 |
| Snow Plow Contractors Wanted for Franklin, MA |
"If you are a home improvement contractor or homeowner in Massachusetts, we’ve got you covered with our introductory guide to understanding the Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) programs – from both perspectives, the homeowner’s and contractor’s.
This introduction to HIC programs is the first of our four part “HIC—Easy as 1-2-3!” blog series dedicated to providing resources and information concerning HIC law, contractors, homeowners, complaints and enforcement hearings, arbitration, and the Guaranty Fund. Keep reading to educate yourself or brush up on your knowledge about HIC programs in Massachusetts."
 |
| Understanding the Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) programs (4 part series) |
 |
| Superintendent Sara Ahern reviewing the update District Improvement Plan |
Section 3 Vacancieshttps://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/revised_2013_1.pdf
3-3-1 Unless recalled in accordance with Article Five, Section 4 of this Charter, vacancies in boards established under this Article shall be filled by the Town Council jointly with the remaining members of the respective board until the next regular Town election.
 |
| new TA Jamie Hellen waits for Councilor Earls to be the last to sign the contract before signing it himself |
 |
| after signing the contract, Jamie shook hands with the Councilors |
"Snow and ice is on the way and Franklin needs help getting rid of it.
During the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, members will be discussing the lack of contractors available to help plow streets during winter storms.
Without proper help, according to Deputy Town Administrator Jaime Hellen, there could be more school delays, unplowed sidewalks and icier roads.
“The impacts that people need to know about the expectation of the roads is going to be really important to know,” Hellen said.
The town had 71 signed contractors to plow snow last winter. So far this year, only 32 have signed up. Hellen said that with more than a 50-percent decline in helping hands, there could be trouble."
 |
| Municipal Building, 355 East Central St, Franklin, MA |
"The fire chief said smoke detectors likely limited a Saturday-morning blaze on Hawthorne Drive to the basement, allowing the occupants to escape unharmed.
The fire started about 11:44 a.m. at 19 Hawthorne Drive and was fought by outfits in Wrentham, Plainville, Norfolk, Bellingham and Milford. There were two adults in the house at the time, both of which made it out safely.
“We arrived and we found smoke coming from the front door,” FranklinPoliceFire Chief Gary McCarraher said. “We searched the building and the fire ended up being a sort of sub-basement area.”
Though the house did suffer smoke damage, the fire was contained to the basement. McCarraher emphasized that due to working smoke detectors, the fire was contained before anyone was harmed.
Dr Sara Ahern signs the contract as new Superintendent of Franklin Public Schools #schcom0411 pic.twitter.com/wuzGNWaTiO— Steve Sherlock (@FranklinMatters) April 11, 2017
 |
| Dr Sara Ahern signs the contract as new Superintendent of Franklin Public Schools |
"The school district has reached agreements with its secretaries, van drivers and cafeteria workers, putting those employees under contract for the next three years.
The School Committee signed those contracts at its meeting last week. Each of the pacts will run until June 2019.
Committee Chairman Kevin O'Malley briefly discussed the negotiation process.
"We met with people who are indispensable to who we are as a district," he said. "We have, after negotiation, come to some agreements that we are now prepared to sign."Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
 |
| summer wishes on the Parmenter School sign |
"General Motors Co. resolved a dispute with financially troubled auto-parts supplier Clark-Cutler-McDermott Co. in a deal that averts a potential production shut down of some of GM North American operations.
The agreement, approved by a federal bankruptcy court judge in Massachusetts on Wednesday, allowed GM to purchase equipment and inventory that the auto maker said it must have to avoid any production interruptions.
CCM, which produced 175 parts for GM and is the Detroit auto maker’s only supplier of certain interior and acoustic insulation parts, also received court approval to terminate its contract with GM, clearing the path for CCM to sell its closed operations.
