Franklin Matters Radio schedule for Wednesday 8/19/20

You can listen to my recent interviews on Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm - from any browser) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. If you can't catch the schedule, you can follow the links below to listen to the audio whenever you want online or via your podcast app.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020:

9:00 AM/ 12:00 PM /6:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio 

Conversation with Rabbi Tom  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/fm-330-conversation-with-rabbi-tom.html

Conversation with Supt Sara Ahern  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/fm-325-superintendent-sara-ahern.html

11:00 AM/ 2:00 PM /8:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio 

Talk  Franklin with Jamie Hellen and Anne Marie Tracy  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/talk-franklin-with-town-administrator.html

Franklin Matters Radio schedule for Wednesday 8/19/20

WFPR.FM: 4th District Candidate Interviews with Frank Falvey

"Our own Frank Falvey has been interviewing the many candidates running for the Fourth District seat. Listen to wfpr●fm Tuesdays from now until the primary election. 

Each week we will feature three of the candidates on Tuesday morning, afternoon and evening. Listen and learn all about the candidates – in their own words – on 102.9 FM.

------ Tuesday 8/18/20 ---------
JESSE MERMELL - 9 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM
ALAN KHAZEI - 10 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM
BEN SIGEL - 11 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM


------ Tuesday 8/25/20 ---------
JESSE MERMELL - 9 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM
NATALIA LINOS - 10 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM
BEN SIGEL - 11 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM

For more about the wfpr.fm and Franklin.TV programming schedule  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/zooming-into-future-part-6.html

WFPR.FM: 4th District Candidate Interviews with Frank Falvey

Zooming into the Future, Part 6

 Ch – Ch – Ch – Ch – Changes! Time to Face the Change. 

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 08/16/2020

"Lately, all I hear rolling through my head is an unending earworm of David Bowie’s “ Changes”.

Changes keep a-comin’ as the virus forces us to move toward whatever our new normal might be. Our goal is simple: Get in front of it, and drive. We seek and embrace whatever new means help us to “ Build Back Better” via changes, big and small.

Clearly, Zoom is a permanent part of that future. We will begin posting the Zoom access code on our cable channels for ten minutes each evening prior to the government meetings.

And –

Our own Frank Falvey has been interviewing the many candidates running for the Fourth District seat. Listen to wfpr●fm Tuesdays from now until the primary election. Each week we will feature three of the candidates on Tuesday morning, afternoon and evening. Listen and learn all about the candidates – in their own words – on 102.9 fm.

And – as always –

Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. And, thank you for watching."

Program Note: This Wednesday evening at 7 PM on the government channel you can hear the congressional candidates discussing the topic of racism.

If you too have the earworm, or haven't heard the song in sometime, check out this recorded live version  https://youtu.be/IJSv6JXKS_I

The complete program guide for Franklin TV and wfpr.fm can be found online

http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf    or in the PDF copy here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13yTxzmEG1qmnu3570HZqRTlULwO0eO7F/view?usp=sharing

 

wfpr.fm radio broadcasts to help with Sep 1 primary election information

Frank Falvey interviewed a number of the 4th District candidates competing in the Sep 1 primary to replace current Representative Joe Kennedy who is running for the US Senate against Ed Markey.

You can listen to wfpr.fm on the internet via your browser or on the radio dial at 102.9 within the Franklin area.

The radio broadcast schedule is like this:

------ 8/18 ---------
JESSE MERMELL - 9 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM
ALAN KHAZEI - 10 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM
BEN SIGEL - 11 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM

------ 8/25 ---------
JESSE MERMELL - 9 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM
NATALIA LINOS - 10 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM
BEN SIGEL - 11 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM

wfpr.fm radio broadcasts to help with Sep 1 primary election information

"Talking the Blues" - Mike Zito Interview - Nov 15, 2019

Jim Derick interviews Mike Zito (https://www.mikezito.com/)

You can listen to this show on Franklin Public Radio, wfpr.fm anywhere via your browser or at 102.9 on the local Franklin FM radio dial.

Thursday = 11:00a/2:00p/8:00pm Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick
Exploring the music of the great Blues tradition

Saturday = 5:00p Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick
Exploring the music of the great Blues tradition


Audio link = https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-h97aa-d8454a

50+ Job-seeker Virtual Group Meeting - Monday 4/27/20

Monday, April 27  1– 4 PM

• Video Interview Preparation and Strategy
• How do I Land on the Short List?

