Stranger Than Fiction...
In yet another ironic twist of fate, here is today's letter to the editor courtesy of the Gardner News:
Former official: Templeton on right track
Letter to the editor
The town of Templeton has taken an important step in hiring the Collins Center at UMass-Boston to conduct a search for a permanent town administrator. I served as interim town administrator for two years and five months, largely because the effort to recruit a permanent town administrator in 2014 did not produce an acceptable candidate.
This time, the town is very likely to have success. Much has changed for the better since the financial and political chaos of 2011-14. The town had balanced budgets in fiscal 2015 and 2016, and the budget adopted at Town Meeting for fiscal 2017 is also in balance. The use of “free cash” to balance the budget, the root cause of budget problems in 2013 and 2014, has ceased. Free cash is an unreliable source of revenue and it should never be used to fund annual government operations. The Board of Selectmen have now taken a firm position that free cash should only be used to augment reserves or for one-time capital purchases.
The town has a capable and competent staff in the financial office. The chaos in record-keeping and accounting of 2013 and 2014 has ended, and the selectmen and town administrator now have reliable financial information for making their decisions.
It has been a long and tedious process to reconstruct financial records for 2013 and 2014, and it is now apparent that there was a budget deficit in 2013, which exceeds the $505,000 deficit in 2014. This will compromise the town’s free cash certification by the Department of Revenue; nevertheless, financial records are now in order, and a professional auditing firm will begin their work in January.
Once professional audits are complete, the town should have its bond rating restored, probably in late spring 2017, but certainly in time to borrow for the Police Department addition and the new elementary school.
During my tenure as town administrator, six new department heads were hired. The new department heads, together with longstanding incumbent officials, are doing excellent work for the town. Salaries have been raised to more reasonable and competitive levels, and the pattern of department heads resigning to take positions with other communities has ceased. All town unions are under contract, and modest raises have been approved for unionized and non-unionized employees.
The Templeton economy is growing; town services have been restored; an extensive program to improve the streets is underway; and the town is accessing grant funding from the Department of Revenue to improve financial forecasting and planning.
Most importantly, the political chaos of the earlier part of this decade has ended. I worked with a Board of Selectmen who work together in the interests of the town. The selectmen are very different people and they often have strong disagreements, but they understand the importance of avoiding the destructive personal battles of the past. All of them contribute in their own individual way. Templeton is on the right path.
Robert T. Markel, Ph.D., former Templeton town administrator
Letter to the editor
The town of Templeton has taken an important step in hiring the Collins Center at UMass-Boston to conduct a search for a permanent town administrator. I served as interim town administrator for two years and five months, largely because the effort to recruit a permanent town administrator in 2014 did not produce an acceptable candidate.
This time, the town is very likely to have success. Much has changed for the better since the financial and political chaos of 2011-14. The town had balanced budgets in fiscal 2015 and 2016, and the budget adopted at Town Meeting for fiscal 2017 is also in balance. The use of “free cash” to balance the budget, the root cause of budget problems in 2013 and 2014, has ceased. Free cash is an unreliable source of revenue and it should never be used to fund annual government operations. The Board of Selectmen have now taken a firm position that free cash should only be used to augment reserves or for one-time capital purchases.
The town has a capable and competent staff in the financial office. The chaos in record-keeping and accounting of 2013 and 2014 has ended, and the selectmen and town administrator now have reliable financial information for making their decisions.
It has been a long and tedious process to reconstruct financial records for 2013 and 2014, and it is now apparent that there was a budget deficit in 2013, which exceeds the $505,000 deficit in 2014. This will compromise the town’s free cash certification by the Department of Revenue; nevertheless, financial records are now in order, and a professional auditing firm will begin their work in January.
Once professional audits are complete, the town should have its bond rating restored, probably in late spring 2017, but certainly in time to borrow for the Police Department addition and the new elementary school.
During my tenure as town administrator, six new department heads were hired. The new department heads, together with longstanding incumbent officials, are doing excellent work for the town. Salaries have been raised to more reasonable and competitive levels, and the pattern of department heads resigning to take positions with other communities has ceased. All town unions are under contract, and modest raises have been approved for unionized and non-unionized employees.
