New Items April 2011
from Franklin Public LibraryNew Children's Items April 2011
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Franklin, MA
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"We've turned into a reactive department" he said, adding, "What else are we not going to respond to? If you had a break-in with no evidence left, do we even respond (or take information over the phone instead)?"
Franklin's police force had 54 officer positions about 10 years ago but will drop to 43 officers after two officers are cut in fiscal 2012, Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said. One position is already vacant and Nutting said he anticipates the other position will be vacated before the end of the fiscal year.
Nutting's proposed $89.2 million town budget cuts more than 31 positions overall, including the two officers, 14.3 school positions, two firefighters, four Department of Public Works positions and 5.5 library jobs. The budget represents a 1.4 percent increase over this year's $88 million budget.
Cuts have to be made despite the budget going up due to decreased state aid (down about $300,000), decreased local revenue (down about $200,000), a loss of about $2 million in stimulus funds, increases in health insurance costs (up about 12 percent) and increased contractual obligations.
Last night, leaders of the administrative, comptroller treasurer/collector, town clerk and planning departments explained how reduced clerical support could result in longer waiting times, delays in providing services and reduced office hours. Those departments - coupled with the legal, human resources and inspection departments - will lose hours that combined will total the equivalent of one position.
"We don't want to close the office, but I can envision that if something comes up and someone is out (sick) there's no way we're going to stay open," Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri said.
Planning Director Bryan Taberner said he would normally write five or six grant proposals in six months, but only anticipates completing two with the reduced staff.
"In 2009 I probably spent 50 percent of my time on economic development (activities)," Taberner said. "I don't do more than half-a-day a week now."
Franklin switched to a single-stream system in July under which residents combine paper, cardboard, glass and cans into a new 65-gallon container. Residents also received a new trash container.
The town borrowed $800,000 to buy both the trash and recycling containers, a cost that will mostly be paid off by user fees.
The grant reimburses Franklin for about 20 percent of the $400,000 cost for the recycling containers, helping the town repay that money sooner without raising fees, Department of Public Works Director Robert Cantoreggi said.
Since the switch, the amount of material recycled has increased by 15 percent while the amount of trash has decreased by more than 18 percent, a trend Cooper said has been seen in many of the 70 Massachusetts communities that have adopted single-stream recycling programs since 2005.
Franklin is expected to save more than $100,000 in disposal costs and earn $20,000 in new recycling revenue this fiscal year, statistics provided by Cooper's department show.
"We want to ... really focus on what we think will make the biggest impact with the town," said Chairman Douglas Hardesty.
Hardesty presented a list of priorities he compiled from brainstorming sessions with the current committee and items the previous Long Range Financial Planning Committee was unable to fully evaluate.
The list includes projecting and evaluating retirement benefits, the high school project, the tax burden, efforts to change state legislation and road and other capital investments.
"We want to take a problem and say (to the council or School Committee) here's your portfolio of options," committee member Greg DiMarzio said.
The previous committee, comprised mostly of elected officials, produced a report that explained the town faced a structural deficit in which revenue growth was less than what was required to maintain services. They projected that, through 2014, expenses would grow faster than revenue by $7 million to 10 million.Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1336254064/Franklin-long-range-board-debates-future-emphasis#ixzz1KoD482Ra
The state is expected to reimburse the town between 53 and 58 percent of the cost, leaving the town to fund $30.8 million, $40.8 million, $45.6 million or $38.5 million, respectively, depending on the option.
Dorothy Miller, who has a son in middle school and another who is a sophomore, said she worried renovating the existing building would significantly disrupt classes.
School officials said a new school would be built on nearby fields while students attend class in the existing building.
In a renovation, "where would they put them?" said Robert Cloutier, 55, who has a son in eighth grade. "In the gym?"
Cloutier said he worries about the cost, but said it's time to do something with the school, which was built in 1971. Project officials said it has outdated science labs, utilities systems and no elevators.
Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said during the meeting that a $35 million renovation would cost the owner of the average home valued at $360,000 an extra $235 a year while a $40 million model school would cost $265 a year, based upon current property values. A Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion override would need to be passed to pay for any of the options, most likely in the fall.
Dont forget this weeks Raw Foods Cooking class. Thursday at Whole Foods Market Bellingham 6:30!! Who is coming??
