Thursday, November 3, 2011
In the News - Carroll, i495 region, power
Meet the Franklin Candidate: John Carroll, Planning Board
Meetings talk about growth in the Rte. 495 region
Power back for most local residents
Town Council - 11/02/11
The collection of posts reported live for the Town Council meeting held on Nov 2, 2011 can be found here
Live reporting - Closing
Live reporting - Closing
6th Annual Casino NIght - Nov 5th
Franklin Education Foundation’s 6th Annual Casino Night Planning is in Full Swing!
On Saturday, November 5, 2011, the Franklin Education Foundation (FEF) will hold its 6th Annual Casino Night at the Franklin Elks from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. The event will feature Black Jack, Roulette and Money Wheel as well as raffles, a Silent Auction, a live band, cash bar and FREE hors d’oeuvres. The event is well known as a fun evening out with friends and neighbors, all while contributing to a worthwhile cause.
For the first time ever, FEF is thrilled to announce the addition of live music to our annual event. Guests will be treated to the amazing acoustic rock sounds of Ben Gardner's Boat, one of the areas most popular bands.
FEF is currently seeking table sponsors as well as auction donations. If you have an item to donate or if your company is interested in sponsoring, contact FEF. It’s a great way for local companies to show their commitment to education in Franklin.
Admission is $25. To avoid waiting in line at the door, advance ticket purchase is recommended. For ticket purchase, auction donation or sponsorship information, please contact Mike Doherty at (508) 541-3000 or MPD1@dcdclaw.com. Cash only accepted for chip purchase. Checks and Visa/MC accepted for Silent Auction items. For more information visit www.franklined.org.
Since 1997, The Franklin Education Foundation events have raised well over $200,000 which has been distributed to Franklin public schools in the form of special grants. All Franklin Public School staff members are eligible to submit creative, innovative ideas for programs or activities that would not traditionally be funded by tax dollars. To see a list of programs FEF have funded over the years, visit www.franklined.org.
38th Annual Craft Fair on Saturday, Nov 12
The Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club will hold its 38th Annual Craft Fair on Saturday,
November 12th from 9 am to 4 pm at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in
Franklin, MA.
Admission will be $3.00 per person, children 12 and under are free. The club
proudly supports the Franklin Food Pantry and will be accepting non-perishable food donations
at the fair.
This year’s annual tradition will feature over 60 crafters offering hand made and unique items for
every style and budget including: art, photography, baskets, candles, kids and adult clothing and
accessories, jewelry, ceramics, ornaments, handbags, holiday décor, and much, much more!
The Franklin Newcomers Club is a social and charitable club for area residents. The majority of
the proceeds from the Craft Fair will benefit local organizations. For more information, visit
www.franklinnewcomers.com.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Live reporting - Closing
K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
The mailbox is our policy not the council's. If the mailbox is on our property, it is not our responsibly to replace it
Whalen - do we have new drivers? 4 in a row on my street got struck, if it is a more significant amount will they take more care?
Nutting - we don't do it intentionally, I don't think so.
Mason - if we made the driver replace the boxes they hit, the number would go way down.
Kelly - I spoke to Brutus last year, it is not the Town drivers I have a problem with, it is the private drivers that cause the problems
Kelly - the situation that is going on needs to get fixed.
Nutting - moving on, the list of thanks for the storm is endless. The police, fire, recreation, dozens of volunteers. We were fresh off Irene and we had lessons learned, we are learning more. National Grid kept us in the loop with a daily update around new. About 200 left now, mostly around Vine St.
We had more phone calls, we are not the utility, we can get a new utility. If you haven't signed up for the ConnectCTY, give us your email and phone numbers, we can reach out to folks during tough times
Depot St parking lot will be open tomorrow, the construction has progressed.
Thanks to the outgoing councilors for your effort and dedication
New councilor workshop next week at 7:00
Jones - reiterate to sign up for the ConnectCTY and get their cell phones as well as their house phones
McGann - to Mr Primo who is usually on the messages, sometimes we get Brutus... he sounds like Elmo. Can we give him an other job?
L. OLD BUSINESS
Vallee - I am getting phone calls on the high school, can you give us an update?
Nutting - FAQs on web, forum on Nov 18th at Horace Mann to cover all the items
architect is in design, looking to get to MSBA for Jan meeting, assuming approved, then debt exclusion question would be needed in Mar, if Jan isn't approved then the schedule could back up 2 months.
McGann - I want to go back to last week's meeting. I don't want to get miss understood. I did not mean it when I said the teachers were lucky to have a job. I hope the ones tonight will understand. It was not a negative remark. I'll go a little bit further as I may not be hear next week.
Back in June, we the sitting council approved the SchCom budget, never once was in mentioned that there were built in raises. I won't speak for the FinCom, they interpreted the budget the same way we did. We had asked all bargaining units to hold the line. And the SchCom did not. Mr Chairman, you asked that this council move this matter over to the new council.