Facilitator: Edward Lawrence; Career Coach
Co-facilitator: Ashley Shaheen; Asst. Director of Senior Services
Guest Speaker: David Bayuk, Business Development Manager at Experis.

David is one of our most popular guest speakers. With over 28 years of experience as a Business Development Manager, recruiter, team manager and trainer in the talent acquisition industry, David has a wealth of experience providing clients and candidates the best of all worlds.

David has worked with all career levels and has successfully placed hundreds of candidates into the next phase of their careers. David has strong relationships with hiring managers throughout the area and is prepared to help both clients and candidates fulfill their needs. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Dale Carnegie Sales training course, President's Clubs and many other achievements. He lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with his wife and two children.

This session focuses on two aspects of the interview process.

First, we will focus on interview preparation, including the types of interviews, key components of an interview, and types of interview questions.

Then we will discuss interview strategy: How do you distinguish yourself from the field of other candidates? What must you do to navigate the weeding out process and ensure you are one of the finalists? What should you do after the interview to ensure you remain under consideration?

Program Pre-Registration (once per town location) is required: https://50plusjobseekers.org/outreach/registration/

Registration is required for this specific online meeting:

• After you register for the 50+ Program, we will place you on a list to receive promos that contain a meeting's registration information.
• If you have registered previously with the town that virtually hosts the session, there is no need for you to register again.

For additional information about this program, please contact Ashley Shaheen Assistant Director, Hopkinton Senior Center; ashaheen@hopkintonma.gov; (508) 497-9730.

50+ Job-seeker Virtual Group Meeting - Monday 4/27/20

Once Upon A Town: Bob Catalano World War II Veteran (video)

Eamon McCarthy Earls interviews Bob Catalano 

"World War II veteran, Bob Catalano, recalls growing up in Franklin, Massachusetts, serving in the Navy, working for GM, and a fire in 2012 that nearly consumed his house--some of the key memories from a life spanning nine decades."

Video link = https://youtu.be/FIhQVt5OTVg

Margaret "Peg" Simpson: Nine Decades in Franklin (video)

Join Eamon McCarthy Earls as he talks with Margaret "Peg" Simpson and discusses her nine decades in Franklin.

"Born in 1922, Margaret "Peg" Simpson is a lifelong Franklin resident who has dedicated her life to helping people with developmental disabilities and cancer. She shares her stories about working at the Wrentham State School, attending the 150th anniversary of the town in 1928, watching zeppelins overhead in the 1930s and dancing with her friends all throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island."

YouTube link  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOoHZ2E5BvM&t

Franklin, Mass History: Victor Pisini (video)

Eamon McCarthy Earls interviews Victor Pisini in this almost one hour video.

"Victor Pisini, owner of Pisini Shoes in downtown Franklin, reflects on seven decades working in town, serving in the Korean War, raising a family, and watching Franklin transform."

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/jrKmP8eTS_Y

Pisini Shoe Store set up for the Holiday Stroll in Dec 2017 (Facebook photo)

Franklin Candidate Interview: Mary Jane Scofield

This interview with Mary Jane Scofield, candidate for Franklin School Committee in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. MJS represents Mart Jane’s response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those? 

MJS = When I arrived in Franklin in 1989 I started out by attending PCC meetings at Horace Mann when Mr. Colace was the Principal. The people that I met were fabulous! This led to participating in activities at Oak Street, when it occupied a couple of wings at FHS. When redistricting took place, I and others took ourselves to Davis-Thayer, back to Horace Mann, and FHS for the second or third time for many of us. Through the years I’ve participated in Scouts, taught CCD, and helped with the Fourth of July. 

I participated in the activities of the Franklin Youth Soccer Association, being on the Board of Directors for many years, serving as President for two. With FYSA I coached many teams, from Instructional to Travel, most years without having a child on a team. It was heartbreaking to me a couple of years when I couldn’t coach due to personal circumstances. However, I continue to volunteer my time to be involved with soccer by being the Secretary of the BAYS (Boston Area Youth Soccer) Board of Directors. There is nothing like taking part in any organization that promotes the sport, and the building of relationships that may last forever. 

