Sponsor a hug today!

I met Gail at last weekend's SOBCon conference in Chicago. I was inspired to donate for a hug and encourage you to try to do the same. From their website:

What we're doing

Inspire Me Today Founder Gail Lynne Goodwin and her husband Darryl will take off in a small prop plane from Colorado to circumnavigate the globe and literally hug the world. The tour will stop in 45 locations over a period of five months.

On a personal mission to make a difference, they will be:

• Delivering an estimated $1,000,000 to important causes throughout the tour raised through grassroots contributions from people like you
• Giving at least 2,000 hugs in each location to literally wrap the world in 100,000 hugs
• Gathering great wisdom, inspiration and brilliance from leaders and luminaries in the far reaches of the globe to bring back and share on InspireMeToday.com

Why we're doing it

In this time of doom and gloom when it seems the whole world is struggling, we choose to change that focus by inspiring humanity to trust in what is good and what is possible. We believe in a message of hope, change, responsibility, and commitment to others.

We believe through opening our hearts and celebrating our global connectivity, bridges and understanding can be built between us. By connecting Hug Sponsors with the exact hug recipients, we will create opportunities to connect people from all walks of life, from different religions, cultures, ethnicities, and create friendships that extend from one continent to another. By raising money with people like you, we will be making a tangible difference in the world and supporting important causes together. We welcome your participation and look forward to working with you!

Do you believe in a message of hope, change, responsibility, and commitment to others?

For more information on their world tour, and to contribute if you can, please visit their website here

Quick clarification

The prior posting on "We have no one to fault but ourselves" was meant as a call to action for the 80% of the Franklin voters who did not cast their ballot in November 2007.

While there may be differences in views on this item or that, I have great respect for all our elected officials, especially those on the Town Council, School Committee, Finance Committee, and the other elected committees that contribute to this town.

They give much of their time to perform their duties on our behalf.

Contrary to what some apparently believe, they do not get paid for what they do. It is a volunteer effort and public service initiative much like my own efforts here.

• To the 1 in 10 Franklin voters who cast your ballot in November 2007, reach out to your neighbors at any opportunity you have, gently remind them of their civic duty.

• To the 9 in 10 Franklin voters who did not cast your ballot in November 2007, please, please get involved. Take a step forward. Attend a meeting. Be informed. Cast your ballot when the next election rolls around.

Franklin will be a better place with all involved.

If you don't think you should be involved, stop me around town some time. You should be able recognize me by now. I'd like to find out why.

• Finally, to all Franklin resident that are eligible to vote but have not yet registered, please consider doing so. The Town Clerk's office is open with convenient hours Monday-Friday. It is a quick and easy transaction.

PS - My thanks to Town Council Chairperson Chris Feeley for taking the time to provide feedback on the prior posting and to enable this clarification.

We have no one to fault but ourselves!

As I went back to the November 2007 Town election results for yesterday's posting, I was surprised to see the numbers. Yes, I knew the turnout was low but the real impact is what affects us everyday here in Franklin.

Candidate	Votes	% Voted	% Voters
Vallee	2201	57.2%	11.9%
Feeley	1979	51.5%	10.7%
Zollo	1978	51.4%	10.7%
Bartlett	1893	49.2%	10.2%
Pfeffer	1692	44.0%	9.1%
Whalen	1680	43.7%	9.0%
Doak	1673	43.5%	9.0%
Mason	1568	40.8%	8.4%
McGann	1549	40.3%	8.3%
Kelly	2141	55.7%	11.5%
Roy	2021	52.6%	10.9%
Trahan	1976	51.4%	10.6%
Cafasso	1899	49.4%	10.2%
Mullen	1871	48.7%	10.1%
Armenio	1823	47.4%	9.8%
Rohrbach	1761	45.8%	9.5%

Only 1 in 10 registered voters in Franklin have a right to complain about how things are being determined.

The other 9 better do something to get involved, become informed, and cast a vote when the next election comes around.

Oh, yes. This is election year isn't it!


Notes:
The Election results can be found on the Town of Franklin Annual Report for 2008. Page 57-59.
Hard copies are available at the Municipal Building. You can also down load a copy from the website here (PDF).

The candidates for Town Council and School Committee are shown in declining order of votes received.

The % voted is their total as a percent of the total cast, 3845.

