Rescue response times to edges of Franklin not good
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Franklin, MA
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
FM #79 - Slidecast - Tax Hearing Info for FY 2011
This internet radio show or podcast is number 79 in the series for Franklin Matters.
In this session, you give me about ten minutes (actually 13 in this case) and I'll fill you in on what matters in Franklin.
Show notes:
In particular, we'll prepare for the Town Council meeting Wednesday, Dec 8th, where the big item on the agenda will be the annual tax classification hearing beginning at 7:10 PM.
This is the time and place where the Town Council determines (1) to keep a single tax rate or decides to implement a split tax rate and (2) sets the actual rate.
I have reviewed the data provided by the Board of Assessors for this hearing. I have also spent some time on the Dept of Revenue website updating my files with historical data on Franklin's budget, tax rate, etc.
I have updates last year's slides to share information that I think will help us all understand the overall situation.
Page 2 shows how the tax rate is calculated. Starting with the levy limit from 2010, 2.5% is added. Based upon Prop 2.5%, up to this amount can be added without a special override election. The growth from last year is added. This provides a subtotal. Any prior debt exclusions are added and this provides the maximum levy limit. We can technically achieve this due to rounding factors on the rates. So we have what they call an “excess levy capacity” of $35, 647. This leaves us with the tax levy, the amount that Franklin is authorized to raise this year. The amount is divided by the total assessed values of all the residential, commercial, industrial and personal property.
The package has a number of pages devoted to the property analysis of the residential, CIP to get to this value. The major factor to remember is that due to the overall economic conditions, property values are declining. Divide any number by a declining number and the percent will increase.
Page 3 shows the tax rate as it has varied throughout the years from 1988 to 2011. I really shouldn't use a line to depict the point in time number for each year, but it is much easier to view the data this way. The tax rate high point was in 1997 when it was 14.21% and the low point (in the period shown) was 8.86% in 2007. I find it interesting that the tax rate dropped for ten years in a row (from its peak in 1997), has gone up for the past 4 years, and yet all you hear about is our tax problem?
There are many reasons for the increases shown. I don't have all the information to explain nor do I have the time this week to do so. What I can show on Page 4 is how the assessed value effects the tax rate. The reddish bars in this case depict the NET change in assessed total value of all the properties in Franklin. Since 2006 the commercial industrial assessed values have been in a decline. In 2006 and 2007, the new grown for CI covered the decline in valuation so there was a net grown for CI. But for 2008, 2009, 2010 and for FY 2011, the new growth has not been able to cover the decline in valuation. More importantly, on the residential side, the decline in valuation has far exceeded the new growth. Hence the overall decline in total assessed values has dropped from 4.9 billion in 2007 to 4.1 billion for FY 2011. With less of a tax base upon which to levy the same amount of tax revenue, guess what, the tax rate will increase. The decline in overall assessed values has driven the increase for 2008, 2009, 2010 and will do so again in 2011.
Well, Page 5 more clearly shows what our tax problem is. The numbers on this chart depict the average tax bill for the period 1988 through 2010. As you can see from the reddish bars, in no year did the average tax bill decrease. The tax rate line from Page 4 is also shown here. Clearly, the tax rate whether it goes up or down seems to have little effect on the tax bill. It is always going up.
Page 6 - shows a table showing the residential vs. commercial/industrial property mix since 1999. It has varied a little each year but generally around 80% residential and 20% commercial/industrial. The high point for residential was 82.12 in 1988 and the low point was 77.04 in 1993.
Page 7 shows the same numbers in a chart format. As there is so little variance, I think this more clearly depicts the small range that the commercial/industrial and residential split has had over the years.
Why did I spend time on the CI vs Residential split? I can hear some folks now saying “let's go with a split tax rate”. With kind of property mix we have, a split tax does not solve our problem. See, the split tax does not increase overall tax revenues, it only shifts the proportion of the pie that each party pays as shown on Page 8. For a single dollar decrease in residential property tax, the CI increase would need to be $4. We don't need to shift the tax burden from one to another. We need to grow the overall tax base. We need a bigger pie.
