Franklin TV: A Quiet Week?

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 02/18/2024

“Well, it’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon.” This was the leadoff line to launch into Garrison Keiller’s wildly cheeky stories from ‘back home’ on his weekly NPR radio program, ‘A Prairie Home Companion’.

There are indeed actual quiet weeks.

They do exist. Even in our modern, digitally fast-paced, urgent world of business, there’s a saying that sums it all up.

“I wish like Hell it would slow down and I’m deathly afraid it will.”

In what might be viewed as ‘a quiet week’ there is necessary activity. It might not be filled with the flashy headliner action that offers up bragging rights. Rather, it’s the week that’s filled with all the nameless, (often thankless) invisible tasks and projects that make those notable, (braggable?) weeks possible. 

The highlights:

Sunday: Gather and file all radio station program, transmitter and ‘Emergency Alert’ test logs for the previous week. Verify that the transmitter is in good order.

Update financial forecast information for our monthly board meeting.

Monday: Review and finish preparing information for the noon board meeting.

At 1:30p meet with MIAA to plan for upcoming ‘Power rankings’ programs.

At 4p, investigate audio issues in the Town Hall Chambers TV control room.

Tuesday: Scan/organize invoices, receipts, statements, notices and other docs.

Prepare all 2023 business files for our annual audit.

Wednesday: Work with Dell computer’s technician to replace a failed graphics card in Edit system 1. Coordinate the updates for our central video file servers.

Thursday: Record our radio program, ‘More Perfect Union’. Coordinate updates for our LAN device addresses and access codes.

Friday: Meet with Jim Derick, Nick Remissong and new volunteers for wfpr.fm.

Design, install new video distribution gear and wiring to update our program control system for Zoom meetings in the Town Hall Training Room.

Saturday: Prepare our program schedule and post online for the upcoming week – and write the weekly background story that you are now reading.

The days are also peppered with ongoing staff discussions about upcoming dates and programs. All in, it’s a humdrum ‘quiet’ week. A good week. One that makes those other weeks possible. Even in such a (supposedly) quiet week we wonder,

“Where does the time go?”

Thanks for listening to 102.9 wfpr●fm.

And – as always – thanks for watching.

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

Annual Report Franklin Senior Center (COA): FY 2023 Report

The Franklin Senior Center is located at 10 Daniel McCahill Street and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

The Senior Center provides programs, services, and activities along with outreach, information and referral to serve the needs of older adults, people with disabilities and their families. Social services assistance is available to all adult residents in Franklin.

The Senior Center offers health and wellness, nutrition, social service coordination and resources, socialization, recreation and fitness, assistance with transportation, support groups, educational and cultural programs, a supportive day program, volunteerism, intergenerational opportunities, and a variety of other amenities.

The Center's mission is to enhance the independence and quality of life for Franklin's older adults by:

■ Identifying the needs of this population and creating programs that meet those needs.

■ Offering the knowledge, tools and opportunities to promote mental, social and physical well-being.

■ Advocating for relevant programs and services in our community.

■ Serving as a community focal point for aging issues and as a liaison to local, state, and Federal resources for older adults.

FY 2023 Highlights

This fiscal year, the vibrant Franklin Senior Center has continued to expand not only in numbers, welcoming 600 new members throughout the 2022 calendar year, but increasing the number of programs and opportunities available to members, and even adding two new line cooks, Marilyn Howe and Lauretta Taddeo. We also had some change in staffing, as we said goodbye and best wishes to staff, Sue Barbour, Program & Volunteer Coordinator, and Maggie Gundersen, Social Services Coordinator, in November,  previous  Deputy  Director,  Christina LaRose, in February, and Supportive Day Coordinator, Donna Haynes, in June. In March, we welcomed Sarah Amaral as the next Deputy Director, Raeleen Gallivan as the new Social Services Coordinator, Ariel Doggett became the new Program & Volunteer Coordinator, and Kathleen Laughran became the Supportive Programming Coordinator.

Unfortunately, in February the Senior Center was temporarily closed due to a pipe break and water damage. The innovative Senior Center staff, town, and members came together to reinvent and relocate programs to make the best out of the situation. Thank you to the Facilities Dept. for leading the restoration efforts.

New programs and events were added to our active and engaging calendar, most notably Eat Around the World, 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, Winter Wonderland, Movie and Pizza Nights, Mobile Food Pantry, monthly technology clinics, Bereavement Support Group, and a partnership with Dean College providing classes for seniors.

Director Danielle Hopkins, and previous Deputy Director Christina LaRose were tasked with developing a multi-year strategic plan for the Franklin Senior Center. With assistance, surveys, and S.W.O.T. analysis from the COA Board, FOFE, the community, and the staff, they presented the vision to the Town Council in January and it was received with many accolades. For more information, view this presentation on the town website.

Health and Wellness Programs

Our Wellness Program promotes Healthy and Active Aging through programs and services with assistance from our Health & Wellness Nurse as well as collaborating with the Town's Public Health Nurse and Epidemiologist.

■ Health Clinics: Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, Pulse Ox readings, Podiatry, Flu Vaccinations, and bi-weekly hearing clinics.

■ Fall Prevention: Our Wellness Nurse continuously offers multiple Safety & Balance clinics to evaluate and address balance and muscle strength, while offering tips and techniques to enhance safety.

