Bring on February, in this Talk Franklin we catch up on the MMA Conf, CDL training, & Town Council preview (audio)

FM #930 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 930 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. We had our conversation via conference bridge on Thursday, January 26, 2023.  

Topics for this session

Not only are we in 2023, but January is at an end

MMA annual meeting/conference

Key learnings, or take-aways

CDL inhouse training enabled by DPW

Labor market

Earlier this month the Town Council reviewed goals

The Town Administrator review, coming to Council for approval

EDC approved inclusionary zoning, coming to council soon (2/15/23?)

Council outlook for Feb 1 session, Tri-County building proposal

Community Preservation Committee public hearing Feb 7

Rescheduled for Jan 17 meeting

Close with citizen engagement call to action, application process coming soon

Davis Thayer, Police Station, Master Plan committee opportunities

Open Space & Recreation Plan update underway

The conversation runs about 40 minutes.

Let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie Audio file -> https://anchor.fm/letstalkfranklin/episodes/Citizen-Participation-on-the-Menu-for-2023---Davis-Thayer--Master-Planning-and-more-e1uaohs/a-a993o1g

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Town Council agenda for 2/1/23

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/feb_1_2023_town_council_agenda.pdf

Economic Development Meeting 1/25/23 (audio)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/01/inclusionary-zoning-moved-to-town_0764800655.html 

Ad-hoc Town Administrator Review Meeting 1/25/23  (audio)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/01/ad-hoc-town-administrator-review-cmte.html 

Town Administrator page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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Bring on February, in this Talk Franklin we catch up on the MMA Conf, CDL training, & Town Council preview (audio)

MMA: "Franklin develops Commercial Driver Licensing training program for employees"

"Following changes to federal training requirements for Commercial Driver’s Licenses, the Franklin Department of Public Works has received federal approval of an internal training program, designed to bring in qualified hires while saving money for employees who need a CDL license.

The CDL training changes, which took effect last February, require applicants to receive training by an approved trainer prior to taking the CDL test — and the cost for the training can be as much as $10,000. Prior to the changes, and for the last 15 years, the town was able to train employees in-house, according to Public Works Director Brutus Cantoreggi.

“It’s very hard to find CDL drivers, so I would hire folks without the license and train them in house,” Cantoreggi said. “It brought in a lot of folks who had permits. … But with the regulation change, we couldn’t find people already licensed for these jobs.”

Continue reading the article at the Mass Municipal Assoc page ->

https://www.mma.org/franklin-develops-commercial-driver-licensing-training-program-for-employees/

The Franklin Department of Public Works provides internal Commercial Drivers License training for employees. (Photo courtesy town of Franklin)

The Town of Franklin awarded $11K from Sustainable Materials Recovery Program

The Town of Franklin gains $11K from this grant program: 

"On America Recycles Day, Nov. 15, the Baker-Polito administration announced $4.2 million in grant funding to 270 municipalities and regional solid waste districts across the Commonwealth.

The grants, made available through the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program and approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, will help communities maximize their recycling, composting and waste reduction programs.

“One of the most effective measures we can take to reduce the waste stream in communities across the Commonwealth is to support and encourage recycling, diversion, and reuse of waste materials,” said Gov. Charlie Baker.

This year, 265 communities qualified for the Recycling Dividends Program and will receive payments ranging from $245 to $110,500 for a total of $3.37 million."

Continue reading the Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA) article online 

https://www.mma.org/administration-awards-4-2m-to-support-recycling-waste-reduction-programs/

Details on the program can be found online ->

https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-smrp-recycling-dividends-program-funds

The full listing of grant award recipients

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2022/11/14/smrp22r2.pdf

Sustainable Materials Recovery Program

Department of Public Utilities Approves New Wave of Grid Modernization Investments

"The Department of Public Utilities last month approved plans from the state’s three largest electric utilities to invest more than $450 million to modernize grid technologies from 2022 through 2025.

Under the three-year plans, the electric distributors will expand grid monitoring, communication and automation technologies to increase the safety and reliability of the Massachusetts electric power system, state officials said.

