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Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Matt Nakoa, March 9, 8:00 PM at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse
Annual Report for the Treasurer-Collector: FY 2023 Report
I am pleased to present the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Accountability Report for the Treasurer-Collector office.
The Treasurer-Collector's office mission is to perform in the highest professional and ethical manner to safeguard the Town of Franklin's public resources. We also strive to provide a high standard of customer service to the residents and employees of the Town of Franklin.
In Fiscal Year 2022, Franklin was awarded a AAA (Triple-A) bond rating by Stand and Poor's Global Ratings in May. Progressing from the town's previous AA+, the new rating is indicative of exceptionally high credit- worthiness in the eyes of municipal bond issuers.
The Treasurer Collector's office went Green! We now offer our residents the option to go paperless and for the residents' convenience the Town is waiving the ACH fee when paying by electronic check.
During FY 2023, $175,198.20 was collected in back property taxes, interest and fees. Eight (8) property owners paid off all outstanding taxes and redeemed their properties out of tax title. We continue to pursue delinquent taxes through the foreclosure process and there are currently 9 properties in Land Court.
There were 535 Municipal Lien Certificates issued by the Treasurer-Collector's office generating revenue of $26,750. Also collected was $3,355 in fees for duplicate bills and files that we supplied to tax services and escrow agents. During FY23, the Treasurer- Collector's office printed and mailed 10,795 Real Estate Tax bills and 640 Personal Property Tax bills four times a year. We also sent out 35,269 Motor Vehicle Excise Tax bills, and 42,525 Utility bills. The following Demands were also printed and mailed, 546 Real Estate Tax, 109 Personal Property Tax, and 4,900 Motor Vehicle Excise Tax. There were 3,126 Motor Vehicle warrants issued in FY23. There were nine (9) Betterment releases (water, sewer and road). We also collected $104,477 for backflow testing and $59,500 for Sprinkler/Hydrant charges.
The Treasurer also acts as the town's parking clerk. Our deputy collector, Kelley & Ryan Associates of Hopedale, handles the billing and collection of parking tickets. During FY23 we collected $10,869.80 for parking violations.
I would like to thank all town departments for the timely and accurate turnover of fees to the Treasurer-Collector's office. I also would like to acknowledge my team, I am constantly impressed by your performance. Thank you for using your remarkable talents and skills to fuel our mutual efforts. I am really proud to be part of this team. Finally, I like to thank the residents of Franklin for their kindness and support.
Respectfully submitted,
Kerri A. Bertone
Treasurer-Collector
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| Treasurer-Collector Interest FY 2023 Report |
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| Treasurer-Collector Chart 2 FY 2023 Report |
The Treasurer-Collector Report can also be found in one PDF ->
The full Town of Franklin FY 2023 Annual Report can be found online
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| Annual Report for the Treasurer-Collector: FY 2023 Report |
MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women Hosts Inspiring International Women's Day Event - Mar 8
The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women is proud to announce its upcoming International Women's Day event, scheduled for March 8, 2024 from 7-9 pm, at the Common Street Spiritual Center located at 13 Common Street in Natick. This event promises to be
an empowering celebration of women's achievements and a platform for advocacy and unity within the community.
International Women's Day is a globally recognized occasion that commemorates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while also calling for gender equality.
This year, the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women is organizing an event that highlights the resilience, strength, and contributions of women from diverse backgrounds.
The event will feature a series of inspiring speeches, artistic performances and exciting vendor displays all aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women. Attendees will have the
opportunity to engage with thought leaders, activists, and community members, fostering dialogue and collaboration on issues affecting women locally and globally.
"We are thrilled to host this year's International Women's Day event at the Common Street Spiritual Center," said Odessa Sanchez, Regional Commissioner of the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women. "This event provides an invaluable opportunity for us to come together as a community, celebrate the achievements of women, and reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and women's rights."
In addition to the enriching program, the event will also support a worthy cause - combating period poverty. The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women is partnering with We Are Fihri, a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing period poverty, to provide period poverty kits to those in need. These kits contain essential menstrual hygiene products and aim to alleviate the financial burden associated with menstruation for vulnerable individuals.
The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women encourages individuals and organizations across the region to join in this celebration, support women's empowerment, and contribute to the
fight against period poverty.
