Attending: Whalen, Mason, Vallee, Bartlett, Feeley, Pfeffer, Doak (Doak arrived just before executive session)
Missing: McGann, Zollo
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - none
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS - none
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Demographics help explain
There are a significant number of residents under 18 years old living in Franklin. Between 1990 and 2003, Franklin’s total population increased by 33.8%; during the same time, the number of residents under 18 increased by 58.3%9....In 2007, nearly 970 students enrolled in the Franklin Public Schools had a disability, of which, nearly 7% had physical disabilities.11 Franklin recognized the need to provide accessible areas to individuals of all ability levels and over the past several years, has been successful in upgrading all the Public School playgrounds to meet ADA compliancy requirements....Another population of interest in Franklin is its elderly residents. Census 2000 indicates 8.2% of Franklins 2000 population was age 65 years or older. As Franklin’s population ages, it is important for the Town to ensure the needs of priority populations are met. In 2008 the Town opened the newly constructed Senior Center. The Center provides Franklin’s seniors with a location to gather and programs geared towards this population’s recreation needs.
When one wonders why the School Budget has become such an item, the demographics of the Town can provide some insights. Read more in the Open Space and Recreation Plan on the Town web site here (PDF)
Citizens Rail Trail presentation added to meeting notes
This was the presentation developed for and viewed at the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee meeting on 8/19/09. The presentation was developed by Bill DiSantis.
The presentation was added to the meeting notes of 8/19/09 and here to save clicking back into the August files.
Franklin Rail Trail
View more presentations from Steve Sherlock.
The presentation was added to the meeting notes of 8/19/09 and here to save clicking back into the August files.
Take a ride on the Franklin Area Bus
Did you know that you can have it stop for you along the route?
This September, why not take some time to ride the bus. For $1, it can be a real bargain.
One of the buses on the Franklin Area route has been wrapped to help advertise for Dean College. The bus (pictured below) was recently seen on its route along King St.
For more information (and schedule) on the Franklin Area Bus follow this link (PDF).
This September, why not take some time to ride the bus. For $1, it can be a real bargain.
One of the buses on the Franklin Area route has been wrapped to help advertise for Dean College. The bus (pictured below) was recently seen on its route along King St.
For more information (and schedule) on the Franklin Area Bus follow this link (PDF).
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Live reporting - Public Land Use Committee
Attending: Liz Fester, Mark Anderson, Tim Twardowski
Missing: Jim Estabrook, Ray Willis
Beth Dahlstrom, Town Planner
Brian Taberner, Director, Planning and Community Development
Members of the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee
Dave Dennison, Allan Sawyer, David Labonte, Karl Svendsen
Ron Clough, DCR
Franklin Rail Trail - part of the Titanic Trail
This presentation was based upon the one prepared by Bill DiSantis and edited by Carl Svendsen for this meeting.
Wadsworth Village, near Spring Street crossing, a historical site
How the trail would be finished off is somewhat dependent upon the requirements for the funding organization. Hard pack would be desirable.
Bellingham has a subcommittee to their Conservation Committee doing the same thing that the FCRTC is doing.
FCRTC is a grass roots organization coordinating with DCR.
Meeting with the Rotary Club to look for additional funding.
Dan O'Brian, a trail planner on the DCR staff
It is a feasible project. What you need is creation of a management plan. The plan would be two-fold, (1) development of the trail and (2) the on-going maintenance.
If you can avoid the MassHighway process which requires multiple dollars and multiple years. If you go with a fully engineered 12 foot way, that's one thing. If you are agreeable to go with the lesser option, then maybe the Town can provide some assistance.
The Town Planner and others within the Town can help the FCRT Committee
Ultimately looking at a 10 foot paved section with a yellow line down the middle and an adjacent 5 foot section hard pack for horse or jogger traffic.
Look into the ATT easement for an opportunity for sponsorship or opportunity for maintenance that could be leveraged.
