Franklin TV: MIAA on Officiating

The Challenges and Rewards of Refereeing Sports. 

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 03/12/2023

If there is one venue where parental passions tend to run hot, it’s school sports. The folks who officiate games often take the brunt of many an overwrought complaint.

Franklin TV: MIAA on Officiating

However, they know that feelings can run deep, and they try to take it all in stride.

The discussion was upbeat, and focused on how all involved; coaches, officials and parents – how everyone can help to make the student experience positive while promoting good sportsmanship. Jay, Pete, our guest officials and MIAA’s Rich Pearson covered it all in an informed conversation worth watching.

Watch for this and other episodes about all the ins-and-outs of school sports on, ‘Winning Ways with MIAA’.

Thanks for listening to 102.9 wfpr●fm. 

And – as always – thanks for watching

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

Joint Budget Subcommittee hears the Town is faced with resolving a $5.7M budget deficit (audio)

FM #956 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 956 in the series.

This session shares the Town of Franklin (MA) Joint Budget Subcommittee meeting held on Wednesday, Mar 8, 2023. The meeting was conducted in the Council Chambers. Remote participation was enabled for the public for this session. 

The Joint Budget Subcommittee is composed of the budget subcommittee of the Town Council, the Finance Committee and the School Committee.

• Chair - Tom Mercer, Brian Chandler, Cobi Frongillo and Melanie Hamblen of the Town Council
• George Conley, John Grace, Michael Hamilton, and Natalie Riley of the Finance Committee
• David McNeill, David Callaghan and Meghan Whitmore (absent) of the School Committee

Quick recap

• The Joint Budget Subcommittee met for almost 2 hours on Wednesday and has the task now of resolving the  $5.7M deficit between projected revenues and projected expenses for the FY 2024 budget. 

• The recognition of the issue and some of the school budget cost drivers was where most of the time was spent. The next steps and strategy to resolve the deficit were not mentioned. 

• Chair Mercer urged all present for this and future discussions to refrain from talking about 'sides'. We are one Franklin, we are all in this together. We can talk about the 'town part' or the 'school part' but it is our budget and needs to be worked collaboratively.

• Councilor Frongillo did reference his rationale for increasing density with smart growth as one way to increase revenue without further burdening the expenses. The 'standard' option mentioned was reducing expenses (meaning reducing services) and since 70% of the budget is people would mean reductions somewhere.  There was also mention of 'finding other sources of revenue.' 

• For those listening who have been through this before, there is no 'other source' of revenue to resolve such a deficit. There can be increases within the existing revenue streams and the key question is whether anyone is ready to have that discussion.

• There was no 'next meeting' mentioned during the session to develop the strategy that is needed for the Town to have a sustainable budget.

The show notes contain a link to the agenda and to my notes.

The recording runs about 2 hours, so let’s listen to the Joint Budget Subcommittee meeting of Mar 8, 2023.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-956-tof-joint-budget-subcmte-mtg-03-08-23

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Town Administrator Jamie Hellen highlights the expected revenue and expense items and summarizes them in the budget narrative. The budget narrative can be found here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/03/fy-2024-budget-narrative-for-discussion.html 

The full agenda document and supporting docs can be found here ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/03/joint-budget-subcommittee-meeting.html 

Franklin TV/YouTube Video link ->  https://www.youtube.com/live/5RqRcDQCNuI?feature=share 

My notes captured via Twitter are combined in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1buX_DBa5Jz6m9osdAhNjxIAM5yY5tk7T/view?usp=share_link 

Joint Budget Subcommittee page ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/joint-budget-subcommittee 

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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

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

 

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

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"

Joint Budget Subcommittee hears the Town is faced with resolving a $5.7M budget deficit (audio)

Franklin Public School Spring Art Showcase - March 15 - 4:30 to 6:30 PM

The Franklin Public School Spring Art Showcase is available for viewing at Franklin High School on Wednesday, March 15 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. Student works from across the district will be on display.

