A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
- Joint Appointment of Planning Board Member - William David
F. HEARINGS
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION:
1. Resolution 11-10: Request for Legislation Exempting the Deputy Fire Chief Position from Civil Service
2. Resolution 11-36: Authorization For Intermunicipal Agreement Between Franklin and Town of Bellingham For Shared Animal Control And Inspection Services
3. Resolution 11-38: In Support of Updating The Massachusetts Bottle Bill
4. Resolution 11-39: Accepting Section 65 of Chapter 188 of the Municipal Relief Act of 2010
5. Zoning Bylaw 11-652: Amendment to Chapter 185 §4. Districts Enumerated Zoning- 2nd Reading
6. Bylaw 11-653: Amendment to Chapter 185 §7. Compliance Required Zoning 2nd Reading
8. Bylaw 11-654: Amendment to Chapter 185 §12. Schedule of Lot, Area, Frontage, Yard & Height Requirements. – 2nd Reading
9. Zoning Bylaw 11-655: Amendment to Chapter 185 §2. Parking, Loading, and Driveway Requirements, Subsection B - 2nd Reading
10. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 11-660: Amendment to Chapter 185 §45. L. (1) Administration and Enforcement – 2nd Reading
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
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
"consciously and carefully readjust policy parameters over time"
This paper provides an updated analysis of underlying municipal fiscal health, using a measure of municipal gap and recent data for Massachusetts cities and towns. The analysis shows that large disparities in municipal gaps exist among cities and towns, and that the disparities have grown in recent years.
Created for the purpose of fiscal equalization, unrestricted municipal aid is not highly correlated with municipal gaps in Massachusetts. In fact, municipal gaps cannot explain the majority of the variation in municipal aid. This partly reflects large ad hoc aid cuts over the past 20 years. The consolidation of municipal aid programs in FY 2010 has not improved the aid distribution—that consolidation has simply perpetuated the existing inequity.For those really interested in the systemic fiscal problems that Franklin and by extension the Commonwealth of MA faces in the redistribution of state aid, this paper from the Boston Federal Reserve Bank is a good read. I would love to obtain the full data set used to see where Franklin falls on the charts. The paper identifies the top 10 cities but stops there.
For the full text of this paper you can follow this link to the Federal Reserve website and download or view the PDF.
Roger Magalhaes Announces Shades-IN-Place INC. 5 YR Anniversary!
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here
SHADES IN PLACE ANNOUNCES FIVE SUCCESSFUL YEARS IN BUSINESS
For more information, contact Roger Magalhaes at (508) 520-6700 or email him at Roger@shadesINplace.com.
This email was sent to shersteve@gmail.com by roger@shadesinplace.com |Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.Shades-IN-Place, Inc. | 76 Grove St | Franklin | MA | 02038
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Franklin has two newspapers
Summer time. No school, time for family vacations, time for competition to heat up in the free paper space in Franklin. Yes, it appears that way.
We just returned from a long weekend to find two local papers in our mail. One I am familiar with. Franklin's Local Town Pages has been delivered to Franklin's residents monthly since December 2010. The JN Media Franklin News looked similar. Both delivered as 24 pages.
Many of the ads were the same in both, maybe the competition will be good for the local businesses!
Time will tell if the 'new' paper will stick around. Franklin has seen papers come and go after one edition. The Franklin Local Town Pages is the longest to stick around thus far.
Note: I do get paid a nominal amount for my contributions to the Franklin Local Town Pages.
We just returned from a long weekend to find two local papers in our mail. One I am familiar with. Franklin's Local Town Pages has been delivered to Franklin's residents monthly since December 2010. The JN Media Franklin News looked similar. Both delivered as 24 pages.
Many of the ads were the same in both, maybe the competition will be good for the local businesses!
Time will tell if the 'new' paper will stick around. Franklin has seen papers come and go after one edition. The Franklin Local Town Pages is the longest to stick around thus far.
Note: I do get paid a nominal amount for my contributions to the Franklin Local Town Pages.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Meals tax delivers $70.5 million to 146 cities and towns
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue by Robert Bliss on 7/6/11
As of today, 146 communities (about 42 percent of the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns) have collected $70.5 million over the past two fiscal years from the .75 percent local option meals tax.
The Division of Local Services Municipal Data Bank has the complete list of communities that have adopted the local option tax, and the amount of revenue generated in FY 10 ($27.13 million) and FY11 ($43.33 million). This list appears on the Data Bank Local Options page; just scroll down about halfway until the bullet headed Local Option Meals Excise.
