Franklin water sample contains bacteria
There was a presentation on the water supply recently and recapped in this article
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/05/they-didnt-know-how-much-time-is-spent.html
Friday, June 17, 2011
Water alert
We received an automated phone call yesterday from the Franklin DPW notifying us about a test on Well #9 that returned bad results. The well was taken off line. No action on our part is required. This is a normal part of the daily effort to deliver clean water to Franklin.
There was a presentation on the water supply recently and recapped in this article
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/05/they-didnt-know-how-much-time-is-spent.html
There was a presentation on the water supply recently and recapped in this article
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/05/they-didnt-know-how-much-time-is-spent.html
ALERT: Public Redistricting Hearing - This Saturday!
The following is an email from Senator Karen Spilka about the redistricting being done in MA.
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Time to bring back fluoride choice in Franklin
Franklin resident Rich Aucoin has his "Letter to the Editor" published in the Country Gazette:
Aucoin: Time to bring back fluoride choice in Franklin
"a stipulation forcing town officials to notify the public after testing positive"
Between 2006 and 2009, for instance, Chilson Beach at Beaver Pond in Franklin was closed 12 times for E. coli - the most of all MetroWest and Milford-area beaches during that time.
Since those closings, a Franklin Parks and Recreation Department staff person said the town had not taken any extra precautions other than continuing to test for the substance.
Condon sympathized with town officials.
"You can't really control mother nature," she said.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1648848389/Beaches-need-to-be-clean-to-allow-swimming#ixzz1PWjHy7cH
Related post about Well #9
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/06/water-alert.html
Note: related to the Chilson Beach results, Franklin's drinking water comes from wells around town. Nature will normally produce E.coli (where do the animals go?).
Thursday, June 16, 2011
New England Transformed - 2010
The Boston Federal Reserve Bank has just published its annual report for 2010.
Well worth spending a few minutes to read!
Boston Federal Reserve Bank: New England Transformed 2010
The feature essay of the 2010 annual report discusses some of the changes that have occurred in New England over the past four decades, comparing the challenges we faced in the mid-1970s with those we face today.
Well worth spending a few minutes to read!
Boston Federal Reserve Bank: New England Transformed 2010
Franklin fire fighters finally get a contract!
The contract with International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2637 covers fiscal 2008 through fiscal 2011 and gives members a 7.5 percent raise retroactive to July 1, 2010.
The raise is on par with what other unions received over that time, Nutting said after the meeting, noting the firefighters had not received a salary increase during those four years.
Ratification of the contract was delayed for about three years by negotiations, he said.
The union agreed to drop grievances with the town about vacation scheduling, training and other issues upon ratification of the contract, according to the contract.
Nutting's contract covers fiscal 2011 through 2013 and keeps his salary at $131,300. Town Council Chairman Scott Mason said the contract was similar to other town administrators' agreements to oversee communities that are smaller than Franklin.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1781764793/Franklin-OKs-7-5-percent-raise-for-firefighters#ixzz1PQnLVwNP
"thinks the new plan will help with traffic concerns"
Daddario would also be required to make improvements to the Franklin Village Plaza traffic light, since that intersection would have increased use from drivers making U-turns to head toward downtown.
After meeting with the state, which owns that stretch of West Central Street, Daddario learned that upgrades there would be more involved and expensive than originally thought.
That expense, coupled with tenants' concerns about the restrictions, led Daddario to reconsider the project, he said.
Town Engineer William Yadisernia said his major concern with the initial project was that it had two restaurants - both of which would have their busiest periods at the same time of day.
"Even a full-service restaurant would be fine," Yadisernia said.
Town Planner Beth Dahlstrom said the Planning Board expects to hold a public hearing on the revised plan at its July 11 meeting.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1781764811/Taco-Bell-Wendys-plan-may-lose-a-restaurant#ixzz1PQmT9SwI
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
"It's for innovative teaching"
In other business, the School Committee postponed a discussion of privatizing the management portion of the food service program until its June 28 meeting to allow a subcommittee studying the issue to review one of the proposals, School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy said.
The subcommittee had recommended that the committee authorize the administration to enter negotiations with Whitson's Culinary Group. Sodexo, Aramark and Chartwells also submitted proposals. Roy said he didn't know which proposal needed to be examined.
