Franklin Matters

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Franklin Planning Committee - meeting canceled 11/6/08

Received the word via email notification today from the Chair. Thank you, Doug! This saves a trip and time tonight.

I was also inspired to write a sherku on the train home:

Other Writing

meeting canceled; no need for
live reporting; can
catch up on other writing

What is a sherku?

"it sounds like a very good program"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Nov 06, 2008 @ 12:27 AM

FRANKLIN —

Town Council last night looked favorably upon a proposal from the Department of Public Works to start an automated trash collection program featuring single-stream recycling.

The new program would save residents the trouble of separating recyclables, theoretically increasing recycling rates, reduce waste tonnage, and would cost residents nothing or just a small increase in their trash fee, said officials last night.

With single-stream recycling, people can put all recyclables in one container, said DPW Director Brutus Cantoreggi.

"This is kind of like a no-brainer to us," said Cantoreggi.

The program would take effect when Franklin's current contract with Wheelabrator expires on June 30, 2010, said Cantoreggi.

The town would provide residents a container for trash, which would be maintained by the hauler, said Cantoreggi.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Read all that occurred during this Town Council meeting here.

Town Council Mtg Summary 11/05/08

The collection of posts from the Town Council meeting 11/5/08

Phishing scams in plain english

In our continuing series on understanding Web 2.0, one of the drawbacks of free and easy email is found with multiple scams. The folks at Common Craft have come up with a video to explain phishing scams. Very well done. Be careful what you click on in email!

Note: For those subscribers to this blog, this is one link that you can trust.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Live reporting - Councilor Comments

Zollo:
Streamline recycling
property rezoning (increase tax base)
lease Brick School
consolidation of janitorial services

Town Council does look for efficiencies where possible

Pfeffer - congratulations to Maureen Sabolinski on her selection and to the School Committee for a good and timely choice

Live reporting - Town Administrator's report

Old Norfolk water issue resolved.
Story from September 2007 can be found here and here
Recent update on this - September meeting

Rock pile at Chestnut/RT 140 purchased by Sovereign Bank, Town inquiring to see what the bank plans to do with it.

Dedication of Museum and new sculpture November 19th, 9:00AM.

Some capital planning coming in future meeting, also with "free cash" being certified soon, he'll being some proposals to look at adding some funds to the Stabilization Fund.

live reporting - rezoning

Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-625: Chapter 185-5, Town Code: Zoning Map – Business to Commercial II – 2nd Reading (Tabled on 10/15/08)

Approved 7-1 (Doak no, Vallee absent)

Live reporting - Brick lease

The lease was signed with the Charter School for the Brick facility for $1 per year with the knowledge that these donations were available to offset the facility costs.

Resolution 08-72: Acceptance of Gifts for the Red Brick School

Approved 8-0

Live reporting - DPW re-org

Proposal to create a "grounds" division within the DPW.

Feeley - no vote on it tonight, open for questions

Would cost about $20,000: $10,000 to the General Fund and another $10,000 to the Water/Sewer revolving account.

The proposal adds a "real" deputy to the Director of Operations.

More efficient operations. Need to start succession planning, capturing the extensive knowledge that they have built over the years to handle things as well as they do. Uses existing folks. Eliminates assistant positions.

Live reporting - DPW Solid Waste & Recycling

Image via WikipediaRobert Cantoreggi and Denise Zambrowski presenting

Approx 1 ton of trash per household in Franklin per year.

Under the single stream proposal:
Residents would be provided a "toter", it would be maintained by the hauler. This would reduce the amount of trash imported to Franklin. Overflow options: an additional toter for a fee or purchase 33 gallon overflow bags.

Current program of one bulk burnable item with trash per week would be replaced by a small fee and a sticker with a scheduled pick up. This would avoid the importing of trash from other areas into Franklin to be disposed of here for "free".

Single Stream recycling - no limit on recyclables

Nutting - Looking to see if there is general consensus amongst the Council to move ahead with RFP for the single stream processing.

Nutting requested to handle the following resolution out of order:

Resolution 08-71: Authorization for Intermunicipal Agreement – Town of Blackstone

Approved 8-0

Live reporting - Fire Station Bldg Committee disolved

Resolution 08-59: Dissolution of Fire Station Building Committee (Tabled on 10/15/08)

Approved 8-0

Ken Norman representative of the committee this evening along with Fire Chief McCarraher.

Recycling update

The Recycling Committee provides an update to the Town Council

Mobile post sent by shersteve using Utterli.

Replies.

Live reporting - Recycle committee report

Image by shersteve via FlickrImprovements in recycling town wide. Increased from 21% to 25% for the past quarter compared to last year.

Discussion on recycling at the high school. The Green Team is the largest group at the high school. They are active. The grade of C is meant to reflect the overall town effort/performance against the overall town recycling goals. We need to encourage their effort.

There are no recycling bins at Beaver Street. There should be waste and recycle receptacles to separate the trash and recyclables.

Town needs to set an example and model the good recycling behavior.

Proposal to audit trash and leave a door hanger notice on the results. This as a follow up to an announcement letter to everyone letting the know what the opportunities are.

(editorial note - I should talk with them about my idea of using the folks walking around town to bend and stretch to pick up recycling. The picture included here is from one of my weekend morning walks. I posted about this back in February 2008)

Single stream possible for the future. What is it? Put everything in one container and the waste handler with updated technology can do the separation at their end.

Current trash contract good through 2010. Single Stream and other enhancements could be incorporated as part of the new contract.

Franklin's Earth Day should be the Saturday closest to the official Earth Day which is always April 22. 300 volunteers picked up 6000 pounds of recyclables on that one day.

DPW did a great job helping with Earth Day. Especially on a Saturday!

Two major issues;

Receptacles are not readily available.
The consciousness (about recycling) it not present in the community.

Build a sense of community pride!

Councilor Pfeffer wants to deputize folks to start issuing the $50 fines to folks littering at the fields.

Franklin is recycling at 25% and most of our neighbor towns are at 50%.

The Recycling Committee web page on the new Town site can be found here.

Live reporting - License transfer

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS –
Teppanyaki Restaurant – Change of Manager

issue with new manager has not completed the bartender training as required

motion amended to make the transfer contingent upon receipt of the training completion (scheduled for Monday 11/10/08).

approved 8-0

Live reporting - opening items

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – October 1, 2008, October 15, 2008
approved 8-0

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS

(will update later from recording)

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

(none)

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

Ken Norman raised an objection to the music being played in the background on Channel 11. He finds it difficult to try and follow what is going on with the music distracting and objectionable. Can the administrator find another alternative?

E. APPOINTMENTS
Design Review Commission
Council on Aging

(will add names from recording later)

Live reporting - Town Council Meeting

Added to agenda: motion made and approved to organize the Council for the next year.

Feeley - Chair
Bartlett - Vice-Chair
Pfeffer - Clerk

all motions made and voted 8-0 (Vallee not attending)

GATRA "free ride" coupons

Yes, it is true, there is a "free ride" coupon coming for the GATRA Franklin bus.

Where do you get a coupon?

This Friday’s (November 7, 2008) edition of The Country Gazette will have a 2” x 2” orange coupon also known as an “Ad Note” affixed to the front page of 10,000 copies of the paper. The “Ad Note” is a “peel off” good for a FREE RIDE. The “coupon” is good immediately up to and including Saturday, December 20, 2008.

If your neighbor doesn't want to use it, ask them for it?

If you can't use it, give it to some one who will use it!

That's helping someone get at least one ride free.

In the News - 2010 Budget planing starting