NSTAR Electric, National Grid and Unitil had each filed their grid modernization plans last year."

Continue reading the article at Mass Municipal Association ->

https://www.mma.org/dpu-approves-electric-grid-modernization-plans/ 

The DPU website has additional information

https://www.mass.gov/news/department-of-public-utilities-approves-new-wave-of-grid-modernization-investments

Department of Public Utilities Approves New Wave of Grid Modernization Investments

Franklin gains $3.2M grant for the Franklin Ridge Senior Housing project

"The Baker-Polito administration today announced more than $143 million in grant awards for economic development projects made through the Community One Stop for Growth portal.

The grants, which will support 337 local projects in 169 communities statewide, were announced at an event in Pittsfield by Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba, and MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera, who were joined by local officials. "

Continue reading the article at MMA -> 

https://www.mma.org/administration-announces-143m-for-economic-development-project-grants/ 

Among the awards is one for Franklin:

$3.2M This grant will be used to support the Franklin Ridge Senior Housing project, a development that will increase affordable housing along Veterans Memorial Drive. Construction includes improvements to roadways, sidewalks, streetlights, utility connections, and the addition of a new water booster pumping station.

Governor Baker's press release ->

https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-announces-143-million-for-economic-development-projects-through-community-one-stop-for-growth

For the full listing of awards:

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/fy23-community-one-stop-for-growth-awards

Franklin gains $3.2M grant for the Franklin Ridge Senior Housing project

"local government 'is the least appreciated' level of government, 'but probably should be the most valued.'”

"A new report from the Rappaport Institute at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government highlights the strong partnership between the Baker-Polito administration and the state’s cities and towns, how it came to be, and the positive results it has achieved.

“We set out a few months ago to try to understand what was happening on the ground, what was so different about the way that this administration was working with cities and towns that we kept hearing about,” said Danielle Cerny, a visiting fellow at the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston and the author of the 50-page policy brief, during an unveiling event at Harvard on Sept. 28. “What were the pieces? Did it really work? Could we bottle it, particularly as we start to prepare for transitions here and elsewhere. How could we try to capture this?” 

Continue reading the article at MMA -> 

https://www.mma.org/report-explores-successful-state-local-partnership-under-baker-polito/

Direct link to full report ->

https://www.hks.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/Taubman/RIGB/Empowering%20Cities%20and%20Towns%20Paper%20web%20version%20-%2009-2022.pdf

Rappaport Institute at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Remote meeting extension approved by Legislature, signed by Gov Baker

"On July 14, the House and Senate passed legislation (S. 3007) extending key pandemic-era accommodations, including remote meeting authorizations, to March 31, 2023. Once the governor signs the bill, cities and towns will retain the option to hold public meetings remotely, following the same guidelines that have been in place since the COVID public health emergency was first declared in March of 2020.

Back in May, a remote meeting extension was included in the final FY23 Senate Budget as an outside section, but this language was advanced by the Senate as a standalone bill last week with the July 15 expiration approaching and the final budget still tied up in negotiations. The House later passed its own version of the bill, including language that would have created a permanent mandate for remote access to all public meetings aside from those in executive session, with a provision requiring remote participation by the public if public participation is allowed or required at the meeting. This would have gone into effect on April 1, 2023."

Continue reading the article online from Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA)

https://www.mma.org/legislature-passes-pandemic-extensions-through-march-31-2023/

Updated via email from MA AG's Division of Open Government

"On July 16, 2022, Governor Baker signed into Law An Act Relative to Extending Certain State of Emergency Accommodations, which, among other things, extends the expiration of the provisions pertaining to the Open Meeting Law to March 31, 2023.  Specifically, this extension allows public bodies to continue holding meetings remotely without a quorum of the public body physically present at a meeting location, and to provide "adequate, alternative" access to remote meetings.  The Act does not make any new changes to the Open Meeting Law other than extending the expiration date of the temporary provisions regarding remote meetings.

