This is the collection of postings from the Town Council Meeting 2/4/09
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Live reporting - Administrator update/Council Comments
Administrator updates:
Nutting
Community builders working by the ice rink should have construction complete by the end of the year.
No immediate need to take action on the $300,000 cut by the state, this will be absorbed.
FY 2010 will be short about $5.2 million, there will be layoffs to account for that deficit. Early in March will be looking for the council to set direction on priorities.
Also provided an update on the hotel/meal tax which could account for approx. $850,000 for Franklin.
Whalen - Are we getting a report from Mike on the New Year's incident?
Nutting - pulling together the insurance numbers now, we can come back early in March with the full package.
Zollo - perhaps Nutting should make a presentation on where the numbers are coming from for the budget to help ensure accurate information.
Nutting - should be able to do so for the March 4th meeting
McGann - Veterans monument ordered and possible for arrival by Memorial Day
Doak - capital subcommittee report, I want to thank Brutus (DPW Director) for creative thinking to arrange for additional savings for the replacement of two pieces of equipment.
Mason - thank the various department heads for putting together reasonable requests. Thanks to Brutus and the DPW for a fine job keeping the roads clean. It has been a tough season but they have done well.
Nutting
Community builders working by the ice rink should have construction complete by the end of the year.
No immediate need to take action on the $300,000 cut by the state, this will be absorbed.
FY 2010 will be short about $5.2 million, there will be layoffs to account for that deficit. Early in March will be looking for the council to set direction on priorities.
Also provided an update on the hotel/meal tax which could account for approx. $850,000 for Franklin.
Whalen - Are we getting a report from Mike on the New Year's incident?
Nutting - pulling together the insurance numbers now, we can come back early in March with the full package.
Zollo - perhaps Nutting should make a presentation on where the numbers are coming from for the budget to help ensure accurate information.
Nutting - should be able to do so for the March 4th meeting
McGann - Veterans monument ordered and possible for arrival by Memorial Day
Doak - capital subcommittee report, I want to thank Brutus (DPW Director) for creative thinking to arrange for additional savings for the replacement of two pieces of equipment.
Mason - thank the various department heads for putting together reasonable requests. Thanks to Brutus and the DPW for a fine job keeping the roads clean. It has been a tough season but they have done well.
Live reporting - ABC hearings
Capt Steve Williams
Lt Lynch
Cottage St Pub
operative was presented a beer, money was placed on the table
Owner admits they failed, won't contradict the police report
Recommendation, 3 day suspension with 2 days held in abeyance
There is money left in the grant, more stings will be conducted in coming months
Discussion on time period for abeyance, 2 years or 1 year to be held.
Motion to accept either the 7th, 14th, or 21st as the day to observe the suspension
Owner has 48 hours to confirm which date with the Town Administrator.
Motion passed by 7-0 vote
Pepper Terrace
operative was asked age, did not verify license
Owner admits that the facts are as stated
Recommendation: This is a second offense, the prior 2 days have been held in abeyance. The 1st violation was 2007. This time should have a full 7 day suspension observed on consecutive days.
Motion for suspension to be imposed from the 7th to the 13th of February.
Motion passed by 7-0 vote
Lt Lynch
- Have a grant to conduct a periodic "sting" - visit establishment and see if you can get served without getting ID checked
- Monitor hot spots and parties
- "Shoulder tap" - position an underage person outside liquor store to see if they could get someone to buy liquor for them.
Cottage St Pub
operative was presented a beer, money was placed on the table
Owner admits they failed, won't contradict the police report
Recommendation, 3 day suspension with 2 days held in abeyance
There is money left in the grant, more stings will be conducted in coming months
Discussion on time period for abeyance, 2 years or 1 year to be held.
Motion to accept either the 7th, 14th, or 21st as the day to observe the suspension
Owner has 48 hours to confirm which date with the Town Administrator.
