Franklin Matters

Saturday, October 2, 2021

The Franklin Voters Guide is available

The Franklin Voters Guide is a "work in progress".

"The Franklin Area Voting Guide is intended to be a non-partisan resource created by private individuals to allow the people of Franklin, Massachusetts, and surrounding communities to cast an educated vote on issues that impact our community.
Information contained in this guide is provided by candidates and taken verbatim from their survey responses, or sourced from candidate websites/social media accounts, public statements, town halls, and past achievements."

It is a collaborative effort:

As the Franklin Matters interviews (email and audio) are completed, they are being shared there.
Frank Falvey, is recording interviews with candidates. Those audio files will be part of the Voter Guide repository.

So do we have everyone accounted for yet? No

There are some candidates completed and there are some in the edit/publishing mix
There are candidates with interviews scheduled for next week
There are candidates working to confirm the scheduled for their interviews

And yes, there are some that have not yet reached out to either the folks behind the Voters Guide or Frank Falvey, or myself to provide information to share.

What can you do between now and the time you cast your vote

Read up on what the candidates have shared
If you find a candidate, who doesn't have info, prompt them to reach out to get their info into the mix
If you find a candidate you want to follow up with on a topic or two, the info to contact them is available with what they have published. Go for it. Don't be bashful

If you haven't registered to vote, please do so by October 13.

Absentee ballot applications are available.

Vote by mail applications are available.

Early voting in the Town Clerk's office will be available once the printed ballots are available (possibly the week of Oct 12).

Early voting is scheduled for Saturday, Oct 23 and Sunday, Oct 24 from 10 AM to 1 PM on both days.

On of course, all precincts vote at Franklin High School on Nov 2, 2021 from 6:00 AM to 8 PM.

The Franklin Voter Guide ->

https://www.franklinvoterguide.org/2021-voter-guide

The Franklin Voters Guide is available

FHS football, field hockey, and volleyball teams post wins on Friday

Via @HockomockSports and Twitter, we share the results of the FHS fall sports action on Friday, Oct 1, 2021

** Football = Mansfield, 10 @ Franklin, 28 – Final
1st Quarter: (F) Jared Arone 54-yard pass to Shane Kindred, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) J. Arone 8-yard pass to Grayson Hunter, G. Portesi XP good; (M) Drew Sacco 1-yard rush, James Gilleran XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) J. Gilleran 30-yard field goal; (F) J. Arone 41-yard pass to Will Tracey, G. Portesi XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Arone 34-yard pass to Jonathan Martins, G. Portesi XP good.

For more about the FHS football game ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/hockomocksportscom-franklin-continues.html

** Field Hockey = Franklin, 8 @ Milford, 0 – Final

– Franklin scored twice in each the first and second quarters and put it out of reach with three more in the third in a win on the road at Milford. Kaitlyn Carney scored four goals and had one assist to pace the offense, getting assists from Sophia Cuneo, Ella Aldred, and Ella Mahoney while Kendall Jones scored twice in the win (one assisted by Haley Wernig). Sydney Rogan tacked on a pair of second quarter goals for the Panthers.

Varsity wins 8-0 vs Milford Scoring: Kendall J 2G…Kaitlyn C 4G 1A Top hat… Sydney R 2G Haley W 1A.. Sophia C 1A..Ella A 1A.. Ella M 1 A.. Megan S & Chloe S combined Shutout in Goal!! We are now 8-0!! https://twitter.com/FHS_FH_02038/status/1444089669549953025

9-0 JV WIN over Milford. Emma T Top hat, Chloe E 1G 2A, Brooke T 1G 1A, Julia F 1A, Fales 1A , Kenzie B 1G, Wosny 1G, Lauren D 1G,, Ella G 1G. Shutout #8 for our Chloe S and Megan S. https://twitter.com/carney_coach/status/1444065520265932810

** Volleyball = Franklin, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final

– Milford fought hard to avoid the sweep with a win in the third set but Franklin proved to be too much as the Panthers secured a 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 20-25, 25-16) win over the Hawks. Junior Meghan Linkkila anchored the defense with 15 digs and had a strong showing at the service line with seven aces while sophomore Taylor Lacerda was nearly unstoppable at the net with 19 kills to go along with 11 digs and a pair of aces.