In partnership,

 

The Attorney General’s Division of Open Government"

PDF of the email -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w9ujM7vNCcKF-RQiJ0cIWUKuXuc98FB-/view?usp=sharing 

S.3985 is on the Governor's Desk per the Executive office queue on the Mass.gov page ->  https://www.mass.gov/service-details/on-the-governors-desk

The text of the legislation just approved can be found ->    https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2985

The Franklin Town Council holds a hybrid meeting. (Photo courtesy town of Franklin)

MMA: "Online maps illustrate progress of gas leak repair program"

"Massachusetts has one of the oldest natural gas systems in the country, with around 22% of the pipes under the ground considered “leakprone” in 2020, according to HEET, a Cambridge-based nonprofit dedicated to cutting emissions.

In 2014, Massachusetts created the Gas System Enhancement Program as a way for its six investor-owned natural gas distribution companies to accelerate the replacement of this leaking infrastructure by 2039.

Now, the public can view the location and estimated cost of each new planned gas pipe replacement project using pipe replacement maps created by HEET. Also available is HEET’s annually updated map of gas leaks across Massachusetts, along with estimated emissions."

Continue reading the article online at Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA)

https://www.mma.org/online-maps-illustrate-progress-of-gas-leak-repair-program/

The Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET)'s gas leak map ->  https://heet.org/gas-leaks/gas-leak-maps/

This link should drop you directly to the interactive Franklin section of the map ->

https://heet.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=73f7627766e64161a65c7518acb7eb9d

If the link doesn't drop you directly to Franklin, start here and search for Franklin ->  https://heet.org/gas-leaks/gas-leak-maps/

HEET's gas leak map focused on Franklin

S. 2924 "An Act fostering voter opportunities, trust, equity and security" on Gov Baker's desk

"The House today passed a compromise election reform bill that was approved by the Senate last week and has now been sent to the governor for his consideration.

The bill (S. 2924) would make many pandemic-related election changes permanent, expanding some voting opportunities in time for the next statewide election in September. The bill does not include same-day voter registration, a sticking point between the House and Senate in earlier versions of the bills.

The compromise bill would change the voter registration deadline from 20 days before an election to 10 days.

The bill would also allow mail-in ballots for presidential, state and municipal elections, while allowing municipalities to opt out of mail-in voting for elections that are not held on the same day as a state or federal election. Municipalities could, however, allow in-person early voting for those elections if desired."

Continue reading the article on the MMA page

https://www.mma.org/voting-and-election-reform-bill-sent-to-governor/

The legislation is not yet visible in the Governor's "On the Desk" page but should be shortly  https://www.mass.gov/service-details/on-the-governors-desk

The text of the legislation itself as amended and approved by both Senate and House   https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2924

The legislation downloaded as a  PDF can also be found here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rG8Ab_msPFB_dR2O4n1sMQqDn_fG8TEk/view?usp=sharing

S. 2924 "An Act fostering voter opportunities, trust, equity and security" on Gov Baker's desk

Inside the MA Senate budget: a focuses on early education, mental health, local aid

Via CommonWealth Magazine 

"THE STATE budget proposal released by the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday largely hews to the same ideology as the plan adopted by House budget writers: Avoid tax cuts, while putting excess money toward investments in areas such as early education, mental health care, and housing. 

“Despite two-plus years of uncertainty because of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing and widespread financial instability, we’re happy to say that the Commonwealth remains in a strong fiscal position for now,” Senate President Karen Spilka said at a budget briefing with reporters. “We will only succeed as a Commonwealth if we all rise together, and this budget ensures that no one gets left behind.”

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/senate-budget-focuses-on-early-education-mental-health-local-aid/ 

Via Mass Municipal Association (MMA)

"The Senate Committee on Ways and Means today released a state budget proposal for fiscal 2023 that would double the increase in unrestricted local aid over what was proposed by the governor in January and approved by the House last month.

The $49.6 billion Senate Ways and Means proposal, which is scheduled to be taken up by the full Senate later this month, would increase Unrestricted General Government Aid by 5.4%, or $63 million, to $1.23 billion.