The best opportunities for grow come from the underutilized CI space we have. You should be aware of the efforts of Bryan Taberner and others in the Department of Planning and Community Development. The Economic Summit held at the former Putnam facility on Washington is a key example of this effort. They are busy working to market the attractiveness of Franklin for CI uses. This is where we need to develop. We don't need additional residential properties which would further burden the school system. In particular, the residential growth we have seen recently has been mostly in the rental unit arena and that is even worse for Franklin than a single family home. We need healthy growth in CI properties to provide tax revenues and provide some jobs for local residents.
Page 9 provides information on the sources of the data that I used to prepare this.
Page 10 provides my contact information if you have any questions or would like to review this further.
One page in the appendix that charts the “free cash” to “free cash as a percent of the overall Town budget. I think the current administration has done very well in reducing the fluctuations that can be seen over the years. The big spike in FY 2001 I believe is likely related to the settlement that the Town won. It ended up in “free cash” before the Town Council moved it to the Stabilization Fund.
For the week ahead:
Town Council meeting Wednesday
Cyberbullying event at Dean College on Thursday. Perry Aftab and the teenangels from the Franklin School District will be presenting an information for parents on bullying.
I would encourage you to participate in these events.
Thank you for listening!
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission
I hope you enjoy!
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view this slidecast.
Franklin, MA
In this session, you give me about ten minutes (actually 13 in this case) and I'll fill you in on what matters in Franklin.
Show notes:
In particular, we'll prepare for the Town Council meeting Wednesday, Dec 8th, where the big item on the agenda will be the annual tax classification hearing beginning at 7:10 PM.
This is the time and place where the Town Council determines (1) to keep a single tax rate or decides to implement a split tax rate and (2) sets the actual rate.
I have reviewed the data provided by the Board of Assessors for this hearing. I have also spent some time on the Dept of Revenue website updating my files with historical data on Franklin's budget, tax rate, etc.
I have updates last year's slides to share information that I think will help us all understand the overall situation.
Page 2 shows how the tax rate is calculated. Starting with the levy limit from 2010, 2.5% is added. Based upon Prop 2.5%, up to this amount can be added without a special override election. The growth from last year is added. This provides a subtotal. Any prior debt exclusions are added and this provides the maximum levy limit. We can technically achieve this due to rounding factors on the rates. So we have what they call an “excess levy capacity” of $35, 647. This leaves us with the tax levy, the amount that Franklin is authorized to raise this year. The amount is divided by the total assessed values of all the residential, commercial, industrial and personal property.
The package has a number of pages devoted to the property analysis of the residential, CIP to get to this value. The major factor to remember is that due to the overall economic conditions, property values are declining. Divide any number by a declining number and the percent will increase.
Page 3 shows the tax rate as it has varied throughout the years from 1988 to 2011. I really shouldn't use a line to depict the point in time number for each year, but it is much easier to view the data this way. The tax rate high point was in 1997 when it was 14.21% and the low point (in the period shown) was 8.86% in 2007. I find it interesting that the tax rate dropped for ten years in a row (from its peak in 1997), has gone up for the past 4 years, and yet all you hear about is our tax problem?
There are many reasons for the increases shown. I don't have all the information to explain nor do I have the time this week to do so. What I can show on Page 4 is how the assessed value effects the tax rate. The reddish bars in this case depict the NET change in assessed total value of all the properties in Franklin. Since 2006 the commercial industrial assessed values have been in a decline. In 2006 and 2007, the new grown for CI covered the decline in valuation so there was a net grown for CI. But for 2008, 2009, 2010 and for FY 2011, the new growth has not been able to cover the decline in valuation. More importantly, on the residential side, the decline in valuation has far exceeded the new growth. Hence the overall decline in total assessed values has dropped from 4.9 billion in 2007 to 4.1 billion for FY 2011. With less of a tax base upon which to levy the same amount of tax revenue, guess what, the tax rate will increase. The decline in overall assessed values has driven the increase for 2008, 2009, 2010 and will do so again in 2011.