Franklin Public School Spring Art Showcase - March 15 - 4:30 to 6:30 PM

Shared from Twitter -> https://t.co/FNxQGX1M31

An Update from Your Congressman Jake Auchincloss - March 10, 2023

LAST 2 WEEKS IN REVIEW I'm your representative in Congress and I write to keep you informed. On the Hill China Select Committee Hearing: Last week, I participated in the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party's first hearing, where we discussed the CCP's threat to America. I spoke about my belief that competing with the CCP on values starts with defending those values at home. As I said in the hearing, January 6th, 2021 was Xi Jinping's best day in office. We must heal and strengthen American democracy if we're going to advance democracy globally. You can read more about our first hearing here. Taiwan: Yesterday, I spoke about my trip to Taiwan and the need for the United States to maintain a strong partnership with the island. I met with the president, government officials of both parties, business executives, and military commanders. The trip reaffirmed that we must remain committed to standing up to the Chinese Communist Party. The United States and Taiwan should help support each other's democracies through collaboration on countering disinformation and propaganda. We should also strengthen one another's economies through increased flows of trade and investment. Specifically, we should negotiate expanded market access, common rules, and the end of double taxation on Taiwanese investment in the United States, which is especially critical as we seek to revive US semiconductor manufacturing. As the United States seeks to strengthen our position in the Indo-Pacific, let us commit to Taiwan as a long-term ally. Environmental Scorecard: I am proud to have received an "A" rating from the League of Conservation Voters for the third year in a row. As a young parent, I am focused on leaving the planet better than we found it – and my voting record in Congress reflects that. Since the start of my first term, I have been a leading proponent of offshore wind development off Massachusetts' South Coast. From supporting clean energy to expanding transit to safeguarding our water, we must protect and heal our planet. I will continue to support legislation that advances environmental stewardship and advances the clean energy transition in the 118th Congress. Make your voice heard → What do you think about offshore wind? Do you support offshore wind as a clean energy source? Around the Fourth OpusNewton Groundbreaking: Earlier this week, I attended the groundbreaking for OpusNewton, a 174-unit apartment building for middle-income older adults who don't qualify for subsidized housing, but cannot afford market-rate units. I was joined by Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, State Senator Cynthia Creem, and Mayor of Newton Ruthanne Fuller in celebrating the production of more housing. We must continue to support developments like this one as Massachusetts grapples with its biggest challenge: the cost of housing. Town Halls: I'm hosting a series of three town halls tomorrow, March 11, in Milford, Attleboro, and Fall River. I look forward to the opportunity to meet you, hear your concerns, and answer your questions about Congress. You will also have an opportunity to connect with my staff to avail yourself of casework services in our office. If you'd like to attend, please see below the details and links to RSVP for each town hall. I hope to see you there. Milford Town Hall Saturday, March 11th 10:30 AM-11:30 AM Milford Town Hall 52 Main St, Milford, MA 01757 RSVP Here Attleboro Town Hall Saturday, March 11th 12:30 PM-1:30 PM Sweet Community House 44 Peck St, Attleboro, MA 02703 RSVP Here Fall River Town Hall Saturday, March 11th 2:30 PM-3:30 PM Fall River Government Center 1 Government Center, Fall River, MA 02720 RSVP Here Onwards, Jake WASHINGTON 15 Independence Avenue SE 1524 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5931 NEWTON 29 Crafts Street Suite 375 Newton, MA 02458 Phone: (617) 332-3333 ATTLEBORO 8 North Main Steet Suite 200 Attleboro, MA 02703 Phone: (508) 431-1110 Contact

Are you a Pickleballer?! Play and help the SAFE Coalition!!

Hello SAFE Community!

Are you a Pickleballer? 

Come out and join us on March 26th to test those skills!

Beginner and Advanced Team options

No gear? No problem! We have you covered!

Raffle items, fabulous gift bags, healthy competition!

 

Your support will help continue the groundbreaking work by the SAFE Coalition which is to listen to the needs of the community and develop compassionate styles of care for anyone impacted by mental health, substance use, domestic violence, and sexual assault. All our programs remain free of charge to any community member interested in care.

We look forward to seeing you!   