Senate leaders are also proposing significant increases for Chapter 70 education aid, charter school reimbursements, the Special Education Circuit Breaker account, and payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land."

Continue reading the article online

https://www.mma.org/senate-budget-bill-would-lift-key-local-aid-accounts/

The FY23 Senate Ways and Means Budget Recommendations are available on the Massachusetts legislature’s website: https://malegislature.gov/Budget/SenateWaysMeansBudget.

Sen. President Karen Spilka and Sen. Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues (MMA Image)

Franklin awarded $150K in green community grant for "energy conservation measures, EV vehicles, LED lighting, etc."

During an event yesterday in Lawrence, the administration awarded $8.3 million in Green Communities competitive grants to 64 municipalities.

The competitive grants support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that further the designated communities’ clean energy goals. The grants are awarded to Green Communities that have successfully invested their initial designation grants and previous competitive grant awards.

According to the Department of Energy Resources, the grants will help to fund a range of projects, from ventilation system upgrades to the installation of insulation and energy management systems at municipal buildings and facilities. Projects also include installations of air-source heat pumps, hybrid police cruisers, and electric vehicle charging stations. (Click here for details of the project awards.)

Continue reading the MMA article

https://www.mma.org/administration-awards-8-3m-in-green-communities-grants/

Franklin's award for $150,902 was summarized as:

"to fund energy conservation measures, EV vehicles, LED lighting, and transformers, in municipal facilities including vehicle fleet, Horace Mann, Remington, and Keller Sullivan Schools"

The complete listing of awards can be found -> https://www.mass.gov/doc/competitive-grant-awards-2021-block-2/download

For more about Green Communities

"despite legislation having good intentions, there can be unforeseen cost elements"

"The State Auditor’s Division of Local Mandates released a report yesterday that identified 29 state statutes passed between 2016 and 2020 that have a significant financial impact on Massachusetts cities and towns without sufficient state funding to offset the costs.

The “Five-Year Statutory Fiscal Impact Report” finds that the state continues to pass laws that often require resources from cities and towns for implementation, and that these measures are largely financed by local property taxes as state aid lags behind increasing local costs. The report also documents that state aid as a share of total municipal revenue decreased between fiscal 2010 and fiscal 2020, while state assessments on cities and towns increased. "

Continue reading article online ->

https://www.mma.org/auditors-report-examines-financial-impact-of-state-laws-on-municipalities/ 

Download a copy of the full report here ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZNFLsX9PUA2AkDUW-68h-tg-AA5PGL4_/view?usp=sharing

or here ->  https://41g41s33vxdd2vc05w415s1e-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Auditor_Five-YearStatutoryFiscalImpactReport_2016-20.pdf

“Five-Year Statutory Fiscal Impact Report”

MMA: "Building climate resiliency into municipal properties"

"Recent reports indicate that climate change is warming the Northeast faster than most other regions in the Northern Hemisphere, and research released by UMass Amherst notes that the Northeast has heated by 3.6 degrees over the past century due in part to the increasing temperature of the Atlantic Ocean. 

This warming is already having an enormous impact in the region. According to the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit for the Northeast, among other resources, climate change impacts here include extreme precipitation events (both rain and snow), sea level rise, coastal and river flooding, and severe weather such as high wind events and heat waves, all of which are challenging our environmental, social and economic systems. 

Flooding, both coastal and inland, is a major concern. Most Massachusetts counties can expect a 10% to 20% increase in flooding between 2020 and 2050, with an average annual loss increase of more than $5 million over the same period, according to a Jan. 31 article in the journal Nature Climate Change."

