Town of Franklin: On-Call Plumbing Services for Town and School Buildings

On-Call Plumbing Services for Town and School Buildings

In accordance with MGL c. 149, it is the intention of the Town of Franklin to retain the services of a plumbing firm for a multi-year contract, subject to annual appropriation, providing on-call plumbing services at various town and school buildings within the Town of Franklin.

Additional Information:  On-Call Plumbing Services for Town and School Buildings

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Town of Franklin: Hot Mix Asphalt to be Picked Up by Town

Hot Mix Asphalt to be Picked Up by Town

In accordance with MGL c. 30 section 39m, it is the intention of the Town of Franklin to retain the services of a Hot Mix Asphalt producer to provide materials for use within the Town of Franklin.

Additional Information:  Hot Mix Asphalt To Be Picked Up By The Town

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FTC Proposes New Protections to Combat AI Impersonation of Individuals

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comment on a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that would prohibit the impersonation of individuals. The proposed rule changes would extend protections of the new rule on government and business impersonation that is being finalized by the Commission today.

The agency is taking this action in light of surging complaints around impersonation fraud, as well as public outcry about the harms caused to consumers and to impersonated individuals. Emerging technology – including AI-generated deepfakes – threatens to turbocharge this scourge, and the FTC is committed to using all of its tools to detect, deter, and halt impersonation fraud.

The Commission is also seeking comment on whether the revised rule should declare it unlawful for a firm, such as an AI platform that creates images, video, or text, to provide goods or services that they know or have reason to know is being used to harm consumers through impersonation.

“Fraudsters are using AI tools to impersonate individuals with eerie precision and at a much wider scale. With voice cloning and other AI-driven scams on the rise, protecting Americans from impersonator fraud is more critical than ever,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “Our proposed expansions to the final impersonation rule would do just that, strengthening the FTC’s toolkit to address AI-enabled scams impersonating individuals.”

The supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking is being issued in response to comments received during the public comment period on the government and business impersonation rule that pointed to the additional threats and harms posed by impersonation of individuals. As scammers find new ways to defraud consumers, including through AI-generated deepfakes, this proposal will help the agency deter fraud and secure redress for harmed consumers.

Final Rule on Government and Business Impersonation

In addition to the supplemental notice, the FTC has finalized the Government and Business Impersonation Rule, which gives the agency stronger tools to combat scammers who impersonate businesses or government agencies, enabling the FTC to directly file federal court cases aimed at forcing scammers to return the money they made from government or business impersonation scams. This is particularly important given the Supreme Court’s April 2021 ruling in AMG Capital Management LLC v. FTC, which significantly limited the agency’s ability to require defendants to return money to injured consumers.

Government and business impersonation scams have cost consumers billions of dollars in recent years, and both categories saw significant increases in reports to the FTC in 2023. The rule authorizes the agency to fight these scams more effectively.

For example, the rule would enable the FTC to directly seek monetary relief in federal court from scammers that:

Use government seals or business logos when communicating with consumers by mail or online.

Spoof government and business emails and web addresses, including spoofing “.gov” email addresses or using lookalike email addresses or websites that rely on misspellings of a company’s name.

Falsely imply government or business affiliation by using terms that are known to be affiliated with a government agency or business (e.g., stating “I’m calling from the Clerk’s Office” to falsely imply affiliation with a court of law).  

The publication of the final rule comes after the two rounds of public comment in response to an advance notice of proposed rulemaking issued in December 2021, a notice of proposed rulemaking issued in September 2022, and an informal hearing in May 2023.

The Commission vote to issue the final rule and the supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking and to publish them in the Federal Register was 3-0. Chair Lina M. Khan issued a separate statement that was joined by Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro M. Bedoya.

Both items will appear in the Federal Register shortly. The final rule on government and business impersonation will become effective 30 days from the date it is published in the Federal Register. The public comment period for the SNPRM will be open for 60 days following the date it is published in the Federal Register, and instructions for how to comment will be included in the notice.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.

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Franklin's Event Outlook: February 16, 2023 to February 22, 2024

Why have multiple calendars?

