Don’t Miss the Mother’s Day Jewelry Sale at the Franklin Food Pantry May 7

Please be sure to stop by the Mother’s Day Jewelry Sale at the Franklin Food Pantry this Thursday, May 7 (12:30 – 2:30 pm or 6 – 9 pm) to buy your Mother’s Day gifts. 

Representatives from esbe Designs will have a variety of merchandise available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds from every sale will go directly to the Food Pantry. 

Sara Blaine Bianca cuff and earring set

Raffle tickets (one for $5 and three for $10) will be on sale for a gorgeous retired Sara Blaine Bianca cuff and earring set. A $330 value! 100% of ticket sales go to the Pantry. You do not need to be present to win. 


Your purchases will pay it forward to other moms in our community who struggle to provide enough food for their families. See you there!

Representative Roy Announces May Office Hours

State Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin) announced Tuesday that constituent office hours will be held in Medway and Franklin for the Month of May on the following days:

Franklin – Friday May 22^rd, 8:00-9:00AM, Elizabeth's Bagels, Franklin Plaza Shopping Center, 456 W Central St, Franklin 

Medway – Saturday May 30, 9:00-10:00AM, Muffin House Café, 116 Main St, Medway

Christopher Yancich, his legislative aide, will be accompanying him.

Representative Roy stated that all office hours are open to any residents of Franklin and Medway who may have questions or concerns that they wish to bring to his attention.  Walk-ins are welcome; no appointment necessary. He looks forward to hearing from you.

He also invites all constituents to call him at his State House office at (617) 722-2020, stop by Room 527A in the State House, or email him at Jeffrey.Roy@MAhouse.gov.

FHS tops Stoughton in baseball, softball

The sports diamonds were good to FHS on Tuesday as both the baseball and softball teams posted wins versus Stoughton. The results are shared from Hockomock Sports.

FHS Panthers

Baseball

Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 2 - Final

- Franklin senior Zane Byrne had a no-hitter through 6.2 innings and finished with a complete game shutout and allowed just one hit to pick up the win. Byrne helped himself at the plate, going 2-3 with a two-run double in the third inning for Franklin's only runs. Andrew Parent and Nick Santucci each had a hit and a run scored. For Stoughton, sophomore Ryan Sullivan pitched a complete game allowing just the two runs and six total hits and one walk, while striking out four.

Softball

Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 8 - Final 

- Erin Hanley went 3-4 with an RBI, Christine Harvey went 2-3, Olivia DiGiacomo had a pair of RBIs and head coach Kate Fallon-Comeau said Alicia Donovan played outstanding defense at shortstop. Sabrina LoMonaco struck out eight to pick up the win in five innings of work and Caroline D'Aprile struck out four in two innings of relief.

For all the results around the Hockomock League on Tuesday
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-050515

MBTA: A Textbook Case of Dysfunction at the Taxpayers’ Expense

MBTA: A Textbook Case of Dysfunction at the Taxpayers’ Expense

Speaker: Mary Z. Connaughton: Director of Government Transparency; Pioneer Institute

Alumni Restaraunt
391 East Central St
Franklin, MA
Thursday, May7th, 2015
7:00pm to 10:00 pm

Free Event: Open to the public

For questions contact Sean @ 401.585.5213

Real Time Reporting: Finance Committee - May 5, 2015 - Budget Hearing #3

Present: Dowd, Conley, Fleming, Smith, Dufour, Aparo, Bertone, Huempher,  
Absent: Dewsnap

Nutting, Gagner, Dacey

minutes of meeting of Apr 30, 
motion to approve, seconded, passed

note: when Jeff Nutting was speaking much of the time either he was not speaking loud enough or his microphone was not set properly and hence it was difficult to hear what he said.

Tuesday

• 541 COA E-8

Karen Alves, Director

the budget amount actually only represents 54% of the total expenses

the balance is covered by state grants, the Friends of Franklin Elders, and self-sustaining programs

14 employees but only 6 are supported by the general fund, the others are from the grants and programs

they use a swipe card to identify folks

• 161 Town Clerk A-28

Debbie Pellegri, Town Clerk

will be retiring this year, proposed for a raise to $84K, the new person would come in initially at $72K

raises can be done as certifications are achieved

have added some money for printing and supplies to account for the Clerk name change

the Town Clerk does birth certificates and by law (separation of duties) couldn't do the passports as well. That function was changed to the Town Administrators office last year

assistant clerk promotion accounts for the salary increase

will assist in the transition after Debbie leaves

• 164 Elections A-31

minor increase in election day workers

Town election in November

Presidential primary next spring

92% show up for presidential vote 

versus 13% showing up for a town election

• 691 Historical Comm F-11

added $500 to budget for conference fees

the space has been utilized

right now, Debbie has a wedding gown in her office from Palma Johnson that was recently donated by the family

introduction of Teresa Burr, assistant clerk

• 192 Facilities A-39

Mike D'Angelo, Director of Facilities

asking for a part-time assistant manager

to help; currently one person managing 35 people over two shifts

always looking for energy efficiency, LEDs, etc.