We were the council
we approved the budget
we were the ones mislead
we have to answer the other bargaining units
I had to answer to emails of residents and town employees
to defer this to the new council is wrong, to me it doesn't make any sense
the money isn't there, there will be layoff, they will have to figure out how to fund it
the raises were given and they are not coming back
the SchCom did what they thought was in the best interest.
I have not heard where the money is coming from
M. NEW BUSINESS
Pfeffer - presents an award plaque to Mason for his service
Powderly - I do support the need, I think the procedural requirements could have been better prepared.
Thanks for the response to help during the storm
Thanks for the help Mason, Whalen and Zollo for their years of service, they approached each decision with integrity and honest. They have taught me to navigate the bylaws and charters. Their collected and reasonable approach has been thanked,
Zollo - public thanks to his family for their patience being here has been more than he anticipated. Reasonable people can differ on issues.
I view the biggest accomplishment was the ability to participate in a successful override. There was a collective approach to it. It was a successful collective effort. I do believe the others were needed. The biggest disappointment was the ability to motive a number of people to get involved in the process.
If we break 20% next week, it will be unusual. This has more importance that other day in and day out effect.
I think the biggest issue other than the on going budget is going to be this high school. I would urge everyone to concentrate on it and focus on it. Nothing else will impact the town as much as this will.
Wish all the candidates good luck,hope you are able to perform your duties with a sense of purpose and humility
McGann - thanks to Jeff, Maxine, Mark for all your help. I recognize this sitting as a family and I have been the runt of the family. There is one gentleman sitting here, and we have differed, he is not running. I find him to be the most intelligent, he knows numbers inside and out. Mr Whalen - I wish you were on the ballot for re-election, you are very knowledgeable. I wish you all the best. You brought a lot (Zollo).
I was going to say prospersous but the SchCom has already got the raise.
Kelly - thanks for your help, get out and vote
Jones - thanks to the so many people who helped on this crazy storm who helped get this under control. When I first joined this Council 2 years ago, I knew it was a volunteer position but did not realize how much. Thanks to Whalen, Zollo and Mason for all your hard work.
Vallee - The town is loosing three excellent councilors, thank you
Pfeffer - Ryan Jetty donated a new load timer for the Council to use. The other one was too old. Thanks to the three councilors for your service and involvement in t his adventure
Whalen - thanks for your kind words, it is humbling, being fortunate in being elected to 2 terms, the people are absolutely the best part of the job. To be consistent and some what redundant the town is slipping in level of services, I try to analyze it in any different way to improve those services. We are going to have to convince a majority of the voters to pay more out of their part in property taxes.
mason - six years ago I thought it would be fun to run and by 4 votes I got on the first time. I consider myself very luck to know and work with you. Volunteering is a noble cause. I encourage all our community to give back to our wonderful community. I want to thank you. I think we tend to take for granted what we have, take a look around.
N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
O.EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required
P. ADJOURN
The mailbox is our policy not the council's. If the mailbox is on our property, it is not our responsibly to replace it
Whalen - do we have new drivers? 4 in a row on my street got struck, if it is a more significant amount will they take more care?
Nutting - we don't do it intentionally, I don't think so.
Mason - if we made the driver replace the boxes they hit, the number would go way down.
Kelly - I spoke to Brutus last year, it is not the Town drivers I have a problem with, it is the private drivers that cause the problems
Kelly - the situation that is going on needs to get fixed.
Nutting - moving on, the list of thanks for the storm is endless. The police, fire, recreation, dozens of volunteers. We were fresh off Irene and we had lessons learned, we are learning more. National Grid kept us in the loop with a daily update around new. About 200 left now, mostly around Vine St.
We had more phone calls, we are not the utility, we can get a new utility. If you haven't signed up for the ConnectCTY, give us your email and phone numbers, we can reach out to folks during tough times
Depot St parking lot will be open tomorrow, the construction has progressed.
Thanks to the outgoing councilors for your effort and dedication
New councilor workshop next week at 7:00
Jones - reiterate to sign up for the ConnectCTY and get their cell phones as well as their house phones
McGann - to Mr Primo who is usually on the messages, sometimes we get Brutus... he sounds like Elmo. Can we give him an other job?
L. OLD BUSINESS
Vallee - I am getting phone calls on the high school, can you give us an update?
Nutting - FAQs on web, forum on Nov 18th at Horace Mann to cover all the items
architect is in design, looking to get to MSBA for Jan meeting, assuming approved, then debt exclusion question would be needed in Mar, if Jan isn't approved then the schedule could back up 2 months.
McGann - I want to go back to last week's meeting. I don't want to get miss understood. I did not mean it when I said the teachers were lucky to have a job. I hope the ones tonight will understand. It was not a negative remark. I'll go a little bit further as I may not be hear next week.