Tickets for the event are free. Space is limited, please reserve at
About the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women
The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women is dedicated to promoting gender equality, advancing women's rights, and empowering women and girls in the MetroWest region of
Massachusetts. Through advocacy, education, and community engagement, the Commission works to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all. For more information, please visit
Cinema 80: "The Freshman" scheduled for showing at the Historical Museum Feb 24
During February, the Museum will welcome the public to Cinema 80 – a new program of films of the 20th century, curated by Chris Leverone in cooperation with the Franklin Senior Center. Leverone, a videographer and graphics artist from Franklin, has directed promotional and fundraising videos, and is currently a producer at Franklin TV and is extremely passionate about film.
Silent Saturdays start at 6 PM on Feb. 17 and Feb. 24.
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| The Freshman |
Then, on Feb. 24 it's The Freshman, a hilarious look at college culture 100 years ago, (we are a college town after all!). Both films are about 75 minutes in length.
"We are excited to provide this free, innovative programming in a time slot that should leave people free to squeeze even more into their Saturday night," said Commission Chair Alan Earls. "The best of the silent films are amazing and just as entertaining as anything Hollywood is doing today, we are sure our Franklin audience will agree," he added.
The Franklin Historical Museum is located at 80 West Central Street, Franklin. The museum is open Saturday mornings from 10 AM - 1 PM and Sunday afternoons from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM. When visiting the museum, please consider donating a non-perishable item for the Franklin Food Pantry.
Annual Report for the Franklin Technology Department: FY 2023 Report
The 2023 Annual Report for the Town of Franklin's Technology Department highlights a year of significant accomplishments and progress in advancing the technological infrastructure and services within the town and school district. Despite the challenges posed by the rapidly evolving technology landscape, the department has been able to maintain excellent customer support metrics and make progress on some key initiatives
Department Overview
The Technology Department oversees all technology related functions of the Town of Franklin and the Franklin Public School District. The Technology Department remains committed to empowering the town and school district with innovative solutions, efficient processes, and robust infrastructure. The department's dedicated team works collaboratively to support the town's operations, ensure data security, and drive digital transformation to increase productivity and create efficiencies wherever and whenever opportunities may arise.
Key Initiatives and Achievements
The fiscal year 2023 saw the successful implementation of several technology projects for both the school and town technology systems. We have upgraded hardware and software across various departments, leading to improved efficiency and productivity. Some of those initiatives are listed here
• Upgrade to wifi at the police department
• DPW Autocad® computer upgrade.
• Installed new projection systems in all gymnasiums.
• Purchased a new large format scanner for the Health department.
• Replaced all non-functioning video displays at the Franklin High School.
• Upgraded the MediaCAST® video distribution system at the Franklin High School.
• Upgrades to 100 town and school desktop workstations.
Upgrades to the town's network infrastructure have enhanced connectivity, allowing for seamless communication and data sharing.
Infrastructure , Network, and Security
• Upgraded the school's internet access to 10GB fiber from Cogent Communications.
• Extended the town's fiber optic network to the new forge hill water department and transfer station.
The department invested in server upgrades to ensure optimal performance and reliability of critical systems.
• Replaced all Domain Controllers throughout town and school buildings.
• Upgraded all servers throughout town and school to Windows Server 2019.
Additional cybersecurity measures have been implemented to safeguard sensitive information and protect against cyber threats.
• Multi-Factor Authentication has been implemented for all town employee accounts and all non-union school accounts. The remaining accounts are in progress and will be completed first quarter FY 24.
• DUO® Multi-factor authentication for high risk. users' Windows® accounts and VPN users.
• Sophos® Managed Detection and Response service monitoring has been implemented throughout the town and school network and computer systems. This system greatly reduces our risk exposure and the potential for a costly ransomware attack.
• DOS Arrest® service has also been purchased and implemented to guard against Denial of Service attacks against the school district which would be catastrophic if such attacks occurred during MCAS online testing.
Remote Work Solutions
The Technology Department plays a pivotal role in enabling remote work capabilities, ensuring business continuity during challenging times.
Challenges
Despite the achievements listed above the Technology Department continues to work through the following persistent challenges.
