Email Alert!
Good Morning to All,
I spoke with Bob Markel this morning and he informed me that within the agenda item for tonight’s meeting, “Discuss Several Selectmen’s Articles”, shall be a suggestion from Julie Farrell that the Selectmen vote to place an article on the May 2015 Annual Town Meeting Warrant. It is my understanding, after speaking with Bob Markel, that the purpose of this warrant article would be to call for a Town Vote for the Selectmen to serve as a Light-Water-Sewer Commission in addition to their existing roles as Town Selectmen. There would no longer be Light, Water or Sewer Commissions as a result of the passage of such a warrant article.
For the benefit of those who were not as involved in this process as we were here in March and May of 2013 I thought I would take this opportunity to shed some light on what has already transpired in years past with this idea of the Town Selectmen acting as Commissioners of the Town’s Light and Water Enterprise as well.
At the March 2013 Special Town Meeting there was a warrant article, Article #6, that was placed on there as a result of a Citizen’s Petition filed by David Smart. This warrant article would have, upon its passage, done the same thing as the one described above, less the Sewer Enterprise, making the acting Selectmen Light and Water Commissioners as well. Luckily, for the Light and Water Ratepayers, this warrant article was defeated. The Light and Water Ratepayers’ legal cost to defend themselves against this action and develop a strategy because of a citizen’s petition initiative was $9,982.25, split evenly between the light and water enterprises. This was $1.40 per light customer (3,562 total) and $2.29 per water customer (2,180 total) for 2013.
http://www.templeton1.org/sites/templetonma/files/u60/stm2013march.pdf
At the June 2013 Special Town Meeting there was a new warrant article, Article #8, that was placed on there as a result of a 2-1 Selectmen Vote by the then 3 acting Selectmen, Kenn Robinson, Julie Farrell and Doug Morrison. But this warrant article was not really new and actually was a just a re-take of David Smart’s failed Article #6 from March 2013 and it would have, upon its passage, produced the same result; Selectmen that were now Light and Water Commissioners as well. Since the two previous warrant articles, Articles #6 and #7, had both been defeated by a Town Vote, Article #8 failed to receive any motions from the 3 acting Selectmen moving any vote forward, since all three articles would have had adverse effects on the Light and Water Ratepayers. By Article #8’s not receiving a motion to be moved forward, it was essentially passed over, luckily for the Light and Water Ratepayers. The Light and Water Ratepayers’ legal cost to defend themselves against this action and develop a strategy because of another elected town board’s initiative was $2,776.67, again split evenly between the light and water enterprises. This is was $0.39 per light customer added to the $1.40 and $0.64 per water customer added to the $2.29 for 2013.
http://www.templeton1.org/sites/templetonma/files/u60/stm2013june.pdf
I am asking all of the members of the existing Templeton Board of Selectmen to, if the opportunity arises tonight, to vote against placing another similar warrant article like this onto the May 2015 Annual Town Meeting. If this initiative is something that our light and water customers truly wanted moved forward then they would have voted for it overwhelmingly in March 2013 and they simply did not do that. In May 2013 there was not even enough interest in this article amongst the voters in attendance to bring the issue to a vote.
Please let’s not spend any more than the $1.79 and the $2.93 than we already have per respective light and water customer. Let’s all move forward.
Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions that you may have. Thank you.
John M. Driscoll
General Manager
Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant
86 Bridge Street, P.O. Box 20
Baldwinville, MA 01436
Phone (978) 939-5323
Fax (978) 939-4309
Yes John Driscoll, please keep telling the residents of this town how lucky they are to have you running the show, and how delighted you are that things have not changed yet. The Light Department has feathered their own bed and are watching out for #1. Just note that #1 does not include you and me. Templeton residents are the victims of a small but, well organize scam that has been going on under the noses of the very people who placed their trust in these people. I am not including the men who work on the wires, as they are just doing their jobs. The failure of our Town of Templeton to thrive has as much to do with the decisions to place the Water Department under the jurisdiction of the Light Department, and the failure of the residents to demand the Light Commissioners include the Town's welfare in their plans. After last nights meeting, it is apparent that Light and Water Manager, want's nothing to do with the town's business. No oversight by anyone but them selves ?? Oh yes, that would be very good for them, but what about you ?? This is my opinion, Bev.
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ReplyDeleteIn other words take your fouride, the type we want to purchase and shut up.
ReplyDeleteBob M please contact me with your email and name to continue your comments. I thought you were someone else who has clearance to do so. Once i hear from you and sure who you are your posted comments will be allowed and not removed.
ReplyDeleteThese rules are here for the protection of those who don't want to have their names used as in the past.
Email me at smart@nii.net. Thank you.
Huff n Puff your welcome also if the past you have here will allow it.
Bob M thats smart@nii.net
ReplyDeleteTo date no contact from any Bob M has been made. We have this control in place to keep the people safe from identity theft.
ReplyDeleteThis has been the case o this blog multipal times.
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