Back in June, we the sitting council approved the SchCom budget, never once was in mentioned that there were built in raises. I won't speak for the FinCom, they interpreted the budget the same way we did. We had asked all bargaining units to hold the line. And the SchCom did not. Mr Chairman, you asked that this council move this matter over to the new council.
We were the council
we approved the budget
we were the ones mislead
we have to answer the other bargaining units
I had to answer to emails of residents and town employees
to defer this to the new council is wrong, to me it doesn't make any sense
the money isn't there, there will be layoff, they will have to figure out how to fund it
the raises were given and they are not coming back
the SchCom did what they thought was in the best interest.
I have not heard where the money is coming from
M. NEW BUSINESS
Pfeffer - presents an award plaque to Mason for his service
Powderly - I do support the need, I think the procedural requirements could have been better prepared.
Thanks for the response to help during the storm
Thanks for the help Mason, Whalen and Zollo for their years of service, they approached each decision with integrity and honest. They have taught me to navigate the bylaws and charters. Their collected and reasonable approach has been thanked,
Zollo - public thanks to his family for their patience being here has been more than he anticipated. Reasonable people can differ on issues.
I view the biggest accomplishment was the ability to participate in a successful override. There was a collective approach to it. It was a successful collective effort. I do believe the others were needed. The biggest disappointment was the ability to motive a number of people to get involved in the process.
If we break 20% next week, it will be unusual. This has more importance that other day in and day out effect.
I think the biggest issue other than the on going budget is going to be this high school. I would urge everyone to concentrate on it and focus on it. Nothing else will impact the town as much as this will.
Wish all the candidates good luck,hope you are able to perform your duties with a sense of purpose and humility
McGann - thanks to Jeff, Maxine, Mark for all your help. I recognize this sitting as a family and I have been the runt of the family. There is one gentleman sitting here, and we have differed, he is not running. I find him to be the most intelligent, he knows numbers inside and out. Mr Whalen - I wish you were on the ballot for re-election, you are very knowledgeable. I wish you all the best. You brought a lot (Zollo).
I was going to say prospersous but the SchCom has already got the raise.
Kelly - thanks for your help, get out and vote
Jones - thanks to the so many people who helped on this crazy storm who helped get this under control. When I first joined this Council 2 years ago, I knew it was a volunteer position but did not realize how much. Thanks to Whalen, Zollo and Mason for all your hard work.
Vallee - The town is loosing three excellent councilors, thank you
Pfeffer - Ryan Jetty donated a new load timer for the Council to use. The other one was too old. Thanks to the three councilors for your service and involvement in t his adventure
Whalen - thanks for your kind words, it is humbling, being fortunate in being elected to 2 terms, the people are absolutely the best part of the job. To be consistent and some what redundant the town is slipping in level of services, I try to analyze it in any different way to improve those services. We are going to have to convince a majority of the voters to pay more out of their part in property taxes.
mason - six years ago I thought it would be fun to run and by 4 votes I got on the first time. I consider myself very luck to know and work with you. Volunteering is a noble cause. I encourage all our community to give back to our wonderful community. I want to thank you. I think we tend to take for granted what we have, take a look around.
N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
O.EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required
P. ADJOURN
Live reporting - Action items
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
none
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
none
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 11-58: Appropriation: Library – Prior Year- Salaries
motion to approve, passed 9-0
2. Resolution 11-59: Appropriation: Recreation – Prior Year- Salaries
motion to waive reading, passed
motion to approve, passed 9-0
3. Resolution 11-60: Appropriation: OPEB Actuary Study
motion to approve, passed 9-0
to approve transfer from 'free cash', need to do this study every 2 years
4. Resolution 11-61: Appropriation: Nustyle Demolition
motion to approve, passed 9-0
checking on bids received, amount now 205,000 (was 160,000 at FinCom 10/11/11)
timeline for demolition, assuming contract award, 90 days after signed, possible late this spring
5. Resolution 11-62: Appropriation: Roads/Sidewalks/Drainage/Storm Water/Infrastructure
motion to approve, passed 9-0
from 'free cash', there is a huge backlog of roadwork here, if we vote this now, they can start planning for spring and summer work
Q - what will you do with this?
Nutting - some for drainage, some for roads, and design work. This won't do half of a single road.
Q - Are you open to suggest streets?
Nutting - I always listen to suggestions. You're on the list for 2014
I'll update the Council with the newest listing of road status. They update it during the winter. Pleasant St was 9 million alone
The State does between 150-200million for road work, we usually get 600-700,000
Roads have a useful life like everything else.
The critical streets alone were 15 million. We'll do crackseal, chip seal. Folks don't like it but it gets another 5-8 years out of road. Full depth reconstruction is what is incredibly expensive.
Item on the governors desk to allow for easier acceptance of subdivision roads
We did have a line item on the last override that would have funded a million a year and it was not passed. Again, folks are not willing to pay for what we need.