Beth Dhalstrom and Dave Labonte to compare dates to find an acceptable meeting time in September to continue this discussion.
Election "Line up card"
Table below shows the positions available for election this November. Check for the updated version here
The Candidates column initially showed just the incumbents.
Those who have confirmed taking out papers are marked with a * and bold.
New candidates have their name in bold with -new.
The existing position holders who have not yet taken out papers are listed for reference to keep track of the "line up card"
So what does this tell us?
We need more candidates! The only election competition is for the Board of Health position.
The Candidates column initially showed just the incumbents.
Those who have confirmed taking out papers are marked with a * and bold.
New candidates have their name in bold with -new.
The existing position holders who have not yet taken out papers are listed for reference to keep track of the "line up card"
So what does this tell us?
We need more candidates! The only election competition is for the Board of Health position.
| Name | # of Openings | Candidates | Term of Office |
| Board of Assessors | 1 Position (For 4 years) | Robert Avakian* | 2009 to 2013 |
| Board of Health | 1 Position (For 4 years) | Bruce Hunchard* Koren Kanadanian-new | 2009 to 2013 |
| Planning Board | 2 Position (For 4 years) | Anthony Padula* | 2009 to 2013 |
| * 1Vacant | Joseph Halligan-new | 2009 to 2013 | |
| Planning Board (Associate) | * 1 vacant position (For 4 Years) | 2009 to 2013 | |
| Town Council | 9 Positions (For 2 Years) | Joseph McGann | 2009 to 2011 |
| Deborah Bartlett | |||
| R. Scott Mason* | |||
| Christopher Feeley | |||
| Judith Pond Pfeffer* | |||
| Thomas Doak - not running again | |||
| Shannon Zollo* | |||
| Robert Vallee* | |||
| Stephen Whalen | |||
| Glenn Jones- new Daniel Ballinger-new | |||
| School Committee | 7 Positions (For 2 Years) | Cora Armenio | 2009 to 2011 |
| Susan Rohrbach* | |||
| Paula Mullen* | |||
| Edward Cafasso* | |||
| Roberta Trahan | |||
| Matthew Kelly | |||
| Jeffrey Roy* |
Did you know that development of the rail trail is an objecitve?
Two public hearings that included mapping activities were held at the Franklin Town Hall on March 13 and 20, 2008. Although no requests were made, translation services and assistance to disabled populations would have been provided to ensure all populations could participate in the OSRP planning process. See Appendix E for minutes of these Public Hearings. Among the thoughts expressed by the Franklin citizen attendees were their desire to acquire chapter 61B land in the north end of town if it becomes available, as well as Mt. St. Mary's Abby and the Schmidt Farm. They felt town-owned land could be used for alternative uses such as low income housing, and the public should be educated on CPA prior to presenting it on a future ballot. Citizens expressed a desire to increase the number of bike paths and trails in town, increase access to the SNETT and State Forest, identify and preserve priority habitats, as well as implement "Smart Development" concepts and initiatives.
Read more from the Open Space and Recreation Plan on the Town web site here (PDF)
Members of the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee will be participating in the Public Land Use Committee meeting Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM in Room 205 in the Municipal Building.
In the News: some candidates, police grant
On the election front:
Franklin candidates starting to take out papers
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Angel Roy/Daily News staff
------
An update on the grant that the Police just received:
Franklin crosswalks to become safer through grant
Limited - bicycle/skateboard safety helmets available
The Franklin Police Department Safety Division has a limited number of bicycle/skateboard safety helmets available.
Various sizes, no charge, first come first served.
If interested, contact CSO Sergeant Spillane by clicking here.