For other results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-10-01-21/

A great day for Unified Basketball with our friends from Milford https://twitter.com/FranklinUnified/status/1444051613061103617

We are the Unified Athletic Teams of Franklin High School. We are proud members of the Special Olympics Unified Champion School Program.

HockomockSports.com: "Franklin Continues Perfect Start By Beating Mansfield"

Josh Perry, the Managing Editor of HockomockSports.com, provides the game recap of Friday night's action in Franklin.

"It was only seven months ago that Franklin traveled to Alumni Field to open the Fall II season. The Panthers were a young team learning the ropes against a senior-laden, highly-experienced Mansfield squad filled with Super Bowl-winning talent.

When the two teams met on Friday night at Pisini Stadium, the roles were reversed. Now it was the Panthers that had the experience and they took advantage at every opportunity. Jared Arone (9-for-13, 206 yards) tossed four touchdown passes and the Panthers beat Mansfield 28-10. in front of a packed house.

It was Franklin’s first win against the Hornets since going undefeated in the 2009 regular season. It also ended Mansfield’s 19-game win streak, which had been the longest active streak in the state.

“We had a normal summer, a normal weight program, a normal training camp where we could meet and walk through and do all the things that you’re supposed to do and we let our kids just be kids this year finally,” said Franklin coach Eian Bain about the growth of his team over the past few months. “I think they’ve grown a lot as people, as men, as students, as players.”

Continue reading the article online

https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-football-continues-perfect-start-by-beating-mansfield/

For a photo gallery from this game https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/2021-2022/Fall-2021/Franklin-Mansfield-Football-10-01-21/

Jonathan Martins celebrates after catching a fourth quarter touchdown pass to seal Franklin’s first win against Mansfield since 2009. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Town of Franklin, MA: October 2021 E-Newsletter

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October 2021 Edition

Town Clerks Office

The Biennial Town Election is set for Nov. 2nd at FHS 6am-8pm.

The last day to register to vote in the Biennial Election is Oct.13. Office hours will be extended till 8pm. Alternatively, you can register to vote online at sec.state.ma.us/.

Ballot testing will take place Oct. 20 at 2pm in the council chambers, observers welcome.

In office early voting will run Oct. 23-24 from 10am-1pm.

Be sure to request your vote by mail ballot by emailing townclerk@franklinma.gov or via the Town Clerks website.

Harvest Festival

Join in!

Visit the Town's Department of Planning and Community Development booth. Come learn more about how you can get involved in reimagining our downtown during this revitalization process with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

Resident Pop Up Shop Greco Design Co. will have a booth and with raffles and giveaways.

Thank you to the Franklin Downtown Partnership, sponsors and vendors for your continued work on this event!

Franklin Public Library

Library Event Highlights

As always, the Franklin Public Library provides an array of programming for residents of all ages. Visit the library website to find out more about our upcoming special events, workshops, book sale, and so much more! Check out some of their featured programming below...

Oct. 16 - Paint Party for Adults

Local artist Denise Palmieri will lead the class to paint a fun fall themed work of art. The class is limited to twenty adults. Event begins at 3pm, register here to reserve your spot.

Oct. 20 - Stephano The True Story of Shakespeare's Shipwreck

The screening of the film will feature an introduction by Two-time Emmy-nominated producer and host Andrew Giles Buckley, followed by a question and answer session. This program is free and open to the public. Program starts at 6:30pm.

Oct. 30 - Trunk or Treat

Families! Dress up and join in at 10:30am in the library parking lot for a safe, little-kid friendly afternoon of trick-or-treating!

Library Hours

The Franklin Public Library will be closed Monday, October 11th for Columbus Day. The Library's regular hours are Monday through Thursday, 9am to 8pm, and Friday and Saturday, 9am. to 5pm, and Sunday 1:30-5pm.

Library Calendar of Events - October 2021

Now Offering eBill & No Fee for ACH

The Treasurer/ Collectors office reminds residents that they offer the convenience of online payments through UniPay. Take advantage of some great features including scheduling payments, saving payment information, viewing payment history and setting payment reminders. Best of all, you can now receive your bill, completely paperless!

To pay your taxes have your bill and checkbook or credit card in hand, and then...