In 1997 I was elected to the School Committee, and for ten years I was the Chair of the Policy Subcommittee, served on several contract negotiation teams, and was the School Committee representative to the Keller-Sullivan Building Committee. I also had the opportunity to be a member of the Mass Association of School Committees (MASC) Student Assessment Committee, Athletic Advisory Committee, Game Officials Committee, and the MIAA State Soccer Committee.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

MJS = Franklin Matters, of course! The Gazette is a must read each week. The Milford Daily News could do a better job of reporting what goes on in town. Email alerts from the Town are also helpful.

FM = The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?

MJS = I was a member of the School Start Time Advisory Committee, and was one of two that voted against sending the final proposal to the School Committee. While it appears that the research shows that a later start time would be beneficial for MS/HS students, there wasn’t much consideration for the elementary students. I think that the decision to pause on implementation is the right way to go.

FM = While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?

MJS = I wouldn’t say that the methods of communication have been unsuccessful. These methods didn’t exist a few years ago. As volunteers, School Committee members have demonstrated that they are available to the public at events in town. The events were well publicized, and it’s unfortunate that some see the lack of participation by citizens as a failure. I would encourage School Committee members to continue to participate in local events, and schedule educational events related to topics of high interest/concern. I commend the School Committee for their efforts thus far.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?

MJS = The independent study that was authorized by the School Committee, and funded by the Town is the right thing to do. This is not a new topic. When the study is complete the School Committee will have to make a tough decision, with input from all stakeholders.

FM = Why should I vote for you?

For the past four years it has truly been an honor to serve the citizens of Franklin. My stepchildren and my son are beneficiaries of an excellent educational system. It is my hope to continue to serve on the School Committee to ensure that all students leave the system with the foundation to be curious, confident, and productive citizens. 

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html

 

Franklin Candidate Interview: Mary Jane Scofield

Franklin Candidate Interview: Ann Bergen

This interview with Dr Ann Bergen, candidate for Franklin School Committee in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. AB represents Ann’s response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

AB = I have been a School Committee member for two terms; the last term (2 years) as its chair. I ran because my whole professional life has been devoted to advocacy of public schools. I truly believe that education is the great equalizer.

Social/emotional well-being is the foundation of a happy and fulfilling life; to that end I created and host a cable access TV show: It Takes a Village: Raising Resilient Kids in Today’s World. Because the disease of substance use disorder is impacting so many young lives, I joined forces with Jim Derick from the Safe Coalition and co-host a Franklin a cable access TV show: SAFE COALITION: Confronting our Crisis. In addition, I am part of the Franklin Public Schools Substance Abuse Task Force. 

I will also be serving on the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Task Force on Juvenile Substance Abuse and Mental Health. The Franklin YMCA is the largest charitable organization in our community. The work they do in our community is incredible. Because I believe so much in all they do, I serve on the Board of Managers.  More and more people are living with the disease of Dementia; Karen Alves and Maggie Gundersen from the Senior Center are committed to raising awareness and inspiring empathy and compassion. I serve with them on the Dementia Friendly Franklin Steering Committee.  In addition, I believe there must be a place in our community for local programming on TV and radio. We are so fortunate to have a state of the art cable access studio in our community. I serve on the Board of Directors of Franklin Cable Access TV.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

AB = I check in with Franklin Matters every day; read the Gazette and the monthly Franklin Town News.

FM = The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?

AB = When virtually every major medical and psychological association in the country recommends adjusting start times for our adolescents, our School Committee along with so many across the country and the state voted to investigate; it would have been irresponsible not to. A task force made up of educators, parents, business leaders, etc. spent over a year researching this issue and made a recommendation. 

Based on community impact and our own study of the ramifications of the recommendation, we decided as a committee that we were not yet ready to move forward. For me there were too many unanswered questions (impact on teams, clubs, after school activities). I was left confused by the panel who presented on “the research”. They actually did not address the sleep research, but spoke anecdotally. 

I am looking forward to getting more information from Dr. Judith Owens, a well-known expert on the sleep research. She will be speaking on November 19. We are gathering more data from our schools relative to tardies/absences and are exploring the impact of social media and homework demands on sleep as well. 

We have never been able to match school times to work schedules; that will always be an issue. Just ask the hundreds of families who drop off their kids in day care every day. We have to do the best we can to mitigate the impact on families, but our main goal must always be on what is best for the emotional, social and physical well-being of our students.

FM = While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?