The % voters is their total as a percent of the total registered voters for 2007, 18572. From P56 of the Town Report; 19102 minus the growth of 530 voters during 2008 equals 18572.

Town Council Continues Math Error School Committee Started

In Thursday's paper:

Councilor Joseph McGann said he believes it is only a "handful" of union members who refuse to accept a wage deferment without conditions attached.

"It's just a handful, and that handful is very selfish and very one-sided. Every other union in Franklin has conceded to and waived raises," McGann said.

Gee, if we go back to the election in November 2007 that brought Councilor McGann to this position, there were 3845 ballots cast. This reflects only 20% of the total Franklin registered voters. He gained 1549 votes which was 40% of those cast and only 8% of the total Franklin registered voters. These numbers are all from the Franklin Annual Report for 2008 and you can go double check the math if you would like.

So what is this “handful” of teachers he is talking about?

According to what was reported in this paper, half the teachers participated in the first vote and 80% of those voted for the wage deferral with the three conditions. So if you do the math, that would equate to 40% of the teachers eligible to vote. 10% voted against the proposal. 50% choose not to vote.

Councilor McGann, you are calling 40% a “handful”?

Then what would you call the 8% who voted for you in November 2007?

The Town Council has chosen to unanimously and quite publicly back the School Committee. Why didn't they do that in June 2007 for the override that failed?

This time, I think they have picked the wrong numbers to make their case. They are continuing an error the School Committee started and has yet to correct.

"hearings are slated to begin next week"

Dining out at restaurants, registering your car, and even watching satellite television would get more expensive under a plan that will be recommended today by a special legislative panel hunting for new revenue to aid cities and towns.

The commission's report contains a potentially big money maker for municipalities. It says local officials should have the option of raising meal taxes by 2 percentage points and increasing taxes on hotel rooms by 4 percentage points.

The increases, along with a variety of other taxes and fees, would raise at least $409 million to benefit municipalities as state lawmakers are reducing local aid payments. It would be a crucial boost for struggling cities and towns, panel members and city leaders said.

"It's the first light we've seen in a dark tunnel," Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston said in an interview yesterday. "It seems positive to me. We've been advocating for local options for several years, and if this says cities can have their own local option, it's a good beginning."

The Boston Globe today reports on some progress made to enable local communities to obtain revenue. Read more about this attempt to reduce our dependency on local property taxes here

New England Sports Celebration - 5/31/09

From the Facebook page for the New England Sports Celebration

Come down and help us raise funds for the F.X. O’Regan Early Childhood Development Center PCC. We are planning a fun-filled family day celebrating the proud tradition of New England sports!!

Currently, we have Boston hockey legend TERRY O'REILLY coming down to sign autographs from 2PM-4PM.

Signatures are $15 each with no charge for inscriptions. You are welcome to bring your own items, and we will have a great selection of pictures, pucks and other items available for sale!

Also from 2PM - 4PM, Wally the Green Monster will be visiting to take pictures and sign autographs for his fans for FREE!!!

AND JUST ANNOUNCED - Football Legend STEVE GROGAN will also be available from 2PM-4PM!!! Signatures are $15 each with no charge for inscriptions.

There will be lots of other fun activities for the kids, as well. Cash bar and concessions will be available. did we mention....ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

This is a public event and we want to pack the place - so please feel free to invite anyone you would like!!! A lot more to come on this...

SAVE THE DATE!!

The groups formed "walking school buses"

By Michelle Laczkoski/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 07, 2009 @ 12:03 AM

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FRANKLIN —

Dodging puddles and raindrops yesterday morning, crowds of students took to the streets in the state's third annual Walk to School Day.

Rather than driving down Oak Street yesterday morning, Alexandra Thomas walked her children, Cameron and Lily, to Oak Elementary School.

"It was a little chilly, but we did it, it was a team effort," Thomas said.

The young students seemed to grasp the mission of the event.

"It's good exercise and I wanted to help the Earth," said Cameron, a fifth-grader.

The event is put on by MassRIDES, the state's travel options service under the Executive Office of Transportation, as part of the state's Safe Routes to School program. It emphasizes the importance of increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and concern for the environment.