• Budget constraints to replace aging hardware and infrastructure within a reasonable technology life-cycle timeframe
• Cybersecurity is a moving target and is a constant concern
• Employee recruitment and retention is always challenging due to limited budgets and competition with the private sector salaries
Mitigation strategies have been employed to attempt to address these challenges and we strive to ensure the smooth functioning of technology initiatives.
Budget Allocation and Expenditure
As can be seen in the town budget documents available online, the lion's share of the technology budget (95%) is licensing fees for the myriad software we utilize throughout the town. Similarly 96% of the non-salary school budget is also licensing and support fees. Very little is left over for discretionary spending such as hardware repair and maintenance.
Future Roadmap
Technology goals for the upcoming year include the following:
• Replacement of 400 Student Chromebooks and consideration of a possible leasing model to create a sustainable funding source for these replacements over the next 4 years.
• Replacement of 300 Teacher Laptops.
• Plan for replacing 130 10-year-old ceiling mounted projectors at the Franklin High School with TouchView® interactive panels (as we have these already throughout all K-8 classrooms)
• Continuous improvements in technology security (wherever that road may lead) including restoration of a Technology Security Specialist full time position.
• Implement an employee tracking system for Human Resources Department.
• Implement an electronic file storage system and onboarding software for the Human Resources Department.
• Work with the Facilities Department to replace the 10-year-old security camera system at the Franklin High School.
Of course this is not a definitive list as the Technology Department is often called on to provide creative solutions to time-sensitive day-to-day challenges that arise within the organization.
Acknowledgments
The Technology Department could never be as successful as we have been without the dedication and commitment to excellence of the amazing team of professional staff that we are so fortunate to employ. Just as I am aware of the lucrative financial draw of the technology private sector, so are the rest of the team, yet, they (and I) choose to work in Franklin. Why?
Because Franklin is a great place to work! The friendly, respectful environment that permeates throughout all departments promotes a sense of purpose and duty that is rare in the workplace today.
I conclude with a gesture of gratitude to all Franklin employees, committee members, partners, vendors and stakeholders that have contributed to the Technology Department's success and Franklin's success!
For more information, please visit the Technology Department website located at:
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Timothy Rapoza
Director of Technology Services
Town of Franklin, Franklin Public Schools
The Technology Dept report can also be found in one PDF ->
The full Town of Franklin FY 2023 Annual Report can be found online
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Wright's Old School Chocolate to be part of GBH radio show Feb 23
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Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Tuesday, Feb 20, 2024
wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Tuesday
9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and 6:00 PM Jazz Journey – with Pamela Hines
2 hours. An insightful tour of Jazz Greats in a golden era
11:00 AM 2 PM and 8:00 PM SAFE Radio– Jim Derick and Dr. Anne Bergen Addressing issues of Drug Abuse Disorder
Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = TUESDAY
Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = TUESDAY
Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = TUESDAY
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
Monday, February 19, 2024
Watch the Zoning Board of Appeals playlist on YouTube back to January 2022
Franklin TV broadcasts many Town and School meetings to multiple channels.
- Verizon and Comcast
- Live stream via Zoom
- And to YouTube
You can find the Zoning Board of Appeals playlist on YouTube for meetings since January 2022 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw-g2ngYV90&list=PLNyv0AkVasIRxk98bczKYSJkO2H2k946r
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| Watch the Zoning Board of Appeals playlist on YouTube back to January 2022 |
Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 257: behind The Savory Lane (audio)
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 257
Exploring all things wine with you!
In this episode Kim and Mark uncork adventures with The Savory Lane
Calling all vino and spirit enthusiasts! This episode of The Wonderful World of Wine takes you on a delightful journey alongside the inspiring women behind **The Savory Lane**, a premier provider of winery, distillery tours and more .
Join host us as we chat with Lisa Galloni and Maria Czyzewski the passionate co-founders of The Savory Lane. We'll delve into their story, we discovered on Boston's Chronicle TV show, and their vision for crafting unforgettable experiences that go beyond just tastings.
Get ready to be whisked away on luxurious bus tours, immersing yourselves in the picturesque landscapes of New Englands renowned wine and distillery regions. We'll learn about The Savory Lane's curated partnerships with top wineries and distilleries, ensuring guests a taste of the finest local offerings all while riding Freddie.