AB = It is very important for people to understand that a School Committee is bound by the Open Meeting Law to conduct all business at public meetings. We must deliberate as an entire committee in public, not through social media. We meet twice a month and encourage people to come and engage with us directly. Franklin Cable Access TV broadcasts all of our meetings and rebroadcasts during the week. Franklin Matters also reports on our meetings. Unfortunately, the local newspapers no longer cover our meetings. We have updated our website and all of our contact information is available. We encourage direct contact. We send out a newsletter to the community at least four times a year.

It should be noted that since January alone of this past year, we have provided more than TWENTY-SIX opportunities to engage with us. We have held community coffee hours every month at different times to accommodate work schedules! We have been at the Harvest Festival, Farmer’s Market, Strawberry Stroll, Senior Center, and sporting events! 

We already met twice with Davis Thayer families to address concerns relative to the closing study! We arranged for our state senators and state representative to address concerns relative to funding and issues such as time on learning ; we have arranged for them to return on Feb. 4, 2020. I say with great pride that this past committee has provided unprecedented opportunity for community engagement!!! 

We have been open to address any concern, answer any and all questions. If I have the honor of being reelected, I hope we continue to engage to this extent with the public!

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?

AB = Actually, we as a School Committee following our own policy relative to retirement of facilities based on the recommendation of the Superintendent voted to study the potential closing of Davis Thayer. We did not do this on the recommendation of the Town Administrator but based on our own evaluation of the fiscal issues facing us as a school department. That is the responsibility of the School Committee. 

I truly understand the emotional ramifications of closing Davis Thayer as it was my professional home for many years (teacher, reading specialist, and principal in that very building!!). I loved working there; I loved the community. 

The enrollment there has dwindled to about 200 students. We have to take a hard look at the numbers associated with maintaining such a large building for so few students. Davis Thayer was built and designed as a three-story high school facility (with no elevator). It was renovated as an open space school when I began teaching there. When walls were eventually put up to divide the space, classrooms were left very small! 

There are other limitations which we must consider. It is time, at least, to study, as painful as that is for such a devoted school community. It is one of those tough decisions, but part of our fiscal responsibility.

FM = Why should I vote for you?

AB = We are facing some tough fiscal times. I believe firmly that as a School Committee, it is imperative we are open and transparent about the budget issues facing our schools. We must work cooperatively with the Town Council, Finance Committee, and Town Administrator. We are one community and must all work together to make sure Franklin remains a thriving, safe and vibrant community. I am committed to that partnership. 

We hired an extraordinary superintendent and implemented the rigorous and powerful evaluation process in order to monitor the implementation of our District Goals. Dr. Ahern is working with the representatives from across the community to create A Portrait of a Graduate; a powerful vision of what skills, habits and attitudes that we wish for all of our students to obtain upon graduation. I am committed to supporting that vision. 

Social Emotional well-being of both staff and students must remain a major focus. I am a passionate advocate for public schools and like all of the candidates running for office wish to give back, to serve. I firmly believe that it is so important to use whatever talents we have to serve the greater good. I would love that opportunity and would greatly appreciate your vote on November 5.

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html

Franklin Candidate Interview: Ann Bergen

Franklin Candidate Interview: Denise Spencer

This interview with Denise Spencer, candidate for Franklin School Committee in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. DS represents Denise’s response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

DS = Since moving to Franklin in 2017, I have been very active within the school system by serving on the PCC and volunteering my time for school events and fundraisers. I recently attended the Franklin Civics Forum “How Your Town Government Works” and learned about all the other wonderful opportunities the town has to offer and I look forward to giving back in as many ways possible.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

DS = Franklin Matters of course! I also follow many town-centric Facebook pages such as Town of Franklin MA and Franklin Public School District MA. Also, I recently signed up to receive newsletters from the Town – another useful tidbit I picked up at the Civics Forum – and I also follow you, Steve, on Twitter and scroll through your posts and retweets.

FM = The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?

DS = At the last School Committee meeting, it was decided that this issue be put on hold as there are other major issues requiring immediate attention (such as the budget and the school closing study). The current School Committee has done an excellent job on researching the science behind delaying school start times in adolescents. Schools in surrounding towns that have a later high school start time still have the younger children getting out of school after the older children. 

It is difficult to squeeze academic schedules, sports events and extra-curricular activities into available daytime hours if schools started later. There are clearly some benefits to a later starting time. There are also many challenges that families, teens, and school districts would face when deciding to pursue this idea. Much more research is needed in terms of looking at the impact of delaying school start times and how this will affect childcare options for working families and after school activities.

FM = While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?

