FRANKLIN TOWN COUNCIL - Agenda - 5/21/08

FRANKLIN TOWN COUNCIL

May 21, 2008

7:00 PM

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

F. HEARINGS – 7:10 PM

q FY 2009 Budget – 2^nd Public Hearing

q Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-616: Amendment to Chp. 185, Town Code: Adult Entertainment Establishments Districts- Public Hearing - CANCELLED

q Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-617: Amendment to Chp. 185, Town Code: Water Resource District – Public Hearing

q Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-618: Amendment to Chp. 185, Town Code: Biotechnology Uses – Public Hearing

q Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-619: Amendment to Chp. 185-5: Zoning Map - Biotechnology Use – Public Hearing

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS - Piccadilly Pub – Transfer of License, Change of Manager, Pledge of Stock

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

q Resolution 08-35: Adoption of FY 2009 Annual Budget
q Resolution 08-36: Declaration of Town-Owned Land (Four Corners Property) As Surplus and Available for Disposition
q Resolution 08-37: Authorization for Disposition (Sale) of Town-Owned Land (Four Corners Property)
q Resolution 08-38: Appropriation: Forfeited Bond Funds – Wadsworth Farm
q Bylaw Amendment 08-621: Amendment of Service Fees – Curbside Trash – 2^nd Reading
q Bylaw Amendment 08-624: Amendment to Sewer System Map – 1^st Reading

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN

register to vote by May 21st

If you are of age, please register to vote. Visit the Town Clerks office at the Municipal Building. You would need to register to vote by May 21st.

If you are going to be out of town on June 10th, you can pick up an absentee ballot at the Town Clerks office.

If you can't visit the Town Clerks office in person, you will need to write a letter explaining why you are out of town on the 10th (attending school, etc.). An email is not sufficient, they need your signature for the records so an "old fashioned" either hand written or typed note will do the trick.

Spread the word to register to vote. Franklin Schools need the money from this override.

If you need details on the Town Budget or School budget, visit the Town web site http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/town/admin/budget2/default.htm

The School Committee blog http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/

Town Budget Hearings Tues/Weds 7:00 PM

According to the Franklin School Committee blog, there are two Town Budget Hearings scheduled for Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21. Both scheduled for 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building.

Wednesday is also a scheduled Town Council meeting although there is no agenda posted and I have been able to find a confirmation of the Town Budget Hearings either.

Tune into the local cable or stop by the Municipal Building to attend this meetings in person.

I will be traveling on business and unable to report on them for you to read here.

Understanding the Special Education Budget

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 7:00pm

Linda Waters, Director of Pupil Personal Services and Jeffrey Roy, chairman of the School Committee will lead a panel discussion on how Special Eduction receives funds in the Town of Franklin. During these difficult fiscal times a clear understanding of how the system works will benefit all parties involved. Jeffrey Roy will also give us an update concerning the upcoming over-ride vote that will take place in June. Please join us for this open discussion.

ALL MEETINGS ARE HELD AT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 355 EAST CENTRAL ST. (RT 140) 3RD FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM.

From the Town Crier

Override Central adds Franklin

With a little reminder from someone you know, Override Central added Franklin to the listing for this year.

Operational Override History

This was originally published on the Franklin School Committee blog. I updated the table with last year's results and this year's opportunity.

Sale proceeds cannot be used for operational purposes

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted May 18, 2008 @ 09:50 PM

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FRANKLIN —

Town Council is slated to vote on the prospective $2.5 million sale of the former Four Corners School to Walgreens on Wednesday.

Arista Development, LLC, of Norwood, which is proposing the Walgreens Pharmacy, was the only bidder for the town-owned property at the intersection of King Street and Rte. 140, said Town Administrator Jeffery D. Nutting.

Arista has developed several Walgreens across the northeast, including Bellingham, said Arista Principal Scott A. Weymouth, noting he also helped develop the CVS on East Central Street.

The $2.5 million bid was a good offer, Nutting said.

The town paid $1.325 million for the Four Corners property about a decade ago, he said.

Read the full story in the Milford Daily News here.

Listen to the proposal made at the Town Council meeting here and read my notes from that meeting recorded during the meeting here.

Vote June 10th

Only one question on this ballot:

Question #1:

Shall the Town of Franklin be allowed to assess an additional $2,800,000.00 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of the operating budget for which monies from this assessment will be used for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008?

