Showing posts with label Doak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doak. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Live reporting - Town Council meeting 7/23/08

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - June 4, 2008
approved

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
none

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Joshua Phillips, 472 Maple St
raised an issue with the current by-law restricting cuts in the street after paving which restricts his and other homeowner capabilities to connect to natural gas lines and avoid increasing heating oil costs. Updated with name and address 7/27/08

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 08-50: Authorization to Petition General Court for Special Legislation – Underground Utilities
approved
3. Bylaw Amendment 08-627: Chapter 4, Public Notice and Advertising of Public Hearings – 1st Reading
approved for second reading

Discussion on by-law amendment 08-627 to reduce the amount and timing of notifications for municipal communications and actions.
Bartlett - questioned reducing the number from 2 to 1; what would be examples of the type of notifications that would be changed?
Nutting/Cerel to come back with more information on examples
Doak - questioned how much money would be saved?
Nutting to come back at second reading with more information


Sunday, June 1, 2008

Q & A 6 - "emergency repair and replacement fund" Nutting, Doak, Zollo respond (audio)

From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.

Q - What about the "emergency repair and replacement fund"? Can we dip into that?
A - Nutting, there is a minimal cost to the interest. The overall factor is that 4M on an annual budget of 100M is not a lot of cushion. It is not a lot of money in a savings account for a good business. it is similar to our debt. Our debt is going down next year to less than 3%. we are looking to continually reinvest an appropriate amount over time.

A - Doak, over the years from the power plant settlement we have benefited that we did not need to use the money for which it had been set aside to mitigate the power plant.

A - Zollo, to address another myth, 4500-5000 per year in taxes, three children in school, the Zollos are receiving a subsidy for the school education. K-12, would amount to a 275,000 subsidy. You never pay the town back to pay for your children to go through the school system. The value that the average citizen receives is great.

Time: 6 minutes, 47 seconds



MP3 File

Q & A 3 - responses continued by Doak, Cafasso (audio)

From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.

A - Doak, picking up on another comment to increase the revenues. We get get a good deal from the industrial and retail establishments. We have tried to foster commercial and industrial growth with smart policies. Council has encouraged good growth over the years and is looking to continue that so the residential taxpayers don't take the whole burden.

A - Cafasso, the school department has made cuts over the years to protect the classroom and to be as efficient as possible.

Time: 3 minutes, 15 seconds



MP3 File

For reference, the Franklin School Departments budget reductions over the years from 2002 to 2009 can be found here

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Councilor Doak (audio)

Councilor comments at the end of the Franklin Town Council meeting 4/30/08

TIme: 2 minutes, 10 seconds



MP3 File

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Town Administrator's Report etc. (audio)

The Town Administrator, Jeff Nutting, makes his report, followed by old business (none), new business (one), and councilor comments before the meeting adjorns.

Time: 8 minutes, 38 seconds



MP3 File

Habitat for Humanity presentation (audio)

The Franklin Town Council hears presentation from the Old Colony Habitat for Humanity which just expanded their scope to include Franklin and Bellingham.

Time: 25 minutes, 12 seconds



MP3 File

Friday, February 22, 2008

Q&A Downtown Partnership

Tow Council meeting 2/13/08

Franklin Town Council in a Q&A session on the Downtown Partnership presentation

Councilors Zollo, Doak, Mason, and Vallee. Town Administrator Jeff Nutting also provides input.

Time: 12 minutes, 48 seconds



MP3 File

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Closing Comments (audio)

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

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

Monday, January 14, 2008

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

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Mr Sullivan - Part 3 (audio)

Mr Sullivan reviews the details of accounting for attrition. Attrition is expected. School departments can take advantage of it. Franklin had used anticipated savings in attrition to help prepare the budget up until Fiscal 2008.

This portion includes Q&A with Councilors Whalen, Feeley, McGann, Pfeffer, Doak, and School Committee Chairperson Jeff Roy.

Time: 9 minutes, 36 seconds



MP3 File

Thursday, January 10, 2008

First Set of Questions (audio)

Mr Sullivan pauses to answer several questions from Councilors Doak, Bartlett, Zollo, Pfeffer, and Feeley.

