Another in a series of podcasts about what matters in Franklin, MA. This session covers the Town Council meeting I missed, the Milford Daily News articles on the Arlington Plan and the Brick classroom status. It also looks out to the upcoming School Committee meeting on July 15th.
Time: 11 minutes, 20 seconds
MP3 File
Session Notes
Intro - This is Steve Sherlock with another in a series of podcasts for Franklin Matters.
In this session we’ll recap the Town Council meeting, the Arlington plan, the upcoming School Committee meeting, and topics on its agenda including the audit report and Brick classroom status, and finally the new town web site
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I missed the Town Council meeting this week due to the scheduling problem I already wrote about. I had recorded Jeff and Chris talking about the first meeting in July being the second weds (as it normally is) but for some reason the official schedule (resolution 07-46) said the first meeting is 7/16.
Vallee made a fool of himself again. After declining to participate in any of the override information sessions, he opens discussion on looking to raid the stabilization fund for a million dollars to save some of the teacher layoffs. He was lucky to get enough votes to get it on the agenda. 4 councilors missed that meeting and he only needed a simple majority to get the agenda item. He had two votes, his and McGanns until Feeley put his in to put it on the agenda but with full disclosure that he would appreciate a good discussion on it but could not support it. With 3 of the 5 present he had a simple majority, with all nine present last Wednesday, he did not stand a chance.
Instead of simply withdrawing his motion, he claimed that since no one from the schools were there to support it, he would withdraw it. What a cheap shot? Generates a sound bite with no recourse.
I am beginning to wonder what value he does add to the council? He came back supposedly to lend his expertise. He has shown no leadership. He has shown no expertise in solving problems. He has shown time and again that he might be better off saying nothing.
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The Arlington plan was reviewed on Thursday night with the special Financial planning committee. Arlington does differ from Franklin in a number of ways. They do have considerably less commercial development within their tax base.
They would not have kept the promise of their five year plan without an unexpected windfall increase of state funds. Read the article in the Milford Daily news. Our planning committee will have their work cut out for them to try and replicate the Arlington plan for Franklin.
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The school committee does meet this Tuesday July 15th. The agenda is not yet posted for review but that usually is there late Monday so it is still early.
The school dept should be going to the town council meeting on the 23rd to provide an update on the forensic audit. That should be an interesting meeting. New Finance Administrator Miriam Goodman, Superintendent Wayne Ogden, Chairman Jeff Roy, and others from the committee are likely to attend.
The Brick situation remains unresolved. The Milford Daily News reports in Sunday’s edition of the BSA presence at this coming meeting.
Several councilors are quoted in favor of keeping it open but respectful that the decision is in the School Committees hands.
This is a tough choice. The study showed that in sq foot terms, it was the most expensive classroom to operate in the district. The last school committee Asst Supt Sabolinski talked about the fact that it can’t service special needs children in the classroom.
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New town web site turned on this weekLost some links to the prior meeting agendas. The minutes for the meetings in 2008 up thru May 7th are available but nothing prior to that yet.
The look and layout is cleaner. It will take some getting used to getting aroundWhat do you think of it?
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This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock
For additional textual information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve dot gmail dot com
The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music
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