Continue reading this MMA article online -> https://www.mma.org/building-climate-resiliency-into-municipal-properties/

Other articles referenced:

• From The Guardian -> https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/23/atlantic-ocean-warming-climate-change
• Climate Resilience Toolkit -> https://toolkit.climate.gov/regions/northeast
• Flood risk mapping issues -> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01265-6

Climate-friendly green roofs, like this one at Chicago’s City Hall, can reduce building cooling costs while also absorbing rainfall. (Photo courtesy National Park Service and city of Chicago)

MA News roundup: ballot question funding, federal aid priority discussion; and 3 views on local aid

Costly ballot fights ahead on gig economy, income tax amendment
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/costly-ballot-fights-ahead-on-gig-economy-income-tax-amendment-2/

Unprecedented federal funding is chance to push for priorities
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/unprecedented-federal-funding-is-chance-to-push-for-priorities/

3 views on same issue

Municipal officials slam Polito local aid projection
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/government/municipal-officials-slam-polito-local-aid-projection/

Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA) reporting on the update

https://www.mma.org/at-mma-annual-meeting-lt-gov-polito-announces-2-7-local-aid-increase-in-fy23-budget-proposal/

Baker seeks level funding for local road projects in next year’s budget

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/01/22/metro/baker-seeks-level-funding-local-road-projects-next-years-budget/

"all heavily qualified with discussions of uncertainty"

"Despite a persistent public health emergency, the Commonwealth’s fiscal outlook for the remainder of fiscal 2022 and looking ahead to fiscal 2023 remains strong, but not without some uncertainty. 

Tax collections far exceeded benchmarks in fiscal 2021, leading to a substantial state surplus, and they are on track to do the same in fiscal 2022. 

Still, during the annual Consensus Revenue Hearing convened today by the House and Senate Ways and Means committees and the governor’s budget office, the Department of Revenue and other fiscal experts and economists offered cautious outlooks for the economy and state revenues over the second half of fiscal 2022 and for fiscal 2023."

Continue reading the article online
https://www.mma.org/budget-outlook-for-fy23-is-a-balance-of-strong-revenue-and-uncertainty/ 

We enter the FY 2023 budget season. The Town of Franklin departments are working on their department level operational and capital requests. The capital budget will be first reviewed via the Finance Committee before going to the Town Council capital budget subcommittee and eventually to the full Council for approval. As with prior years, the capital budget is likely to be addressed in two phases: the first utilizes the available free cash less some amount held to cover additional snow/ice expenses this winter; after the winter expenses are finalized, then the second portion of free cash is utilized for the capital budget.

The Town budget process and documents can be found 

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget

The School budget follows a similar timeline

https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget

"all heavily qualified with discussions of uncertainty"

Franklin awarded Sustainable Materials Recovery Program grant of $25K

Mass. Municipal Assn (@massmunicipal) tweeted  Thu, Nov 18, 2021:

Administration awards $3.1M through the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program to 268 municipalities to help them maximize recycling, composting & waste reduction programs. @MassGovernor @MassLtGov @MassEEA @MassDEP https://t.co/6GTlN0fFgr 

 

"To mark America Recycles Day, the Baker-Polito administration on Monday announced $3.1 million in grant funding to 268 municipalities and regional solid waste districts to help them maximize recycling, composting and waste reduction programs.

The grants are made available through the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program, which was created by the Green Communities Act of 2008 and has provided more than $46 million to recycling programs since 2010.

At the announcement, Gov. Charlie Baker said the new round of grant funding will aid municipal efforts “to implement innovative programs and policies” to maximize the reuse of materials, boost recycling, and reduce waste. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said the program helps municipalities and solid waste districts expand recycling and composting, while targeting new materials to remove from the waste stream."

Franklin is on the list as the recipient of $25,200.

The full listing can be found -> https://www.mass.gov/doc/list-of-2021-municipalregional-grant-awards-november-2021/download

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/massmunicipal/status/1461335652105076737

Franklin awarded Sustainable Materials Recovery Program grant of $25K

Webinar Nov. 22 on MA DEP Solid Waste Master Plan

Via the Mass Municipal Association:

"The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is inviting local officials to a webinar on Nov. 22 on the newly published Solid Waste Master Plan.

The 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan: Working Together Toward Zero Waste guides how Massachusetts will strive to manage our trash between now and 2030 — and beyond. The plan sets a waste reduction target of 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050."

