Thursday, May 5, 2016

Pre-Town Meeting

Pre-Town Meeting 
 A few interesting items at the pre-town meeting:


"As a courtesy" the Town Meeting warrant has been posted to the Town's website.

Right off the bat, the Advisory Board voted to make a substitute motion on Article 1 which states:

At first glance this article looks pretty straightforward. So go look at it again. Still not much to see. Why vote to separate it out?


It seems in part 1A - REPORTS OF TOWN OFFICERS there are a few small omissions in the Town Report. There are no salaries listed in the Town Report. There are no reports from the Town Accountant nor the Town Treasurer. By Mass General Law, the Town report is required to contain reports from the Town Treasurer and the Town Accountant.

MGL Chapter 40 Section 49:




So why does this matter?

It matters because the annual town report is the historical record for the town. "A copy of such fiscal year reports shall be transmitted by the town clerk to the state library before the first day of November."

Is someone trying to re-write Templeton's history?

Article 2 OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Another article that looks like a no-brainer. The devil is in the details. Those details include how much money is left in the FY 16 Selectmen's Expense Account to transfer into the OPEB account?

The last budget to actual sheet shows a smaller amount in the selectmen's  expense account than what is planned to transfer into the OPEB account.

Business as usual in Templeton!

Article 3 - Financial Transfers
This was another run-of-the mill article until discussion began. In FY 16 there were numerous special town meetings. Turns out there will be 47 different transfers for FY 16 totaling over HALF A MILLION DOLLARS!!

THIS IS A PROBLEM! LOOKS LIKE A SHELL GAME!



 Here's YOUR homework assignment. Read the Town Report. Ask for a print copy. Look for errors or omissions and submit them to:

paulcosentino9@gmail.com

This assignment is due on May 14th. 

Please attend the Annual Town Meeting on May 14th!

 

2 comments:

  1. A quick pop over to my favorite section of the TMLWP section (smaller every year)shows very little. Power purchased and sold. Where it came from and where it went. In other words IT'S none of your business what we spent the money we made on.
    When i look at the water report same thing.
    One needs to go and look at the sewer report to see how it should be done.
    So why can one do it correctly and the other two can't?
    who's hiding what?

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  2. No town salaries!
    No town SALARIES!
    So who got the BIG raises?
    May be like the Light and Water reports BLANK areas.
    So Is it your Business now?
    Vote Yes to protect your teeth!



    Kiss your MOM's Tomorrow!

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