Well, Page 5 more clearly shows what our tax problem is. The numbers on this chart depict the average tax bill for the period 1988 through 2010. As you can see from the reddish bars, in no year did the average tax bill decrease. The tax rate line from Page 4 is also shown here. Clearly, the tax rate whether it goes up or down seems to have little effect on the tax bill. It is always going up.
Page 6 - shows a table showing the residential vs. commercial/industrial property mix since 1999. It has varied a little each year but generally around 80% residential and 20% commercial/industrial. The high point for residential was 82.12 in 1988 and the low point was 77.04 in 1993.
Page 7 shows the same numbers in a chart format. As there is so little variance, I think this more clearly depicts the small range that the commercial/industrial and residential split has had over the years.
Why did I spend time on the CI vs Residential split? I can hear some folks now saying “let's go with a split tax rate”. With kind of property mix we have, a split tax does not solve our problem. See, the split tax does not increase overall tax revenues, it only shifts the proportion of the pie that each party pays as shown on Page 8. For a single dollar decrease in residential property tax, the CI increase would need to be $4. We don't need to shift the tax burden from one to another. We need to grow the overall tax base. We need a bigger pie.
The best opportunities for grow come from the underutilized CI space we have. You should be aware of the efforts of Bryan Taberner and others in the Department of Planning and Community Development. The Economic Summit held at the former Putnam facility on Washington is a key example of this effort. They are busy working to market the attractiveness of Franklin for CI uses. This is where we need to develop. We don't need additional residential properties which would further burden the school system. In particular, the residential growth we have seen recently has been mostly in the rental unit arena and that is even worse for Franklin than a single family home. We need healthy growth in CI properties to provide tax revenues and provide some jobs for local residents.
Page 9 provides information on the sources of the data that I used to prepare this.
Page 10 provides my contact information if you have any questions or would like to review this further.
One page in the appendix that charts the “free cash” to “free cash as a percent of the overall Town budget. I think the current administration has done very well in reducing the fluctuations that can be seen over the years. The big spike in FY 2001 I believe is likely related to the settlement that the Town won. It ended up in “free cash” before the Town Council moved it to the Stabilization Fund.
For the week ahead:
Town Council meeting Wednesday
Cyberbullying event at Dean College on Thursday. Perry Aftab and the teenangels from the Franklin School District will be presenting an information for parents on bullying.
I would encourage you to participate in these events.
Thank you for listening!
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission
I hope you enjoy!
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view this slidecast.
Franklin, MA
"one of the issues is no one can tell us what the ballpark is"
Jessica Strunkin, manager of public policy and public affairs for the 495 MetroWest Partnership, said she would like to see businesses and government work together to solve the problem.
"I think some type of collaborative approach would be more efficient," Strunkin said after the meeting. "Everyone can pool their resources and it might cost less."
Jack Lank, president of the United Regional Chamber of Commerce, said public outreach will be key to coming up with a manageable funding plan.
"I think (a stormwater utility) is almost inevitable," he said after the meeting. "No matter how we look at it, this is an unfunded mandate and we're going to be footing the bill."Read the full article in the Milford Daily News
Prior posts on the proposed EPA regulations about storm water
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html
Franklin, MA
"Official statistics underestimate obesity"
From Business Insider we find these 15 shocking facts about obesity:
Franklin, MA
Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. It’s the plague of the 21st century.
Meanwhile, America’s become so politically correct that it’s almost impossible to discuss the ”sensitive” issue in depth. Official statistics underestimate obesity, and interest groups are content this issue isn’t addressed properly.
Insider Monkey, your source for free insider trading data, compiled 15 shocking facts that you didn’t know about obesity.
Click here to see the facts >
Franklin, MA
Monday, December 6, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Split tax vs. single tax rate
At the tax hearing set of the Dec 8th Town Council meeting, the annual discussion on a single vs split tax rate will come up again. Some information to help you determine which you would prefer can be found here:
1 - From a report done on a recent proposal for California:
The article discussing this report can be found here
2 - Pennsylvania is making progress on a different kind of split tax rate. Their method is described as follows:
You can read the full article here
Another summary of this new split rate process can be found here
3 - To come a little closer to home, the Boston Globe covers the issue with this article from Jan 2009
4 - The United Regional Chamber of Commerce has also weighed in with 20 Reasons Not to Implement a Dual Tax Rate
Finally, I have the numbers to update my summary of the tax rate process posted last year. Last year's version can be found here. The slide cast combines a slide show presenting the data and charts with a recording of my explanation of what each slide depicts. I hope to have that update ready for Tuesday.