■ Grab Bar Program and Home Safety: We are able to provide Home Safety Assessments to evaluate elders' homes to determine if the risk for dangerous falls can be reduced. If needed, we have a volunteer that is able to install grab bars and or adaptive devices free of charge. We have successfully been able to install grab bars in two homes every month. The Grab Bars are graciously purchased by F.O.F.E. (Friends of Franklin Elders) for continued success of this program.

■ Fitness: We offer a multitude of classes and fitness opportunities tailored to older adults including Cardio Strength, & Balance, Zumba, Chair Yoga, Tai Chi, Chair Exercise, Walking Club, Bocce, Pickleball, Chair Volleyball, Pound Fitness, Reversing the Aging Series, Line Dancing, and Meditation. This year we added to this roster a Vinyasa Yoga class, a dance class, and a self defense class tailored specifically for seniors. We were able to provide some of these classes virtually. The Senior Center's Fitness Room offers free use of equipment, including treadmills, an elliptical bike, and stationary bikes.

■ Support: Support Groups offered include Low Vision, Hearing Loss, Autoimmune and Mobility Disorder, and Caregivers Support. This year, we started a monthly Bereavement group.

■ Weight Loss: Many struggle with weight loss, so we decided to have fun while empowering our members in healthy 6-week weight loss competitions: "Don't Be a Butterball" (fall) and "Don't Be a BeachBall" (spring). Each week, our Health and Wellness Nurse and Head Chef offered weekly classes for support covering topics such as food journaling, meal prepping, information on fad diets, portion control, and accountability/ consistency. Every Friday, we also have T.O.P.S. (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) who meet weekly to help members support their weight loss journey.

■ Mental Health Counseling: The Senior Center is part of a consortium of local Senior Centers, which provides access to timely, flexible mental health services with a licensed clinician. This enables elders who experience mental health challenges to get effective, appropriate treatment.

■ Health Education: Monthly informational and educational presentations were offered by our Health & Wellness Nurse and our Public Health nurse and Epidemiologist: Five Wishes, Stop the Bleed, Hands Only CPR, Anatomy of the Brain, Neuropathy, Cellulitis, Arthritis, Basic First Aid, and more.

Dementia Friendly

The Town of Franklin and The Senior Center continue to be a Dementia Friendly Community. The Senior Center provides the following programs to support caregivers and their loved ones:

■ Supportive Day Program: The Sunshine Club provides a structured, supervised, and stimulating day program for seniors with mild to moderate dementia or cognitive decline, chronic illness, or those who are socially isolated. In turn, it provides a respite opportunity for their loved ones/caregivers. Members enjoy activities that encourage  independence,  social  interaction, fitness and gentle exercises, intellectual stimulation, music, crafts, games, and friendship.

■ Caregivers Support Group offers support to caregivers caring for their loved ones with Alzheimer's or Dementia, and is led by two facilitators who have completed a training program with the Alzheimer's Association.

■ Memory Cafe - a monthly gathering where those living with dementia and their care partners can enjoy a social event without stress and anxiety. It's an hour of music, socialization, and engagement and is supported in part by a generous grant from the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

■ Education. Partnering with local resources such as the Alzheimer's Association and various Memory Care Operations, we provided educational opportunities such as Compassion Fatigue and Burnout, 10 Warning Signs, Normal Aging vs. Memory Loss, Various Forms of Dementia, and more.

Outreach/Social Service Coordination

The Senior Center provides assistance in obtaining housing, employment, home care services, tax abatements, long-term care placement, transportation, evictions, legal referrals, prescription drug programs, SNAP, fuel assistance, COVID-19 vaccine appointments, Mass Health, mental health, elder dental services, Disability and Supplemental Security Insurance, as well as assistance with low income and financial hardship referrals. Our Social Service Coordinators can assist Franklin's adult and disabled residents regardless of age, and can provide home visits to homebound residents.

The Senior Center's Vision and Hearing Support programs have been recognized at both state and national level. These programs provide support, information, referral, and training. Our vision program grant continues to allow our Senior Center to house a regional office for the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI), where residents can meet with a MABVI professional for individual vision consultations. Weekly, the Senior Center provides both in-person and telephone programs for blind, low-vision, and homebound seniors. We, in collaboration with MABVI, provide a monthly adaptive technology class, support group, and low vision adjustment counseling.

The Community Intervention Team (CIT), partnering with the Franklin Fire Dept., continues to create greater coordination of community resources and services to assist Franklin residents who are high- risk. Currently 20 vital service groups throughout the town of Franklin are involved.

The Senior Center also offers a monthly legal clinic and the SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) program, which provides assistance for Medicare/Medicaid and other health insurance needs. AARP was also able to provide free income tax preparation at the Center for 179 individuals this year, and Self Help Inc., processed over 460 applications for fuel assistance from residents, many of which were prepared by the Senior Center staff.

Nutrition and the Common Grounds Cafe

The Common Grounds Cafe, which is located inside the Center and offers  breakfast and lunch daily, continues to have much success. The Cafe offers freshly prepared, nutritious, and affordable meals. Along with our Full-Time Head Chef and Kitchen Manager, we also hired two part-time line cooks. The Cafe is open to all, and is a great way for newcomers to get acquainted with the Senior Center. Last year, we served over 11,180 meals at the Cafe. Monthly Parties. The Senior Center hosts monthly social events with live entertainment and a delicious 3-course meal. Themes have included: Luau, Tailgate, Illusions, Friendsgiving, April Showers. We are also extremely appreciative of the Franklin Police Department who provided and served a delicious Turkey Dinner in January, and the Franklin Fire Department, who cooked and served a fantastic Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner. 

