Templeton's fiscal future still unclear

Templeton's fiscal future still unclear

Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer


TEMPLETON — At Thursday’s Town Hall forum hosted by the Board of Selectmen, Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel delivered an update on the town’s financial situation — offering residents a mixed view of Templeton’s future.

Mr. Markel explained that the town’s financial future was still uncertain and the threat of state intervention was still very real.

According to Mr. Markel, the state Department of Revenue informed local officials that if the budget was not balanced and the gap not closed by the end of the month, they would file special legislation allowing the town to illegally run in a deficit.

“What could — and probably will — result from that, is some sort of controls will be implemented by the state,” Mr. Markel explained. “That could very well mean a control board.”

While residents have expressed that having a control board in power might provide better leadership, Mr. Markel insisted that it would be a “very bad thing” — giving the town notoriety across the state which could jeopardize their ability to draw in new employees.


“It will make it difficult to recruit and maintain people who will run the town well,” he said.

Currently, the town is in the process of hiring its first ever full-time Town Administrator, and will seek out candidates for Town Treasurer and Town Accountant positions in the coming months.

The process of state intervention — commonly known as receivership — is long and painful. The state will effectively control the town and school’s finances for the next five years, brushing aside elected officials and installing their own board.

Both the delay and estimated budget shortfall of around $300,000 were attributed to the town’s previous accountant and the circumstances surrounding recent departures.

Mr. Markel said the accountant used his own system that other financial officials were unfamiliar with and when he left at the start of budget preparations, they had inadequate data and an inaccurate budget forecast model.

Mr. Markel described work produced by the last financial team as “shoddy” — stating that he had never encountered books so “screwed up” in his three decades of government work.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Mr. Markel said.

The town’s general ledger was filled with errors, Mr. Markel said, which had to be uncovered and corrected before sending the records to the state — which has historically taken issue with Templeton’s numbers.

While the town is still struggling with the legacy of its late financial team, Mr. Markel assured residents that the new team in place is more than competent.

“I am confident that going forward the town will have good, if not excellent, financial management,” he commented.

After former Town Treasurer Dan Keeney’s dismissal earlier this month, Kate Myers — the selectmen’s former senior administrative assistant — was appointed acting treasurer until June 30.

Earlier this month, the town’s accountant, Fred Aponte, informed Mr. Markel he would be resigning effective March 28. Mr. Markel said he plans to move the town’s forensic accountant, Matt Angel, into the town accountant position on a temporary basis.

For Mr. Markel, the true test of the new finance officials is getting the Fiscal Year 2013 numbers accepted by the revenue department.

Mr. Markel was adamant that steps are being taken to restore the town government’s credibility to residents and show they take financial issues seriously. He cited the selling of delinquent tax titles, auction of foreclosed properties, the selling of the 252 Baldwinville Road property, and the condensing and restructuring of town offices as examples of the board’s commitment to solutions.

The Special Town Meeting to close the budget gap will be held on March 29 at 10 a.m. in the Middle School auditorium.

Voters will be presented with solutions to the budget crisis in the form of free cash, 5 percent municipal budget cuts and a Proposition 2 1/2 override figure — or a combination of those three. Residents will also have the opportunity to drain the $103,000 available in the town’s Stabilization Fund. Should voters reject an override, the town will likely not have the budget balanced in time to prevent state action. However if the override passes on town meeting floor, it will go to ballot at this year’s Annual Town Election.