Franklin Police Department Receives Grant
Franklin Police Department Receives Pedestrian, Bicycle and Moped-Type Safety Enforcement and Equipment Grant Award
Franklin, MA -The Franklin Police Department was awarded $7,490.52 in federal grant funding as part of the 2009-2010 Pedestrian, Bicycle and Moped-Type Safety Enforcement and Equipment Grant Program from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). This program provides overtime funds for targeted enforcement of pedestrian, bicycle, and moped laws, equipment, and materials. The EOPSS awarded 16 of these grants totaling $100,000 in federal highway safety fundsJ
"We are pleased to receive these funds to enhance our pedestrian, bicycle and mopedtype enforcement activities in Franklin" said Sgt. Chris Spillane of the Franklin Police Department. "Any loss on our roadways is one too many and this program will help to reduce the instances of pedestrian, bicycle and moped crashes with motor vehicles."
According to the Massachusetts Crash Data System, in 2007 there were 66 pedestrian fatalities and 1,273 non-fatal injuries along with 11 pedalcyclist fatalities and 800 nonfatal injuries on Massachusetts roadways. Additionally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2007, pedestrians made up 15% of motor vehicle-related fatalities in Massachusetts, compared to the national average of 11 % in
2007. Similarly, in 2007, pedalcyclists made up 2.5% of all motor vehicle-related fatalities in Massachusetts, compared to the national average of 1.7%.
For more information on this program go to wvvw.mass.gov/highwaysafety and click on 2009-2010 Pedestrian, Bicycle and Moped-Type Safety Enforcement and Equipment Grant.
----
For additional information you can also contact Sgt. Chris Spillane at 508-528-1212
Franklin, MA -The Franklin Police Department was awarded $7,490.52 in federal grant funding as part of the 2009-2010 Pedestrian, Bicycle and Moped-Type Safety Enforcement and Equipment Grant Program from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). This program provides overtime funds for targeted enforcement of pedestrian, bicycle, and moped laws, equipment, and materials. The EOPSS awarded 16 of these grants totaling $100,000 in federal highway safety fundsJ
"We are pleased to receive these funds to enhance our pedestrian, bicycle and mopedtype enforcement activities in Franklin" said Sgt. Chris Spillane of the Franklin Police Department. "Any loss on our roadways is one too many and this program will help to reduce the instances of pedestrian, bicycle and moped crashes with motor vehicles."
According to the Massachusetts Crash Data System, in 2007 there were 66 pedestrian fatalities and 1,273 non-fatal injuries along with 11 pedalcyclist fatalities and 800 nonfatal injuries on Massachusetts roadways. Additionally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2007, pedestrians made up 15% of motor vehicle-related fatalities in Massachusetts, compared to the national average of 11 % in
2007. Similarly, in 2007, pedalcyclists made up 2.5% of all motor vehicle-related fatalities in Massachusetts, compared to the national average of 1.7%.
For more information on this program go to wvvw.mass.gov/highwaysafety and click on 2009-2010 Pedestrian, Bicycle and Moped-Type Safety Enforcement and Equipment Grant.
----
For additional information you can also contact Sgt. Chris Spillane at 508-528-1212
Monday, August 31, 2009
Town Council - 9/2/09 - Agenda
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
F. HEARINGS
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
H. DISCUSSIONS
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
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
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
- Election Workers 2009-2010
- Finance Committee (Linda Poole Huempfner)
F. HEARINGS
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
- Change of Manager – Joe’s American Bar & Grill
H. DISCUSSIONS
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
- Resolution 09-57: Dissolution of Franklin Housing Partnership
- Resolution 09-58: Change of Name, Franklin Commission for Persons with Disabilities
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
Do you know when Franklin's open space bylaw was created?
Franklin adopted its "Open Space Development" bylaw in 1987, Franklin Zoning Chapter 185-43. It applies to parcels in the Rural Residential I and II, and Residential VI zoning districts. It allows such parcels to be developed with the same number of lots as would be allowed with a conventional plan, but with one half the area, frontage, and yard requirements mandated by the underlying district. At least 25% of the parcel area must be reserved as open space and either conveyed to the Town or have recorded a restriction enforceable by the Town providing that the land remain as open space. By 1993, ten subdivisions had been approved for development in this manner resulting in the preservation of 236.57 acres of open space.
