Live reporting - Closing

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Construction on Wachusetts St to start soon, will be completed next year

L. OLD BUSINESS
Pfeffer - program for road repair?

Nutting - I am ready to meet when you are

M. NEW BUSINESS

Zollo - status of work on Main St

Nutting - work has not yet been completed, the service needs to be cut to each property

the plates need to be held open until testing etc is done

I have to say at least another month

Will the road be repaved complete?

In 2012 when the full project is done

the plates will be done before the winter

McGann - requesting Brutus for a presentation on Water Treatment

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Vallee - congratulations to School For Performing Arts

Pfeffer - Chilson Beach closing this week

only beech around that doesn't have the tall lifeguard chairs

can we get Tri-County to collaborate with us to get them before next summer season

Mason - Jeff could you address the citizens comment?

Nutting - given personnel issues and threatened legal action I have no comment

McGann - based upon what I have heard tonight, there is no reason for this gentleman to be harrassed.

Vallee - motion to adjourn

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Action items

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS - none

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION –
1. Resolution 10-46: Appropriation – Repaving a Portion of Washington Street
McGann recused himself from this vote
Developer put the funds aside for this, this is moving the funds from one account to another to actually do the paving.
motion to approve, passed 5-0 (McGann recused)

2. Resolution 10-47: Appropriation – Spring Street Culvert

Nutting - during the spring rains, the culvert collapsed, by the time the bids came in, we still need to get it done before the winter

Pfeffer - where about is the culvert?
Nutting - description to be added

Motion to approve, passed via roll call 6-0


Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Underground utilities

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS – Underground Utilities



From Alpine Pl to the railroad bridge, estimated at $1 million
Ranges from 65 to 120 (more than the 65-75 I quoted earlier)


Complications on the utilities coordinating their activities
Nationalgrid could do the work within a year, Verizon and Comcast would take more than a year


Zollo - strategic and long term issue for downtown development, need to have more than a one year outlook, reinvestment is needed. I would support to put the utilities underground, it is the most cost effective to do it now. I understand the issues with the current economy. I would support a public hearing on this.


McGann - I second Shannon's issue with this not being the time to do so but let's get the public hearing to have the citizens and businesses express their thoughts on the matter.


Pfeffer - Why the financing up front? I don't understand that part of it.
Nutting - we would front the costs and have the utilities pay us back over the term of their collections


If you have a Verizon land line user you get assessed, but not on internet
If you have Comcast cable, you get assessed if phone no


Jones - I would approve getting a public hearing on this. I walked this stretch and see only a dozen or so poles. I agree that it would be the time now to do so although not the best time in the economy to do so.


There is a separate issue with how the electric utility would be delivered. The utility will deliver the service two feet inside the property line but where the service entrance is in relation to that is not known. 


Vallee - I have always been concerned with downtown as we are behind the scenes where other towns have gone. On Emmons St, from Main to W Central has any one approached Dean if they want to do that?
Nutting - no

Mason - I have a bunch of questions about this. I feel there are a lot of people out there who won't see the the value of this investment. This is not the time to do so. I don't this would be the Council's place to do this without business owner input, and from the citizens to express their thoughts on this. They may feel there is long range benefits to this.

McGann - Some of the dwellings are rental units, so if the landlord does it, the rents will need to go up.

Mason - I thought this was a larger area, from Emmons to Alpine.
Nutting - When we priced that section, the Emmons and W Central streets, the price is astronomical; 4-5 million. Maybe we made a false assumption assuming that that would be off the table. It would be nice to do them but it is a lot of money.


Franklin, MA

live reporting: Town Council

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

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – July 21, 2010
motion to approve, passed 6-0

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Meetings of the Town Council are Recorded
Steve Sherlock is also recording the meeting for Franklin Matters
Third Thursday

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Tim Conlin - Licensed for work, yet problems with Franklin DPW
needed to get a water/sewer permit signed
Problem with Mr Yadisernia, unresolved, undetermined
A long history of providing service to Franklin yet problems with Yadisernia

E. APPOINTMENTS
Public Land Use Committee - Timothy O'Toole
Motion to approve, passed 6-0

F. HEARINGS - none

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS - none


Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: utility wires to go underground - clarifications

Based upon feedback and questions from readers here and on our Facebook page let me add:

A couple of things to be clear about:

1 - SOME of the utilities are going underground per the project funding anyway. That is shown in the green area on the map. The question is do we, Franklin, choose to pay for the 'red' section to also go underground at the same time (to save money as it would be cheaper with the road work already underway) or not.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/franklin-ma-underground-utilities.html

2 - The issue of one way versus two way traffic is open and separate from the utilities. I'll be doing another survey on that aspect once this one finishes.

3 - Yes, the Federal and State grants ultimately came from our pockets. The difference is the money is already here in our Franklin account, collecting interest until spent on this project. The question being resolved by the planning process is to determine exactly how this money is to be spent downtown.

Does that help? If not, please let me know.

Third Thursday - August 19th

A diverse mix of art appreciation, networking and shopping rounds out the upcoming Franklin Downtown Partnership’s Third Thursday event on August 19 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Jane’s Frames, 11 East Central Street, is hosting an Artist Opening Reception, presenting Oils and Acrylics by Robin Wessman. Kia Olsson will perform live music and refreshments will be served.

Around town that evening several shops will offer specials:

• Downtown Consignment on Main Street shoppers can save 50 percent at the Summer Clearance Sale and enjoy refreshments
• A Cut Above Salon, 56 East Central Street, will offer free hair cuts with another service, as well as coupons and free hair products
• Sarapaan Beads & Jewelry, 21 East Central Street, will demonstrate bracelet making
• The Rome Restaurant, 4 East Central Street, will offer dinner for two for $20

As it is every Thursday, the Franklin Historical Museum on West Central Street will be open for tours from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Berry Insurance, 9 Main Street, will host the United Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Organization, a group of people in their 20s and 30s who have an interest in networking, community involvement and professional development. All are welcome to attend the event and can purchase tickets for the First Annual Chowder and Chili Championship in September.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a group of community leaders, business owners and residents whose mission is the economic revival of Franklin’s downtown.

The Partnership’s next general meeting is Thursday, September 16, at 8:30 a.m., and its next scheduled event is the Harvest Festival on September 26. All interested vendors should contact Mary Graff at mgraff@berryinsurance.com.

For membership or sponsorship information please contact Executive Director Lisa Piana at (774)571-3109 or downtown.franklin@yahoo.com.



Updated 5/17/11 - sometime in the past couple of months, Downtown Consignment moved to an unknown location in Plainville. The Franklin Art Association now has a gallery in this location.




Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - 8/18/10

The Town Council is scheduled to meet this evening at 7:00 PM.

The agenda is not yet available on the Franklin, MA website.

Under the new Open Meeting rules, it is likely posted on a window at the Municipal Bldg.

Updated: 8/18/10 the agenda was added to the website sometime today, hurrah!

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – July 21, 2010

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS -Meetings of the Town Council are Recorded

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS
Public Land Use Committee - Timothy O'Toole

F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS – Underground Utilities

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION –
1. Resolution 10-46: Appropriation – Repaving a Portion of Washington Street
2. Resolution 10-47: Appropriation – Spring Street Culvert

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