On this date: Mar 1, 2017: Live reporting from the Town Council

Stepping into the archives for March 1, 2017 I find that among the posts that day was my usual "live reporting" from a Town Council meeting. I try to report from as many Town Council, School Committee and Finance Committee meetings as I can attend each year to "follow the money". 

Working from home tends to help with some of the schedule but meeting work commitments with 8:00 PM conference calls can also interfere. It is the nature of the beast trying to balance work and life schedules.

Note: "Live" reporting is used when I am in the room. "Real time" is when I report via the live cable or internet feed. I laid out these definitions back in 2010. 
 https://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/07/note-of-distinction.html


For the meeting notes of Mar 1, 2017
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/03/live-reporting-town-council-march-1-2017.html

All the notes from the meetings I report on live or remote are contained on the tab "Meeting Notes"  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/meeting-notes.html

Assistant Town Clerk Nancy Danelo (in blue) swearing in the new Fire Dept Deputy chiefs
at the Council meeting of Jan 30, 2019

On this date: Feb 28, 2016: Reporting by Walking Around

Stepping in to the archives for Feb 28, 2016 I find that this was one of the "reporting by walking around posts" I did from time to time. I find myself doing less now as I am working from home most of the week and thereby can walk almost everyday to stay current. So hopefully, you see more photos daily rather than bunching them like I did.

"Reporting by walking around, I'll share some photos of the walk around Franklin Saturday morning."

The new Recreation Dept facility at 275 Beaver St

Dip into the archives for 2016 and see what has not changed, or changed since Feb 28, 2016
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/02/photos-from-walk-around-franklin.html

50 Years of Sesame Street

American Archive of Public Broadcasting to Preserve 50 Years of Sesame Street Sesame Street is coming to the Library via the American Archive of Public Broadcasting. Nearly 4,500 digitized episodes of the groundbreaking children's TV series have been donated to the archives & will be available on-site. Click here for more information https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-19-019/?loclr=ealn 50 Years of Sesame Street

MA Digital Archives (finally) available

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The Massachusetts Archives has unveiled an online collection of records of state agencies, including a searchable index of Massachusetts casualties in World War II, records of the administration of Governor Deval Patrick and town plans from 1794 through 1830. 

Among the records are death certificates of 27 people killed in the Great Molasses Flood in Boston on Jan. 15, 1919. 

To see the records, visit digitalarchives.sec.state.ma.us.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190116/state-archives-offers-online-record-collection

I input "Frankln, MA" to see what it would show and among the results that caught my eye:

The death certificate for Sgt. Timothy J Hayes
http://digitalarchives.sec.state.ma.us/uncategorised/digitalFile_1deba876-e40c-4e3f-adf7-27df2cae45a8/

death certificate for Sgt. Timothy J Hayes

Recall that the effort to better understand the story of Sgt. Timothy J Hayes is still underway
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/12/one-mans-quest-to-find-out-about-sgt.html

The Town Plan by Amos Hawes from 1794
http://digitalarchives.sec.state.ma.us/uncategorised/digitalFile_4bbfca75-cdcd-4408-9157-5eccb3fb4bc4/

Town Plan by Amos Hawes from 1794

I could spend many hours searching among the archives. If you find anything really good, please let me know so we can share it here.

Meeting notes archive for 2018

2018

The Election Collection for November 2018 can be found here

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/10/election-collection-2018.html

The Budget Collection for FY 2019 can be found here

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/04/town-of-franklin-ma-budget-collection.html

Economic Development Subcommittee (of the Town Council)

• 
  
• EDC - 12/12/18 (audio)
• EDC - 11/28/18 (audio)
• EDC - 09/05/18 (audio)
• EDC - 06/06/18 (audio)
• EDC - 04/11/18 (audio)
• EDC - 02/21/18 (audio included)

Joint Budget Subcommittee

• Joint Budget - 09/26/18 (audio)

Town Administrator Search Subcommittee

• Search Subcommittee meeting - 11/14/18 (audio)

Finance Committee (FinCom)

• FinCom meeting (usually 1st Tues of month, special schedule for Budget Hearings in May/June)
• 
  
