Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Treesavers - Jan Bornstein, book signing



Jan Bornstein will be at Treesavers Books to sign on June 20th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM

For more about Jan's books visit her web site

"There is no new news"

Milford Daily News
Posted Jun 10, 2009 @ 12:21 AM

FRANKLIN —

Town Council will hold back-to-back budget hearings tonight and tomorrow, and will consider a general operating budget that is $500,000 less than last year's budget, said Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting.

Nutting will advise the council to pass an $88 million budget, also recommended by the Finance Committee, and make any modifications in a few weeks, when the state is expected to have its final numbers.

He is also recommending the council use the governor's original budget numbers, excluding meals and hotels tax revenue, he said.

The Senate budget gives $875,000 less aid money than town officials were anticipating, though that shortfall is likely to drop, Nutting said.

Read the full article on the scheduled Town Council meeting in the Milford Daily News here

You can find the agenda documents on the Town website here

You should participate at the meeting


"changed her course of study"

Milford Daily News
Posted Jun 10, 2009 @ 12:09 AM

FRANKLIN —

The School Committee last night closed the public hearing on the budget, unanimously voting to adopt a $50.2 million spending plan for fiscal 2010. They will present it to Town Council tonight.

"We continued the hearing in hopes we'd have new news, but we don't," said School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy.

The Franklin Education Association will vote Monday on whether to accept a proposal to defer their wages for one year, which will save the district $800,000 - or 16 teachers' jobs, Roy said.

"Every dollar that comes back in this budget, whatever the source, will go solely to bringing back positions," Roy said.

Read the full article on the School Committee meeting in the Milford Daily News here

You can find all the live reporting posts, including pictures and a copy of the Senior Project presentation, here


Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Live reporting - closing comments

Cafasso - a good first step on the high school (as reported) to get the renovations on the State listing.

Armenio - thank you to the parents on the All Night Party committee, they did a wonderful job.

Sabolinski - the Class of 1959 was a great thing to do, Pandora Carlucci did a nice job welcoming the group. That group was a lot of fun.

Pat Slight- big thank you to all involved! The School Committee doesn't get the recognition that they deserve. It is with great pride to say that I graduated from Franklin High.

Brittany MacLeod - The teachers, even in the hard times, the passion they have, Patrick said a lot of what I would like to say.

Roy - about a half million dollars were given out at the awards night. Ms Ohearn an 8th grade teacher had the students write a letter to themselves that she held and sent to them just before their graduation. The students in some cases had forgetten that they had written the letter.

motion to adjourn

Live reporting - Information items

Ogden - it is unclear whether the modular units will be dismantled at Davis Thayer as planned due to the current financial situation. We are looking to get a final answer because if they are going to be there, we'd like to use them.

We did jump the gun to publish the pay-to-ride letter to the parent to ensure sufficient time.
Apparently the letter did go out without some language to indicate a possible change in the amount due to the budget.

Live reporting - action items

4. Action Items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $500.00 from Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Malone for future enrichment programs for the ECDC. approved 7-0
b. I recommend the continuation of the School Choice Program for the 2009-2010 School Year. approved 7-0
c. I recommend the request of Corine Minkle to declare damaged and outdated books at Oak Street Elementary School as surplus. approved 7-0
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,000.00 from Natalie Brunelli for the John A. Brunelli Memorial Scholarship at FHS. approved 7-0
e. I recommend adopting the FY10 Budget in the amount of $50,297,820.00. approved 7-0

Added to listing
f. I recommended approval for the FHS Girls Track Team to attend a meet on Sat JUne 13th, 2009 approved 7-0

Live reporting - school choice

Ogden - this is much influx because the budget is so influx. You have a need to vote to continue or not. We may keep the student population we have and not expand it any further.

Kelly - Can you explain how it works?

Ogden - once you vote in the affirmative, we will open up an application on the school website. Once the listing is acquired, we will see how many if any of the students could be accommodated. If there are any, there will be a blind lottery to select from amongst the applications.

About 25% of the existing students are children of school employees

Kelly - I know from conversations with school employees it is a great thing for them to have the kids here where they are working. They understand they may not be able to count on it.

Sabolinski - We'll need to look a couple of years out to see what seats could be made available.

Armenio - where are we on the kindergarten numbers?
Sabolinski - we have been flat
Ogden - I suspect that until you make the final decision on full day kindergarten, we may not see some of those that may be currently slotted with a private full day kindergarten.

Sabolinski - add backs would not change the middle school numbers