Saturday, February 4, 2012

School Presentation video link

The video for the Town Council meeting is now available for viewing on-demand.

Follow this link:
http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=j7GV7c2hLg1qV9cGtXT67w%3d%3d


You can watch the video and follow along with the slides here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/02/school-building-committee-presentation.html


Wadsworth Diary - Feb 4, 1858


Very Pleasant & Warm. Father went to Rev. Thayers after the wagon & I went after Jos. Oxan. Than we drawed birchwood from the Rockwood lot. Drawed 3 cords with oxan & 1 with horse. Jos was away part the day. Went to writing school in eve with Sarah.


In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html   




Note: The vote to continue was close but positive for continuing: 13 for, 10 against. The diary skips Feb 1892 and picks up again in April. What I have done to keep with the February period is go back to one of the earlier years in the diary, 1858.  

Date Set for FHS Debt Exclusion Vote!

Dear Franklin Friend,
It's official. Tuesday, March 27 is our "now or never" opportunity to say YES in a town-wide vote in support of building a brand new, fully furnished and equipped 21st century high school in Franklin  --with a state reimbursement rate of nearly 60 percent.
The Franklin Town Council approved the voting date during their meeting Wednesday night, and councilors unanimously and unequivocally endorsed a YES vote. During the past week, the Franklin Long Range Finance Committee, the Franklin Finance Committee and the Recreation Advisory Board also publicly endorsed the project and urged residents to vote YES for FHS on March 27.
More than 200 of your friends and neighbors have stepped forward as YES vote supporters so far. They recognize that Franklin has a Real Need for a new facility that will:
·        Meet all future needs, including 20 percent more educational space; 21st century classrooms and science labs with integrated technology; an 830-seat auditorium/theater; a 17,700-square-foot gym and 6,000-square-feet-indoor walking track; full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act for access and special education.
·        Remove Franklin High from accreditation warning status.
·        Provide modern resources that will give our kids the best chance for success in an increasingly competitive academic environment and economic marketplace.

The Right Time to seize this opportunity is now, when we can take full advantage of historic low construction and borrowing costs. If the debt exclusion vote does not pass:
·        Franklin will lose the chance to build a new high school with a state reimbursement rate of nearly 60 percent.
·        Franklin taxpayers will pay 100% for repairs to keep the building safe and operational.
·        Accreditation officials will consider moving Franklin High onto probation status.
·        Our property values and tax base will be threatened.
Please mark your calendars and let your friends and neighbors know that The Right Time is March 27 to go to the polls to vote.
Visit www.newfhs.com to learn more about why there is a Real Need for this project and why the new FHS deserves your YES vote on March 27. Please share this email with your friends and neighbor here in Franklin.  It is important that all of us have the information we need to make a good decision.
To those who are already volunteering and have contributed financially, thank you. To those who have not, we need your active support and donations, and we welcome questions. You can email us at voteyesforFHS@gmail.com, or visit: http://www.newfhs.com/contact.php for more information.


Thank you!

Citizens for a New Franklin High School
Vote Yes for FHS on March 27! A Real Need. The Right Time.

Franklin, MA: Affordable Housing Lottery

There is an Affordable Housing Lottery coming up for units in 55+ housing at Meadowbrook Heights

Details contained here:



The lottery application can be found here:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/0183E268-000F8513.1/Affordable%20Housing%20App%20Fina%2011-22-11l.pdf

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

Friday, February 3, 2012

Wadsworth Diary - Feb 3, 1858


Very Pleasant & Warm Went to meeting al day. Rev.J. Thayer preached. Olive Sayles & Mrs. Carlton were taken into church. It was communion, no meeting this eve. There was notice given that there would not be any regular service in fournoon.
Written upside down: but prayer meeting instead at (?) commencing next Sabbath. Sarah stayed at home.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html   




Note: The vote to continue was close but positive for continuing: 13 for, 10 against. The diary skips Feb 1892 and picks up again in April. What I have done to keep with the February period is go back to one of the earlier years in the diary, 1858.  

School Building Committee presentation

The presentation slides as shown during the Town Council meeting on Wed Feb, 1 2012

I have already seen several of the design photos (and have shared them here) so the part of the presentation that really caught my interest were slides 6 and 7 where the Jim Jordan described the design features of the Ray Memorial Library building and then showed how they incorporated them into the new building.

The dollars and important facts around the project begin with slide 10 and clcse with the tax rate details on slide 13.