• the 'free cash' amount has not yet been certified by the MA DOR so no meetings to be held until it is and the capital plan can be discussed (per 12/12/18 Town Council meeting update)
• FinComm - 10/16/18
• FinComm - 04/24/18 (audio)
• FinComm - 04/18/18
• FinComm - 04/17/18
• FinComm - Jan 30, 2018 (missed)

School Committee  (SchCom)

• School Committee meetings (usually 2nd/4th Tuesday of month; exceptions noted)
• 
  
• School Committee - 12/11/18 (partial coverage)
• School Committee - 11/27/18  
• School Committee - 11/13/18
• School Committee - 10/23/18
• School Committee - 10/09/18 (workshop/training session, did not participate or record)
• School Committee - 09/25/18
• School Committee - 09/11/18
• School Committee - 08/28/18
• School Committee - 08/14/18 (missed)
• School Committee - 07/24/18
• School Committee - 06/26/18 (missed)
• School Committee - 06/12/18
• School Committee - 05/22/18
• School Committee - 05/08/18 (missed - out of town on business)
• School Committee - 04/24/18
• School Committee - 04/10/18
• School Committee - 03/27/18
• School Committee - 03/22/18 (audio)
• School Committee - 03/13/18 (rescheduled to 3/22/18 due to blizzard)
• School Committee - 02/27/18
• School Committee - Legislative Forum - 02/13/18 (audio)
• School Committee - 01/23/18
• School Committee - 01/09/18 

Town Council (TC)

• TC meeting (usually 1st/3rd Wednesday of month, exceptions noted)
• 
  
• Town Council - 12/19/18
• Town Council - 12/12/18
• Town Council - 11/28/18 tax rate set (audio exclusive)
• Town Council - 11/14/18
• Town Council - 10/17/18
• Town Council - 10/10/18
• Town Council - 09/26/18
• Town Council - 09/05/18
• Town Council - 08/08/18 (missed - out of town)
• Town Council - 07/11/18 (missed - out of town)
• Town Council - 06/20/18 (missed - out of town on business)
• Town Council - 06/06/18
• Town Council - 06/16-17/18 (budget hearings #1 and #2)
• Town Council - 06/09/18 (missed - out of town on business)
• Town Council - 05/17/18 Budget hearing #2 for FY 2019
• Town Council - 05/16/18 Budget hearing #1 for FY 2019
• Town Council - 05/09/18 (missed - out of town on business)
• Town Council - 04/11/18
• Town Council - 03/28/18
• Town Council - 03/14/18 (missed - out of town on business)
• Town Council - 02/28/18 (canceled)
• Town Council - 02/14/18
• Town Council - 01/24/18
• Town Council Goals Workshop - 01/10/18 (audio) 

---------------------- 

Internet Archive holds copies of the FHS Yearbooks

The Internet Archive is a wonderful resource. I recently found out that the Franklin High School yearbooks can be found there.

https://archive.org/details/franklinhighschool

Internet Archive holds copies of the FHS Yearbooks

Thanks for the tip via Twitter
https://twitter.com/Franklin_HS_Lib/status/1052634965433864194

Remember when: Aug 11, 2017

Friday, August 11, 2017

The Vet Ruck Walk will travel through Franklin Saturday, Aug 19

Franklin's Veterans' Services Officer Dale Kurtz says:

"We expect the walkers to enter Franklin about 6 PM on Saturday, August 19. They will travel Lincoln St to make a brief stop at the War Memorial on the Town Common and then proceed through town via Main St to East Central expecting to exit at 7 PM into Wrentham. There will be 8 to 9 walkers and supporters are invited to join in, but we must keep up the pace of the team for them to make their timelines. We hope that veterans, scout groups and town people will come out to support the walkers."

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/08/the-vet-ruck-walk-will-travel-through.html

The Vet Ruck Walk will travel through Franklin Saturday, Aug 19

Remember when: Aug 10, 2016

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

"will look to introduce the herbicides when they would be most effective"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The town has released the final version of a study of ponds at the DelCarte property as conservation efforts move forward. 

The study was conducted by Rhode Island firm ESS Group and examines the four ponds on the conservation property. Its draft - which stated that invasive plant and fish species pose a threat to the ponds - was released in February. 

Town Conservation Agent George Russell said the final version of the document was unchanged from the draft. Town officials, he said, had reviewed the study and determined that no changes to its text were needed."

