Monday, April 20, 2009

"we can only spend what we have"

Milford Daily News
Posted Apr 19, 2009 @ 10:17 PM

FRANKLIN —

After hearing rumors that Franklin was going to lose $448,000 for the past several weeks, town officials say they are happy with the $31 million total state aid Franklin is due to receive.

"We were very surprised we were level-funded. This was a pleasant surprise," said School Committee member Cora Armenio, adding that officials are still on their toes because "it's still not over."

"This is the most frustrating budget season I've ever been in, and it's really no one's fault," Armenio said.

Chapter 70 school aid is "the heart and soul" of Franklin's local aid, said Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting, who is president of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. The town is expected to get $28.7 million in Chapter 70 school funds.

"Hats off to Rep. (James) Vallee. We dodged a huge bullet - I didn't sleep" Tuesday night, before the House released its budget, Nutting said.

Read this "old news" from last week's Town Council meeting in the Milford Daily News here.

The Town Council meeting was reported live and those notes can be found here.


Sunday, April 19, 2009

"update the Web site and get the word out immediately"

GHS
Posted Apr 19, 2009 @ 12:02 AM

Tuesday morning, when an accident on Interstate 495 delayed rush-hour traffic in Franklin, Gary Premo logged on to Twitter, to write an update. The 540 people following Franklin Police on the social networking Web site knew immediately to take a detour.

"I think it gets information out in real time, especially with accidents. People might be heading into work and will get the 'tweet,' and think, Oh, avoid (Rte.) 140," said Premo, Franklin Police's communications director.

Amid the marketing, news reports, organizing and general ephemera that comes when millions of users write about their sandwiches and trips to the mall are a growing number of public officials who are "tweeting," as updates are known in Twitter parlance, about what they do.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Read a related article by the Boston Globe here

You can learn more about Twitter here

You can sign up for Twitter here

You can follow the Franklin Police here

You can follow me here


Communication and social media

Governor Deval Patrick making the announcement earlier this week about the latest revenue adjustments. This was posted to YouTube. His use of Twitter and YouTube to spread his message is commendable!

Should you use social media to spread your message?

As long as there is a conversation required to sell your services, then there is an opportunity for you. Come to the NewBCamp at Providence College today to start learning about these possibilities.



Can't make it to NewBCamp, then contact me and we can arrange a mutually convenient time to review the possibilities.

Slide Show: Earth Day 2009

These photos summarize some of the activities on Earth Day in Franklin:




Enjoy!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Franklin's Music Options for Saturday 4/18/09

Choices?
Yes, choices.

1 - You can listen to Garnet Rogers (with Marc Douglas Berardo opening) at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse. Tickets are still available ($15 each; cash or check at the door). More info on the Circle of Friends website

2 - Cafe Dolce is featuring Phil Fox from 7:00 - 9:00 PM.

Enjoy!

the t-shirts are ready for those helping with Earth Day in Franklin

200 t-shirts were distributed in 45 minutes this morning to the early arrivals at Franklin's Earth Day. Needless to say a good crowd as many more came later to work and still did so without receiving a new t-shirt.

Let's hope the sight of so many people around town cleaning up will inspire our fellow citizens to be more mindful of where they put their trash and recycles.

Earth Day

I'll be at Beaver Pond shortly, come and join me help clean up Franklin!


Franklin's Earth Day Celebration
Saturday April 18th, 2009
Beaver Pond
Starts at 9:00 AM


Volunteer to clean up targeted areas and assist with planting flowers and shrubs around Franklin.

- Please bring your own water bottle.

- Please bring your own gloves and rakes.

- Community service certificates will be issued.

- T-shirts to the first 200 volunteers.

- Clean up goes to 1:00 PM


Get some Eco-Info at Beaver Pond:

- Water conservation kits and rain barrel display.

- Mercury thermometer exchange for digital thermometers.

- Recycling tips and composting information.

- Energy conservation tips.

- Much more ! ! !