What a joke!
Well, what a joke the Town meeting turned out to be. 512 people, a moderator who cannot gauge sound deciding voice votes as proven by article 2.
Then our town selectman motion to set aside a citizen sponsored article, why? When I heard the voice vote and realized about 400 of the people in the room were supporting the incompatance that created the need for the meeting itself, well, I left.
I'm going to be taking about 60 acres down to a farm rate of 5% of the valuation, so good luck on the budget and the tax rate calculations.
Everyone in town with 5 acres or more should.
Everyone says, as the school system goes so goes the town, well welcome to the new templeton. Why did we build a senior center? SSA increase this year on average amount to about $3 a month. This school will cost the average Templeton homeowner $40 a month. Police station $20 a month, Water tower $20 month, 2013 deficit $20 a month. The school is for 28 yrs, maybe, since we wont know until we get the loan cause nobody and I mean nobody knows what that rate could be since we dont know "if" we have a bond rating or what it will be. We also have no clue what the actuals rates will do over the next few years.
This was a dumb idea that will damage the town.
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From FB:
Jeff Bennett
5 hrs ·
At tonight's special town meeting, selectmen John Columbus stated it was important for people to know of a roll call vote from Advisory Committee, with regards to the warrant articles. I will say that all the votes were at a public posted meeting, a pre-town meeting an if he was that interested, he should have attended, no selectmen attended the pre-town meeting. As for the selectmen selling the town a bill of goods, consider this; the board of selectmen presented an expense spread sheet to the annual town meeting and stated it was proper, correct and balanced. It was not and had not been through the entire process and there are copies to show that.
There were no "winners" tonight, only a showing of people who left as soon as the school vote was secure, which shows, in my opinion, they do not seem to care about the entire town, just a small piece. A total lack of openness on part of the selectmen, refusing to read the articles, with dollar amounts included. It was recorded and people who watch should be able to hear the dollars involved. Of course, if they are voters, they should be at the meeting. It was all about procedure rather than open and truthful. Probably the biggest problem this town has, lack of openness and communication. And it is still going to cost more than $1.74 per thousand to make a 1.4 million dollar bond payment.
Jeff Bennett
5 hrs ·
At tonight's special town meeting, selectmen John Columbus stated it was important for people to know of a roll call vote from Advisory Committee, with regards to the warrant articles. I will say that all the votes were at a public posted meeting, a pre-town meeting an if he was that interested, he should have attended, no selectmen attended the pre-town meeting. As for the selectmen selling the town a bill of goods, consider this; the board of selectmen presented an expense spread sheet to the annual town meeting and stated it was proper, correct and balanced. It was not and had not been through the entire process and there are copies to show that.
There were no "winners" tonight, only a showing of people who left as soon as the school vote was secure, which shows, in my opinion, they do not seem to care about the entire town, just a small piece. A total lack of openness on part of the selectmen, refusing to read the articles, with dollar amounts included. It was recorded and people who watch should be able to hear the dollars involved. Of course, if they are voters, they should be at the meeting. It was all about procedure rather than open and truthful. Probably the biggest problem this town has, lack of openness and communication. And it is still going to cost more than $1.74 per thousand to make a 1.4 million dollar bond payment.
Awesome display of the democratic process at last night's special town meeting.
ReplyDeleteProud to be an American and able to participate in that farce. Our armed forces are fighting to protect our freedoms for THAT?
Selectmen don't even read the articles...are they even able to read?
They sure do seem to be math challenged. Maybe its been so long since they have seen a balanced budget they have lost the ability to recognize one.
Norman Rockwell would be turning over in his grave.
It seems to me the reason so many people showed up last night was to vote the school question up or down, that did not happen. It seems our moderator who runs town meeting could have had the town attorney make question eight proper in form and then let the people who had taken time out to participate vote on the question. I have been to town meetings a long time, not as long as Paul Q but long enough to question why the articles were not read out loud as they have been since time immortal. I hope that next time we will have the chance to vote on this most important question.
ReplyDeletequestion is it legal to have the school dept sending out emails during school hours and using school equipment to enhance the vote ??