So much going on, this is not the complete report. The full Senior Center report can be found in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rYSQ9xwZ9tu6U5ND_G7EY3cdwwsjG2uM/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 Franklin Senior Center (COA): FY 2023 Report

Franklin DPW Director Robert Cantoreggi Pays $15,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law | Mass.gov

Franklin Department of Public Works Director Robert “Brutus” Cantoreggi has paid a $15,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law by accepting free ski trips from a water meter manufacturer and its distributor. Cantoreggi signed a Disposition Agreement in which he admitted the violations and waived his right to a hearing.

The Franklin Department of Public Works uses a brand of water meter throughout its service area made by an Alabama-based manufacturer and sourced through the manufacturer’s sole authorized New England distributor. Cantoreggi, as Public Works Director, oversees and approves the Franklin DPW’s water meter purchasing budget.

On multiple occasions, the water meter manufacturer and its distributor hosted ski trips to which they invited employees of several municipal water districts and departments of public works, including Cantoreggi.

Cantoreggi and a friend attended three-day ski trips the water meter vendors hosted in Stowe, Vermont in 2019 and Jay Peak, Vermont, in 2022. The vendors paid for lodging, meals, snowmobile rentals, and water park tickets for Cantoreggi and his friend, neither of whom are skiers.

The conflict of interest law prohibits public employees from soliciting or receiving anything worth $50 or more that is given to them for or because of their official positions. When Cantoreggi accepted the free ski trips from the water meter vendors for himself and his friend, he violated this prohibition because he knew or had reason to know the vendors were giving him these gifts due to his position with the Franklin Department of Public Works.

“Public employees should not accept unauthorized valuable gifts of any kind from vendors doing business with their agencies. Such gifts are generally given because of the employees’ official positions, and the law prohibits acceptance of such gifts unless they are authorized by statute or regulation,” said State Ethics Commission Executive Director David A. Wilson. “While this prohibition applies to all public employees, it is one which those with budgeting and purchasing authority should be particularly mindful of given that acceptance of unauthorized vendor gifts by public employees with such authority inevitably casts doubt on whether public agency purchasing decisions are made fairly and in the public interest. Additionally, public employees in leadership positions must remember that they set the ethical tone for their agencies and those they lead, and that their failure to adhere to the law thus presents a particularly grave threat to the integrity of public service and public confidence in that service.”

The Commission encourages public employees to contact the Commission’s Legal Division at 617-371-9500 for free advice if they have any questions regarding how the conflict of interest law may apply to them.

Shared from: 

https://www.mass.gov/news/franklin-dpw-director-robert-cantoreggi-pays-15000-civil-penalty-for-violating-conflict-of-interest-law

Annual Report Of Department Of Planning And Community Development: FY 2023 Report

The Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) maintains a professional staff that provides the Town of Franklin with a wide array of planning services. DPCD's mission is to plan and implement comprehensive policies and initiatives that work to fulfill the land use-related goals of the people of Franklin. We make every effort to maintain the character of the community while enhancing its economic, cultural and social vitality.

The DPCD's staffing reflects the diverse skills needed to complete the many activities and roles the Department participates. DPCD's activities and services include, but are not limited to comprehensive planning, economic development, subdivision plan, site plan and conservation plan review, open space and wetlands preservation, historic preservation, zoning by-law and subdivision regulation development, downtown revitalization, brownfields redevelopment, affordable housing, public transportation, transit oriented development, natural hazard mitigation and municipal vulnerability planning, and sustainable development including use of smart growth and low impact development concepts. The Department regularly identifies and sources funding for various community development projects and activities. DPCD balances its approach to these initiatives through long-term planning and public participation. For the last four fiscal years DPCD staff has also had responsibility of operating the Town's Passport office.

Support of Town Boards and Committees 

DPCD personnel provide staff support to several boards, commissions and committees, including the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Design Review Commission, Technical Review Committee, the Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, and the Cultural District Committee. Approximately 60 to 65 percent of the Department's total staff hours are utilized on Planning Board and Conservation Commission related issues. Since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic DPCD staff has needed to spend much more of available staff time on running public meetings; in efforts to ensure citizen engagement and comply with open meeting law regulations, meetings have been conducted remotely using the Zoom platform.

In addition, DPCD staff provides professional technical assistance to other public entities on an as needed basis, including Town Council, Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Council's Economic Development Sub-committee, and various ad hoc committees, including the Master Plan Update Committee and Open Space and Recreation Plan Update Committee.

 

Site Permitting and Guidance

DPCD is not a permit granting authority; its function during the permitting process is to integrate laws, regulations and plans with the Town's goals to ensure that the best interests of the Town and its residents are served. DPCD personnel organize and attend meetings, provide technical assistance, offer professional opinions, and guide developers, businesses and residents through the Town's various permitting processes.