Motion passed by 7-0 vote
Pepper Terrace
operative was asked age, did not verify license
Owner admits that the facts are as stated
Recommendation: This is a second offense, the prior 2 days have been held in abeyance. The 1st violation was 2007. This time should have a full 7 day suspension observed on consecutive days.
Motion for suspension to be imposed from the 7th to the 13th of February.
Motion passed by 7-0 vote
Live reporting - Charles River Pollution Control
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
The presentation: (thanks to Elaine Sistare for sending it)
Presenting:
Doug Downing
Al Wallace, Franklin representative
Elaine Sistaire
Also present:
Pat Hughes
Bob McRae
Paul Disimone (?), Medway rep
Significant budget increases due to
Franklin's portion of the operation is
68.2% - Operations & Maintenance wastewater assessment
67% - capital wastewater assessment
Nutting - the Council did vote for this in 1989, a couple of conflicts in advice have come in today so we are double checking with DOR. It may be back before you for a vote.
Actual plant capacity - 5.7 Million gallons per day
Franklin as part owner has excess capacity, we may be able to sell our excess capacity to generate additional revenue
The cost increase for Franklin's share would be a 20% increase over what we have as an assessment today. We do have time to plan for it per Jeff as this would only kick in for 2015 and beyond.
If we did not get into compliance, there would be a daily fine, approx $25,000 per day. Therefore it would not be an option to not be in compliance.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ssOtI7DELmRFFY-eNCYKrNI_rOaGJEPApdJRVCEKVDRSmFIZuA_N5zQimJHz0xJ0szg0esADkU1fcZC1DsOC6davsQKVhZb8i3lmn4zRf-IhU7VJcnpkC63H_LGKOd3CY7f6lT1qP02uPZVq_w7ph4=s0-d)
- Charles River Pollution Control District
The presentation: (thanks to Elaine Sistare for sending it)
Presenting:
Doug Downing
Al Wallace, Franklin representative
Elaine Sistaire
Also present:
Pat Hughes
Bob McRae
Paul Disimone (?), Medway rep
Significant budget increases due to
- Capital
- Salary and benefits
- Chemical costs
- Maintenance Costs
Franklin's portion of the operation is
68.2% - Operations & Maintenance wastewater assessment
67% - capital wastewater assessment
Nutting - the Council did vote for this in 1989, a couple of conflicts in advice have come in today so we are double checking with DOR. It may be back before you for a vote.
Actual plant capacity - 5.7 Million gallons per day
Franklin as part owner has excess capacity, we may be able to sell our excess capacity to generate additional revenue
The cost increase for Franklin's share would be a 20% increase over what we have as an assessment today. We do have time to plan for it per Jeff as this would only kick in for 2015 and beyond.
If we did not get into compliance, there would be a daily fine, approx $25,000 per day. Therefore it would not be an option to not be in compliance.
Live reporting - Action items
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
- Resolution 09-04: Onset Circle, A Private Way: Acceptance of Covenant with Developer
Approved 7-0
Live reporting - Town Council - 2/4/09
Attending: Whalen, Mason, Feeley, Pfeffer, Doak, McGann, Zollo
Missing: Vallee, Bartlett
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES none
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS - none
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none
E. APPOINTMENTS - none
Missing: Vallee, Bartlett
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES none
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS - none
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none
E. APPOINTMENTS - none
new Real Estate blog
I am beginning to find new blogs on Franklin popping up. Kathy Stankard, a realtor and part of the ReMax network, has a new blog here.
In addition to providing information on the homes for sale, the blog provides insights on what is happening in the market. The two most recent posts are:
Why should I list now?
If you find a blog about Franklin that is not listed, please let me know. Bloggers love to get links!
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sgQE58VrQPz8i0dG-lOLfYaopLvrVia6eakqirA_P3S5Rzc6GI6YcEq26n6QdemVf0tLpsozwQB3tP_gD1JNxX_F44Ej_a5D4mDErUQYnMB2XXkEFCewhW4MPEZT4dGJxVQwqYyv2ZAKNvZIlKpjLC=s0-d)
In addition to providing information on the homes for sale, the blog provides insights on what is happening in the market. The two most recent posts are:
Why should I list now?