Time: 8 minutes, 33 seconds



MP3 File

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Town Council Meeting 12/19/07 - Summary

The Town Council meeting of 12/19/07 was recorded and sections of the meeting are available as follows:

Announcement: Planning Board Positions (audio)

Proclamation: Carlo Geromini (audio)

Motion on License Renewals (audio)

Jeff Nutting on the Capital Requirements (audio)

Town Administrator's Report (audio)


Closing Comments


----------------------------
My notes taken during the meeting as it occurred:



Accepting applications for planning board up through Jan 9th, appointing Jan 29th to fulfill

Rep. Vallee – House Resolution in recognition of Carlo Geromini

Carlo’s comments, has been reading… currently in middle of Kerouac “On the Road”,

Discussion on Franklin Tavern, in bankruptcy, viewing with buyers, license up for renewal
Even with renewal the trustee can’t use the license until further proceeding are accomplished
Passed 7-0

Nutting – capital forecasts
Reference to gen fund debt worksheet “Franklin capital Plan, Dacey 11-29-07”

Bartlett, Q
1.4M debt currently in plan but not being used
Municipal parking used to leverage some grant application, several months application pending

Whalen Q
3.5 percent very conservative
As debt frees up, there will always be something else to spend it on, walk the balance
Policy and guideline, free to be changed

Doak Q
2010 or 2011 depending upon what you want to do
Council is authorizing projects
Staff or capital committee makes recommendation
Roads are not part of this capital planning
500-700,000 Chapter 90 money from state funds our road work
900,000 in 2001,900,000 in 2004 otherwise nothing from town funds, totally from the state
Pleasant St 9.5 million alone
One huge need unmet is roads, could suggest an override, cash or state


Capital requirements
Schools 3.5M for other non-HS repairs

Portables lifespan remaining 5,6,7 years; cost over 2M
Population continues to increase, they need the space

HS – renovate or replace, tens of millions, no specific game plan yet, not on state listing
No significant impact to tax bill

Library interior, next 3-5 years, outside priority

Need to cap landfill, trying to get a land swap to help the process

Underground utilities, should it be done at the same time? Open for discussion/decision

Recreation center (currently in Municipal building)

Open space – long term savings in this kind of purchase

Roads build up a fund year over year

Water – gone through the 15 m authorized years ago, still have miles of pipe to be replace, can pay as we go with cash

Sewer – unless Beaver St junction comes apart, can go with normal cash flow to cover

Delcarte property – unknown at this point

Whalen Q
DEP has been lenient on this issue thus far…
Expect best guess estimate in next couple of months
District Improvement Financing (DIF) – state process, up to 25% of the town
Economic development grants are possible, generally smaller amounts

We have done well with grants, some we are not eligible for due to the wealth of the community

Doak Q
Amounts in water/sewer for ongoing funds, what’s our capacity
Took money from water reserves, approx 2M in water account
Not making enough money on an annual basis thus far, so would need to use that to stabilize the rate before we raise it

Earliest would be for 09 or 2010 for additional water/sewer projects, probably next 60 days come forward with a plan

Bartlett Q
Policy versus advice, need some assistance from the appropriate parties

Zollo Q
Getting the other assets on the sale front is important, we will need to get that revenue sooner than later

Pfieffer Q
Library, should not be considered last on the listing

RFP received no bids
Should consider changes to go back out again

Nutting – Admin Report
Kudos to DPW, snow blowers travel slower, plows can go quicker but couldn’t handle the depth of the snow

Ryan Jette awarded Heights award
Nice award from an outside group

Holiday on Monday, Tuesday, Christmas, New Year day before as well

Councilor comments
Zollo, quality of rec program, convinced that we have one of the best programs
Creating an inflationary bid process by publishing estimates before hand

2 phase project
17 trades bid on amount of work for their potion, collated with those numbers, then general contractor takes that to include his portion to come back with the total

Various estimates will come in but bids will not come in with the inflation
Filed sub records are public record, according to specs
Seems counter intuitive, public bid law
Seems to be a recurring theme if we did not have to abide by the state laws

Friday, November 30, 2007

Thursday, November 29, 2007