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Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Franklin School Committee welcomed Supt Giguere and heard the FEF story in their brief meeting
- The School Committee meeting met briefly (37 minutes) on Tuesday for their only July scheduled regular meeting
- Superintendent Lucas Giguere has hit the ground running per his update in the Superintendent's report. This was his first formal meeting as Superintendent filling in for Sara Ahern who departed for Barnstable
- Franklin Education Foundation (FEF) board members Pandora Carlucci and Roberta Trahan presented on the FEF history, their fund raising efforts, changes due to the pandemic and hope to return to a more normal operation eventually. The School District did get a grant this year and how those funds were used was shared during the session
- Very little action was reported among the subcommittee meetings due to the 'vacation'/summer schedule
- All action items were approved via the Consent Agenda although not in the bulk format the process usually affords them. They were split individually to allow committee members to abstain from individual meetings they missed, and then continued this individual approach
A. Approval of Minutes(i) I recommend approval of the minutes from the June 14, 2022 SchoolCommittee Meeting as detailed. (6-0-1) Spencer abstain(ii) I recommend approval of the executive session minutes from the June 14,2022 School Committee Meeting as detailed. (6-0-1) Spencer abstain(iii) I recommend approval of the minutes from the June 27, 2022 SchoolCommittee Meeting as detailed. (7-0)(iv) I recommend approval of the executive session minutes from the June 27,2022 School Committee Meeting as detailed. (6-0-1) Callaghan abstain
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| (L-R) Business Manager M Goodman, Supt L Giguere, Dir Student Svcs P Marano |
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| (L-r) R Trahan, P Carlucci |
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| FEF grant funded item 1 |
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| FEF grant funded item 2 |
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| FEF grant funded item 3 |
Hot to cool off in Town of Franklin public spaces during the heat
During these hot days the and@FrkPublicLib are open during normal business hours for a place to cool down.
- Senior Center,10 Daniel McCahill Way, Monday-Friday 8:30am-4pm
- Library, 118 Main St. Tuesday & Wednesday 9am-8pm.
Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/FranklinMAfire/status/1549428135850135553
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| Senior Center,10 Daniel McCahill Way, Monday-Friday 8:30am-4pm |
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| Library, 118 Main St. Tuesday & Wednesday 9am-8pm |
Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
- wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Wednesday
9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and 6:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio/FPS Voice – Steve Sherlock
Franklin and its local government, services and events (repeats Saturday at 9 AM)
- This slot features recording of information session held on the effort to change the State Seal & Flag. Recorded at the Franklin Library, June 22, 2022.
This hour features my conversation with Franklin resident and climate activist Ted McIntrye in our #13 episode of Making Sense of Climate recorded on July 12, 2022
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = WEDNESDAY
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = WEDNESDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = WEDNESDAY
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| Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) |
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Franklin Senior Center: Memory Café Wednesday July 20 at 1 PM
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| Franklin Senior Center: Memory Café Wednesday July 20 at 1 PM |
Reminder: Franklin Q&A Session: July 20, 2022 - 11 AM - you bring the questions, we'll get the answers
Please join Steve Sherlock, who volunteers as Community Information Director for Franklin Matters & wfpr.fm, for an informal and informative Question and Answer Q&A session.
What is the session about?
- Steve provides some updates on what's happened in the past month in the first 10-15 minutes, then opens the floor to answer whatever questions you bring
- you bring the questions, Steve will explain or get the answer(s)
Where: Franklin Senior Center (conf room TBD) and via Zoom
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| Franklin Q&A Session: July 20, 2022 - 11 AM - you bring the questions, we'll get the answers |
If you want the Zoom link, please use this form or check with the Senior Center front desk: https://forms.gle/52iVgVhNdKEa6A5h9
CommonWealth Magazine: "State budget is a lot more than just a spending plan"
"In theory, the budget is the vehicle used to fund state government. In practice, the state budget is frequently used as a catch-all policy vehicle, a way to use a bill that is guaranteed to pass to further policies that for whatever reason have not passed as standalone legislation. This year is no different, with policies included in the fiscal 2023 budget that range from extending universal free school meals to all students regardless of income to requiring sheriffs and corrections officials to provide free calls to incarcerated people. Lawmakers sent the bill to Baker on Monday.Some of the provisions have a clear nexus to state spending. But other “outside sections,” as the policies are called, have little connection to the budget itself.For example, advocates for certain segments of the Asian community have had a long-running disagreement over what types of demographic information should be collected when a form asks about ethnicity. The concern is that the label Asian-American is overly broad and does not distinguish between distinct ethnic groups.An outside section of the budget states that any government agency that collects demographic race and ethnicity data must have separate tabulations for a huge number of subpopulations, including Asian groups (like Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, etc.), Pacific Islander groups (Native Hawaiian, Guamanian, Samoan, etc.), Black groups (African American, Jamaican, Haitian, etc.), Latino groups (Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban), and Whites (German, Irish, English, and so on)."