looking to make the move from one part time to expand this position to a full time

the high school is more technologically advanced than any other building

with the Library project and the Senior Center project, they take lots of time in addition to the normal business running all the facilities

electricity went up last year after the budget cycle

the budget includes purchase of solar from the solar farm at St Mary's

propane going down as the modulars go away (i.e. plans for Davis Thayer modulars to get removed)

FY 2014 closed out with about a $25K surplus on a $6+M total. Not an exact science but close. Hasn't over spent the budget in 17 years here.

80% of our electricity comes from the solar farm, the remainder is put out to bid. This time around set for a 2 year contract.

almost everything in the budget is bid for, while we do have people, the major items are bid out; HVAC, kitchens, etc.

• 510 Health E-1

Jeff Nutting covering on behalf of David McKearney

365 food inspections, 56 septics, about 100 complaints

administer the licenses for food establishments

a pretty busy department, low staff

salary number different from a situation last year where the projection was to pay for more than we actually did

• 520 Public Health E-7

community nurses contracted to provide service

• 155 Information Tech A-25

Jeff Nutting covering on behalf of Tim Raposa

• 543 Veterans E-17

Jeff Nutting covering on behalf of Bob Fahey, recently retired

75% of the benefits return to the town as part of the Cherry Sheet transfers

have occaisionally made mid year transfers to cover for additional business

old business - none

new business - 

added an item to the posted budget for Thursday

motion to adjourn, seconded, passed

note: the camera did not pan for the full committee so the attendence may have been off. I'll confirm when I get to the Thursday meeting if there should be any adjustments.

Note: "Live" reporting is used when I am in the room. "Real time" is when I report via the live cable or internet feed like I was Tuesday evening.

Reminder: Elks Care, Elks Share 5K Road Race - May 9th

The Franklin Elks, Lodge #2136, is proud to announce the Third Annual Elks Care, Elks Share 5k Run and Walk on May 09, 2015.

The Wounded Warriors Project and the Franklin Food Pantry are the beneficary organizations for this event.

Course Map

Registration Information

Register by Apr 24th to receive a t-shirt on race day

http://franklinelks5k.com/?page_id=13

the finish line as set up for the 2014 race

Results and photos from the 2nd Annual Race can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/05/elks-care-elks-share-5k-results-photo.html