6. Resolution 11-63: Amendment of the FY 2012 Budget
17,000 for additional planning board part time staff, doesn't change bottom line of the budget overall
Fire positions are based upon an analysis of the staffing by Chief McCarragher (copy of memo in full document set from town website) - the 85,000 should add positions to operate the remainder of the fiscal year.
There is additional new growth not identified earlier.
Mason - this money is not coming out of the Stabilization Account.
Nutting - any movement out of the Stabilization Account requires a 2/3 vote.
Powderly - I don't understand this way versus other times when we have made adjustments
Nutting - a lot of those are after the tax rate has been set. This is more inline with accounting perspective with the tax rate not set. In Feb if we need money for something, it won't look like this.
Pfeffer - Am I reading this correctly?
Nutting - there is known ovetime, and unknown (injuries, storms, etc.) Last year the fire dept lived on a grant of $135,000 that has expired. This year we cut a position and cut overtime. This is adding some of the OT back.
Pfeffer - I am not looking at changing this year, I am looking at long term
Nutting
Pfeffer - are you going to be able to fill both ambulances
McCarragher - yes, it will we'll put the second ambulance back on and it will help us address response time for onsite.
McCarragher - last year we spent about 40-65,000 on OT for sick time. We are managing it.
Vallee - it is not being abused?
McCarragher - no, we are working it the folks are good. On the job injuries are more costly than sick time. We have an aging workforce and we are starting to see an increase in our line of duty injuries.
7. Bylaw Amendment 11-665:Amendment to Chapter 82, Appendix A – List of Service Fee Rates 2nd Reading
Motion to pass, via roll call passed 9-0
allows fees for inspections, based upon the size of the project
McGann - an increase in planning board fees?
Nutting - a new fee, not an increase the developer will bear the cost.
McGann - What is the work force doing?
Nutting - We eliminated the position last spring
Live reporting - Town Council - 11/02/11
Present: Kelly, Jones, Vallee, Whalen, Mason, Pfeffer, McGann, Zollo, Powderly
Absent: none
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
none
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
The meeting is recorded by Verizon, Comcast and Franklin Matters
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
none
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Vincent Magina - consider changing policy for $40 reimbursement for mailboxes destroyed by plows and trucks. Doesn't believe it is a fair reimbursement of a piece of my property that I have spent money on. Daughter hit another mailbox in an auto accident and was responsible for the full reimbursement. If you go down Pond St, I don't believe that there is one that is not in shambles.I don't believe I should be penalized for something I may have spent more money on. Yet the policy is only responsible for the Home Depot special. I am asking to reconsider the policy. Hold the town and its drivers responsible for the care of the mailboxes.
E. APPOINTMENTS
none
F. HEARINGS
none
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
T.D. Beverage Inc. D/B/A Tedeschi Food Shop
motion to approve license transfer, passed 9-0
Absent: none
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
none
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
The meeting is recorded by Verizon, Comcast and Franklin Matters
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
none
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Vincent Magina - consider changing policy for $40 reimbursement for mailboxes destroyed by plows and trucks. Doesn't believe it is a fair reimbursement of a piece of my property that I have spent money on. Daughter hit another mailbox in an auto accident and was responsible for the full reimbursement. If you go down Pond St, I don't believe that there is one that is not in shambles.I don't believe I should be penalized for something I may have spent more money on. Yet the policy is only responsible for the Home Depot special. I am asking to reconsider the policy. Hold the town and its drivers responsible for the care of the mailboxes.
E. APPOINTMENTS
none
F. HEARINGS
none
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
T.D. Beverage Inc. D/B/A Tedeschi Food Shop
motion to approve license transfer, passed 9-0
October Storm Update 11/2/11
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "TOWN OF FRANKLIN" <email@blackboardconnect.com>
Date: Nov 2, 2011 3:00 PM
Subject: October Storm Update 11/2/11
To: <shersteve@gmail.com>
From: "TOWN OF FRANKLIN" <email@blackboardconnect.com>
Date: Nov 2, 2011 3:00 PM
Subject: October Storm Update 11/2/11
To: <shersteve@gmail.com>
 | ||||||
|
Ed Cafasso answers 3 questions
Ed Cafasso and I met for coffee at Cafe Dolce recently to discuss his to the three questions.
FM - Tell me a bit about yourself, your family and your life here in Franklin?
EC - We moved here from Walpole.13 years ago. It was just before Halloween, we moved here to Franklin. It has been a great place to raise a family. On November 2, 2004, I was appointed to fill a vacancy on the School Committee. I ran for my first full term a year later in 2005. So, if I’m fortunate enough to be re-elected, it would be my fourth full term. Between work and family, I keep a pretty busy schedule. The School Committee for me fulfills a sense of public service. I like being involved in the community and trying to help. We are fortunate to have a lot of great friends here. It has been interesting to see how the city has changed. It is becoming a city now where it really was more of a town before.
