Arbor Day, Labor Day - Both are worthwhile celebrations

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 09/06/2020

"As a school kid, I recall Arbor Day, and ‘Trees’ by Joyce Kilmer.  The holiday was little more than the starting blocks for another school year. There wasn’t much meaning behind it. No giant festivities, fireworks, parade, big doin’s, junk food – nothin’.  Not even a corn dog.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Day

It was – uhhm, Arbor Day. Then somewhere in those early school years it became Labor Day.  Again – nothing. At least, nothing for us kids to get jazzed about.

Now, both of these holidays are fine occasions that commemorate deserving causes. As an adult in these times of global warming with record high temps and record high unemployment – ? I get it. These are among the burning issues of our time. Firing up the backyard grill is nice, but – Somehow, we need to jack up the holiday gravitas and cobble together some appropriate Arbor Day/Labor Day traditions, including labors that promote the greening of our planet – and our wallets.

This notion of combining Arbor/Labor Days (or at least the causes they celebrate) is what Democrats are espousing in their Green New Deal.

Backstory  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_New_Deal

House Resolution 109  https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hres109/BILLS-116hres109ih.pdf

The NGO that started it  https://www.sunrisemovement.org/green-new-deal

Now you know.

And – This just in:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/opinion/ed-markey-young-progressive-voters.html
Fittingly, the first job that the Green New Deal saved – was that of its author.

There’s another day that we should celebrate – Election Day. Get out the vote. And – as always 

–  Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. And, thank you for watching. "

Find the weekly Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio program guide online at

http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf

the home page of Franklin.TV features a link to Franklin Matters

Berry Insurance Makes the Cover of National Magazine

Franklin’s own Berry Insurance is in the midst of their “one month of fame” as the September 2020 cover feature of renowned national magazine, Rough Notes.

“We are humbled to have been chosen. It is an honor to be recognized for our focus on building relationships through creating content that both educates and makes understanding insurance easier,” says Berry Insurance President Kaitlyn Pintarich.

The article titled “Everyday People Doing Extraordinary Things for Clients” spotlights the local independent agency, specifically highlighting its family-like appeal, commitment to being a client resource through honesty and education, and dedication to supporting the local community.

In the article, writer Dennis H. Pillsbury quotes Pintarich saying, “We try to work with our clients in areas beyond just insurance … Our goal is to become a resource for them in any way we can. We do a lot in the area of education – offering seminars on a number of topics that we found were of concern to our clients, including ones on using social media and understanding Google Reviews. At the same time, when we need to engage a vendor or contractor for something, we always try to shop locally and with our clients, when possible. And of course, we also support their fundraisers.

Rough Notes is a national monthly publication, well-known in the insurance industry for covering the evolving needs of insurance agents and offering technical and educational resources for insurance professionals and the communities they serve.

“Rough Notes is one of the most well-respected publications in our industry. Being chosen as the agency of the month, out of thousands of agents across the U.S. makes us incredibly proud to have our team recognized for their hard work and dedication to our clients and community,” says Pintarich.

To see the full article, visit roughnotes.com and sign up for a free subscription to the magazine.

Berry Insurance is an independent insurance agency offering customized personal and commercial insurance in Massachusetts and New England. Since 1922, Berry Insurance has been blending personalization, consultation and education, to offer the best possible insurance solutions paired with an honest and attentive customer service experience. To learn more about Berry Insurance, visit www.berryinsurance.com or call 508-528-5200

Berry Insurance Makes the Cover of National Magazine

 

Commonwealth Magazine: Ranked choice voting and the 4th District; rethinking high school in COVID

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin:  

"WHEN JESSE MERMELL gave her videotaped concession speech in the 4th Congressional District primary race on Friday, she did it in front of a sign that read “Jesse Mermell for RCV,” an acronym for ranked–choice voting. “If the ranked–choice voting campaign needs a new face, give me a call, guys,” Mermell said. “I’ve got some time on my hands.” 

Mermell, a progressive who worked for former Gov. Deval Patrick, lost the Democratic primary by just 2,000 votes, or 1.3 percent, to Newton City Councilor and US Marine Corps veteran Jake Auchincloss. That means primary voters in the liberal congressional district that repeatedly reelected Joe Kennedy, Barney Frank, and Robert Drinan over the past five decades have selected seemingly the most moderate of seven Democratic candidates vying to represent them in Congress.

Auchincloss, who worked for Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s gubernatorial campaign in 2014, won in a seven-candidate field comprised mostly of liberals. Auchincloss rejects the “centrist” label and calls himself a “pragmatic progressive.”  But his close election reflects a campaign that performed strongly in much of the more moderate southern part of the 4th Congressional District, which extends from Brookline and Newton to Fall River, and featured a crowded field that likely led liberal voters to split their vote.  