From this link -> https://malegislature.gov/Budget/ConferenceCommittee
You can download H.5050 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H5050.pdf
- 11A Insides -> https://malegislature.gov/Reports/13689/FY%202023%20Conference%2011A.pdf
- 11A Outsides -> https://malegislature.gov/Reports/13690/FY23%20Outside%20Sections%2011A%20FINAL.pdf
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| The Conference Committee report on MA FY 2023 budget for your reading pleasure |
Franklin Recreation: Fall 2022 Brochure
| 275 Beaver Street, Franklin, MA. 02038 • (508) 613-1666 • http://franklinma.myrec.com/ We hope everyone is doing well! We are excited for the upcoming Fall Season as we have lots of great upcoming programs from Rec Basketball, Wrestling, First Friends, Baby Sitting Course, Art Exploration, Pickleball, and so much more. We wanted to provide you with our Fall Brochure, which is attached to the bottom of this email. The brochure can also be found at any time using the following link, Fall Brochure 2022 Registration for all of these programs will open on Monday, August 1st. Please note that Registration for HS Fall Intramural Basketball is already open. If you have any questions about any of the programs listed in the Fall Brochure, please feel free to email us or call us at 508-613-1666. We hope to see you this Fall. Have A Great Rest Of The Summer! Best Regards, Franklin Recreation |
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| Franklin Recreation: Fall 2022 Brochure |
“We think that’s important to provide this tax relief immediately”
"THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE released a $4 billion economic development bill on Monday that includes some key spending differences from a House bill in areas like education, human services, and housing. The House and Senate are largely in agreement on a $1 billion proposal to reduce a slew of taxes, but with two key differences, one related to the estate tax and another to the timing of when the tax breaks go into effect.The Senate plans to take up the bill Thursday, leaving just 11 days for the House and Senate to reconcile their differences and get a bill to Gov. Charlie Baker before the legislative session ends."
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| MA Senate Passes Wide-Ranging Transportation Infrastructure Bond Bill |
MA Senate & House Send the CROWN Act to the Governor
Compromise bill to prohibit discrimination based on hair texture or style, including discrimination against natural and protective hairstyles, passes the Legislature
On Monday (07/18/2022), the Massachusetts State Senate enacted the CROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination based on a person's hair texture or style in Massachusetts. Having been enacted in both the Senate and the House, the bill now goes to Governor Baker for his signature.
The CROWN Act prohibits denial of employment and educational opportunities in places of work, schools, and school-related organizations on account of hair texture or protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks, and twists, used by people by color. Hair-based discrimination has excluded people of color from classrooms and workplaces, with serious academic and economic consequences.
"Having the right to be and present as our authentic selves, without fear of discrimination, matters to each one of us," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "For too many Black and Brown residents of Massachusetts this right has not always been honored. By enacting the CROWN Act, the Senate is once again affirming that hair discrimination has no place in professional or school settings in the Commonwealth. I am grateful to Mya and Deanna Cook, who stood up and fought hard to right this wrong for Black women and girls across the state. Thank you to Senators Gomez, DiDomenico, Rodrigues, Lewis and Edwards, as well as their staff members, for their work on this issue, and to the advocates for their collaboration."
"Natural hairstyles should be celebrated, not discouraged, and I'm proud to stand with my colleagues in the Legislature today to pass the CROWN Act," said State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "Thanks to the leadership of Senate President Spilka, Senator Gomez, Senator Edwards, Senator DiDomenico, our partners in the House, advocates and many others, we are taking an important and long overdue step to prohibit discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles. I applaud the Legislature for taking action today and look forward to seeing this bill signed by the Governor."
"As a long-time supporter and one of the sponsors of this legislation, I am thrilled to see the CROWN Act going to the Governor to be signed into law," said Senator DiDomenico (D-Everett), Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate. "The CROWN Act will protect people of color from experiencing hair discrimination and ensure we can celebrate all hairstyles. We are sending a message that discrimination in any form will not be tolerated and we will now have a law in place to back this up. We could not have accomplished this without the tenacious work from advocates from the CROWN Coalition and bravery from students who have shared their personal experiences with hair discrimination. I would also like to thank Senate President Spilka and Chair Rodrigues for making this a priority this session and my legislative partners, Senator Gomez, Representative Ultrino, and Representative Tyler, for their dedication and tireless work getting this bill across the finish line."