DS = The current School Committee members have done a great job improving communication with the community. (Side note: Did you know they have a newsletter? You can sign up to be on their distribution list.) A lot of people love the idea of being connected virtually – we should look at more of a social media presence. Some families may be able to attend the coffee chats; however, weekends are usually very busy, parents and children have very hectic schedules. We need to cater to everyone on both ends of the spectrum.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?

DS = This is a good question - I support a comprehensive study of our current and future enrollment needs for facilities prior to any discussion about school closure. It is imperative to gather and review all information before making any kind of decision. This means future enrollment projections, cost savings, the impact it would have on classroom sizes at other schools, redistricting of the town, and the reallocation of assets, teachers and staff. If elected, I promise to evaluate all pertinent information and reach a consensus of what would be best for the entire community.

FM = Why should I vote for you?

DS = In addition to my professional background, which includes 12 years working in the financial industry, I am an active parent and member of the community. I want to be a part of decisions that are made for our school system’s future. Young families need a strong voice in the decision making that will affect our town for generations to come. I want to apply my passion to advocate for all of Franklin’s students, families and educators. I would like the opportunity to serve and be a part of the continuous success of our school system.

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html

Franklin Candidate Interview: Denise Spencer

Franklin Candidate Interview: Joanna Lussier

This interview with Joanna Lussier, candidate for Franklin School Committee in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. JL represents Joanna's response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

JL = Volunteering is something I want my kids to want to do. Most of my volunteer work gear towards school activities – field trips, field days, classroom support. I enjoy volunteering as a family. Most of the volunteer opportunities we sign up for allow kids at a young age – Cradle to Crayons, Christmas in the City. 

Within the Town of Franklin, we have volunteered at the Recreation Department’s Earth Day clean up. It is one of the few volunteer opportunities available to my young kids. My oldest, James, has always had a passion for recycling and our environment. It was a great opportunity to align his passion with a volunteer opportunity. The volunteers assigned us to the Helen Keller School. We had three bags of trash just walking around the school property, even the playground had sport drink bottles. It was a great teaching moment for my kids to learn to be respectful of our planet and school property. 

In addition, I volunteered to be the Den Leader for James’ Tiger Den. My husband Mark grew up doing cub scouts and boy scouts. It was something James was interested in. As a pack, for Earth Day, we cleaned up Dacey’s Field. It was a great bonding experience for the boys.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

JL = Primarily, I get my news about Franklin on social media – Franklin Matters, Milford Daily News Online, Wicked Local, and various Facebook groups. Recently, I signed up to receive all the postings on the Town’s website. This has been helpful to see things posted in real time. Lastly, I also talk to local friends. We all focus on different topics of interest, so it is nice to be able to hear what other people know.

FM =  The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?

JL = If you ask me if I supported the proposed time as presented, I say no. However, I understand the research the School Start Time Advisory Board presented. I do support further research into the topic. We need to more awareness and engage key stakeholders – parents, students, teachers, surrounding towns, local businesses. There were many questions and concerns that were brought up. Some were addressed, but not all. I think the next term of the School Committee needs to move the project to Phase 2 – community engagement and outreach. I believe the community knows it’s a potential change in the near future and will be willing to be part of the process

FM = While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?

JL =  I will admit I never went to the coffee chats. I did enjoy the email newsletters. I understand the newsletter was probably designed to be brief updates with links back to the Town’s website. Perhaps it can be revised to include an executive summary/update on key topics. When reviewing some of the past newsletters, I did not get a sense of urgency on budget issues and school start times. Maybe in the newsletter we can set timelines for key items. 

For instance, if the School Committee is to vet out the school start times and Davis Thayer closing, they can estimate the school year it’ll take into effect (2023-2024). This way it is on the parents’ radar, and they are further motivated to understand what the School Committee is doing.

• Social media – The School Committee can have a greater presence on social media. Links to the newsletter and regular updates can keep the community engaged.
• Technology – I understand the busy life of parents and adulthood. Perhaps we can steam the meetings via WebEx (or something similar). Having virtual meet and greets.
• Sporting Events – If the community is open to it, I am always available to engage parents at sporting events. I understand it’s a fine balance between paying attention to your kid playing and having an adult conversation about various topics.
• Meet and Greets – This is always a great option. The timing never worked for me to meet the SC. I think sending a Survey Monkey out to the community to learn how they want us to engage them is a great starting point. 

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?