Okay, maybe the daffodils are not in bloom and there is another snowstorm in the forecast but a seller can truly capitalize on the buyers that have begun to get back out. There are six main advantages for a seller to list now (in the winter) instead of waiting until spring:They're Baack!
Well, it seems as if many buyers just woke up from a long winter nap. Open houses lately bring in 6 or more people and the phone has been ringing--alot. This is great news since last year's real estate market was rather quiet overall. The low interest rates and low home prices seem to be prompting buyers to get out and purchase rather than the watch and wait approach of 2008.I'll create a "Franklin blogs" section to pull together those I have already found and posted about earlier, I'll add the new ones that come along.
If you find a blog about Franklin that is not listed, please let me know. Bloggers love to get links!
"It felt like you left the United States"
GHS
FRANKLIN —
Amanda Cawley vividly remembers the first time she saw New Orleans in January 2007: The eeriness, the houses with giant "Xs" splashed across them, the boats in the middle the road.
"There were houses that slid off their foundation, but were still standing. We saw a lot of toys on the road, lots of piles of trash everywhere you could see. All the grass was dead. There weren't birds or anything like that around," recalled Cawley, a Wheelock College junior who recently returned from her fourth trip to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Before that initial trip, Cawley, and the small group of Wheelock students who accompanied her to rebuild homes with Habitat for Humanity, had the impression life had resumed with some semblance of normalcy, because the mass media wasn't covering the situation anymore, she said.
"One of the things we learned about New Orleans, the more you read about it and find out about it, it really surprised us how much still needed to be done. That really pulled us to go," Cawley said.
read the full article about the students efforts to rebuild New Orleans in the Milford Daily News here
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uCVLG3JRgUccW-Eqf-Pl0gfJzGbq4d2V8pp7Got0i9_bW8vT3PLYvj-b6-75EAN5Xc2RzVYVDSRU72ES98A2yTK-GtVbA7LdIkbRxYJiSxnHVR7T4tJLt_dqaJm4ZB7U0TbF-caUDn6f2ZvHYxPMYh=s0-d)
"How do we do it cheaper, better, quicker?"
GHS
FRANKLIN —
Franklin is looking at a $5 to $5.2 million budget shortfall next fiscal year, right in line with the gap most Massachusetts communities will contend with, Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting told the Finance Committee last night.
Nutting is still waiting for a few numbers, on health insurance and the debt, to further pinpoint the shortfall, he said.
The town does have one glimmer of hope to offset the damage, Nutting noted: Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed hotel and meals tax proposal.
The hotel tax would net Franklin about $150,000, and meals tax, $850,000, Nutting said.
"It hasn't become law, but it would take a million-dollar bite out of the apple," Nutting said.
Read the full article on the FINCOM meeting from 2/3/09 in the Milford Daily News here
Franklin History
Did you know that there was a typewriter called "The Franklin"?
The Franklin is a downstroke-from-the-front machine with a curved keyboard. At least three British typewriters, the Salter, English and Imperial, have similar designs. This configuration offered visible writing (at least to a typist who craned her neck forward). Many nineteenth-century typewriter designers viewed the curved keyboard as ergonomically superior to the straight.For more on "The Franklin", you have my permission to click on through to view the site with photos here.
Just don't forget to stop back here sometime for what matters in Franklin, MA! :-)
FACT: Green Fair 2/5/09
This Thursday come to a Green Fair to meet local green businesses and learn about how to fight global warming. We will have live music and interesting information.
Check out the details at our new website http://www.franklinareaclimateteam.blogspot.com/ , and follow the link to an article in the Milford Daily news.
Check www.fusf.org for directions.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
FINCOM - quick notes from 2/3/09
The Finance Committee wrapped up the capital discussions this evening and voted 9-1 to approve the Administration recommendations on $1.3M for capital to come from "free cash".