Slide 1

New FHS Slide 1

Slide 2

New FHS Slide 2

Slide 3

New FHS Slide 3

Slide 4

New FHS Slide 4

Slide 5

New FHS Slide 5

Slide 6

New FHS Slide 6

Slide 7

New FHS Slide 7

Slide 8

New FHS Slide 8

Slide 9

New FHS Slide 9

Slide 10

New FHS Slide 10

Slide 11

New FHS Slide 11

Slide 12

New FHS - Slide 12

Slide 13

New FHS Slide 13

Franklin saves money by refinancing bonds

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Alison McCall/Daily News staff on 2/2/12

Thanks to lower interest rates, the town is saving money by refinancing old bonds.

Things you can do from here:


Additional information from the Town Council meeting on Wed Feb 1, 2012 can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/02/town-council-020112.html


Franklin students to show art at Patriot Place

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by Heather McCarron/STAFF WRITER on 2/2/12

Art show
Two Franklin High School seniors are getting a practicum in the world of event planning and art exhibitions, working with the Artist's Studio and Gallery at Patriot Place to share their peers' creations there.

Things you can do from here:

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Wadsworth Diary - Feb 2, 1858


Very Pleasant & Warm, some clowdy in afternoon. Went to Mrs. Frosts after the clothes. Split & got in some wood. Took care of the bees, we thought were dead. They got quite lively. Put up 10 bushl of my potatoes (Davis seedlings) for Clary & c & c. Went to Lycium in eve. Haid full house. Question was, Resolved that the power of Eloquence is grater than the power of Wealth. Decided in the Negative.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html   





Note: The vote to continue was close but positive for continuing: 13 for, 10 against. The diary skips Feb 1892 and picks up again in April. What I have done to keep with the February period is go back to one of the earlier years in the diary, 1858. 

Town Council - 02/01/12

The collection of posts reported live from the Town Council meeting on Feb 1, 2012




Town Council Chair Bob Vallee missed the meeting but sent in a letter to the editor to the paper which was read during the meeting by acting Chair Tina Powderly

"nothing less than historic"



"Now is the right time," Finance Committee Chairman James Roche said. "Now the costs are lower and the payback doesn't start until four years down." 
Officials last night contended that because the models have been thoroughly vetted by state and independent contractors and are meant to be complete plans, the chance of additional costs, above the town contribution of $47 million, is negligible. 
"The way I look at it is, if I was going to re-do my house and I only had to pay for 40 percent of it, and someone else was going to pay for 60, I don't think there are too many people in here who wouldn't take that," Town Councilor Robert Dellorco said.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1368171321/Town-Council-approves-Franklin-to-vote-on-new-school-in-March#ixzz1lDhDemWn

Related posts:

Live reporting from the Town Council meeting on the School Building Committee presentation

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/02/live-reporting-school-building.html

the Q&A that followed the presentation

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/02/live-reporting-school-building_01.html

The high school project collection is found here

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/collection-high-school-building-project.html



In the News - wallet thief, summons issued



Area officers team up to catch alleged wallet thief

Discarded Drugs Destroyed



Hundreds of pounds of discarded drugs destroyed.

Click here for press release.






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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Live reporting - closing


K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT 
capital budget coming forward on next agenda
bylaw changes coming forward on future meetings

L. OLD BUSINESS
none

M. NEW BUSINESS
none

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
- running out of battery storage will update post meeting -

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN



Live reporting - action items


J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 12-05:Appropriation: Franklin High School
motion to approve, passed 8-0 via roll call 


2. Resolution 12-06:Setting Date of Debt Exclusion Ballot
motion to approve, passed 8-0 via roll call


sets date for March 27, 2012 for ballot question vote


3. Resolution 12-07:Ballot Question
motion to approve, passed 8-0 via roll call


five minute recess


4. Resolution 12-08:Refunding Bond Order
Jim Dacey - Treasure/Collector
motion to approve, passed 8-0 via roll call


Nutting we will have saved over a million dollars with what we did recently and this


Saved 698,000 in Sep
When we did the analysis these didn't qualify but with the rates continuing to change, this is now an option to save another $500,000


Thanks to former Councilor Steve Whalen for instigating the first one


5. Resolution 12-09:Appropriation: Debt - Principal
motion to approve, passed 8-0
a book keeping transaction due to the refinancing above


6. Bylaw Amendment 12-673:Amendment to Sewer System Map - 1st Reading
Motion to move to second reading, passed 8-0


Bill Yadisernia recommends approval
this is a connection not an extension of the sewer main itself





Live reporting - School Building Committee Q & A

Q - how has the floor plan changed from the model?
A - It has changed significantly due to the local requirements, the rooms are clustered in four areas on each floor

Q - ADA compliance
A - all fully handicap accessible, everything in the building is fully compliant

Dellorco - When I first got on the council I wasn't sure about what to do but now that I have seen the insides I think it is a good deal. If I were to build a house and have someone pay 60% of it, I can't see how I couldn't take that offer.

