Franklin Matters

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Live reporting - DPW - Town Common Trees

Franklin Town Common Tree Report
David Anderson, certified arborist, consulted with the DPW

The presentation document:

Franklin, MA: DPW - Tree Presentation

Mostly Norway Maples on the Common,

the diameter of a tree is measured 4.5 feet off the ground

diversity of trees on Common, sugar maples,

A big beautiful tree can be gone in a day with weather or capable machinery
but it takes about 100 years to get the tree to look like it does

issues, no defined tree care maintenance budget, it has been reduced over time due to the issues with the budget

recommend hearing by public tree warden then remove 12 possibly hazardous trees ASAP
consider relocating the carnival so it saves the ground compacting issues

McGann - if we don't do the removal, the other trees will be impacted

Cantoreggi - We all love trees, some we should cut down but I don't want to do that without having done a presentation first.

Vallee - What would it cost to take down these trees?
Cantoreggi - I think we can do these in house as time permits

Pfeffer - there maybe tree person who would come in and do that work to gain the wood from it

Nutting - we should proceed with the hearing on the trees?
Mason - yes, check with the tree wardens schedule.

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - DPW - snow

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Department of Public Works:

Winter Road Treatments & Snow Removal

$41,000 for sand
$326,000 for salt
$72 , 62, 47 per ton for salt , price coming down over the last three years

using less sand and more salt with mixture
issue with the catch basin cleaning

Franklin, MA: DPW - Snow Presentation

Estimated cost of a six inch storm, approx. $100,000
36 trucks and employees = $900/hour total maintenance and salary

53 pieces and $7500 per hour for the contractors to supplement the Town employees

Storm priority

Public roadways
Schools
Sidewalks

Whalen - follow up on sidewalks, with the Town employees on 'rest' and sidewalks not cleared with schools open. Is there alternative staffing to be explored/

Nutting - We are not in a position to change the collective bargaining agreement. The School Dept has stated that if it is not safe, then the parents have the option to not send their children to school

Whalen - I think safety should be a priority and not that the union can get first crack at overtime.

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Public Hearing - underground utilities

F. HEARINGS - Public Hearing to Consider Removal of Utility Poles, Overhead Wires & Associated Overhead Wires and Associated Overhead Structures in Downtown Area – 7:10 PM

cost to Town minimal for this section, left off the prior notice
property owner has option to come in from W Central St
and if he does, this would avoid going underground

Mason - there is precedence to do this, the remainder of Main St is already done
I am going to back this one

no citizens to make comments

Town Council in favor of this section to proceed
A future action item will come up as there are by-law changes required

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Action items

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 10-59: Confirmatory Taking – Land at 459 Pleasant Street

This is the DelCarte property, confirming that the deed will be clear when we file for the purchase

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Town Council

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

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – September 29, 2010 and October 6, 2010
motion to approve, passed 7-0

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS -Meetings of the Town Council are Recorded
Jim Dacey, Treasurer/Collector license renewed through 2015

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Larry Bennedetto, Paul Cheli
Reminder of ballot questions on Nov 2 election
Ballot question 4 - house keeping items
Ballot question 5 - recommend Treasurer/Collector to move to appointed position

15 years since last time of charter review, no major changes
suggest to review earlier than 15 years for next time

recommend for future changes to go the Charter Commission route
takes longer but gets more involvement from the public

Jim Dacey, Treasurer/Collector
how important that this election is, especially with question 5
Am I okay with appointment? Yes, I am okay with it. Should have been done 15 years ago
I plan on working for Franklin until I retire, a few years
This position should not be filled by election, should be done by 'world-wide' search
back ground check, experience with the package we use to keep our finances
The whole thing is not about me and job security, it is about who will replace me
In the past several years, a number of position have gone from elected to appointed, none have gone the other way

E. APPOINTMENTS
Design Review Commission - Chris Baryluk
motion to approve, passed 7-0

Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Election Nov 2 - State Question #3

QUESTION 3

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or House of Representatives before May 4, 2010?

*** "This proposed law would reduce the state sales and use tax rates (which were 6.25% as of September 2009) to 3% as of January 1, 2011. It would make the same reduction in the rate used to determine the amount to be deposited with the state Commissioner of Revenue by non-resident building contractors as security for the payment of sales and use tax on tangible personal property used in carrying out their contracts. The proposed law provides that if the 3% rates would not produce enough revenues to satisfy any lawful pledge of sales and use tax revenues in connection with any bond, note, or other contractual obligation, then the rates would instead be reduced to the lowest level allowed by law. The proposed law would not affect the collection of moneys due the Commonwealth for sales, storage, use or other consumption of tangible personal property or services occurring before January 1, 2011. The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect. "

A YES VOTE would reduce the state sales and use tax rates to 3%.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the state sales and use tax rates.

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You can find the complete set of ballot questions and candidates for office on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's web site here: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php

You can put your Franklin address into this form and receive a full set of the candidates and ballot questions (3 state wide and 2 specific to Franklin).

Franklin, MA