You can view the full set of documents for the Town Council agenda here (PDF)
Franklin, MA
1 - From a report done on a recent proposal for California:
To determine the economic impact of adopting a split-roll property tax, one must explicitly take account of how the split roll would affect the behavior of individuals and businesses who own commercial property. A wealth of economics research has demonstrated that, when confronted with an increase in state taxes, businesses seek to avoid their exposure to the higher tax. Taken together, these studies indicate that a 1 percent increase in state taxes will lead to a 0.25-0.31 percent reduction in the level of economic activity. If the reduction leads to corresponding decrease in employment opportunities for Californians, a 1 percent increase in taxes would result in the loss of about 43,000 jobs.
The economic impact of an increase in the taxation of business property depends on the extent to which affected businesses can pass-on the tax to their customers (through higher prices), renters (through higher rents), their employees (through lower wages), or their suppliers. If a firm cannot pass-on the tax to others, it may change its mode of operations to use less taxable property (capital goods, for example) or relocate its operations to other states. Either way, much (but not all) of the burden of higher taxes will be borne by others. Generally speaking, owners of capital are more likely than landowners to avoid the increased tax burden by shifting their investments elsewhere. Capital is highly mobile; land is very immobile, and cannot be relocated to locations with a more benign tax system.The full report can be found here (PDF)
The article discussing this report can be found here
2 - Pennsylvania is making progress on a different kind of split tax rate. Their method is described as follows:
The property tax is actually two types of taxes - one upon building values, and the other upon land values. This distinction is an important one, as these two types of taxes have significantly different impacts on incentive motives and development results.
Pennsylvania's pioneering approach to property tax reform recognizes this important distinction between land and building values through what is now known as the split-rate or two-tier property tax. The tax is decreased on buildings, thereby giving property owners the incentive to build and to maintain and improve their properties, and the levy on land values is increased, thus discouraging land speculation and encouraging infill development. This shifting of the tax burden promotes a more efficient use of urban infrastructure (such as roads and sewers), decreases the pressure towards urban sprawl, and assures a broader spread of the benefits of development to the community as a whole.
You can read the full article here
Another summary of this new split rate process can be found here
3 - To come a little closer to home, the Boston Globe covers the issue with this article from Jan 2009
Among 37 area communities between Newton and Shrewsbury, 13 tax commercial properties at a different, higher rate than homes. Having a split tax rate provides flexibility in raising revenue amid fluctuating real estate values, officials say, and eases the tax burden on residents. But for small businesses struggling in a sour economy, it can feel like a double whammy.
"It's a really delicate balance between taxation of residents and businesses," said Peter Bulian, a selectman in Needham, where the commercial tax rate rose 3.4 percent, from $18.92 to $19.56 per $1,000 in assessed value, for this fiscal year, while the residential rate went up 2.6 percent, from $9.70 to $9.96.
"Last year, we had a business district with 40 percent vacancies," he said, referring to the New England Business Center on Highland Avenue. "They were hurting, and landlords pass along tax increases to their tenants."
4 - The United Regional Chamber of Commerce has also weighed in with 20 Reasons Not to Implement a Dual Tax Rate
Finally, I have the numbers to update my summary of the tax rate process posted last year. Last year's version can be found here. The slide cast combines a slide show presenting the data and charts with a recording of my explanation of what each slide depicts. I hope to have that update ready for Tuesday.