Presentations this evening covered the
School Dept - replace two vans (hopefully starts a regular replace of the school vehicles)
School Dept - text books (replacement of US History text that are 10 years old was one example)
School Dept - technology (desktop/notebook system replacements - all slated for replacement are more than 6 years old)
Town - Facilities (replacement of gazebo roof)
Town Administrator Jeff Nutting also provided an update on the current reduction of $300,000 from this years (FY 2009) budget. He is having his department heads look into how they can absorb this amount. He is not overly concerned about this year. (I agree given we come up with about $1 million in "free cash", that is money in the budget that is not used each year, coming up with $300,000 should be "easy".)
Jeff provided an outlook into FY 2010 budget. Given the numbers prepared by the various town and school departments thus far, he is forecasting a shortfall of about $5.2 million. (Note: it was reported last week that this number would be in the $4.5 to 5.5 million range.)
Jeff is hopeful that the state legislature will take action to enable some local taxes (i.e. the meals tax could be kept in Franklin and is estimated at about $800,000). Taxing the phone companies would generate about $150,000. So while together this would be about $1 million, it would help but not be anything near a silver bullet.
Of more concern to Jeff is the fact that the Town is on the path of getting to the minimum level of funding for the schools. It could be that in 2011, the state minimum would kick in and the town would be forced to make further cuts on the municipal side (or pass another override) to make the ends meet.
With the budget season now beginning in earnest, I encourage you to tune into the meetings. Better yet, make the effort to get to the Council Chambers for the key FINCOM, School Committee and Town Council meetings.
With you participation, then at least you can be assured of a good discussion and decision. You will have done what you could.
If you sit back and let someone else take action, you may not like the results but you'll need to live with them.
Presentations this evening covered the
School Dept - replace two vans (hopefully starts a regular replace of the school vehicles)
School Dept - text books (replacement of US History text that are 10 years old was one example)
School Dept - technology (desktop/notebook system replacements - all slated for replacement are more than 6 years old)
Town - Facilities (replacement of gazebo roof)
Town Administrator Jeff Nutting also provided an update on the current reduction of $300,000 from this years (FY 2009) budget. He is having his department heads look into how they can absorb this amount. He is not overly concerned about this year. (I agree given we come up with about $1 million in "free cash", that is money in the budget that is not used each year, coming up with $300,000 should be "easy".)
Jeff provided an outlook into FY 2010 budget. Given the numbers prepared by the various town and school departments thus far, he is forecasting a shortfall of about $5.2 million. (Note: it was reported last week that this number would be in the $4.5 to 5.5 million range.)
Jeff is hopeful that the state legislature will take action to enable some local taxes (i.e. the meals tax could be kept in Franklin and is estimated at about $800,000). Taxing the phone companies would generate about $150,000. So while together this would be about $1 million, it would help but not be anything near a silver bullet.
Of more concern to Jeff is the fact that the Town is on the path of getting to the minimum level of funding for the schools. It could be that in 2011, the state minimum would kick in and the town would be forced to make further cuts on the municipal side (or pass another override) to make the ends meet.
With the budget season now beginning in earnest, I encourage you to tune into the meetings. Better yet, make the effort to get to the Council Chambers for the key FINCOM, School Committee and Town Council meetings.
With you participation, then at least you can be assured of a good discussion and decision. You will have done what you could.
If you sit back and let someone else take action, you may not like the results but you'll need to live with them.
After school activities canceled today
The automated phone call just arrived with Superintendent Wayne Ogden announcing that all after school activities will be canceled due to inclement weather.
All schools will dismiss on their normal schedule. No late bus runs will be made today.
All schools will dismiss on their normal schedule. No late bus runs will be made today.
"The cost savings wouldn't be significant"
By state law, elementary school students are required to have 900 hours of learning time and secondary students must have 900 hours of structured learning time.
Bellingham officials calculated a hypothetical schedule with a four-day school week. In that scenario, school begin Aug. 10 and end June 23.