The race is calling renewed attention to a November ballot question that would implement ranked–choice voting, which lets voters select candidates in order of preference and could mitigate the effects of vote-splitting."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/would-ranked-choice-voting-have-changed-the-4th-congressional-district-race/

"FOR 20 YEARS, I’ve taught in an adult ed program in Dorchester. Every year we tweak things, adjust the schedule, hire new faculty, tinker with syllabi. Change happens gradually.

This past spring, with the advent of COVID, we had to scramble. Many of our students do not have laptops or good internet service and our class sputtered out. Around the end of June, my fellow teachers and I thought about what we would do for this coming year. What we did is, we tore up our schedule, our comfortable ideas, our expectations, and started fresh. Change happened suddenly.

Which is why I wanted to write up some ideas for the coming school year, specifically for the suburban high school where my children are enrolled.

I, like every other parent I spoke to, and like the teachers and School Committee members who wrote and spoke publicly — like everyone in town — was disappointed with the agenda for this school year — remote learning. The truth is, it’s disappointing because it’s not like previous years, and it’s not close enough to previous years to placate us."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/rethinking-high-school-during-covid/

"the lab is now working with state health officials to correct problems"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:  

"A Boston consumer genetics company that has batted away former employees’ accusations of shoddy practices since at least 2019 is now under investigation by the state Department of Public Health for logging hundreds of false positive coronavirus test results.

The company, Orig3n, has halted COVID-19 testing in the state. A company spokesman said the false positives were due to “human error” in processing the tests.

In August, after learning about the Massachusetts investigation, North Carolina issued a stop order for its coronavirus testing contract with Orig3n.

The consumer genetics startup, which claims it can tell customers what kind of foods they should eat and whether they’re predisposed to intelligence based on their DNA, has secured some of the biggest coronavirus testing contracts in the country."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200904/sudden-spike-in-mass-covid-19-cases-was-jarring-now-company-that-did-tests-is-under-investigation?rssfeed=true

Primary day election update 9/5/20

Town of Franklin, MA (@TOFranklinMA) tweeted at 2:02 PM on Sat, Sep 05, 2020:

A primary day election update from Town Clerk Teresa Burr:

"The results from the State Primary will be certified and posted by the Secretary of State's Office on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Please contact the Secretary's Office with any questions at (617) 727-2828."

(https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1302306115246530560?s=03)

Primary day election update 9/5/20

FM #342 Easy Walks with Marjorie Turner Hollman - 9/01/20 (audio)

FM #342 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 342 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with author Marjorie Turner Hollman. Our conversation was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We had a comfortable and easy conversation about ‘easy walks’ in and around Franklin. Marjorie has four books now, three that are trail based and the newest one is more about how to find easy walks wherever you are.

Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ac6a6eab-fcd9-4bbe-9eb7-9a8342d54520

-----------

Links to 

Marjorie’s web page which among other things features her books   https://marjorieturner.com/ 

‘Easy Walks in MA’ group on Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/Easywalksinmassachusetts 

Photos from Marjorie   https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/albums/72157715853783092

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

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 & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

FM #342 Easy Walks with Marjorie Turner  Hollman - 9/01/20 (audio)

Marjorie Turner  Hollman

Franklin (MA) Senior Center: Email Blast - Sep 4, 2020

Hello Everyone!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!

Staying Connected

Link to the Senior Center - https://www.franklinma.gov/fsc

Link to the Senior Center Calendar -https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/day/2020-07-07

Link to Franklin Matters - https://www.franklinmatters.org/

Link to the Town's webpage - https://www.franklinma.gov/

September Events

September 10th 1:30-2:45: Tips for Dementia Caregiving at home. Due to COVID-19, there are fewer supports outside the home for loved ones with Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias. Many caregivers had to quickly change their daily routines and take on longer hours of hands-on care. In this free online session, we will  provide tips, resources, and strategies from Community VNA's Alzheimer's Assistance Program  invite caregivers to share their experiences  recommend activities for loved ones living with dementia Register Now: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07eh7s2ji92db928ac&llr=dcpna67ab Or call 774.203.1307 (see attached flyer as well)

Tuesday Sept 22nd at 10am - TALK FRANKLIN MATTERS with our favorite Franklinite, Steve Sherlock. Via zoom, email adoggett@franklinma.gov for the link to attend. 

Metrowest Memory Cafe schedule 

We are excited to be able to bring you a Memory Cafe EVERY MONDAY starting Sept. 14th! What better way to start off your week then with friendship and music!