JL = If we have to make a decision today, I do not support it. I fully support vetting the idea and understand the implications – emotional and financial. There are many factors, decisions, and questions that need to be answered. We need to thoroughly research the different possibilities – renovating, building new, relocating, or closing. Recently, the Town Council approved money to go towards consulting fees. We should leverage the previous study and community engagement with the new study that will be happening. 

As a citizen, I have questions I want answered before a decision is made: Currently, enrollment is low. What about the current, potential, and future development. If we closed DT, how would the increase in population impact the other schools who will absorb the students? How will redistricting impact the students emotionally? How much money are we really saving by closing the school? I want a real number. If elected, I will ensure we engage the community throughout the process with regular updates.

FM = Why should I vote for you?

JL =  I am working mom looking to preserve and improve our schools for our students and community. With two young children in the school system, I have a vested interest in the quality of the school system for our current and future students. I want to work collaboratively with the key stakeholders to come up with solutions with the difficult decisions that are coming up. I believe my professional background will bring a different type of skillset to help the school committee come up with some long term plans.

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html 

Franklin Candidate Interview: Matt Kelly

I sat with Matt Kelly recently to discuss the following questions regarding his candidacy for the Franklin Town Council.

Some of you will recognize the questions as these were collected from the survey we shared in August. While many submitted questions were similar, I tried to select 6 for each Town Council and School Committee candidate that would help to present them to you all, my fellow voters.

As I have shared in prior years, the candidates do get to review the output before it is published but I retain final editing rights. Interviews with candidates are not an exercise I take lightly; it matters greatly to our community to get accurate information from our candidates to enable voters to make an informed decision to run our government.

For the following FM presents the question. MK represents Matt's response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer within the community, the various groups. Have you taken advantage of any of these? In which ones and why did you do so?

MK = It's a great question. I think that anybody who is going to be on the Town Council in particular, should have a lengthy volunteer background. I started with being the president of the Red Brick School Association. Moved on from there to volunteering on the School Committee. I am also a member and past president of the Franklin Rotary Club.

Everyone should have an opportunity to volunteer. It's very easy for people to say and I can say the same thing. I've been on the Downtown Partnership. I've been part of the Chamber of Commerce. Oh, great. You've been part of that. We all pay to be part of that. But what are you really doing to make an active difference in your community is the question that should be asked?

For me, it was really the Red Brick School and the Franklin Rotary Club, because those are both groups that give back to our community. I think any candidate that is coming forward today that doesn't have a record of volunteering in the past should be something that's looked at. Why are you here today? Are you here for your business? Are you here for your own personal gain or something else at the end of the day? You should have a lengthy volunteer record. Those are just some of the things I’ve done in Franklin which keeps me in touch with the needs of our community.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

MK = My news comes from different sources. I read the paper, the Country Gazette and the Milford Daily News have some interesting pieces. The Local Town pages is a great publication too! Social media is important and especially being part of as many Franklin groups as you can.

I get most of my information between the paper and Facebook groups. I read Franklin Matters, and “All about Franklin” both are huge place to get news. Also, I go to the coffee shops. They are places to get news too!

There are multi-generational groups of people in town and you need to be able to communicate with all of them as a councilor. The Senior Center, the police and the fire department, the list goes on.

For me as a town councilor, I've always said, my door is open. And when I talk about getting news, not only do I go out to get it, but I also ask people to come in and give it. On any given week, I have four to five visitors to my office, whether it's town employees, or citizens, people want to talk to me about what's going on, what they'd like, and what they don't like. Sometimes we agree and sometimes we disagree. But at the end of the day, they know they're going to be heard. My news comes from multiple sources. And it's not just my little circle of friends or a group with a set agenda.

FM = For all those running for Town Council: We are in a constant water shortage. We are adding to our population and increasing out need for water. Given that all those who live in Franklin draw their water from the same aquifer, do you support a ban on using water for what I will call cosmetic use (lawn watering) during water shortages, even for those with a private well? If not, why not, considering that those with private wells are still dangerously affecting our water level for uses other than vanity? Or put simply: Do you support the private use of wells for lawn irrigation at times when the town's aquifer is dangerously low for use by the community for essential use in homes and fire prevention?

MK = That's a really important question and it should be discussed over the next two years. We have had in the last four elections a conversation about water. Yet every election, nobody wants to talk about it publicly.

