Thursday, July 22, 2010

MBTA Parking Made Simple

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:


via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 7/22/10

MBTA GM Davey, West Natick, July 22, 2010 MBTA General Manager Richard Davey visited the West Natick Commuter Rail Station today to demonstrate the new and easy way to pay for parking at T lots.  The visit is also the latest stop on his "Join the GM" series of sessions along with his senior staff to listen to customers' questions and concerns.  

Beginning Friday, July 23, a simpler system for parking lot payments will allow daily commuters and visitors to use their mobile phones and an online account to pay for parking at MBTA lots.

Customers parking in MBTA-owned and operated lots with existing cash honor boxes will be able to pay for parking online or via phone while in their cars or once they board a train, bus, or commuter boat. 

As part of a new partnership with Parkmobile USA, customers can visit www.parkmobile.com and enroll in the new program for free, and have access to their on-line accounts 24 hours a day/7 days a week. T riders can also download a mobile app.

Once registered, customers can use the mobile app, the internet, a text message or a phone call to pay for parking. TTY service is also available. The phone number will be displayed on signs at MBTA parking facilities.

The new service will be available for 23,733 parking spaces at nearly 70 MBTA-owned lots with existing cash honor boxes. In the weeks ahead the T will work to expand the new system to lots that are not operated by the MBTA.  Only two U.S. transit systems offer more parking spaces than the MBTA. 

Learn more about the new service.

Things you can do from here:

School Committee: What took so long?

  • The School Committee met on June 8th, the day of the failed override vote. They also met on June 22, two weeks after the override vote.
  • The letter to the FEA regarding the shortened day was dated July 6th and requested a response from the teachers union by July 20th.
Why did the School Committee wait so long to take action on what they knew was required?

The letter and results of the non-response by the teachers union can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/07/franklin-ma-no-shortened-day-for.html

Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: no shortened day for Elementary schools

According to the School Committee meeting Tuesday evening, there will not be a shortened school day for the elementary schools. The seven elementary teachers already cut from the budget as announced during the override will be joined by three more due to the lack of response from the teachers union on this proposal. The teachers involved had already been notified per contractual requirements in June.

If the teachers union had responded positively to this proposal, the teacher positions could have been restored.

Notification to parents of teacher assignments will not be until August. There are still enrollment adjustments happening and the final teacher assignments are pending these changes. The enrollment adjustments are families moving from one school to another. The churn is still be worked on the principals.

As clarified in this video segment, the total teachers cut due to the failed override is now 18; 8 from the middle schools and 10 from the elementary schools. Larger class sizes will result.

You can view this segment of the School Committee meeting on the Franklin website here
http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=R2rkwli%2b1jaAqlaDCKc%2bvw%3d%3d

Here is the letter to the FEA (the teachers union) from the School Committee regarding the proposed shortened day for the elementary schools.

2010 FSC Shortened Day to FEA


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.

Franklin, MA

Small Wonders Licensed Family Child Care

In the public service notice category, I have this email text from Joanne Basile:

Small Wonders Licensed Family Child Care has Part Time Openings 2010/2011 for the 2010/2011 School Year:
Hope you're all having a great summer, and I just wanted to post a quick note for those of you that are beginning to think about Back to School Planning...
- Have older kids in school and a little one at home?
- Do you have a little one that misses the preschool cut off?
- Do you need an opportunity for your little one help manage on separation anxiety, or play and share with peers?
- Would you like a few hours a week to do some errands on your own, take a class, or even just clean up?
Small Wonders Family Child care is a fully licensed family child care - I have been in business since 2003, and have many sweet little friends here in Franklin that have come to play. The children enjoy puzzles, board games, dance parties, baking, coloring, sing a longs, walks around the block, story time and more.
I am CPR and First Aid certified and as a mother of two young boys with severe food allergies, trained in the use of an Epi Pen. As a licensed provider the state has performed a background check and safety inspection.
I have many happy references available from both current and former clients.
Only three spaces remain for my 2010/2011 school year, spaces available Tuesday and Thursday from 9-12 or 9-2 depending on your needs.
Please email me at basilefamily@comcast.net if you'd like more details.

