In the News - auction, high school renovations, Patriots TV

As reported during the Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday October 6th, the DPW will be the site of a used vehicle auction. The Town is looking to see if they can obtain more money via the auction than they have obtained via trade-in.

Auction of used Franklin vehicles tomorrow

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

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The first step o the long road to finding out exactly how much the high school renovation (including a possible addition) was taken Tuesday with the approval 11-0 by the Finance Committee of a $1 million bond. The bond will be used to take the next steps per the State process on getting the services of a project manager and architect. There will be at least one more appropriation request before we know the total dollar amount that the project will cost. It will likely not be until late 2011 before the Town gets to vote on some amount of debt override to complete the process and authorize the funds to actually break ground.

Franklin may spend $1 million on high school study

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

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The headline should be corrected to read "Franklin students tackle Patriots TV host spot"

Franklin students tackles Patriots TV host spot

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Krista Perry/Daily News staff

Elsewhere - school topics of interest

In the Boston Globe West section there are two articles of interest.

One talks about Littleton proposing to change their school calendar to eliminate specific religious holidays and to offer the students a "floating" holiday instead. They are attempting to make the calendar more inclusive for all religions and yet still provide the time off with no repercussion to the students for their religious holiday. Read more here

The second talks of two different approaches to the school building process being piloted by the State. You are probably aware that Franklin is still waiting for word on where the High School fits on the listing. Current indications are that it doesn't fit very high on the listing as the building is in "general good shape" and does have a couple of specific needs; improvements for accessibility and science labs. Natick and Wayland have taken different routes on their school plans. The details are reviewed in the article here.

Franklin can continue to wait, and hope for some State aid, or decide to do something sooner rather than later on their own. The longer we wait, given the continued budget cuts effecting the overall operations at the High School, the more likely the accreditation status could change for the worse.

If you are concerned about the high school, try and find out what the School Building Committee is doing. Are they meeting to review their options, or are they waiting?

What should they do?

Building Committee suggestion

As the Building Committee looks into either renovating or building a new high school, as well as what work should be done on the other three older school buildings (Davis-Thayer, Parmenter, and Kennedy), this slideshow should be something to keep in mind.

What kind of design will foster the education environment to prepare our children for a future that is unknown?

School Design: Be the Change... (tags: school design)

What do you think?

Live reporting - Town Council 1/21/09

Attending: Whalen, Mason, Vallee, Bartlett, Feeley, Pfeffer, Doak
Absent: McGann, Zollo

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - none tonight

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS - none tonight

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none tonight

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

Fire Chief McCarraher asked for the citizens to help with clearing the fire hydrants near their residences. The DPW is getting around to clear them but the citizens can help create a safer environment.

E. APPOINTMENTS - School Building Committee

Peter Light, new Principal at Franklin High School, was appointed to replace Pam Gould on the School Building Committee. Pam is leaving for another position in Plymouth.

Approved 7-0

Live reporting - building committee update

Ed Cafasso discusses the agenda item for the next building committee meeting
aside from the process around the High School, doing a facility plan for the remaining buildings

Armenio - defer the actual building capital budget to Mike D'Angelo; would otherwise like to see the wireless at the high school and then the text books as the classroom needs for capital.

Trahan - agrees with Armenio in deferring to D'Angelo; otherwise the text books and wireless seem to be the needs

Rohrbach - high school is our most pressing issue

Roy - (1) Not sure just what the mission of the building committee is, the high school is a priority, 90-100 million is too sizable a project for the community to digest. I thought we were looking for the building committee to try and parce out the high school project into smaller digestable bites. When will we hear what the MSBA say about the needs at the high school? Will the committee be able to develop a proposal to fund at a specific level?

(2) With regards to these projects, and they add up to about $5 million dollars. Is the building committee looking to fund just these facility projects? I assume they are not looking to take care of the other text books, wireless, etc. needs.

Cafasso -we are far enough along to have the Chairman and some members of the committee here to have that discussion. The committee was set up so that we would be in a position to respond quickly to the MBSA requirements.

Roy - the number one item is not on this list, that is the high school. I would be concerned with moving forward with some other projects (i.e. the elevator at Davis Thayer), I think the community would be less inclined to support us. We need to be clear on our priorities.

Cafasso - 1st priority is the renovation or building new the high school. The second objective is to do what is necessary for Thayer, Kennedy and Parmenter as they have been identified as other schools with needs.

Ogden - Mike D'Angelo is onboard with the high school as the number one priority. There are two things on this listing that are of critical need (#10 - replace gym and cafeteria heating units) and (#25 - Upgrade phone switches and voicemail). Our Plan B, if the MSBA comes back with something negative, then I think we would still need to go forward with something for the science labs. That has been an accrediation issue and we won't have a long time to fix it.