Not surprisingly, Boston has collected the most, about $30 million. The tax has delivered about $5.1 million to Cambridge, $3.2 million to Worcester and $2.3 million to Springfield. But other communities have seen the benefit as well. Natick and Framingham, which share the busy Route 9 corridor, have collected $2.7 million and Northampton, a Pioneer Valley hub of dining and entertainment, has collected $939,000. Blandford, a small town of 1,233 near the New York border, collected $52,000, mostly, one would assume, from the two MassPike service areas in the town.
The state meals tax is 6.25 percent; with the local option, the meals tax rises to 7 percent. Thus a $40 restaurant tab generates $2.80 in meals tax, of which 30-cents goes to a city or town that has enacted the local option. These small amounts add up to a sizable revenue source.
The state share of the meals tax as of May 31 had generated $740 million, up $55 million or 8.1 percent from the same period a year ago, which indicates that the increasing number of communities that have adopted the local option meals tax has not slowed down the pace of taxpayers going out to eat.
The Division of Local Services Municipal Data Bank has the complete list of communities that have adopted the local option tax, and the amount of revenue generated in FY 10 ($27.13 million) and FY11 ($43.33 million). This list appears on the Data Bank Local Options page; just scroll down about halfway until the bullet headed Local Option Meals Excise.
Not surprisingly, Boston has collected the most, about $30 million. The tax has delivered about $5.1 million to Cambridge, $3.2 million to Worcester and $2.3 million to Springfield. But other communities have seen the benefit as well. Natick and Framingham, which share the busy Route 9 corridor, have collected $2.7 million and Northampton, a Pioneer Valley hub of dining and entertainment, has collected $939,000. Blandford, a small town of 1,233 near the New York border, collected $52,000, mostly, one would assume, from the two MassPike service areas in the town.
The state meals tax is 6.25 percent; with the local option, the meals tax rises to 7 percent. Thus a $40 restaurant tab generates $2.80 in meals tax, of which 30-cents goes to a city or town that has enacted the local option. These small amounts add up to a sizable revenue source.
The state share of the meals tax as of May 31 had generated $740 million, up $55 million or 8.1 percent from the same period a year ago, which indicates that the increasing number of communities that have adopted the local option meals tax has not slowed down the pace of taxpayers going out to eat.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Follow the link in the second paragraph and you'll end up on the DOR website. Scroll down to the meal tax section and you'll see that Franklin gained $239,644 for FY 10 and $347,217 for the FY 11 that just ended June 30th.
A small increase but a good one!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Family tradition
One of our family traditions signalling the end of the school year and the onset of summer is to have ice cream at the Franklin Flatbreads and Spruce Pond Creamery. If we go early enough, we make a meal of our ice cream. Banana splits and the works. If we go later in the evening, it is usually for small cups of our favorite flavors.
It was a cloudy evening Friday. The clouds were gathering and threatening to rain on someone, but not here in Franklin fortunately.
What tradition do you have to mark the end of the school year?
It was a cloudy evening Friday. The clouds were gathering and threatening to rain on someone, but not here in Franklin fortunately.
What tradition do you have to mark the end of the school year?
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Matt Cutts - Try something new for 30 days
Is there something you've always meant to do, wanted to do, but just ... haven't? Matt Cutts suggests: Try it for 30 days. This short, lighthearted talk offers a neat way to think about setting and achieving goals. In less than 4 minutes, you can get started on your next 30 days!
Note : email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video
Note : email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Preliminary Analysis: Conference Committee Fiscal Year 2012 Budget
|
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108 |
'simple, non-crucial maintenance that is great to have done"
Roughly 80 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 went to nine different places to paint, rake, mulch and pick up litter.
The conference, which ran from Thursday until today, brought together 11 wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Catherine Thacker, co-organizer and Franklin Stake Young Women's president, was one of 25 adults overseeing the "Forever Strong" conference.
"We want to teach our youth to reach out into the community, to learn that they can make a difference," Thacker said.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1498053383/Teens-from-church-group-help-spruce-up-Franklin#ixzz1QwJSpvMQ
Friday, July 1, 2011
New paving downtown
Took a quick run (yes, literally) downtown to go to ATM at the bank and along the way found that the paving work on Dean St had progressed. This work is funded as part of the PWED Project.