But the adventure doesn't stop there! We'll also be joined by Anne Arnold, The Savory Lane's esteemed wine educator. Anne will share how the partnership was started and upcoming events.
You will be inspired be the story of The Savory Lane. So, uncork your curiosity and settle in for a captivating conversation that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you yearning for your next Savory Lane adventure.
Find the Savory Lane www.thesavorylane.com
Find Anne www.fromthevinetowine.com
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| Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 257: behind The Savory Lane (audio) |
#thewonderfulworldofwine #franklinma #thesavorylane .#podcast #wine #bustour
Heard the buzz about Franklin High School Theatre Company's production of Flowers for Algernon?
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Annual Report Of The Franklin Public Library: FY 2023 Report
Library Vision
Franklin Public Library strives to be the trusted source of inspiration, enrichment, and opportunity.
Library Mission
The mission of the Franklin Public Library is to foster knowledge and engagement through education, enrichment, and technology.
Strategic Priorities
• Be an informed citizen: local, national, and world affairs
• Foster inclusivity, diversity, equity & cultural awareness
• Connect to the online world
• Satisfy curiosity: Literacy & Lifelong Learning
• Stimulate imagination: Reading, Viewing, and Creating
• Succeed in School: resources & homework help
• Public space: accessible, comfortable, welcoming & safe physical and virtual Spaces
• Augment workforce development
• Bolster strategic communications: build awareness and use of services, programs, and collections.
FY23 Highlights
An Impactful Legacy
In December 2022, the Library received a significant donation of $70,000 from the Franklin Library Association, FLA. The FLA has been the cornerstone of the Library's inspirational history, the rock upon which the Franklin Public Library stands, the reason we still have the Benjamin Franklin Collection. This year, the FLA closed its books after a century of service.
FLA's contributions to our community are impossible to quantify. They acted in varying capacities first by rescuing the original collection from impeding ruin, second by funding the library operations until 1982 when the town took over, and then later by serving as guardians and benefactors of the Library's preservation, digitization and restoration efforts.
To date, they have expended over $525,000 for the preservation, digitization and restoration of a remarkable range of early written local materials with great significance to Franklin's history and the restoration of the beautiful paintings and murals.
A few examples of items that have been digitized and made available for the first time online include works that preceded the FLA to the present:
• Records of Justice Jabez Fisher
• Records of the FLA
• Notes on Franklin History, 1878
• Fire District records, 1868-1917
• School Committee record books, 1880-1919
• List of Residents directories for the Town of Franklin, 1884-2017
• 35 mm microfilm reel of the Franklin Town Records, 1736-1824
These resources are vital for genealogy and local history research.
Restoration of the Murals and Paintings
Previous restoration efforts of the Gallison/Juglaris murals and painting in Memorial Hall, the Delivery Room, and the Reading Gallery were substandard and damaging. With funding from the FLA, the library has done the following:
• Completed a detailed study of the murals and paintings by art and architectural experts to determine the best way to restore them to their original motifs. This required cleaning each work, removing layers of paint from previous restorations, and reinstating the historic colors and designs on the decorative plaster.
• Restored all of the paintings, frames, and murals in Memorial Hall and the Delivery Room
• Invested in a beautiful, glass case to display the original Benjamin Franklin donation
Restoration of the Reading Gallery is all that remains.
The community owes an innumerable debt of gratitude to the FLA for safe-guarding and preserving the magnificent art and architecture, the original Benjamin Franklin collection and other local history collections as well as the irreplaceable historic manuscript collection. These efforts ensure that future generations will continue to benefit from our unique historical collections and enjoy the awe-inspiring splendor of the building.
Vicki Earls, the Head of Reference and Public Services produced two significant documents - a brilliant and inspiring chronicle of the Town's historic districts, and an outstanding work of research clarifying how the Town of Franklin's name came to be. This work titled "What's in A Name? Benjamin Franklin and the Birth of a New Town in Revolutionary America" was publish in the Spring, 2023 volume of The New England Journal of History.
We implemented English as a Second language (ESL) program to help non-native English speakers improve their reading, writing, listening and conversational skills. To date, over 60 volunteer tutors have stepped up to the plate. The Library successfully applied for a $15,000 grant to expand the ESL collection and program.
