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Friday, December 18, 2020
Consumer Alerts: Santa doesn’t need your Social Security number
Town Council approves creation of Community Preservation Committee
It's official!
The Franklin Town Council unanimously passed the by-law to create the 9-member Community Preservation Committee (CPC) on Wednesday, Dec 16!
Town Administrator Jamie Hellen said last night he expects to announce applications for the four at-large seats will be available in January. The 5 boards which have standing representatives will also begin work to consider which of each committee's current members wishes to serve on the initial CPC.
If you are considering applying for either an at-large seat or a board rep seat, please know that training will be available through the Town and our friends at the state coalition!
Two of the initial at-large seats will have one year terms, and two will have two year terms to stagger the terms.
Applications
will be reviewed by the Town Administrator and final appointments will
be made by the Town Council.
Bylaw document = https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/10c._20-864_cpc_1.pdf
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| Town Council approves creation of Community Preservation Committee |
Library of Congress: Completes Digitization of 23 Early Presidential Collections
Library of Congress Completes Digitization of 23 Early Presidential Collections The Library of Congress has completed a more than two decade-long initiative to digitize the papers of nearly two dozen early presidents. The Library holds the papers of 23 presidents from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge, all of which have been digitized and are now available online (https://www.loc.gov/collections/). Click here for more information (https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-20-085/?loclr=ealn).
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Thursday, December 17, 2020
Franklin Residents: Winter Storm Update
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FM #415 Franklin Senior Center Nurse P-Collatos - 12/09/20 (audio)
FM #415 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 415 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Patricia (Trish) Collatos, the nurse at the Franklin Senior Center. The conversation was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
The recording runs almost about 23 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Trish. Audio link = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HcSKYqfS
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The Town of Franklin Senior Center page https://www.franklinma.gov/fsc
Senior Center updates during this pandemic
Prior sessions with Trish
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?
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
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"
- April, 2020 = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/04/fm-253-senior-ctr-nurse-trish-collatos.html
- February, 2020 = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/02/fm-205-intro-conversation-with-trish.html
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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
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
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"
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| FM #415 Franklin Senior Center Nurse P-Collatos - 12/09/20 (audio) |
MMA: "New video highlights link between taxes and essential services"
From the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA)
"The leaders of Lawrence and Arlington share their views on the property tax and local services in a new video from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy that highlights the connection between taxes and the ability of communities to control their own destinies.
Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera and Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine are interviewed in the nine-minute video, “Property Tax 101: Why the Property Tax,” which explains the importance of the property tax and the value of local government.
“I think about local government as the most important form of government,” Rivera says in the video. “It’s the closest to people. Let me tell you something: if one mayor falls down on the job, if one city council falls down on the job, you feel it immediately. And so local government and the way we fund local government is very, very important.”
Continue reading the article online
Visit the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy online https://www.lincolninst.edu/
Direct link to video "Property Tax 101: Why the Property Tax" on YouTube => https://youtu.be/yElQHQjjIxM
FPS Digital Learning: "Maintaining Connections during Hybrid and Remote Learning"
The FPS Digital Learning Integrationists have a new web page to help share information on what they do to support the teachers and students in the classroom environment with technology.
"In a typical school year, 8th grade ELA teacher Lauren Berolini can be found meeting one-on-one with students for writers' conferences. Ms. Berolini uses this format to provide specific, authentic feedback in a private and personal setting and values the opportunity it provides to make personal connections with students.
In an effort to maintain these personal connections as students develop their writing skills in this hybrid and remote setting, Ms. Berolini requested help from the Digital Learning Integrationists to identify digital tools for providing feedback to students. Together they explored Mote, a google extension that enables voice note feedback within Google Classroom, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides."
Continue reading the article
Direct video link = https://youtu.be/RrhcLUjoEVQ
FHS Boys Basketball helping Franklin Police Dept with toy drive, and you can too!
The Franklin Boys Basketball team will be collecting unwrapped toys to for the Franklin Police Department Toy Drive. If you'd like to donate, you can drive up to the FHS gym entrance on Sat, Dec 19th, from 11:30-12:00, & the players can retrieve the toy(s) from your vehicle.
Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/fhsboysbball/status/1339202026383826946?s=03
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| FHS Boys Basketball helping Franklin Police Dept with toy drive, and you can too! |
St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation - Jan 2, 2021
The St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group invites all interested women to attend our monthly Zoom meeting, held the first Saturday of each month. The next meeting will take place on January 2nd from 9:30-10:15 AM.
We will be viewing a short video by Bishop Barron concerning New Year's Resolutions. There will be time at the end of the program for attendees to share your thoughts and ideas.
If you are interested in attending, please email Deacon Guy (deaconguy@stmarysfranklin.org) to receive the link to the Zoom meeting.
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| St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation - Jan 2, 2021 |
MMA: "MBLC releases new space planning guide for libraries"
From the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA)
"The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners in mid-November released a free, 160-page guide to planning new or reconfigured public library spaces.
“This space planning guide will not only help plan flexible and efficient library buildings that meet a community’s unique needs,” said Library Building Specialist Lauren Stara, “it will also save communities time and money as they begin exploring options for a new or reconfigured library.”
“Library Space: A Planning Resource for Librarians” creates a formal set of best practices for designing library space that may be applied to libraries across the nation, according to the Board of Library Commissioners. The guide empowers librarians, administrators, space planners and architects with tools for the planning and design of public library buildings. It takes the user through the step-by-step process of determining what to consider when designing a new library for their community, and includes illustrations of different room types, adjacencies, shelving and seating that can be considered for a building project."
