The Town Council makes the round for Councilors to make closing comments. Whalen, Vallee, Zollo, McGann, Doak, and Feeley speak.
Time: 4 minutes, 35 seconds
MP3 File
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Exemptions, Snow budget, Fire station (audio)
A resolution is passed to allow three police officers to also work part time for the School Dept as coaches at FHS. The snow budget is almost used up. The new Fire Station is ahead of schedule and could open early but there is currently not a budget for it. An update will come in a month or so as the options are explored.
Time: 3 minutes, 54 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 3 minutes, 54 seconds
MP3 File
Four Corners RFP Discussion (audio)
Jeff Nutting previews the proposed changes to the RFP for the Four Corners Building so that it will generate some offers. This item will be back on the agenda for the 1/23/08 meeting.
Time: 8 minutes, 39 seconds
Nutting, Pfeffer, McGann, Feeley, Doak, Bartlett, and Zollo speak
MP3 File
Time: 8 minutes, 39 seconds
Nutting, Pfeffer, McGann, Feeley, Doak, Bartlett, and Zollo speak
MP3 File
Tax & Title Discussion (audio)
In the continuation of the Town Council meeting (after the Forensic Report and discussion), Administrator Jeff Nutting lead a discussion on Tax Title properties and what the town will do with them.
Time: 4 minutes, 13 seconds
Feeley, Pfeffer, Whalen
MP3 File
Time: 4 minutes, 13 seconds
Feeley, Pfeffer, Whalen
MP3 File
Industry: Air & Vacuum Technologies (AVT)
Recent news item found that reveals:
Schneeberger adds New England rep to linear motion control product distribution channel
Schneeberger, a provider of linear motion control technology, has added Air & Vacuum Technologies (AVT) in Franklin, MA, to its North American product distribution network. AVT is a distributor of pneumatic, electrical and mechanical automation products.
For more info on AVT you can visit their web site.
Schneeberger, a provider of linear motion control technology, has added Air & Vacuum Technologies (AVT) in Franklin, MA, to its North American product distribution network. AVT is a distributor of pneumatic, electrical and mechanical automation products.
- AVT will offer Schneeberger's motion control solutions to air and vacuum technology manufacturers and users in the New England region.
- Motion control solutions include: linear bearings and recirculating units, linear slides, tables and stages, linear guideways with integrated measurements, linear and rotary modules and precision ball screws.
- AVT will support the product offering with installation, project management and electronic documentation services.
For more info on AVT you can visit their web site.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Recommendations: Q&A 9 (audio)
Frank Falvey speaks for the second time and not as long as he would like. The meeting breaks for two minutes.
Time: 1 minute, 15 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 1 minute, 15 seconds
MP3 File
Recommendations: Q&A 8 (audio)
Susan Gagner, Town Comptroller, raises the issue that one of the recommendations can not be implemented the way the accounting system is currently enabled. Council Chairperson Feeley clarifies a historical question.
Time: 3 minutes, 12 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 3 minutes, 12 seconds
MP3 File
Recommendations: Q&A 3 (audio)
School Committee Chairperson Jeff Roy makes his summarizing comments.
Time: 5 minutes, 13 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 5 minutes, 13 seconds
MP3 File
Recommendations: Q&A 1 (audio)
Councilors Whalen and Pfeffer ask questions after the recommendations are completed. Mr Sullivan responds.
Time: 4 minutes, 32 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 4 minutes, 32 seconds
MP3 File
Recommendations: Final Set (audio)
Mr Sullivan concludes his recommendations with the director of finance should participate in School Committee meetings, explains the town's role in the School's budget, and recommends limiting ledger entries to those within the Comptroller's office.
Time: 6 minutes, 22 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 6 minutes, 22 seconds
MP3 File
Recommendation: Concerns over 2008 Budget (audio)
Mr Sullivan continues his recommendations with concerns over the state of the 2008 budget. He feels there is some concern with further potential deficits amongst the accounts, particularly in health care.
Time: 4 minutes, 32 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 4 minutes, 32 seconds
MP3 File
Recommendation: School Comm approves transfers
Mr Sullivan continues with the recommendations discussing that the School Committee needs to approve significant transfers from one cost center to another.
Time: 3 minutes, 9 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 3 minutes, 9 seconds
MP3 File
Recommendation: Hire the right skill set (audio)
Mr Sullivan starts with his recommendations: the first one details how to obtain and the importance of getting the right skill set for the finance position.
Time: 3 minutes, 57 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 3 minutes, 57 seconds
MP3 File
In the News - Dean moves in
Dean students move into new downtown building
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
FRANKLIN - After picking up the keys to a student suite yesterday, Dean College sophomore Adam Olean bounded up the stairs of downtown's newest building, fumbled with his lock for a second and then rushed inside.
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By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
FRANKLIN - After picking up the keys to a student suite yesterday, Dean College sophomore Adam Olean bounded up the stairs of downtown's newest building, fumbled with his lock for a second and then rushed inside.
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Thursday, January 17, 2008
Boston Globe gets to the Audit Report
The director of financial services for the Franklin school system has been fired following an audit that indicated she made several accounting errors in the 2007 fiscal year budget, underreported a deficit, and ordered illegal transfers of employee payroll accounts.
Delores McCoy, who worked for the town for seven years, was dismissed by Assistant Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski on Jan. 2. She had been on leave since Oct. 22, three days after Franklin's comptroller, Susan Gagner, noticed a discrepancy in the records and brought it to the attention of town officials.