FM - What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? or What do you think makes you a good candidate to fulfill this role?
EC - I started my professional career as a reporter. I covered city government in Newton and other local issues for three years for a suburban newspaper chain. I then spent eight years at the Boston Herald, where I covered (Boston) City Hall, the State House, and the White House. So I got a look at government from the perspective of a reporter and an analyst. Following that, I spent five years as communications director for a progressive activist Attorney General. That gave me a great education in the various stakeholders in government and the need to stay in touch with the different groups who are touched by what government does.
Since then, as a communications professional, I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of large complex and sprawling enterprises that have multiple stakeholders. That experience, combined with the fact that I am a parent and a taxpayer who cares about what goes on where I live, has been a good training ground for the School Committee. This is a substantial school system. So I come at this position from multiple perspectives. As a parent, as a taxpayer, as well as one more akin to a management consultant.
I do happen to believe that education is a big part of the answer to societal problems. I think that was something I experienced very much at the Attorney General office where it became very clear that where the people that got off to a better start to their lives, they were less likely to wind up on the wrong side of the law. The experience I bring to the position is as one who can see the forest for the trees.
FM - What do you see as your role’s biggest challenge and do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve it?
EC - I am not sure that people understand essentially, that the School Committee serves as an active Board of Directors for a $51 million non-profit. We serve 6,200 kids, and their parents, guardians, employees, etc. It is a very large enterprise that has a very important mission. I think that one of the challenges is to help people see that although their focus is naturally on their son’s or daughter’s classroom, that classroom is just one piece of a larger organism.
I think that one of the big challenges is to find a way to continue to inform the stakeholders about the big picture. To unify the community around a specific set of facts so they can make some informed judgments about the future of the school district. We have a lot of priorities. The next teachers’ contract is going to be important. The high school project is very important. Getting the schools website up to speed and modernized will be important.
One of my goals, if I am re-elected, will be to do a parent survey. When I first joined the committee, I led an effort to do a survey of all parents. It was more of a communication survey. I’d like to replicate that survey today. We need to get a good pulse from one of our key stakeholders on what they think about how things are going and how can we serve them. We hear things. Sometimes, it is just the loudest voices that get served. I can sympathize. I know what is like to work 12 hours days. It is hard to pay attention when you are just trying to provide for your family.
I think a survey of parents would be important to try and just get a sense of what they see as important -- what they would like to see more of, would like to see less of, what they would like us to do better. The PCC attendance is not high. The surveys conducted by individual schools are based pretty much upon the school environment and are very specific to each school. I think it would be instructive for everyone to be able to hear from the parents on what they think of Franklin Schools; what the parents think of the issues that hold the most significance for them.
The answer to this question then is the issue of creating a two-way dialogue and being able to engage people. It is very difficult here; partly because of the nature of modern life. They are busy working; they are commuting’ taking care of elderly parents; they have a lot of things going on in their lives. So I think that if I could come away from this term with anything, I’d like to see what the results will tell us to do. I am not sure what it will say.
FM - Tell me a bit about yourself, your family and your life here in Franklin?
EC - We moved here from Walpole.13 years ago. It was just before Halloween, we moved here to Franklin. It has been a great place to raise a family. On November 2, 2004, I was appointed to fill a vacancy on the School Committee. I ran for my first full term a year later in 2005. So, if I’m fortunate enough to be re-elected, it would be my fourth full term. Between work and family, I keep a pretty busy schedule. The School Committee for me fulfills a sense of public service. I like being involved in the community and trying to help. We are fortunate to have a lot of great friends here. It has been interesting to see how the city has changed. It is becoming a city now where it really was more of a town before.
FM - What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? or What do you think makes you a good candidate to fulfill this role?
EC - I started my professional career as a reporter. I covered city government in Newton and other local issues for three years for a suburban newspaper chain. I then spent eight years at the Boston Herald, where I covered (Boston) City Hall, the State House, and the White House. So I got a look at government from the perspective of a reporter and an analyst. Following that, I spent five years as communications director for a progressive activist Attorney General. That gave me a great education in the various stakeholders in government and the need to stay in touch with the different groups who are touched by what government does.
Since then, as a communications professional, I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of large complex and sprawling enterprises that have multiple stakeholders. That experience, combined with the fact that I am a parent and a taxpayer who cares about what goes on where I live, has been a good training ground for the School Committee. This is a substantial school system. So I come at this position from multiple perspectives. As a parent, as a taxpayer, as well as one more akin to a management consultant.
I do happen to believe that education is a big part of the answer to societal problems. I think that was something I experienced very much at the Attorney General office where it became very clear that where the people that got off to a better start to their lives, they were less likely to wind up on the wrong side of the law. The experience I bring to the position is as one who can see the forest for the trees.
FM - What do you see as your role’s biggest challenge and do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve it?
