Special
Town Meeting Results
Thank
you to everyone who attended last night’s special town meeting. When this
special town meeting was scheduled, the first night of the World Series was not
on anyone’s radar.
Without
exception, the votes at this town meeting followed the Advisory
Board’s recommendations. There was no motion on Article 4 – transfer of
ownership of the sewerage pumping station and force main on Hubbardston Rd.
The
motion for Article 1 was lengthy as it included the appropriation for the NRSD
budget ($550,459) as well as increasing a number of salary accounts that had
been reduced in 2012. Town Clerk Expense was increased by $10,600 to pay for
the numerous STMs and ballot elections. This article passed at 7:20 pm after
discussion.
The
motion for article 2 included a number of transfers and passed at 7:23 pm.
Article
3 passed after it was reworded by Town Counsel. Article 3 accepted as a public
roads Victoria Lane, Mitchell Rd. and Gary Rd. There was some concern about
accepting the roads due to the Homeowners association regarding the sewer
lines. Article 3 passed at 7:40 pm.
After
lengthy discussion and a hand count, Article 5 was defeated by a vote of 86 YES
to 143 NO. A major question that went unanswered was where funding would come
from. The town is currently paying off the loan for the money already expended
on 252 Baldwinville Rd. There was mention of areas of 252 Baldwinville Rd that
were closed off during the Open House. It was stated that there was mold in
some areas of that building.
Article
6 – an article to sell East Templeton Elementary School was defeated. Virginia
Wilder stated there was a mold problem in the building. According to Virginia
Wilder East Templeton is assessed at $920,000. There seems to be some general
confusion between an assessed value and an appraisal. This article was defeated
and the meeting adjourned.
*************************************************************
Templeton town meeting voters ratify override
By George Barnes, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
TEMPLETON — Voters Wednesday night affirmed the override election of last week, approving spending an additional $550,459 on the Narragansett Regional School District budget and $69,541 for increases in regular town budgets.
The vote headed off major cuts to regular town budgets projected after a special town meeting earlier this year approved the increase for the schools.
Voters also voted 143-83 to defeat an effort to restart a committee to renovate a former factory on Baldwinville Road into a town hall. Opponents of the project said the cost would be too high. Supporters said the town is already paying loans for $700,000 already spent on the project and said it could be built within the $1.9 million approved for the project.
The building was one of two being talked about in town for a town hall. Voters at the meeting rejected an article to sell the other possible town hall, the East Templeton Elementary School building.
The vote headed off major cuts to regular town budgets projected after a special town meeting earlier this year approved the increase for the schools.
Voters also voted 143-83 to defeat an effort to restart a committee to renovate a former factory on Baldwinville Road into a town hall. Opponents of the project said the cost would be too high. Supporters said the town is already paying loans for $700,000 already spent on the project and said it could be built within the $1.9 million approved for the project.
The building was one of two being talked about in town for a town hall. Voters at the meeting rejected an article to sell the other possible town hall, the East Templeton Elementary School building.
There was a lot of confusion, there is no article 64 in 2006 annual town meeting, only 61 articles. Virginia Wilder was never a member of the muni town building committee (no record of her being a sworn member) No cold hard facts of where materials would come from, who would work on this project for free. Why did Dana Blais or Gerald Skelton speak on this if this is the selling point of all this volunteer help. There is mold at 252 Baldwinville Road. Mold can be cleaned up but it is there and why did they hide it? In 2010, the building committee stated the savings to taxpayers would be $29,000.00 (town meeting handout) and now Virginia Wilder says the savings would be $112,000.00, so where did that figure come from. The most intelligent thing said all night was by Mr. Paul Q. The land at ET is of value and it would be a good lot to put up a modular building for a town hall which would save a lot of money not being spent on prevailing wage. And as I have said previously, ET would be good for temporary town office space so we get away from paying rent! I say temporary until we decide on a location, building type and how will we pay for it, which I did not hear anything about last night.