There is a Cultural events calendar upon which other community events are layered to create the Community calendar. The Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

The Cultural calendar displays only the cultural events      https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/pages/calendar

Find the full Community event calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/month/39/2023-12

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26 

Franklin's Event Outlook: February 16, 2023 to February 22, 2024

Franklin Public Schools Announce Upcoming Musical Performances, Highlights Music Program

Franklin Public Schools Superintendent Lucas Giguere, 355 East Central St. Franklin, MA 02038 Franklin Public Schools Announce Upcoming Musical Performances, Highlights Music Program FHS orchestra students. (Photo courtesy Franklin Public Schools) FRANKLIN — Superintendent Lucas Giguere and K-12 Music Director Diane Plouffe are pleased to share information about the Franklin Public Schools Performing Arts program and upcoming musical performances. The FHS music program provides a variety of musical and theatrical opportunities to all students in grades K-12. Students gain a strong foundation through singing and playing recorders and ukuleles beginning in fourth and fifth grade. Beginning in the sixth grade, all students are offered the opportunity to learn to play a band or orchestra instrument, or sing in the chorus. Students participating in a school ensemble have three performance cycles per year: December, March and May/June. Students are currently preparing for the upcoming Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) State Music Festival.   "The MICCA Concert Festival encourages the improvement of an ensemble's musical standards by providing musical adjudication by highly qualified judges," said Plouffe. "Attendance at a festival also affords organizations an opportunity to hear performances by other groups and experience the presentation of a wide variety of musical literature." Prior to the festival, on Tuesday, March 12, 200 students will perform in the upcoming All Town Chorus and Orchestra concert. On the following Wednesday, March 13, the All Town Band concert will take place, featuring over 250 students. Both concerts begin at 6 p.m. at the FHS Auditorium. Admission for both shows is $5 at the door and all proceeds will go to Franklin Music Boosters. FHS students also recently auditioned for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA). There were 17 FHS students in the music program who were accepted into the Central District Honor Ensembles and 21 middle school students accepted into the Junior Festival. Music students attend one state festival per year, consistently earning silver and gold medals. Additionally, students who are looking for more performance opportunities may elect to perform in chamber music recitals, jazz band concerts, community service performances, musical theatre performances or audition for honor ensembles such as the Central District and All State Music Festivals. In addition to in-school classes, the tuition based Lifelong Music Academy is an after school music program offering private lessons and jazz band at each middle school and the "Footlighters," which is a middle school musical theater club. FHS has a full schedule of performance and non-performance musical opportunities for students throughout the year. Non-performance classes include: Music Production I, II, III, Podcasting, Music Theory I, AP Music Theory, Guitar, Piano, History of Rock and Rock Band. All students who elect to participate in the wind ensemble, concert band, orchestra or chorus perform in three main concert cycles; one in December, March and May.  "Our schools' music program is a journey of exploration and expression for our students." Plouffe said. "Through engaging lessons, ensemble rehearsals, and community performances, we are fostering a love for music and nurturing the next generation of musicians."  FHS students performing in a jazz combo at a recent concert. (Photo courtesy Franklin Public Schools) A message from Franklin Public Schools John Guilfoil Public Relations, P.O. Box 22, Georgetown, MA 01833, United States, (617) 993-0003

Annual Report Of The Franklin Historical Commission: FY 2023 Report

It was a good year for the Franklin Historical Commission and the Franklin Historical Museum as we dusted off the cobwebs of COVID and went head on into a full program of events, exhibits and speakers.

The museum's goal is to provide community events and programs that encourage and invite people to visit and learn about the town's history.

Second Sunday Speaker Series

A strong and varied list of speakers filled the schedule this past year, from a presentation on Senator Edward W. Brooke by commission member and local historian Alan Earls as well as his presentation on Massachusetts, the Library State; to former Town Administrator Wolfgang Bauer talking about his childhood in the wartime ruins of Hamburg Germany; to TV personality Ted Reinstein's book presentation 'Before Brooklyn'; to the History of the Wrentham State School by Ingrid Grenon; We also saw a history of the Union Street Cemetery and the Life of Horace Mann, both by commission chair Mary Olsson; Historian Joe Landry did a popular talk on Trains; and Local Historian Jim Johnston did a presentation on the Madness of Collecting; The Second Sunday Speaker Series is supported with funding from the Friends of the Franklin Historical Museum.

