Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Live reporting - Literacy Update

Literacy Initiative – Michele Kingsland-Smith, Joan Toye, Tricia Capaldi, Sarah Klim, Paul Peri, Brenda Redding, and Debbie Goss

The actual presentation document used this evening:




Schools with exemplary reading practices do the following:
Time
Text
Teaching
Talking
Tasks
Testing

Live reporting - School Committee 2/10/09

Attending: Armenio, Cafasso, Mullen, Roy, Rohrbach, Trahan
Missing: Kelly

1. Routine Business
  • Citizen’s Comments - none
  • Review of Agenda
  • Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the January 27, 2009 School Committee Meeting. Approved 6-0
  • Payment of Bills - Mr. Kelly pass
  • Payroll - Ms. Armenio
  • FHS Student Representatives
Love Fest - Thu/Fri in Lecture Hall at FHS
5 fully working SMART boards installed today
Gallery 218 - featuring art works from alumni of FHS
Winter Auction - March 1
  • Correspondence: Budget to Actual

Town Council - Agenda - 2/11/09

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - January 7, 2009

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
  • Use of Town Property Bylaw
  • FY 2009 Capital Plan

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
  1. Resolution 09-05: Confirmatory Order of Taking Cross and King Streets
  2. Resolution 09-07: Appropriation – Public Facilities Salaries
  3. Resolution 09-08: Appropriation – Title and Deed Research
  4. Resolution 09-09: Appropriation – Survey on 30+ Acres on Pond Street

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN

Town Council goal session - 6:00 PM - 2/11/09

6:00 PM
Special Town Council Goal Session
Training Room 3rd floor Municipal Bldg

7:00 PM
Town Council
Council Chambers-Mun.Bldg.

The regular meeting will be broadcast live but the planning session will not. This is probably one you should get to in person.

Who's bright idea is this?

The bill, if passed, would have far reaching effects on local school band programs. Some have suggested that the costs associated with the sterilization process run the range of $50-$80 per instrument. The bill does not come with any funding for local districts to support this program. What that means is that local communities will have to come up with the funds themselves, despite the fact that they are already facing fiscal catastrophe.
...

No one argues with the intentions of the supporters of this bill. Indeed keeping instruments free of bacteria is an important goal. However, the bill overlooks the fact that most communities, including Franklin, already take steps to ensure the safety of musical instruments. A bill such as this is an example of overreaction to a problem that may not even exist.

While this bill may be a “stimulus” package for the sterilization manufacturers, it’s nothing but a classic unfunded mandate and burden to financially strapped communities. Accordingly, the bill ought to be swiftly defeated.

Who's bright idea is this?

Read the details on the Franklin School Committee blog here

"open the store in April 2010"

Board OKs Walgreens

The Planning Board last night approved Arista Development's special site plan to build a Walgreens at the former Four Corners School.

Arista Development LLC, of Norwood, plans to build a single-story, 14,500-square-foot building with a drive-through window (along Cross Street) and 60 parking spots, at the intersection of Rte. 140 and King Street.

The plan features two entrances: A single-car entry/exit via Cross Street and a double exit and single entry along King Street.

Read the full article about the Walgreens coming to Franklin in the Milford Daily News here.

I think it is interesting that during the Planning Board meeting of 1/26/09 much of the discussion around the traffic mitigation was in the timing of the plans coming to the Town so they the work could be completed by the scheduled store opening in Sep/Oct.

Now the schedule is back to April. That reschedule should provide plenty of time for the traffic work on the corner.

The video of the Planning Board meeting for Jan 26 2009 can be found on the Town website here

Climate change

Climate change is expected to create about 200 million environmental refugees by 2050, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the international body established within the United Nations to evaluate causes and consequences of global warming.
Read the full story here

There are things you can do now to help avoid the worst. For one, you can consider joining the Franklin Area Climate Team.