Sign up here -> https://www.safecoalitionma.org/pickleball

Warmly,

Jen Levine

CEO, co-founder

SAFE Coalition

Our Contact Information

SAFE Coalition

31 Hayward St., Unit 2c

Franklin, MA 02038-0434

774 847 9474          http://www.safecoalitionma.org

Are you a Pickleballer?! Play and help the SAFE Coalition!!

Tri-County gets grant for a food truck, scheduled to roll out in Fall 2023

"Tri-County was awarded a Capital Skills grant for $499,999 for Culinary Arts! TC is the proud new owner of a food truck and with the rest plans to buy a great deal of new equipment. 

Tri-County will hold a competition to name the food truck! Our graphic communications students will compete to come up with the design for the truck. 

The retrofitting is planned to be completed by the fall! 

Get ready TC community here we come to feed you! "

Shared from Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpns9DLyPvh/

Tri-County gets grant for a food truck, scheduled to roll out in Fall 2023

Franklin Q&A scheduled for Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 11:00 AM

Due to the partial opening of the Senior Center this week, and due to the Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner with the Franklin Fire Dept on March 15 (sold out), the monthly Q&A session will be scheduled for Wednesday, March 22 and available in person as well as via Zoom.

What is going on with .... ?

What happened to ....?

How come .... ?

• If you want the Zoom link, please use this form, email me, or comment on this post  ->  https://forms.gle/ceEcaXZTvD879HpL9

Download this flyer to share with a friend or neighbor ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ltVU33ULQO3WVQUiZtZxbmPWa_HkGMsv/view?usp=share_link

Town of Franklin: Job Opportunities for Human Resources, Town Administration, DPW, Facilities & more (updated)

Job Opportunities

To apply for a vacant position, please submit a resume and cover letter to apply@franklinma.gov.  Please put the job title in the subject line of your email. 

Benefits Coordinator - Human Resources Department

Local Building Inspector - Building and Inspections Department

Deputy Town Administrator - Office of Town Administrator

Staff Engineer - Department of Public Works

Part Time and Substitute Custodians - Facilities Department 

Updated 03/10/2023

If you do not have a resume, you may send a completed Application for Employment instead.

To receive notifications of all job opportunities in the Town of Franklin, subscribe here.

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/human-resources/pages/job-opportunities

Town of Franklin: Job Opportunities for Human Resources, Town Administration, DPW, Facilities & more (updated) 

The Guardian: turf issue link to Phillies health?; heat pump explainer

“There is a high number of Philadelphia Phillies diagnosed with this rare cancer and it looks weird, so that should be a red flag,” said Bennett. “We don’t know what those chemicals are doing to us – what happened to exercising caution when we’re talking about human health?”

However, all brain cancer experts who have spoken with the Guardian or were quoted in previous stories on the Phillies deaths cautioned that it is impossible to prove that the ball players’ cancers were caused by PFAS from the turf.

“The bottom line is anything in the world is possible, but what’s plausible and provable are totally different things,” said Henry Friedman, a neuro-oncologist at Duke University who treated two of the players. “There is no way to now say, ‘If these chemicals are there, they are causing the tumors.’”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/10/phillies-ball-players-cancer-artifical-turf

"Few climate technologies have ever had a moment quite like the one heat pumps are currently enjoying.

While the share of electric vehicles and induction stoves sales may be growing, they still represent a sliver of all cars and stoves sold respectively. US heat pump sales, though, surpassed those of gas furnaces last year as the tech of choice to keep homes comfortable.

The sudden rise of the heat pump may have you wondering: what actually are they, how do they work, and are there incentives that can help lower the price?"

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/11/heat-pump-revolution-what-you-need-to-know

A heat pump can do both – warm and cool the house depending on the season. Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images

FREE Beginner Yoga Class for Veterans - March 24

FREE Beginner Yoga Class for Veterans

Friday, March 24, 6:15 PM - Vets and Spouses/Partners Invited!

Christopher Boehm, Veteran, and Certified Yoga Instructor, invites Vets and their spouses/partners to join him on Friday, March 24 at 6:15 PM for a FREE BEGINNER yoga class at Franklin Family Karate.