I have a great guest speaker for this class. Sheryl Stone a graduate of the world famous Hippocrates Health Institute http://www.hippocratesinst.org/
Via email from Karen Ring, CPT / Health Coach / AADP, instructor at Whole Foods Market BellinghamSheryl is a Certified Health Educator, she works with individuals who want to lose weight and gain energy through changes in thier diet including, but not limited to, the raw vegan lifestyle. She specializes in raw desserts and not depriving youself of the foods you love!
"They gave me the self-confidence I needed," Longobardi said. "I knew right away when I got there that they would take care of me. I'm forever grateful and want to help (the hospital)."
The clothes, adorned with the slogan "Fight like a Girl," are on sale at Frugal Fannie's, where Longobardi works as an apparel buyer. Frugal Fannie's co-owner Kathleen Doxer, who also had breast cancer and was treated at Beth Israel, jumped at the chance to sell the shirts, Longobardi said.
Longobardi started last year with sweatshirts and has since added T-shirts. The T-shirts cost $9.95 and sweatshirts cost $19.95, 10 percent of which is donated to Beth Israel's BreastCare Center. They have sold more than 500 T-shirts and sweatshirts, she said.
Her efforts are one of several projects undertaken by former cancer patients to give back to the hospital that are being recognized at Beth Israel's Evening of Giving celebration on Wednesday, said Jennifer DiFranco, the hospital's director of annual giving.
Franklin is starting the first phase of a $7.25 million downtown improvement project with a $883,000 reconstruction of Emmons Street between Main Street and Hillside Road, Dean Avenue between Main and Ray streets, Ray Street and Depot Street, as well as the municipal parking lot near the Franklin/Dean College MBTA station.
Franklin Town Engineer Bill Yadisernia said the project includes sidewalks, curbing, paving, traffic lights and enhancements to stormwater treatment.
"That project is supposed to be done by the end of this year, and if not then next year," Yadisernia said. "But the majority will be done this year. That's the first phase of downtown, and the second phase will be the entire downtown area. The second phase is probably going to start in a year or two.
"There will be road closures, but they will be temporary," Yadisernia said. "We're not shutting down roads for a long period of time, but we may have to detour them."
HMEA holds 10th Annual Independence 5K: foxprovidence.com
"There's definitely an increased need with the economy," said Maureen Roy, a member of the pantry's board of directors who is organizing the phone drive. "People are making choices between buying food and paying the electric bill. ... We're just trying to make it possible for all people that need us to have access to healthy food choices."
The pantry, which serves about 400 people each month, is seeking volunteers to call residents to ask for donations on four days, from April 30 to May 3.
Small donations have a big impact since the pantry can buy 100 meals for $20 by leveraging the resources of the Greater Boston Food Bank, local supermarkets and other organizations. They hope to use some money raised at the phone-a-thon to buy produce, which is often more expensive than processed foods, she said.
Roy came up with the idea after reading about a program in Bedford where high school students call residents to raise money for a scholarship program, she said.Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1294651645/Franklin-Food-Pantry-putting-out-call-for-help#ixzz1KKyFIWyR
Hello Gardeners and Supporters!
Big News!
Build Day has been scheduled for Saturday May 7th!
More info will be sent next week, but right now,
We need Team Leaders to help the day run smoothly!
Please contact Chris Clay ASAP at hakai2@gmail.com to be a team leader,
The times are:
9-12 and 1-4.
We need your organizational skills (& drills if you can spare one!)
Have you read the blog lately? click on the link!
until next week,
Your Community Garden Dream Team
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In 2007, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved two variances for a mixed-use project by developer Antique Realty Corp. and builder Platinum Building, both Franklin-based companies.
Ross said no formal application was ever submitted to the Planning Board.
The plan called for a four-story building with parking below ground, shops and parking on the first floor, office space on floors two and three and residential space on the top floor, according to Zoning Board documents.
"I think everybody in the state was moving towards transit-oriented (mixed-use) development," said Daniel Lewis, of Antique Realty, a principal in the project. "The building had been vacant - it seemed like that would be the perfect spot for it."
Last night's Town Council meeting was canceled because not enough members showed up to form a quorum.
The board needs five of its nine members for a quorum, but Stephen Whalen, Matthew Kelly, Shannon Zollo, Joseph McGann and Tina Powderly were unable to attend.
Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said this was only the second time he could recall in the 11 years he's worked in Franklin that a meeting was canceled because there was no quorum.Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x574193139/Franklin-Town-Council-cant-reach-quorum#ixzz1K9K2aUdj