Monday Sept. 14th at 2pm - "Time Out Cafe" hosted by Better Day - email adoggett@franklinma.gov for the link to attend. 

Monday Sept. 21st at 2pm - "Grateful Moments Cafe" hosted by Right At Home - email adoggett@franklinma.gov for the link to attend. Sing along to your favorite 70s songs!

Musician Pam Steinfeld recreates the age of the singer/songwriter.  She brings the songs of James Taylor, Carole King, Carly Simon, Eagles, etc. to life - on guitar, piano, and vocals.  An award-winning singer/songwriter herself, Pam peppers the show with anecdotes about the artists, songwriters, and often lyrical meaning behind the songs.  Come join the party!

Wednesday Sept. 30th at 11am - Memory Cafe hosted by Franklin Senior Center.  Featuring the engaging, toe tapping, get up and dance, sing along with us music of Howie Newman.  Email adoggett@franklinma.gov for the link to attend ALL memory cafes if you aren't already on the list. (date changed for Yom Kippur)

Tips

7 minute easy yoga routine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDLad2vOHkU&t=296s

Low Impact cardio workout - use a chair if necessary - 15 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aViIzXtqi8c

Stayin Alive, chair disco yoga dance.  We haven't done this one in a long time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKm9lmZO0ik&t=81s

Music

Lets mix things up a bit - Classic Rock, the greatest hits of the 60's, 70's and 80's! Over an hour and a half of music that's sure to bring back memories and get your moving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0Bu3M4r4K4

22 musicals in 12 minutes!  This is FANTASTIC!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_TvKH-qEJk

Just for Fun

Cows love music - bet you didn't know this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RWee_tFbgg

 

Colorado viewed by drone - BEAUTIFUL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z6hP1_uSVk

 

BREATHTAKING drone footage of 3 canyons in Utah.  Shot in 4k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pbZIfA_IlY

 

Everyone knows that a dog is man's best friend, so what better way to show your canine some love then with a cold brew?  Busch has created and just launched the first ever Dog Brew.  Who knew this was a necessary thing!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/busch-beer-just-released-a-new-brew-made-specifically-for-dogs/ar-BB18wRAM?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U452DHP

Humor

Jeanne Robertson - You don't know Garth Brooks?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvu5AquDno8&feature=emb_rel_end

Mary Maxwell - Funny prayer about getting old  …..wait for it!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPFCn3itBFE

Funny animal videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IODoAbgaV5U&t=35s

Kindness Matters

A little motivational reminder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tghjgOv4mKc

5 acts of kindness that changed history (article not video)

https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/acts-kindness-history-examples-jane-austen-harriet-tubman-elizabeth-fry-jesse-owens-berlin-olympics-miep-gies-anne-frank/ 

Kindness boomerang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU 

Attached you will find:

1. Donna's Fun filled activity sheets https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PTEynUBsHFxrWtTmzIeDvp_ccr5B6cpZ/view?usp=sharing

2. Flyer for the upcoming "Tips for Dementia Caregiving at Home" https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xIg7LxFYrBYK4ef7UwAZE76MwGuh9wmg/view?usp=sharing

3. Paint/color by number mushrooms https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wIAO2DoCJGq5alQkMOO_s40BTlBWLCjQ/view?usp=sharing

Love, virtual hugs and good health to you all!  We are still here for you!  Please feel free to email Donna and I with questions, concerns or just to check in!

Ariel & Donna

Please feel free to share this email with anyone you think might enjoy it.  If you want me to add someone to the email blast list just send me a message with their email in it. 

REMEMBER:

When searching for information about the Coronavirus, COVID-19 please use caution!  Unfortunately there are many false sites that contain viruses and malware that can threaten your computer.  Many look like real sites.  Your best bet is to go directly to the CDC, WHO or your local government page (links below).   

https://www.cdc.gov/ 

https://www.who.int/

https://www.franklinma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/coronavirus-information-portal-updates-here

MEMORY CAFE!

For those of you who attend our Memory Cafe events I invite you to learn more about attending a VIRTUAL Memory Cafe through Zoom!  There are many options to choose from.

https://www.memorycafedirectory.com/cafe-connect/

--

Ariel Doggett

Virtual Program Coordinator

Respite Coordinator

"We rise by lifting others" - Robert Ingersoll

There is no act of kindness too small

Franklin (MA) Senior Center: Email Blast - Sep 4, 2020

“I thought I had them all. .... It was human error”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:  

"The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office will work closely with Franklin in the weeks leading up to the November presidential election, after about 3,000 ballots went uncounted on election night Tuesday.