The Templeton economy is growing; town services have been restored; an extensive program to improve the streets is underway; and the town is accessing grant funding from the Department of Revenue to improve financial forecasting and planning.
Most importantly, the political chaos of the earlier part of this decade has ended. I worked with a Board of Selectmen who work together in the interests of the town. The selectmen are very different people and they often have strong disagreements, but they understand the importance of avoiding the destructive personal battles of the past. All of them contribute in their own individual way. Templeton is on the right path.
Robert T. Markel, Ph.D., former Templeton town administrator
'nough Said
I want what he is drinking
ReplyDeleteThe same thing he must have been drinking when he 1. Did not use the same budget the Selectmen approved at the ATM. 2. When changes were made to the ATM budget after it was voted on. 3. When the budget put on the Town website, was different than 1, 2, and 3. Julie is right, you just can,t make this shit up !
DeleteThe above does not include the numerous changes the A.B received up until the day before the A T M !
DeleteBlind leading blind.....................Punt!
ReplyDeleteyou voted for the people that do all this, not me!!!! how "bout you start taking a few minutes to "vet" people before you vote for them !!!! how "bout we get more than 100 people at the annual meeting ?? if you didn't go, don't bitch !!! you don't have the right!!
ReplyDeleteforgot: hows "hope and change " working for ya!!! vote "yes" on 2 !!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Brad,
ReplyDeleteDo you really see this as a democrat or republican thing. I personally think thats the problem.
People are to tide up in "sides" and forget about actually doing something. This economy is the result of Obama vs. Republican house of representatives. It was a complete waste of the taxpayers time.
The HOR under Ryan is only working what, like 93-113 days. Many of those days are used for campaign fund raising just across the street for Cap Building.Not doing the peoples business.
Then look at this election. We go from Ole "Slick Willy" walking into polling places without a care while violating campaign laws. We see the DNC violate every principle to ordain Hillary. You've seen 30% of Republicans running from their nominee who is truly incompetent to be president.
Bernie was sidelined by corruption and finally fell to it. Johnson/weld isn't on enough ballots. Jill Stien just isn't inspiring as her 3% shows.
The Democratic nominee lies, acts extremely careless as SOS but still her minions line up to her here lie.
Look at all the money being exchanged. What in the world other than government gained information did Bill and Hillary sell in those speeches and by that Foundation. It's all a scam designed to keep the scam going.
Just today the DEA decided not to remove marijuana from schedule 1 saying FDA...blah,blah...
This is the same government thats been, by court order, supplying Glaucoma patients with marijuana since the 70's. Not the same FDA that allows "synthetic" Delta 9 known as Marinol be prescribed for anorexia, or chemo.......Hypocrites that expect anyone to believe them. Aren't they , the DEA actually violating the law? No medical value? Hmmmm
In my opinion, it won't matter who gets elected. Our government is both financially and morally bankrupt.
ReplyDeleteI think there will be a huge financial reset coming the likes of which no one has seen or experienced before.
I hope I'm wrong.
bob m: how the hell do you get a reb vs. dem out of my stating that people in town don't vet the people they vote for, giving us people that have no background to run for the office they run for ?? or that town people don't care enough about how the town is run to go a town meeting??? the problem is yours, not mine.
DeleteI really think many people felt burned by the Special Town Meeting where the school people over rode three no votes. They did not get the "investigation " they voted for, on top of that. I beg people to come back to vote and attend Town Meetings. These are to important to ignore.
DeleteBrad, you put "hope and change" which was Obama's campaign slogan.
ReplyDeleteYou also say "you voted for them,not me" well either YOU didn't vote or you voted for people the majority found unacceptable.
The problem across the board from the highest offices to local town elections, people dont feel represented.
The school vote was the focal point in templeton. Townspeople voted NO, the school department didn't accept it which required 3 more no votes before the school department took the vote on the road to Phillipston who overoad all of Templeton voters.
Finally, the problem is "OURS" not mine unless your moving. Oh, maybe thats what I meant by "sides"..........
it also was in a different note to the blog!!!! Julie, unfortunately , I think you are right.!!
ReplyDelete