Present: Douglas, Cafasso, Rohrbach, Mullen, Roy, Trahan, Glynn
Absent: none
1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments - none
Review of Agenda - tabling the bills for this time
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the October 26, 2010 School Committee Meeting.
Motion to accept, passed 7-0
Payment of Bills Mr. Glynn (tabled for tonight)
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence
1. Budget to Actual
Re-organizational meeting
Jeff Roy nominated and seconded for Chair
motion to accept, passed 7-0
Paula Mullen nominated and seconded for Vice-Chair
motion to accept, passed 7-0
Franklin, MA
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
FM #76 - FY 2012 Budget Outlook
Let's take about ten minutes to get into the first budget outlook on fiscal 2012 from Town Administrator Jeff Nutting.
Time: 13 minutes, 37 seconds
MP3 File
Show Notes:
This is #76 in the series of internet radio shows or podcast for Franklin Matters.
The first snow has already fallen and the first outlook on the FY 2012 budget was previewed at the last Town Council meeting. Let's take a few minutes to listen to Town Administrator Jeff Nutting's update on the FY 2012 budget.
Notable quotes from Jeff Nutting:
“Original contract for architect came in about $860,000, we knocked it down about 3$00,000. the MSBA was surprised no one else had rejected a contract.”
“We are trying to watch the dollars right out of the gate and I think the committee is doing a good job.”
I look back over the last eight years, we have cut 1 out of 6 municipal jobs. We still provide a high level of quality services
“The CPI has avg 2.9%, our wage increases have avg 2.3% so we have been below the cost of living over several years.”
“On health insurance, the increase overall has been over 12% over the last several years. We have been 6.3% so we have been beating the bench mark. We have been doing the best and working with our employees.”
“In FY 2011, seven of nine unions on the municipal side have already agreed to contracts with zero increase.”
“I think we should save a big chunk of cash for unemployment for FY 2012”
“We are going to present a balanced budget. People say why can't the Town balance a budget, we have balanced a budget for a couple hundred years. People say, why can't we live within our means? We always live within our means. That is the law. The issue is there is gap between revenues that are available and services that are provided. And that is why we have 50 less employees than we had eight years ago and that is why the schools have cut back as well. So not only do we reduce jobs but I think this body knows as well that we have consolidated school and Town services and look at sharing services with other towns and look at any venue possible to make the ends work and to provide high quality municipal services.”
“We have a four to six million dollar gap for next fiscal year.”
“We'll be in a position to present the balanced budget. And that will obviously lead to make policy decisions on the Council's part as to priorities. A million dollars is twenty jobs, so you can do the math, is it 60 jobs or 80 jobs.”
“Our expense budgets are really small, they have been cut and cut over the years. We have a big challenge, we will meet the challenge.”
As I close this session this week, let me remind you that
Thank you for listening!
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission
I hope you enjoy!
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to listen to the audio podcast.
Franklin, MA
Time: 13 minutes, 37 seconds
MP3 File
Show Notes:
This is #76 in the series of internet radio shows or podcast for Franklin Matters.
The first snow has already fallen and the first outlook on the FY 2012 budget was previewed at the last Town Council meeting. Let's take a few minutes to listen to Town Administrator Jeff Nutting's update on the FY 2012 budget.
Notable quotes from Jeff Nutting:
“Original contract for architect came in about $860,000, we knocked it down about 3$00,000. the MSBA was surprised no one else had rejected a contract.”
“We are trying to watch the dollars right out of the gate and I think the committee is doing a good job.”
I look back over the last eight years, we have cut 1 out of 6 municipal jobs. We still provide a high level of quality services
“The CPI has avg 2.9%, our wage increases have avg 2.3% so we have been below the cost of living over several years.”
“On health insurance, the increase overall has been over 12% over the last several years. We have been 6.3% so we have been beating the bench mark. We have been doing the best and working with our employees.”
“In FY 2011, seven of nine unions on the municipal side have already agreed to contracts with zero increase.”
“I think we should save a big chunk of cash for unemployment for FY 2012”
“We are going to present a balanced budget. People say why can't the Town balance a budget, we have balanced a budget for a couple hundred years. People say, why can't we live within our means? We always live within our means. That is the law. The issue is there is gap between revenues that are available and services that are provided. And that is why we have 50 less employees than we had eight years ago and that is why the schools have cut back as well. So not only do we reduce jobs but I think this body knows as well that we have consolidated school and Town services and look at sharing services with other towns and look at any venue possible to make the ends work and to provide high quality municipal services.”
“We have a four to six million dollar gap for next fiscal year.”
“We'll be in a position to present the balanced budget. And that will obviously lead to make policy decisions on the Council's part as to priorities. A million dollars is twenty jobs, so you can do the math, is it 60 jobs or 80 jobs.”
“Our expense budgets are really small, they have been cut and cut over the years. We have a big challenge, we will meet the challenge.”
As I close this session this week, let me remind you that
- If you like what I am doing here, please tell your friends and neighbors
- If you don’t like something, please tell me
Thank you for listening!
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission
I hope you enjoy!