Conservation and Natural Resource Protection 

DPCD provides support to the Conservation Commission, as provided by MGL Chapter 131, Section 40. Conservation and Natural Resource Protection Staff, specifically the Town's Conservation Agent, is responsible for speaking for the Conservation Commission when they are not present (see separate Conservation Commission Annual Report). Although not a permit authority, the Conservation Agent does have limited police powers to regulate activities previously approved by the  Conservation Commission, stop unauthorized activities, and promote and protect Franklin's natural resources, including its wetlands, streams, brooks, ponds, lakes and watersheds. In addition, Conservation staff provides administrative support and reviews applications being presented to the Conservation Commission, manages the Commission's peer review consultants, and provides professional support to other Town Boards and Departments.

During the 2023 fiscal year DPCD staff worked on various conservation and land use related projects, including continued implementation of the DelCarte Conservation Property Master Plan; this year work included coordination of the seventh year of pond treatments. A priority for DPCD's Conservation and Natural Resource Protection Staff during FY23 was working with the Conservation Commission and other organizations and staff to manage update of the Town's Open Space and Recreation Plan.

Comprehensive Planning and Zoning DPCD is responsible for traditional land-use related activities including updating the Town's plans, and amending and creating zoning bylaws. A description of zoning and land use issues worked on by DPCD during FY23 is summarized below.

Zoning Bylaw Amendments 

DPCD worked on several amendments to Franklin's Zoning Bylaw during FY23. Several years ago DPCD began a project to better define the Town's zoning districts by following parcel lines. Where parcels are within two or more zoning districts DPCD developed zoning map amendments to move Zoning District boundaries so each parcel is only in one zoning district, in most cases based on the current land use. During FY23 DPCD developed and Town Council approved Zoning Map Amendments 23-887 and 23-891, finally completing this multi-year Zoning Map update project. DPCD developed Zoning Map Amendment 23-899 that updates the Marijuana Use Overlay District map. The Amendment is expected to be approved by Town Council during the first quarter of FY24.

During FY22 DPCD worked on a planning/zoning study with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to identify a vision for downtown and surrounding neighborhoods and make zoning changes that will unlock development potential and foster a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood. The "Franklin For All” Project was a community-driven three phased process. During the last quarter of FY22 MAPC developed a final project report in the form of four project status memos and an Executive Summary. The Vision & Zoning Recommendations memo contained eleven recommendations that was used during FY23 by DPCD and the Town Council's Economic Development Sub-committee to begin Phase III of the Franklin For All Project, Rezoning. Several related Zoning Bylaw Amendments were developed during FY23, including:

Zoning Bylaw Amendment 22-889 made several small changes to the Zoning Bylaw's use regulations, including allowing multifamily housing in the Commercial I and General Residential V zoning districts By-Right, up to 1 unit per 2,250 SF of lot area. The amendment also added multifamily with Three Housing Units to the use regulations.

Zoning Bylaw Amendment 22-890 added a new section to the Town's Zoning Bylaw, §185-51 Inclusionary Zoning. Multifamily developments with 10 or more housing units are now required to have at least ten percent of the housing units as affordable.

Zoning Bylaw Amendments 23-894, 23-895, and 23- 896 added a definition for Accessory Dwelling Units and related regulation to the Town's Zoning Bylaw.

DPCD developed Zoning Bylaw Amendment 23- 898R that makes two small changes to the Zoning Bylaw's dimensional regulations including increasing the maximum percent of impervious lot coverage in the General Residential V Zoning District. The bylaw amendment is expected to be approved by Town Council during the first quarter of FY24.

Additional zoning bylaw amendments are being developed including adding a 40R Smart Growth Overlay Zoning District, which will be presented to the Town in the first half of FY24.

During the last half of FY23 DPCD staff took the first steps towards updating the Town of Franklin's 2013 Master Plan. DPCD staff provide administrative and technical support to the Master Plan Committee and its five subcommittees, as well as coordinate the efforts of the consultant team hired to develop an updated plan. The Master Plan update process will continue through FY24 and hopefully be completed by the summer of 2024.

U S Passport Application Acceptance Office

The U.S. Department of State designated the Town of Franklin as an official U.S. Passport Application Acceptance Facility over 20 years ago. For the last several years DPCD has managed the Town's Passport Application Acceptance Office, which is located on the first floor of the Municipal Building. The Passport Application Acceptance Office is open three days per week (by appointment only) to assist residents of Franklin and surrounding communities with passport applications. During FY23 Passport Office personnel reviewed/accepted DS-11 Passport applications for 785 applicants, and took 550 passport photos. Applicants utilizing the Town's Passport Application Acceptance Office services were hoping to travel to over 50 countries.

Planning and Implementation of Community Development and Economic Development Projects 

Each year the DPCD works on many community and economic development initiatives. The Department develops strategies, proposes policies, bylaw changes and Town Council resolutions, manages projects, and seeks grants in efforts to balance Franklin's community livability with its economic viability. DPCD encourages responsible community development that meets the goals and objectives of the Town's various planning documents, and the State's Sustainable Development and Smart Growth Principles. Some of DPCD's more important recently completed or ongoing projects and initiatives are summarized below.

