Hello Everyone!
I hope you enjoyed school vacation week, this fabulous weekend weather and, of course, the Red Sox-Yankees series… Here’s an update on Franklin’s school issues.
Long-Range Financial Planning Committee: I hope all of you will do your best to attend Monday night’s town meeting regarding the findings of a year-long effort to perform an in-depth analysis of Franklin’s financial outlook for the next five years.
The findings of this group of volunteers offer you a comprehensive look at the challenges that will have a direct impact on your property value, your tax rate, the quality of your schools, and your access to municipal services.
The public forum scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the Mercer Auditorium in the Horace Mann Middle School is a unique opportunity for you to gain better insight into the various forces driving the town’s finances and, more importantly, to ask questions of your elected officials about what the findings mean for you, your family and your fellow citizens.
I hope to see you there and encourage you to read a preview of the Committee’s draft report at: http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/01496EEB-000F8513. (The meeting also will be televised on live local government access channel 11 for Comcast subscribers only.)
FY 2010 Franklin School Budget: As you may have heard, the Franklin teachers union recently voted to accept a wage freeze for Fiscal Year 2010 but attached a series of conditions – essentially re-opening contract issues that the union had previously voted to abandon.
This saga began in December when the School Committee asked Chandler Creedon, president of the Franklin Education Association (FEA), to discuss a potential freeze with his membership. At various points during the winter, we were assured that the union was considering the idea. Finally, three months later, Mr. Creedon asked the Committee for a letter officially requesting that they consider a freeze. Our letter acknowledged the stellar work of our teaching staff, as reflected in our student’s college acceptances and academic performance. It also noted that, for most of this decade, the School Committee has worked hard to avoid reductions in teaching staff by steadily reduced spending on other services and imposing new and higher fees for busing, athletics, and student activities, to name a few. The savings generated from these decisions have been poured directly into the classroom, to recruit and retain top quality teachers, to support a strong curriculum and to maintain appropriate class sizes. Parents and community groups, like the Franklin Education Foundation, also have worked hard to contribute more to classrooms through personal generosity and the fundraising efforts of the PCCs.
On April 13, Mr. Creedon led a meeting of FEA members who were not allowed to vote on a wage freeze alone – only on a motion intentionally written to tie the freeze to new demands regarding personal days, meeting time and other issues. It is worth noting that all other major town unions have agreed to a wage a freeze. None have used Franklin’s budget problems to re-open contract negotiations.
The School Committee remains committed to work with FEA members to come up with a solution acceptable to both sides. We have repeatedly asked Mr. Creedon to make public his alleged plan for budget efficiencies. We also have asked to meet with directly with union members. To date, Mr. Creedon has refused to meet with our negotiating committee or to let us talk to his membership. The Committee will continue these good faith efforts at our meeting this Tuesday in the hopes of reaching an agreement that would avoid massive teacher lay-offs in the months ahead and help close the deficit projected for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
You can read the latest news coverage regarding this issue at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1774896641/No-decision-on-Franklin-teachers-unions-conditions?view=print
2010-11 School Calendar: School administrators have presented two options for the academic year that begins late in the summer of next year. In one option, classes would begin Sept. 7, 2010 – the day after Labor Day – and reach the 180-day marked required by the state on June 22. In the second option, classes would begin Sept. 1 – five days before Labor Day – and reach the 180-day mark on June 17th.
As you recall, hundreds of parents surveyed last year overwhelmingly asked for the school year to begin after Labor Day, while teachers voted overwhelmingly in opposition. Parents are encouraged to examine both options and to express their views. The fact that Labor Day occurs exceptionally late in 2010 is a complicating factor. It’s also important to keep in mind that the last day of school could be pushed further into June by snow days.
You can view both options at http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/FPS/calendar/default.htm
As our community heads into the thick of important financial hearings and budget decisions, it is critically important for elected officials to hear citizen ideas and feedback. I hope you will attend Monday’s public forum and share your thoughts. I also urge everyone to stay close to the budget process this year by paying attention to School Committee, Town Council and Finance Committee meetings. It is also important for parents and guardians to pursue a frank discussion of budget issues with your principals and your school PCCs.