ReplyDeleteSorry if I spoke out of turn last night by not sticking to the scope of the article, but bringing this question of spending more money on a dead horse makes no sense to me. With the debt we own as a town as high as it is, why did these people try to breathe life into a project we can not afford?? Honesty is the best policy, so why continue to carry on about this "mold problem that can not be controlled" in E.T. when the same problem , or worse is at 252. Thankfully people read this blog, so I figure a good number knew the truth at the meeting last night. Passing a override is hard enough, so why put the town through another hard time, when we are trying to recover from the last one. The number of people who attended last night was down from what I expected, but was it the ball game, or was it people did not want to be put on the spot to vote for something they did not want to back. I am thinking it was not wanting to support 252. More people were not impressed with this plan is my guess. Thank you to the people who did come to vote, and to Mrs. Taintor for speaking up. She did a good job standing up for what she felt was right. Bev.
DeleteDid team Dana forget to go?Or have they had it with the lies they get told. Either way the hill has no echo today. Why were there only 20 or so where the L+W people sit? Was the folder Gerry had the original folder not turned over in full?Team Dana will need to come to the selectmen's meeting Monday to answer some questions about the laws being violated at L+W. Must be the L+W lawyer filled them in and now want to cooperate. I hope not just Driscoll shows up but the chairman of the commission too. I will have some direction for them both and will point out some other issues our commission has. Better to do this at a selectmen meeting while on TV and let everyone know. It is our" Business" after all. Elections are just around the corner! After of course the increases in your Water and Electric rates. Their costs go down and your rates go up! That's how to run a business right Dana. Are you over the 8% limit if you raise the rates on electric?Did the company that did the rate study get all the info they should have?Many question and so many hidden answers! People are starting to wonder more and more.
ReplyDeleteI almost forgot to thank my mother inlaw for her input as she is one of the people wondering more and more about Templeton.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joy!
Great Job everyone, Even the ehco hill group! You sealed the deal.Or was it the door?
well good luck everybody...ill try to keep up when I get back from St. Louis!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs we move forward you should consider several things. We should listen to all sides of every issue raised. I have long supported the modular town hall Idea. Every construction project will run over projections. Just remodel a kitchen or put on an addition or go ask some one who has, they will let you know about an estimate and the final bill. Costs can be controlled and reduced by buying modular. Several surrounding towns have purchased modular buildings. We should check them out, ask questions, as well as go and look at what was purchased. Paul is correct on that point. Paying rent is a waste of town funds when we could be paying for a building. Is ET renovation going to solve the problem? I do think that it would be a great building to save and preservation of a town asset is the proper thing to do. Spending money because the state will match it is still spending money. We can abandon the 252 project. We have invested about 585 K in that process. I say that because we can not recover the amount spent for the plans / engineering. A great selling point is that the site passed testing and has been surveyed. I would think any lender would require these to be done before approval of a loan. These costs or a portion of them would be considered a reasonable business expense. How much is 252 worth today? I have faith that our selectmen will get the best deal they can. If we do get stuck hanging on to the building it would make a fine addition to the town as a vehicle repair and storage shop. Some one stated the high way department would work there for free. They can still do that, install drainage and bring the grade up to street level then actually use the building. That way we could end the upcoming battle that it was sold under value before it starts. We could leave the top of the building open and charge people to come and see the pretty birds. I did take the time to look at both buildings his past weekend. It is my opinion that neither would be a cost effective and long term solution for use as a town hall. The best option to bridge the gap is ET. Jeff is on point in his statement above. I was hoping a few more people would have attended the meeting. Thanks to everyone who came. I do think it was productive and a step in the right direction for our town.