You can view the full set of documents for the Town Council agenda here (PDF)
Franklin, MA
Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - 12/8/10
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – November 17, 2010
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
F. HEARINGS - Annual Tax Classification Hearing – 7:10 PM
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 10-70:Classification Tax Allocation– Residential Factor
2. Resolution 10-71:Classification Tax Allocation – Open Space Exemption
3. Resolution 10-72:Classification Tax Allocation – Small Businesses Exemption
4. Resolution 10-73: Classification Tax Allocation – Residential Property Exemption
5. Resolution 10-74: Appropriation – Capital 2011
6. Resolution 10-75: Appropriation – Fire Truck
7. Resolution 10-76: Authorization to Borrow – Repairs & Remodeling to Various School Buildings
8. Resolution 10-77: Appropriation – Demolition of House on DelCarte Property
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
Franklin, MA
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
F. HEARINGS - Annual Tax Classification Hearing – 7:10 PM
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 10-70:Classification Tax Allocation– Residential Factor
2. Resolution 10-71:Classification Tax Allocation – Open Space Exemption
3. Resolution 10-72:Classification Tax Allocation – Small Businesses Exemption
4. Resolution 10-73: Classification Tax Allocation – Residential Property Exemption
5. Resolution 10-74: Appropriation – Capital 2011
6. Resolution 10-75: Appropriation – Fire Truck
7. Resolution 10-76: Authorization to Borrow – Repairs & Remodeling to Various School Buildings
8. Resolution 10-77: Appropriation – Demolition of House on DelCarte Property
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
Franklin, MA
"new systems to control the runoff"
"This (meeting) is to keep the information flowing," Bellingham Town Administrator Denis Fraine said. "The proposed regulations are going to be costly, and the more we understand what our limitations are, the better it will be in the long run from a financial perspective."
Milford Selectman Brian Murray said the presentation is important for town officials and business owners, but efforts to fight the regulations need to continue.
"This is almost like the tail wagging the dog," Murray said. "It means we buy into these regulations, and I refuse to buy into the science of it and the unfairness of targeting three towns."
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News:
Three meetings set to review stormwater mandate for Bellingham, Milford, Franklin
Prior posts on the proposed EPA regulations about storm water
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html
Franklin, MA
Saturday, December 4, 2010
A warm welcome for the Franklin Town News!
The arrival this week of the new Franklin Town News is a good development for Franklin. You should already be aware that while at one time many years ago Franklin did have its own newspaper (The Sentinel), we get coverage by the Milford Daily News and the occasionally from the Boston Globe West edition.
The current reporter for the Milford Daily News, Brian Benson, I think is doing very well. He is covering a lot of Franklin and covering it well. He is also publishing information in advance of a meeting which prior reporters had not done.
Franklin also is covered by the Wicked Local or Franklin Gazette. Covered is an appropriate term as this is the paper tossed in the driveway weekly. As I walk around town, I find a lot of them simply left there. The news contained inside is all re-purposed from what has been published in the Milford Daily News.
Hence, the need for Franklin MAtters. I publish here all the information from the town meetings (Town Council, School Committee, etc.) that I can participate in. This information is meant to be accurate and timely. You help me if you find I make a mistake so the accuracy is good. I provide links to documents and the documents themselves to make the information that may be on the Franklin website, easier to get at and use.
Now, the Franklin Town News comes along and will provide a new communication channel to the residents of Franklin. Supported by ad revenue and mailed directly to residents, this ensures a better chance of getting to everyone than the news or websites can do today. I welcome the Franklin Town News.
Why?
An informed community will make good decisions on election day.
Note:
I have no formal business relationship with Franklin Town News. I have and anticipate continuing to submit an article or two for each issue on behalf of Franklin MAtters or the Franklin Food Pantry.
If your business or non-profit would like advice on how to leverage Franklin Town News (or other communication channels) to spread your information, please reach out and contact me. I am open to sharing what I know and have learned.
Franklin, MA
The current reporter for the Milford Daily News, Brian Benson, I think is doing very well. He is covering a lot of Franklin and covering it well. He is also publishing information in advance of a meeting which prior reporters had not done.
Franklin also is covered by the Wicked Local or Franklin Gazette. Covered is an appropriate term as this is the paper tossed in the driveway weekly. As I walk around town, I find a lot of them simply left there. The news contained inside is all re-purposed from what has been published in the Milford Daily News.
