Unity in the CommUNITY....Another gem from DHB FB page
Diane Haley Brooks, Selectwoman
Below was sent to me in a message by a resident a day or two ago:
Diane: Jeff Bennett posted the following on Pauly's blog yesterday. Why
didn't Jeff bring all this to the Board's attention while he was there?
Do you or any of the Board members have any comment?
"Where
the money went, perhaps a quick look back is in order. 2012 recall
effort that resulted in $15,000.00 given someone to quit, $5,000.00
to a law firm because another firm was fired in the middle of the
month, another $4000.00 plus paid to someone to supposedly do the work
of the person paid $15,000.00 to quit. That person left as soon as the
money was gone ( last pay check indicates 1.9862 hours worked, I would
like to see that time clock) Then there is the $28,000.00 on legal fees
to avoid paying a $3,000.00 bill. That is a choice past selectmen made.
There is the out of grade pay to the former conservation agent (with a
legal opinion stating that) then a so-called emergency pay raise at the
behest of the former town coordinator for the con com agent, then a vote
by the select board. Somewhere in the mix, the contract for the former
town auditors that was in the amount of I believe 27 thousand dollars
where only 22 thousand was budgeted for it. Another glaring issue is the
almost doubling of the town accountants pay from $24,000.00 to $45,600 .
I believe what will be found is payroll was brought inhouse for a
supposed saving of $25,000.00 to taxpayers but was used up by the pay
increase to the accountant. There have been many head scratching
financial things in Templeton over the years but the most glaring one
maybe the amount of free cash that was never used to the town's benefit.
About 4.5 million dollars used to set the tax rate over the years
rather than seek tax overrides which would have allowed Templeton to
keep revenue in line with ever increasing costs. If those funds had been
put away and saved, there could have been a stabilization fund, free
cash (a rainy day fund) which could have helped this year but more
importantly could be used to show Templeton to be on sound financial
ground with possible savings in better interest rates for borrowing.
Then there are moves by the sewer commissioners who raised the entrance
fee into town sewer to 10 thousand dollars which resulted in a recent
law suit against he town that was thankfully settled before going
further which could have really hurt the town. Then the actions of
making it so expensive to develop in Templeton, remember the fee
schedules that saw the light of day when the infamous project at exit 19
came to light, 10 grand in fees for doing business in Templeton when
the same fees in other towns were from I believe 50 bucks to 100
dollars. If you go to exit 19 and travel west a couple miles, you will
find quite the development going on in Athol which equals new growth and
new tax revenue. These information is available at 690 Patriots Road in
the selectmen's office, town treasurer and in the files of the
accountant. Any selectmen can look for and bring this information to any
taxpayer, all the selectmen have to do is take the time to look, take
the time to go in the office at night, during the day, on the weekends
or at home. One last item that may be of interest to Templeton taxpayers
is a place call Saugus, a town that used the audit firm of Heath
Melanson, the same firm that Templeton did and if you look at Saugus,
you may find that Heath Melanson may have missed or overlooked some
things there. The town's present interim town accountant I believe use
to work for Heath Melanson and may have insight into this issue and
perhaps it is worth looking into. It is worth Templeton looking into how
and who audited the use of CDBG grant funds, as audits are part of the
grant program. It may also be worth Templeton having the use of 911
grant funds audited because it looks as though that grant money was like
a personal slush fund for someone. You use grant funds to cover
salaries then take salary appropriations to cover other things and then
you have to wonder has Templeton been one big shell game for quite a
while and that is why no one on Beacon hill seems to want to touch the
investigation of Templeton".
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Diane Haley Brooks, Selectwoman We should have an audit every year to be sure we are on track and that all is healthy. I will look into these other things that Mr. Bennett points out and keep you informed. My question is...why wasn't leadership speaking out? Why were we not being kept in the look and being informed? I hope that we change that and that we speak up, speak out and continue to make changes that keep our town healthy and vital. We all need to work together and I know we need everyone's help to do it.