ReplyDeleteThe things to watch out for is what you are not told. Remember the 130,000.00 figure that was tossed out at the STM? No one asked how many years that we would have to pay. From a good source, how does 30 years sound? Not good to me. All of the long term loans the town got involved with in the past are the very reason we have no spending money. We just can't continue those bad practices any longer. In the end they eat us up. Reality speaking, we should try to maintain what we have been doing for the past two years, and get out from under the crushing debt. Mr.Spring and Mike Greene attended a meeting of Advisory Board members last week. He told me, no town goes longer than 5 or 6 years to pay off a project. Not only are we one of two towns with out a town hall, we are also one of the very few, that have no free cash or stabilization money on hand. I guess the rest of the towns think we are just nuts, if they don't, they should. I spoke about the very idea of digging the hole we are in deeper, as just about the worst thing we could do. Especially after what we just went through!! Give me a break, I do not want to go through the push and pull of whether we have town employees or not, or if we can pay them. I hope anyone inclined to drag us through that again had better think twice. I guess this is my way of saying lets move into E.T. asap, and stop paying rent, get on our financial feet and have a good plan for the future. This would work even if it is for a couple of years. I do not think that is too much to ask. Everyone has to start doing what is the best for the town, and stop with their petty agendas. Along with that thought, it would have been nice for people to have been up front about why rooms were taped off at 252, chances were there to be honest, but no takers in the bunch. Sorry, but that is so bad.Oh yes, something good!! The town has a balanced budget for the first time in years, without using free cash or money from stabilization. That is huge!! A big cheer should go to Will Spring and the people on the Advisory Board. These people work for no money, because they want to make the town a better place to live. It is sometimes thankless, and some called E.T. Will's pet project. Guess what, it is because he knows it is the best move for the town to make for the benefit of everyone. Bev.
DeleteLets get a roof on the ET building prior to doing anything else. That way if CPC money can be used the roof and gutters will be in place. I would volunteer to help out and sign a waiver in case I get hurt doing work there, If it not declared historic and eligible for CPC we should be able to do work there prior to the CPC plan and those darn prevailing wages. We could hold a raffle chicken BBQ or other fundraiser to pay for materials. I do not know all the rules but it would make sense and could get us in there quicker.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI'm with you Jim, Roof it now or else. I'm not sure the tarp we put on last year will hold up for another winter and to not address it now would be a shame.At least another tarp is in order. I'll donate the first 50.00 for the materials needed. When do we start.
ReplyDeleteI don't need any waiver as i work for the Highway dept. Maybe Dana could pitch in and show some good faith to our town. Or would that be asking to much?
We'd need a dumpster for the old shingles as well,as materials for the roof. I think this might work if we can get enough people together.
ReplyDeleteNov. 2nd is the senior tag sale. And the dedication of Gilman Waite. Maybe we can pull everyone together to repair the roof to stop the leaks at East Templeton Elementary School.
How about the weekend after that Nov 9th and 10th?
Will must have a idea of what the materials will cost. Lets start a campaign to see if we can get volunteers to help out. .I will hold the ladder. Ha, Ha. I feel so much better without the threat of loosing E.T., and the constant bickering about 252 going on. Everyone will appreciate E.T. once we are in there. It really has character and fits what a town hall in New England should be. I can't thank people enough for standing up for what they felt was right, and to Mrs. Taintor for standing up for her precinct. That is the beauty of a town meeting. Bev.
DeleteI will make some calls and find price info tomorrow. We lost Gly Tallman last Tuesday, her services are tomorrow. Mrs. Tallman was quite a fine lady and will be missed by many. The link to her Obituary is http://www.stone-ladeau.com/obits/obituary.php?id=378797 .
DeleteSorry to not update you. Just got back from RI and a new grandson arriving today after the services for Mrs Tallman. anyone know the roof dimensions? Looks like 32.50 per bundle . for around figure 100 per square. Ice belt is 80$ for 32 feet. total cost could be 1500 - $ 2500 depending on size of roof. can shingle over single layer of shingles, need to rip if 2 layers are down now. Ay info would help get an estimate for shingles underlayment drip edge and nails.
ReplyDeleteThanks for any info