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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FINCOM votes to adjourn

Yes, that was one major highlight of the long evening Monday 4/14/08.

After hearing and reviewing the school budget and the need for an override,
with two members not returning from a five minute break,
the eight remaining could not reach an agreement on two motions for an override,
both motions ended up being withdrawn,
which quickly lead to the motion to adjourn at approx 10:20 PM.

So the FINCOM has yet to vote a full budget (schedule to be determined).

The Town Council probably won't get the budget until their second meeting in May (at this rate).

Which cuts it almost impossible to schedule a town vote for an override before June 30th.

So as it stands the school budget voted is the level funded Town Administrator approved budget which is short $3.3 Million and will result in 45 folks going out the door in June to not return in September.


Oh, and the school committee has yet to vote on their final budget. That comes on April 29th.



more details and recordings to be made available as I have time to process them

Letter From Ed Cafasso

Hello everyone!

I hope you had a restful weekend. As promised, here is an update on school budget matters, including a schedule of important public hearings that you may wish to attend.

The School Committee this week voted unanimously in support of a level service budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That means we will ask the Town Council for approximately $4 million in additional funding, enough to cover our increasing costs so that we can support the same level of service students and parents currently receive.

As you know, Town Administrator Jeff Nutting has proposed that the schools receive only $800,000 in additional revenue for fiscal year 2009. If the Town Council accepts Mr. Nutting’s proposed funding level, the School Committee and Supt. Ogden would need to impose $3.2 million in cuts, including:

- 15 teaching positions at elementary level

- 12.5 teaching positions at middle school

- 17 teaching positions at FHS

- A $100 increase in the pay-to-ride bus fee hike, and

- The end of late bus service for students who need to stay after school for academic, clubs and extracurricular programs.

To date, we have not received any indications that the Town Council is willing to support additional funding for the schools beyond Mr. Nutting’s proposed appropriation. In light of this, the School Committee also voted unanimously to authorize Committee Chairman Jeff Roy to pursue the possibility of placing a Proposition 2½ override on the town ballot.

Dozens of you have written to me and to other members of the School Committee to express your deep concern over the impact of these potential cutbacks, including inappropriate class sizes, reductions in arts, music and extracurricular offerings, intolerable burdens for working families; destabilized property values, etc.

I appreciate all of the messages of support I have received and the great many smart questions parents are asking. I urge you to make your opinions known to the elected members of the Finance Committee and the Town Council. I have included their email addresses below, arranged in easy cut-and-paste blocks.

Finance Committee members:

RobustAlternatives@comcast.net; feldjamin@hotmail.com; pmessere@earthlink.net; rebecca65@comcast.net; mark.cataldo2@verizon.net; jfc322151@yahoo.com; pat@cbsfinances.com; csmaire@aol.com; wnorman18@comcast.net; rfvitale@msn.com; John.redwine@fmr.com; jnutting@franklin.ma.us

Town Council members: cdds2@comcast.net; bartlett.family@comcast.net; judpfeffer@verizon.net; TDoak@comcast.net; smason2@comcast.net; DMC2466298@aol.com; Vallee480@aol.com; whalen_stephen@hotmail.com; szollo@mbbp.com; jnutting@franklin.ma.us There are several public meeting opportunities coming up at which you also can ask questions of your elected officials and express your views as voters and taxpayers. These include;

Monday, April 14: The Finance Committee will hold a hearing to examine the School Department’s proposed FY09 budget at 7 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers on the 2^nd floor of the Municipal Building.

Tuesday, April 15: Town Administrator Jeff Nutting and School Supt. Wayne Ogden will appear at the meeting of the Franklin Schools at 9 a.m. at Horace Mann Middle School.

Tuesday, April 29: The School Committee will hold its public hearing on the school budget at 7 p.m. on 2^nd floor of the Municipal Building.

Wednesday, May 7: The Town Council will hold its hearing on the School Department budget at 7 p.m. on the 2^nd floor of the Municipal Building.

