G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
Applebee’s – Transfer of Stock/New Officer & Director Motion to approve - passed 8-0
Alumni Restaurant & Bar – Change of D/B/A Motion to approve - passed 7-0 (1 abstain, Feeley)
Franklin Wine & Spirits – Transfer of License Motion to approve - passed 8-0
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Live reporting - brownfields grant hearing
F. HEARINGS - 2010 EPA Brownfields Grant Application – Public Hearing - 7:10 PM
Mr Compton complained about the lack of notification. He is a property owner of the land surrounding the property. Until he called, he was not aware.
The Town would need to supply 40,000 to match if the grant was awarded by the EPA.
Mr Compton complained about the lack of notification. He is a property owner of the land surrounding the property. Until he called, he was not aware.
The Town would need to supply 40,000 to match if the grant was awarded by the EPA.
Live reporting - Town Council - action items
Attending: Whalen, Mason, Vallee, Feeley, Pfeffer, Doak, McGann, Zollo
Missing: Bartlett
Late to meeting - picking up with Legislation for Action
1. Bylaw Amendment 09-634: Amendment to the Franklin Conservation Bylaw Chapter 181-8D: Term of Years- 2nd t Reading Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
2. Bylaw Amendment 09-635: Amendment to the Code of the Town of Franklin, Chapter 25 – Personnel Regulations – 2nd Reading Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
3. Bylaw Amendment 09-636: Amendment to the Code of the Town of Franklin, Chapter 25 – Human Resource Management – 2nd Reading Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
4. Resolution 09-61: Appropriation – FHS Feasibility Study Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
Similar discussion to that before the Finance Committee on Tuesday 10/6/09.
Likely for a full project vote only in 2011, will have better estimates as we go along the process
5. Resolution 09-62: Human Resources Policies and Procedures
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
6. Resolution 09-63: Authorizing Application for EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
7. Resolution 09-64: Acceptance of Gift – Franklin Public Library
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
8. Resolution 09-65: Acceptance of Gift – Franklin Public Library
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
Missing: Bartlett
Late to meeting - picking up with Legislation for Action
1. Bylaw Amendment 09-634: Amendment to the Franklin Conservation Bylaw Chapter 181-8D: Term of Years- 2nd t Reading Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
2. Bylaw Amendment 09-635: Amendment to the Code of the Town of Franklin, Chapter 25 – Personnel Regulations – 2nd Reading Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
3. Bylaw Amendment 09-636: Amendment to the Code of the Town of Franklin, Chapter 25 – Human Resource Management – 2nd Reading Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
4. Resolution 09-61: Appropriation – FHS Feasibility Study Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
Similar discussion to that before the Finance Committee on Tuesday 10/6/09.
Likely for a full project vote only in 2011, will have better estimates as we go along the process
5. Resolution 09-62: Human Resources Policies and Procedures
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
6. Resolution 09-63: Authorizing Application for EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
7. Resolution 09-64: Acceptance of Gift – Franklin Public Library
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
8. Resolution 09-65: Acceptance of Gift – Franklin Public Library
Motion to accept - Passed 8-0
Register to vote by October 14th
If you want to vote in the Town Election on November 3rd, you need to register to vote by the close of business next Wednesday, October 14th.
You can go to the Town Clerk's office at the Municipal Building. As you walk in the main entrance, bear to the left. There is a short corridor and at the end of the corridor is the door to the Town Clerk's office.
If you are going to be out of town on November 3rd, you can still vote via absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications are also available at the Town Clerk's office.
When I called Debbie Pellegri to check on the ballot for the November 3rd election, she said that there had been no changes in the slate of candidates announced previously. All were officially certified. No one had withdrawn their application.
There does remain one open ballot spot for election of a member of the Board of Assessors. If someone would like to run for that spot as a 'write-in' candidate, please contact Debbie Pellegri (508-520-4900) for details on how to conduct that type of campaign. It is important to have the name added by the voters in the same manner. These write-ins will require a manual count and it would be easier if they all were entered the same.
Additional information on voter registration process can be found here
Note: candidate signs can begin to appear no earlier than 14 days before the event, in this case the election on November 3rd. (Hence, signs can be posted beginning October 20th)
There is a Town bylaw to cover election signs. These bylaws are voted on by the Town Council.
