Thursday, May 6, 2010

Town Council: Franklin Recreational Advisory Board

From the Town Council meeting, Weds May 5th, reported via the video on demand archive

Present: Kelly, Jones, Vallee, Mason, Pfeffer, Zollo, Powderly
Absent: Whalen, McGann


Recreational Advisory Board
coordinates the activities of the various youth sports across Franklin
to ensure quality fields are available for safe play across the sports


1 - Youth Lacrosse
http://www.franklinlax.com/

highest enrollment this year, over 200 signed up
funded entirely by registration fees
donated lacrosse sets to Beaver Pond, Charter School, and Horace Mann fields
coordinate coaching and training with FHS lacrosse players

2 - Youth Soccer
http://www.franklinyouthsoccer.org/

enrollment for spring about 1200, fall enrollment 1500
seven members on the Board of Directors
award $1,000 scholarships to male and female seniors for contributions to the program
soccer cleet exchange program
shared costs with other programs to repair fields; Dacey, Meadowlark, Remington
donated new nets
funded an Eagle Scout project at Dacey
funded repairs at King St fields
all field repairs were coordinated with Franklin DPW
Remington is scheduled to be fixed this fall, to be shut down for play for a year to allow for growth

3 - Youth Football
http://www.franklinyouthfootball.org/

about 340 signed up now for the Fall season, with growth in the number expected to grow as the season approaches
working to get additional lights at the FHS/Horace Mann fields to add another field with lights
provide scholarships to graduating seniors
provide scholarships for families to help pay for their registrations
established Franklin Chargers charity to collect food for the Franklin Food Pantry
coordinate football clinic with Coach Sidwell at FHS
winning isn't everything, we teach
32 students graduating from FHS were all Franklin Chargers and recruited by higher institutions

4 - Youth Softball
http://www.fgsafastpitch.org/

about 650-700 girls from kindergarten through 9th grade, playing from April to end of July
supported totally by volunteers, over 220 people contribute to the execution of the program
2nd largest program in the State of MA
work closely with the Franklin DPW and the other groups
league wide clean up day, over 100 cleaned, raking leaves, etc.
installed two outfield fences, etc at Dennis Pisani Field (off Peck St)
clinics coordinated with FHS
a regional sponsor of the Pepsi Run/Pitch/Hit competition this year
award two scholarships each year to graduating FHS seniors
the scholarships will be renamed in 2011 to honor Kristin Graci


5 - Youth Baseball
http://www.franklinyouthbaseball.com/

program began in 1953; over 1,110 in the program this season
275 coaches for the spring, another 60 coach in the summer
can't drive by a field without seeing some kids playing, especially at this time of the year
new Parks and Recreation Dept can focus on preparing the fields in the spring
invested over $100,000 over the last three years; time and materials for field repair
the field property in Franklin needs to be kept up to avoid injuries
invested in tarps to help with the rain control so the fields don't get washed out
expenses shared with other sports, fields are used by multiple groups

"We appreciate having the space to play, we are doing our part to keep the kids on the fields and stay healthy"

Pfeffer - question to clarify on co-ed status
the programs are mostly co-ed

Zollo - I'll confirm that they are co-ed, my daughters have played multiple sports
what is the single thing the Town can do to help
Ecker - What you are doing now is what is needed with the combined
maintain the fields, let the fields breath every once in a while
otherwise, the fields end up in dirt and rocks
as long as they cut the grass and empty the trash cans
you could always have fields, we are investing in the old Putnam field, about $3,000 on the baseball field
there is space there to also put a soccer area on the Putnam space, this helps to take another field offline to rest and recover; Davis Thayer is one that needs to be rested soon
If you ever need votes, there is a good bunch of folks across the groups

Vallee - thank you, I am amazed at all the work that is done

Jones - my daughters have played soccer, it is well run, the kids enjoy themselves and look forward to the new season, thank you for all you do

Franklin, MA 

"There is some hope on the horizon"

"There's no source of local funding for road repairs in town," Mason said. The DPW will "fill potholes and make (minor) repairs... but there's no money for big repairs."
He said Franklin relies on state and federal money for repairs, and though the $900,000 would not be enough to cover all the work that needs be done, it would be a good start.
Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said many roads need work.
"We have an incredible backlog of road issues," Nutting said, adding that old subdivisions built in the 1970s and '80s will eventually need repair. "We have to face the reality that if we don't invest in roads, what we're facing this spring (in construction) is going to be an everyday occurrence." 
Read the full article from the Town Council meeting Wednesday May 5th here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1773729077/Franklin-wants-to-put-900-000-of-override-money-into-roads

Franklin, MA

Horace Mann Middle School - Yard Sale - 5/8/10

The Horace Mann Middle School in Franklin will hold its second annual yard sale on Saturday, May 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the school on Oak Street. Proceeds from the sale will help fund school programs such as field trips and guest speakers.

Among the great finds awaiting bargain hunters are sporting goods, toys, bikes, antiques, furniture, lamps and books. Shoppers can browse booths by local vendors for Mother’s Day gifts including theme gift baskets, jewelry, crafts and potted plants.

The PCC will provide donuts and coffee for sale for early shoppers, and will grill up hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch. They invite residents to spend the day!

In case of rain, the sale will be moved inside the school. The sale starts promptly at 9:00; please no early birds. Anyone interested in donating an item or participating as a crafter can contact the school at (508)-541-6230.



Franklin, MA

In the News - kindergarten, Dean College

Franklin kindergarten information nights slated

from The Milford Daily News News RSS 


Two Dean College students charged with attempted robbery



Franklin, MA

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Community Health Council - meeting canceled

The Community Health Council meeting that had been scheduled for May 6 at 6:30 PM has been canceled.

The Community Health Council website can be found here


Franklin, MA

quality reporting takes time

A head's up that I won't be live reporting from the Town Council meeting this evening. The New England Revolution have a compressed schedule during May due to the FIFA World Cup in June. Instead of their normal weekend games and an occasional weekday game, they are playing Weds and Sat for the whole month. Ouch, their legs will be tired. That also means I'll miss the live reporting for this week and the 19th. I'll resort to catching the meeting via the on demand video as soon as I can and reporting on what matters.

If you do attend or watch the cable broadcast and want to send along your comments, please feel free to do so.

There is a whole lot happening and your views are welcomed!



Note: Practicing some of the 'asset based thinking' I picked up this past weekend. Instead of saying "No live reporting", I could say "quality reporting takes time".



Franklin, MA

Election updates

May 11th
Absentee ballots for the special election May 11th are available at the Town Clerk's office. This election will determine fulfill the seat left vacant by Scott Brown's election to the US Senate.

Only precincts 2, 3 and 4 are eligible to vote in this special election May 11th

June 8th
The override special election will take place on June 8th. Ballots have not yet been printed and absentee ballots are not yet available for that election.

Stay tuned!



Franklin, MA