Franklin, MA is looking to do business

In its continued efforts to attract and retain businesses the Town of Franklin is holding an economic development related event at 8:30 a.m. on October 27, 2010 at 431 Washington Street in Franklin. The primary purpose of the event is to inform property owners and commercial real estate companies with available property within the Town’s Economic Opportunity Areas that there are resources available to assist them. The secondary purpose is to assist with marketing of these properties and our business friendly community in general. We want the commercial/industrial site selection world to look to the Town of Franklin first when looking to site a facility.

This gathering of property owners, business owners and managers, State officials, commercial property realtors, and others in the site selection field, will discuss ways in which available incentives can be used to stimulate economic activity within the Town of Franklin’s six Economic Opportunity Areas and Town’s other industrial and commercial areas. Property owners and realtors attempting to lease or sell a commercial or industrial property within the Town of Franklin are being asked to bring marketing materials to display and distribute at the event.

As part of the event (Resources for Massachusetts Business Development) representatives from state agencies and other economic development related organizations will introduce themselves and discuss potential resources that they may have available. These organizations include Massachusetts Office of Business Development, MassDevelopment, Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development, and Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.

With the sluggish economy the Town of Franklin needs to utilize all economic development incentives available to it in order to assist companies looking to settle or expand in the region. One of the most attractive incentives that a Massachusetts city or town can offer businesses looking to locate or expand in their community is a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) agreement. To qualify for tax increment financing a business must propose an expansion project within an Economic Opportunity Area.

As a member of the I-495/95 South Regional Economic Target Area, the Town of Franklin can designate specific parcels as economic opportunity areas. During 2009 the Town of Franklin created three large economic opportunity areas, which were approved by the State’s Economic Assistance Coordinating Council in April 2009. Earlier this year Franklin Town Council approved creation of three additional economic opportunity areas; the Town expects approval from the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council during November 2010. The six economic opportunity areas consist of 100 parcels totaling over 945 acres.

Currently there are at least 1,000,000 square feet of vacant or underutilized buildings in Franklin’s commercially and industrially zoned areas, most of which are within the Town’s six economic opportunity areas. This vacant property includes the majority of the 242,000+ square feet of floor space at 431 Washington Street, which is the former home of the Investor Services Division of Putnam Investments. The property’s management company, Marsh and McLennan Companies, has graciously agreed to host the Town’s 2010 Economic Development Summit at their 431 Washington Street facility.

The community’s industrially zoned areas are home to dozens of research and development and manufacturing companies, and Franklin has attracted innovative technology companies in a wide range of industries, including nanotechnology, robotics, logistics, data storage, medical devices, biotechnology, and specialty materials. Franklin hopes to use the economic opportunity area designation as an incentive to encourage these existing businesses to expand, as well as to attract new businesses, promote a higher level of investment in the Town’s commercial and industrial areas, increase employment options for the Town of Franklin’s residents, and increase the Town’s commercial and industrial tax base.

The potential benefits resulting from the formation of these economic opportunity areas are substantial not only for property owners and businesses within the economic opportunity areas, but also for the Town of Franklin and the region in general. A tax increment finance agreement is a 5 to 20 year property tax exemption based on the increased value of the property due to new construction or significant improvements.

The municipality supports the use of Tax Increment Financing agreements, especially for development projects that create livable wage jobs, support innovative technologies, and result in redevelopment of empty or underutilized industrially zoned properties or development of new facilities. In addition to the possibility of negotiating a tax increment finance agreement with the Town of Franklin, potential economic benefits for companies within economic opportunity areas can be significant, including an investment tax credit for qualifying tangible depreciable assets, as well as a ten-percent abandoned building tax deduction for costs associated with the renovation of a building that has been at least seventy-five percent vacant for two or more years.

Franklin is continually looking for ways to create conditions favorable for business expansion, and assist property owners fill the Town’s currently empty or underutilized industrially zoned manufacturing, warehouse and office space. The Town is hopeful expanding businesses will take advantage of these opportunities.

Please contact Planning and Community Development Director, Bryan Taberner, if you have questions or require additional information regarding the Town of Franklin’s economic opportunity area initiative, or the Economic Development Summit being held on October 27th.