Affordable Housing 

Since 2017 the Town of Franklin's most important affordable housing project has been the proposed 60-Unit Franklin Ridge Senior Housing project on Veterans Memorial Drive. DPCD has consistently worked with the Project Proponent, Town Administration, the Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, and professional staff from the Town's Engineering and Water/Sewer departments to move this important project forward. During FY23 DPCD took the lead, working with Town of Franklin's Engineering and Water and Sewer Department professional staff, to develop a FY23 Community One Stop for Growth grant proposal that would pay for construction of needed infrastructure improvements. In October 2022 the Town received notice it was being awarded a $3.2 million MassWorks grant for the Veterans Memorial Way and Franklin Ridge Infrastructure Project. Funds will pay for final design/engineering and construction of the extension to Veterans Memorial Way, including roadway, sidewalks and all required utilities, and a booster pumping station that is required to enhance water pressure and fire protection for the Franklin Ridge Senior Housing Project, as well as the existing Eaton Place affordable senior housing development, Bright Hill Subdivision, and two additional Municipal Affordable Housing Trust owned parcels. This infrastructure portion of the Franklin Ridge housing development work, which is being managed by the Town, will begin in July 2023 and is expected to be substantially complete in 18 to 24 months.

Regional Planning 

DPCD regularly attends meetings and works on various regional planning issues with a variety of regional organizations, including Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Southwest Advisory Planning Committee (SWAP Committee), and the I-495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership. Franklin's Town Planner Amy Love is currently very involved with regional planning issues as the Town's representative to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and the SWAP Committee. In addition, the DPCD occasionally supports the initiatives of other regional organizations including the Franklin Bellingham Rail Trail Committee, Friends of the SNETT, the MetroWest Tourism and Visitors Bureau, and the Charles River Watershed Association.

Downtown Revitalization 

For more than twenty years the Town has made revitalization of Downtown Franklin a major focus and has worked to improve the Downtown in a variety of ways. DPCD continues to work on projects related to implementation of the Franklin Center Plan, which was developed in 2002 and 2003 to provide Town officials with a vision and basic strategy for revitalization of Downtown Franklin. One important component of the Franklin Center Plan is Cultural Uses. The issue of Cultural Economic Development has been a focus for DPCD for many years, including providing assistance to the Town's Cultural District Committee in a variety of ways on a range of projects, including grant writing, grant management, and providing staff support in preparing for and running monthly meetings.

DPCD works regularly on a wide range of economic development projects and programs, and is one of DPCD's top priorities, second only to providing excellent administrative and technical assistance to the Town's boards, commissions and committees. Potential benefits to the Town from successful implementation of DPCD's business retainage and attraction initiatives are significant. Efforts focus on increasing the value of Franklin's commercial and industrial tax base, filling the Town's empty and underutilized industrially zoned buildings, and attracting  the  right mix of companies to the community. DPCD regularly communicates with realtors, property owners and businesses to make them aware of State and Federal technical assistance programs and financial resources that can be made available to further their development, and to raise awareness of DPCD as a resource for local businesses.

DPCD works regularly with Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD), MassDevelopment and other agencies in efforts to attract the right mix of companies to the Town of Franklin's industrial and commercial areas.

At the end of FY22 DPCD met with a representative from MOBD and representatives of Plansee USA LLC to discuss Plansee's plans to expand their operations at 115 Constitution Boulevard. The company was researching State and Local incentives that may be available to manufacturers looking to make major investments in their facilities. Plansee representatives agreed the company would work to obtain Investment Tax Credits from the State, and a Tax Increment Financing agreement (TIF agreement) from the Town. On June 30, 2022 Plansee provided the Town with a letter of intent to seek development incentives through the Massachusetts Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP), including a TIF agreement from the Town. DPCD worked with Plansee, MOBD and the Town Administrator during the first weeks of FY23 to assess the proposed expansion project, and develop a TIF agreement, which was approved on July 20, 2022 by Town Council approval of Resolution 22-44. In September 2022 the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council approved the ten year TIF, certified the company's economic development expansion project, and approved $125,000 in State investment tax credits. Plansee is a technological leader in high precision machining, and part of the company's expansion included a state-of-the-art Manufacturing Training Center, which opened later in the fiscal year.

DPCD will continue to undertake a wide range of community and economic development projects, programs, and planning initiatives that will keep the Town of Franklin's goals and objectives current and representative of residents' needs and desires. DPCD is proud of its accomplishments and welcomes public input on all of its efforts to improve the quality of life for the residents of Franklin.

Respectfully submitted,

Department of Planning & Community Development Staff.

The Dept of Planning & Community Development report can also be found in one PDF ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tIWf8cDeUFjhWHxYNgdS6f95en3KloEG/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 Department Of Planning And Community Development: FY 2023 Report

Franklin TV: what is playing this week? Check out the schedule beginning Feb 18, 2024

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

Franklin Residents: No Trash Delay - February 19-23, 2024

No Trash Delay - February 19-23, 2024

No Trash Delay - February 19-23, 202

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/no-trash-delay-feb-19-23-2024

Porchfest Franklin website goes live, sign up to host or play

Porchfest is coming to Franklin, MA!! It is an outdoor music event that will be held on Saturday, June 1st from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM with a rain date of June 2nd.

Come spend the day in Franklin’s beautiful Cultural District while listening to live music. Musicians and bands of all genres will be performing on porches and patios throughout the district. This walkable event is also the perfect opportunity to check out our local shops and restaurants. Public bathrooms will be available.

If you would like to host a band or performer on your Porch or if you have a band or are a performer and would be interested in performing at Franklin PorchFest, go to our website https://franklin.porchfest.info and register for the event. All the information you need to register is on our website. Also on our website you will find links so you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Porchfest is made possible with funds granted from the Mass Cultural Council through the Franklin Cultural District Committee. The Franklin PorchFest Committee is thankful for the support it has received from the Cultural Council, the Cultural District and the Town of Franklin.