Thanks again for your feedback and support. I will do my best to keep you informed. The next three to four weeks will be crucial in determining the state of our schools this fall. Stay tuned. Stay involved.

Ed Cafasso, Member

Franklin School Committee

FINCOM: Library Budget FY 09 (audio)

From the Franklin Finance Committee meeting on 4/9/08, the discussion on the Library Budget for FY 09. Felicia Oti, Jeff Nutting were key participants.

Time: 21 minutes, 14 seconds



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FINCOM: Technology Budget FY 09 (audio)

From the Finance Committee meeting on 4/9/08, the discussion on the Technology budget for FY 09. Jeff Nutting, Tim Raposa, Ken Norman, Jim Roche amongst others.

Time: 12 minutes, 16 seconds



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FINCOM: Comptroller Budget FY 09 (audio)

From the Finance Committee meeting on 4/9/08, the discussion on the Comptroller budget for FY 2009. Jeff Nutting, Susan Gagner, Ken Norman, Rebecca Cameron, and Jim Roche participate.

TIme: 12 minutes, 44 seconds



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The proposed Town budget can be found here (PDF).

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



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Approval for backup generator at the High School (audio)

The replacement for the failed backup generator at the high school was finally approved by the Town Council.

Time: 11 minutes, 34 seconds



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Approval for Summer St Paving (audio)

Franklin Town Council approves transfer of funds from developer to allow for the paving all at once of the Summer St section where sewer extentions were made. Passed by a 6-0 vote with 1 abstention (McGann).

Time: 7 minutes, 35 seconds



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Discussion on proposal for sign on the Town Common (audio)

Franklin Town Council discusses the proposal for a sign on the Town Comon. Proposal was eventually withdrawn before a vote was taken as there were objections from some of the Council.

Time: 10 minutes, 56 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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Town Council Meeting agenda for 3/5/08

The agenda for the Town Council Meeting 3/5/08 has been posted to the town web site here. The PDF File with the details, previous minutes, etc. can be found here.

----------------------

Worthy of note in this agenda is the acceptance of Executive Session minutes from 1/23/08 (maybe a mistake as the copy is not actually included, and the copy that is included references the notes as of the meeting 1/9/08), October 27, 2007 and September 5, 2007.

What makes these note worthy?

The contract for the Town Administrator was approved with a 9-0 vote on 9/5/07. During the meeting 10/27/07, the contract still had not been signed so it could not be announced.

Were there other Executive Meeting minutes where this was discussed before the announcement finally became public?

Ah, maybe that is what is in the 1/23/08 minutes that weren't included?

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



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Nutting quietly got new 3 year deal last year

Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting confirmed this week that he has been working under a new, three-year contract.

The contract was negotiated with the council and signed shortly before the town's Nov. 6 election, Nutting said, with the terms retroactively taking effect a few months before in July.

Under Nutting's new deal, he gets a 2 1/2 percent raise this year, with subsequent raises up to the council as part of their annual review. Nutting received a $119,978 salary and a $5,983 car allowance in 2006, according to the town's most recent annual report.

Michael Morton reports the remainder of the details in his article in the Milford Daily News

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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Mr Sullivan - Part 7 (audio)

Mr Sullivan continues to answer questions from Councilors McGann and Mason, Jeff Nutting chimes in with an answer. Frank Falvey tries to speak the first time.

Time: 4 minutes, 18 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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Tough choices this year

"I think that it'd be optimistic to get a level-funded budget," Nutting said of Franklin's finances. "In other words, I anticipate the town will have to make some very difficult choices about where cuts will be made."

Read the Milford Daily News article about local town leaders and what 2008 will bring here.

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

Town Administrator's Report (audio)

Jeff Nutting, the Town Administrator, reports on the snow removal, kudos for Ryan Jette and the recreation programs, and how the Municipal Building will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Time: 2 minutes, 24 seconds



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