Read more in the Open Space and Recreation Plan found on the Town web site here (PDF)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
FM #45 - Summer Recap
This is FM #45, a recap of the summer months July/August. Give me about 10 minutes and I'll let you know what matters in Franklin MA.
Time: 11 minutes, 25 seconds
MP3 File
Session Notes:
This is #45 in the series for Franklin Matters. Give me about 10 minutes and I'll let you what matters in Franklin, MA.
June came, school ended, you left Franklin for your summer respite. Hopefully you had a good time away.
It is the end of August and you're back in Franklin. School begins on Tuesday, September 1. Oh my, how time does fly! Perhaps you're wondering what happened while you were away.
If you were, I think the highlights would be covered by the following recap:
July
Jul 1 - The Town Council meeting was dominated by a presentation and discussion by the Charter Commission. The Council created a sub-committee to work on bringing the language of the report into something to put before the State Legislature who could approve it. With their approval, then the folks of Franklin would have a chance to vote on the changes proposed. One of the changes was to make the Treasurer's position an appointed one (instead of elected as it is today). The current Town Clerk position would remain an elected position (although the committee did make some valid arguments for making this an appointed position as well). What seemed to be the most controversial was the discussion on moving the Town Council to staggered terms. In the end because the Charter Commission could not come up with an agreement on how to implement it, they decided it wasn't necessary. Keep this on the radar. I believe the Town Council would still have to approve the final submission to the State Legislature when the sub-committee has done their work.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/town-council-mtg-070109.html
Jul 15 - The Town Council meeting was significant in that museum renovation funding was approved and the local meal and hotel tax options now offered by the State were approved. This is the first non-property tax revenue that has become available for the Town. It is estimated to raise about 1 million dollars for a full year. We won't be realize the full amount this first year but it will help going forward. Vallee was the only councilor voting against both measures. He had argued previously for enabling a revenue stream for the Town but in the end voted against as it was the wrong thing to do with the current economic conditions. The Dept of Planning and Community Development presentation is worth viewing. The presentation on the Water situation is also worth viewing. Approval of the funding for the museum was controversial, some arguing it was not a good time. In the end, because it was a good time to get the work done cheaply, the money was approved by a 7-1 vote (that Bartlett was the one voting against was a surprise).
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/town-council-mtg-smry-071509.html
Jul 16 - Shades N Place opened it's new showroom
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-do-you-go-from-stained-glass-to.html
Jul 16 - Third Thursday was held downtown
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-do-you-go-from-stained-glass-to.html
Jul 22 - The School Committee meeting left some questions unanswered. We left the Jun 23rd meeting with 60+ teachers notified and yet the final number ended up as 12 (all the librarians and a few others). How did we get there? I caught up with Jeff Roy to help figure out where I had missed the boat in following the numbers through the budget discussion.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/when-can-level-funded-budget-increase.html
The full School Committee meeting notes can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/06/school-committee-mtg-062309.html
Jul 27 - The Summer School art show was captured in a slide show
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/summer-art-institute-slide-show.html
Jul 31 - Yes, it is an election year this time around for Franklin. We will elect a Town Council, School Committee and sundry other positions this November. The full listing and key dates can be found here. There are still open slots for Town Council as four have been confirmed in taking out papers to run (incumbents Vallee, Mason, Pfeffer and new comer Glenn Jones). Tom Doak has acknowledged that he will not seek re-election.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/this-is-election-year-for-franklin.html
August
