Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Advisory Committee urges Select Board to press state for higher PILOT payments, quicker veterans reimbursement and resolution on regional school agreement
Summary
Templeton's Advisory Committee presented several recommendations to the Select Board including urging action on state payments for Commonwealth-owned land (PILOT), advocating for faster reimbursement of veteran-services costs, asking the board to pursue the stalled regional agreement with Phillipston over school funding, and proposing study of a
Members of the Templeton Advisory Committee outlined seven items for the Select Board at its June 25 meeting, focusing on state-level funding formulas, veteran-services reimbursement timing, the town's share of Commonwealth-owned land payments (PILOT), and an unresolved regional-school agreement with the town of Phillipston.
An advisory committee speaker summarized a recent state auditor report showing Templeton received about $154,381 for fiscal 2024 in payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for Commonwealth-owned acreage; the report calculated Templeton's reimbursement at roughly $60 per acre and noted a median reimbursement across towns nearer $127 per acre. The advisory presenter urged the board to support a pending Senate bill (identified in the presentation as S1939) that would raise PILOT per-acre levels and said pursuing legislative support could add roughly $150,000 annually to the town under the higher-per-acre scenario.
On veterans services, advisory members urged the town to back a proposal to shorten state reimbursement timelines for veteran-services costs from about one year to six months. Advisory members said the delay strains municipal budgets and noted a possible legislative fix championed by Senator Joe Comerford.
The committee also raised the long-stalled Templeton-Phillipston regional agreement relating to the elementary school and reported the town's amendment had been approved on Templeton's floor but not acted on by Phillipston. Advisory members asked the Select Board to consult town counsel and consider pressing the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for assistance; they described the matter as unresolved for years and urged clear next steps, including potential legal remedies if Phillipston does not act.
Advisory said it would draft formal recommendations for the Select Board on several items, including the PILOT advocacy and a potential demand letter regarding the school agreement. At the end of the presentation, the Select Board voted to send a letter to state lawmakers requesting additional local aid, with members voting in favor.
Advisory also proposed creating a financial-plan recommendation using comparative data from similar towns and suggested the town consider a pension stabilization fund to smooth future Worcester County retirement-contribution increases. On sewer billing, advisory recommended forming a small cross-departmental study group to assess unified billing options and costs to determine if converting to a combined water/sewer bill would improve collection and customer service.
The Select Board asked advisory to provide written recommendations and supporting data; several board members said they would consult counsel where appropriate before any formal legal steps.