The 115-year-old company has been a General Motors “Supplier of the Year” four times in the last seven years, but said the relationship soured as it absorbed losses of $12 million since 2013. The Franklin, Mass., company filed for bankruptcy protection on July 7, saying it was losing $30,000 a day as a result of its contract with GM."
 |
| http://www.clarkcutlermcdermott.com/ |
"The School Committee announced a three-year contract with the district's teachers union at a Tuesday night meeting.
Members of the Franklin Education Association were on hand to sign the pact, which runs from September 2016 through the end of the 2018-2019 school year.
The contract calls for cost-of-living salary increases of 2 percent, 2.5 percent and 3 percent for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years, respectively.
Committee Chairman Kevin O'Malley noted the many meetings and hours spent to reach the agreement."
 |
| The key to learning |
c. Presentation to Assistant Superintendent
- William Klements, Deputy Principal FHS
- Dr. Pamela Myette, Asst. Princ. Student Services.
- Tanya Lamoureux, Asst. Princ. Oak St.
- Amy Souls, Asst. Princ. Keller
- Colin Boisvert, Food Service Director
1. Music Theatre International: $271.202. Franklin Music Boosters: $3,900.00
"St. Mary’s Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host its sixth annual Freedom from Hunger Food Drive from June 25 to 26.
In order to receive a variety of nonperishable items, the group has divided the alphabet into six groups and are requesting different donations from each group.
The items requested are divided by the spelling of last names. Below are the items requested by beginning letter of the donors' last names.
- A-D: cereal; coffee; tea; juice boxes; muffins and bread mixes.
- E-H: peanut butter and jelly; individual containers of Jell-O, fruit and pudding.
- I-L: granola bars; rice; whole grain crackers; oatmeal.
- M-P: canned fruit; fruit juice; applesauce; cranberry sauce.
- Q-T: tuna and Tuna Helper; beef stew; spaghetti sauce and paste; canned vegetables.
- U-Z: all paper products; shampoo; detergent; soap; toothpaste; deodorant."
"The Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress and Riverside Community Care’s Central Massachusetts Employment Collaborative co-hosted a free workshop at Milford National Bank &Trust to educate employers on ways to expand their workforce by hiring people with disabilities. Rep. Jeffrey Roy, D-Franklin, talked about the connection between members of the MDSC and government work.
Roy talked about different initiatives that he is currently following, in an effort to move people into more meaningful jobs. He mentioned the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative and the higher education bill of Rep. Tom Sannicandro, D-Ashland, both of which push for people with differing abilities to receive higher education and skill training. Roy also told the attendees about his plans to refile a bill for student loan repayments."
"The town school district and its teachers union are reportedly nearing a contract agreement.
The School Committee, at its meeting this week, approved a memorandum of understanding with the Franklin Education Association, outlining the changes that a new three-year contract would bring. The committee is scheduled to sign the contract at its June 28 meeting, after which its full terms will be made public.
Chairman Kevin O'Malley said the memo was approved unanimously by the committee. He said the teachers, too, voted to approve the document."
 |
| Incontro Restaurant |
Looking for new markets for your small business’ goods or services?
Understand these federal certification’s application process and benefits:
- Consider selling to the federal government.
- Learn how the federal government purchases.
Small Business - Small Disadvantaged Business - Women Owned Small Business - Veteran and Service Disabled - 8(a) Business Development Program - HUBZone Program
Small business certifications are like professional certifications; they document a special capability or status that will help you compete in the marketplace. Unlike permits and licenses, you do not need to obtain certifications to legally operate.
However, in order to take advantage of business opportunities, such as government contracts, you may need to obtain some certifications.
|
| Incontro Restaurant |
"After a process that drew lower-than-expected bids, a local committee voted Friday to award a contract for a renovation of the Franklin Senior Center.
The Senior Center Building Committee opted to hire general contractor GTC Construction Management of Haverhill. The company bid just more than $1 million on a project that had been estimated to cost in the neighborhood of $1.6 million.
