Present:
Doug Hardesty, Steve Whalen, Rebecca Cameron, Deb Bartlett, Jim Roche, Gwynne Wilschek, Shannon Zollo (late)
Not Present:
Matt Kelly, Roberta Trahan
Adjunct members present:
Jeff Nutting, Wayne Ogden
Discussion on charter for group.
Discussion on the minutes for meetings of June 11, July 10, August 7.
Motion made an approved by unanimous vote to accept minutes.
Discussion on how to gather information on the budget
Jeff is meeting with the Town department head next week to finalize their planning contribution to the discussion. They are developing a model with historical numbers and forecasts based upon known items and capital requirements.
Jim suggested 2 departments per meeting and 1 for the school department
starting with the current budget with additional color explanation with some outlook
A modest increase for me maybe different than someone else would be looking at
The school department took the hit this year that no other Town departments did.
Jeff: need to look at staff assumptions, wage assumptions, student population, High School renovate or replacement, energy assumptions... these type of items need to be looked at
Everyone tends to forget that the schools lost 20 plus positions and the override passed.
The library had a budget several years ago of 900,000. This year they are at 700,000.
Wayne: can provide the information according to the questionnaire Jeff sent to the department heads. I would refer to get a little more guidance to bring the appropriate info to the table.
Steve: I can appreciate that your situation is different and maybe you do need a little more guidance.
Jeff: you need at least a baseline for last year and this year, then the committee can build upon that the assumptions and models to determine what it would look like.
Rebecca: Within 2 1/2, there is very little room.
Jeff: if you stay within the 2 1/2, we need to keep it simple and outline what it would take to stay within.
Rebecca: people don't understand what the details are.
Steve: how do we bridge the gap to get a good discussion when you bring the numbers to the table
Deb: I don't want anyone to bring forth a budget number that would further degrade the level of town services.
Doug: we don't have to make the decision, we need to outline the range of options upon which someone can make a decision
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Town Council Mtg Summary - 9/3/08
The summary of reports concerning the Town Council meeting of 9/3/08
TOWN COUNCIL - Agenda - 9/3/08
- Live reporting - Administrators report, Councilor ...
- Live reporting - Parking study
- Live reporting - presentation on DP&CD
- Live reporting - Zoning bylaw
- Live reporting - rezoning bylaw moved to 2nd Readi...
- Live reporting - Resolutions approved
- Live reporting - Street opening bylaw
- Live reporting - Town Council - 9/3/08
TOWN COUNCIL - Agenda - 9/3/08
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Live reporting - Administrators report, Councilor comments
Nutting - provided an update on the real story at the Horace Mann complex, a leak not an explosion caused the problem.
Making steady progress on the Norfolk water issue, hopefully we'll get a check at the cut off date so hopefully all things will end well.
Reviewed cell phone usage, reduced minutes by over 6,000 per month.
Old business:
Doak - web site
Nutting - next meeting
New business:
Bartlett - ridership increase if GATRA makes the accomodations
Councilor Comments:
Whalen - Supt resignation, got a wide variety of responses from the town residents. I worked closely with him over the previous months on the override campaigns. When I read his resignation, I was sympathetic. When you deny that person the resources to pursue their talent and interests, then this is not a surprise. I hope we figure out a way to reverse course.
Mason - On the Supt resignation since it was brought up, basing his resignation on the belief that the citizens have backed away from education is stupid and an insult. I don't know of a Franklin voter who voted no intentionally to give up on education.
Pfeffer - also had some negative comments on the resignation
Making steady progress on the Norfolk water issue, hopefully we'll get a check at the cut off date so hopefully all things will end well.
Reviewed cell phone usage, reduced minutes by over 6,000 per month.
Old business:
Doak - web site
Nutting - next meeting
New business:
Bartlett - ridership increase if GATRA makes the accomodations
Councilor Comments:
Whalen - Supt resignation, got a wide variety of responses from the town residents. I worked closely with him over the previous months on the override campaigns. When I read his resignation, I was sympathetic. When you deny that person the resources to pursue their talent and interests, then this is not a surprise. I hope we figure out a way to reverse course.
Mason - On the Supt resignation since it was brought up, basing his resignation on the belief that the citizens have backed away from education is stupid and an insult. I don't know of a Franklin voter who voted no intentionally to give up on education.