“We will certainly be heavily involved in the office leading up to November,” said Debra O’Malley, a spokeswoman with William Galvin’s office.

Franklin was one of three communities, along with Newton and Wellesley, to have uncounted ballots as of Wednesday morning. About 750 ballots that were dropped into Newton’s secure ballot drop boxes in the last three hours of the election went uncounted, while Wellesley was unable to get to about 100 ballots, between late drop box submissions and absentee ballots.

But in Franklin, officials said, the Town Clerk’s Office missed about 3,000 mailed ballots that were processed in advance but not yet tallied, which is allowed by state law. The ballots had been processed (checking which residents voted), then locked into the town clerk’s vault, with the expectation that they would be counted on election day.

“They were in the vault and I forgot them,” Franklin Town Clerk Teresa Burr said. “I thought I had them all. .... It was human error.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200904/franklin-town-clerk-human-error-led-to-3000-ballots-counted-late?rssfeed=true

Via Twitter on Friday, and shared to Facebook:

Q - When will the town election results be published?

A = That is a good question. I would guess not until the results are final and official. In case you missed it, the State took over the count process.

Seconded by Town of Franklin:

"Steve is correct. The complete results are being entered by the town staff along with the Secretary of State. They are due by tomorrow but should be done today. We will post immediately when available and when the final results are certified. There will be no preliminary numbers."

(https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1301913940247695360?s=03)

“I thought I had them all. .... It was human error”

November 3 and Special Election (Dec 5) Schedule

With the Primary behind us, and a record voter participation, the run up to the November election will not end the season for Franklin. There is a special election on Dec 5, (yes, a Saturday) to select the replacement for Town Councilor Eamon McCarthy Earls, who resigned effective Sep 6 to go to law school.

The Town Charter requires a replacement election within 90 days, hence Dec 5.

2-8-2 Vacancies shall be filled by special election to be called within ninety (90) days of said vacancy unless a regular or special Town election shall occur within one hundred twenty (120) days.

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/revised_2013_1.pdf

**STATE ELECTION – Tuesday, November 3rd, 7 am – 8 pm FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL GYM**

• Early Voting:  FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL  (2 weeks) starting   Saturday, Oct. 17th through Friday, Oct. 30th

• Saturday, Oct. 17th and Sunday, Oct. 18TH (5 hours per day) TBD
• Monday, Oct 19th  TBD
• Tuesday, Oct. 20th TBD
• Wednesday, Oct. 21st TBD
• Thursday, Oct. 22nd TBD
• Friday, Oct. 23rd TBD
• Saturday, Oct. 24th and Sunday, Oct. 25th   (5 hours per day) TBD
• Monday, Oct 26th  TBD
• Tuesday, Oct. 27th TBD
• Wednesday, Oct. 28th TBD
• Thursday, Oct. 29th TBD
• Friday, Oct. 30th TBD

** SPECIAL TOWN ELECTION – Saturday, DEC. 5th  ( Hours TBD)

• Monday, September 21st -   Nomination Papers Available
• Wednesday, October 14th   -   Last day to obtain nomination papers
• Friday, October 16th   –        Last day to file nomination papers
• Tuesday, October 20th    –      Last day to withdraw
• Monday, November 23rd    -    Post Warrant
• Wednesday, November 25th   –   Last day to register to vote/change party
• Saturday, December 5th –    Election Day

November 3 and Special Election (Dec 5) Schedule

"Objectively, the nation’s economic conditions are still dire"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin: 

On the campaign trail with President Donald Trump, the pandemic is largely over, the economy is roaring back, and murderous mobs are infiltrating America’s suburbs.

With Democrat Joe Biden, the pandemic is raging, the economy isn’t lifting the working class, and systemic racism threatens Black lives across America.

The first week of the fall sprint to Election Day crystallized dizzyingly different versions of reality as the Republican incumbent and his Democratic challenger trekked from Washington and Delaware to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and back, each man on an urgent mission to sell his particular message to anxious voters.

All the conflicting messages carry at least a sliver of truth, some much more than others, as the candidates fight to navigate one of the most turbulent election seasons in modern history. And beyond legitimate crises threatening public health, the economy and public safety, a new divide erupted Friday over the military.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20200904/dueling-versions-of-reality-define-1st-week-of-fall-campaign/1?rssfeed=true

Commonwealth Magazine: "Voting reforms reinvigorated democracy"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin: 

"When the Legislature passed an unprecedented expansion of mail-in voting, they did it for this year only, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that makes crowding into polling places unsafe.

But now, amid record-breaking turnout in this week’s primary, some are calling for mail-in voting to become a permanent feature of Massachusetts elections.