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Diane Haley Brooks, Selectwoman So,
does this explain the $505,000 deficit? Hardly. Does this explain
shoddy bookkeeping? Perhaps. Not having a Mall of Templeton means we
are losing revenue not that costly mistakes are being made. This may
explain why we don't have a mall and
why they went down the road. Templeton's political climate and lack of
leadership explains why big business doesn't come here is what I have
been hearing for several years. I did hear that our fees were very
high, but that everyone in the town boards worked with the investors and
they agreed upon things and all went smoothly. I was told that Market
Basket wasn't going to come here anyway and that it didn't have to do
with fees.
Diane Haley Brooks, Selectwoman So,
our present Interim Accountant is Mr. Angel and we voted to make him
that a few meetings ago. Why did we not know these things that Mr.
Bennett is pointing out? Why would we not do investigating into this
prior to appointing him to this position? Why did Mr. Bennett not speak
out while he was on the Board? Why would you not inform the tax payers
of this crucial fact? Why would you not point that out so that we
don't continue to make critical mistakes? Are these facts or
speculation? I will have to do some checking as I am just as
concerned...why now? Why not back when Mr. Angel was hired as the
Forensic Accountant would we not know this fact?
Diane Haley Brooks, Selectwoman This
town has used about 4.5 million in free cash over the last 10 years as I
added it up based on an email received from Mr. Aponte the now resigned
accountant. I don't recall over those years the entire BOS making any
large stink over NOT using those funds to set the tax rate and avoid
overrides. I don't recall accountants standing up and saying that
practice was wrong. HOWEVER, I do have a DOR report that says the town
should stop doing that and many other things we should and should not do
and it was IGNORED. I recall going to a meeting with my father as that
report was on the agenda, yet there was no discussion. Why would the
then BOS have ignored that report and not take the suggestions in there
and begin working on them and informing the town of what our positive
and negatives were so that we as taxpayers could be in the know?
Diane Haley Brooks, Selectwoman She
is asking for a comment so here is mine. I do recall a check being
given to Mr. Ritter when he quit as it was waved in front of a camera as
the BOS meetings are taped. This was a meeting that was in the school
cafeteria. Mr. Ritter then returned...not sure what happened with the
$15,000 but I will look into that. I also recall about the hiring and
firing of the law firm, but I am a bit cloudy on the details. I was not
on the board, but I attended many meetings and I am not totally clear
on what Mr. Bennett is referring to about the person doing the work of
on that quit and how about 2 hours added up to $4,000?
video from rehire K&P -
Bill Newman It amazes me that people of this town keep electing the same people. When one resigns from office and on an get in contact, why hasn't that raised red flags. This town needs "change". It need new blood to change the old school atmosphere that continue to drag this town down. The question that will come from this mess will be endless. The board has to come clean for once.
Kimberly Redman-Wojcukiewicz Shame on Mr. Bennett for withholding this information from the board and town...he should
Be ashamed of
Himself!!
April ought to run for Cover. just another follower who listens to others.
ReplyDeleteBring it to the boards attention?? it is all in the public realm, as in the newspaper, as in The Gardner News, as in back when it happened, Mr. Ritter being paid $15,000.00 to quit, the very large fees for development. Why did Haley-Brooks not ask some questions? Get off facebook and try looking into Mass general laws, talk with people, heck just google some things, it is all there. as for extra five thousand for a law firm, that was in the newspaper, on this blog and in a letter I put in TGN. The money spent on Carlo Skelton after Jeff Ritter was ousted, that was on a meeting and on this blog as well as in the newspaper. It has been said that there are many questions from taxpayers about town finance but all the people who can answer these questions are gone and no longer work for the town. That is complete BS, and current selectmen has access to all of this information, it is all in the selectmen's office, in official meeting minutes and on the recordings (DVDs) The thing that should bother people is why does the DOR wish to go back and look at Templeton's paperwork and look at the debt of the town, after all for the past 10 years, Templeton's books were done by a CPA and checked over by DOR before the DOR set the tax rate and certifies free cash. Now if that work was done, then audited by Heath Melanson and okayed by the DOR, why now does the DOR have to go back and check it out? Did the DOR goof? Does the DOR feel they have to recheck it after what happened in Saugus? To me, that is the important question. Worry less about what Jeff Bennett is doing and look and question what and why the DOR is doing and looking for. Oh, the pay sheet for Carol Skelton taking 1.986 hours her last day should be in the records of the accountant and the treasurer, it was signed by former selectmen Virginia Wilder. The selectmen should be looking into and explaining how or why the budget shortfall changed from $505,477.00 to $372,000.00 back to $505,477.00 or up to $585,000.00. Everything I pointed out is old news but I felt people needed a reminder. As for the 4.5 million dollars of free cash (the total of may years) that is all in the annual town reports, try reading them and you will see it is all there. Go to the town clerks office, find the BOS meeting minutes for 2010 and sit at the table and read thru them until you find May 24, 2010. You will see the part on the former conservation agent being paid above grade, the vote to give him top step, it is all there, you just have to care enough to take the time. Ask all the current selectmen why they did not want to take the time and further explore regionalization of dispatch to see if it would or could save Templeton taxpayers money. None of them seemed to want to take the time to look. But some of them sure have the time to put effort in for the school district. Perhaps one of them can tell me how much Templeton's school assessment is going down because of the savings from the wood chip heat system and the propane system, two systems now and I will be watching to see how much Templeton's costs go down, because that is the idea behind the whole project and I will be watching to see if a woodchip system is put in the elementary school building, the new of course. So, perhaps the selectmen will worry less about what Jeff Bennett is up to and concentrate more on the town.