Franklin, MA


Town Council - 07/21/10

The collected reporting from the Town Council meeting on Wednesday evening, July 21 can be found here:



Franklin, MA

Hawthorn Suites Business After Hours - Aug 11


BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT HAWTHORN SUITES

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce has organized a Business After Hours at Hawthorn Suites, 835 Upper Union St., Franklin, on Aug. 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The cost is $5 for members (3 members for $10) or $10 for non-members. Register by calling 508-222-0801, 508-695-6011 or 508-528-2800.

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, business support organization with offices in Attleboro, North Attleborough and Franklin serving the communities of Attleboro, Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxborough, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Wrentham.

In the News - driving badly, dog debarking, casino letter, curriculum change

Cops: Franklin man drove woman off road

from The Milford Daily News News RSS 


Massachusetts outlaws dog debarking




Holliston, Ashland, Hopkinton write joint casino letter


Franklin, MA

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Live reporting - Closing

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Pfeffer - thanks to Mark Cerel and Debbie Pellegri for putting together training on the new Open Meeting law. It was well done and a lot of committee and Town folks attended.


Jones - thanks to the Town for getting the circular table wired up to turn the lights back on at the Library.


Mason - happy birthday to Councilor Powderly, she's 29 today

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION 
Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required
not tonight



P. ADJOURN
Vallee - motion to adjourn, passed 9-0
meeting closed at 7:20 PM (with a 5 minute recess, this is the shortest meeting I have ever attended.)


Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Action items (continued)

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 10-40: Affordable Housing Strategy and Development Action Plan
motion to move to Aug 4th meeting agenda, passed 9-0

3. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 10-645: Site Plan Review & Design Review – 1st Reading
motion to wave reading, passed 9-0
motion to move to 2nd reading, passed 9-0


Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Affordable Housing Hearing

F. HEARINGS 
First
Zoning Bylaw Amend. 10-645: Site Plan Review & Design Review- 7:10 PM
Bryan Taberner, Beth Dahlstrom


Planning Board has voted to approve the zoning bylaw change
Remove language to hold a bond
incomplete objects would be agreed upon by the developer and the Town Engineer
certification of completion, or a fine of $300/day until completion


Pfeffer - the notary clauses are incorrect for MA law


Dahlstrom - I'm sorry I thought those were corrected
Cerel - Those will be corrected before the second reading


open for citizen comment, none made


motion to close the hearing,  passed 9-0

Second
Affordable Housing Strategy and Development Action Plan – Public Hearing
Bryan and Beth continue

Town Councilors had not had time to read the 34 page document
compared by one to a 'Harry Potter' book, by another to a summons

open for citizen comment, none made

Motion to close the hearing, passed 9-0


Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Recess

Five minute recess



Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Old/New business

L. OLD BUSINESS
none

M. NEW BUSINESS
Pfeffer - regarding the new barrels, when they are put back the covers are open and if it is raining or snowing, the barrels could accumulate, can they be put back with the covers on

Nutting - It is a matter of the drivers touch, if they handle it just right, the cover should come back on. We are putting items like this together to have a monthly meeting with the vendor.

Pfeffer - I have also noticed they have been lenient in picking up the overflowing barrels

Nutting - It is still the new process, we want to get it off right. We will soon not pick up the snow cones, those barrels with an overflow on the top.

We are also expecting the smaller barrels in a couple of weeks. If you do want to switch make sure you contact the DPW.

 - five minute recess -

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Administrators Report

Continuing to skip about the agenda to use time wisely before the hearings are scheduled to start at 7:10 PM


K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT


Jeff - Thanks to all the citizens in their help with the water ban, the water levels have improved. If we get some good rain, we'll go back to once a week.


The State passed their final budget, we are set, we don't need to make any more amendments.