“Voter turnout in the September 1 primary makes one thing abundantly clear– vote by mail should be here to stay,” said Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, executive director of MassVOTE, a coalition that aims to expand voting access, in a statement.

The last time turnout in a state primary election topped 1 million was in 1990, when 1.5 million people voted. This year, Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin says that turnout will be more than 1.5 million, although he still did not have a final number. "

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/is-mail-in-voting-here-to-stay-2/

"AT THE START of July, the Legislature passed a landmark bill to expand early voting, implement a secure vote-by-mail system, and strengthen safety measures for in-person voting. Tuesday’s primary was the first major test of these important reforms. They worked.

More people voted in this year’s state primary than ever before. According to preliminary data, over 1.6 million voters cast ballots, totaling more than a third of all registered voters. In recent state primaries, fewer than 1 million voters have showed up at the polls, with voter participation rates mired in the teens and low twenties. This year, several competitive races for Congress helped increase voter participation, but the high turnout was also a product of Massachusetts’ new election laws. In the face of an ongoing  pandemic, Massachusetts did not simply protect voting rights—we reinvigorated our democracy.

The Legislature’s voting reforms gave voters several different ways to cast their ballot. For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth, voters had the choice to vote by mail, to vote in person during a week-long early voting window, or to vote in person on the day of the election. The intent was to empower voters to vote in a way that worked best for them, and it is clear that people availed themselves of the opportunity. Over 1 million people requested mail-in ballots, 180,000 people voted during early voting, and hundreds of thousands more went to the polls on election day. While the vast majority of people who requested a mail-in ballot were able to return it successfully, voters still had the ability to vote in person if they encountered difficulties in the vote-by-mail process."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/voting-reforms-reinvigorated-democracy/

Commonwealth Magazine:  "Voting reforms reinvigorated democracy"

Commonwealth Magazine: "Despite pandemic, state tax revenues hold steady"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin: 

"DESPITE A PANDEMIC and record unemployment, Massachusetts tax revenues in August continued to hold fairly steady compared to last year.

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue reported on Friday that an apples-to-apples comparison shows tax revenues in August 2020 were down only $7 million, or .4 percent, compared to the same month a year ago.

For July and August, the first two months of fiscal 2021, revenues were actually up by $124 million, or 3.1 percent, compared to the same period a year ago.

The apples-to-apples approach is required because the state’s tax filing date for 2019 was postponed from April 15 to July 15 this year because of COVID-19. That delay meant a lot of revenue that normally would have come into state coffers in fiscal 2020 actually arrived in fiscal 2021. The Revenue Department separated out what it considered fiscal 2020 money from fiscal 2021 money, yielding the apples-to-apples comparison."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/despite-pandemic-state-tax-revenues-hold-steady/

The golden dome of the State House. (Photo by Andy Metzger)

FTC Consumer Alert: How can you spot a tech support scam

How can you spot a tech support scam by Traci Armani, Consumer Education Specialist, Division of Consumer & Business Education Are you getting pop-up warning messages on your computer screen? Or maybe a phone call that your computer has a virus?  That may well be a tech support scam. But how do you know? And what do you do? Read more > https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/09/how-can-you-spot-tech-support-scam?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

---

FM #341 Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting - 9/02/20 (audio)

FM #341 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 341 in the series. 

This session shares the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting held on Wednesday, September 2, 2020. The meeting was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

The Chair, Melanie Hamblen, opens the meeting. New member Brian Chandler joins the group to replace Eamon McCarthy Earls who is leaving the Council to go to Law School.  

Brief update on re-opening provided at beginning of meeting. Grant application being readied for distribution, possible next week.

Conversation shifts to the market study and picking up on prior meeting discussion of advertising placements at restaurants, adding QR codes to help with finding things, also mention of a “Franklin First” campaign in the works to help foster buying local.

Complete streets and the details around it are reviewed, some of the impact was seen with the work on the Main St and downtown project that was completed a couple of years ago. This would be a policy (not a bylaw) to help address planning for the street to consider all modes of transit (rather than just the auto which is prevalent today).

The recording runs just about 50 minutes, so let’s listen to the discussion from the meeting of the Economic Development Subcommittee.

Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HZXrkRTK

-----
The agenda for the meeting can be found here
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/08-20-2020_edc_agenda.pdf

The Market Study
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/franklin-ma-economic-development.html 

My notes from the meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/09/edc-meeting-recap-franklin-first-qr.html 

--------------
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 


This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.
 
How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.
 
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

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 & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

FM #341 Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting - 9/02/20 (audio)