Save the date! We look forward to seeing you June 1st!

Porchfest Franklin website goes live, sign up to host or play

13th Annual FBRTC 5K: Saturday May 18, 2024

Please join us for the 13th Annual FBRTC 5K Road Race Hosted by TVFR & FBRTC ​ Location: Grove Street SNETT Trailhead – Parking at Waters Corporation, 210 Grove St., Franklin, MA. 02038 Entry Info:  18 yrs & Under: $25.00 pre-registration / $30.00 day-of 19 yrs - 69 yrs: $30.00 pre-registration / $35.00 day-of 70 yrs and Above: Free Awards:  5K Awards will be First Place Overall M/F. Age Group Awards: Top 3 M/F: 14 & Under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+ Event Details: Race start time: 9:00 AM. Registration opens at 7:30 AM. Course Details: Out-and-back 5k on hard-packed dirt trail. Course map available soon! Amenities:  1. Plenty of water and refreshments. 2. Walkers welcome. 3. Post-race refreshments 4. Awards to top 3 in each age group 5. Post-race gathering for raffle door prizes 6. Commemorative Race Gift to registered participants prior to Midnight April 30, 2024. Additional gifts available until they run out! Additional Info Available at http://www.tri-valleyfrontrunners.com/fbrtc/FBRTC5K.php This race benefits the continuing efforts to develop the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) into a multiuse path for Franklin & Bellingham. The SNETT is an abandoned rail bed running from Franklin through Douglas to the CT boarder, sections of which have become fully developed multi-use paths linking communities across southern Central Massachusetts. For more info & to learn how else you can help visit:   https://www.franklinbellinghamrailtrail.org/ Register Here

Watch the Conservation Commission playlist on YouTube back to January 2022

Franklin TV broadcasts many Town and School meetings to multiple channels. 

• Verizon and Comcast
• Live stream via Zoom
• And to YouTube

You can find the Conservation Commission playlist on YouTube for meetings since January 2022 -> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNyv0AkVasITXFgK-hECCfOA6-bxLtjKn

Watch the Conservation Commission playlist on YouTube back to January 2022

Annual Report Of The Recreation Department: FY 2023 Report

The Recreation Department is located at 275 Beaver Street, Franklin MA 02038. 

The Recreation Department offers Franklin residents a variety of programs and activities for youth and adults, as well as coordination of youth sports organizations field use and facility rental. The department operates and schedules activities for Beaver Pond (beach and turf field), Fletcher Field (baseball fields and courts), Dennis Pisani Softball Field, Henry "Ski" Faenza Playground (Nason Street Tot Lot), King Street Memorial Park, Dacey Community Field, and Meadowlark Lane complex. The department is also responsible for scheduling the use of all school athletic fields for our youth sports organizations. Our department works closely with the various town youth sports organizations and the Athletic Director Karrah Ellis to schedule all youth sports activities around the high school team practices and games. 

The Franklin Recreation Department had a great fiscal year and really expanded their program offerings and participation numbers. From July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 we enrolled 6,635 participants. We have seen larger participation in our summer camp, street hockey, field hockey and pee wee baseball programs.

Recreation Programs Summer Camp

An eight week summer camp was held at King Street Memorial Field from June 27-August 19, 2022. The program hours were Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. Activities included: organized games, arts and crafts, water inflatables, sports, and weekly field trips. The 8 week camp featured camp shirt tie dye on Tuesdays, field trips on Wednesdays, a giant slip and slide/water slide every Tuesday and Thursday, and Pizza day Fridays. The Franklin Summer Camp Directors this year were Jonathan Geromini and Tim Shannon. The Franklin Summer Camp  staff  included:   Lily  DiGiacomo,  Ryan Angermeier, Jason D'Valentine, Sean Vinson, Derek Terwilliger, Alexis Halet, Benjamin Zia, Brendan Grace, Joey Simone, Tim O'Keefe, Katie Jones, Kendall Jones, Savannah Nosek, Kyle Palmieri, Norah MacCallum, and Jason D'Matteo.

Pre-Season Flag Football Camp led by flag football coordinator, Jack Geromini. The 3 day camp from 9:00 am-12:00 noon helped prepare players for the season with practice time and games.

Chilson Beach

Chilson Beach was open from June 18-August 20, 2022 with a swim at your own risk policy. No lifeguards were on duty. We did have gate guards on duty to check for residency as the beach remains Franklin residents only. The pond was tested weekly by RI Analytical for safe swimming. For information on Chilson Beach and our water testing results, please visit: http://www.franklinma.gov/recreation-department/pages/beaver-pond

At the above website, residents can check the water quality and E-coli levels as we run a water quality check every week to make sure it is safe for swimming.

On the turf field at Beaver Pond, we continue to host soccer, field hockey, flag football, and boy's lacrosse at the youth level. The turf field was used for the Franklin Recreation Department's NFL Flag football, Franklin Youth Soccer, and Franklin Youth Boys Lacrosse, as well as yoga for senior citizens, tai chi, boot camp, and many other recreational activities. At the High School level, we continue to host FHS girls field hockey and FHS Girls Soccer in the fall and FHS Boys Lacrosse in the spring. A portable recycled plastic walkway is on site for handicap accessibility to the water edge and playground area. The turf field was recently resurfaced in 2017.