These e-mails are provided as a constituent service. I try to distribute at least one e-mail update each month during the school year, as issues warrant. As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. If you are receiving duplicate e-mails or if you no longer wish to receive these e-mails, please let me know and I will remove you from the distribution list. If you know of someone you would like to add to the list, please send along their e-mail address.
Thank you!
Ed Cafasso, Member
Franklin School Committee
edcafasso @ comcast.net
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Charles River Cleanup Heros!
This group came back to refresh supplies to clean up the Charles River Watershed, originally uploaded by shersteve.
This group of four came back to refresh their supplies to clean up the Charles River Watershed during the special clean up today.
In green t-shirts left to right (If I have the order correctly) Michelle, Shawn, Alex, and Melisa. David Dobrzynski wore the yellow t-shirt and was coordinating the activities at the Whole Foods in Bellingham.
Thanks for the work you did today!
PS - If I have the order incorrect, please let me know and I can make the change.
Updated to properly identify Shawn and Alex.
"They're anxious and waiting"
Milford Daily News
FRANKLIN —
After making the wage and health care concessions, Franklin's public employees are still on edge, some waiting for the dreaded pink slip.
Hearing Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting's projection of another major deficit next year - up to $6 million - rekindled fear among police, said Police union Vice President Robert Burchill.
Morale at the station is "OK at the moment," he said, but officers are concerned about what's going to happen next year.
"Next year's budget is way out of whack again. We already made concessions for the town to save jobs, figuring that was the end-all, figuring things can't get worse. I guess they can get worse," Burchill said.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
Come to the Town Forum on Monday, April 27th, 7:00 PM to discuss the Financial Planning Committee's report.
Financial Planning Report - available
Click through to the Franklin Town website to view and download the draft report of the Financial Planning Committee here
The summary of the FPC meetings this year as well as the Focus Group's feedback can be found here:
This report will be the subject of the open forum meeting Monday at 7:00 PM at the Horace Mann/Mercer Auditorium.
The summary of the FPC meetings this year as well as the Focus Group's feedback can be found here:
- Financial Plng Comm 01/15/09
- Financial Plng Comm 02/05/09
- Financial Plng Comm 02/19/09
- Financial Plng Comm 03/05/09
- Financial Plng Comm 03/12/09
- Financial Plng Comm 03/26/09
- Financial Plng Comm 04/02/09
- Financial Plng Comm 04/23/09
- Focus Group Collection
This report will be the subject of the open forum meeting Monday at 7:00 PM at the Horace Mann/Mercer Auditorium.
HMEA's 8th Annual Independence 5K Walk/Run
HMEA's 8th Annual Independence 5K Walk/Run in the Park will be held on Sunday, May 17, 2009. Our friends at EMC2 Corporation, 50 Constitution Boulevard, Franklin, MA have again allowed us to hold this premier fundraising event on their grounds. Gail Huff from WCVB-TV Channel 5 News will once again be our host.To register to walk please visit firstgiving.com/hmea. Here you can also set-up your own personal fundraising page that can be e-mailed to all your family, friends and co-workers asking them to support your efforts to raise funds for HMEA.
If you want to participate in the road race please register at active.com/hmea. OR, if you prefer you can complete your registration form online, print it and mail directly to HMEA along with your registration fee(s). You could also e-mail it back to hmea@hmea.org. Click here for the registration form.
Interested in becoming a sponsor of this fun-filled family day event? To learn what sponsorships are available click here for the Sponsorship Opportunities flyer.
More information will be available shortly. In the meantime if have any questions please call Linda Conley at 508.298.1107 or Doug MacPherson at 508.298.1105.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Franklin Downtown Partnership invites crafters to Strawberry Festival
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 4/24/09
The Franklin Downtown Partnership is planning its June 19 Strawberry Festival, and is inviting crafters to send in their registration by May 1.