The School Committee gave administrators authorization in April to seek proposals, hoping that a private company could better meet new federal nutrition requirements and have greater purchasing power than the current district-run food system.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x59982214/Franklin-teachers-get-funds-for-special-projects#ixzz1PKxbzBLL
"enormous suffering on some of our nation’s most vulnerable"
From the Center for American Progress:
You can read the full posting on the Center for American Progress website
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/06/millionairetaxcutsinfographic.html
This week the House will debate a GOP proposal to cut $101 million from food assistance for low-income seniors and local food banks. The bill slashes $38 million (a 22 percent cut) from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, or CSFP, which provides nutritious food packages to more than 600,000 low-income families every month (96 percent of whom are seniors). The bill also cuts $63 million from The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP, which provides our nation’s emergency food bank network with food commodities and storage and distribution support. These cuts come at a time when food prices are rising and food banks are already struggling to serve their existing caseload.
Conservatives claim these cuts on the backs of our nation’s most vulnerable families are necessary to bring our fiscal house in order. But here’s the rub: One day’s worth of Bush tax cuts for millionaires would more than offset these cuts to seniors and food banks. Here’s the math:
You can read the full posting on the Center for American Progress website
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/06/millionairetaxcutsinfographic.html
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Franklin Food Pantry says “Thanks to You”
Thanks to your generosity, the Franklin Food Pantry will be stocked to serve our neighbors this summer. The recent “Calling for the Pantry” phone-a-thon netted just over $11,000 and the “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive coordinated with the US Post Office generated just over 5,000 pounds of food and non-food items. “We are relieved to fill the empty shelves and know many of these donations will help us through the summer,” said Anne Marie Bellavance, Executive Director.
Volunteers for the Franklin Food Pantry reached out to talk with 2,400 households in Franklin, MA as part of the first annual phone fundraising effort. Bellavance said, “We were not sure what it (the phone-a-thon) would be like. The phone conversations the volunteers had were priceless. The feedback provided will help us.”
Dean College graciously provided use of their phone bank as their contribution to this event. More than 40 volunteers made the phone calls spread over several time periods from April 30 through May 3, 2011. The unpaid volunteers announced that this was the first annual phone call fundraising effort for the Food Pantry.
The Food Pantry will be able to provide more than 55,000 meals with the money raised. They are able to do this by leveraging resources with the Greater Boston Food Bank and providing fresh produce from Grateful Farm in Franklin. The fresh produce will be available during June through October for Franklin Food Pantry clients.
On Saturday, May 14, Franklin participated in the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” campaign, the largest food drive in the US. Jeanne Jackson, Franklin’s USPS Postmaster, was on site at the Food Pantry observing the parade of 20 postal vehicles. As the carriers worked their routes delivering mail to residences in Franklin, they picked up bags of food and non-food items that had been left for them at the mailboxes. The carriers stopped at the Food Pantry to drop off the bags before heading back to the Post Office.
Volunteers worked efficiently to unload the trucks as they arrived. Once unloaded, the bags were weighed, the items were checked for safety and quality, sorted into food and non-food categories and stocked onto the shelves. Only 10% of the items received were put aside due to safety and quality concerns. This is a marked improvement over 2010 when there was 28% waste from expired “use by” dates.
Thanks to
Thanks to you for helping put food on the table this summer for your Franklin neighbors!
-----
Stamp Out Hunger web site: http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/thankyou.aspx
Franklin Food Pantry web site http://franklinfoodpantry.org/
Volunteers for the Franklin Food Pantry reached out to talk with 2,400 households in Franklin, MA as part of the first annual phone fundraising effort. Bellavance said, “We were not sure what it (the phone-a-thon) would be like. The phone conversations the volunteers had were priceless. The feedback provided will help us.”
Dean College graciously provided use of their phone bank as their contribution to this event. More than 40 volunteers made the phone calls spread over several time periods from April 30 through May 3, 2011. The unpaid volunteers announced that this was the first annual phone call fundraising effort for the Food Pantry.
The Food Pantry will be able to provide more than 55,000 meals with the money raised. They are able to do this by leveraging resources with the Greater Boston Food Bank and providing fresh produce from Grateful Farm in Franklin. The fresh produce will be available during June through October for Franklin Food Pantry clients.
On Saturday, May 14, Franklin participated in the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” campaign, the largest food drive in the US. Jeanne Jackson, Franklin’s USPS Postmaster, was on site at the Food Pantry observing the parade of 20 postal vehicles. As the carriers worked their routes delivering mail to residences in Franklin, they picked up bags of food and non-food items that had been left for them at the mailboxes. The carriers stopped at the Food Pantry to drop off the bags before heading back to the Post Office.