Rep Roy: What's happening in the district - April 2015 newsletter

This is our regularly monthly newsletter. If you are not yet a subscriber, you can get on our email list by clicking here. View this email in your browser Facebook Twitter Website Email House passes FY16 budget I was honored to join my colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass the FY16 budget which emphasizes economic growth through investments in multiple areas including education and local aid, reform to the state's transportation system, and an acute focus on improving behavioral health services. The $38.05 billion spending bill highlights the House's ongoing commitment to fiscal prudence and targeted investments, a practice that has resulted in Massachusetts retaining its AA+ bond rating, the highest in the state's history. The budget includes no new taxes or fees and reduces its reliance on one time revenue sources. For the first time since 2007, it does not withdraw any funds from the Commonwealth's stabilization fund, leaving the balance in excess of $1 billion. This budget is a true reflection of our commitment to investments in education and economic development, while also proposing creative new solutions to the Commonwealth's challenges. I thank Speaker DeLeo and Chairman Dempsey for their work in helping us build a strong set of policy statements in a fiscally prudent manner that gained unanimous support among the House members. I am also delighted that we were able to secure $60,000 for the purchase of school safety zone lighting for both Franklin and Medway, along with $50,000 for the Horace Mann Park and statue. You can read a more detailed release about the budget by clicking here. You can view the actual budget with amendments and Chamber actions by clicking here. The budget now goes to the Senate. Horace Mann honored Franklin took time out to honor one of its most famous residents Horace Mann on the occasion of his 219th birthday.  The Franklin Historical Commission celebrated 'Horace Mann Day' on Sunday, May 3, 2015 with a special presentation, HORACE MANN AND HIS WORLD, featuring writer and commentator Peter Golden. The speech traced Mann's roots in Franklin and provided the historical context in which he pioneered public education for Massachusetts and the rest of the country. Mann was born in Franklin in 1796 and went on to become a lawyer, politician, abolitionist, the first Secretary of Education, and the President of Antioch College in Ohio. He is most often referred to as the 'Father of Education'.   In his introductory remarks at the event, Rep. Roy announced that the Massachusetts House of Representatives included $50,000 in its budget to assist with the construction of the Horace Mann Park and statue in Franklin. Rep. Roy is looking forward to working on the committee established by the Town Council to construct the monument to honor Mann and public education.  You can learn more about the event by clicking here. Wiper law softened The Massachusetts House has voted to soften the impact of a new state law that requires motorists to turn their headlights on whenever they are operating their windshield wipers. Under a state budget amendment approved last week, the headlights law would remain in effect and violators could still be ticketed with a moving violation. But they would no longer be subject to a potentially costly surcharge on their auto insurance premiums. The law requires drivers to turn on their headlights during daylight hours when it is raining or visibility is poor. It has not been widely enforced by police to date. The change backed by the House must also be approved in the Senate. Student Government Day For 67 years the Commonwealth's legislature has hosted Student Government Day at the State House. Every high school in MA is eligible to elect and send two students to represent their town, acting as a state official. Each student plays a role as a State Senator, State Representative or as a Chief Justice. The students who attend testify during a public hearing and then have the opportunity to debate, amend and then vote on a student related piece of legislation. It is a wonderful opportunity to educate an involved student and it is a lot of fun. This year all three high schools in Rep. Roy's district participated and had a great experience. DESE offers snow day relief to schools Massachusetts schools can make up some snow days by experimenting with out-of-school assignments or activities. The concept was presented as an option by the commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Mitchell D. Chester, to school departments statewide in March in one of his weekly memos. It allows districts to offer instructional projects and activities that students can complete outside the classroom, that may be counted toward the state's 180-day academic year requirement as long as local school committees determine the work meets the definition of structured learning time. This is a great option for districts who are running up against the calendar because of snow days. To view the text of Chester's memo, click here. Delegates chime in at Best Buddies dodgeball tourney Rep. Roy and Sen. Spilka took the court with the Delegates team at the the Third Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament. They were joined in the effort by Mike Mershimer, Mark Cole, Joel Loitherstein, and Robert Dellorco. All proceeds from the tournament, donations and silent auction went directly to the Best Buddies organization to aid with increasing opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As always the Dodgeball Tournament was a lot of fun and was successful at raising these important funds. For more pictures from the event, click here. Rock the House III at Black Box Join Rep. Roy and his band Ben Gardner's Boat on Thursday, May 7 from 6 to 9 pm at the Black Box in downtown Franklin for Rock the House III. Come chat with Jeff and others about what's happening on Beacon Hill, listen to some music, and dance the night away -- or just kick back, relax, and have some fun with friends and neighbors. Franklin solar challenge spring campaign Now that the snow has melted and the roofs are clear again, the Franklin Solar Challenge is kicking off its Spring campaign. Started last fall, over 20 Franklin residents have signed up to install solar panels on their houses and start taking control of their electric bills. As seen from this past winter, utility electric rates are unpredictable, and all signs point toward increasing rates in the coming years. The Franklin Solar Challenge is a community-sponsored initiative modeled off the state's Solarize Massachusetts campaign. A group of concerned citizens went through a Request for Proposal process to select a vendor, SolarFlair, who could offer the town the best combination of quality and price based on our aggregated buying power. This arrangement gives the residents and businesses in Franklin better pricing and quality control than if every individual tried to negotiate on their own. This program is open to all residents and businesses in Franklin, no matter how big or how small. The more that participate, the better price everyone gets, and if we hit a certain goal, SolarFlair will donate a solar array to the Franklin Affordable Housing Trust! For more information, click here  or call 508-293-4293. JFK statue open to visitors Visitors to the State House now have improved access to a statue of John F. Kennedy that has been largely blocked from the public for more than a decade. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, state officials restricted viewing of the monument, citing security concerns because of its proximity to the governor's office. This year, officials said they were finally able to address the issue by stationing officers near the door that leads from the State House. "This is an opportunity to see a great piece of Massachusetts history up close," noted Rep. Roy. "I am happy to be able to bring constituents out onto the courtyard to see this memorial to our 35th President." Atlantic Bridge Pipeline meeting on Thursday May 14 Over the past several months, Spectra Energy has held a series of Open House events to share information and gather feedback on the proposed Atlantic Bridge pipeline that will run through Franklin and Medway. It was the subject of a recent Local Town Pages article which you can view by clicking here. Those interested in learning more about Algonquin Gas's Atlantic Bridge Pipeline which is proposed to go through Franklin and Medway should attend the scoping meeting on Thursday, May 14 at the Hawthorne Suites Hotel. For more details on the meeting and project, click here. Copyright © 2015 State Rep Jeff Roy, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you either contacted our office or indicated you wanted to keep updated on the 10th Norfolk District and things going on at the State House. Our mailing address is: State Rep Jeff Roy State House Room 527A Boston, MA 02133 Add us to your address book

