A continuing story........


At last nights selectmen meeting, it was revealed that a contractor did the road grinding and repaving on route 101 this year. A contractor is donating concrete and another contractor is donating block for the Templeton Town clerk vault project.


Senator Gobi's aide was present and mentioned the senator has a budget item of $85,000.00 for the playground costs, so we wait to see.


A special town meeting will be needed for some more financial transfer due to a pesky Massachusetts General Law about the dollar figure allowed for selectmen with advisory board concurrence to make at the end of the year and since there are figures greater than allowed under the law, there will be a need for a special town meeting. Selectmen Brooks appeared to be miffed or a little upset that the Town is charged to use the school for meetings, since the Town pays for the school in the first place. I was waiting for former longtime school committee member and now selectmen John Columbus to explain this one.


It appears Templeton may end up with a per diem health agent after all because it seems Phil Ledger may be leaving for other parts, perhaps where the pastures appear to be greener

It was stated there has been a financial issue found going back to 2001 and that some issues found would be front page news, one can only wish, or not!


The interesting thing was the excavator discussion and vote, with the board wanting to take more time to look for a machine and to allow Bud Chase to use good judgment in how much is further spent on the existing machine. Since it was noted it was leaking hydraulic fluid while parked on the grass, that would probably be something to address first.


Now looking at the warrant for recent annual town meeting held May 16, 2015, I saw this;

On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted that the sum of Three Hundred

Thirty Eight Thousand, Three Hundred Fifty One Dollars ($338,351) be appropriated

under the provisions of Chapter 90 of the General Laws for the Highway Superintendent,

with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to spend to obtain any materiel, equipment,

and/or services incidental to the repair and maintenance of public ways; and that the

Treasurer of the Town, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, be authorized to

borrow in anticipation of receipt of such funds from the Commonwealth in furtherance

of such project(s), and that the Board of Selectmen be authorized to apply for, accept, and

expend any federal, state, and/or private grants without further appropriation; and to meet

this appropriation by transferring an equal sum from Chapter 90 available funds.
Passed/ unanimously on May 16 @ 9:29 a.m.


It would seem selectmen have town meeting vote to spend chapter 90 funds on a new excavator but those are also the funds used to repair roads and it was already stated that so far this year, road work was done by contractor. There is also the route 68 project, with engineering cost for first phase coming out of those funds. Perhaps the selectmen made the right call last night, but selectmen Julie Richards did not seem to be happy with it, as she voted no on the wait a while vote by the board.


Jeff Bennett