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/08/will-look-to-introduce-herbicides-when.html

the fall foliage along the DelCarte property

Remember when: Aug 9, 2015

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Franklin Lions Club

Lions meet the needs of local communities and the world every day because they share a core belief - to serve their community. 

Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization. We have 1.35 million members in more than 45,000 clubs in more than 206 countries and geographic areas. 

Franklin Lions Club

Lions have a dynamic history. Founded in 1917, we are best known for fighting blindness, but we also volunteer for many different kinds of community projects - including caring for the environment, feeding the hungry and aiding seniors and the disabled. Franklin Lions

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/08/franklin-lions-club.html

Remember when: Aug 8, 2014

Friday, August 8, 2014

Fieldhouse is gone

It didn't take long to demolish the field house. Half was taken down on Wednesday and at the end of the day Thursday, there remained only piles.

The remaining wall is for the small gym. It shows the arc of where the field house was

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/08/field-house-is-gone.html

Remember when: Aug 7, 2013

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Master Plan: Zoning

"The draft Master Plan 2013 for Franklin is chock full of great information. Zoning plans an important role in how Franklin operates and grows. Look around town, there are commercial zones and residential areas. These are all by design. The design can be changed via the zoning process and the overall guidelines to the design come from the Master Plan. The full plan document runs over 90 pages but should be required summer reading for each Franklin resident and voter.

You can participate in the Public Hearing on this draft on Saturday at the Library at 10:00 AM"

- - - 

Continue reading about the Master Plan as the review of the draft occurred during August 2013. The plan was accepted and approved by the Town Council and still provides guidance today.

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/master-plan-zoning.html

The 1997 and the current (as published in 2013) Master Plan documents can be found on the Town of Franklin page

http://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/pages/master-plan

development of the SNETT Trail is an action item in the Master Plan

Remember when: August 6, 2012

Monday, August 6, 2012

Uncas Pond

Having heard of Uncas Pond here and here, I decided a needed to go exploring to find it. Sunday was humid. I needed a little extra incentive to run in the heat. I decided that since Uncas Pond was off Summer St, I'd go find it. Finding it would give me an excuse to stop for pictures (and rest as well).

Uncas Pond

Continue reading in the archives
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/08/uncas-pond.html

Remember when - August 5, 2011

Friday, August 5, 2011

British Beer Company - ribbon cutting

The United Chamber of Commerce welcomed the British Beer Company (BBC) with a ribbon cutting ceremony this week. The British Beer Company opened in January in the former Applebee's location at the Franklin Village Mall. It is a very popular place with waits up to 90 minutes on Friday's nights.

British Beer Company - ribbon cutting

Continue reading in the archives

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/08/british-beer-company-ribbon-cutting.html

Remember when - August 4, 2010

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Bill Glynn - sit and chat summary

In his lawn chair, one man was reading near the bandstand on the Town Common. The concerts are scheduled for Weds. Was he waiting for the concert? No, Bill Glynn was waiting for folks to show up for the "Sit and Chat".

They did come. By ones and twos, a total of seven. A mother with her children in Franklin schools who also works as a teacher. A father with children in the school whose wife is a teacher. She was at the boys baseball game, so he came. Two more mothers, coordinators for one of the school PCC organizations. Another mother with two little ones just getting into the school system, curious to understand what their future in the schools might be like. Another mother (also a teacher) brought her son who will be a senior at Franklin High in September (yes, he did want to come along).

Continue reading about the "Sit and Chat" session that Bill, a first year member of the School Committee, held back in 2010.

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/08/bill-glynn-sit-and-chat-summary.html

Remember when - August 4, 2010

Remember when - August 3, 2009

Monday, August 3, 2009

Franklin: Walgreens Conveyor

Quite busy at the Walgreens (former Four Corners Bldg) site. The foundation appears to be nearing completion.


Franklin_WalgreensConveyor, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Continue reading from the archives of 2009

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2009/08/franklin-walgreens-conveyor.html

Remember when - August 2, 2008

Saturday, August 2, 2008

"We don't want anything sneaky going on"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Aug 01, 2008 @ 11:29 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

Leaders of the citizens' group, "It Does Not Fit, Do Not Permit" say they will remain vigilant in opposing "irresponsible development" and keeping a watchful eye on developers.