The festival will take place 1 to 6 p.m. at the West Central Street parking lot, next to Rick's restaurant. Booth fees are $50 for non-food vendors. After May 1, booth fees are $75. Space is limited.
Vendors should contact festival chairman Mary Graff at 773-5504 or mgraff@berryinsurance.com.
Anyone interested in joining the Partnership or sponsoring this event should contact the Franklin Downtown Partnership Executive Director at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com or 774-571-3109.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Wicked Local Franklin News RSS using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Columbine lessons still resonate
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Franklin School Committee by Jeffrey Roy on 4/24/09
My vacation week read this year was Dave Cullen's excellent work entitled Columbine. It's an indelible portrait of the killers, the victims, and the community that suffered one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century. This book was released nearly 10 years after the event, and is a riveting page turner which [...]
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Franklin School Committee using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
"the problem is real, it's growing, and it's perpetual"
Milford Daily News
FRANKLIN —
At its last meeting before presenting its report to the public, the long-range financial planning committee's top concern was making sure they can draw a large crowd.
In an effort to ensure people attend the forum at Horace Mann Middle School on Monday at 7 p.m., committee members debated using the townwide calling system to invite residents to come.
Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting argued that the system must only be used for emergencies. If it is used for announcements, nobody will listen when a "real emergency comes," Nutting said.
Councilor Stephen Whalen emphatically insisted that there is no more important issue in town than its recurring deficit and the damaging impact it can and has wrought.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.
Financial Plng Comm 04/23/09
The live reporting from the Financial Planning Committee meeting of 4/23/09 can be found here
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Live reporting - FPC
Clarification on average annual debt versus actual.
Page 5 of the executive summary, remove the reference to "outsource", it hasn't really been done to amount to much. There has mostly been elimination not outsourcing.
Need to adjust the deficit to ensure the forecast agrees with FY 10. Jeff and Doug to finalize the numbers as close as they can. The numbers may still change but we want to be to in the ball park and not an order of magnitude off.
Medical trends go at double digit growth so we still need to forecast accordingly.
The one-time savings are primarily associated with what was forecasted versus what can get into the budget.
Should we address the teacher retirement as it is not funded by the town? Yes, need to find a place appropriately.
Need to assign responsibilities for computer, screen projection (Jeff)
Microphone one at stage, one each aisle (Jeff)
Go through the executive summary
Discussion on using the connect-cty to notify the town of the meeting Monday night. School system will likely be used to notify the school community.
Discussion on confirmation of broadcasting via cable. Not confirmed yet.
Whole object here is that the problem is real, it is growing, it is systemic.
Use a dashboard on the web to show what the numbers are, they may change over time. It needs to be reflected as what changed and why, not that they "found money".
Page 5 of the executive summary, remove the reference to "outsource", it hasn't really been done to amount to much. There has mostly been elimination not outsourcing.
Need to adjust the deficit to ensure the forecast agrees with FY 10. Jeff and Doug to finalize the numbers as close as they can. The numbers may still change but we want to be to in the ball park and not an order of magnitude off.
Medical trends go at double digit growth so we still need to forecast accordingly.
The one-time savings are primarily associated with what was forecasted versus what can get into the budget.
Should we address the teacher retirement as it is not funded by the town? Yes, need to find a place appropriately.
Need to assign responsibilities for computer, screen projection (Jeff)
Microphone one at stage, one each aisle (Jeff)
Go through the executive summary
Discussion on using the connect-cty to notify the town of the meeting Monday night. School system will likely be used to notify the school community.
Discussion on confirmation of broadcasting via cable. Not confirmed yet.
Whole object here is that the problem is real, it is growing, it is systemic.
Use a dashboard on the web to show what the numbers are, they may change over time. It needs to be reflected as what changed and why, not that they "found money".