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to listen to the audio podcast.
Franklin, MA
Road construction updates
Going out and about one can observe that there is progress on the various road construction projects.
Pulaski Blvd in Bellingham was detoured for several weeks as they rebuilt a culvert/bridge. Now it is paved with at least the first coat of blacktop. This picture captured the dirt base before it got covered.
Wachusett St is being re-done. Last year, work was done on the water line. This year additional work is being done apparently on the sewer line. As reported last week, they were starting to pave in front of the Parmenter School. They have at least paved that section with the base coat.
I did not get a chance to grab a picture but there is utility line work of some sort being done on Summer St going up the hill past Crocker Ave.
Franklin, MA
Pulaski Blvd in Bellingham was detoured for several weeks as they rebuilt a culvert/bridge. Now it is paved with at least the first coat of blacktop. This picture captured the dirt base before it got covered.
Wachusett St is being re-done. Last year, work was done on the water line. This year additional work is being done apparently on the sewer line. As reported last week, they were starting to pave in front of the Parmenter School. They have at least paved that section with the base coat.
I did not get a chance to grab a picture but there is utility line work of some sort being done on Summer St going up the hill past Crocker Ave.
Franklin, MA
School Committee - School calendar proposals
Updated 11/10/10 - based upon the info at the School Committee meeting, these calendars will be revised before being submitted for approval as there are some inaccuracies in these versions. Once I receive the corrected calendars, these will be replaced with the proper calendars.
Amongst the discussion items on the School Committee agenda are proposed calendars for the next two school years; 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
School year 2011-2012
Choice 1-A
FPS_11-12Calendar_DRAFT-1a
Choice 2-B
FPS_11-12Calendar_DRAFT-2b
School year 2012-2013
Choice 1-A
FPS_12-13Calendar_DRAFT-1A
Choice 2-B
FPS_12-13Calendar_DRAFT-2B
Note: they way they are numbered these seem to be two options taken from additional choices. I kept the numbering to avoid potential confusion.
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the documents
Franklin, MA
Amongst the discussion items on the School Committee agenda are proposed calendars for the next two school years; 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
School year 2011-2012
Choice 1-A
FPS_11-12Calendar_DRAFT-1a
Choice 2-B
FPS_11-12Calendar_DRAFT-2b
School year 2012-2013
Choice 1-A
FPS_12-13Calendar_DRAFT-1A
Choice 2-B
FPS_12-13Calendar_DRAFT-2B
Note: they way they are numbered these seem to be two options taken from additional choices. I kept the numbering to avoid potential confusion.
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the documents
Franklin, MA
School Committee: Superintendent's Update - documents
These two documents are part of the Superintendent's Update on the School Committee agenda for Tuesday, Nov 9th.
FPS_EducationalVisioning
FPS SSR Report Final2
How these documents fit into the context will be discovered Tuesday evening.
Franklin, MA
FPS_EducationalVisioning
FPS SSR Report Final2
How these documents fit into the context will be discovered Tuesday evening.
Franklin, MA
Mark your calendars for two tax filing dates this coming April
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue by Robert Bliss on 11/8/10
Federal and state income taxes each will be due a little later than normal this year, but not on the same days.
Back in 2005, the District of Columbia chose to make Emancipation Day a district holiday, which meant it became a day off for federal workers (including those in the Internal Revenue Service) in Washington D.C.
This year, April 15 (a Friday), which is the normal filing due date for both state and federal taxes, is also on Emancipation Day. If the IRS is closed in Washington D.C., federal taxes are not due on that date.
As a result, federal income taxes will not be due until Monday, April 18.
But, in Massachusetts, Monday, April 18, is Patriot's Day, a state holiday, so state income taxes will not be due until April 19.
The business of not filing taxes on April 15 is not that unusual. Last year, due to extensive flooding, taxpayers from the Cape west to Worcester County had until May 11 to file state and federal taxes. In 2007, taxpayers in flooded areas had until April 26 to file. And there have been many years when, due to Patriot's Day, state income taxes were not due until April 18.
So this coming tax year, pending any last minute weather events, federal income tax will be due on April 18, and state income tax on April 19.
Back in 2005, the District of Columbia chose to make Emancipation Day a district holiday, which meant it became a day off for federal workers (including those in the Internal Revenue Service) in Washington D.C.
This year, April 15 (a Friday), which is the normal filing due date for both state and federal taxes, is also on Emancipation Day. If the IRS is closed in Washington D.C., federal taxes are not due on that date.
As a result, federal income taxes will not be due until Monday, April 18.
But, in Massachusetts, Monday, April 18, is Patriot's Day, a state holiday, so state income taxes will not be due until April 19.
The business of not filing taxes on April 15 is not that unusual. Last year, due to extensive flooding, taxpayers from the Cape west to Worcester County had until May 11 to file state and federal taxes. In 2007, taxpayers in flooded areas had until April 26 to file. And there have been many years when, due to Patriot's Day, state income taxes were not due until April 18.
So this coming tax year, pending any last minute weather events, federal income tax will be due on April 18, and state income tax on April 19.
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