I want to recognize David Seal, got his heavy duty truck certificate, his personal development and other of our employees are appreciated.



Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Action items

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS - none

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS - none

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS - none

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION


2. Resolution 10-41: Authorization to Hold Bonfire-Tri-County School
motion to approve, passed 8-0


Per Jeff Nutting, this has been a standard request every year

(Zollo arrived after this vote)






Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Town Council

Present: Kelly, Jones, Vallee, Whalen, Mason, Pfeffer, McGann, Powderly
Absent:  Zollo

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - none


B. ANNOUNCEMENTS 
Meetings of the Town Council are Recorded
Verizon, Comcast, and Steve Sherlock for Franklin Matters

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none

E. APPOINTMENTS
Historical Commission Associate Member (Connie Lawson)
motion to approve, passed 8-0

skipping hearing items on agenda to use time before the published hearing time slot.

Franklin, MA

Ditch the standards!

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is appointed by the governor but operates independently, will decide today whether to postpone the vote, state education officials said. Reville said he could not predict if board members would comply with the request.
State education officials have been exploring the possibility of adopting the national standards for more than a year, a controversial proposition for a state known to have some of the most rigorous academic standards in the nation.
The national standards, which Massachusetts officials helped to develop, specify what material should be taught in English and math at every grade level. The voluntary effort was spearheaded by associations representing the nation’s governors and state education leaders and has received the support of President Obama, who is now pushing states to adopt the standards by offering financial incentives.
Read the full article in the Boston Globe here:
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2010/07/21/education_board_urged_to_delay_vote_on_new_standards/

The Franklin School Committee blog posted on this earlier and you can read that here:
 http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/massachusetts-education-chief-supports-national-standards/

Picking up on the creativity idea in Jeff Roy's posting, I encourage you to read through the Newsweek article he references.

I would rather see us ditch the standards, which end up requiring schools to teach to the test and go for more creative approaches. A TED Talk video I posted here in June makes great points on this subject:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/everything-is-possible.html


Franklin, MA


School signs

A couple of the local school signs have been updated with the summer message:


and Parmenter welcomes their new Principal, Tom Morris:


Enjoy!


Franklin, MA

Hopkinton Networking Group - Jul 23 meeting


I'm on LinkedIn, now what?


That will be the subject of an interactive presentation I'll lead at the Hopkinton Networking Group meeting on Friday. I did the presentation before and will update some of the photos to keep the presentation fresh. The text will remain pretty much the same. The delivery and interaction will be up to those participating.


I want to make sure that your questions will be answered. I want to make sure that you'll be able to walk away with something specific to do.


1 - If you want to attend, the meeting details are as follows:  


When: Friday, July 23 from 10:00 AM - Noon
Where: St John's Evangelist Parish Center, 20 Church St, Hopkinton
Cost: $1 donation requested


2 - If you have a LinkedIn question you would like answered, please let me know.



Franklin, MA


In the News - search ends

Search for Franklin man ends

from The Milford Daily News News RSS 

Franklin, MA

Engage with your government

The role of government as a service for the people should be an ongoing discussion. The Franklin Charter should be coming up for a decision by the voters of Franklin this November.

Changes to government at the State level impact what happens here in Franklin. Changes to the government at the Federal level also trickle down to impact what happens here. If you want to get involved on the Federal level:


The Federal Communications Commission is holding two dialogs with the public:

  • Future of Media Forum – Join in the discussion to help ensure that all Americans have access to vibrant, diverse sources of news and information that will enable them to enrich their families,  communities and democracy.
  • Reboot.FCC.gov Forum – Join the discussion to help improve the Federal Communications Commission. Your suggestions, ideas and comments will be part of a public discussion that furthers FCC reform. 
You can view more dialogs with the government at USA.gov.


------------

More info on the Franklin charter changes can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/07/in-news-charter-changes.html

Additional info will be posted as soon as it is available.


Franklin, MA