Town Hall forum to be held ahead of fiscal vote

Town Hall forum to be held ahead of fiscal vote

Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer

TEMPLETON — The Board of Selectmen will host a public forum on March 20 to educate and inform residents prior to the upcoming Special Town Meeting later this month.

The board, Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel, and several department heads will be on hand to present information and answer questions pertaining to the budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 2014 as well as warrant articles.

Mr. Markel said that — while the town does not have a certified free cash number or tax rate — the town’s financial team is in “good shape” to have those numbers, as well as an override amount for the Town Hall meeting.

Residents expressed concern during Monday’s selectmen meeting that no new information will be provided at the forum and important questions would remain unanswered.


Several points raised in past meetings by both the public and board members — such as who changed the tax levy, why sewer betterment payments were put into the general fund, why the town’s retirement contribution increased by over $200,000 and why the town’s long term debt increased by over $580,000 —  have gone unaddressed.

Officials have expressed concerns over the proposed override as it could be a tough sell to voters without final figures, especially after the last override — for $625,000 — passed less than a year ago.

The approved warrant, which  will be posted Thursday, includes nine articles — with four pertaining to the budget shortfall.

Residents will soon choose between an override amount yet to be determined, 5 percent cuts to all department’s budgets, use of certified free cash and draining the $108,000 available in stabilization fund — or a combination of these to close the gap.

The board recently discovered the previously $505,000 shortfall has shrunk to a more manageable $300,000, following a visit from Deb Wagner of the Department of Revenue.

The Town Hall meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Kiva Center at Narragansett Middle School and shown on the local access television station.

On March 22, the Narragansett Regional School District will also hold a forum at 10 a.m. to discuss the Elementary School Building Project and the Biomass Boiler Replacement Project.

After those presentations, the Board of Selectmen will screen the tape of their March 20 forum and answer questions.

The special town meeting will be held on March 29 at 10 a.m. in the Kiva.