From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.
Q - Would like to ask the Council to address the consolidation of facilities? In a time when the schools are in need, taking the money away from the schools.
A - Feeley, the Council took the corresponding dollars and responsibility (associated expenses) were taken away at the same time.
Time: 1 minute, 41 seconds
MP3 File
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Q & A 6 - "emergency repair and replacement fund" Nutting, Doak, Zollo respond (audio)
From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.
Q - What about the "emergency repair and replacement fund"? Can we dip into that?
A - Nutting, there is a minimal cost to the interest. The overall factor is that 4M on an annual budget of 100M is not a lot of cushion. It is not a lot of money in a savings account for a good business. it is similar to our debt. Our debt is going down next year to less than 3%. we are looking to continually reinvest an appropriate amount over time.
A - Doak, over the years from the power plant settlement we have benefited that we did not need to use the money for which it had been set aside to mitigate the power plant.
A - Zollo, to address another myth, 4500-5000 per year in taxes, three children in school, the Zollos are receiving a subsidy for the school education. K-12, would amount to a 275,000 subsidy. You never pay the town back to pay for your children to go through the school system. The value that the average citizen receives is great.
Time: 6 minutes, 47 seconds
MP3 File
Q - What about the "emergency repair and replacement fund"? Can we dip into that?
A - Nutting, there is a minimal cost to the interest. The overall factor is that 4M on an annual budget of 100M is not a lot of cushion. It is not a lot of money in a savings account for a good business. it is similar to our debt. Our debt is going down next year to less than 3%. we are looking to continually reinvest an appropriate amount over time.
A - Doak, over the years from the power plant settlement we have benefited that we did not need to use the money for which it had been set aside to mitigate the power plant.
A - Zollo, to address another myth, 4500-5000 per year in taxes, three children in school, the Zollos are receiving a subsidy for the school education. K-12, would amount to a 275,000 subsidy. You never pay the town back to pay for your children to go through the school system. The value that the average citizen receives is great.
Time: 6 minutes, 47 seconds
MP3 File
Q & A 5 - replace older teachers with younger ones? Nutting, Ogden respond (audio)
From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.
Q - Teacher rates have a greater disparity, any chance of getting some of the older teachers to leave and replaced with younger less experienced teachers?
A - Nutting, no, that kind of program is authorized at the state level. It has been done twice in the last twenty years.
A - Ogden, new teachers are cheaper overall early on but year to year are more expensive
Time: 2 minutes, 34 seconds
MP3 File
Q - Teacher rates have a greater disparity, any chance of getting some of the older teachers to leave and replaced with younger less experienced teachers?
A - Nutting, no, that kind of program is authorized at the state level. It has been done twice in the last twenty years.
A - Ogden, new teachers are cheaper overall early on but year to year are more expensive
Time: 2 minutes, 34 seconds
MP3 File
Q & A 4 - Other revenue sources? Closing Davis Thayer? Nutting, Ogden respond (audio)
From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.
Q - What about other revenue sources. Mother of 3 children, one a junior at the high school and facing significant cuts. She has heard of the 4 Corners Building, how will that help? She has also heard about the possible closure of Davis Thayer?
A - Nutting explaining that the 4 Corners Building is a capital revenue and to be used for other capital not for operational expenses. In MA, all tax authority is vested at the state level. Our industrial parks are pretty full. The Council has re-zoned some land and that is still in the process of development.
A - Ogden, referencing the space needs committee whose work is underway. There are the portable classrooms coming to an end of life that will need to either be absorbed or replaced. The school district wants to move cautiously due to problems with re-districting. There are 800 empty residences in town, there are a number of open permits for buildings to come online, there is potential for growth in the school population so closing schools prematurely could create greater problems.
Time: 7 minutes, 18 seconds
MP3 File
Q & A 3 - responses continued by Doak, Cafasso (audio)
From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.
A - Doak, picking up on another comment to increase the revenues. We get get a good deal from the industrial and retail establishments. We have tried to foster commercial and industrial growth with smart policies. Council has encouraged good growth over the years and is looking to continue that so the residential taxpayers don't take the whole burden.
A - Cafasso, the school department has made cuts over the years to protect the classroom and to be as efficient as possible.
Time: 3 minutes, 15 seconds
MP3 File
For reference, the Franklin School Departments budget reductions over the years from 2002 to 2009 can be found here
A - Doak, picking up on another comment to increase the revenues. We get get a good deal from the industrial and retail establishments. We have tried to foster commercial and industrial growth with smart policies. Council has encouraged good growth over the years and is looking to continue that so the residential taxpayers don't take the whole burden.
A - Cafasso, the school department has made cuts over the years to protect the classroom and to be as efficient as possible.
Time: 3 minutes, 15 seconds
MP3 File
For reference, the Franklin School Departments budget reductions over the years from 2002 to 2009 can be found here
Q & A 3 - Zollo adds his response, tackling 2 myths (audio)
From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.
A - Zollo, there are certain myths about town government. There is an unrealistic expectation that costs will not go up over time under normal circumstances. The town is the same situation as the schools. The Police, Fire and DPW are underfunded. We are getting a great deal. If we didn't build the Senior Center and the Fire Station we would not be in this situation. That is incorrect. Those are capital expenses and can't be used to cover the operational expenses. There are many myths that are getting perpetuated and we need to correct them.
Time: 4 minutes, 11 seconds
MP3 File
A - Zollo, there are certain myths about town government. There is an unrealistic expectation that costs will not go up over time under normal circumstances. The town is the same situation as the schools. The Police, Fire and DPW are underfunded. We are getting a great deal. If we didn't build the Senior Center and the Fire Station we would not be in this situation. That is incorrect. Those are capital expenses and can't be used to cover the operational expenses. There are many myths that are getting perpetuated and we need to correct them.
Time: 4 minutes, 11 seconds
MP3 File
Q & A 3 - Are we looking at all expenses; Ogden replies (audio
From the Franklin Override Information Forum coordinated by the Joint Parent Communication Councils and held on Wednesday, 5/28/08.
Q - Been here for 4 years, 3 kids in school, came here because of the schools. If we have the override, I can afford to pay it because I have 3 kids. But are we looking at all the other expenses. Are we in line? Are we looking to increase revenues?
A - Ogden, speaking to the cost control measures mentions the teacher contract with a 3-year settlement for 6% in a time when other contracts were coming at 9-11%. They negotiate long term energy contracts. They are looking at other kinds of expenses like that to leverage and reduce costs.
Time: 5 minutes, 46 seconds
MP3 File
Q - Been here for 4 years, 3 kids in school, came here because of the schools. If we have the override, I can afford to pay it because I have 3 kids. But are we looking at all the other expenses. Are we in line? Are we looking to increase revenues?
A - Ogden, speaking to the cost control measures mentions the teacher contract with a 3-year settlement for 6% in a time when other contracts were coming at 9-11%. They negotiate long term energy contracts. They are looking at other kinds of expenses like that to leverage and reduce costs.
Time: 5 minutes, 46 seconds
MP3 File
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