EC - I am not sure that people understand essentially, that the School Committee serves as an active Board of Directors for a $51 million non-profit. We serve 6,200 kids, and their parents, guardians, employees, etc. It is a very large enterprise that has a very important mission. I think that one of the challenges is to help people see that although their focus is naturally on their son’s or daughter’s classroom, that classroom is just one piece of a larger organism.
I think that one of the big challenges is to find a way to continue to inform the stakeholders about the big picture. To unify the community around a specific set of facts so they can make some informed judgments about the future of the school district. We have a lot of priorities. The next teachers’ contract is going to be important. The high school project is very important. Getting the schools website up to speed and modernized will be important.
One of my goals, if I am re-elected, will be to do a parent survey. When I first joined the committee, I led an effort to do a survey of all parents. It was more of a communication survey. I’d like to replicate that survey today. We need to get a good pulse from one of our key stakeholders on what they think about how things are going and how can we serve them. We hear things. Sometimes, it is just the loudest voices that get served. I can sympathize. I know what is like to work 12 hours days. It is hard to pay attention when you are just trying to provide for your family.
I think a survey of parents would be important to try and just get a sense of what they see as important -- what they would like to see more of, would like to see less of, what they would like us to do better. The PCC attendance is not high. The surveys conducted by individual schools are based pretty much upon the school environment and are very specific to each school. I think it would be instructive for everyone to be able to hear from the parents on what they think of Franklin Schools; what the parents think of the issues that hold the most significance for them.
The answer to this question then is the issue of creating a two-way dialogue and being able to engage people. It is very difficult here; partly because of the nature of modern life. They are busy working; they are commuting’ taking care of elderly parents; they have a lot of things going on in their lives. So I think that if I could come away from this term with anything, I’d like to see what the results will tell us to do. I am not sure what it will say.
Reminder: Town Council meeting Weds night
After taking back $350,000 from the school budget last week, the current Council will hold their last meeting. On the agenda, the FY 2012 budget is being re-opened again. This time to possibly add back some positions.
Will they use the $350K?
Will they vote to raise additional funding?
Attend the meeting or tune into the broadcast via local cable or the internet to see what happens.
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 11-58: Appropriation: Library – Prior Year- Salaries
2. Resolution 11-59: Appropriation: Recreation – Prior Year- Salaries
3. Resolution 11-60: Appropriation: OPEB Actuary Study
4. Resolution 11-61: Appropriation: Nustyle Demolition
5. Resolution 11-62: Appropriation: Roads/Sidewalks/Drainage/Storm Water/Infrastructure
6. Resolution 11-63: Amendment of the FY 2012 Budget
7. Bylaw Amendment 11-665:Amendment to Chapter 82, Appendix A – List of Service Fee Rates 2nd Reading
Based upon the Finance Committee meeting held on Oct 11 (and reported on here) I have the following insights to offer on these agenda items.
The first two items were unpaid bills that got caught in July and should be paid against the June (FY 2011) budget. The dollar amount is small ($716.94)
Res 11-60 would fund the study required periodically to determine the current status of our liability. Amount requested is $12,500. Recommendation to be paid from 'free cash'.
Res 11-61 for $165,000 - actually a place holder for the 'real' total. Bids to demolish the NuStyle build were to be opened Oct 27 so this meeting can provide a good current total amount.
Res 11-62 for $400,000 to be designated from the Hotel/Meal tax receipts received during the FY 2012 fiscal year.
Res 11-63 this is where the fun begins!
"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED AND VOTED to further amend said FY 2012 Budget as
amended October 26, 2011 from $99,668,355 to $99,753,355, as outlined below: (Increase Planning
Board Salaries $8,000, Board of Health Salaries $9,000, Fire Department Salaries $85,000 and
decrease Employee Benefits –$17,000."
Note the full agenda and associated documents can be found on the Franklin website
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2011tc%20Complete%20With%20Documents/11-02-2011agenda.pdf
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Beaver St Recycling Center - additional hours
Additional hours have been posted for the Beaver St Recycling Center:
Franklin DPW Recycling Days 111101
This was posted on the Franklin website
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/017C9CE7-000F8513
Franklin DPW Recycling Days 111101
This was posted on the Franklin website
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/017C9CE7-000F8513
October Storm Update 11/1/11
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "TOWN OF FRANKLIN" <email@blackboardconnect.com>
Date: Nov 1, 2011 2:11 PM
Subject: October Storm Update 11/1/11
To: <shersteve@gmail.com>
From: "TOWN OF FRANKLIN" <email@blackboardconnect.com>
Date: Nov 1, 2011 2:11 PM
Subject: October Storm Update 11/1/11
To: <shersteve@gmail.com>
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Tina Powderly answers 3 questions
2 years ago, Tina Powderly and I got together to do this interview when she ran for Town Council for her first term in 2009. Now running for re-election, we got together again to answer 3 questions.