Read the remainder of the announcement by MMA and register for the webinar

https://www.mma.org/massdep-to-hold-webinar-nov-22-on-solid-waste-master-plan/

 

Webinar Nov. 22 on MA DEP Solid Waste Master Plan

Citizen Planner Training Collaborative's schedule announced

The Citizen Planner Training Collaborative’s Webinar Series 2021, designed for citizen and professional planners in Massachusetts, will run from Nov. 10 through Dec. 16.

Registration is open for the 10 workshops, which range from “Roles and Responsibilities of Planning Boards and Boards of Appeals” to more specialized information such as fair housing laws. Each workshop is sponsored by a regional planning agency, and anyone may attend.

The workshop schedule is as follows:
• Fair Housing Laws: Nov. 10
• Fair, Defensible Land Use Decisions: Nov. 15
• Adopting and Revising Rules and Regulations: Nov. 17
• Drafting Zoning Amendments: Nov. 18
• Adopting and Revising Rules and Regulations: Nov. 23
• Introduction to Subdivision Control Law/ANR: Nov. 29
• Fair, Defensible Land Use Decisions: Dec. 2
• Roles and Responsibilities of Planning and Zoning Boards: Dec. 7
• Special Permits and Variances: Dec. 15
• Use of Design Review: Dec. 16

Via MMA - for more info including how to register, https://www.mma.org/citizen-planner-training-collaborative-to-hold-webinar-series/  or go directly to the CPTC page to register -> https://masscptc.org/training/webinar-2021/webinar-series-21.html

https://masscptc.org/training/webinar-2021/webinar-series-21.html

MA Public Health reminds us to practice self-care and support your mental health; Boston announces pilot program

"It's more important than ever to practice self-care and support your mental health. Relax, stay socially connected at a safe distance, and take a deep breath. 

If you're in a crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. #StopSuicide" https://t.co/745s6GoH8i

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassDPH/status/1440380331077496835?s=03

Mass. Public Health reminds us to practice self-care and support your mental health

Franklin participates in a grant program with Medway to implement this support for 911 calls and now Boston is starting a pilot program.

"Amid a nationwide push to rethink policing strategies and reduce the use of force when possible, a new Boston program seeks to scale back police involvement in 911 mental-health calls.

Last month, Acting Mayor Kim Janey announced a pilot program encouraging greater use of mental-health workers, EMTs and trained community members during 911 mental health calls. In a city that received 10,000 such calls last year, officials are seeking to de-escalate fragile mental-health interactions while easing the strain on police resources.

“This mental-health response will help us evaluate how to deliver the best possible response for our residents when they are in crisis,” Janey said during an Aug. 5 press conference. “These investments will help connect residents and their families with the care they need. They will also help us send officers to where they are needed most.”

Continue reading online 
https://www.mma.org/boston-launches-pilot-program-to-address-911-mental-health-calls/

Grant announced in 2018
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/08/franklin-and-medway-police-receive-jail.html

Franklin Police in its Annual Report section for 2020 touted the program

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-annual-report-2020-police.html 

"united in their commitment to preserve and protect the natural water resources"

 

The MassDEP’s proposed changes to the Water Resources Management Program regulations (310 CMR 36.00) are promulgated under the Water Management Act (M.G.L. Ch. 21G), which regulates water withdrawals through registrations and permits to ensure an appropriate balance among competing water needs and the preservation of natural resources.

The proposed regulatory changes would add a new condition to registrations that would restrict nonessential outdoor water use during times of drought declared by the secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Nonessential outdoor water use includes lawn watering, filling swimming pools, washing cars by means of a hose, and washing down buildings, parking lots, driveways and sidewalks.

Continue reading the article online

https://www.mma.org/mma-comments-on-massdeps-proposed-water-management-regulatory-changes/

Direct link to the MassDEP proposed changes

https://www.mass.gov/regulations/310-CMR-3600-massachusetts-water-resources-management-program#proposed-amendments-public-comment

The permit process was part of the three part podcast series with the Franklin Water Dept. You can find and listen to all three episodes here: 

https://www.franklinma.gov/water-sewer-division/news/franklin-matters-conversations-doug-martin-jake-standley

 

three part podcast series with the Franklin Water Dept