"The passage of the Crown Act is a symbol from the Massachusetts legislature that we stand with women of color who have experienced hair discrimination," said State Senator Adam Gomez (D-Springfield). "As a father to young women of color this legislation means a great deal to me, but legislation is just the first step. In order to change hearts and minds, you have to ensure that people know that this exists, that it is deeply wrong, and that it is something that many women of color have lived experience with. I would like to acknowledge the incredible activists from the Crown Coalition and beyond who have brought this to the forefront of our minds this legislative session, my colleagues who co-filed the bill with me and championed it in both branches, including Senator DiDomenico, Representative Tyler and Representative Ultrino, and Senate President Spilka and Chair Rodriguez for bringing it to the finish line. This was truly a team effort and I am thrilled we were able to get it to the finish line."
"As the racial equity champion who conceptualized, developed the legislative strategy for, and leads the national CROWN Act movement, I applaud this bill being signed into law", said Adjoa B. Asamoah, CROWN Coalition Co-Creator. "Tackling injustice requires moral leadership. I thank Representative Steve Ultrino who championed the bill in the House with cosponsor Representative Chynah Tyler, in addition to Senators Adam Gomez and Sal DiDomenico for their partnership and bold leadership to outlaw race-based hair discrimination in Massachusetts."
This legislation was inspired in part by two Black teenagers from Malden, Mya and Deanna Cook, who were punished by their school and barred from extracurricular activities for wearing their hair in braids. After gaining national attention and organizing public protests, the school eventually reversed their policy. The CROWN Act will protect Massachusetts children from experiencing this kind of discrimination.
The CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Coalition has played a crucial role in supporting the passage of this legislation in Massachusetts and in states across the country. Massachusetts will soon join 17 other states that have passed some version of the CROWN Act, which has also been proposed at the federal level.
Having passed both branches of the legislature, the bill now goes to the Governor for his review.
The text of the legislation can be found -> https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H4554
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| MA Senate & House Sends the CROWN Act to the Governor |
Public Hearing Notice: 700-712 Union Street at Planning Board - Aug 8
700-712 Union Street - Planning Board
Board vote to continue this Public Hearing, the date and time will be posted on the Planning
Board’s website under Agendas.
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| Public Hearing Notice: 700-712 Union Street at Planning Board - Aug 8 |
Did you know Mass Hire Metro South West is moving?
Please be advised that the Norwood Career Center has now relocated
to 128 Carnegie Row, Norwood, and is now open for customers.
Until the new Framingham Career Center opens on Monday, August 1, at
39 Grant St., Framingham, in-person services will be provided at the Norwood location
listed above. Virtual services will continue to be provided throughout the transition.
Updates and information will be posted here in the upcoming weeks.
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| Did you know Mass Hire Metro South West is moving? |
"No major problems with ballot drop boxes in 2020, AP finds"
"The expanded use of drop boxes for mailed ballots during the 2020 election did not lead to any widespread problems, according to an Associated Press survey of state election officials across the US that revealed no cases of fraud, vandalism or theft that could have affected the results.The findings from both Republican- and Democratic-controlled states run contrary to claims made by former President Donald Trump and his allies who have intensely criticized their use and falsely claimed they were a target for fraud.Drop boxes are considered by many election officials to be safe and secure, and have been used to varying degrees by states across the political spectrum. Yet conspiracy theories and efforts by Republicans to eliminate or restrict them since the 2020 election persist. This month, the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruled that drop boxes are not allowed under state law and can no longer be widely used."
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| A voter submits a ballot in an official drop box during early voting in Athens, Ga., on Oct. 19, 2020.JOHN BAZEMORE/ASSOCIATED PRESS |
Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Tuesday, July 19, 2022
- wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Tuesday
2 hours. An insightful tour of Jazz Greats in a golden era
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = TUESDAY
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = TUESDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = TUESDAY
Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm)
Monday, July 18, 2022
Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting - Jul 20, 2022 - 5:45 PM
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| Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting - Jul 20, 2022 - 5:45 PM |
The Guardian: "‘Avalanche of fires’: what the front pages around the world say"
"The wildfires that have raged in Europe, Africa and North America in recent days have provided some dramatic front pages for newspapers across the world.
Among the worst fires have been in Portugal, where the Correio de Manhã has a front page headline reading “Panic and despair”. "
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| A composite picture of front pages across the world. Photograph: front pages |