Friday, June 22, 2012
Franklin, MA: Farmers Market - noon to 6:00 PM
Friday, time for the Farmers Market on the Franklin Town Common from noon to 6:00 PM.
"save the town money and improve efficiency"
As reported by the Milford Daily News, the Council did approve the regionalization proposal for a public safety dispatch center at the Council meeting on Wednesday.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1222857517/Franklin-wants-to-establish-regional-dispatch-center#ixzz1yVynwidp
The district — a public entity with the power to borrow money and form contracts for the purchase of supplies and services — would be set up as an independent agency.
Town administrators from Franklin, Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham would manage the district as a board of directors.
The towns are working on an agreement should the Legislature failed to approve the measure. The agreement, like the petition, would allow the towns to set up a board of directors to oversee the dispatch center.
In that case, however, the regional dispatch center would not act as an independent entity, so the four towns would have to manage it separately.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1222857517/Franklin-wants-to-establish-regional-dispatch-center#ixzz1yVynwidp
Franklin Public Library: Violet the Clown
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Franklin Public Library using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Sons of Italy in Franklin start bocce league
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via The Milford Daily News News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 6/20/12
To celebrate its new bocce court installed earlier this month, the local Sons of Italy will be starting a bocce league for both members of the club and the public.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to The Milford Daily News News RSS using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Harvesting already
Produce is already being harvested from the Community Garden. These strawberries are ready:
Having planted the peas during the "Give Peas a Chance" session earlier this year, these are growing nicely:
This bed is full of peas!
Having planted the peas during the "Give Peas a Chance" session earlier this year, these are growing nicely:
This bed is full of peas!
Attorney general puts Open Meeting Law rulings online
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via The Milford Daily News News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 6/19/12
Attorney General Martha Coakley has posted all Open Meeting Law rulings by the Division of Open Government on an interactive online database.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to The Milford Daily News News RSS using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Harmonize Family Fitness - Act now to save!
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"produces an optimal growing condition"
Indeed, the 30-acre farm, owners Diane, Chuck, and son C.J. Koshivas say, has entered the next generation of farming, cutting labor costs and boosting produce yields, thanks to the hydro-stackers, used in a type of growing called hydroponics.
“We were losing money,” said C.J. Koshivas in describing the state of the farm before hydroponics. “We were only going to survive another couple of years.”
Hydroponics is growing plants with mineral nutrients in water instead of soil. The Koshivas first heard about the hydro-stackers two years ago from inventor Chester Bullock, who owns a farm in Tampa, Fla
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x345282570/High-tech-harvest-in-Franklin#ixzz1yERxIvEd
Visit the Fairmount Fruit Farm online http://www.fairmountfruit.com/ or at the Farmers Market on the Town Common each Friday from noon to 6:00 PM
Monday, June 18, 2012
Franklin Community Garden: Diatomaceous earth
The word for the day is "Diatomaceous earth". This was one of the discussion points Saturday morning at the Community Garden as Chris Clay and Amy Acevedo shared their insights on healthy alternatives to pesticides.
What is causing these holes in the leaves?
Ah, this is the little culprit!
You can lift the leaves, pick off these guys one at a time, and crush them with some soil in your hand, or just pinch them hard with your fingers. To help control the number that get to the plants is where the diatomaceous earth comes in.
You can by it by the bag at Agway (for example). The bag should last for multiple seasons. Put some in an empty paramsen cheese container and shake it on the roots, along the bottom of the plant, and along the leaves. The particles will cut the bugs as they crawl up the plant.
It won't prevent every bug from getting to the plant but it should keep the overall population of bugs down to avoid too much damage to the plant that it would affect the produce.
What is causing these holes in the leaves?
Ah, this is the little culprit!
You can lift the leaves, pick off these guys one at a time, and crush them with some soil in your hand, or just pinch them hard with your fingers. To help control the number that get to the plants is where the diatomaceous earth comes in.
You can by it by the bag at Agway (for example). The bag should last for multiple seasons. Put some in an empty paramsen cheese container and shake it on the roots, along the bottom of the plant, and along the leaves. The particles will cut the bugs as they crawl up the plant.
It won't prevent every bug from getting to the plant but it should keep the overall population of bugs down to avoid too much damage to the plant that it would affect the produce.
"People don’t even realize it’s there"
Cusack remembers not long ago looking out at the 11-acre pond behind the club’s Florence Street headquarters and seeing it packed with children kayaking, fishing or swimming during annual public events.
“The pond would be filled with boats, just packed with people,” he said.
Now, he said, he’s more likely to see still water and an empty beach.
“It is the lack of interest in the outdoors,” Cusack said. “It’s about getting out there and seeing what there is. You can look down, see the pond, and see how beautiful it is. Get out there and get interested. Turn your phone off, sit there, relax, and listen to the birds.”
