Observations from Advisory Board Chairman Dan Keeney 1999 - 2000.

 .

 Events took place that effect out Town Government that the Town has no control over. One of the biggest events that caused financial problems was in 1991, when Temple Stuart closed it's doors. This closing left a large deficit in our revenue One of the biggest problems the town encountered was no changes were made in spending due to the loss of income from the loss of this business, and no other business came to town to replace it. In the Annual Town Report, 6/1/90 - 6/30/91 Selectmen's Annual Report - Fiscal year 1991 was another year of financial stress. Local aid was 5.1 % less than the prior year 1990. The Town's Fy'90 $554,253 in certified free cash, was used to offset the tax rate, furnished major support in helping the town to "get by" for the year. As in the prior year, certain maintenance and projects had to be forgone.

Cause and effect.

 Templeton's recent history has never been written down. Some day, maybe somebody will. My aim is to try to explain how the lack of management and planning along with consistency has hurt the town. This has to change. Hopefully this will help you to understand. Some changes are not in the Town's control. In the end both hurt everyone.

Before 1999, changes were made that still impact our town. Two big businesses in our community closed. In 1991 Temple Stuart closed. In 1996, Baldwinville Products closed.  With this happening the town lost revenue it had counted on for years. The 1996 report from the Templeton Municipal Lighting Plant . "During 1996 the Lighting Plant experienced its most severe financial situation since its inception 90 years ago. The closing of American Tissue Paper Mill (Baldwiville Products) combined with the shutdown of various nuclear powered generating facilities resulted in a substantial financial loss to the light plant. Fortunately, the Light Plant was able to recoup the loss by borrowing against excess funds from the MMWEC Working Capital Account.

In order for the Town to get through the financial trouble it was in the Light Company provided help.. At the 1991 May Annual Town Meeting, Article 7. The town voted to appropriate the sum of $50,000. from the surplus funds of the operating account of the Electric Light Department as of Dec 31, 1990 for use of the assessors in fixing the tax rate to meet Appropriations for Ft ending June 30, 1992. Article 8 was a vote to appropriate $111,700.00 from the Lighting Plant operating revenues of calendar years 1991 & 1992 to be used by the Assessors to establish the tax rate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992.

Back in the day. 1990-1991. Annual Town Report - Selectmen's Annual Report

 Fiscal year, 1991 was another year of financial stress. local aid was 5.1% less than the prior year 1990. The Town's Fy.90. $554,253 in certified free cash was used to offset the tax rate, furnished major support in helping the Town to "get by" for the year. As in the prior year, certain maintenance and projects had to be forgone.

Advisory Committee. Once again, this was a very difficult year as our revenues did not equal our inflationary demands. We began by level funding all budgets. We then made the necessary cuts to equal the available funds.