Youth Basketball Program

The Youth Basketball program now involves over 1,000 children, 122 teams, 218 coaches, and utilizes every school gymnasium in town. The Recreation Department continued its basketball program to include High School aged kids in FY2023. The program has grown to offer this intramural basketball program for the Summer, and Winter seasons. This intramural program gives kids in grades 9-12 a chance to continue playing pick-up basketball on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday nights. The program utilizes school gyms at Horace Mann Middle School, Remington Elementary, J.F. Kennedy School, Keller Sullivan Middle School, Keller Sullivan School and Franklin High School gym. In FY 2023 the youth basketball program ran from November 12 -March 11 on Saturdays. The FYBL is divided into nine divisions: Kindergarten (co-ed), 1st & 2nd Grade Boys, 1st & 2nd Grade Girls, 3rd & 4th Grade Boys, 3rd-5th Grade Girls, 5th & 6th Grade Boys & 6th-8th Grade Girls, 7th & 8th Grade Boys, and High School

 

Intramural division. The K-4th grade leagues are non-competitive learning experiences for the children with the focus on fundamental basketball skills. Grades 5th-8th grade basketball leagues start to teach the kids different rules, zone defense, pressing, and traits of competitive basketball. Ten players are drafted to each team and games are played weekly on Saturdays.

Pee Wee Baseball

The Pee Wee Baseball program is an introductory baseball program for children ages 4-6 years old. It was created in 1999 by Recreation Director, Ryan Jette. Since then, the program has grown to over 280 kids in the spring and summer tee ball program. Taking his lifelong baseball coaching experience coupled with past employment with Major League Baseball International, Ryan created a beginners baseball program that teaches kids the proper techniques of hitting, fielding, base running and throwing. This year, our Pee Wee Baseball program was run by Program Coordinator, Sean Fitzpatrick. We also ran a summer pee wee league for 6 year olds that was popular.

Track and Field

The Recreation Department's track and field program numbers have increased drastically. On top of offering our annual Winter Track and field program to over 100 athletes ranging from Kindergarten to Eighth grade, we are now offering Spring, Fall and Winter track programs. These running programs are coached by Stacey Federico and she also receives help from High School track athletes.

NFL Flag Football

The Recreation Department teamed up with the NFL to bring this non-contact flag football league to kids aged 6-14 years old. 383 kids signed up to play each Tuesday & Thursday evening at the Beaver Pond Turf Field. Reversible NFL game jerseys, playbooks, belt/flag setup and access to the NFL Kids website gives kids the opportunity to follow their favorite player or team. Players learned the fundamentals of throwing, catching, running and teamwork. This program continues to be one of the best programs the Recreation Department runs and it is because of our wonderful program coordinator, Jack Geromini who has been supervising this program for 20 years.

 

Girls Lacrosse

In FY 2023, our 8 teams participated in the Founders League. This league provided excellent competition for our growing players. There were 2 teams at the 1st-2nd grade division. There were 2 teams at the 3rd & 4th Grade division. There were 2 teams at the 5th & 6th Grade level. And there were 2 teams at the 7th & 8th Grade level. All levels play in 8 regular season games. Franklin Girls Lacrosse is one of the largest girls' lacrosse programs in the area.

NHL Street Hockey

This summer, our street hockey program was very popular with over 125 kids and 12 NHL teams represented. We hold a skills clinic for the first four sessions to evaluate the player skills. Then, we break them up into equal teams so that games will be fair and fun for all. Teams play twice a week, Monday and Wednesday 5:00pm-8:00pm. Jack Geromini is the program coordinator with the help of FHS hockey team players. Our Street Hockey program participated at the beautiful Fletcher Field rink located at 51 Peck Street.

Girls Field Hockey

Franklin Recreation offers girls youth field hockey in many formats throughout the year. The fall season runs from the end of August-end of October.. Our Recreation Department actually runs the Commonwealth Field Hockey League with just under 100 teams from all over Massachusetts. Kim Carney, our Program Coordinator organizes the entire league and spends countless hours formulating schedules, rosters, website and coordinating officials for the games. The Kindergarten developmental division is an in-house program featuring practice sessions and some in-house small-sided games. The1st & 2nd grade, 3rd & 4th grade, 5th & 6th and the 7th & 8th grade teams will play in the Commonwealth League with 8 games vs. surrounding towns. 147 girls comprise nine teams from Franklin in the fall. Franklin Recreation also runs the entire league for over 28 towns and 110 teams from around the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We manage the website, create the schedule, organize officials and oversee all the entire league.

The full Recreation Department report can be found in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t1fuocQeWiZED08xPG7pQBus__pmY2HO/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 Recreation Department: FY 2023 Report

Annual Report Of The Human Resources Department: FY 2023 Report

The Human Resources Department had another very busy year! We are excited to announce the addition of a new staff member, Diane Montanez. Diane joined the Town in June 2023 and will serve as the Benefits Coordinator. This is a new position that will work with both the Town and the Schools to coordinate employee benefits like health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, disability insurance and many more. Diane has only been with us for a short time, but has already brought some great ideas. Diane will take over the daily administration of benefits, which will open up staff time to focus on recruitment, retention and other important priorities.