You can go to the Town Clerk's office at the Municipal Building. As you walk in the main entrance, bear to the left. There is a short corridor and at the end of the corridor is the door to the Town Clerk's office.
If you are going to be out of town on November 3rd, you can still vote via absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications are also available at the Town Clerk's office.
When I called Debbie Pellegri to check on the ballot for the November 3rd election, she said that there had been no changes in the slate of candidates announced previously. All were officially certified. No one had withdrawn their application.
There does remain one open ballot spot for election of a member of the Board of Assessors. If someone would like to run for that spot as a 'write-in' candidate, please contact Debbie Pellegri (508-520-4900) for details on how to conduct that type of campaign. It is important to have the name added by the voters in the same manner. These write-ins will require a manual count and it would be easier if they all were entered the same.
Additional information on voter registration process can be found here
Note: candidate signs can begin to appear no earlier than 14 days before the event, in this case the election on November 3rd. (Hence, signs can be posted beginning October 20th)
There is a Town bylaw to cover election signs. These bylaws are voted on by the Town Council.
6) Signs shall not be erected sooner than 14 days before the event to which they pertain (i.e., the offering for sale or lease of the premises, the commencement of construction or the election) and shall be removed within seven days after the conclusion of the event to which they pertain.The full sign bylaw can be found here
In the News - auction, high school renovations, Patriots TV
As reported during the Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday October 6th, the DPW will be the site of a used vehicle auction. The Town is looking to see if they can obtain more money via the auction than they have obtained via trade-in.
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The first step o the long road to finding out exactly how much the high school renovation (including a possible addition) was taken Tuesday with the approval 11-0 by the Finance Committee of a $1 million bond. The bond will be used to take the next steps per the State process on getting the services of a project manager and architect. There will be at least one more appropriation request before we know the total dollar amount that the project will cost. It will likely not be until late 2011 before the Town gets to vote on some amount of debt override to complete the process and authorize the funds to actually break ground.
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The headline should be corrected to read "Franklin students tackle Patriots TV host spot"
Auction of used Franklin vehicles tomorrow
from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS-----
The first step o the long road to finding out exactly how much the high school renovation (including a possible addition) was taken Tuesday with the approval 11-0 by the Finance Committee of a $1 million bond. The bond will be used to take the next steps per the State process on getting the services of a project manager and architect. There will be at least one more appropriation request before we know the total dollar amount that the project will cost. It will likely not be until late 2011 before the Town gets to vote on some amount of debt override to complete the process and authorize the funds to actually break ground.
Franklin may spend $1 million on high school study
from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS-----
The headline should be corrected to read "Franklin students tackle Patriots TV host spot"
Franklin students tackles Patriots TV host spot
Finance Comm 10/06/09
The collection of live reported posts from the Finance Committee meeting held on Tuesday, October 6th can be found here:
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Live reporting - Finance Committee - cont'd
Free cash is the money left over from the prior budget year. The State needs to verify and validate that amount. We should have that number in a November timeframe. We will have free cash but we won't know about how much until later.
FY 10 - State has a revenue shortfall, it is very likely we'll be looking at local aid reductions of some kind. The Governor will propose, then the Legislature will need to accept. We have a couple of vacancies open and on hold in anticipation of what may come. As long as the State is in trouble, we are in trouble. We get 38% of our revenue from the State. The State funding for Chapter 70 went down for the first time in years. Probably not for the last time.
The good news is we work very well with the Schools. If it is a small cut, we'll figure it out. If it is a larger cut, we'll need some help deciding which way to go.
The Governor prepares his budget in February. We'll have an idea of what FY 11 will look like from that estimate.
The Legislature takes a break around Thanksgiving so if he makes his recommendation before then, they should take some action. We should know by Thanksgiving.
Our revenues at a local level. We have collected 99% of our property taxes.
The Meals tax fund, started Oct will show up as a quarterly payment on our Cherry sheet. The DOR gave us an estimate based upon the prior years activity. Some of that is already built into our budget.
The other one is our Hotel/Motel tax. The Town Council voted to increase that. In this fiscal year, we figure it might be about 70,000. In a full year, it would be about 150,000. This goes into the Open Space fund. We have about 1.7 million in the fund now to potentionally buy some open space as it becomes available.
