New Form of Government?
- I've said it before and I'll say it again. We need a new form of government in this town. Last night showed just how dysfunctional our form of government is.ReplyDelete
The towns legal counsel says a article on the town warrant was illegal, well, wouldn't that make the entire warrant illegal? The town published the article, presented it for the town to vote on then a "lawyer" calls it illegal.
I personally feel the entire process is illegal. Our town officers have committed the town of Templeton taxpayers to more than 5% of our total value which I believe requires approval. Just because we have not applied for financing doesn't mean we are not committed.
From my understanding we have about $5 million in present day debt. 23 million from school, 1.2 million from police station. 1 million for water tower and a 1 million dollar deficit from 2013. In my world that ads up to about 31.2 million, well over our 5% limit.
I know they haven't asked for approval because asking/applying requires a bond rating!!!!! It's on the damn form.
This seems like it could be another one of those backwards, opps we forgot type of errors that again will fall on taxpayers.
Oh, since the town pays for the "town counsel" shouldn't the town counsel work on behalf of the townspeople and not the selectman! Why could selectman walk over and talk to the attorney prior to filling out forms, but not the townsfolk???
Me thinks it time to start stirring this up a bit................... - not a bit, a lot!!! by definition the moderator is not to be taking sides on any issue. item #2 on the ballot needed a 2/3 vote. he declares the article won. voters demand hand count. count is 50-50. article #2 looses!!!!! will you trust him, for anything, in the future?? I won't. lets start there. also, I find it interesting that we as tax payers, are subject to opinions on financial matters by someone who had their own home fore closed?? I think NOT !!! also I feel the people behind the farce with children on stage should be held for child abuse.ReplyDelete
- Brad, the children on the stage was "political". Whomever allowed that action was obviously trying to draw on peoples heartstrings or something. It was a pathetic political event.ReplyDelete
We were presented with an illegal article according to the "lawyer". Why was the town allowed to post a warrant with an illegal article. Shouldn't the legality be decided prior to printing and posting.
How can any action by the voters/taxpayers of a town on a citizens petition proposed by a taxpayer/voter be illegal? What "law" did it violate? Maybe I as a taxpayer wanted to break the law, maybe its a bad law..............
How come the selectman were allowed to run over and ask the town counsel questions, while the taxpayers couldn't get an answer on the "illegality" of voting on the article.
Important!!! I've been doing some reading. The town of Hull's Town counsel offered this regarding the "town" filing articles or motions like the selectboard did last night. Here is the copy.
"Why can’t the Town write citizen petition articles and motions? While the Town in certain
instances can give advice on matters, it is generally not considered appropriate for the Town to
write citizen petition articles or motions. Citizen petition articles are the citizens right to petition
government. Sometimes they may involve matters which the local government leadership does
not support or feel are appropriate. Therefore, to have the Town involve itself too directly in
such petitions by writing the article or motion would potentially cause too much intermingling of
the government into the citizens’ affairs. This is especially so if there was to be a challenge or
dispute over the citizens’ article or motion. In appropriate cases, suggestions can be made."
Also based on Hulls counsel is this jewel regarding the writing of an article......
No special language needed—helpful to follow the traditional language used. An
example would be “To see if the Town will [then state what you want—i.e. “amend
the code of the Town by adding to Chapter 124 and the following: - then state what
you want”; “raise and appropriate or appropriate from available funds a sum of
money to paint the flag poles”; “accept the provisions of G.L. c. XXX, which calls for
such and such”, etc.] It is helpful, although not fatal if not done, to include at the end
of the article the phrase “or take any other action relative thereto.”
These items make me wonder about the accuracy of the "illegal" the Templeton Town counsel mentioned.
It would be nice to know the governance of Templeton and this document does exist.
ReplyDeleteWhen asked for a copy of it by the Advisory board chairman and also myself we were told the 12,000.00 document was not to be shared to anyone only the Templeton Municipal Light and Water plant General manager has it's contents and won't share it.
Nice to see where the extra money they charge us for lights and water goes to.
Where this was not a opinion but a structure of governance outline it should be available for the towns use.
Want to know more?
This Document was produced to avoid paying a Pilot and avoiding other issues they have been in violation of. The lawyer the town has gets their opinion reversed or a threat to sue keeps people in line,including the lawyer.One other reason was to keep a town vote to abolish the commission from taking place. I bet there would be a greater amount in favor of the removal of the commission now.
ReplyDeleteThese are two relevant issues to our upcoming issues..............
ReplyDeletehttps://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleVII/Chapter44/Section10
This requires a bond rating. So if I'm correct we technically cannot even ask if we can borrow this much money until we already have spent a large share of it.
How much will these other borrows ,police station,2013 and water towers cost us since it appears we will be borrowing on them without a bond rating..........??????
A city or town may authorize indebtedness in excess of 5 per cent but not in excess of 10 per cent, of the aforesaid equalized valuation; provided, however, that the amount of indebtedness so authorized shall be subject to the approval of the members of the municipal finance oversight board, which approval may be given either before or after such authorization.
ReplyDeleteAnd when they Advisory board vote and say no the town voted to say yes.
As with many laws we read they are just a hope things are this way.
I have learned the MGL are just a smoke screen to reality and a shield or delay for the issues we may find with our questions. Just looking at the Pilot laws in chapter 164 are clear as can be and don't reflect any changes when case law is in play.
So you read what you read and it means only that was the way it was at the time the laws were written.
this towns workings are corrupt at best. maybe not Hillary corrupt, but corrupt!!!!
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