Franklin MA PR 20101027 Economic Summit


Franklin, MA

Business to Business Expo Oct. 28

STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR BUSINESS TO BUSINESS EXPO

The Business to Business Expo, a collaboration of four local chambers of commerce, will be held at the Taunton Holiday Inn, 700 Myles Standish Dr., Taunton, on Oct. 28 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is taking part in this event that highlights some of the most vibrant companies in the region. The Expo features businesses from throughout the region served by The United Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Taunton Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cranberry Country Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce.

The Expo will be held with a Business After Hours from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature two free seminars: the ABCs of E-Tools by Trish White from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Uncovering the Hidden Profit in Productivity by Ed McDonough from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Exhibitors have two choices of display space. Companies can choose an 8' x 6' booth which includes a 6' skirted table, two chairs and a company sign or a 3' x 6' skirted table. The cost is $349 for a booth and $249 for a table top for participating Chamber members, and $599 and $499 respectively for non-members.

Admission to the event for visitors is free.

For more information, call The United Regional Chamber of Commerce at 508-222-0810 or 508-528-2800.

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, business support organization serving the communities of Attleboro, Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxborough, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Wrentham.

Dean College to host College Fair October 26 - more than 60 colleges participating

Dean College Hosts College Fair

Franklin, MA -- Admissions counselors from more than 60 Colleges and Universities will visit with prospective students at Dean College's annual College Fair on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 from 5-7  p.m. in the Atrium of the College's Campus Center.

"All local high school students are encouraged to attend," said Tracy Nowak, Academic Advisor and Transfer Services Coordinator at Dean.  "Admissions counselors will be on hand to answer questions about their institutions. It is a great opportunity to learn about the academic programs offered by the various colleges as well as the activities, services, financial aid, and housing options they have available.

The College Fair will be held in the Campus Center Atrium, 135 Emmons Street. For more information contact Tracy Nowak at (508) 541-1536.

Community Gardeners To Meet - Oct 25th

When: Monday, October 25, 2010 - 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.


Where: Franklin YMCA Bernon Family Branch, 45 Forge Hill Road, Franklin


Agenda items: Mission Statement, Land updates, and committee sign-ups

We are going write our Mission Statement and elect steering committee chairs.

Our steering committee will be comprised of:

1) a Chairperson

2) a Co-Chair

3) Treasurer

4) Recording Secretary

5) Garden Site Coordinators, 1 for Giving Garden, 1 for Community Garden (and hopefully 1 for a Youth Garden!)

6) Committe Chairs, tbd

We will work as a group determine what our committee structure should be, list them, and enlist chairpersons and co-chairs for them.

Some committees will go to work right away, and some will get busy in the near future.

We listed our visions for a community garden at our first meetings.  A mission statement will be very important as we begin to source funding for our garden(s) and to educate the community at large about what we are doing and why.

Hope to see you there!

Contact persons:

Lauren Marciszyn - laurenm@hockymca.org

Amy Acevedo - amyacevedo1@verizon.net

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franklincommunitygardens@gmail.com

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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-Community-Gardens/152040424825578

Franklin, MA: Library Book Sale

The Book Sale to raise money for the Franklin Public Library will be held at the DPW garage on Hayward St this weekend.

• Saturday, Oct 16th, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  
• Sunday, Oct. 17th, from 9AM to Noon - 'bag sale' 

The Book Sale is coordinated by the Friends of the Franklin Public Library.


Did you know the library has a blog? Check it out here:  http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/



Franklin, MA

School Committee - 10/12/10

The collection of live reported posts from the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Oct 12th can be found here:

• Live reporting - Closing
• Live reporting - Action items
• Live reporting - Discussion only items
• Live reporting - high school improvement plan
• Live reporting - FHS Update
• live reporting - Senior Project
• Live reporting - School Committee Meeting

Franklin, MA

Question 3

Question 3 is on the ballot for November's election.

We all want good schools, police and fire protection, safe roads and bridges, clean water and quality health care. Cutting the sales tax by more than half would deprive our communities of the revenue to pay for them.

Franklin already is too dependent upon state aid, to lose additional money would devastate the town. How much would we lose? The website calculates the amount each community would lose if Question 3 is approved.


http://votenoquestion3.com/towns.php?town_code=101

The fact sheet is shown below:

Question 3 Fact Sheet


When you go to the polls in November, make a choice you will be prepared to live with for more than one day.


Franklin, MA