Community

The museum is proud to participate in all community events hosted by the Franklin Downtown Partnership, The Franklin Cultural Council and the Franklin Cultural District. This past year we all enjoyed the annual Harvest Festival and Strawberry Stroll. In September we participated in the 2nd Annual Cultural Festival on the Common. We were also happy to host the Fifth Annual History Exhibition & Reception for the Dean College History Majors as part of Dean's Humanities in Action program.

Demolition Requests

The Historical Commission reviewed the following properties presented in accordance with the town's Demolition Delay Bylaw:

94 East Central Street 

803 Washington Street

201 Main Street - the Carriage House at the former Hayward Estate.

Two requests were approved for demolition; the request for demolition of 201 Main Street was denied. Demolition is prohibited for at least 12 months from the hearing date and the Commission is hopeful a preservation option will be considered.

Special Projects & Exhibits

December brought a very popular exhibit to the museum, one that will be expanded each year. TRAIN TOWN FRANKLIN. Commission member Scott Mason shared his remarkable skills in creating an exact scale model of the Franklin Train Station area circa 1932. The scene will be expanded for the upcoming exhibit in December 2023.

For the first year the museum hosted Silent Saturdays featuring Silent Movies on either end of the February School Vacation Week. We welcomed visits by the Senior Center's Sunshine Club for movies while the Senior Center was closed for repair. Two Cub Scout pack meetings were hosted at the museum which helped Scouts earn a badge.

Archivist Update

After more than a year with the position vacant, we welcomed our new archivist, Rowan Lowell in December. Rowan has picked up the reins and is working diligently at organizing the museums collections of photos, documents, artifacts, books, ephemera, etc. As of July, Rowan is now a full-time employee of the town which will serve the archiving goals of the museum and the town well.

New Members

We welcomed two new commission members, Jan Prentice and Scott Mason and a new associate commission member William Lee. A warm welcome to all.

Historical Commission Board Members

Mary Olsson Chairperson

Phyllis Malcolm Treasurer & CPC Rep Paul Pisani

Randy LaRosa 

Alan Earls

Jan Prentice 

Scott Mason

Associate Members

Kai Olsson 

William Lee

For current information follow us on Facebook and visit our website at Franklinmuseum1778.com where you will find event postings, research resources and much more.

The Historical Commission report can be found in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sfWw2J5SVzZG0X8LI91tgx7AzWRjLz-M/view?usp=drive_link

The full Town of Franklin FY 2023 Annual Report can be found online

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/annual_report_2023_0.pdf

Annual Report Of The Franklin Historical Commission: FY 2023 Report

Franklin Dept of Health: #GreatAmericanSpitOut

The #GreatAmericanSpitOut occurs every February. Smokeless tobacco, like chew and dip, has over 28 cancer causing substances that can typically lead to cancer of the mouth, esophagus, & pancreas. 

For more information on the effects of smokeless tobacco and how to quit today, visit: www.cdc.gov/tobacco 

Town of Franklin: On-Call Roofing Services for Town and School Buildings

On-Call Roofing Services for Town and School Buildings

In accordance with MGL c. 149, it is the intention of the Town of Franklin to retain the services of a roofing firm for a multi-year contract, subject to annual appropriation, providing on-call roofing services at various town and school buildings within the Town of Franklin.

Additional Information:  On-Call Roofing Services for Town and School Buildings

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Town of Franklin: On-Call Electrician - Maintenance and Repair Services at Town and School Buildings

On-Call Electrician - Maintenance and Repair Services at Town and School Buildings

In accordance with MGL c. 149, it is the intention of the Town of Franklin to retain the services of an electrical firm for a multi-year contract, subject to annual appropriation, providing on-call electrical services at various town and school buildings within the Town of Franklin.

Additional Information:  On-Call Electrician Services for Town and School Buildings

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Autumn Hill development proposed for Summer St

With the scheduled public hearing before the Planning Board for the proposed 44 unit senior and inclusionary housing condominium on Summer St, it is good to go deep in the archives to be aware of the prior development for the same property.