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time any current member of the select board called the senate judiciary committee chair and inquired about the investigation that is listed on the committees web page
ReplyDeleteSome answers for Ms. Brooks'questions:
ReplyDeleteQ: "My question is...why wasn't leadership speaking out? Why were we not being kept in the look and being informed?"
A: Didn't Mr. Bennett hold several town hall meetings in order to inform residents on the financial mess and/or to come and ask questions? Yes. Very few people attended.
Q: "Not having a Mall of Templeton means we are losing revenue not that costly mistakes are being made. This may explain why we don't have a mall and why they went down the road."
A: The Planning Board stated that the Mall at Templeton project was on hold due to a neighbor's lawsuit over wetlands. They didn't want a shopping center in their backyard. As we have an attorney as a selectman, maybe he can review the lawsuit and see if there is a way to resolve the suit.
Q: "So, our present Interim Accountant is Mr. Angel and we voted to make him that a few meetings ago. Why did we not know these things that Mr. Bennett is pointing out? Why would we not do investigating into this prior to appointing him to this position?"
A: Mr. Bennett isn't saying that Mr. Angel is a bad guy. He is saying that maybe some funny business occurred when Melanson & Heath were auditing the town as that is what happened with two other towns. Mr. Angel used to work for them and probably gave some insight to the company. Mr. Angel is the one who has been able to unravel the financial mess. We want him on our side.
Q: "This town has used about 4.5 million in free cash over the last 10 years as I added it up based on an email received from Mr. Aponte the now resigned accountant. I don't recall over those years the entire BOS making any large stink over NOT using those funds to set the tax rate and avoid overrides. I don't recall accountants standing up and saying that practice was wrong. HOWEVER, I do have a DOR report that says the town should stop doing that and many other things we should and should not do and it was IGNORED."
A: If four out of five selectmen are in on the same scheme along with the town accountant, of course you would not hear them say a peep. But if you listened to the people in the audience demanding accountability and asking for them to repair the Advisory Board and follow guidelines regarding budget, then maybe you'll understand what was going on.
More answers...
ReplyDeleteQ: "I do recall a check being given to Mr. Ritter when he quit as it was waved in front of a camera as the BOS meetings are taped."
A: The check she refers to was from a resident hoping to give it to Mr. Ritter to make up for his treatment of the town. It was not a check from the town and it was never given to Mr. Ritter.
Q: "I am not totally clear on what Mr. Bennett is referring to about the person doing the work of on that quit and how about 2 hours added up to $4,000"
A: Mr. Bennett was referring to former Town Coordinator Carol Skelton who was hired as Interim Town Coordinator when Mr. Ritter was fired by "the powers that were". She worked until the money ran out. Then, Columbus went to the Advisory Board (run by an 18 yr old) to get more money in order to keep her in place. There was no vote by the entire BOS to make this request. That's when all the problems of the Advisory Board came to light. Mrs. Skelton was given that position in order to work with K&P lawfirm to rewrite articles and massage financial numbers on the ATM warrant. Remember how screwed up that budget was and how many nights it took to fix it? Remember how there were 3 emergency Advisory Board meetings to fix the budget and find a solution? Columbus and Stewart didn't attend these meetings. You'd think all selectmen would have been on hand in such an emergency.