Live reporting - Financial Plng - 4/23/09
Attending: Roche, Bartlett, Hardesty, Nutting, Cameron, Trahan, Whalen, Wilschek
Absent: Kelly, Ogden, Zollo
Approved minutes of 4/2/09, 4/9/09 meeting
Review of new numbers to show decline in town employees since 1999 versus population increase since that same time.
Discussion on new slide which tries to get at the projected deficit for this year. Too much is still in float, leave out the revenue numbers. Focus on the one-time adjustments because that puts us in the hole to start out in FY 2011.
Discussion on freeze versus deferral. Deferral is more accurate.
Absent: Kelly, Ogden, Zollo
Approved minutes of 4/2/09, 4/9/09 meeting
Review of new numbers to show decline in town employees since 1999 versus population increase since that same time.
Discussion on new slide which tries to get at the projected deficit for this year. Too much is still in float, leave out the revenue numbers. Focus on the one-time adjustments because that puts us in the hole to start out in FY 2011.
Discussion on freeze versus deferral. Deferral is more accurate.
Live reporting - Financial Planning Committee - 4/23/09
The meeting was rescheduled to start at 7:30 PM.
fuel assistance
Seniors, veterans, all it takes
Is one phone call with Bob
To get it started
What is a sherku?
Call Bob who?
You can call Bob Fahey at the Franklin Senior Center. He and I had a good fact filled conversation on Wednesday and I'll have more to write about the assistance he provides guidance on for Franklin's seniors and veterans over the next several days.
For other sherku celebrating this National Poetry Month you can visit quiet poet here
School cuts put libraries in danger
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Boston Globe -- Globe West by Rachel Lebeaux, Globe Correspondent on 4/22/09
A budget squeeze is forcing Franklin officials to consider laying off school librarians as one measure toward closing its deficit. It is seen as a grim possibility, one that other communities have also faced.Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Boston Globe -- Globe West using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
10th Annual Charles River Earth Day Clean Up
The 10th Annual Charles River Earth Day Clean Up will be held this Saturday (4/25/09) from 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon all along the Charles River and its tributaries.
David Dobrzynski is the site supervisor for the Bellingham/Franklin/Medway/Millis/Norfolk portion of the Charles River Watershed for this event and would be happy to sign up anyone who would like to pitch in with this effort.
David will be manning the volunteer sign in site at the Whole Foods Market in Bellingham, MA beginning at 9:00 AM. People interested in volunteering can drop by and get an assignment for a specific area that needs to be cleaned up.
Full details about this event can be found at: http://www.crwa.org/cleanup.html
David Dobrzynski is the site supervisor for the Bellingham/Franklin/Medway/Millis/Norfolk portion of the Charles River Watershed for this event and would be happy to sign up anyone who would like to pitch in with this effort.
David will be manning the volunteer sign in site at the Whole Foods Market in Bellingham, MA beginning at 9:00 AM. People interested in volunteering can drop by and get an assignment for a specific area that needs to be cleaned up.
Full details about this event can be found at: http://www.crwa.org/cleanup.
"I want to change their way of thinking"
Milford Daily News
FRANKLIN —
Marina Smoske, an eighth-grader at Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School, looks and sounds no different than any other 14-year-old.
She is energetic, beautiful and loves theater. She can't wait to join other kids who know all the lyrics to musicals at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick where she has been accepted. She is just crossing her fingers, praying that she'll get the scholarships she needs to attend her dream school.
And she definitely knows what she believes - she's got strong opinions and enjoys expressing them.
But Smoske is different than most of her peers: She was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, , at age 4.
Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Web site.
Read the full article about Marina's effort in the Milford Daily News here
Concerned about Franklin's Finances?
Concerned about Franklin's Finances? GET THE FACTS
Long-Range Financial Planning Committee
Monday, April 27th
7 PM Horace
Mann School
(Mercer Auditorium)
IT’S TIME WELL SPENT
Cafe Dolce - Music - Sat 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
John Kinney
Café Dolce
Café Dolce is featuring John Kinney April 25, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Come and listen to acoustic music inspired by Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Ray LaMontange, and many more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)