Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Feb 5, 2020

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS

a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast Channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.

2. CITIZEN COMMENTS

a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
January 22, 2020

4. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
None Scheduled

5. APPOINTMENTS
Historical Commission: Randy La Rosa

6. HEARINGS
None Scheduled

7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS - 7:10 pm
Maks Roast Beef and Breakfast, Inc., New Wine and Malt License, Located at 451 West Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038

8. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
a. Norfolk County Sheriff Office and House of Corrections Update with Sheriff McDermott Community
b. Preservation Act Discussion.

• i. Town Administrator Memo & Backup Material

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/mai/files/cpa_town_admin_memo_backup_material_-_web.pdf

9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

• a. Capital Budget Subcommittee
• b. Budget Subcommittee
• c. Economic Development Subcommittee

10. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
10a. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-03: Capital FY20 (Motion to approve Resolution 20-03 - Majority Vote)

10b. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-04: OPEB Trust Funds Transfer (Motion to approve Resolution 20-04 - Majority Vote)

10c. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-05: Free Cash to Stabilization Accounts Transfers (Motion to approve Resolution 20-05 - Majority Vote)

10d. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-09: Gift Acceptance - Veterans Services, $350 (Motion to approve Resolution 20-09 - Majority Vote)

10e. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-10: Gift Acceptance - Senior Center, $1000 (Motion to approve Resolution 20-10 - Majority Vote)

10f. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-11: Gift Acceptance - Police Department, $300 (Motion to approve Resolution 20-11 - Majority Vote)

11. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
13. COUNCIL COMMENTS
14. EXECUTIVE SESSION
None Scheduled

ADJOURN


Note:  Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes
Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting

Shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/february-5-town-council-agenda

The full agenda packet can be found
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/2020-02-05_town_council_agenda_packet.pdf

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Feb 5, 2020

"It’s obvious that there needs to be an adjustment made”

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

"As cities and towns participating in a program that provides state funds to support affordable housing and open space preservation watch the state’s contribution dwindle, Community Preservation Act (CPA) advocates have fresh hope that Gov. Charlie Baker supports a fix. 

Almost two decades since the passage of the Community Preservation Act, about half of the communities in Massachusetts have opted into the program. The communities in the program have agreed to impose a surcharge on local property taxes with the promise of a state match to preserve open space, renovate historic buildings and parks and to build new playgrounds and athletic fields. 

The state matching funds are derived from a $20 fee assessed on certain real estate transactions through registries of deeds. The fee structure and match rate formula have not been changed since the CPA went into law in 2000 and as more communities adopt the CPA, each town’s share of the pie becomes smaller. 

When Gov. Paul Cellucci signed the CPA into law in 2000, the idea was to have the state match 100 percent of what each municipality raised by its property tax surcharge. That happened for the first six years, but the partnership has become more one-sided in the last decade-plus."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181117/baker-open-to-fee-hike-to-boost-cpa-match

The Community Preservation Act was before the Franklin voters in Nov 2007 and failed to pass.

Ballot Question 1 

Yes - 1528            No - 2174
The Community Preservation Act did not pass.

- See more at: http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/11/franklin-community-preservation-act.html#sthash.Wo1X7DV6.dpuf (Note - this was from the period just before Franklin Matters became its own web page)

The Veterans Walkway at night in the snow

Should Franklin reconsider the Community Preservation Act (CPA)?

This editorial in the Milford Daily News raises a good point or two:

According to the Community Preservations Coalition (a non-profit group dedicated to supporting CPA communities) close to $1.4 billion in funding has been raised to date, with the bulk of the money coming from modest local option taxes. 

But there’s a hidden bonus in that number: Depending on annual state distributions intended to enhance CPA funds raised locally, earmarked fees from country registries of deeds and the state legislature go exclusively to CPA communities. That’s adds up to hundreds of millions of dollars – not a bad deal when you consider the hard cash that accrues when matching funds can be between one-fifth to half of local funding. Every time a home or commercial property changes hands in Massachusetts a slice of the transfer tax goes directly to CPA communities. Money from your community goes to those fees, whether or not it’s adopted the CPA. 

The state contributes money to local CPA funds, which can only be spent on historic preservation, affordable housing, open space or recreation, but it has no say in how it is spent. Adopting the CPA requires a community referendum vote. A local CPA committee recommends projects for CPA funding, but not a dime is spent unless it is approved by the local legislative body.

You can read the full editorial here (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151121/OPINION/151128901/2011/OPINION


The Community Preservation Act was before the Franklin voters in Nov 2007 and failed to pass.

Ballot Question 1Yes - 1528No - 2174
The Community Preservation Act did not pass.

- See more at: http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/11/franklin-community-preservation-act.html#sthash.Wo1X7DV6.dpuf (Note - this was from the period just before Franklin Matters became)


Also from the archives this article from the Boston Globe
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2007/11/how-not-to-spend-community-preservation.html

"land conservation outpaced development"

"The ideal situation is to intensify development in smaller areas so there are more acres to permanently protect. That's the way the planning world is thinking right now," said Bryan Taberner, Franklin's planning director. "But you also have the economics of it, and a person has the right to develop their land and there are a lot of issues at play."

Taberner said he thinks the size of houses will plateau because "as we know, a lot of people over-bought and a lot of people are going to be looking to sell and get into something smaller."

Read the full article on the recently updated Audubon Society report on development vs preservation in the Milford Daily News here

Live blogging - Town Council Meeting 11/28/07

Citizens Comment

Susan Spears

place holder for recorded comment on use of open space/community preservation