Hence, the need for Franklin MAtters. I publish here all the information from the town meetings (Town Council, School Committee, etc.) that I can participate in. This information is meant to be accurate and timely. You help me if you find I make a mistake so the accuracy is good. I provide links to documents and the documents themselves to make the information that may be on the Franklin website, easier to get at and use.
Now, the Franklin Town News comes along and will provide a new communication channel to the residents of Franklin. Supported by ad revenue and mailed directly to residents, this ensures a better chance of getting to everyone than the news or websites can do today. I welcome the Franklin Town News.
- Any Franklin business can benefit from advertising in this publication. The target market is what you are always looking for. If you are doing business in Franklin, the target market is provided for you.
- Any Franklin organization can benefit from publishing an information article. The monthly timing is the only hindrance but with proper planning, the mailing at the beginning of the month can announce your event during the coming month or set the stage for a future month. There is also a website where you can read the paper online, as well as a calendar which can be updated more frequently than monthly. As the awareness grows, these should be more useful in getting the word out.
Why?
An informed community will make good decisions on election day.
Note:
I have no formal business relationship with Franklin Town News. I have and anticipate continuing to submit an article or two for each issue on behalf of Franklin MAtters or the Franklin Food Pantry.
If your business or non-profit would like advice on how to leverage Franklin Town News (or other communication channels) to spread your information, please reach out and contact me. I am open to sharing what I know and have learned.
Franklin, MA
Jon Stewart: The Food, the bad and the ugly
Jon Stewart does his thing with the recent food safety legislation passed by the Senate. Humor is a good way to tackle tough issues.
Food safety is no laughing matter.
Food security (having enough healthy food for your family) is no laughing matter either.
Please take a moment today to support your local food pantry or food bank. They are different operations but have one goal to provide necessary food for those in need. The Franklin Food Pantry has a Google Checkout button to enable an easy monetary donation. Scroll all the way down to the base of the home page to find it. http://franklinfoodpantry.org/
Note: I am on the Board of Directors for the Food Pantry and will be revising the website to make it easier to use for those we serve as well as those who would like to help (like you).
Franklin, MA
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The Food, the Bad and the Ugly | ||||
| ||||
Food safety is no laughing matter.
Food security (having enough healthy food for your family) is no laughing matter either.
Please take a moment today to support your local food pantry or food bank. They are different operations but have one goal to provide necessary food for those in need. The Franklin Food Pantry has a Google Checkout button to enable an easy monetary donation. Scroll all the way down to the base of the home page to find it. http://franklinfoodpantry.org/
Note: I am on the Board of Directors for the Food Pantry and will be revising the website to make it easier to use for those we serve as well as those who would like to help (like you).
Franklin, MA
Friday, December 3, 2010
Holiday Stroll
I got to Downtown Franklin after 6:00 PM and apparently missed the big crowds. There was a good group at Simon's to watch the dancers perform.
Quite a few folks stopped by the Open House at the Franklin Food Pantry and some dropped off donations:
Thank you!
Downtown Consignment reported good visits. Jane's Frames did as well. We stopped by the new Printsmart Office Products. Dolores picked up a couple of stocking stuffers while there.
The Museum had some crafts for sale as well as one of the Stanley Chilson films showing.
The triangle looks good with the trees lit up now.
All in all, a good evening. I wish I had been able to get there earlier. I also heard that the gingerbread cookies were a big hit at Dean College!
Spend some time downtown Franklin, shop local!
Updated 5/17/11 - sometime in the past couple of months, Downtown Consignment moved to an unknown location in Plainville. The Franklin Art Association now has a gallery in this location.
Franklin, MA
Quite a few folks stopped by the Open House at the Franklin Food Pantry and some dropped off donations:
Thank you!
Downtown Consignment reported good visits. Jane's Frames did as well. We stopped by the new Printsmart Office Products. Dolores picked up a couple of stocking stuffers while there.
The Museum had some crafts for sale as well as one of the Stanley Chilson films showing.
The triangle looks good with the trees lit up now.