1) Go to: https://www.franklinma.gov/

2) Click on Payments & Permits Tab

3) Select the bill you would like to pay.

4) Complete each screen to process your payment.

For the residents' convenience, the Town is waiving the ACH fee when paying by electronic check. UniBank, our banking partner, will charge a nominal processing fee for credit card payments. A fee schedule is located on the welcome page for your convenience.

Franklin Public School District

Back to School

Franklin Public Schools returned full and in person on Aug. 30 with staff and Aug. 31 for students. As you may know, the district has received several rounds of federal COVID relief funding to assist with resources to support an in-person opening. FPS released a Stakeholder Input Survey regarding the use of ESSER III funds as part of the application process for the 3rd round of ESSER funding for the Oct. 4 deadline.

You can view the feedback from the stakeholder survey as well as intended funding areas via this presentation that was shared with the School Committee on 9/28. FPS is focusing its efforts on the 5 main areas outlined below...

Main Focus of Our Efforts

1. Social workers

2. Director of SEL and Equity

3. Two Bridge for Resilient Youth Transition programs to support students transitioning back to school from hospitalizations at the high school and one share by middle schools. Project is to be staffed by an adjustment counselor and ESP.

4. Stipends to support after school tutoring for middle and high school students

5. Continued funding of elementary interventionists

Although we may start to expend grant funds this year, we intend to stretch these funds into FY 23 and FY 24, as we know that the impacts of the pandemic on students will be long-lasting.

These items are being written into the grant proposal but may change as a result of DESE feedback or through the grant amendment process. Thank you to all of you who completed the survey to inform this plan.

FPS 21-22 Back to School Website

Veterans' Services

October 6 – Veterans' Monthly Coffee Social – 10:00 a.m. at the Senior Center. We will welcome Shannon Nisbett, our new Veterans' Services Officer and Franklin Board of Health Director Cathleen Liberty will provide Covid-19 updates.

October 7 – Veteran Suicide Prevention "Virtual" Roundtable sponsored by Home Base – 11:00 a.m. Call the VSO for more info.

October 13 – U.S. Navy's 246th Birthday.

October 21 – Veterans' Council Meeting – 7:00 p.m. at the Senior Center. All members of the community are invited.

October 26 – National Day of the Deployed annually honors United States military personnel deployed around the globe. The designation recognizes all of the brave military personnel who have been deployed, are sacrificing, or have sacrificed their lives to defend our country.

Save the Date…The Veterans' Day Luncheon is scheduled for Thursday, November 11 at 11:00 a.m. at the Senior Center. The number of attendees will be limited due to Covid-19 restrictions. Reservations are required. Call Mary at: (508) 520-4945 to RSVP by October 29.

Per Town of Franklin policy, proof of vaccination will be required for all in-person events at the Senior Center.

Veterans and Dependents – If you are a veteran or immediate family member of a veteran, please contact our office to find out if there may be any veterans' benefits or privileges available. Please visit our webpage at: www.franklinma.gov/veterans-services to learn more.

Franklin Fire Department

The Franklin Fire Department accepted a generous donation of $25,000 from Bristol County Savings Bank mid August. Funds will be used to support the department's critical and life saving efforts throughout the community.

Connect With Franklin Fire

Oct. 9 - Franklin Fire Open House at Headquarters 10am-2pm (rain date Oct.10).
Oct. 17 - Firefighters Memorial at Headquarters at 9am.
Oct. 19 - Fire Prevention Safety Talk at Franklin Housing Authority Community Room for residents at 3pm followed by pizza provided by Franklin Rotarians.

Upcoming Events

Conservation Commission

Earth Day in October? You heard it right. The Conservation Commission will be hosting a belated Earth Day clean up at Delcarte Recreation & Conservation Area on Oct.16 from 9am-12pm. Volunteers can meet at 459 Pleasant St. in the playground parking lot. Great opportunity to get some community service hours!

Franklin Historical Museum

Second Sunday Speaker Series

Oct. 10 at 1pm - Voyage of Mercy: Author Steve Pluto returns to the museum to discuss his 8th book, Voyage of Mercy. The USS Jamestown, the Irish famine, and the remarkable story of America's first humanitarian mission. Sponsored by the Friends of the Franklin Historical Museum.