Q & A 9 - Arlington plan? Feeley responds (audio)

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

Q - What about something like the Arlington plan? Do you think it would be wise to do that?

A - Feeley, a committee is being formed now that would look at that process.

Time: 1 minute, 32 seconds



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Q & A 7 - How does the facility consolidation effect the school budget? Feeley (audio)

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

Q - Would like to ask the Council to address the consolidation of facilities? In a time when the schools are in need, taking the money away from the schools.

A - Feeley, the Council took the corresponding dollars and responsibility (associated expenses) were taken away at the same time.

Time: 1 minute, 41 seconds



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Feeley responds to McGann (audio)

From the Franklin Town Council meeting 5/7/08, you may recall that Councilor Joe McGann used the Citizens Comment section to complain about his not getting notified of the 4/30/07 meeting starting at 6:00 PM instead of 7:00 PM.

Due to the protocol around Citizens Comment, Feeley could not respond at that time and waited until Councilor Comments (at the end of the meeting) to make his response.

Time: 1 minute, 42 seconds



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New Committee to develop 5 Yr Projections (audio)

From the Franklin Town Council meeting 5/7/08, Chairman Chris Feeley introduces as new business a motion to create a new committee of 2 Finance Committee, 2 School Committee and 3 Town Councilors to develop a 5 year projection. There is some discussion amongst the council and I suggest to add 2 additional members to represent the Town folks to bring them into the process to help build some trust in the numbers.

Time: 6 minutes, 4 seconds



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"Franklin voters will be able to start trusting again"

Yes, I did say that.

During the Town Council meeting 5/7/08 when Chairman Chris Feeley proposed a committee to prepare a long range projection for Town finances.

I'll have the complete audio file up some time this week. In the mean time, you can read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

My "live blogging" recap of the meeting can be found here.

Final Councilor comments (audio)

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

Feeley, Nutting, et al

Time: 4 minutes, 24 seconds



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Citizen Comments: Andy Donaldson (audio)

From the Franklin Town Council meeting on 4/16/08, citizens comment. Andy was the last of the citizen comments, the council took a two minute break after this.

Time: 1 minute, 5 seconds



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Citizen Comments: Jim Roche (audio)

From the Franklin Town Council meeting of 4/16/08, citizens comment. Jim Roche of the Finance Committee advocating for an override vote for the town wide problem for the full set of voters to decide.

Time: 1 minute, 45 seconds



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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



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Tavern License Transfer Approved (audio)

Franklin Town Council approved unanimously the transfer of license for the former Franklin Tavern per bankruptcy court proceedings. ABC approval is still required.


Time: 2 minutes, 20 seconds



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Note: When Chairperson Chris Feeley defers to Jeff Nutting, Jeff in turn passes to Maxine Kinhart, who passes to Attorney Mark Cerel. This transfer does not get picked by the recording.

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



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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



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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



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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



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Mr Sullivan - Part 4 (audio)

Mr Sullivan discusses the accounting for the Medicaid reimbursement which even after the transfer of some expenses to other accounts still has a deficit. He summarizes the total deficit as

Attrition impact - $200,000
Medicaid double posting - $300,000
Athletics revenue deficit - $150,000
Insurance deficit - $195,000
Tuition deficit - $671,898
Total - $1,516,898

Appropriation surplus - ($662,296)

Final deficit - $854,602


This section includes questions and comments with Bartlett, Feeley, Nutting, and Susan Gagner - Town Comptroller.

Time: 6 minutes, 15 seconds



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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



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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



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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

Historical Comm Q&A 11

Doak, Bartlett, Nutting, Feeley, McGann

Time: 7 minutes, 17 seconds



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Tax Hearing Q&A - 7

Chairman Feeley asks a question, Kevin Doyle responds

Time: 5 minutes, 35 seconds



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