Franklin Matters

Monday, November 20, 2023

Holiday Happenings at The Creative Corner Studio

"‘tis the season!

www.creativecornerartstudiofranklin.com Christmas and Hanukkah happenings.

Come, check the studio out!"

Holiday Happenings at The Creative Corner Studio

Shared from -> https://facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/3561039884166012/?mibextid=Nif5oz

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Monday, Nov 20, 2023

wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Monday

9 AM 12 PM and 6 PM Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick & Nick Remissong
2 hours of awesome blues music, info, interviews

11 AM 2 PM and 8 PM A More Perfect Union – Discussing American Politics and Current Events - Peter Fasciano, Dr. Michael Walker Jones, Dr. Natalia Linos, State Rep Jeff Roy, and Nick Remissong hold a round table discussion on current events and American politics, bringing about thoughtful conversation, compelling discourse, and a look at what the future might hold for the United States.

Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = MONDAY

9:00 am SAFE Coalition: Danny Lagarce

10:30 am Physician Focus: Winter is Coming

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Waffles

12:30 pm Franklin Harvest Festival 2023

1:00 pm Cooking Thyme: Appetizers

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Margherita Pizza

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 5

3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 7

3:30 pm Veterans' Call: PACT Act

4:30 pm Senior Connection: Senior Expo 2023

5:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Districts

5:30 pm Extended Play Sessions: Alice Wallace

8:00 pm Frank Presents: Daniela Masters Pt 2

9:00 pm Senior Scribblers

Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = MONDAY

8:00 am Girls Varsity Soccer Franklin v Hopkinton 11-11-23

10:00 am All-Town Showcase 2023: Band

11:30 am Public School Event: Horace Mann Winter Music 2021

1:30 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Districts

2:30 pm SAFE Coalition: New Facility

4:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Soccer: v Needham 11-11-23

6:00 pm FHS Theater Company: Cinderella

8:30 pm FHS Varsity Football: v Natick 11-10-23

Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = MONDAY

8:00 am Planning Board: 11-06-23

11:00 am Finance Committee 11-08-23

2:00 pm Planning Board: 11-06-23

7:00 pm Planning Board: LIVE, Chambers 980 4312 8012

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Franklin Food Pantry Invites Community Support on #GivingTuesday

Demand for Food Assistance and Programs Continues to Increase as Winter Months Approach

The Franklin Food Pantry, which provides supplemental food assistance and programs in Franklin, is encouraging the community to support The Pantry through acts of giving and service on #GivingTuesday. The annual event occurs the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and inspires people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

In recent months, The Pantry has experienced a sharp increase in demand for food and services including weekend backpack meals for school children, holiday meal kits, and health and wellness items. By supporting The Pantry on #GivingTuesday, Franklin residents can make a lasting, positive impact in their immediate community.

Franklin Food Pantry Invites Community Support on #GivingTuesday

“#GivingTuesday is an opportunity for everyone to reflect on their blessings, and pass that gratitude on to others in need,” said Tina Powderly, Executive Vice President, of Franklin Food Pantry. “The holiday season can be a time of tremendous stress for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. By coming together, we can provide hunger relief that lasts throughout the new year.”

How to support the Franklin Food Pantry on #GivingTuesday:

Donate—Make a monetary donation and help provide food and goods to the more than 1,300 individuals and families who rely on The Pantry each year. In Norfolk County, the average cost for a meal is about $5. A donation of $20 helps a family of four start their day with breakfast, eat lunch at work or school, or provide a nutritious dinner at night. Recurring monthly donations to help The Pantry budget for everyday expenses are also available. Click HERE to donate.
Show Support—Share support for the Franklin Food Pantry on social media channels. Share The Pantry’s posts or create original content that links to The Pantry website or #GivingTuesday donation page. Be sure to use #GivingTuesday.
Volunteer—The Franklin Food Pantry has flexible volunteer options to meet almost everyone's desire to help. To volunteer, complete the online application and a volunteer coordinator will be in contact. Please note that availability for new Pantry volunteers will begin after the holiday season. For more information, click HERE.
Organize a Food or Fund Drive—Individuals, corporations, schools, churches, community groups, and other organizations can coordinate a food and fund drive using The Pantry’s online toolkit. Collected food and funds will help The Pantry provide assistance throughout the season and into the new year.

#GivingTuesday takes place on November 28, 2023. To add a #GivingTuesday reminder to an online calendar, please click HERE. For more information or to learn about the Franklin Food Pantry, visit www.franklinfoopantry.org.