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1222856789/Franklin-club-president-Kids-losing-touch-with-nature#ixzz1y8Y9IX9f
The Franklin Rod and Gun Club website is http://franklinrodandgun.org/
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"incentives to sweeten the deal"
The Milford Daily News writes about the use of the TIF by local communities to help businesses:
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x836133214/Communities-using-tax-deals-to-attract-businesses#ixzz1y8V0IYm0
Franklin has used the TIF to help with local businesses:
Hamilton Storage Technology received a TIF as approved by the Town Council in Sep 2011
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/09/real-time-reporting-legislation-part-1.html
The TIF was discussed during the Economic Development Summit
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/10/franklin-ma-is-looking-to-do-business.html
Franklin created the Economic Development Area and the TIF back in 2008
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2008/09/live-reporting-resolutions-approved.html
... Tax Increment Financing agreements, commonly called TIFs.
The deals, agreed upon between a municipality and a business, give companies a break on property taxes on new value they add to a property.
The tax breaks start off larger at the beginning of a deal, then decrease over the life of the agreement, until the company is paying 100 percent of the taxes on the property.
The tax breaks do not apply to already existing value — only to whatever value a company may add to a property.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x836133214/Communities-using-tax-deals-to-attract-businesses#ixzz1y8V0IYm0
Franklin has used the TIF to help with local businesses:
Hamilton Storage Technology received a TIF as approved by the Town Council in Sep 2011
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/09/real-time-reporting-legislation-part-1.html
The TIF was discussed during the Economic Development Summit
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/10/franklin-ma-is-looking-to-do-business.html
Franklin created the Economic Development Area and the TIF back in 2008
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2008/09/live-reporting-resolutions-approved.html
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Parmenter car wash - 6/16/12
Saturday was a grand day for a car wash. The students at Parmenter Elementary School spent some time washing cars in a fund raising effort.
There were a couple of cars in front of me and some lined up behind as I got my car washed.
Nothing wrong with getting a little wet or soapy on a day like Saturday!
Part of the washing crew stopped for a moment to pose!
There were a couple of cars in front of me and some lined up behind as I got my car washed.
Nothing wrong with getting a little wet or soapy on a day like Saturday!
Part of the washing crew stopped for a moment to pose!
Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Jun 20, 2012
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – May 23 and 24 Budget Hearings
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS – This meeting is being recorded by Verizon, Comcast, and Franklin Matters
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
Annual Committee Appointments
Design Review Appointment
F. HEARINGS
Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-685: Amendment to Chapter 185, §24. Floodplain District – 7:10 PM
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Presentation of Boston Post Cane to oldest resident-Helen Carberry
Recycling Committee
Town Administrator’s Update
H. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
I. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 12-51: Appropriation: Street Acceptance
2. Resolution 12-52: Appropriation: Fire Salaries
3. Resolution 12-53: Unemployment Trust Fund
4. Resolution 12-54 Request for Legislation: Towns of Franklin, Norfolk, Plainville, and Wrentham Regional Public Safety Communications and Dispatch Center
5. Resolution 12-55: Acceptance of Gift – Council on Aging
6. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-685: Amendment to Chapter 185, §24. Floodplain District- 1st Reading
7. Bylaw Amendment 12-688: Amendment to Chapter 82, Appendix A, Amendment of Service Fee Rates: Board of Health, Department of Public Works, Recreation, Council on Aging – 1st Reading
J. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
K. OLD BUSINESS
M. NEW BUSINESS
N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required
P. ADJOURN
The full set of documents associated with this published agenda can be found here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/062012.pdf
"the person who grew the product"
The Milford Daily News writes about the expansion of farmers markets. Franklin's market operates on Fridays from noon to 6:00 PM on the Town Common.
Farmers market photo taken Friday, Jun 15 at the Grateful Farm tent.
Visit Grateful Farm on their website http://www.gratefulfarm.com/
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x448221759/Farmers-markets-on-the-upswing#ixzz1y34UVZuW
With demand high for local food, the number of farmers markets in the state has doubled in five years and the number of small farms has also grown significantly, farm and market federations say.
“The trend is that more and more people are caring about where their food comes from and interested in trying to sustain themselves a little bit more locally,” said Martha Sweet, operations manager at the Waltham-based Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets.
Residents of MetroWest and the Milford area don’t have to go far to find pitched tents and fresh produce.
Farmers market photo taken Friday, Jun 15 at the Grateful Farm tent.
Visit Grateful Farm on their website http://www.gratefulfarm.com/
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x448221759/Farmers-markets-on-the-upswing#ixzz1y34UVZuW
"vital to their self-assessment"
The Milford Daily News has an article on the annual police staffing ratio released by the FBI. A survey of the communities in the MetroWest region shows the following: (Bold added for emphasis)
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x345282287/Police-department-staffing-levels-below-regional-averages#ixzz1y32VAj9J
Marlborough and Framingham’s ratios come in at just under 1.7, while Shrewsbury was the lowest department surveyed at 1.2.
Many chiefs noted they had not received a new position in years, including Northborough (1998), Holliston (2007), Hudson (2001) and Sudbury (2001).
Marlborough Chief Mark Leonard said the city hasn’t increased its number of sworn officers since 1988.
The most well-staffed Milford-area town is Mendon, with just more than two officers per thousand residents, while the lowest was Franklin with 1.39.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x345282287/Police-department-staffing-levels-below-regional-averages#ixzz1y32VAj9J
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