I also happened to notice that Main St had a new coating of blacktop. This should make some folks happy as it was quite bumpy down that way due to the work on the other Downtown Improvement Project with separate funding.
As I understood the time line on this project, additional work will be done next year and this is only a temporary coating. I wonder who is paying for this temporary coating?
I would have thought it would be better to leave it with as many bumps in the road as there were folks let go over the past several years to serve as a reminder. Continuing to "find" money to cover some bumps like this does not help solve the real structural fiscal issues Franklin faces.
I also happened to notice that Main St had a new coating of blacktop. This should make some folks happy as it was quite bumpy down that way due to the work on the other Downtown Improvement Project with separate funding.
As I understood the time line on this project, additional work will be done next year and this is only a temporary coating. I wonder who is paying for this temporary coating?
I would have thought it would be better to leave it with as many bumps in the road as there were folks let go over the past several years to serve as a reminder. Continuing to "find" money to cover some bumps like this does not help solve the real structural fiscal issues Franklin faces.
Slick Back Swagger at Cole's Tavern
Slick Back Swagger played a benefit concert at Cole's Tavern last night for the Franklin Food Pantry. One of our 'roving reporters' sent along this photo to share:
Thanks, Amy!
Thanks, Amy!
"Drive Smart and Save"
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 6/30/11
The Patrick-Murray Administration today announced a new online resource that can help Massachusetts residents and visitors to save money on gas and travel. The "Drive Smart and Save" program offers tips for cost-friendly driving techniques that can save travelers money on fuel expenses, improve fuel economy by up to 33 percent, and help reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
"Drive Smart and Save" supports GreenDOT, a comprehensive environmental responsibility and sustainability initiative of MassDOT. "Drive Smart and Save" tips include:
• Drive Less -- When your travel plans allow, try taking public transportation, walking, biking, or carpooling.
• Set It at 60 -- Drive the posted speed limit, or even a bit less on the highway, to see increased fuel economy. Fuel consumption increases about 5 percent for every five miles per hour driven above 60 mph. And use your cruise control – keeping a steady speed will also save fuel.
• Easy on the Pedals -- Avoid fast starts and hard stops to decrease fuel use. Travelers should join FAST LANE prior to hitting the roads this summer to avoid traffic at the tolls – this can save lots of time, as well as fuel.
• Turn It Off -- Shut off your engine when you are stopped. Idling wastes gas and is bad for the environment.
• Click the Cap - Make sure your gas cap is tight to prevent fuel evaporation and to improve air quality.
• Check the Pressure - Proper tire pressure is safer, extends tire life, and can provide up to 3% mpg benefit per tank of fuel. Check your tire pressure monthly, and pump your tires up to the recommended level (which can usually be found on the sticker in your driver's door frame).
Additional ideas for fuel savings can be found at: www.mass.gov/massdot/drivesmart
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Thursday, June 30, 2011
"that line is drawn at two miles"
The fee is for students who live less than two miles from school, under the assumption that the child could walk to school.
School administrators said this week the changes are the result of upgrades to maps used to organize bus routes.
Students in kindergarten through sixth grade who live more than two miles from school can take the bus for free. Other students must pay $325 to ride the bus. There is a family cap of $975.
That policy has not changed, but the updated maps show more details, allowing administrators to more accurately determine where a student's home is and how far it is from school.
That means some families that weren't assessed a fee will now have to pay; others that used to pay can now ride for free.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x706706302/Bus-fee-changes-irk-some-Franklin-parents#ixzz1QkcKMSkg
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
"There's a lot of efficiencies here"
Administrators will now discuss the terms of a contract with Whitsons. A contract would ultimately be signed by Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting and does not need to be approved by the School Committee, Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski said.
Hoping a private company could better meet new federal and state nutrition requirements and have greater purchasing power than the current district-run program, the committee in April authorized the administrators to seek proposals to operate the food service. Whitsons, Sodexo, Aramark and Chartwells submitted proposals.
Administrators told the committee last night that they were impressed with Whitsons' dedication to cooking many foods from scratch, using less processed foods than competitors, selling competitively priced food, training cafeteria workers and offering allergy-free products and organic foods. They were also impressed with a visit to Attleboro schools, where Whitsons operates.
"We really felt they have the (capabilities) to meet the needs of all our students and offer a variety of foods," Sabolinski said.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x706706032/Franklin-schools-will-get-private-food-firm#ixzz1QelemPLO
Also from Tuesday's School Committee meeting:
Blogging helps kids in Franklin connect
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)