Aug 1 - The PanMass Challenge rode through Franklin with a water stop at the Remington-Jefferson complex. A slide show of some of the event featuring local riders can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/pmc-franklin-water-stop.html
Aug 5 - The Town Council meeting was barely held as five councilors were present, just enough for a quorum. The only legislation passed was local ordinances that allowed the Board of Assessors to index the Senior exemptions officially. They had in fact been indexing but due to a change in legislation, the local authorization to do so had not officially been granted.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/town-council-mtg-smry-080509.html
Aug 11 - The School Committee meeting approved the recommendations from the Strategic Planning Committee. The School Department is now operating under an updated mission statement, vision, and core values. School handbooks dominated much of the discussion as they reflect some changes to bring some more consistency to the operations of the individual schools.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/school-committee-mtg-081109.html
Changes at the high school are covered in detail on Principal Peter Light's blog
http://franklinhighschool.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/fhs-update-and-amendment-to-the-program-of-studies/
Aug 19 - The Town Council was a shorter meeting than the one on the 5th with a skinny agenda. Only two councilors were missing.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/town-council-mtg-smry-081909.html
Aug 19 - With a short Council meeting, I was able to attend and record notes for the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee meeting. This committee is working to enhance the portion of the SNETT that starts in Franklin and runs through to the Douglas State forest.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/citizen-rail-trail-committee-meeting.html
The Citizens Rail Trail Committee brochure is available for viewing and download.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/franklin-citizens-rail-trail-committee_22.html
The Boston Globe covered the efforts of the committee in this article
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/08/30/franklin_bellingham_join_effort_for_regional_recreational_trail/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Globe+West
Aug 20 - Third Thursday was celebrated again. The Brothers McCann drew a good crowd to the breezeway alongside of Cafe Dolce.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/third-thursday-82009.html
Aug 25 - The second School Committee meeting of the month had some interesting policy discussions. The School's Legal representation was present for the discussion on the electronic use policy revisions proposed. Bottom line, there is more work to be done to bring the wording into agreement with the intent of the group. The initial District Improvement Plan was presented for review and ultimately accepted. The District Improvement Plan document is available within the meeting notes. Renee Danho, from Dean College, introduced a new program to help foster the collaboration between the School District and Dean. The presentation copy is available within the meeting notes.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/school-committee-mtg-082509.html
Around town you may have noticed that the Four Corners building is gone and work is well underway on the new Walgreens. The new turn lanes were added to the intersection of King/140 (or East Central)
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-turn-available-at-king140.html
The annual St Rocco's Festival enjoyed some good hot summer weather for a change.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/scenes-from-st-roccos.html
Did I miss something?
If you have something to add, please let me know.
If you have a question, please feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer it.
------------
This podcast is provided as a public service to my fellow citizens and voters of Franklin, MA.
If you like what you hear and read, please let your neighbors know. Subscription is free.
An informed electorate will cast a good vote this November!
------------
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and East of Shirley. The piece is titled "Ernesto,
Time: 11 minutes, 25 seconds
MP3 File
Session Notes:
This is #45 in the series for Franklin Matters. Give me about 10 minutes and I'll let you what matters in Franklin, MA.
June came, school ended, you left Franklin for your summer respite. Hopefully you had a good time away.
It is the end of August and you're back in Franklin. School begins on Tuesday, September 1. Oh my, how time does fly! Perhaps you're wondering what happened while you were away.