MassBudget: Analyzing the House Budget for FY 2016

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Analyzing the House Budget for FY 2016 In a quiet three days of debate, the House made few changes to the budget drafted by the House Ways and Means Committee (HWM). Many of the funding increases approved just restored funding that the HWM Committee had proposed cutting. The House voted to increase support beyond the level proposed by the Ways and Means Committee in several areas, including the following: Jobs and workforce training. The Ways and Means Committee had proposed significant cuts to summer jobs programs for young people, job training to help people receiving transitional assistance to enter the workforce, and adult basic education. The House adopted amendments restoring most of this funding, but left in place cuts to other jobs and workforce training programs such as the elimination of Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Development Grants. Economic development. The Ways and Means Committee had proposed significant cuts to the Office of Travel and Tourism (which the Governor also proposed cutting) and to the Mass. Cultural Council. The House adopted amendments restoring funding to both. Public health. The Ways and Means Committee had proposed cuts to early intervention programs and to a grant program that aims to reduce youth violence. The House approved amendments restoring the early intervention funding and most, but not all, of the violence prevention funding. For more detail, please read our full House Budget Monitor HERE.  The final House budget makes some targeted investments, including modest increases for early education and care, affordable housing, and opiate abuse prevention and treatment. Like the Governor's budget it does not address most of the long term cuts that have been made over the past 15 years, such as: the 20 percent cut to higher education that has led to increased tuition and fees; the 40 percent cut to local aid; and the 30 percent cut to environment and recreation programs that has led to reduced maintenance, staffing and hours at many state recreation facilities. The final House Budget also follows the Governor in relying on over $600 million in temporary revenue and savings. Both the long term budget cuts and the ongoing budget gaps our Commonwealth faces have their origins in the over $3 billion of income tax cuts enacted between 1998 and 2002. This House Budget Monitor describes the amendments adopted in each area of the budget and discusses how proposed funding levels compare to the Governor's proposals and to historic levels. For detail on those sections of the House Budget not amended, see our House Ways and Means Budget Monitor. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

screen grab of MassBudget web page

FHS baseball, softball, and boys lacrosse win on Monday

Monday was a busy day for the FHS spring sports teams. Hockomock Sports provides the results we can share here:

Baseball

Franklin, 4 @ Nauset, 2 - Final

- In a game of firsts, Franklin took down Nauset in an exclusion game. Junior Mike Skaza picked up his first career win, going four innings with four strikeouts, giving up four hits and just one earned run. Senior Marc Elliot picked up his first career save, tossing the final three innings without giving up a hit and striking out one. At the plate, junior Nick Santucci was 2-3 witha double, two runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI. Junior Joe Corsi picked up his first career hit and went 2-2 on the day with a run scored and a stolen base.

FHS Panthers

Softball

Franklin, 7 @ Foxboro, 0 - Final 

- Franklin was finally able to break open a scoreless game in the firth inning. In the top of the fifth, Alyssa DaSilva led off with a walk, Alicia Donovan had a single, Olivia Haba had a walk and then Olivia DiGiacomo had a two run double to give the Panthers the lead. In the top of the sixth, Sabrina LoMonaco had a lead off home run and then Donovan had a two-run home run. DiGiacomo finished 2-3 with a pair of RBIs, LoMonaco was 2-4 and struck out 10 in the circle and Donovan finished 3-4 with three RBI.

Boys Lacrosse

Mansfield, 3 @ Franklin, 15 - Final 

- Jack Vail led the Panthers with three goals and three assists while Eric Civetti had four goals and one assist. Ben Burke netted a hat trick, Nick Yelle scored twice and DJ Shea made 12 saves in net.

Girls Lacrosse

Franklin, 4 @ Notre Dame Academy, 14 - Final 

- Julia Jette scored twice, Emily Spath had one goal and one assist and Kendall Reardon scored once for the Panthers.

Girls Tennis

Franklin, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 - Final


For all the results around the Hockomock League on Monday
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-050415