Sunday, October 25, 2020

Town Council Meeting Recap - Oct 21, 2020

Quick Recap:

  • Update by Town Clerk on election processing and four confirmed candidates for Town Council special election on Dec 5
  • Update by Police Chief TJ Lynch on identity theft and unemployment claims. Cybercriminals are active especially in this time of uncertainty, please take precautions. If you have been affected please notify the police
  • Drought status worsens, we are over 10 inches of rainfall behind normal. THe recent rain events help but are not sufficient to make up the gap that remains
  • Committee appointments approved
  • Fire Department swore in three new firefighter paramedics (replacing retirements) and Police did two new officers (also replacing retirements) recognizing one of the retirees in the session
  • The project analysis on the Beaver St interceptor was presented. This will be the largest public works project outside of a school the town has faced Estimates for three scenarios range from $9 to $25M. Much more to come as this proposal develops, the work does need to be done and done well sooner rather than later.
  • Proposal for food trucks and other 3rd parties as an option for the farm license (67 Degrees, La Cantina, etc.) tabled after extensive discussion.


Photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter can be found in the album  https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZQpcAz2ZNSgTUC2XA


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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #tc1021
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23tc1021&src=typed_query

  • Getting ready for the Town Council meeting at 7 PM; agenda and connection info in agenda doc here https://franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/october-21-town-council-agenda #tc1021
  • Multiple options to watch/listen to meeting; Comcast channel 11 or Verizon channel 29, also live streamed from town of Franklin page https://www.franklinma.gov/home/pages/live-meetings-stream as well as the Zoom info in doc linked earlier #tc1021 oh, and you can call in via phone as well!
  • Real time reporting underway for the Town Council meeting, #tc1021
  • Town clerk Nancy Danello updates to #tc1021 2600 early voters this far, another 7500 mail ballots received (12,000 sent out). Mail ballot processing in advance of Nov 3 scheduled and being done per schedule
  • Four candidates for special Town Council election on Dec 5 names to be provided later #tc1021 Chief Lunch provides update on unemployment claim filing being investigated and followed by FBI and other resources
  • 58,000 fraudulent claims filed as of July and caught at MA unemployment. Victims of identity theft find out after the fact, a second waive targeting Municipal employees Worcester has over 500 #tc1021 238 fraud related claims since march for Franklin alone.
  • Watch for unauthorized transactions, watch for pages mimicking official pages esp when asked to provide personal info. Don't give, if they were legit, they already had it #tc1021 call and claim with Franklin police in addition to the credit bureaus, etc.
  • DPW Cantoreggi introduce Doug Martin as water supervisor and drought update, down over 11 inches year to date even though we had some rain events. Using less now, a half million gallons more/day (folks are home, not going to work) #tc1021
  • #tc1021 additional slides on drought, one slide shows a Worcester reservoir down 80%, the other shows DPW Director Cantoreggi
  • Motion to approve minutes, second, passes 8-0 (pending confirmation of those present in room) #tc1021 Appointment to registrar, seconded passes 8-0.https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/gail_karner_1.pdf
  • Appointment to Finance Committee https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/fincom_natalie_riley.pdf #tc1021 motion to approve, seconded, passes 8-0
  • Catching up with 3 sworn in for fire department. 2 for police dept, and recognition for one retirement for Police. #tc1021 a batch of photos will be added to the website with the meeting notes.
  • Fire Department Pinnings: Joshua Impey, Joshua Sables, Kristopher Smith #tc1021 Police Department: i. Pinnings - Jonathan Giron, Nicholas Storelli ii. Retiree - Doug Nix
  • Moving to presentation/discussion section on emergency management for power outages #tc1021 Chief McLaughlin back up to provide overview and details on planning and execution during and event work on trees can't be done in wind over 30 mph for safety
  • During camera scan of chambers during the pinning ceremony (albeit socially distanced) was able to see all 8 councilors present (1 open spot to be filled with special election Dec 5) #tc1021
  • Town budget for trees is for maintenance of town owned property, trees in or interfering with a power line need to be done by nationalGrid. They have a plan and are working the circuits on a cycle to cut them back. #tc1021 northside of town is worse than rest, why?
