Sweet Retains role of Chair as Board of Health re-organizes (audio)

FM #1112 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1112 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Town of Franklin Board of Health Meeting held on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023. All three board members participated; Harris, Sweet, and newly elected member Kim Mu-Chow. Health Dept staff present were in the 3rd floor Conference room (not training room). 

Quick Recap:

Live reporting on the Board of Health meeting, follow along with the agenda #boh1206 https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/boh_agenda_and_packet_12.6.23.pdf 

Motion to accept minutes of prior meeting, 2-0, 3rd member wasn't part at the time (although was at the meeting as a visitor). Minutes moved to be accepted as corrected adding a hyphen in Kim's name. Motion to nominate Bridget as chair, second, passes 3-0. Motion to nominate...

Jeff as Vice-chair, second, passes 3-0

New business, discussion on bylaw to amend code sewers. Town enforcing exterior grease traps, BoH will end up with more responsibility with this change. See agenda for doc details

Addition of the health director as enforcement, to issue fines. To also go before Town Council for approval before becoming effective

Motion to accept increase in maximum allowable cover as noted in agenda doc, for repair only. Second, passes 3-0

Inspector report, for November. Two recall inspections requested by State, to Dollar Tree to check compliance on recall of product

Only 14 flu cases confirmed since Aug 2023. Bingo at Central Park Terrace, food pantry visits monthly

Visiting with migrants at the hotel, checking on the patients, pregnancy follow up. 51 COVID cases confirmed for Nov. Weekly wellness updates sent out

Assisted with application for grant with Senior Center and will follow up to create the webpage as the grant was received

Health fair was well received at the library 

No comments, questions

Motion to adjourn, passes 3-0

The meeting runs about 25 minutes. Let’s listen to the Board of Health meeting Dec 6, 2023. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1112-franklin-ma-board-of-health-mtg-12-06-23

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The Board of Health agenda can be found ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/boh_agenda_and_packet_12.6.23.pdf 

Meeting packet (including individual reports) -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/boh_agenda_and_packet_12.6.23.pdf  not available for this meeting

My notes collected in a Twitter thread PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GwQinzNgDno9LssHaiy3dJaKGM3-zrm0/view?usp=drive_link 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Sweet Retains role of Chair as Board of Health re-organizes (audio)

FM #568 - EDC discussion on housing plan and requirements for home based businesses (audio)

FM #568 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 568 in the series. 

This shares the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting that was held on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. 

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid mode; two committee members were in the Council Chambers, two participated remotely along with several others via Zoom conference bridge. 

Links to the meeting agenda and my notes are in the show notes. The meeting recording runs about 1 hour and forty (~1:40) minutes.  Let’s listen to the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting for June 16

Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/fe96a8ad-4355-46bd-af15-42220606715b

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Meeting agenda 

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/edc_agenda_6-16-2021.pdf

MAHT presentation doc

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/06022021_maht_presentation_-_dpcd.pdf

Housing Production Plan

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/franklin_housing_production_plan_-_may_2021_public_draft.pdf 

My notes captured via Twitter and shared here in summary form

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/recap-economic-development-subcommittee.html 

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

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

 

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

EDC discussion on housing plan and requirements for home based businesses

Recap: Economic Development Subcommittee - discussion on housing plan and requirements for home based businesses

Quick Recap:

• The housing production plan was reviewed and discussed. Key among the actions is to further obtain any and all citizen input/comment by June 25 and update this draft. The revised plan would then be approved by Planning Board and Town Council before being submitted to the State for acceptance.
• Key to specific items to address the housing would be the zoning assessment. This analysis would provide an objective 3rd party view on what we have and what we could do to allow for appropriate and affordable housing
• Discussion on home based businesses. Good to boot strap a concept, Health Dept is ok with food production as long as the ServeSafe and other related food prep requirements are adhered to. The wrinkle comes with handling the sewer waste and implementation of a grease trap which can be expensive.
• The Town is not prepared for how to address this opportunity. More research is required which they will conduct during the next couple of months and bring back to Subcommittee for further discussion.

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #edc0616
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Edc0616&src=typed_query 

Photos captured during the meeting can be found in one album
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AayFgpTfmSzB3Y2w9

• EDC meeting to begin soon, awaiting quorum #edc0616
  
• Without quorum, may at least open meeting and have a discussion. #fincom0616
  
• Quorum achieved (with virtual participation of Frongillo and Bissanti), EDC meeting opens at 7:09 PM. #edc0616
  
• Chair Hamblen opens meeting, reads protocol statement, #fincom0616 First item, housing production plan for discussion if needed, plan can be found https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/franklin_housing_production_plan_-_may_2021_public_draft.pdf 
  
• Feedback sought as part of the draft review process. #fincom0616
  
• Cool to be back in Municipal Bldg, Planner Amy Love provides an overview of the plan, similar to what was presented earlier in Housing Trust meeting #edc0616
  
• My notes from that (Municipal Affordable Housing Trust) meeting, for the record, can be found https://franklinmatters.org/2021/06/recap-municipal-affordable-housing.html?m=1 #edc0616
  
• Difference in accounting between apartment and residential units, all apartments count if only a smaller # are affordable; for owned residential units only the # affordable apply to the housing rate (i.e. 6 of 30, only the 6 - if apartments, 6 of 30 all 30 count) condos ->
• Condos count as owned units so only the # would count (like other owned residential, not like apartments). #edc0616 What is considered affordable for Franklin? Major issue
  
• Development costs are hire, art zoning would need to have incentives to allow the developers to make the money back that they give up making some of the units affordable. #edc0616
  
• Multiple discussion points on affordable and how to tackle it, the new housing behind Eaton Place will help but it won't be online soon (still needs funding) #edc0616
  
• Motion to move housing plan forward to planning board and to Council for approval incorporating the changes and comments #edc0616 passes 4-0 via roll call.
  
• Moving to home occupied businesses for next part of discussion. #edc0616
  
• How do you permit a bootstrap business from a home, some i.e. kitchens can pose health concerns, others may have traffic/delivery issues for neighbors. #edc0616 permit some level of production up to which they're good, beyond that next level up. ZBA may be an option
  
• In commercial areas, need to protect the sewer system, with grease traps, when blockages occur it stops things and that is not good. Title 5 systems are built for 3 or 4 bedrooms not commercial industry business. #edc0616 who acts the agent for volume?
  
• We can't use the ZBA or planning board and their temporary benevolence, if something is good, let's make it right. #edc0616 strict guidelines on food prep, zoning is the issue in the case of chocolate bars (as the talking point example)
  
• let's provide some time to research, see what others are doing, Boston is a whole different system. #edc0616 what might work, what would be some controls, there is no capacity at Charles River. we do need to consider the big picture of affordability
  
• Motion to adjourn, second, passes 4-0 via roll call #fincom0616 

Audio file to be available in a couple of days

discussion on housing plan and requirements for home based businesses