Interested? Email Chris at: christopher.m.boehm@gmail.com

See flier for details!

Shared from ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/veterans-services/news/free-beginner-veterans-yoga-class

FREE Beginner Yoga Class for  Veterans - March 24

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Meeting Agenda for Mar 14, 2023 - 7 PM

Franklin School Committee

March 14, 2023 - 7:00 PM

Municipal Building – Council Chambers

Call to Order                                              Ms. Spencer

Pledge of Allegiance

Moment of Silence

I. Routine Business

A. Review of Agenda

B. Payment of Bills Mr. McNeill

C. Payroll Ms. Spencer

D. FHS Student Representative Comments

E. Superintendent’s Report

II. Guests/Presentations

A. Parmenter Highlights

B. FY24 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget

III. Discussion/Action Items

A. Franklin School Committee Resolution Special Education Circuit Breaker Funding

I recommend support of the resolution for Special Education Circuit Breaker

funding as discussed.  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_a_-_resolution-_circuit_breaker.pdf

B. Franklin School Committee Resolution Universal Free School Meals

I recommend support of the resolution for Universal Free School Meals as

discussed.  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_b_-_resolution_free_meals.pdf

IV. Discussion Only Items

A. none

V. Information Matters

A. School Committee Sub-Committee Reports

B. School Committee Liaison Reports

VI. Consent Agenda

A. Approval of Minutes

I recommend approval of the minutes from the February 28, 2023 School

Committee meeting as detailed.

B. JFK Gift

I recommend acceptance of a check for $1158.60 from the JFK PCC for

supplemental supplies as detailed.

VII. Citizen’s Comments

VIII. New Business

To discuss any future agenda items

IX. Executive Session

a. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §21(a)(3) to discuss strategy with respect to

collective bargaining with the Van Drivers, Cafeteria, ESP/LPN and

Secretaries units as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on

the bargaining position of the School Committee and the chair so

declares.

X. Adjournment 

The agenda doc includes remote participation info ->   https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_3-14-23.pdf

The meeting packet folder contains the documents released for this meeting (not all documents are released Before the meeting)

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/march-14-2023-school-committee-meeting-packet

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Meeting Agenda for Mar 14, 2023 - 7 PM

Franklin Senior Center update on opening status for week of March 13 - 17, 2023

Hello Everyone!

Next week, the Franklin Senior Center will continue to be open only partially. The Senior Center's Common Grounds Café and attached multipurpose room will be open and fully functional. Although the rest of the building will still be inaccessible, we are able to have breakfast and lunch daily, as well as varied programming throughout the week! Everyone will need to enter through the multi purpose room doors (to the left of the main entrance), as entrance into the lobby will be prohibited while construction is happening. 

On Wednesday, March 15th, there will not be any programming at the Senior Center and the café will be closed due to our Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner with the Franklin Fire Dept., which is already sold out!

The programming schedule will be posted on our website and social media, or you can give us a call at 508-520-4945 to see what programs are available to you if you do not have computer access.

The hope is the rest of the building is mostly back is open as of the following Monday, March 20th.

Thanks for your understanding and patience!

-Danielle Hopkins, 
Franklin Senior Center Director

Audio file ->  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/franklin-senior-center-update-on-opening-status-for-week-of-march-13-2023

programming schedule

Franklin Senior Center update on opening status for week of March 13 - 17,  2023

Participate in the virtual Redistricting Analysis Forum - March 13 at 6 PM; or at least provide input to the survey

Did you miss the first Redistricting Analysis forum on March 7? Join us March 13, at 6 PM, via Zoom https://buff.ly/3miXR6e 

The same information as presented on March 7 will be covered as well on March 13. Unable to participate in either session? We encourage you to review the presentation & complete the corresponding survey.

The Story Map outlines the case for redistricting and the three options: https://buff.ly/3l2fRlm The audio recording of the March 7 session is available -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/03/less-than-20-participate-in.html

The Survey facilitates your feedback on the three options: https://buff.ly/421zoTp

Redistricting Analysis Forum - March 13 at 6 PM

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews/status/1633588658484953088