About the Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.

The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers supplemental food assistance and household necessities to more than 1,300 individuals per year. The Franklin Food Pantry is not funded by the Town of Franklin. The Pantry partners with several organizations including the Greater Boston Food Bank to achieve greater buying power and lower costs.

Donations and grants fund food purchases, keep lights on, and put gas in the Pantry truck. Programs include home delivery, a weekend backpack program for Franklin school children, mobile pantries, emergency food bags, and holiday meal packages. The Pantry is located at 341 W. Central St. in Franklin, Massachusetts on Route 140. Visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.

Franklin, MA Town Council schedules tax rate public hearing - Nov 21 at 6 PM

FRANKLIN TOWN COUNCIL

Agenda & Meeting Packet

November 21, 2023 - 6:00 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building

2nd floor, Council Chambers

355 East Central Street

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR

a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 9 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.
b. Chair to identify members participating remotely.
c. Town sponsored event announcements

2. CITIZEN COMMENTS

a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to three minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask
the Town Administrator to review the matter.

3. PUBLIC HEARINGS - 6:00 PM

a. Franklin Tax Classification Hearing
i. Legislation for Action Items: 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e

4. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

a. Resolution 23-66: Tax Classification Residential Factor
(Motion to Approve Resolution 23-66 - Majority Vote)
b. Resolution 23-67: Tax Classification Open Space Exemption
(Motion to Approve Resolution 23-67 - Majority Vote)
c. Resolution 23-68: Tax Classification Small Business Exemption
(Motion to Approve Resolution 23-68 - Majority Vote)
d. Resolution 23-69: Tax Classification Residential Property Exemption
(Motion to Approve Resolution 23-69 - Majority Vote)
e. Resolution 23-70: Tax Classification Senior Means Tested Exemption
(Motion to Approve Resolution 23-70 - Majority Vote)

5. ADJOURN

Note:

Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes

Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/november_21_2023_town_council_tax_hearing_agenda.pdf

Franklin, MA Town Council schedules tax rate public hearing - Nov 21 at 6 PM

This Town Council Quarterbacking session condenses the meeting of Nov 15, 2023 (audio)

FM #1101 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1101 in the series.

This shares my conversation with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. This is one of a series of conversations meant to provide a recap of the prior Council meeting. Akin to one of the many sports post-game analysis broadcasts we are familiar with in New England, this would be a discussion focused on the Franklin Town Council meeting of November 15, 2023:

ok, what just happened?
What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

We cover the following key topics

Election/re-org

1. SWEARING IN OF TOWN COUNCIL

2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS – Town Council Chair, Vice-Chair & Clerk

3. ADOPTION OF TOWN COUNCIL PROCEDURES MANUAL

a. Resolution 23-60: Adoption of the Procedures Manual of the Franklin Town Council (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-60 - Majority Vote)

Resolution 23-65: Establishment by Town Council of Subcommittee for Review of Rules of Procedure of the Town Council (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-65 - Majority Vote)

A total of 3,126 voters cast ballots in this election, only 12% of the 24,474 registered Franklin voters.

Tri-County 1645 voted, 1329 yes, 516 no 6.8% of Franklin 6.4% over the Tri-County 11 communities

Discussion: Open Meeting Law, Public Records, Ethics and Conducting a Public Meeting - Mark Cerel, Town Attorney

DiVita’s Market – license transfer

transfer of Section 15 All Alcoholic Beverages Package Store License, Approval of Pledge of Liquor License, and Approval of Bhaveshkumar Patel as the Manager - Heeru Corporation d/b/a DeVita’s Market, Located at 198 East Central St., Franklin, MA 02038

Elks Riders

Presentation: Franklin Elks Riders Donation to Veterans’ Services Department, $1,000 donation

Legislation

a. Resolution 23-58: General Funds Appropriation, Transfers and Adjustments FY24 (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-58 - Majority Vote)

c. Bylaw Amendment 23-903: A Bylaw to Amend the code of the Town of Franklin at Chapter 82, Fees, Municipal Service - First Reading (Motion to Move Bylaw Amendment 23-903 to a Second Reading)

d. Bylaw Amendment 23-902: A Bylaw to Amend the Code of the Town of Franklin by Inserting Chapter 147, Snow and Ice, Removal Of - First Reading (Motion to Move Bylaw Amendment 23-902 to a Second Reading - ⅔ Majority Vote)

g. Resolution 23-63: Gift Acceptance - Veterans’ Services Department ($1,975)