ReplyDeleteAnd is it legal for administrators to use FB to encourage using the children to influence the vote
DeleteI am quite sure the A.G. would be very interested in that fact. I am not angry about what happened last night. In fact I am very sad. It would have been nice if the young people in the crowd could have seen our power point. Looking at that great group of children, I can only imagine, how bad they will be hurt when their mothers tell them they will not be able to live here any longer. Whether or not they believe it or not, many of these families will not be able to afford the payments to their homes, cars, taxes, water/sewer bills. and credit cards, never mind clothe their kids or feed them. All because we have a leadership that fails to get it !! Oh yes, they will get it, but it will be way to late to help the people they swore to protect and do good by. Our Democratic process took a big hit when the transfers for raises was not read. What's the matter, afraid someone will ask questions ?? How can a Town that has a budget that will not work, find the money to give raises ? Just think what people will say when they realize some of these people got raises two years in a row. What joy I felt when I learned I am getting a raise in my Social Security.. A whole .04% !!!Yey !! How will our leaders explain their actions to the rest of the older generation when these people realize what they have done ? That old saying, what goes around comes around will fit perfectly here. Our Select. Board may think they beat us, but in fact they only hurt themselves. Bev.
ReplyDeleteThe power point would have explained the relationship between our debt limit and the state of our finances. The meeting last night was not about whether or not we want the school. This information was going to be presented by Mark Barrieau, a former A.V. Board member and a concerned citizen. This is all public information that I would be more than happy to give to any of you.
DeleteI'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.
ReplyDeleteThe 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.
ReplyDeleteBrad, 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.
ReplyDeleteWe 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 slectboard 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.
OK, sorry to be a pain to some people, but........Reading the MGL 39 and MGL 43a along with other opinions from other town counsels I think last night was potentially illegitimate.
ReplyDeleteThe Board of selectman are town executives. As such it appears they should not make a motion on an article. They are at the town meeting representing the town, not taxpayers.
I for one question it also and know from election issues i had with our counsel he is not the final answer. As with the election issue i had the counsel for the TMLWP after we received one opinion it was changed by the TMLWP counsel.
ReplyDeleteJust pay again and again and again for one thing.
You can't make this shit up.
I have the "papers" like my uncle Pauly use to say to "back it up.
Were told what we need to hear so we will be quiet and go back to sleep.
Even the Ethic commission saw no problem with the TMLWP counsel doing work on the election process for a sitting commissioner up for re election.
One lawyer at Ethics thought it would be a problem for TMLWP counsel to represent the interest of the TMLWP commissioner.
But when the complaint was filed a decision was made that it was not any conflict or ethics issue.
So what happens in the larger federal landscape also happens at a town level.
A second opinion should be in the works and if found to be a improper opinion without any reason given for the stated illegal nature should be grounds to have a injunction imposed.
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ReplyDeleteOK, another thing to remember............Based on the massachusetts town meeting rules it seems to me we violated a rule last night that the "lawyer" didn't seem to care about......
ReplyDeleteFrom what I read.....Unless the town has changed this "town meeting rule" it appears any none majority vote must be a counted vote unless its unanimous. The 9/10's vote last night was not and no count was done.
This is from .... http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cistwn/twnidx.htm
Are there votes that cannot be taken by voice?
Yes, there are votes that cannot be taken by voice. Suppose that a town’s by-laws require that 2/3 of the voters, not a simple majority, vote to approve the budget for it to pass. Unless the voice vote is unanimous in favor of the budget, the moderator will find it hard to determine if more than 2/3 of the voters said “yea.” A vote requiring a super-majority (more than a simple majority) is usually decided by a vote other than voice vote.
No doubt selectmen mrs. brooks will go down as one of the worst selectman templeton has had, what a fraud!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where Tom Miller lives? I know he used to live in Gardner ? Just asking.
DeleteDO is Stupid. Of which I don't see you name, please identity yourself. I am curious to know why I will go down as the worst Selectwoman?? And what exactly have I done that is worthy of the word fraud?
DeleteLord road at the road cut before club road to otter river sportsman club.Big house on corner of linda ave .
ReplyDelete