Mullen - if lesser money is all we get, then the science labs and other space reconfiguration items would come to the front.

Trahan - seems like none of this could take place until we hear.

Cafasso - this discussion is around A, B and C options depending upon what State funding we will get. If we had to do a series of projects at the high school what would they be? High school is top priority, safety issues top, then the #10 and #25 have priority. That is good priority for us to take forward to the meeting tomorrow.

live reporting - refreshed statement of interest

Asst Supt Sabolinski - submitted a refreshed statement of interest for the high school building application for state reimbursement assistance; enrollment projection required this time around (had previously been required within 2 years). DOE has a standard method of calculation to put all school districts on a level playing field.

What was remarkable looking at the accumulation of data is how old the systems really are? It is really astonishing how good shape the building really is.

science labs, cafeteria, guidance space, music rooms, theater arts all in insufficient and inadequate space

Cafasso - enrollment projections are really just educated guesses, it is good that there is a standard measurement, but there is analysis that would show more like 1700 students than the 1600 students projected.

Mullen - executive summary contains a repeated word, "limited" ultimately limits the education that can be provided to our students.

Ms MacLeod - honestly the bathrooms are gross, coming from a middle school with state of the art facility and supplies and get to the high school it is quite different

Mr Slight - it is not a horrible place to get a high school education, a lot of things need improvement

Rohrbach - I'd like to hear from the School Building Committee to see if there is a Plan B. I'd like to do something sooner rather than later but I am not sure what our options are.

Cafasso - trying to get a sense from the State as to where they are leaning, what does it seem like we can get, what are their thoughts on the submission. No estimate from state yet on when we would hear. Committee open to new or renovation or anything else along there, want to get a sense from the state before doing much else

Mullen - reminder that the committee is not just the High School. We are looking elsewhere and in particular at what we can do with the modulars. Will come back next time with info to make a formal request to the Building Committee

In the News - Dean; School Building Committee

By Danielle Ameden/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted Oct 04, 2008 @ 11:00 PM

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FRANKLIN —

The entire Dean College community yesterday celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the new Library Learning Commons, a new hub for student activity that made visiting alumni jealous.

"We didn't have anything like this,'' said Jane Dorr, a Class of '58 alumna at Dean for her 50th anniversary this Homecoming Weekend.

Following a ceremony and remarks by President Dr. Paula M. Rooney, Dorr and two girlfriends from '58 toured the officially opened, brand-new building to see a Jazzman's Cafe & Bakery, new library, learning spaces, faculty offices and central home for the college's academic support services.

"Now I know what I'm sending money for,'' Dorr said. "In fact, I'm encouraged to keep giving.''

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

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By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted Oct 04, 2008 @ 10:39 PM

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FRANKLIN —

The Town Council-appointed, newly formed School Building Committee has elected its leaders and will meet a second time Wednesday to begin talks on renovating or rebuilding Franklin High School and prioritizing its other projects.

"It's really a great group in terms of professionals,'' said committee member Ed Cafasso, who is on the School Committee as well.

"We had more volunteers than spots, so many people in the community were willing to serve,'' he added. "It just shows how important the high school and other school buildings are to the community.''

In addition to working on the high school project, the committee will create a plan for the modular classrooms, which have gone past their life expectancy, said Cafasso. The group will also address any other school enrollment issues.

read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Live reporting - Administrator Report

School building committee met tonight, good meeting

• Tom Mercer, chairman
• Chris Feeley, vice-chair
• Scott Mason, clerk

The Cable TV has a $500,000 gift account

Live reporting - Town Council meeting

present: Vallee, Bartlett, Feeley, Pfeffer, Doak, McGann, Zollo
absent: Whalen, Mason

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - none

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
reminder on upcoming Harvest Fair, Library Book Sale

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none

E. APPOINTMENTS - Design Review Commission, appoint approved


motion to amend the agenda to add the School Building Committee to the agenda
motion seconded and passed

first meeting, 5:00 PM October 1st


The members of this committee are as follows:

Town Officials

1. Chris Feeley, Town Council
2. Scott Mason, Town Council
3. Ed Cafasso, School Committee
4. Paula Mullen, School Committee
5. Maureen Sabolinski, Ass't Supt of Schools
6. Pamela Gould, High School Principal
7. Michael D'Angelo, Town/School Facilities Director
8. Jeff Nutting, Town Administrator

Citizens

1. Lou Allevato
2. Thomas Cameron
3. William Goode
4. Rob Halter
5. Michael LeBlanc
6. Thomas Mercer
7. Scott Nathan