If you were, I think the highlights would be covered by the following recap:
July
Jul 1 - The Town Council meeting was dominated by a presentation and discussion by the Charter Commission. The Council created a sub-committee to work on bringing the language of the report into something to put before the State Legislature who could approve it. With their approval, then the folks of Franklin would have a chance to vote on the changes proposed. One of the changes was to make the Treasurer's position an appointed one (instead of elected as it is today). The current Town Clerk position would remain an elected position (although the committee did make some valid arguments for making this an appointed position as well). What seemed to be the most controversial was the discussion on moving the Town Council to staggered terms. In the end because the Charter Commission could not come up with an agreement on how to implement it, they decided it wasn't necessary. Keep this on the radar. I believe the Town Council would still have to approve the final submission to the State Legislature when the sub-committee has done their work.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/town-council-mtg-070109.html
Jul 15 - The Town Council meeting was significant in that museum renovation funding was approved and the local meal and hotel tax options now offered by the State were approved. This is the first non-property tax revenue that has become available for the Town. It is estimated to raise about 1 million dollars for a full year. We won't be realize the full amount this first year but it will help going forward. Vallee was the only councilor voting against both measures. He had argued previously for enabling a revenue stream for the Town but in the end voted against as it was the wrong thing to do with the current economic conditions. The Dept of Planning and Community Development presentation is worth viewing. The presentation on the Water situation is also worth viewing. Approval of the funding for the museum was controversial, some arguing it was not a good time. In the end, because it was a good time to get the work done cheaply, the money was approved by a 7-1 vote (that Bartlett was the one voting against was a surprise).
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/town-council-mtg-smry-071509.html
Jul 16 - Shades N Place opened it's new showroom
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-do-you-go-from-stained-glass-to.html
Jul 16 - Third Thursday was held downtown
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-do-you-go-from-stained-glass-to.html
Jul 22 - The School Committee meeting left some questions unanswered. We left the Jun 23rd meeting with 60+ teachers notified and yet the final number ended up as 12 (all the librarians and a few others). How did we get there? I caught up with Jeff Roy to help figure out where I had missed the boat in following the numbers through the budget discussion.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/when-can-level-funded-budget-increase.html
The full School Committee meeting notes can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/06/school-committee-mtg-062309.html
Jul 27 - The Summer School art show was captured in a slide show
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/summer-art-institute-slide-show.html
Jul 31 - Yes, it is an election year this time around for Franklin. We will elect a Town Council, School Committee and sundry other positions this November. The full listing and key dates can be found here. There are still open slots for Town Council as four have been confirmed in taking out papers to run (incumbents Vallee, Mason, Pfeffer and new comer Glenn Jones). Tom Doak has acknowledged that he will not seek re-election.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/07/this-is-election-year-for-franklin.html
August
Aug 1 - The PanMass Challenge rode through Franklin with a water stop at the Remington-Jefferson complex. A slide show of some of the event featuring local riders can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/pmc-franklin-water-stop.html
Aug 5 - The Town Council meeting was barely held as five councilors were present, just enough for a quorum. The only legislation passed was local ordinances that allowed the Board of Assessors to index the Senior exemptions officially. They had in fact been indexing but due to a change in legislation, the local authorization to do so had not officially been granted.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/town-council-mtg-smry-080509.html
Aug 11 - The School Committee meeting approved the recommendations from the Strategic Planning Committee. The School Department is now operating under an updated mission statement, vision, and core values. School handbooks dominated much of the discussion as they reflect some changes to bring some more consistency to the operations of the individual schools.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/school-committee-mtg-081109.html
Changes at the high school are covered in detail on Principal Peter Light's blog
http://franklinhighschool.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/fhs-update-and-amendment-to-the-program-of-studies/
Aug 19 - The Town Council was a shorter meeting than the one on the 5th with a skinny agenda. Only two councilors were missing.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/town-council-mtg-smry-081909.html
Aug 19 - With a short Council meeting, I was able to attend and record notes for the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee meeting. This committee is working to enhance the portion of the SNETT that starts in Franklin and runs through to the Douglas State forest.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/citizen-rail-trail-committee-meeting.html
The Citizens Rail Trail Committee brochure is available for viewing and download.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/franklin-citizens-rail-trail-committee_22.html
The Boston Globe covered the efforts of the committee in this article
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/08/30/franklin_bellingham_join_effort_for_regional_recreational_trail/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Globe+West
Aug 20 - Third Thursday was celebrated again. The Brothers McCann drew a good crowd to the breezeway alongside of Cafe Dolce.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/third-thursday-82009.html
Aug 25 - The second School Committee meeting of the month had some interesting policy discussions. The School's Legal representation was present for the discussion on the electronic use policy revisions proposed. Bottom line, there is more work to be done to bring the wording into agreement with the intent of the group. The initial District Improvement Plan was presented for review and ultimately accepted. The District Improvement Plan document is available within the meeting notes. Renee Danho, from Dean College, introduced a new program to help foster the collaboration between the School District and Dean. The presentation copy is available within the meeting notes.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/school-committee-mtg-082509.html
Around town you may have noticed that the Four Corners building is gone and work is well underway on the new Walgreens. The new turn lanes were added to the intersection of King/140 (or East Central)
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-turn-available-at-king140.html
The annual St Rocco's Festival enjoyed some good hot summer weather for a change.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/08/scenes-from-st-roccos.html
Did I miss something?