Students would get just one day of vacation during the Christmas holiday and school facilities would be off limits on weekends.
Ogden said it would be difficult to change the school structure.
"For some people, having kids go to school (nearly) year-round would be desirable, but for many, the traditional summer vacation is highly desired," he said.
Read the full article on how local school districts looked at the four-day week in the Milford Daily News here
WASTED - Panel discussion - 2/5/09 7:00 PM
W.A.S.T."E."D. will be hosting a panel discussion on Thursday, February 5, 2009 at 7:00 PM in the Franklin High School Lecture Hall to share information and strategies for identifying and dealing with the problem of underage alcohol use among our children. A distinguished panel of experts in this and related fields will be presenting information for all of us to help with this very dangerous and prevalent issue. The panel members assembled include:
Dr Nicole Danforth ,MD….Dr. Danforth is a staff psychiatrist for the Addiction and Recovery Management Service (ARMS) at Massachusetts General Hospital and will be giving a presentation on adolescent brain and personality development, emphasizing the ways in which normal development can predispose to risky behaviors.
Darin Haig, EdM, LHMC….Mr. Haig is program coordinator for the Family Partnership Program at Riverside Community Care. His practice and experience is working on family-based strategies to deal with various mental health and substance use issues. He has greater than 12 years of experience in his field, and is a resource for parenting strategies in these areas.
Christopher Bates Parkinson, JD….Mr Parkinson is an attorney with expertise in the area of social host liability. He is an associate with the firm of Campbell, Campbell, Edwards &Conroy. This firm has a long history of dedication to educating students/teachers/parents regarding the Social Host Law.
Mike Jackman…Mr. Jackman is the Director of School Programs for the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. He is dedicated to the coordination of all programs and presentations offered by the staff of the District Attorney’s Office to schools and communities.
Dan McLean…Officer McLean is a Resource Officer for Franklin High School. He is a member of the Franklin Police Department, and has a regular presence at the high school with integral knowledge of student life within the school. As a result of his role as resource officer, he also has first-hand experience with the social pressures that our children face on a regular basis, and the consequences of risky behaviors. He is a graduate of Franklin High School, and a proud Head Football Coach who is celebrating the championship season at Tri-County Vocational Technical School.
Tom Hermanowski…Mr. Hermanowski has a 37-year career of dedication to the issue of underage substance use. He has earned many awards for his involvement, including the 2008 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Partner in Prevention of the Year Award. He will serve as the evening’s moderator.
All of the panel members will be involved in presentation of information, and available for an extended Q&A session with the audience.
This is a follow up to the W.A.S.T."E."D. Presentation in December 2008
This information was originally posted on Peter Light's page here
Dr Nicole Danforth ,MD….Dr. Danforth is a staff psychiatrist for the Addiction and Recovery Management Service (ARMS) at Massachusetts General Hospital and will be giving a presentation on adolescent brain and personality development, emphasizing the ways in which normal development can predispose to risky behaviors.
Darin Haig, EdM, LHMC….Mr. Haig is program coordinator for the Family Partnership Program at Riverside Community Care. His practice and experience is working on family-based strategies to deal with various mental health and substance use issues. He has greater than 12 years of experience in his field, and is a resource for parenting strategies in these areas.
Christopher Bates Parkinson, JD….Mr Parkinson is an attorney with expertise in the area of social host liability. He is an associate with the firm of Campbell, Campbell, Edwards &Conroy. This firm has a long history of dedication to educating students/teachers/parents regarding the Social Host Law.
Mike Jackman…Mr. Jackman is the Director of School Programs for the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. He is dedicated to the coordination of all programs and presentations offered by the staff of the District Attorney’s Office to schools and communities.
Dan McLean…Officer McLean is a Resource Officer for Franklin High School. He is a member of the Franklin Police Department, and has a regular presence at the high school with integral knowledge of student life within the school. As a result of his role as resource officer, he also has first-hand experience with the social pressures that our children face on a regular basis, and the consequences of risky behaviors. He is a graduate of Franklin High School, and a proud Head Football Coach who is celebrating the championship season at Tri-County Vocational Technical School.
