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On January 1, 2008, the Brockton EmptyPrize printed a letter to the editor by Mark Coelho that criticized Rep. Calter's position on the Middleboro Casino.

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On Thursday, January 17, Rep. Calter addressed an SRO audience in the Middleboro Library.

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Rep. Calter was available to explain the issues and answer questions.

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Were you there Mr. Coelho?

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I didn't see the media there either.

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And the vocal casino supporters who were there failed to ask questions, yet they subsequently misrepresented what transpired on other blogs.

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The Middleboro BOS has somewhat arrogantly requested that Rep. Calter attend one of their meetings to explain his position. Mr. Coelho, I can only hope you will attend, along with many others to ask your questions and listen for an explanation.

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Hopefully, the Middleboro BOS will have the sense to convene this meeting at the Middleboro High School and an overflow crowd will ask their questions.

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Mr. Coelho asked: "What is your plan to save our schools?" "What is your plan to save our town services?"

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In fairness, Middleboro has a Town Meeting form of government. That means that voters have an opportunity to determine spending and make choices.

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On November 5, 2007, Middleboro held a Special Town Meeting that was a grab bag of hastily prepared information and warrant articles that spent most of the town's piggy bank from the land auctions.

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The Finance Committee received some of the information regarding those articles that very afternoon. Why was the information withheld from the FinCom and voters?

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One must wonder who is watching and who is asking questions when this transpires?

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How do you understand the issues if the information is deliberately withheld from you by the Middleboro BOS?

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Prop. 2 1/2 provided limitations to town spending of 2 1/2% PER YEAR PLUS NEW GROWTH.

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Simply put, you can't negotiate contracts that provide 36% pay raises, as Mr. Perkins has done and expect the numbers to work.

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Rather than blaming our state reps. or others as the Middleboro Selectmen continually do, isn't it about time to accept some responsibility and recognize that WE, the voters of Middleboro HAVE CHOICES.

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We can make a concerted effort to understand how town government works, where the information is, where the money is, and attend Town Meeting.

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Have a complaint or question? Stand up at Town Meeting!

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The Town has been told that we may need a new ladder truck at a cost of $900,000.

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The City of Boston is buying new ladder trucks that cost $630,000.

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Why the price difference? Are the ladders shorter? Fewer wheels?

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Few of the recommendations from the DOR Report have been adopted. Is anyone asking why?

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Quarterly real estate tax bills have been estimated to generate $50,000 PER MONTH by the Town Treasurer.

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Have the Middleboro Selectmen accomplished it? They discussed it in 2003.

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Much can be accomplished with participation. Are you ready?

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Instead of criticizing Rep. Calter for his opposition to the flawed Agreement that will bankrupt Middleboro, why aren't we asking where our other Reps. are?

Nomination Papers available in Middleboro

In one of the few articles in the Brockton EmptyPrize about Middleboro, Alice Elwell has included a list of positions available for the April 5 Town Election.

There are a lot of seats open. Anyone interested in running?

It would be great to see some new candidates.

Nomination papers available for Middleboro election
By Alice C. Elwell, Enterprise correspondent
MIDDLEBORO— Nomination papers for the April 5 town election will be available in the town clerk's office today. Enterprise

Sick Leave Buy Backs & Comments

Those who have commented on Sick Leave Buy Back have missed a number of significant issues.

1. The Empty-Prize printed an editorial that criticized Plymouth County because of the editor's concealed agenda. Very little local reporting is accomplished by the consortium that owns the Empty-Prize and in essence, it's a wasteland.

On Wednesday, one single article appeared about the Monday BOS meeting and failed to report significant issues. Rather, the Empty-Prize chose to focus on the Regional Task Force and SRPEDD, its targets. Instead of news and factual reporting, the Empty-Prize has presented its favorite targets.

2. The Empty-Prize reported about a single Plymouth Country employee who 'ran out' her sick days. That editorial comment wouldn't be problematic if it represented fair and accurate reporting of the same issue in other towns or specifically Middleboro.

The 11/5 STM in Middleboro approved + $85,000 in sick leave buyback, and additional was voted on at the ATM.

One of those employees approved for sick leave buyback at the 11/5 STM was deceased.

Did anyone question or notice, least of all the Empty-Prize?

While it's sad that the Town lost an employee, what private sector employer offers that perc?

And for that matter, what private sector employer offers sick pay packages to salaried employees?

What private sector employer doesn't require medical documentation?

What private sector employer fails to record sick days, as Middleboro has not?

3. To clarify for all who believe or have been circulating mis-information: Town Meeting has a right to 'fund' or approve CONTRACTS.

If Town Meeting refuses to FUND a union contract at its inception, it's back to the Bargaining Table.

It can't be challenged in court. Some may recall that there was a Town that refused to fund a new Police contract last year and the Union accepted Town Meeting vote without a court challenge.

And at one of the BOS Meetings, I specifically asked the question to compel the Chairwoman to make the comment, on the record, that ALL union contracts will contain the provision 'SUBJECT TO TOWN MEETING APPROVAL.'

Since the Chairwoman seems to have periodic memory lapses and frequently misstates information as it's convenient, one needs to watch carefully, but it should also be noted that the Town Accountant's contract failed to include that wording.

As a footnote: the reason the 36% pay raise for the Selectmen's Secretary could not be voided is because it occurred in the 2nd year of a 3 year contract, increasing her pay to $68,000 per year or equivalent to a department head who supervises employees, manages a department, and has specialized training.

Asleep at the Empty-Prize?

Are folks at the Empty-Prize asleep?

While their editorial is intended to fault one person, Middleboro's Annual Town Meeting protested a number of SICK LEAVE BUY BACKS in lump sums.

Middleboro's former Town Manager received SICK LEAVE BUYBACK at retirement claiming he had never been sick. A review of BOS meeting minutes might indicate otherwise, but what private sector 'salaried' employee gets such a perk?

Middleboro's Animal Control Officer 'retired' in March of 2006,moved to Florida, but remained on the Town's payroll until September 2007 because of accumulated vacation and sick pay. How much previous 'sick leave' was used for previous surgeries? No one keeps track. Did anyone request documentation for that period of sick leave?

Middleboro's 11/5 STM (Special Town Meeting) approved $85,000 for sick leave buy back for retiring employees.

Middleboro's Board of Selectmen signed a contract with a newly hired Town Accountant who will work 4 days a week with no specified hours, and be allowed to accumulate sick pay at the same rate as those employees working 35 hours per week up to 275 days. So, in other words, if he leaves the Town's employ, he can 'run out' his accumulated sick leave. If he 'retires' from the Town, he can 'run out' his accumulated sick leave for ONE YEAR.

EACH AND EVERY MIDDLEBORO UNION CONTRACT ALLOWS FOR SICK LEAVE & VACATION ACCUMULATION & BUY BACK THAT WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE OR ACCRUED AS A FUTURE TOWN LIABILITY.

Instead of targeting one particular individual to fault, perhaps the Empty-Prize editors should do their homework. Yeah, it's egregious, but it's widespread. Could this have contributed to the fiscal train-wreck in Middleboro?

County official reveals waste in government
We are hard pressed to think of any business outside of government where workers can carry unused sick days from one year to the next and then, as they near retirement, stop working at full pay for weeks, even months, before actually leaving the job while another person has to be paid to pick up the extra work.
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2007/11/21/news/opinion/opinion01.txt