  • Moving to the Beaver St interceptor #tc1021 collects about 70% of the sewerage in town and is over 106 years old. A huge asset but also a liability https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/8b._presentation_-_beaver_street_interceptor_.pdf
  • It is not known if there is a worse location; a brook on one side, train track on other side, and then the plaza and i495 - has at least been cleaned, manholes rehabbed #tc1021 I&I infiltration and intrusion plan been executed for many years, approx 3M gals/day
  • Has reduced the flow where possible, batching flow via a holding tank to avoid peaks, water conservation is good for this, low flow toilet helps sewer flow, #tc1021 as much as we have done, still need to do more and it will cost money
  • Hydraulic model show here Cottage St is high end and it flows down along the tracks and then to 140 Franklin Village #tc1021
  • Three alternatives not just costed but also benefit analysis added across 8 factors. Alt 3 while expensive is better long term. #tc1021
  • Project sized for flows of 2070 so it does have growth built into this. Timing to move to actually save money is to go now, avoids failures sooner finances cheaper now that could be #tc1021 rather than digging 140, they'd do the hole like they used for East Central
  • #tc1021 alternative 1 and 2 keeps pipe in and along Mine Brook, if you get a failure on 1 or 2 you'd still need to do alt 3 Q on overflow along Cottage by Franklin Paint did see that in 2010. Alt 2 is effectively the baseline analysis.
  • Bissanti doesn't understand how to spend money to go first class with money we don't have. #tc1021 Jamie - financial model and impact to rate payers is not in this presentation, we do need to examine it. It is a question to be answered but we haven't yet
  • A 25 year bonded project but it could be paid off earlier. The Charles River assessment has been less because we did work to reduce the outflow to them. That can be a factor. #tc1021
  • Subcommittee reports, budget not meeting in Oct. EDC had another listening session on Monday, long lots of feedback, next one in November (Nov 16) #tc1021
  • Moving to action items: https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/20-61_food_truck.pdf Authorization for farm series license temporary for on premise food service provided by others. #tc1021. Similar to outdoor dining, expands food truck dining to 67 Degrees, La Cantina and Glen Pharma
  • SafeServe certificate could also be an alternative for catering here and other businesses, employee of site would need to be SafeServe certified. #tc1021 when state of emergency goes away, this does too. Glen Pharma has a restaurant may not need to use it
  • Board of health would be involved, $100 food vendor permit for a year. #tc1021 questions on how it work. Would also need to look at cater and regulations to see what can be done, folks have left here because the opportunity was elsewhere
  • Ice cream truck operations get CORI'd but food truck doesn't per state Legislation. Debate about food trucks vs regular restaurants is hard to quantify, it is a discussion point. What does the Town want to do? #tc1021 let's review other Communities with food truck bylaws
  • Would 3 or the Rome be interested in doing it via a food truck? #tc1021 Moonlight Chef owner speaks on business during COVID-19, why are we going to allow food trucks all if sudden, not a good move, reconsider please
  • This allows contracting for 3rd party whether restaurants or food trucks. Still issue with SafeServe and who has it. Motion to table res 20-61, seconded, passes 8-0
  • https://franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda-items/10b-legislation-action-39 motion to approve, second, passes 8-0
  • https://franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda-items/10c-legislation-action-33 motion to refer to planning board, second, passes 8-0
  • franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/20-862_longhill_and_pleasant.pdf Motion to move to planning board, second, passes 8-0
  • Town administrator report. Gov baker emergency order for outdoor dining extended. 33 active cases of COVID, largest increase since June. Firefighter memorial this Sunday at station #tc1021
  • The Town does not regulate Halloween. Schools are moving ahead with plan. #tc1021 white dots are on grass for demarcation. "Some of the worse advice I ever got was from legal counsel" need answers on the $522K, there could have been another way to do the grass
  • #tc1021 "this too will pass" thanks to both chiefs for bringing the pinning forward tonight, it has been awhile and good to do. We have to listen to our legal experts, we will bring something forward. Add the additional handicap spots right in the roadway
  • #tc1021 looking like we're going for a high turnout voting. Motion to adjourn, passed 8-0 So that does it for me tonight catch you next time 
 
Town Clerk Nancy Danello provides an update to the Council meeting
Town Clerk Nancy Danello provides an update to the Council meeting

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