Read the full article about this walk to school day in the Milford Daily News here

40% of urban travel is for trips 2 miles or less. 90% of those trips are by car. Consider taking Clif Bar's Two Mile Challenge. Read about this effort to increase exercise and reduce pollution here

"We're very committed to making it work"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 07, 2009 @ 12:31 AM

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MEDWAY —

After lengthy discussions, Medway's Board of Library Trustees unanimously voted to go forward with regionalizing Medway's library next year by sharing the services of Franklin's current library Director Felicia Oti.

"As a first step toward regionalizing, we accept Felicia Oti as our Interim Library Director for fiscal 2010, for a maximum of 14 hours per week," Wendy Rowe, chairwoman of Medway's Board of Library Trustees, said in an e-mail sent to officials in both towns late Tuesday night.

Medway Town Administrator Suzanne Kennedy said she was "delighted" at the board's unanimous support of regionalizing library services.

read the full article on this next step towards regionalization in the Milford Daily News here

"the art of compromise"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 07, 2009 @ 12:33 AM

---

FRANKLIN —

One after the other, town councilors last night said they support the School Committee and appealed to the teachers union to vote for wage concessions without conditions to save jobs.

"Personally, on this issue, I'm behind the School Committee 100 percent," said Chairman Christopher Feeley.

He and his fellow councilors said they do not believe the majority of teachers support the union leadership's hardline stance on the three conditions that stand in the way of an agreement with the School Committee.

They urged union leaders to hold another meeting to let the membership vote on the issue, and implored teachers to attend and let their voices be heard.

Councilor Joseph McGann said he believes it is only a "handful" of union members who refuse to accept a wage deferment without conditions attached.

"It's just a handful, and that handful is very selfish and very one-sided. Every other union in Franklin has conceded to and waived raises," McGann said.

read the full article about the Councilor's comments in the Milford Daily News here

Town Council Mtg 05/06/09

The live reporting posts for the Town Council meeting on Wednesday 5/6/09 can be found here

• Live reporting - Town Admin, and closing comments
• Live reporting - legislation for action
• Live reporting - Bylaw
• Live reporting - License transactions
• Live reporting - Town Council - 5/6/09

Live reporting - Town Admin, and closing comments

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Jeff read the listing of the sponsors of the recent Earth Day, huge success
remind folks to pick up litter as you go to help keep the town clean

May 17th, HMEA 5K roadrace

Update of fiscal policies in councilor packets

Beautification Day - May 16th 8:00 AM at the bridge

FINCOM did finish their budget hearings on Tuesday
Not sure if we will make the schedule that we have set thus far
Budget as proposed eliminates 11 municipal jobs, only 1.25 people will actually be laid off due to other changes
School Committee budget hearing on May 26th


L. OLD BUSINESS
Vallee - listing of street resurfacing?
Nutting - had to re-bid the hot-top so that should be coming, within the next 30 days we should be ready

Vallee - What is status of Walgreens?
Nutting - we should be ready to close on June 30th

Bartlett - get the listing of street out on the web site so the residents can see
Nutting - yes

McGann - how do we arrive at the street listing?
Nutting - anytime there is a water line, we do the paving the next year. we have a master listing of streets, part art and part science. We do have a huge listing of work that needs to be done. We don't appropriate any money for road improvements.

M. NEW BUSINESS
Vallee - After listening to the Financial Planning Committee, Milford operating under Chapter 121a
Nutting - this is similar to the TIF which we do provide

Nutting - part of it is zoning, big box stores are not allowed, from a tax structure, we have a very low rate. We have given out TIF's with your approval. We are trying to get folks here to fill our warehouses.

Vallee - we should be more proactive in trying to create jobs
Nutting - we are about to begin to update the master plan to look at those issues, rezoning from residential to commercial is not easy

Vallee - I'd like to request that the Planning Dept do the research on Chap 121a
Taberner - we should look at more rezaoning, we have to do it for the greater good

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

Whalen - would like to take this time to comment on the stand off between the teachers and the School Committee. Addressing teachers directly. 7 unions made the concession for the Town to avoid layoffs.

Mason - echoes Whalen's comments and wishes a speedy resolution to the issue

Zollo - I find it hard to believe that the majority of the teachers are actually supporting their leadership.

McGann - I too believe it is not the whole union that represented, it is a small group, they are very selfish and one sided. It is only a handful.