Read the full school financial audit story in today's edition.
Children of the World - Doll Workshop
The new ArtBeat store at 9 Summer St is holding a Doll Workshop on Jan 21 & 22 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Create a doll or stuff animal complete with clothing from Africa, Asia, Indonesia, Australia or the Americas. A coupon for this event was passed out to school children today. With the coupon, $5 of the $15 charge would go to a designated school. Each of the six Franklin elementary schools are listed to choose from.
Have some fun this weekend and help raise money for your school!
PS - ArtBeat has a blog. Infrequently posted to but with good info.
Create a doll or stuff animal complete with clothing from Africa, Asia, Indonesia, Australia or the Americas. A coupon for this event was passed out to school children today. With the coupon, $5 of the $15 charge would go to a designated school. Each of the six Franklin elementary schools are listed to choose from.
Have some fun this weekend and help raise money for your school!
PS - ArtBeat has a blog. Infrequently posted to but with good info.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Where in Franklin? #27
Here is the next photo in the "Where in Franklin?" series.
The guidelines for playing can be found here.
Have fun!
Where in Franklin? Answer #26
In the News - students on the air, consolidation of services
Franklin students hitting the airwaves
| FRANKLIN - Featured by an independent Los Angeles radio station this month, the students running the high school's Sound in the Hall Records are now hallway kings and queens. |
Franklin may consolidate some school, town services
| FRANKLIN - With focus shifting to other issues now that a budget inquiry is over, Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting has revived a proposal to consolidate some school and municipal services. |
Gov Patrick announces help for education
Patrick announces $368M in education proposals
| SOMERVILLE - Gov. Deval Patrick announced today in Somerville that his budget would increase education aid funds by $368 million for fiscal 2009. |
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Franklin: Circle of Friends Coffeehouse
The stage was ready for Jud Caswell and Richard Shindell to preform last Saturday night at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse here in Franklin.
Located at the First Universalist Church on Chestnut St, this is a gem of a coffeehouse with a great schedule, a reasonable price, and home cooked deserts to compliment the evening.
I have been several times each season and plan on returning a few more times this season. Check out the schedule here to see if something interests you.
How's your mailbox?
Mailboxes take a beating in winter storms
| FRANKLIN - Before the latest storm, Pond Street resident Cindy Martinez had already lost half a dozen mailboxes to town snowplows over the course of three winters. |
Monday, January 14, 2008
Mr Sullivan - Part 7 (audio)
Mr Sullivan continues to answer questions from Councilors McGann and Mason, Jeff Nutting chimes in with an answer. Frank Falvey tries to speak the first time.
Time: 4 minutes, 18 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 4 minutes, 18 seconds
MP3 File
Mr Sullivan - Part 6 (audio)
Mr Sullivan answers questions from Councilors Bartlett, Whalen, Zollo and School Committee member Ed Cafasso.
Time: 7 minutes, 58 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 7 minutes, 58 seconds
MP3 File
Mr Sullivan - Part 5 (audio)
Mr Sullivan continues his presentation with the section on covering the deficit. Questions from Councilors McGann and Doak are answered during this section.
Time: 7 minutes, 37 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 7 minutes, 37 seconds
MP3 File
in the news - State report on schools, drive through at 4 Corners
Franklin schools get good review from state
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
FRANKLIN - In the midst of scrutiny from a budget inquiry, the School Committee received an unrelated state report this week describing the town's school system as "very high performing" and well-managed.
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Franklin re-considers drive-through ban on Four Corners School
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
Unable to secure any bids to turn the abandoned Four Corners School into a retail site, the town is reconsidering its ban on a drive-through window for the property.
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One sure thing: uneven tax burden
By Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff
It's rare to feel like joking about taxes, so Marlborough resident Tom Lane couldn't resist the temptation after calculating that his new property-tax bill will be a mere $31 more than he paid last year.
------------------------
Compare your town's property taxes
Property taxes skyrocketed over the last decade in Massachusetts. The Globe's Matt Carroll created this chart to compare town by town increases. In the suburbs west of Boston, you can see that property tax increases this year vary widely, according...
-------------------------
Getting a break on property taxes....
When municipal officials are looking for tax money, or weighing a Prop 2 1/2 override, talk often turns to the tax exempt property in their town: colleges, social services agencies.. even golf courses. Sometimes these places pay what are known...
-------------------------
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
FRANKLIN - In the midst of scrutiny from a budget inquiry, the School Committee received an unrelated state report this week describing the town's school system as "very high performing" and well-managed.
------------------------
Franklin re-considers drive-through ban on Four Corners School
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
Unable to secure any bids to turn the abandoned Four Corners School into a retail site, the town is reconsidering its ban on a drive-through window for the property.
------------------------
One sure thing: uneven tax burden
By Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff
It's rare to feel like joking about taxes, so Marlborough resident Tom Lane couldn't resist the temptation after calculating that his new property-tax bill will be a mere $31 more than he paid last year.
------------------------
Compare your town's property taxes
Property taxes skyrocketed over the last decade in Massachusetts. The Globe's Matt Carroll created this chart to compare town by town increases. In the suburbs west of Boston, you can see that property tax increases this year vary widely, according...
-------------------------
Getting a break on property taxes....
When municipal officials are looking for tax money, or weighing a Prop 2 1/2 override, talk often turns to the tax exempt property in their town: colleges, social services agencies.. even golf courses. Sometimes these places pay what are known...
-------------------------
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