Bissanti - Some have questioned whether Franklin can afford this, I think this is a project that Franklin can not afford not to do

Kelly - People worrying about exploding cost overruns, they could not be more misinformed. Cost overruns will not be a concern. The second thing I have heard is now is not the time. If we do not do it now, Franklin will loose this reimbursement. This are not facts to scare, this is a reality. Look at the example of Uxbridge. They lost 30% of home value and surrounding towns lost about 20%. Do you want this to happen to your home in Franklin too?

Pfeffer - sometimes the decision you have to make is the hardest or the most costly, when the state is going to give us 60%, this is the right decision

Jones - Will existing technology be reused from the high school?
Mercer - yes
Nutting - planning starting to see what can be reused from the building and fields

Apr - Jun = pre-qualifying the contractors
Aug - bids open
Oct - construction should start
Fall of 2014 should open
demolition and field construction should start after opening

Roy - article in Atlantic Monthly this month helps to put the issue in focus, historical charts for manufacturing in the US. About 6 million manufacturing jobs disappeared. Factory floors look completely different from years ago. This has a lot to do with what we need today. Better buildings make better students. Horace Mann would be proud of what we have done. We are also home to the first public library.

Powderly - three resolutions are before us, one ballot question doesn't include the dollar amount, but another resolution does provide the cap.

Sch Comm Chair - Paula Mullen
asks for endorsement of this project

Finance Committee Chair - Jim Roche
unanimous recommendation from the committee

  1. contractors are hungry, prices will below
  2. borrowing costs will be low
  3. paying back starts 4 years out

From every aspect in Town, it is the right time to do this

Long Range Financial Committee Chair - Doug Hardesty
is the plan that is before us going to get Franklin into a better place
Monday the committee voted unanimously
a no-brainer with the 60% reimbursement
cost efficient facility with a track record of being successful
explored the MSBA reimbursement process, credit analysts report from Moody's - got  AA1 rating

Craig Haba
excited to be here, representing Citizens for a New Franklin High School
about 700 registered supporter and 100 volunteers currently

Powderly - this opportunity is nothing less than historic, there are many positives - record low costs, record high reimbursement, improves educational opportunities, a media center, supports integrated learning, easy first floor access to public spaces, directly improves property values






Live reporting - School Building Committee presentation


H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS - Model High School
Sean Fennell, Jim Jordan, Tom Mercer


meeting since the fall of 2008


2005 NEASC - accrediting agency cited failures and put on warning status


ADA compliance
safety concerns with science labs
lack of a sprinkler system


Fall of 2006, study on feasibility of renovation of the high school completed. Moratorium on school building projects by state in effect from 2003 until 2007  


Oct 2008 - appointed the current School Building Committee


Sean had worked on Keller Sullivan, Fire Station, DPW, the Senior Center and the Horace Mann complex


3 members of the Franklin Committee went with the MSBA committee to select the architect for the feasibility and schematic design


Castle Boos was the 3rd choice and ultimately came under contract after the other two choices could not reach an agreement. Savings of over $500K by signing this contract (compared to the prior two).


Worked to develop 3 options for presentation to the MSBA with one recommended.


Option 1 - Limited renovation and addition
Option 2 - Gut renovation
Option 3 - A new design and built school


Option 1 - $86M
Option 2 - $96M
Option 3 - $97M


At this time, the model school program was raised but it was by invitation only (from the MSBA)


Presented all 3 options without a recommendation and attempt to see if they could get an invitation
Requested to meet with facilities assessment subcommittee of MSBA


June 29 - MSBA Executive Director, Catherine Craven came to tour FHS
after the tour, the invitation to the model school program came


August 2011 - toured all four of the model school samples
interviewed all four architects in Sep 2011
after the interview process, Ai3 was chosen for the Whitman-Hanson model


design cost for a new building run 10% of the total project
for the model school, the design costs are between 4 and 4.5%, a substantial savings for the community


Space summary voted on in Nov 2011 and presented to the MSBA in Dec 2011


FHS is unique as it is the single largest model school project
the most exciting project he has worked on in his years


The Whitman-Hanson building and design was selected as a "model" after it was built and evaluated
The top performing high school in energy savings and water reuse
less than one half of one percent of change orders during the building process


Display of key points of the Ray Memorial Library features of Greek Revival 


Discussion of how those elements were incorporated into the design of the new building, very well done!


The rounded corner is the administration area of the school
The tower sticks out to provide a distinct target for how to get in to the building, come here it says


20% more sq feet of educational in the new building MORE than in the current building


Existing field house is 27,000 sq ft - a square foot print with a slopped wall. Some of the space is not usable due to the slope. The new gym is 17,000 with another 6,000 of waling track for a total of 23,000 sq ft of usable space


Enrollment designed for 1650 students


Reimbursement rate before incentive points = 50.79%
Incentive points = 8.73%
Total reimbursement = 59.52%


reimbursement rate started at between 30-35% in 2008


MSBA chosen the total enrollment number from our data (cohort studies, birth rates, etc.)


