Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - March 2, 2022 - 7 PM

FRANKLIN TOWN COUNCIL

Agenda & Meeting Packet

March 2, 2022 - 7:00 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building, 2nd floor, Council Chambers, 355 East Central Street

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR

a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.

b. Chair to identify members participating remotely.

2. CITIZEN COMMENTS

a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to three minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask  the Town Administrator to review the matter.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

a. February 16, 2022   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/february_16_2022_tc_meeting_minutes_-_draft_for_review.pdf

4. PROCLAMATIONS / RECOGNITIONS

5. APPOINTMENTS

6. HEARINGS - 7:00pm

7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

8. PRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSIONS

a. Presentation: Other Post-Employment Benefits - Dan Sherman, Sherman Actuarial Services

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/8a._presentation_materials_-_opeb_report.pdf

9. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

• a. Resolution 22-15: Direction for Issuance of Request for Expressions of Interest for Town Property Containing “South Franklin Congregational Meeting House” Located at 762 Washington Street (Motion to Approve Resolution 22-15 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/10a._interest_in_congregational_meeting_house_property.pdf
• b. Resolution 22-16: Authorization for Town Administrator to Negotiate and Execute New Agreement Between Town and Franklin Community Cable Access, Inc. for PEG Programming and Access Services (Motion to Approve Resolution 22-16 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9b._agreement_with_fcca.pdf
• c. Resolution 22-17: Cable Funds in Support of PEG Service and Programming per MGL Ch. 44, §53F3/4 (Motion to Approve Resolution 22-17 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9c._peg_verizon_89815.32.pdf
• d. Resolution 22-18: Gift Acceptance - Veterans’ Services Department ($350) (Motion to Approve Resolution 22-18 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9d._gift_acceptance_-_vets.pdf

10. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

11. SUBCOMMITTEE & AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Capital Budget Subcommittee

b. Budget Subcommittee

c. Economic Development Subcommittee

12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

13. COUNCIL COMMENTS

14. EXECUTIVE SESSION

a. Exemption #3: Collective Bargaining (all Town unions) - To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares.

15. ADJOURN

Note:

Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes

Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting

Full agenda doc including remote connection info -> 
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/town_council_meeting_agenda_-march_2_2022.pdf

South Franklin Congregational Meeting House

Franklin DPW: Memorandum of Agreement 2015-2018

Side Letter - Attachment B

Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance at the Franklin High and Horace Mann Middle Schools

Not withstanding the settlement of the parties' 2015 to 2018 collective bargaining agreement, the parties shall have continuing discussions about the impacts of the Franklin High School outside grounds, court yard and new athletic playing fields.

The expected impacts and costs to maintain these new areas with current staffing levels of DPW personal are unknown. ·

Specifically, the costs associated with the man power, equipment and materials needed to maintain the school grounds can only be estimated. It is anticipated with the burden of maintaining these new areas at the High School, man power and resources will be drained from other areas of the DPW. The current overall "high maintenance level" at the Town and School departments will suffer not only at the High School, but at other Town and School facilities.

From July 1, 2015 through November 2018 the Town will have the right to outsource the following work to determine the cost of labor and resources at the High School and Horace Mann Middle School:

• Mowing and trimming of all "passive grass areas" i.e.: lawns around school buildings, lawns around parking areas, islands in parking areas, MS4·green spaces, and any area that is not used for athletics.
• Providing and installing Mulch to all planting beds.
• The picking up of litter in all passive grass areas mulched planting beds.
• Spring and Fall clean-ups, which may include mowing, weeding, leaf pick-ups for all "passive grass areas" outlined above and planting beds.

Due to the skill set of present DPW personnel and equipment already owned by DPW, DPW will continue to maintain all "active grass areas" i.e. sports fields at the High School and Horace Mann Middle School, which will include mowing and trimming of grass areas, litter pick up, and emptying of all trash containers. It also may include limited fertilization and line painting as determined by Director.

The Town has the right to outsource such work, subject to three conditions:

1. No member of the bargaining unit will be laid off solely as a result of such outsourcing.
2. The Town will bargain with the union about any demonstrable impacts on conditions of employment.
3. The Town will provide a copy of the bid documents for the out sourcing of said work, all costs associated with said work for future discussions.

This was part of the set of documents released for the Town Council agenda 2/24/16 (page 43 of 45)

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2016%20Complete/02242016.pdf

Or a copy of the single page here:

one of the new ball fields at Franklin High School

Franklin: 188 King Under Agreement

Franklin: 188 King Under Agreement, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Walking late Friday, Dolores and I noticed that the house at 188 King St which I have posted progress shots on during its construction is actually under agreement.

This is a good sign!

A process to reach agreement on joint maintenance

Following up on the issue and need to reach an agreement raised earlier, I have the following as a process to achieve this. There are other ways but we just need to execute on one that will allow the key stake holders a say in the process.


Using the talking stick concept, the stake holders should come together in a circle.

Stakeholders:

• Town Council
• School Committee
• School Administration
• Dept of Public Works
• Town Administration
  
• parents
• principals
• custodians
• tax payers
• are any left out?
  

Sitting in a circle with two representatives from each group. Representatives can not sit next to another of their own group.

Several white boards or flip charts to record the key points

Volunteers solicited to assist in the recording of the key points

First round records all the objectives, or goals, or constraints of each group that they feel need to be part of the ultimate agreement. Let's get all the issues on the table.

For example:

• cost savings
• principals control people working within their school
• education reform act requirements
  
• labor contracts
• etc.

Second Round prioritizes the goals, objectives, constraints as outlined in Round One

Third Round entertains proposals from each stake holder group on how they would meet the overall goals as outlined in Round One and prioritized in Round Two

Fourth Round works to build consensus on the proposals from Round Three

There should be a break between the second and third rounds to provide time for the individual stake holder groups to prepare their proposals

There may need to be more than four rounds but that will depend upon the openness of the discussion and how well the group is able to come to a consensus

It may be required to review the current maintenance agreement which the town believes is working and at least from the point of view as expressed by one custodian, clearly isn't. We will need to address any and all issues with this process. We need a working process, not a broken process. If the current process has some flaws, let's address them, agree to fix them and then agree to move on. If we don't fix them, we will not be able to make significant progress on a new process for the custodians.