A special report collected the history of the Residential VII zoning proposed for rezoning the property at the time which failed to gain approval.

The new proposal comes forward without a zoning change required only a couple of special permits (per public hearing notice  https://www.franklinma.gov/legal-notices/agenda/488-496-summer-street-autumn-hill-senior-village-planning-board)

The 5 post series can be found 

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/01/part-5-full-residential-vii-timeline.html

The Autum Hill plans as submitted can be found 

https://www.franklinma.gov/planning-board/pages/autumn-hill-senior-village-488-and-496-summer-street-02022024

Autumn Hill development proposed for Summer St

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Friday, Feb 16, 2024

• wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Friday

9:00a/12:00p /6:00p Chapters – Jim Derick  Insightful, life-affirming stories and interviews

10:00a/1:00p/7:00p Music to Lift the Spirit - Jim Derick & Frank Falvey

11:00a/2:00p/8:00pm Senior Story Hour – Senior Center Scribblers Group

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

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

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

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

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Applications for the Artsy Box Project 2024 are open & due Feb 21, 2024

The Franklin Cultural District invites you to participate in the Artsy Box Project 2024, funded by the Mass Cultural Council and the Town of Franklin.

The Artsy Box Project launched last year in 2023, with a new and exciting vibrant arrangement of colors to share throughout our cultural district. This year we have identified 6 new boxes and need your help to bring a fresh take on celebrating nature and community. 

Box locations are as follows:

• Union St. (Town Common)
• Town Common (by Gazebo)
• East Central St. (near Chestnut)
• West Central St. (Near Lot)
• West Central St. (near West St) 
• Main St. Parking Lot (Across Library)

We encourage artists of all backgrounds, established or emerging, to submit. Each artist can submit up to 2 designs on the provided template. Please be sure to submit descriptions for each submission. Selected artists receive a stipend between $250-$750, to cover paint, time, transportation, artistic development and labor. Boxes will be primed prior to starting.

Artwork and assignments will be evaluated by the Franklin Cultural District Committee and Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) for the Town of Franklin. 

Submissions are due by February 21st 2024 @3pm. LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED

Artists will be notified of selections by March 15th, 2024.

Please select FCD to review checklist and submit. Please select BOX for Artsy Box Template.

Applications for the Artsy Box Project 2024 are open & due Feb 21, 2024

Annual Report Of The Cultural District Committee: FY 2023 Report

Franklin Cultural District Committee (CDC) is a volunteer committee appointed by the Town Administrator and ratified by the Town Council. The Committee is comprised of up to seven members, all of whom are town residents. The CDC meets as a full group once a month and subcommittees comprised of board members and partners meet as needed. In addition, the CDC holds quarterly Partners meetings; these meetings usually rotate among weeknights and locations in Town to provide flexibility in attendance, as work schedules vary throughout the community.

Since the start of the COVID Pandemic all CDC meetings have taken place using the Zoom platform. The meetings are publicized through social media, as well as print media. Meeting times, dates and agendas are posted on the Town's website. All meetings are open to the public.

Annual Report Of The Cultural District Committee: FY 2023 Report

During the 2023 fiscal year (FY23) the committee was co-chaired by Roberta Trahan and Dr. Pandora Carlucci, replacing the recently resigned chair, Nancy Schoen. The CDC would like to thank Roberta and Pandora for their hard work running the CDC team. During the year, CDC lost two members, Pat Timmons who moved out of Franklin, and Jamie Barrett whose term expired.

Franklin Cultural District History

The Town of Franklin's 2013 Master Plan had listed as Goal 2: Provide quality arts and cultural resources as a vital part of the creativity and growth of our community. Delivering on this goal, in early 2014 a small group of residents gathered to begin the quest to become a designated Cultural District. Using the criteria established by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), a footprint of the Franklin Cultural District was identified by the working group. Over the next few years, the committee organized festivals and events in the defined cultural district until the Town decided to officially gain designation as a cultural district. A new resident committee was formed and its task was to apply for state designation. MCC conducted a site visit in September 2018 eventually leading to Franklin Cultural District's approval of state Cultural District Status. The Franklin Cultural District Dedication Celebration was held on May 10, 2019.