8 additional classroom, each 200 sq ft bigger


Additional 1.73% granted at Jan 4, 2012 meeting. This increase came from the performance of our current building maintenance. The norm is .9%, we received 1.73%  Hence, our building maintenance process gained us additional savings


Choosing to go with a 2% LEAD Silver rating, no financial gain in going higher (i.e. gold)


4.5% contingency on the $100M project - already built into the budget to account for some issues encountered along the way.


There is an additional $2,688,274 contingency also built into the total
This is a 'turn key' total, includes all the furnishings, new fields, site prep, demolition, etc


The $47 million number for Franklin cost is the high cost, it could be as low as $45 million


What is not reimbursable?
The State favors money being used for the building and leaves out the site work from their reimbursement factoring


Debt exclusions retiring in FY16 Remington Jefferson $15, FY 24 Keller Sullivan $50, FY 25 Horace Mann $50


The amount even with an approval this year, construction this year, and opening according to schedule in the Fall of 2014 would not really hit the tax bills into FY17


Proposed date March 27th


Wording of the ballot question is set by State law, in the case of a debt exclusion the dollar amount is not listed.









Live reporting - License transactions


F. HEARINGS 
none

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS 
1. Change of Manager – 99 Restaurant & Pub
motion to approve, passed 8-0


2. Transfer of License – Diavolo, Inc. d/b/a Bellino’s
motion to approve, passed 8-0

Live reporting - Town Council - 2/1/12

Present: Mercer, Dellorco, Kelly, Powderly, Pfeffer, Jones, Bissanti, Roy
Absent: Vallee


A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
The meeting is being recorded by Verizon, Comcast and Franklin Matters

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
none

E. APPOINTMENTS
Master Plan Committee - Christopher Vericker, Jay Duncan
motion to approve, passed 8-0

Franklin Community Garden Committee - Richard Clause
motion to approve, passed 8-0


Wadsworth Diary - Feb 1, 1858


Very Pleasant & Cold, at sunrise 8 above zero grew much warmer towards noon. Commenced and split 5 ½ hours 1 ½ cds and cut part of Mrs. Wrights wood Jos went to Mr. Cooks & in afternoon, he helped Wm Miller draw lumber from the mill. Went to the sing at Mr. Deans with Sarah & Mrs. Richardson in eve.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html  





Note: The vote to continue was close but positive for continuing: 13 for, 10 against. The diary skips Feb 1892 and picks up again in April. What I have done to keep with the February period is go back to one of the earlier years in the diary, 1858. 

"scheduled to decide tonight"


School Building Committee Chairman Thomas Mercer and Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting gave a presentation about the high school building project to Finance Committee members last night. The Long Range Finance Committee also unanimously endorsed the plan to replace the school at its Monday night meeting. 
When asked what would happen should voters not approve the debt exclusion, Nutting said, “The problem doesn’t go away; the costs go up.” 
The high school’s accreditation status could drop from “warning” to “on probation” without a new building, and any plan to renovate or rebuild the existing facility using state money would have to start from scratch, Mercer added.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1192852660/Franklin-Finance-Committee-gives-thumbs-up-to-new-high-school#ixzz1l7rPzncL

Related posts on the Town Council meeting agenda for Feb 1, 2012



The latest design photos for the new high school
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/01/fhs-updated-design-photos.html

Budget Monitor: Analyzing the Governor's FY 2013 Budget



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BUDGET MONITOR:
The Governor's FY 2013 Budget
Last week, the Governor filed his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013. Today, MassBudget releases our Budget Monitor, which tracks the impact of the Governor's proposals on each major area of state government, from health care and education to public safety and the environment--including information on tax revenues.

With the Commonwealth facing a preliminary budget gap of approximately $1.3 billion, the Governor proposes balancing the budget with three strategies:
  • Cuts and savings of about $550 million  
  • Modest tax reforms and other revenue initiatives that generate about $215 million in ongoing revenue
  • The use of about $545 million in temporary revenues, mostly from the state stabilization fund (the "rainy day fund").
Our Budget Monitor shows the impact on every line-item in the budget, comparing proposed funding for FY 13 with recent funding history.




* Regular readers may note that we have redesigned the Budget Monitor. We are very interested in your feedback. Click here to send an email telling us what you like and what you think we might improve.

MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies--with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people.


This email was sent to shersteve@gmail.com by nberger@massbudget.org |  
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