Congratulations to Mr Fahey for his work in the veterans area.

Doak - I would like to endorse Councilor Whalen's eloquent comments. I don't claim to know all the details. If these concessions don't go through, we will lose more teachers and that is not good.

Pfeffer - I would like to see the art of compromise

Feeley - I find it difficult to believe that the whole number of teachers are behind this. The School Committee conceded the three items for the one year (Editor note: This is not correct, the School Committee conceded only 2 of the 3 items) this shows an attempt to reach an agreement.

Live reporting - legislation for action

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

1. Resolution 09-26: Acknowledgment of Invalidity of Order of Taking Directed to Land of United States of America approved 9-0
   
2. Resolution 09-27: Appropriation – DelCarte Open Space Dam Repair/Removal approved 8-1 (Mason voted no)
   
3. Resolution 09-28: Appropriation – Veterans’ Benefits approved 8-0 (Vallee stepped out momentarily)
   
4. Resolution 09-29: Appropriation – Snow & Ice approved 9-0

Notes
1 - Land was taken in 1986 from the US Government and should not have been, they finally discovered the error and have asked us to correct it. The easement for sewer through wetlands hasn't chnaged.

2 - Conservation Commission worked on this to prepare the proposal and reduce the cost of the drafting required.

Chris Botchis
Andy Tolland
Ray Willis
Nick Alferi

Nutting
We don't know how much it will cost. Depending upon what it does cost, we could put it into the capital budget, or bond it, or look for grants to help cover it.

Tolland
Purpose of this aspect of the study is to focus on the three options and figure out what the least cost options would be. We need tight cost estimates. Everything has been based from a far, this would be a closer study.

Probably along the lines of 6-9 months to do the study, no more than a year.

Based upon what they have said, it could fail but it unlikely to. We are not looking at loss of life or property. The ponds remove nutrients from the storm water before it gets to the Charles River. It is helpful as we are overall being charged with reducing phosphorous from the Charles River.

We are looking for partial dam removals or full dam replacements.

Nutting
It is our responsibility, it is town owned property.

Mason
I am not inclined to approve this given the circumstance
Unless there is a real crisis, I don't see the need for this at this time

Pfeffer
I think we need to do this, Mr Delcorte provided this land, there is a lot of water, we are liable for it

Live reporting - Bylaw

Zollo - arrives late

H. Presentations/DISCUSSION

• Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 185-39. Uses accessory to dwellings.

Nick Alfieri, Beth Dahlstrom, Bryan Taberner

Pfeffer
Question on how it would apply to someone who teaches piano lessons a single student at a time

Taberner
If you have 2 or more at a time, then there are additional requirements
Just places limitations on what you can do to operate a business from a residence

Cerel
Current definition of present uses is loose and needs to be tightened up

Bartlett
I'd like to see what our current bylaw is to compare this to
I'd like to hear about what the problems are that drove this

Dahlstrom
The use of a residence for a catering business, parking vehicles for a construction business

Bartlett
Question on defining "objections"

McGann
What about entities that are already operating
They would be grandfathered

Doak
What are the other bylaws that we are trying to be consistent with?

Feeley
question on E2a

Alfieri
Refers to the # of vehicles parked in an auxiliary parking area on the land
Not the personal vehicles being used but those being stored

Cerel
section - D1a provides additional detail in answer to Councilor Bartlett's question
Building Commissioner would be required to have an objective standard

Feeley
this should go through the normal process

Live reporting - License transactions

F. HEARINGS - none

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS – Request for Approval of Change of Manager – 99 Restaurant - approved 8-0

Live reporting - Town Council - 5/6/09

Attending: Whalen, Mason, Vallee, Bartlett, Feeley, Pfeffer, McGann, Doak, Zollo (late)
Missing:

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – April 1, 2009
motion to approve - passed 8-0

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
schedule change for June
June 3, 10, 11, if req'd special meeting on Jun 24th
10, 11 will be the budget hearings

Dedication of new monument on Memorial Day

WMRC - 1490 AM
free lunch for 1st 300 people
at Senior Center

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none

E. APPOINTMENTS

• Cultural Council - Kathy Stankard - approved 8-0
  
• Council on Aging - Paul J O'Connell - approved 8-0
  
• Charles River Pollution Control District - William J Goode - approved 8-0