FM - Tell me a bit about yourself, your family and your life here in Franklin?
TP - I am the daughter of an Army soldier so my childhood was very transient. We moved around all over the US and we even lived in Germany for awhile. I went to college at Georgetown University in Washington and received my bachelor’s in business. After college I worked for a health economics and health care industry consulting firm. Then I came to Massachusetts to study for my Masters in Public Health at Harvard. I worked as the Manager for Community Health Center Affiliations at Partners and then moved to Franklin about 10 years ago. Now, all three of my children are enrolled in the Franklin public schools.
FM - What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? or What do you think makes you a good candidate to fulfill this role?
TP - In terms of experience and background and what makes me a strong candidate for this position, I would divide it into two buckets: personal and professional.
From my personal background, again, my father was an Army pilot and my mother was a nurse. The two of them instilled in me the importance of serving your community. My father did it on a national level but it is just as important to do that on a local level. They really ‘walked the walk’ in their everyday lives. They also taught me to respect the differences of others. I believe it is imperative to success to have differences between people. Whether it’s in one’s background (something you can see - age, religion) or in one’s philosophy or temperament, in order to foster solutions that are well rounded, one needs to consider all the viewpoints of everybody involved.
From my professional background, my work and educational experiences in finance and management in health care and public health are key. In Franklin, I was on the Finance Committee for a year and I am finishing my first term on the Town Council. While on the Council I was on the budget subcommittee, the liaison to the Long Range Planning Committee and Chair of the Senior Outreach Committee. Being Chair of the Senior Outreach Committee has driven some of the most rewarding work I have done. Something as simple as the Senior Center Breakfast, which I absolutely enjoy, has introduced me to a great group of people. With my personal life centered on the school system and my young children, I have to actively reach out to gain that perspective.
This past year, the Town Council did a pretty large expansion of tax credits and tax breaks for Seniors. It is not often that you can see something from the start to finish and that was very gratifying. The tax assistance programs also appealed to my public health training. You can have great policy but there is a whole soft side to the implementation of policy. A lot of it has to do with the stigma of receiving assistance. It is not enough to have the right numbers and long term goals. You have to do outreach. You have to manage the perception. You have to market it well. It’s accomplishments like this that make me feel I have a nice mix of experience and yet a fresh perspective and energy to bring to the Council.
FM - What do you see as your role’s biggest challenge and do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve it?
TP - I would say in general it is our limited resources, which stems from a few different places. We have a trajectory of declining state aid that is not going to turn around, and we have residents living with this huge burden of the recession. It is tough to deal with these two factors at a time when we are facing one of the most important capital investment decisions before Franklin in decades – the high school. The original rational for investing in the high school started around accreditation and what we need to do to be compliant. The particulars of Franklin High School led us to the point we are at now, which is an invitation to participate in the new model school and receive up to 58% reimbursement from the state for the costs.
In addition to compliance and the physical building, addressing the high school is also about bringing Franklin’s children into the 21st century. Renovating the existing building doesn’t address the constraints of our excellent teachers to really teach their craft to their best of their ability. You can look at outdated science classrooms or academic classrooms that are smaller than ideal. There is a lot of wasted space in hallways. When your high school doesn’t have a gathering place and you have to use the middle school auditorium, and then you talk about the technology limitations, if you are really going to prepare our students for the world that is out there, the building at Franklin High is inhibiting that. Our teachers do an amazing amount with very limited resources but they can only do so much. The new model school has more classrooms and more academic space and is designed in a way that our administrators and teachers believe is more beneficial to the student’s experience.
For me, with the high school in the background, and all the limited resources, figuring out how to meet my priorities of education and public safety is really the key. So how would I address that and resolve that? I do believe that one of the best things an elected official can do is commit to communication and transparency. I take responsibility for anything I could have done better in these last 2 years. Very specifically, I was on the Town Council budget subcommittee. Being the new kid on the block I wasn’t really aware of how the Joint Budget Subcommittee worked. Who called the meetings, how often did they normally meet? I could have been more proactive and I will take that lesson into the future. Recent events have shown that having that group meet faithfully is really important. I spent a lot of time as a new councilor trying to improve communications and transparency with the residents. If you email me, I will write back. If you call me, I will call you back. That is a really important piece. I have a website and a Facebook page. I am committed to continuing that. I know also that communicating with your peers is also important and I need to do a better job at that.
While you’re doing all this, you need to have an eye on both short term fixes and long term fixes. One option to increase revenues is to explore PILOT payments (PILOT - Payment in lieu of taxes, generally focused on non-profits who are tax exempt). This is a very sensitive issue. Whether we do it or not, you owe it to the residents to examine it. A subcommittee was just formed that I am on and I’d like to spend time during the next term to really examine the pros and cons of it.