The policy has been to use it for Open Space. The Council can review that. When folks see the long list of capital requirements, they would be an opportunity to use it elsewhere.
Net school spending chart to be added later.
The numbers have been trending down, currently at 1.3% over the State required minimum level.
Dropped from 4.9 to 1.3 in one year. Once it drops below zero, the pressure is to take money from elsewhere.
In 1993, local taxes paid for 70% of the Town budget, now it is down to 48%.
We have a reasonable fund balance. We don't dip into reserves. We make decisions. Financial stability is important to the bond market. We have a long term team with a good track record.
Quality education is not about spending the minimum. It is not just a legal issue it is the quality of education.
Auction at DPW at 9:00 AM.
They will try an auction in lieu of trade ins. $100 minimum for all but four items.
Q - How is the librayr sharing arrangement going.
A - Actually have a meeting this Friday per our arrangement to meet quarterly and review. I think we need to do more of this.
Q - Senate special election covered by the State
A - yes, that is what they have said
Q - Did we get any Federal Stimulus money
A - We applied for a lot but didn't get any.
Q - Museum renovations, how are they going?
A - Except for the windows, the lead time is long, the work is on schedule and on budget.
Bandstand under construction with donated money.
Town Council Candidate forum 10/26/09 at 7:00 PM in the Town Council Chambers
Also at the Senior Center, Weds, 10/28/09 at 9:30 AM
In a tough economy, driving around things are looking good.
Water rates may be in jeopardy of an increase if consumption continues to decline.
Motion to adjourn, passed 11-0
FY 10 - State has a revenue shortfall, it is very likely we'll be looking at local aid reductions of some kind. The Governor will propose, then the Legislature will need to accept. We have a couple of vacancies open and on hold in anticipation of what may come. As long as the State is in trouble, we are in trouble. We get 38% of our revenue from the State. The State funding for Chapter 70 went down for the first time in years. Probably not for the last time.
The good news is we work very well with the Schools. If it is a small cut, we'll figure it out. If it is a larger cut, we'll need some help deciding which way to go.
The Governor prepares his budget in February. We'll have an idea of what FY 11 will look like from that estimate.
The Legislature takes a break around Thanksgiving so if he makes his recommendation before then, they should take some action. We should know by Thanksgiving.
Our revenues at a local level. We have collected 99% of our property taxes.
The Meals tax fund, started Oct will show up as a quarterly payment on our Cherry sheet. The DOR gave us an estimate based upon the prior years activity. Some of that is already built into our budget.
The other one is our Hotel/Motel tax. The Town Council voted to increase that. In this fiscal year, we figure it might be about 70,000. In a full year, it would be about 150,000. This goes into the Open Space fund. We have about 1.7 million in the fund now to potentionally buy some open space as it becomes available.
The policy has been to use it for Open Space. The Council can review that. When folks see the long list of capital requirements, they would be an opportunity to use it elsewhere.
Net school spending chart to be added later.
The numbers have been trending down, currently at 1.3% over the State required minimum level.
Dropped from 4.9 to 1.3 in one year. Once it drops below zero, the pressure is to take money from elsewhere.
In 1993, local taxes paid for 70% of the Town budget, now it is down to 48%.
We have a reasonable fund balance. We don't dip into reserves. We make decisions. Financial stability is important to the bond market. We have a long term team with a good track record.
Quality education is not about spending the minimum. It is not just a legal issue it is the quality of education.
Auction at DPW at 9:00 AM.
They will try an auction in lieu of trade ins. $100 minimum for all but four items.
Q - How is the librayr sharing arrangement going.
A - Actually have a meeting this Friday per our arrangement to meet quarterly and review. I think we need to do more of this.
Q - Senate special election covered by the State
A - yes, that is what they have said
Q - Did we get any Federal Stimulus money
A - We applied for a lot but didn't get any.
Q - Museum renovations, how are they going?
A - Except for the windows, the lead time is long, the work is on schedule and on budget.
Bandstand under construction with donated money.
Town Council Candidate forum 10/26/09 at 7:00 PM in the Town Council Chambers
Also at the Senior Center, Weds, 10/28/09 at 9:30 AM
In a tough economy, driving around things are looking good.
Water rates may be in jeopardy of an increase if consumption continues to decline.
Motion to adjourn, passed 11-0
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