Mission Statement

The CDC's mission is to enrich and inspire our residents and visitors by fostering local cultural, artistic, culinary, and historical development aligned with local partners in a defined walkable area, the Franklin Cultural District (FCD), which is easily accessible and serves as the center of economic activity.

Cultural District Committee Goals

The mission is realized through the CDC's goals. Each year the CDC's goals are reviewed, edited, and voted on by the entire Committee. CDC goals for FY23 are as follows:

• Goal 1: Coordinate resources to assist FCD Partners, local businesses, local artists and arts and cultural organizations to recover from the negative impacts of the Pandemic.
• Goal 2: Work to increase economic activity and attract new businesses, including artists and cultural enterprises, to the Franklin Cultural District.
• Goal 3: Continue to strengthen the Franklin Cultural District Partnership including the ongoing collaborations with the Franklin Cultural Council. Goal 4: Broaden the ethnic diversity of the arts and culture in Franklin.
• Goal 5: Continue to broaden the FCD social media presence to help the committee become more accessible and better able to engage, connect with and expand its audience.
• Goal 6: Work with Town Administration on the Wayfinding Signage Project when the pending timeline is finalized by the town.

Franklin Cultural District Partners

Since the Franklin Cultural District was designated in 2019, the Committee met monthly and quarterly with the Cultural District Partners. All meetings are open to the public and we invite all Franklin residents to attend and join the meetings.

This year, the Committee decided to step away from the formal quarterly Partners Meetings and include this messaging in our regular monthly meetings. This new process allows regular access for the partners with the committee allow a more inclusive cultural district committee. To encourage greater attendance of partners, the meeting agenda is emailed to the Partners each month. The meeting dates are also included in the Cultural Newsletter with information about location of the agenda. This change in meeting format has been well received.

The full Cultural District report can be found in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s-kD8K86btiJNun1k_RAtrLGr8v1A6Pb/view?usp=sharing

The full Town of Franklin FY 2023 Annual Report can be found online

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/annual_report_2023_0.pdf

Annual Report Of The Cultural District Committee: FY 2023 Report

Enjoy the fund raising for the Children’s Museum of Franklin Benefit Gala on April 11

The Night at the Museum Gala is coming up Thursday, April 11!

View this email in your browser Children's Museum of Franklin is a community-focused 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving Franklin, MA and the surrounding region. We believe that play is integral to learning and development. With that at heart, we're building an interactive and imaginative space where children and families can come together to discover, imagine, and grow. Children's Museum of Franklin strives to inspire the next generation and to build a community of intentional connection through play and exploration. Over the last several weeks, Children's Museum of Franklin hosted its first two Mobile Museum pop-up events. We had nearly 1,000 people attend. We are overwhelmed (in a great way!) by the joy and community enthusiasm. This show of support has only enhanced our excitement as we move forward with the development of The Museum. Children's Museum of Franklin is hosting its first major community awareness and fundraising event, Night at the Museum Gala, on Thursday, April 11. Join us for an evening of friends, exhibit play, live entertainment, food, and conversation. Have fun with friends: forward this invite on to your community! We hope to see you on April 11. Cheers! Meg & Erin When: Thursday, April 11 from 7:00–10:00 p.m. Where: THE BLACK BOX This is a 21+ event. Get your tickets here! Copyright (C) 2024 Children's Museum of Franklin. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.

Girl Scout Cookies for sale this weekend, Saturday, Feb 17

Where will the cookies be in Franklin?

• Post Office 8:30 am - 12 pm
• Learning Express 11 am - 3 pm

Check out the Facebook page for updates on specific locations

https://www.facebook.com/GirlScoutsofFranklinMA

Girl Scout Cookies for sale this weekend

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Thursday, Feb 15, 2024

• wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Thursday

9:00a/12:00p/6:00p   A Priest, A Minister, and a Rabbi

10:00a/1:00p/7:00p   Frank’s Music – Frank Falvey and Jim Derick

11:00a/2:00p/8:00pm   Frank Presents – Frank Falvey Presents

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

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

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

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

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