Yes or No

Visit Franklin Matters for all the details to cast an informed vote

'Franklin received a ``huge amount'' of Chapter 70 aid compared to other towns"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 17, 2008 @ 10:25 PM

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FRANKLIN —

The House of Representatives has shot down a $25,000 earmark for the Red Brick School submitted by Rep. James Vallee, he said, but supporters of the school are still ``hoping and praying'' to find a way to keep it open, said Deborah Pellegri.
``We're just hoping and praying the school remains in existence, because it's going to be a shame (if it closes). This is history,'' said Pellegri, the town clerk and a member of the Brick School Task Force.
``The town of Franklin is known for the little Brick School and being home to the first public library, and (being the first town named after) Benjamin Franklin. It would be devastating for the Brick School to be closed - it would be an injustice to the town,'' said Pellegri, noting the Brick School was originally a wooden school building.
Vallee filed an amendment adding $25,000 to the House budget, he said, but members rejected it.
``I think it's a wonderful asset to our community, and I'd like to see it used as a school. I support it,'' Vallee said.
``I tried. I just think the Legislature was reticent to earmark a specific amount of money for a specific school,'' Vallee added.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.

"we want to see this tradition continue"

The Milford Daily News gets to their write up of the conversation on the Fourth of July from the May 7th Town Council meeting.

You can read my notes here or listen to this segment of the meeting here.

You can read the full Milford Daily News article here.

On Teachers in Franklin

Jeff Roy wrote a good piece on the overall teacher count; how the school committee counts teachers vs. the Department of Education.

This is required reading to avoid speculation and hearsay.

Click through to read the posting here.

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Visit the School Committee override page for the schedule of information sessions

You can find all the override related information here

Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th

In the News - Closing Davis Thayer not an Option

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted May 15, 2008 @ 09:46 PM

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FRANKLIN —

Shutting down Davis Thayer Elementary School to save money is not going to happen any time soon, or possibly ever, says Superintendent Wayne Ogden, despite suggestions to that effect.

Closing the 16-classroom elementary school on West Central Street was one of a number of ideas raised in conversations between town and school leaders as a way to salvage some cash.

Davis Thayer, the town's oldest elementary school, aside from the one-classroom Red Brick School, was singled out because of its relatively high cost per pupil, said Ogden, compared to the district's other, newer elementary schools: John F. Kennedy, Helen Keller, Jefferson, Gerald M. Parmenter and Oak Street.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

School Committee Meeting 4/29/08

Audio segments from the meeting 4/29/08
(additional segments will be posted as time allows)

• Annie Sullivan: BC Poetry Contest Winners (audio)
• Annie Sullivan: Latin Awards (audio)
• Annie Sullivan: CSI Presentation (audio)
• FHS Student Representatives (audio)
• Accepting minutes, approving bills (audio)
• Citizens Comment: Chandler Creedon (audio)

Live reporting segments from the meeting 4/29/08

• Live from the school committee meeting 4/29/08
• Live from the School Committee meeting - facility ...
• Live reporting from School Committee meeting - FY ...
• Franklin School Committee Meeting April 29, 2008 ...

Annie Sullivan: BC Poetry Contest Winners (audio)

From the Franklin School Committee meeting on 4/29/08, Annie Sullivan Middle School recognizes two winners of the Boston College Poetry contest.

Time: 3 minutes, 40 seconds



MP3 File

Annie Sullivan: Latin Awards (audio)

From the Franklin School Committee meeting 4/29/08, the Annie Sullivan Middle School recognizes 14 students who passed a national Latin exam.

Time: 3 minutes, 38 seconds



MP3 File

Annie Sullivan: CSI Presentation (audio)

From the Franklin School Committee meeting on 4/29/08, students from the Annie Sullivan Middle School deliver a presentation. They used scientific methods in a CSI type format to solve a "crime" in one of the classrooms.

There is a video presentation that accompanies this but the audio is still sufficient to hear the enthusiasum of the students and their project.

Time: 9 minutes, 38 seconds



MP3 File

FHS Student Representatives (audio)

From the Franklin School Committee meeting 4/29/08, the two student representatives from Franklin High School provide their update on what is happening.

Time: 2 minutes, 1 second



MP3 File

Accepting minutes, approving bills (audio)

From the School Committee meeting 4/29/08, the acceptence of prior meeting minutes and approval of bills and payroll.

Time: 1 minute, 38 seconds



MP3 File