? I hope so, as this is what they promised after the STM. If the school got funding that would not cut hours AND gave raises to their employees, then why shouldn't the town employees have to wait another two years (possibly) to get back what they deserve? I find it fascinating that the school supporters made such a case as to why we should support the full funding in the school override but have stated that they don't support any override over 551k. Their arguments can be used in the exact same way for the town employees. Lets not be hypocritical. Lets put everyone on the same level playing field. Lets support every town/school employee equally.
I cant think of a single "school supporter" that isnt also a "town supporter". Myself included. I am all for the 750k to reinstate hrs & pay. Plus, it should allow for easier years to come, as long as we stay on top of our leaders.
DeleteOne positive should be that more people are involved & paying attention now thanks to groups such as GG. Now we need to keep it that way.
There have been others that have stated they won't support anything over 551k which is why I made that comment. I'm glad to hear you support a figure around 750k. I think its a fair number.
DeleteI agree the one positive is that more people are involved and paying attention thanks to Pauly's Blog, C4T, and other social media sites like Facebook which has the GG page. If you wonder why people seem so hostile at times on this blog, its because many have tried to shine the light for years on the poor financial management (before all this school budget mess started) and are very frustrated that it has taken so long to get the attention of the masses. So, when someone criticizes the current BOS or Advisory Board (neither of which are responsible for current lack of money), the question is "compared to what?" They're the ones that stepped up to fix it. If people had really paid attention to what caused this financial mess, maybe it could have been avoided. Maybe now that the financial issue has affected more people enough to pay attention, the town can begin to rebuild and grow properly. We need all eyes on every town operation. Oversight and consistency is what is needed as well. If you're going to demand oversight for town budget and school budget, then you need to demand it for sewer, water, light, police, fire/rescue, executive, and highway departments as well. Like Bev always says, the town is a tree and all the departments are the branches.
Vote YES on any amount our educated advisory board and selectman recommends
ReplyDelete1st it was 1.5 million,then ok,1 million,oh now the board steps up to the plate...only 750,000.makes you wonder...what's the real cost?
ReplyDeleteThe official override number was never $1.5M, $1M, $750K or any other number. In fact there still is no “official” number. The exact number will be discussed at the next BOS meeting. The Chair of the Advisory Board when pressed at an earlier BOS meeting said that the possibility was there for all of these numbers, but that more research and thought needed to go into the numbers and the plan to deal with the ramifications of a failed override. So when bloggers jumped on the $1.5M number, their jumping was way too early as no decision was or has been made. So now with more thought the Advisory Board is recommending that the override is $750,000. This is a recommendation, not set in stone, that masonry work is the responsibility of the BOS.
DeleteTempletonian, I am the leader of the Gansett Greatness group and fully support an override, but did state that a 1 million or over number I would not support as that is excessive. I also stated that I would fully rally the parents/guardians and community when that was what was needed and the time comes. $750,000 seems reasonable and puts things back the way they were when we took pay, hours, cut employees etc that I never agreed with. I went to the advisory board meeting, I am going to the BOS meeting and I am listening. I am talking to people in town and seeing their views and how all this has affected them and how it will affect them. I will get behind what is needed and rally the troops to do the same as it is what we promised. There has not been a lot of talk on our page as their have been no decisions made by our leadership. Once that happens we will discuss options and begin a campaign. Meetings will need to be had first though with department heads and our leadership so we can all be on the same page and sending the same message. The "school supporters" are PRO-TEMPLETON not just pro-school. What happens inside those walls affect us out here in our town is my belief. It is my hope that they come and they support everything we have been saying for many many long months. We need everyone to step up and be there. We need everyone to be about the business of our town AND our school. I hope that clarifies where this school supporter stands.
ReplyDeleteThat is all good news, Diane! I know you have tried very hard to support all aspects of town and community. Thank you. I just hope others will follow suit and keep their word that they gave after STM. I know more taxes is a tough pill to swallow for many. I hope it will be viewed as a good investment in a potentially GREAT community that will emerge with more support and oversight.
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