Tom Hermanowski…Mr. Hermanowski has a 37-year career of dedication to the issue of underage substance use. He has earned many awards for his involvement, including the 2008 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Partner in Prevention of the Year Award. He will serve as the evening’s moderator.
All of the panel members will be involved in presentation of information, and available for an extended Q&A session with the audience.
This is a follow up to the W.A.S.T."E."D. Presentation in December 2008
This information was originally posted on Peter Light's page here
Seth asks: What are schools for?
Seth Godin asks an interesting question and then proposes a starter listing for the answer:
What would you add to or subtract from this listing?
Read the full posting Seth makes on his blog hereSeems like a simple question, but given how much time and money we spend on it, it has a wide range of answers, many unexplored, some contradictory. I have a few thoughts about education, how we use it to market ourselves and compete, and I realized that without a common place to start, it's hard to figure out what to do.
So, a starter list. The purpose of school is to:
- Become an informed citizen
- Be able to read for pleasure
- Be trained in the rudimentary skills necessary for employment
- Do well on standardized tests
- Homogenize society, at least a bit
- Pasteurize out the dangerous ideas
- Give kids something to do while parents work
- Teach future citizens how to conform
- Teach future consumers how to desire
- Build a social fabric
- Create leaders who help us compete on a world stage
- Generate future scientists who will advance medicine and technology
- Learn for the sake of learning
- Help people become interesting and productive
- Defang the proletariat
- Establish a floor below which a typical person is unlikely to fall
- Find and celebrate prodigies, geniuses and the gifted
- Make sure kids learn to exercise, eat right and avoid common health problems
- Teach future citizens to obey authority
- Teach future employees to do the same
- Increase appreciation for art and culture
- Teach creativity and problem solving
- Minimize public spelling mistakes
- Increase emotional intelligence
- Decrease crime by teaching civics and ethics
- Increase understanding of a life well lived
- Make sure the sports teams have enough players
What would you add to or subtract from this listing?
The Green Reel: "Everything's Cool"
The Green Reel: a series of films for sustainable living will be shown on Sunday evenings this winter.
What: "Everything's Cool"
When: 7:00 PM on February 8, 2009
Where: Agudas Achim, 901 North Main St, Attleboro or directions here
read more about the file "Everything's Cool" here
Sponsors:
What: "Everything's Cool"
When: 7:00 PM on February 8, 2009
Where: Agudas Achim, 901 North Main St, Attleboro or directions here
Free and open to the public.
For more info: 508-695-2389
For more info: 508-695-2389
read more about the file "Everything's Cool" here
Sponsors:
Agudas Achim
Crystal Spring Center
Simply Keep It Local
Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary
Citizens for a Sustainable Local Economy
Murray Unitarian Universalist Church
Green Committee of First Universalist Society of Franklin
New Dawn Earth Center
Oake Knoll Ayrshires
Franklin Area Climate Team
White Barn Farm
St Mark's Episcopal Church-Foxboro
Monday, February 2, 2009
Uncle Nick’s Happy Fun Hour III
FRANKLIN - The Franklin Performing Arts Company will present its second free concert in the 2009 Family Concert Series, "Uncle Nick’s Happy Fun Hour III," on Feb. 8, at 300 PM.This was originally posted online here
The musical event, open to the public, offers children the opportunity to enjoy folk classics, blues, early rock and roll, sing-alongs, dance-alongs and special guests. Guests are invited to bring their love of music and join Uncle Nick for an afternoon of fun.
Uncle Nick played to a standing-room-only crowd for the past two years.
Call 508-528-8668 by Friday, Feb. 6, to make a reservation.
The third concert in FPAC’s Family Concert Series will conclude with Opera for Children on Sunday, April 5, at 3 p.m. Visit www.FPAConline.com for details.
FPAC’s Family Concert Series is sponsored in part by Berry Insurance and the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
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