Pfeffer - also had some negative comments on the resignation
Live reporting - Parking study
2,088 striped parking spaces available
additional unstriped 2 hour parking spaced
77,8 believe there are problems with parking
There is a perception that there are problems when with a little walk there are available spaces available. Can we increase the spots in specific areas? How else can we help to address the perception?
Rarely are more than 80% of the metered spaces utilized.
Bartlett - is there still discussion amongst the businesses to improve the walking within the downtown?
Taberner - while there was good discussion before, I am not sure that has been a current discussion. There is no consensus on a resolution to parking.
Whalen - There is good news on the availability of spaces. It may just be an awareness campaign that is needed.
Taberner - if the town does go down the road of bricks and mortar we should only go forward with businesses as a partnership to share the expense.
additional unstriped 2 hour parking spaced
77,8 believe there are problems with parking
There is a perception that there are problems when with a little walk there are available spaces available. Can we increase the spots in specific areas? How else can we help to address the perception?
Rarely are more than 80% of the metered spaces utilized.
Bartlett - is there still discussion amongst the businesses to improve the walking within the downtown?
Taberner - while there was good discussion before, I am not sure that has been a current discussion. There is no consensus on a resolution to parking.
Whalen - There is good news on the availability of spaces. It may just be an awareness campaign that is needed.
Taberner - if the town does go down the road of bricks and mortar we should only go forward with businesses as a partnership to share the expense.
Live reporting - presentation on DP&CD
Brian Taberner, Director of Department of Planning and Community Development
Beth Dalhstrom also present at the meeting
Open space and recreation plan due for public review in October 2008
Affordable Housing plan due for 2010
Zoning bylaws
Commonwealth Capital
Avg score 76.5, Franklin score 102. Currently only 11 communities have a higher score
Doak - What are the top things that are driving that score?
Taberner - an aggressive and proactive policy development is driving that, will be tougher to get a hig score each year as we go forward. It looks at what you are doing now, not what you did before.
Taberner - yes, not directly but yes
Nutting - yes, declines in education will cause property values to decline
Nu-Style Property, Grove St
Town owned properties
working on unresolved parcels and tax title properties
Four Corners: just about ready to go to the Planning Board and begin that process
Business outreach - don't have the resources to go out and attract specific businesses to Franklin. No longer have the Downtown Manager position to do this.
Industrial zone - substantial opporuntity
900,000 sq ft either empty or underutilized
We want to identify and work with the owners to get the property occupied and generating more revenue than it was before.
Downtown Revitilization plan
Public transit - EMC interested, meeting with GATRA later this month to explore options
Beth Dalhstrom also present at the meeting
Open space and recreation plan due for public review in October 2008
Affordable Housing plan due for 2010
Zoning bylaws
- Non-conforming use bylaw due to Town Council in 2-4 weeks
- Sign Bylaw revisions to follow
- Inclusionary bylaw to follow
Commonwealth Capital
Avg score 76.5, Franklin score 102. Currently only 11 communities have a higher score
Doak - What are the top things that are driving that score?
Taberner - an aggressive and proactive policy development is driving that, will be tougher to get a hig score each year as we go forward. It looks at what you are doing now, not what you did before.
Create a community where entrepreneurs will want to settle and raise their familiesBartlett - given the recent major layoffs, will that pattern affect this?
Taberner - yes, not directly but yes
Nutting - yes, declines in education will cause property values to decline
Nu-Style Property, Grove St
- may get a brownfields grant to help in this
Town owned properties
working on unresolved parcels and tax title properties
Four Corners: just about ready to go to the Planning Board and begin that process
Business outreach - don't have the resources to go out and attract specific businesses to Franklin. No longer have the Downtown Manager position to do this.
Industrial zone - substantial opporuntity
900,000 sq ft either empty or underutilized
We want to identify and work with the owners to get the property occupied and generating more revenue than it was before.
Downtown Revitilization plan
- continue to work with the Downtown Partnership
- establish an image and identiy
- Promote Franklin as a Historic Commercial District
- Create and promote Cultural Corridor including a historic walking trail
Public transit - EMC interested, meeting with GATRA later this month to explore options
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