Our conversation runs about 32 minutes. Let’s listen to this session of Town Council Quarterbacking recorded Nov 16, 2023. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1101-town-council-quarterbacking-11-16-23

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

Franklin TV video link -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04-9DhPNSzU&t=5132s

Town Council agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/nov15_2023_town_council_agenda.pdf

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

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/ or www.franklin.news/

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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This Town Council Quarterbacking session condenses the meeting of Nov 15, 2023 (audio)

Franklin.TV: Computers Run Computers

It’s Like a Digital Hall of Mirrors

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 11/19/2023

Since COVID’s ending (um- sorta) there are some practices that continue. What was necessary then remains convenient to this day. Nothing is more obvious than Zoom meetings. In our shared isolation (oxymoron), we all gave Zoom a collective bear hug.

That meant managing and streaming remote meetings – remotely. Today, it’s a common task for us to have computers running computers – that run computers.

The screen(s) shown here at the left are from a computer in my home office. It’s hosting and recording a ZBA Zoom meeting.

Franklin.TV: Computers Run Computers

My other computer at the right is managing another computer at Franklin●TV.

That computer is controlling our Zoom stream to a computer at YouTube – and another computer (not shown) that is controlling what our cable subscribers are watching on our Government Channel Comcast 9/Verizon 29. It’s also recording the meeting for later rebroadcast.

It’s a digital high-wire act. Ensuring that all of these participating computers are on their best behavior requires a bit of digital discipline and preparation that takes place for up to an hour before each event. And, yes, there is one more small computer that is ‘tuned in’ to the cablecast – monitoring the progress of the meeting. Before COVID a common maxim held that one can never be too rich or too thin. Welcome to the digital post-COVID age where one can never have too many computers.

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

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf

LiveARTS: A letter from Artistic Director Ann Sears

A letter from our Artistic Director,

Ann Sears

Dear Friends of Music,

We are so pleased to share another season of magical live music presentations with you. We hope you will join us this coming Sunday for a sure-to-be thrilling performance at Murray Unitarian Universalist Church in Attleboro, MA at 3 p. m. by Ukrainian pianist Aleksandr Polyakov, who appears in place of previously announced artist, tenor William Hite. (We are happy to announce that William Hite will join LiveARTS in fall, 2024, to carry on with the planned performance of Schubert's magnificent song cycle, Winterreise.)

As you know, LiveARTS is committed to bringing outstanding musicians to our local community at a reasonable price. As ticket sales cover only a very small portion of our overall costs, the support of individual donors is critical in making these concerts possible. We need your help to keep live music in the air, and we have a special opportunity to share with you.

In recognition of National Giving Day on Tuesday, November 28th, every gift made to LiveARTS now and up to that day will be matched up to $2,500 by an anonymous supporter of our concerts! Every gift, large or small, helps us a great deal. As the old proverb reminds us, little by little, a little becomes a lot. Together, we become the "lot" that keeps music alive in our communities and resonating in our hearts and minds. Please be as generous as you can, and wherever you are, continue to enjoy music!

You can make your tax-deductible donation online at liveartsma.org or mail your gift to: LiveARTS, P.O. Box 678, Franklin, MA 02038.

LiveARTS is a nonprofit, non-sectarian affiliate of the First Universalist Society in Franklin. As such, it operates under the Society's tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) organization.

Thank you for making a gift to LiveARTS on Nov. 28th, and thank you so much for your support.

Gratefully yours,

Ann

Visit our website liveartsma.org to purchase tickets on-line and for more information.

LiveARTS, Franklin, Massachusetts · 283 Prospect Street · Franklin, MA 02038 · USA

National Grid MA files Comprehensive Performance and Investment (CPI) plan

National Grid MA posted on Fri, Nov 17, 2023:

We have filed a Comprehensive Performance and Investment (CPI) plan with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. This is part of our required Rate Review filing, designed to deliver the fair, affordable and clean energy transition, reinforce the local energy grid and hold us accountable to achieving a smarter, stronger, cleaner and more equitable energy future for the 1.3 million customers we serve across #Massachusetts

Shared from -> https://twitter.com/nationalgridMA/status/1725526811918877062

Read the summary of the plan -> https://www.nationalgridus.com/News/2023/11/National-Grid-Submits-Comprehensive-Performance-Investment-Plan-as-Part-of-Rate-Review-to-Build-a-Smarter,-Stronger,-Cleaner,-and-More-Equitable-Energy-Future/