During Fiscal Year 2023, we were able to work closely with GovHR, department heads and employees to finalize our new Compensation and Classification plan. This project started in FY22, but continued into the fall and was wrapped up in December 2022. We created a new Compensation and Classification plan in December 2022 which we believe puts us on the right path towards paying our non-union employees competitively. We will continue to review the plans each July (or more often, if needed) and ensure that our salaries are in line with other municipalities and that we can continue to recruit and retain our wonderful employees.

Fiscal Year 2023 was our first year with a new health insurance arrangement with the Massachusetts Strategic Health Group (MSHG). MSHG is a health insurance purchasing coalition made up of about 17 different towns, school districts and other public entities designed to increase access to care while maintaining an affordable and predictable cost to its members and communities. We pay for all claims through a self-funded trust, but have access to the Harvard Pilgrim and United Healthcare networks.

As with any health insurance transition, there were a few hiccups during the first month or two as our employees switched coverage. Since that time, everything has been running smoothly and we were able to offer several new cost saving members to our employees and retirees. The MSHG offers cost saving programs like a diabetes management program, brand name prescriptions at no cost through a mail order program, mental health counseling for children under 18, and a number of other programs. Now that Diane has joined the team as our Benefits Coordinator, she can start spreading the word about these wonderful programs and increase our engagement and participation.

Once we finished our transition to the MSHG in the fall of 2022, we moved on to a similar transition for our Medicare eligible retirees in January 2023. We switched from a Medicare Supplement plan with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care to a Medicare Advantage Plan with Aetna. One of the biggest perks of this change was our new partnership with a company called "Retirees First" which serves as a concierge service for our Medicare eligible retirees. Franklin retirees can call Retirees First and advocates will help navigate their health insurance benefits and help troubleshoot issues with the carrier, providers, or pharmacy. Retirees First also helped the Town with a "Medicare Migration." They worked closely with us to help 12 retirees who were not initially eligible for Medicare enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. These retirees were able to end coverage on their EPO and PPO health plans and join the Medicare Advantage plan. This move will save the employees and Town quite a bit on annual premiums and also lowers the out of pocket costs for our retirees! An individual went from having a $2,000 deductible and copays on all services to a Medicare Advantage plan with no deductibles and only copays on prescriptions. The Massachusetts Strategic Health Group even paid the late enrollment penalty for these retirees, which was a wonderful bonus.

We were very pleased to commit to staying with the Massachusetts Strategic Health Group for another year and will continue our coverage with them for Fiscal Year 2024. We went into the process expecting an 8% increase and were pleased to end up with a 6% increase on the EPO and PPO plans and only a 4.25% increase on the high deductible plan.

It continued to be a very busy year in terms of hiring! Many of our long term employees have retired in the last few years and, like in other industries, we are finding that people do not stay with jobs as long as they used to! This has resulted in fairly steady hiring over the last few years. Between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, the Town of Franklin hired 27 full-time employees and a number of part-time employees. 

The new full-time employees include:

• Payroll Administrator Debra Broe (Finance)

• Benefits Coordinator Diane Montanez (HR)

• 10 new employees at the DPW including Staff Engineer Elijah Gerrior, Water Operations Person Richard Costello, Mechanic Sean Roddy, and the following Heavy Motor Equipment Operators: Glen Camire, Joseph Clinton, Andrew Hatch, Corey Lambert, Steve Nasuti, Thomas Ruth and Christian Vidal. The DPW management team also worked closely with the Town Administrator, Human Resources and the union to add several new union titles, which will help create a career ladder and growth for our union employees.

• 4 Police Officers - Christopher Gulla, Michael LaCure, Kevin Quinn and Marciano Silva

• 4 Firefighters - Nicholas Brosseau, Victor DaCosta, Kristin Krauss and Jack Lennon

• Administrative Assistant for the Health Department Maureen Canesi

• Several positions at the Senior Center including Deputy Director Sarah Amaral and Social Services Coordinator Raeleen Gallivan. In addition, Ariel Doggett moved from her position as Supportive Day Program Coordinator to the Program Coordinator position (internal transfer, rather than a new hire) and Kathleen Laughran moved from her part-time assistant role to the full-time Supportive Day Program Coordinator position.

• Mitzi Gousie at the Library moved from a part- time Youth Services Librarian to the full-time Programming and Outreach Librarian. Human Resources will continue to work with the Library to convert part-time employees into full-time opportunities as vacancies become available in the future. Our goal is to eventually have all full- time employees at the Library.

• Custodian Michael Giorgio (Facilities)

• Deputy Director for Facilities, Engineering Kevin Harn (Facilities)

• Steve O'Neill, who worked closely with Gus Brown as a Building Inspector for about 10.5 years, moved to a new position as the Deputy Director for Maintenance and Trades in the Facilities Department. We are excited to have both Steve and Kevin join as new members of the Facilities management team.

As we enter Fiscal Year 2024, we will continue to focus on the procurement of additional Human Resources software to help us organize and streamline our work. We are researching different vendors for an electronic personnel file system as well as an applicant tracking system for online applications and electronic onboarding. We are hoping that now that our health insurance changes are complete, we will have more time to focus on these important priorities.

We look forward to continuing to work with our employees and our retirees to have a great fiscal year 2024!

Respectfully submitted,

Karen M. Bratt 

Director of Human Resources

The Human Resources Dept report can be found in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ssQvUD2bOgti2SyQXvmqdkKNOTb-3JUX/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 Human Resources Department: FY 2023 Report

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