There are long term fixes to focus on as well. I am the liaison to the Long Range Financial Planning committee and they are looking at legislative changes. One big ticket item is around EPA storm water regulations. There is a push for legislation to require non-phosphorus fertilizers. The municipalities would save lots of money trying to manage their storm water if phosphorus was out of the equation. Supporting that, advocating for that helps us on the back end. This legislation could help us avoid tens of millions of dollars in the long run. It is about thinking long term and strategically. Sometimes it is easy to think only within Franklin and focus on that. How do we plow the roads and get the kids on buses to their school? But you also have to balance that with this long term piece, like state level legislation. I’d like to be a little more active on that front.
For additional information from Tina you can visit her website
http://www.tinapowderly.com/ and her Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TinaPowderly
"proposed site plan modification would change BJ's hours"
"They're going to be open more hours, which means more people blowing out of BJ's," said Gordon Jenkins, who lives on Conlyn Avenue, which runs behind the store. "Something has got to be done about that (intersection)."
Neighbors at last night's meeting live in a subdivision next to the store, and contend they can only leave their neighborhood through the intersection of West Central Street and Corporate Drive, where BJ's is located.
A blinking yellow light faces motorists driving on West Central Street, while a blinking red light faces those coming out of Corporate Drive.
"We have to pass through that intersection to get out, we're basically an island," said Lauren Chousa, who said she was the 11th person in her neighborhood to get into an accident at the intersection. "The only way to get to and from our street is through this intersection, and to drive through it is honestly a nightmare."
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x603496464/Franklin-planners-put-off-decision-on-BJs-hours#ixzz1cRkqE2wR
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Census releases new data on state and local taxes
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Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108
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DOR proposes to expand tax practitioner electronic filing
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue by Robert Bliss on 10/31/11
The Department of Revenue has issued a draft Technical Information Release that would require income tax preparers who reasonably expect to file more than 10 returns in a calendar year to file those returns electronically.
The existing rule established in 2004 required tax preparers filing 100 or more returns annually to file electronically. Before that, the threshold was 200 returns.
The new, lower threshold of more than 10 is proposed to take effect January 1, 2012, and would parallel an Internal Revenue Service electronic filing threshold taking place on that date.
While it is hard to say precisely how many additional tax returns would be filed electronically under this new rule, it is safe to say that it would insure continued growth in electronic filing, which increased by 10 percent in tax year 2010 over tax year 2009.
Just among tax practitioner, the number of returns filed electronically increased by 153,983, going from 1.668 million in 2009 to 1.822 million in 2010.
Overall, of 3.424 million tax returns filed in 2010, just 225,672 were paper returns imaged and keyed, a decrease of 56,658 from the previous year. Another 542,487 paper returns came in with 2D barcodes (down 129,063 from the previous year); these are paper returns that are read electronically due to the barcode.
The new rule is likely to reduce the number of 2D barcode returns, virtually all of which are filed by tax practioners, in half.
The existing rule established in 2004 required tax preparers filing 100 or more returns annually to file electronically. Before that, the threshold was 200 returns.
The new, lower threshold of more than 10 is proposed to take effect January 1, 2012, and would parallel an Internal Revenue Service electronic filing threshold taking place on that date.
While it is hard to say precisely how many additional tax returns would be filed electronically under this new rule, it is safe to say that it would insure continued growth in electronic filing, which increased by 10 percent in tax year 2010 over tax year 2009.
Just among tax practitioner, the number of returns filed electronically increased by 153,983, going from 1.668 million in 2009 to 1.822 million in 2010.
Overall, of 3.424 million tax returns filed in 2010, just 225,672 were paper returns imaged and keyed, a decrease of 56,658 from the previous year. Another 542,487 paper returns came in with 2D barcodes (down 129,063 from the previous year); these are paper returns that are read electronically due to the barcode.
The new rule is likely to reduce the number of 2D barcode returns, virtually all of which are filed by tax practioners, in half.
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- Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue using Google Reader
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Flu Season is Here – Get Vaccinated Today.
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Health and Human Services by Paulette Song on 10/31/11
Posted by Donna Lazorik, RN, MS. Donna is the Immunization Coordinator in the Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.The best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick this flu season is to get vaccinated. This is true even if you were vaccinated last season. Health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older receive a flu vaccine every year. That's because flu can be very serious – every year in Massachusetts, an average of 5,000 residents are hospitalized due to complications from the flu, resulting in up to 800 deaths. The good news is that many of these hospitalizations and deaths are preventable.
Getting a flu vaccine is especially important if you or someone in your family:
- Is pregnant
- Has a chronic health condition like asthma, diabetes, or heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease
- Is immuno-suppressed
- Is very overweight
- Is 50 years of age or older.
The flu vaccine is safe, effective, and widely available. There is more vaccine available this year than ever before!
To find out where to get the flu vaccine:
- Call your health care provider;
- Contact your local health department;
- Check with your local pharmacy; or
- Visit the Massachusetts Flu Clinic website for a list of flu clinics near you.
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