Franklin, Massachusetts, is on an aquifer along with the surrounding communities, and we are fortunate to be on a very plentiful aquifer. What we need to educate our citizens about first and foremost, is that we are required to file a water permit with the state. That water permit allows us to pull so much water out of the ground per day.

We have to keep in mind that many residents are upset because they can't water their lawn. The reality is we have a water ban because it's part of our water permit and that's called water conservation.

Right now, I understand people are upset because they can't water their new lawn. I had a new lawn too. I didn't water it and I wasn't happy about that either. You have the option to put a well in and not be taxed on that water usage.

We have to continue to look, especially as a Town Councilor at the future of Franklin. I don't know when that water, or as we call it “straws in the ground” will come up empty. What we have to do is continue to have water conservation.

So, the first part of our conversation we have to have with our citizens is why aren't you allowed to water? Because that's per our water permit. The next conversation is what can we do to sustain water in our aquifer, to maintain our ability for years to come? Once we take care of water conservation, then we can talk about educating folks to keep the water conservation going.

Most people don't realize that we have been able to get massive amounts of additional water out of our system. The state won't let us. Again, that straws in the ground, that's a conversation that has to come up. This is less of a conversation about not having water and more of a conversation of whether or not we need to chat more about conservation and our water permit. Once we have those two items discussed, we can talk about water being here today, tomorrow, next week.

People are mad about not having water for the wrong reason, I think. More importantly, we have to discuss that it is not only our water supply. What people really are missing is the big X factor out there; which is our sewer interceptor that runs from Beaver Street down to Pond Street. We need to be talking about the plan for replacing that. The town got a huge break three years ago under my leadership as chairman; we were able to negotiate with the State through our representatives, and with the MBTA which allowed Franklin to put in a sewage line patch that would have cost us millions, if we had to do it when it failed.

FM = What degree of development do you feel is appropriate for Franklin and how would you balance the need for affordable housing with the need to avoid congestion, some of which we already have?

MK = Development is probably one of the key issues for me. Mostly because people misunderstand my job and my position. I take my job very seriously as a Town Councilor. Development is not a priority for me as a Town Councilor. It's not really a priority to me as a real estate agent either. There are over 12,000 homes in our community and very few new developments, I would much prefer no more development but no one can ever promise that.

The reality is the conversation goes back to education. We have to educate our citizens. I hear it time and time again. I agree that we should slow down growth, but how is the question.

I have a plan for that and I plan on introducing that just like I introduced it earlier this term. I hope my fellow councilors agree with me to move it forward this time. That being said we are living with ‘suburban sprawl’. People who bought their house in Newton or Wellesley 40 years ago, their kids cannot afford a house in Newton or Wellesley today. So where are their kids moving to? Franklin, Bellingham and Medway. And why are they moving here? Because we made this an attractive town with great schools, great police, great fire, and a great community.

This is a great town. We have a 4th of July celebration, a Memorial Day parade, and more. They're going to settle out here because they want to live in a great town. Where are they going to move to? A community that is fantastic? Franklin! I think that the conversation is a couple of topics that we need to first educate and then talk about how we're going to solve the issue. The question is, how do we slow it down? The first thing is, we need to slow growth down to a rate that keeps us above our 40B housing number, most people don't realize that. I would charge our planning department to first and foremost, do a study which they can do, that can determine the rate at which housing can grow to keep us over the 40B limit based on based growth numbers. It is not going to cost our citizens anything for the Planning Dept to tell us.

Once we have what the growth number is and that we need to do each year in order to stay above our 40B limits we can start to make our plan. Let's say that growth is building seventy five homes per year, then we would have what we need to stay above our 40B.

Next if we want to slow down, we have to make housing more expensive to build in Franklin. I'm not talking about housing prices, I'm talking about making them more expensive to build and construct.

My plan which I introduced in 2018, again in 2019, and I will introduce it again in 2020. In the past I gave this information in meetings at the EDC level and in other committees, I will now make it public. Every home that's built after 2021 should have sprinklers installed (Interior sprinklers) that will slow growth and make it much harder for us to continue the growth of single families. The second thing I would do is I would set up zones where it would take more land area to build a new home. Right now, our downtown has seen an influx of building. The question now is no longer the influx of residential apartments to the downtown. The question is how are we going to provide support for them with downtown infrastructure.

With the new apartments we need to stop focusing on residential housing and get more people downtown, figure out how we're going to get the businesses to take advantage of that, and how we're going to get new lively businesses downtown. We already have some great businesses there but we need more. We have a hairstylist, a manicure place that's been there for years, we have even seen some new restaurants down there, but we need to make it even bigger. We need to make downtown a destination, so people want to walk there.