All in all, a good evening. I wish I had been able to get there earlier. I also heard that the gingerbread cookies were a big hit at Dean College!
Spend some time downtown Franklin, shop local!
Updated 5/17/11 - sometime in the past couple of months, Downtown Consignment moved to an unknown location in Plainville. The Franklin Art Association now has a gallery in this location.
Franklin, MA
Winter Parking Ban changed!
One of the good things to happen during the Town Council meeting on Wednesday was the passage of the change to the overnight parking bylaw for winter. It used to be, there was NO parking overnight from November through May. Now, overnight parking is permitted unless the weather forecast calls for snow.
A nice change, parking in the downtown areas primarily, should be easier. As New Englanders, we are always aware of the weather. After all Mark Twain is often quoted as saying, "if you don't like the weather, stick around five minutes, it will change."
Details of the bylaw can be viewed in the document here:
FranklinMA_OvernightParking_BylawChanged
All the notes on what occurred during the Town Council meeting on Wednesday can be found here
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document
Franklin, MA
A nice change, parking in the downtown areas primarily, should be easier. As New Englanders, we are always aware of the weather. After all Mark Twain is often quoted as saying, "if you don't like the weather, stick around five minutes, it will change."
Details of the bylaw can be viewed in the document here:
FranklinMA_OvernightParking_BylawChanged
All the notes on what occurred during the Town Council meeting on Wednesday can be found here
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document
Franklin, MA
Isarithmic History of the Two-Party Vote
For the history buffs, this is a wonderful presentation of data over time. It would good to have an on screen tip sheet to show the candidates for each election as it was held to help really tell the story.
Franklin, MA
Franklin, MA
In the News - holiday stroll, Temple Etz Chaim, recycling center
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Berry Ins helps the Franklin Food Pantry
From the Berry Insurance blog:
Note: I am on the Board of Directors of the Food Pantry, volunteering some of my time as Community Information Director to help tell the good work that they do.
Franklin, MA
Donations are taken year-around and especially appreciated during the holiday season. Berry Insurance has donated to the Franklin Food Pantry for ten years and this year will be no exception! For each new Facebook Fan acquired on the Berry Insurance page over the months of November and December, the agency will donate $2 to the Franklin Food Pantry!
Don’t allow anyone visiting the Franklin Food Pantry to go hungry this holiday season! You can donate time, money or food to help this worthy cause. So please, help us today in ending hunger and help support the Franklin Food Pantry!If you have a Facebook account and have not yet become a Fan of Berry Insurance, please do so and help the Food Pantry!
Note: I am on the Board of Directors of the Food Pantry, volunteering some of my time as Community Information Director to help tell the good work that they do.
Franklin, MA
Franklin Town News
The new Franklin Town News arrived in my mailbox today. I think it looks pretty good for a first edition. I look forward to seeing next month's issue already.
What do you think of it?
Franklin, MA
What do you think of it?
Franklin, MA
"Let’s Talk about Cyberbullying"
Thursday, December 9, 2010
7:00PM – 8:30PM
Dean College
Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room
We are all reading about cyberbullying in the news. Now Franklin’s own home-grown expert Teenangels and their founder, cybersafety expert and head of StopCyberbullying.org, will help the Franklin community understand how it works, how big a problem it is and what we can do about it. The Teenangels are teens who train under Dr. Aftab for 2 years to become cybersafety experts in their own right. They are sought after by the media, governmental agencies and Congress for what they know and their practical approach to addressing cyber-risks.
Parry Aftab is Executive Director of WiredSafety.org, the largest online safety and educational program and the cybersafety contributor to the Today Show, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, CNN and MSNBC. She is best known for empowering families to use digital technologies more safely and responsibly. She is a member of Facebook’s five member international safety advisory board and MTV’s advisory board.
This event is sponsored by: Franklin WiredTeens Club, Franklin Community Health Council, and the Franklin Anti-Bullying Task Force.
The flyer for the event can be found here:
Aftab Cyber Bullying Event 12-9-10
Related posts on Cyberbullying
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/11/bullying-plan-presentation.html
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/11/bullying-plan-comments-wanted.html
Franklin, MA
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