Based on the feedback received from the 2022 survey, we have increased music events, and implemented weekly art workshops across a broad range of audiences. We shifted collections to increase accessible, comfortable and accepting spaces to accommodate mounting patron demand for more study and work space.
Library partnerships
The Library draws upon local and national expertise, community resources, and partnerships with municipal departments, community agencies, educational and cultural institutions, and individuals to assist in program delivery. In collaboration with the Health Department, we hosted two successful Health Fairs in October and May. 480 people participated in October and 668 in May.
Camille Bernstein teamed up with Steve Sherlock to bring the sophisticated art of creative writing through poetry to residents of all ages during National Poetry month in April.
Through partnerships with neighboring libraries we provided a wide range of opportunities to engage with new and exciting material and expanded virtual program offerings such as: author talks, history and art presentations and more.
Working with the IRS, we established a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site to serve low income patrons in our community. We look forward to expanding this program from two to three days a week in the coming year.
We began collaborations with local small businesses to bring hybrid attendance seminars on various topics of interest.
Keeping the youth engaged with enriching early literacy programs, exciting after school activities, homework help, outreach to the schools and summer reading and learning activities remain a priority.
The Youth Services department has enjoyed a period of growth and community goodwill over this fiscal year, with successes of over 35,000 in program attendance, school and community partnerships, and exciting plans for the future.
We introduced Community Conversations in collaboration with local poet/activist Jamele Adams, who alongside Caleigh facilitated and engaged community members of all ages in meaningful conversations on a range of topics, including generational differences, housing, book banning, racism, food insecurity, to name a few.
We worked with local community groups to expand our cultural programming. Annual celebrations include: Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Eid,
The President of Dean College generously offered the use of Dean facilities and grounds to the Library making it possible to accommodate large crowds of over 500 people at programs. Plans for joint grants and activities, such as dance and theatre shows, music & concerts, author visits, outdoor movies, library orientations for Dean students and faculty are underway. This exciting partnership will hopefully activate the sidewalks and streets between the Dean College and the library and grow to include the entire Franklin community in the years ahead.
Following the past season's success, we are expanding our Farmer's Market visits to include adult offerings for the upcoming market season, and will be providing more comprehensive library services onsite, from Museum pass highlights to library app tutorials, in addition to kids crafts and interactive activities.
School relationships:
In addition to our weekly BLAST program which reaches an average of 45-75 students per week at all 3 middle schools. We have expanded to the 5th grade at both Oak St and Keller Elementary. We plan to expand to other 5th grade classrooms in the future.
We offered a graphic novelist panel in partnership with the middle schools in May 2023, which included not just author talks and signings, but also some creative expression and art department faculty and student involvement.
We also expanded upon weekly storytimes at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) to ensure representation amongst the Monday, Wednesday, Friday classrooms. We have continued our quarterly visits to Dean College Children's Center and are also revitalizing our previous partnership with Bright Horizons that we enjoyed pre-COVID. All of these collaborations serve to connect families to library services, familiarize children, teachers, and caregivers with the library's offerings and also boost circulation within the department.
Program Attendance:
We have seen a steady upward trend in attendance numbers for our weekly, weekend, and afternoon storytimes. We have expanded our afternoon programming for all ages, currently providing toddler programs 3 afternoons a week, school-age programs 4 afternoons a week, and a weekly art program for middle school children. Tween and teen attendance at weekly programs is thriving. We have also enjoyed record numbers at our most recent holiday programming, notably our Trunk or Treat event and our Noon Year's Eve Party.
Summer Reading
Our summer reading program seeks to connect families with library resources and provide opportunities for reading, learning, and engagement. Programs include reading logs, activity packets and incentives. So far, over 800 children, teens and adults have signed up for the Summer 2023 Reading program.
We are deeply grateful for the Town Administrator's unwavering support and the Town council's continued investment in a strong library. This makes it possible for staff to continue to innovate, adapt and meet the needs of our community.
The Friends provide valuable support through their sponsorship of library events, program incentives, staff appreciation and so much more.
Respectfully Submitted
Felicia Oti
Director, Franklin Public Library
The full Library report can also be found in one PDF ->
The full Town of Franklin FY 2023 Annual Report can be found online
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| Annual Report Of The Franklin Public Library: FY 2023 Report |
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