Continue reading the article online
Visit the MA Board of Library Commissioners at https://mblc.state.ma.us/
Direct link to the new guide https://mblc.state.ma.us/programs-and-support/construction/libraryspace.php
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| Franklin's Library in the sun after a snow storm |
Boston Globe: "The power for the public sector to mandate vaccines is clearer"
"The first shots against the coronavirus made their way into the arms of eager front line health care workers nationwide this week, providing a glimmer of hope for a post-pandemic world. But once those volunteers are all vaccinated, some workers who are less excited about the vaccine could face mandates to receive it anyway, public health and legal experts say.
For now, doses of the newly authorized Pfizer vaccine are in short supply and have not yet been approved for use in children or pregnant women, meaning any potential mandates are likely still months or more away. But while President-elect Joe Biden has said he doesn’t support a vaccine mandate, in the future, private businesses, schools, and perhaps even states and localities could require the shots for those who don’t qualify for religious or medical exemptions.
“I absolutely envisage that, say, by the fall, when students are coming back to universities and when businesses are coming back and we want to get our economy on track, that there will be requirements for students and employees to be vaccinated,” said Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law specializing in public health law."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
Boston Globe: "House rejects Baker’s changes to abortion measure"
"The Massachusetts House on Wednesday rejected Governor Charlie Baker’s amendment to their abortion measure and restored language they’d originally adopted, allowing patients as young as 16 to get abortions without parental consent.
A supermajority, 107 members, voted against the governor’s changes, while 49 voted for them.
“The House today reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to protecting reproductive rights in Massachusetts under threat by changes in the makeup of the US Supreme Court,” House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo said in a statement. ”The House acted to keep intact those provisions in Massachusetts that safeguard reproductive choices for all.”
The Democratic-led Legislature included the measure in the state’s $45.9 billion budget bill in order to guarantee abortion access in Massachusetts, in anticipation of national changes to abortion rights under a newly conservative Supreme Court. The language would codify into state law the right to an abortion, which has been guaranteed by the court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade since 1973."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/16/metro/house-rejects-bakers-changes-abortion-legislation/
And from CommonWealth Magazine:
THE HOUSE on Wednesday voted 107-49 to reject Gov. Charlie Baker’s amendment paring back a legislative proposal to expand access to abortion in Massachusetts.
The measure now goes to the Senate, which is likely to vote similarly, and from there back to the governor, who can veto it, sign it into law, or let it become law without his signature.
Baker refused to say what he will do on Wednesday. “We’ll see whatever happens with whatever they send back to us,” he said.
Continue reading the article online
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Urgent: Winter Storm Alerts
Winter Storm Alerts
A winter storm is approaching this evening and will be with us until tomorrow. Please make note of the following alerts:
- A full parking ban is in effect from 12 pm tonight until noon tomorrow
- No Trash Collection tomorrow, Thursday, Dec 16th. Trash will be delayed by one day.
- The Municipal Building will be closed from 8 am-noon tomorrow. Employees will be working remotely until noon and are available via email or voicemail.
Stay safe!
Read more about Emergency information https://www.franklinma.gov/home/pages/emergency-management-information
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| Urgent: Winter Storm Alerts |
Franklin Public Schools: Remote Learning - December 17, 2020
December 16, 2020
Dear Franklin Families and Faculty/Staff,
We are monitoring the forecast very carefully. At this time, a long duration storm is forecasted with snow falling overnight into tomorrow and accumulating to between 10-15 inches. The snow is forecasted to be light and fluffy, which poses a lesser risk for power outages.
Given this forecast, Franklin Public Schools will have a Remote Learning day for all schools on Thursday, December 17, 2020.
In the event of a power outage, families should call their child's school office. VLA families should call the Superintendent's Office. Voicemails will be transcribed into emails and forwarded to secretaries. Students will be marked present if they participate in school using asynchronous materials provided by their teacher.
If a staff member loses power, they should contact their building administrator. A building administrator will be in touch with families of their class(es) directly.
We will monitor power outages in the area and, in the event of widespread outages, many need to alter the plan and call a snow day.
We acknowledge that this may come as a disappointment to some who love the tradition of a snow day. At this time, we think it best to continue with the plans we set in place within the past few weeks for remote learning, a model we used early in the year with the idea that we could quickly move back to it during the school year. We will monitor the experience on remote learning days during snow events to inform future decision making.
Additional information about inclement weather can be found on our website.
Sincerely,
Franklin Public Schools
Franklin Public Schools: Remote Learning - December 17, 2020
FM #414 Talk Franklin - 12/11/20 (audio)
FM #414 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 414 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Marketing and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
We talk about:
Business listening session
Town Council
- Holiday special edition
- #ThinkFranklinFirst gift cards
Town Council
- New councilor
- CPA comes back
- Payment for treatment facility
We’ll record a session of Talk Franklin each week leading to Christmas and take the holiday week off to begin again in 2021. After this session, we have one more to close out 2020.
Links to the key topics covered here are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 45 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie. Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8cb9f089-78b3-477a-9670-daa14150728c
Town Council meeting 12/09/20 agenda and docs
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-dec-16.html
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-dec-16.html
Business Listening Session - Dec 9 - recap
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/edc-business-listening-session-3-recap.html
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/edc-business-listening-session-3-recap.html
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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
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
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"
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