Volunteers worked efficiently to unload the trucks as they arrived. Once unloaded, the bags were weighed, the items were checked for safety and quality, sorted into food and non-food categories and stocked onto the shelves. Only 10% of the items received were put aside due to safety and quality concerns. This is a marked improvement over 2010 when there was 28% waste from expired “use by” dates.
Thanks to
- Dean College for the use of the phone bank
- The residents for their contributions of food and money
- The volunteers for their time and effort
- The Post Office carriers for their time and effort
Thanks to you for helping put food on the table this summer for your Franklin neighbors!
-----
Stamp Out Hunger web site: http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/thankyou.aspx
Franklin Food Pantry web site http://franklinfoodpantry.org/
Strawberry Stroll - June 16, 2011
The inside scoop on which businesses downtown are participating and how they are for the Strawberry Stroll on Thursday, Jun 16.
Strawberry Stroll Handout (Updated May 20)
Strawberry Stroll Handout (Updated May 20)
FRANKLIN RAIL TRAIL COMMITTEE MEETING - Agenda - 6/14/11
Proposed Agenda for June 14, 2011
Location: Franklin YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road
Start Time: 7:30PM
I. Call to Order / Introductions of New Attendees
A. Review & approve minutes of previous meeting
B. Volunteer to keep minutes of meeting
II. Approval of Minutes
III. Report from our representative from DCR
A. Any comments from Ron Clough
B. Are we ready to post literature for the Kiosk
IV. Report from Finance Committee
A. Report from Treasurer
V. Report from Grant Writing Committee
A. Application for the Tighe & Bond Engineering Services Grant
B. Application for the DCR Grant by town planning board
C. Other grant application opportunities
VI. Earth Day Event at Beaver St. on April 16th
A. Report from committee members who attended
VII. Report of April 23rd Road Race Committee
A. Post Race discussions – how we did and what we can we do better next year
B. What do we do with our net proceeds of the race?
C. Offer from Brimfield Road Race Committee to create a Rail Trail Road Race Series
VIII. Report on Bellingham
A. Bellingham Lions – Ken
B. Mary Chaves
C.
IX. Unfinished Business:
A. Intro from Dave Denison on inviting Deputy Police Chief Semerjian
D. Still would like to meet with the Metacomet Land Trust
E. Still Need to Meet with EMC
X. New Business:
Location: Franklin YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road
Start Time: 7:30PM
I. Call to Order / Introductions of New Attendees
A. Review & approve minutes of previous meeting
B. Volunteer to keep minutes of meeting
II. Approval of Minutes
III. Report from our representative from DCR
A. Any comments from Ron Clough
B. Are we ready to post literature for the Kiosk
IV. Report from Finance Committee
A. Report from Treasurer
V. Report from Grant Writing Committee
A. Application for the Tighe & Bond Engineering Services Grant
B. Application for the DCR Grant by town planning board
C. Other grant application opportunities
VI. Earth Day Event at Beaver St. on April 16th
A. Report from committee members who attended
VII. Report of April 23rd Road Race Committee
A. Post Race discussions – how we did and what we can we do better next year
B. What do we do with our net proceeds of the race?
C. Offer from Brimfield Road Race Committee to create a Rail Trail Road Race Series
VIII. Report on Bellingham
A. Bellingham Lions – Ken
B. Mary Chaves
C.
IX. Unfinished Business:
A. Intro from Dave Denison on inviting Deputy Police Chief Semerjian
D. Still would like to meet with the Metacomet Land Trust
E. Still Need to Meet with EMC
X. New Business:
Monday, June 13, 2011
Franklin Arts Academy Arts Celebration - Jun 15
Franklin Arts Academy Arts Celebration, opens to the public June 15th.
The initiative to teach students with, by, and through the arts has exceeded expectations evidenced by the self motivation and vigor of the students. The night is to allow the public to see, and celebrate with us, the successful first year of this small learning community dedicated to fostering engagement a fully developed art based academic education. Please come, bring your friends and your camera!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
at Franklin High School on Oak St
Franklin, MA
The initiative to teach students with, by, and through the arts has exceeded expectations evidenced by the self motivation and vigor of the students. The night is to allow the public to see, and celebrate with us, the successful first year of this small learning community dedicated to fostering engagement a fully developed art based academic education. Please come, bring your friends and your camera!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
at Franklin High School on Oak St
Franklin, MA
Strawberry Stroll - June 16, 2011
The Strawberry Stroll is Thursday, June 16, 2011. Sponsored by the Franklin Downtown Partnership many of the businesses downtown will be participating.
FDP Strawberry Festival 2011
Note: Email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.
FDP Strawberry Festival 2011
Note: Email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.
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