About 50 members of the group descended upon the Zoning Board of Appeals July 24, to fight a commercial development plan Councilor Joseph McGann and former police chief Lawrence Benedetto proposed in January for 704 Washington St. The members expressed frustration that the two sought a second continuance and did not appear.

Continue reading in the archives

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2008/08/we-dont-want-anything-sneaky-going-on.html

the property at 704 Washington has not changed since then

Franklin GIS map of 704 Washington

Meeting notes archive for 2017

2017

• Special Report: Residential VII zoning

Economic Development Committee (EDC)

• EDC meeting (scheduled as needed)
• 
  
• Economic Development - 08/09/17 (audio exclusive)
• Economic Development - 03/22/17
• EDC - 01/04/17

Finance Committee (FinCom)

• FinCom meeting (usually 1st Tues of month, special schedule for Budget Hearings in May/June)
• 
  
• FinCom - 09/26/17 (audio exclusive)
• FinCom - 05/03/17
• FinCom - 04/05/17 - Budget hearing #3 Franklin TV video replay
• FinCom - 04/03/17 - Budget hearing #2 Franklin TV video replay
• FinCom - 03/29/17 - Budget hearing #1 Franklin TV video replay
• FinCom - 01/31/17 (audio exclusive)

School Committee  (SchCom)

• School Committee meetings (usually 2nd/4th Tuesday of month; exceptions noted)
• 
  
• School Committee - 12/13/17
• Community Forum - Superintendent Ahern - 11/30/17
• School Committee - 11/28/17
• School Committee - 11/14/17
• School Committee - 10/24/17 (missed)
• School Committee - Budgeting Workshop - 10/10/17 (audio exclusive)
• School Committee - 09/26/17
• School Committee - 09/12/17
• School Committee - 08/22/17
• School Committee - 08/08/17
• School Committee - 07/18/17 (missed)
• School Committee - 06/27/17 
• School Committee - 06/13/17
• School Committee - 05/23/17
• School Committee - 05/09/17 (Franklin TV video available, missed due to business travel)
• School Committee - 04/25/17
• School Committee - 04/11/17
• School Committee - 03/28/17 (budget hearing FY 2018)
• School Committee - 03/23/17 special meeting superintendent
• School Committee - 03/20/17 - Superintendent Candidate Forum (audio exclusive)
• School Committee - 03/15/17 (audio)
• School Committee - 02/28/17
• School Committee - 02/14/17
• School Committee - 02/06/17 - re-open search (audio exclusive)
• School Committee - Superintendent Candidate Forums - 01/30/17 (audio exclusive)
• School Committee - 01/24/17
• School Committee - 01/10/17

Town Council (TC)

• TC meeting (usually 1st/3rd Wednesday of month, exceptions noted)
• 
  
• Town Council - 12/20/17 (missed)
• Town Council - 12/13/17
• Town Council - 11/29/17
• Town Council - 11/15/17
• Town Council - 10/25/17
• Town Council - 10/11/17
• Town Council - 09/27/17
• Town Council - 09/13/17
• Town Council - 08/09/17
• Town Council - 07/12/17
• Town Council - 06/28/17
• Town Council - 06/07/17
• Town Council - 05/25/17
• Town Council - 05/24/17
• Town Council - 05/10/17 (missed due to business travel, Franklin TV video replay available)
• Town Council - 04/13/17 (land use planning workshop)
• Town Council - 04/12/17
• Town Council - 03/22/17
• Town Council - 03/01/17
• Town Council - 02/15/17
• Town Council - 02/01/17
• Town Council - 01/18/17
• Town Council - 01/04/17

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)

• ZBA meetings are usually 1st/3rd Thursday of the month
• 
  
• ZBA meeting 02/16/17 (via video replay)

Merry Christmas

Please enjoy the time with your family and friends today.

If you need to do some reading, feel free to scroll through the archives. You can find the archives in one of the columns on the right side of the webpage. They run back more than 10 years. Pick a date and see what was happening then!

For today, we'll share some December 2017 photos

the weight of the ice has bent these trees

frosted holly 

on the Town Common in a recent snow

"Hat's off to Franklin" at the Historical Museum

Franklin Federated Church at night

one of my favorite photos, the Single Solder monument on the Town Common

the WWI dough boy on the Town Common

Town Common at sunset