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Here is a letter from John Driscoll to Kent Songer (sewer Dept). This shows a clear lack of understanding of the open meeting law and its intent. And to have to spend more money on legal fees to have a joint meeting shows lack of knowledge or lack of care on how funds are spent. Not sure about joint open meetings, call the AG office and they will help or read the open meeting law guide, joint meetings are in there. It is actually quite simple. Now why would Mr. Driscoll be opposed to a joint open meeting "here" at the light dept.? He is correct in one thing, joint meeting is the realm of the chair, Mr. Blais. Now if Mr. Driscoll does contact legal, does he plan on splitting that bill too with water dept.? You know, the dept. without a budget or any money available for expenses in the coming year. I wonder if anyone would wish to reconsider that vote at STM back in March of 2013. Templeton, please take care.

Jeffrey Bennett

and from Saturday's Gardner News

6/1/2013 6:16:00 AM Selectmen to seek meeting with light and water board Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — In an effort to address the lack of an approved budget for the Water Department, the Board of Selectmen earlier this week unanimously agreed to seek a meeting with the Municipal Light and Water Commission. “My hope is that by holding a meeting with the light and water commission, they will provide a line item budget that we can present at the Special Town Meeting and the select board can say this is a budget we can all speak in favor of,” said commission member Gregg Edwards. While Mr. Edwards said the commission will likely meet with the selectmen, he reinforced Chairman Dana Blais’ previous statements that Annual Town Meeting voters’ lack of approval for the department’s fiscal year 2014 budget will not prevent operations from continuing. “I think there is a concern primarily because of the administrative tasks associated with trying to get the non-binding vote at town meeting,” he said. “I think there will be a way around it. I think the selectmen will work with us.”

Chapter 90 holdup… Or holdup?

Chapter 90 holdup…

Or holdup?

Communities throughout Massachusetts rely on Chapter 90 money to complete road projects. In Templeton, Chapter 90 money is used for engineering and design as well as road reconstruction. Templeton has used Ch. 90 money for Baldwinville Rd engineering ($380,821.70 so far), Back Bay Project CDBG Grant– Columbus, Mason, Cherry & Summer St. ($23,952.94). Wellington Rd resurfacing ($86,992.23)

Templeton Chapter 90 spreadsheet .

The cost difference in road resurfacing between Wellington Rd and the Back Bay project, is due to the CDBG grant funding for the Back Bay project.

At Town Meeting, a vote was taken:

To see if the Town will vote to accept and expend a sum of money from the Town of Templeton’s fiscal year 2014 Chapter 90 apportionment from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Chapter 90 program, and any additional sums of money that may be available in accordance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Chapter 90 program and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Public Works, and to borrow in anticipation of 100% reimbursement of said amounts, or to take any other action relative thereto.

Submitted by the Board of Selectmen