Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Victor Pisini, owner of Pisini Shoe Store at 22 Main St., is looking forward to the publicity.
"We're always excited if they're going to promote downtown," Pisini said.
Piana said camera crew will be in town from 11 a.m. to about 4 p.m. During that time, she plans on telling them all about the partnership.
"We have over 130 members now and we've increased out membership quite a bit since last year. It's interesting how our membership has grown so much in the last two years - we've doubled it," she said. "I think it speaks toward how we're a community and how the businesses support each other and work together through tough economic times. The focus is on mom-and-pop-owned (shops), and we have a lot of them."
As promised, the full set of results from the recent Trash and Recycle survey are contained within the links here. I have provided three reports to access the data.
The full and complete set containing the Ref#, the Overall answer (Yes or No), and the comments for both questions. Note: if the comment field is blank, there was nothing submitted. Both comment sections were optional. The Yes/No question was mandatory.
The set of answers for the question: "What DO you like about the process?"
The set of answers for the question: "What DON'T you like about the process?"
One source of additional revenue for school athletics that has been approved is advertising in the high school field house. The program was successfully piloted and expanded to include similar banners for the outside athletic field. These banners are posted along the fence on the "home" side of the stands.
Greetings Franklin! Were any of you able to identify last week's mystery plant?
This is a closeup of goldenrod, which is in bloom now in fields everywhere. There are many kinds of goldenrod, or Solidago L., and they are difficult to tell apart, but all of them are native to North America.
Goldenrod has a reputation for causing allergies. However, this is unfair and incorrect. The real culprit for sneezing right now is ragweed, which is also in bloom. Goldenrod has heavy pollen grans that fall quickly to the ground. The plant relies on insects to carry the pollen from one flower to another. Ragweed, on the other hand, has lightweight pollen which is small enough to float around on the wind.
Goldenrod is perennial that grows in dramatic clusters. It attracts many insects. If you aren't a fan of insects in your yard, consider them to be bird food. All birds, especially baby birds, require insects in their diet.
And here is next week's puzzler, being visited by a hummingbird:
Hint: it's another common flower that is in bloom and feeding hummingbirds right now. Post your answers in the comments section, and have fun!
I slipped in a small trivia question to check on the observational skills of the Franklin Matters readers. The answer to the Spruce Pond sign question is shown below and on the original posting earlier this week.
Updated 8/13/10:
The answer to the question is that the sign is the "old" one and not the one showing today:
The agenda for this Friday's Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) meeting will be featured by our speaker, Monica Brunaccini. The facilitator for this week will be Christine Hurley.
We will devote the first hour, from 10 to 11 AM to the following agenda: Welcome, Landings, Announcements, New Member Intros, and Needs/Leads.
Please arrive early, so we can make every effort to start on time. In the second hour, Monica will talk about "How to Standout in the Crowd."
How to Standout in the Crowd: (Making yourself known in this unique employment market)
Why you really need to network
How to build and expand your community
Developing your own approach - one that will work for you
Building your brand - a strong reputation and following
Leveraging your strengths and what makes you unique
Your toolkit - navigation resources and techniques
Q&A - open discussion
The group meets at St John the Evangelist Parish Center in Hopkinton.
Directions:
Take Rt. 495 North/South and get off Exit 21A. Go through three traffic lights. Colella's Supermarket is on the right at the third traffic light. The first street after the third traffic light is Church Street, take a right turn. The church is on the right. Go around to the left of the parking lot and go into the side entrance of the parish hall.
Depending upon where you live, perhaps you may want to use Mapquest or Google Maps for a more direct route. The address of the church is:
St. John the Evangelist
20 Church Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748
From lead organizer, Gil Krispien's email to the Acton Networking Group mailing list.
The Franklin Police Department is looking to residents to help raise money for the annual Jimmy Fund Walk next month.
Chief Stephen Williams, with the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, will be participating in the event for the seventh year in a row and has put collection cans out at local businesses.
"Jimmy Fund canisters will be on display in local Franklin businesses from now throughout September,'' Williams said in a release. "We have always relied on the generosity of the businesses and residents of Franklin to make our fundraising for the fight against cancer a success."
To help Williams, visit www.jimmyfundwalk.org and click "support a walker" to make an online donation.
Town budget status:
Nutting - negotiating the contract with the architect on the high school, still targeting next Nov (Nov 2011) for a debt exclusion question to pay for the renovation
Lost almost $3.2 million in state aid the last couple of years; this was offset by 522,000 in school aid (which still has not been received).
Approx Jun/Jul 2011 should have a proposal for the MSBA to approve by the middle of July so that Franklin could schedule the vote for the regular Nov 2011 scheduled election. Otherwise, a special date would need to be set.
Membership:
Brendan Morrison has left the committee, should there be a replacement? or stay with nine.
Make offer to consider adding any interested, Jeff will post to the Town website. Scott will announce at the Council meeting.
Web site:
Who can take on the task of checking on the posting of the committee documents to the website? Jim Roche will. Jeff will let Diane know that Jim may call regarding the committee documents.
Bargaining Confidentiality background:
No party discusses the status of what is going on until there is an agreement on both sides.
Broad parameters are set during an executive session prior to negotiation commencement.
Committee priorities:
(see listing - to be attached later)
Discussion to clarify what's on the listing and if there needs to be additional items.
Should the committee be "Just the fact's Mame" or should it be an advocacy group?
Creating a generally accessible document is one thing, advocating for the details, explaining the ins and outs is not the same thing as advocating for or against an override.
Need to understand cost control to reference readily
1 - What is under Franklin's control, what is out of our hands and in the hands of either the State (Beacon Hill) or Congress (Washington)
2 - There are two things to show: (1) the number of employees (i.e. Fire, Police, etc.) comparable to a similar sized community and (2) how their salary compares to other similar communities. These are available and updated regularly.
There seems to be a recurring theme around a lack of trust and creditability.
Ongoing item of differentiating the capital budget and the operating budget. How well do we explain the use of free cash and the capital budget?
Anything to add to the listing?
Clarification on the charter of the committee, at least to review and re-evaluate the current charter
If the Administration is already producing a three year outlook beyond the operating budget, why are we producing a report? Should we focus on validating and questioning the current process documents?
For next time: committee to pick three things to do brilliantly well, what would be the most worthy of our time? Also choose two or three things that should come off the listing.
Exceptions: updating the five year plan remains on the listing and does not need to be amongst the three. Monitoring the web site hits is one that can come off the listing. It is necessary but not something that needs to be done everyday.
Next meeting Sep 8th, 7:00 PM
Note email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the documents