There needs to be continued pressure on our state representatives to put a parking garage at the downtown MBTA station. There needs to be a continued pressure for building owners downtown to make new space affordable with long term tenants, and to be able to increase the current businesses. Next our citizens have said they do not want anymore apartments? We need to make multifamily zone housing by special permit, this is the only way to design the housing we would want.

Then we work out in a radius from our town center to increase zoning. By the time you get out to Washington St, they should be 2 acre lots. Sheldonville did this and it worked for them years ago. We need to start working on these items, the solution isn't hard, it's a hard conversation to have. There are a lot of people in town, and many moving parts.

That's why we need a Residential Housing Development Subcommittee. We have an Economic Development Subcommittee for commercial, why not something for Residential? A housing development subcommittee should be able to look at what's going on in town and review the plan. It could be a made up of citizens and members of the ZBA, Planning Board, and the Town Council. It's our town’s future, people want growth to slow down, we need to plan for it. You're not going to stop the traffic. No matter what you do, it's a good economy and everybody has two cars, some even have three or more. We just need to focus on how we better control that.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to pass an override measure. What actions will you take to support the passage of this measure?

MK = So I'm on the budget subcommittee and I'm probably one of the more vocal people on the budget subcommittee. I know I didn't make any friends with the School Committee when I told them that I didn't necessarily agree with their budget. Councilor Mercer and I are the only two that were on the School Committee prior to being on the Town Council. I wish there was a prerequisite so that everybody would have to do that because I think you learn a lot.

Looking at the budget, I don't think we're ready for an override yet and there's a number of factors for this. I don't see that the budget has all the fluff cut out of it and I don't see any clear projection of numbers. I agree, that our administration is telling the truth when they say that it's getting tight, but I also understand that a lot of people out there are getting tight on their budgets too. We need to look at what our plan is, is it a reduction in our budget, and an override? Who knows right now and now isn’t the time to ask our citizens either. We have to consider what this going to do to our senior population. That has increased tremendously for people in our town. People on fixed incomes, we need to look at what it will do to them as well. There needs to be a conversation with our town’s people before you start talking override.

That's the business side of it. The human aspect is that times are too good for people to believe that we need an override. We're adding firefighters, adding police officers and there's no visible pain. You might see that we need more DPW workers or your road isn't getting done fast enough, but people don't want to vote for things until there's pain, number one. Number two, when the people complain that they're going off to pay for high school parking, then town council comes running to their rescue and says, “oh, no, we're going to give you that money in the budget.” It's not the time for an override. We should be able to say to our citizens, we can't find any money before we say override.

The reality is, I am going to be very, very stingy when it comes to saying we need an override because I'm going to pay for it just like you are.

FM = What do you say to the voter who asks: Why should I vote for you?

MK = Well, I think if I'm a voter, I think it's an easy decision. I'm investing in our town. I am a resident. I'm a business owner, which means I care about the economics of our town. I'm a father of two and a husband of a wife who is a fourth generation Franklin person.

I came here in 1993 before the big development, so to speak. I fell in love with this town and Franklin is my home. More importantly, why you should vote for me is because I have the experience. I'm not afraid to go out on my own and say how I feel. I have done a tremendous amount of work for our town when it comes to our ambulance, police and fire department vehicle funds. I established funds to save for them and make sure we weren't just buying them like we were in years past.

I have longevity which plays a role in this. I know people might say we want somebody new. Remembering that we did something 10 years ago is really important because there's a reason why we did it 10 years ago. I have a multiple business in the town, and I'm invested in our community. I bring a unique opportunity to the town. I have my doors open to my office every day. My first meeting with the Town Council when I was elected, I sat and said, I'm going to have office hours. That doesn't mean you can't stop in to see me every day. Every day since I have opened my doors to our public to allow them to come in and see me. I'm not going to say I respond to everybody because sometimes an e-mail doesn’t get through. I feel awful about that, but I respond to people.

When I was chairman, I updated them on our storm activities constantly. I take my position as Town Councilor very seriously. I take it not as a job as in I'm going to work, but as a duty to give back to our community and that's why I think people should vote for me. I'm committed to our community, I've shown that commitment in the past, and I will continue to show that moving forward. And whenever the people of Franklin need me, I'm here.

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html