If you have something to add, please let me know.
If you have a question, please feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer it.
------------
This podcast is provided as a public service to my fellow citizens and voters of Franklin, MA.
If you like what you hear and read, please let your neighbors know. Subscription is free.
An informed electorate will cast a good vote this November!
------------
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and East of Shirley. The piece is titled "Ernesto,
In the Globe - Rail trail, kindergarten
The Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee's effort to get funding to work on the SNETT is the subject of this article in the Boston Globe West section today:
Plans for regional trail are gaining ground
from Boston Globe -- Globe West by Rachel Lebeaux, Globe Correspondent
---------
From the Boston Sunday Globe Magazine section comes this article on kindergarten
Pressure-cooker kindergarten
A new emphasis on testing and test preparation -- brought on by politicians, not early education experts -- is hurting the youngest students.
Did you know?
A stated common vision facilitates decision-making for everyone, Town and State officials as well as developers and private landowners. This update of the 2001 plan is intended to help provide that vision. The 2008 OSRP is being prepared with attention to Franklin specifically, rather than a three-town region as in the past because Franklin has become a thriving suburban community in need of specific open space and recreation planning guidance. Coordination and cooperation in planning between Town Departments and government agencies may lead to improved resources throughout the Town. The 2008 Open Space and Recreation Plan will act as a policy guide for the decision and policy makers of Franklin, resulting in improved management and enhancement of recreational opportunities and preservation of much of the Town’s significant open space.
The Open Space and Recreation Plan can be found on the town web site here (PDF)
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Franklin Area Climate Team - active blog
I have been working with the Franklin Area Climate Team to update their blog and enhance the communications around their efforts.
Become a fan and loose weight (CO2 weight)
11 Steps to save money and reduce your energy use
Cutting through the hype (video)
350 is the number!
The Franklin Area Climate Team (FACT) is a locally organized group committed to fighting the climate crisis by promoting carbon-reducing practices in our homes and communities. We are an ever-expanding group of citizens from Bellingham, Foxborough, Franklin, Norfolk, Plainville, Wrentham, and other area towns.
Consider visiting the Franklin Area Climate Team site to find information on climate change, energy savings, and more about the world-wide effort to reach 350:
11 Steps to save money and reduce your energy use
Cutting through the hype (video)
350 is the number!
Consider subscribing to the Franklin Area Climate Team blog to keep up with their activities. You can subscribe to receive updates via email or RSS feed.
Franklin Kindergarten Schedule
For some reason the correction in the printed version of this weeks Franklin Gazette STILL gets the information wrong. The correct information is listed below.
- Orientation for all kindergarten students at each elementary school on Sep 1
- 1/2 the kindergarten class comes to school on Sep 2
- The other 1/2 of the kindergarten class comes to school on Sep 3
- The full kindergarten class comes to school on Sep 4
You will be notified in a letter as to your first day of kindergarten. The beginning of the alphabet will be on Tuesday and the end of the alphabet will be Wednesday. All kindergarten students first full day together will be Friday.
Why the split schedule for kindergarten?
This schedule helps to ease the new students into the kindergarten routine.
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