To Huffy and Ms. Brooks and friends: Whomever you are getting your information from is seriously using you in a larger chess match that you have no idea you are a part of. You are working with some severely flawed information and you're creating enemies out of the people who have been trying to right the wrongs. If you care to find the truth, its out there. Find it for yourself and stop listening to tainted info from friends and family.
What's also a fact is that one selectman cannot do much to change things when the other selectmen are aligned. FY 2013 was created in 2012. Look at all the players involved. Stop pressing just Mr. Bennett. You will prove nothing and solve nothing. Give it up. Admit you are wrong, apologize, and get caught up with the real picture.
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DeleteSomeone asked about why the retirement expenses had gone up so much. Please go back to read the article in the Telegram from July 2012. There is a link right on this blog titled: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 Worcester County Retirement System. Look at the list of top retiree payouts and see who is on that list from Templeton.
ReplyDeleteApril 12th, April 12th.
ReplyDeleteDid Diane Haley Brooks attend the funeral of a town employee? Or was she too busy being confused about town politics?
A fact check for huff; I was not on the board of selectmen when the FY2011 budget was passed in May, 2010, I was not on the board then. Next up, the FY12 budget, ($686,628.00 free cash, article 49 - May 10 & 11, 2011) I did not get on the select board until May 19 by recount. You can check the records as Gerald Skelton was paid for his time on the board for part of May. I was on the board. I was on the board for the FY 13 with $189,081.00 free cash used. Total free cash used for FY 11, 12 & 13 is $1,255,716.00. So where huffy gets 2 million on my watch, I have no idea. Those numbers, dates and article # are on Templeton website. So Huff, you can see I do not put out only the facts that suit me!
ReplyDeleteThe recount was in The Gardner News, front page. You have to care enough to do the research for yourself Huff. As I stated in a previous blog, time for Huff to go to a BOS meeting, introduce yourself, Hi, I am Huff n Puff and I want to know why the DOR has to recheck their numbers and certifications from 10 years ago?
ReplyDeleteIt would be a good question for you to ask Huff if you care, now tell me where did you come up with the 2 million dollar figure? Where is your come back? That question would not be for me, it would be for you and the town! Maybe it would give you an answer or are you interested in the answer? You stated above that you press them all, well go press them! Oh, you have no idea what BOS meeting I may attend or not! Still waiting on where you got the 2 million dollar figure from.
ReplyDeleteuntil "huff" and others will tell us who they are, I will not read their rants. but, when looking for problems, go back to echo hill". I bet you will find answers as to why we are were we are !!!!! brad lehtonen
ReplyDeleteOne of the highlights of Templeton politics was when "Jerry walked in one door a looser, only to be a winner, when he walked out of the same door. How did he do that ?? Thankfully Jeff asked for a recount and was the real winner of that election. How bad does Echo Hill need to be in control of Templeton's pocketbook ?? As Templetonian said How improper was it for Mrs. Skelton to take the warrant for the Templeton Annual Town Meeting home, and make changes to this warrant, after it was voted for by the pre town meeting. What happened to the money the Fire Department had in their budget ? Our new fire chief asked me, shortly after he had been in his position for a couple of months, who had taken money from his budget? I told him as far as I knew, we had not touched his budget at all. Well someone had, and it amounted to a good chunk of change, like about 30,000.. Maybe this is where some of that extra money came from for Echo Hill's pet projects ? Who knows, but not all transactions ever made it to the town report, so it appears the powers to be can look all they want but will come up with 0. All the people in this town can do is pick up where we are and be more careful about who we put in office. This is my opinion, Bev.
DeleteI don't know about the rest of you, but in my opinion the town sure could use the extra 6-7 points lost to fluoridating the town water supply. It makes no sense building a new school if our raw material has been chemically altered by fluoridation. Why isn't our Superintendent screaming about fluoridation from the rafters of the gymnasium? Hopefully all will support the citizen's petition to allow town meeting to be in control of the town's destiny when it comes to fluoridating the town water supply and the infant warning on our water bills concerning mixing fluoridated water with infant formula.
ReplyDelete