Committee chairman and Town Council member Tom Mercer said the project had garnered nine bidders - a higher total than expected.
Fellow committee members noted that there was not much variance among the bids, which was another surprise."
 |
| Franklin Senior Center in the rain |
"The town should be in good financial shape for the next couple of years, but may face challenges in the future, according to a recently-released fiscal forecast.
Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting put forward his five-year forecast during the most recent Town Council meeting. During a brief oral summary, he spoke about its basic conclusions.
"It hasn't changed dramatically from last year," he said. "The town is in good shape in the short run, but there continue to be concerns about the future, as fixed costs continue to rise."
If the council chooses to honor the award, the cost to the town for fiscal year 2012 through fiscal year 2015 is about $525,000, with an additional $70,000 needed for fiscal year 2016, according to Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting, who sought councilors' support of the award in a memo to them last week.
The main concern for councilors Wednesday night will be whether the town can finance the award. Union leaders say the town’s fiscal health is not an issue.
“The union knows that this is not a big win for anybody,” said Robert Donovan, the union president. “But a neutral panel has figured out the best way to solve this four-year battle that put us at an impasse. We entered into arbitration because we wanted to solve this problem, and now we have to honor the decision.
“The character of both parties will show in how they react to this decision,” Donovan added.Read the full article online here
 |
| Fire Dept |
The Town Council needs to meet in executive session for the purpose to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with fire fighters’ Union; I declare that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body.
The open session will reconvene at the conclusion of the executive session.
- Community Opportunity Group – Community Development Block Grant
- 150 Emmons Street
- Town Administrator’s Annual Update, Five Year Fiscal Forecast, Master Plan Update
1. Resolution 15-01: Acceptance of Gift – Council on Aging
2. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 15-745: Amendment to Chapter 185, Attachment 7, Part VI, Use Regulation Schedule, Residential Uses, Office Zoning District – 1ST Reading
 |
| 150 Emmons St, Franklin, MA |
Late last month, the fire department experienced one of its busiest days in some time.
Three alarms had sounded almost in succession. Then, with all available emergency crews dispatched, a dreaded fourth call came in: smoke alarm activation at Glen Meadow Apartments.
"We had nothing left," Fire Chief Gary McCarraher recalled.
According to McCarraher, that Monday in September provided yet another example of an alarming trend for the department: an increase in three or more simultaneous calls even as the overall number of responses remains unchanged.
In fiscal year 2014, such calls made up 54 percent of the department’s total call volume, up from 44 percent the previous year.Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News here (subscription maybe required)
A Bedford-based contractor has drawn the ire of residents and town officials for problems with the roadwork underway on Lincoln Street.
Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting and Department of Public Works Director Robert Cantoreggi have grown increasingly frustrated with Aggregate Industries, which in July started work on a stretch of Lincoln Street that begins at Elm Street and ends at Brook Street.
Both have reached out to the company several times with concerns about delays and inconsistencies in its work schedule.
Residents in the area have criticized the quality of the work, pointing out examples of poor oversight; the most glaring of these has been the need to tear up patches of just-paved road to adjust traffic calming islands built so tall that they blocked driveways.Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News here (subscription maybe required)
The Home Improvement Contractor Arbitration Program promotes speedy, efficient, and fair resolutions to disputes between homeowners and registered contractors and/or subcontractors regarding home improvements. It is part of the Home Improvement Contractor Act, which became Massachusetts law in 1992.Continue reading the article on the MA Gov site here
 |
| screen capture of home improvement arbitration article |
In the contracts approved last night, the custodians as well as the public safety telecommunications unit, public facilities employees and municipal building employees will get the raises.
The one-time lump-sum payments will be funded by state aid from fiscal year 2012, and not out of resident taxes. officials said.
All four groups’ raises will be spread over the next three years. Employees are set to receive a 1.5 percent increase in fiscal ’13, 2 percent increase in fiscal ’14, and 2.5 percent increase in fiscal ’15.
