Tale of 2 sidewalks

There is a significant difference in how well the current equipment can clear the sidewalks. Franklin has four devices, a couple of plows for sidewalks and a couple of snow throwers for sidewalks. The plows can move faster but as show below don't really do a great job.

Let me be clear about what I mean by a great job: I don't mean that there is not good time and effort put in, there is. But would you have your elderly parents walk down this? Sidewalks like this are hard to walk on when you are young and fully functioning.

The first photo above was taken Saturday morning, the second photo was taken Saturday afternoon. The snow thrower had gotten to the other side of the street by then. This one leaves a much cleaner path. Not perfect but much better than the plow leaves.

Given the choice between the two, I'd wait for the snow thrower to clear the sidewalks rather than have the plow cruise by.  What about you?



Franklin, MA

In the News - Planning Board, School Committee

Franklin developer agrees to restriction

by Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Franklin board to talk about school space needs

by Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Note - I will not be reporting live from this meeting. This is my night for the Food Pantry Board meeting. I'll catch up to this meeting via the video on demand as soon as I can.

Franklin, MA

Legal Food Frenzy 2011

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Legal Food Frenzy 2011

via At Issue & In Focus by Massachusetts Attorney General on 1/24/11

Help Fight Hunger in Massachusetts!
Law firms, law schools and legal organizations are encouraged to sign up now to participate in Massachusetts' second annual "Legal Food Frenzy" sponsored by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office in partnership with the legal community.

The Legal Food Frenzy is a benevolent competition within the legal community to raise funds and collect food to benefit food banks and their member agencies, food pantries and shelters during the spring, a traditionally slow time for donations. In these tough financial times, the role of food banks and hunger relief agencies have become even more crucial as more and more Massachusetts residents are seeking help to put food on the table.

Last year's first annual Legal Food Frenzy was piloted in the Greater Boston area and benefitted the Greater Boston Food Bank. Over 46 law firms, law schools and legal associations participated in the competition in 2010 and collectively raised the equivalent of, in food and funds, 350,000 pounds of food, providing an additional 180,000 meals for hungry families in eastern Massachusetts. 

In 2011, the Legal Food Frenzy will be expanded to benefit all four Massachusetts Food Banks and donations will serve the entire Commonwealth. The competition will be held from March 28, 2011 – April 8, 2011. Learn more.

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• Subscribe to At Issue & In Focus using Google Reader
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Vera Meyer - Glass Harmonica

The Franklin Historical Museum celebrated Benjamin Franklin's birthday with a musical performance by Vera Meyer on the glass harmonica (invented by Ben in 1761. I'll have a more complete write up on the afternoon during the week. In the meantime, these photos capture the fun of the afternoon.




It was a delight, I hope you enjoy!


Franklin, MA

Quality, Cost, and Purpose: Comparisons of Government and Private Sector Payments for Similar Services

Explore our online budget database Is our research helpful to you? Support our work Contact Info   Noah Berger   President   nberger@massbudget.org   (617) 426-1228 x102   Tom Benner   Communications Director   tbenner@massbudget.org   (617) 426-1228 x100 Quality, Cost, and Purpose: Comparisons of Government and Private Sector Payments for Similar Services   January 23, 2011 A new MassBudget report, Quality, Cost, and Purpose: Comparisons of Government and Private Sector Payments for Similar Services, looks at what our state government pays for early education and care, health care, and education, and compares those costs to what is paid for those services in the private sector.    In providing child care (which Massachusetts calls ''early education and care'' in recognition of the importance of quality early care in the educational development of children) for lower-income working parents, the state purchases care from providers who also provide care to private clients. The rates that the state pays these providers range from 66 percent to 96 percent of the median market rate in different regions of the state.   Our state Medicaid and Commonwealth Care health insurance programs buy health care in the same market as private payers, but pay on average only 80 percent of the rates paid by private payers. Finally, this paper finds that the average cost of public schools, $13,142 per student, is dramatically below the cost of non-religious private schools, which average $32,084 per student -- and generally educate children from less challenging backgrounds. The report, Quality, Cost, and Purpose: Comparisons of Government and Private Sector Payments for Similar Services, is available at www.massbudget.org or by clicking here.                                 - - - - - See MassBudget's Budget Browser to explore Massachusetts state budgets from Fiscal Year 2001 to the present.   MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies, as well as economic issues, with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people.

"Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity"

... people with mental disabilities haven't always had access to such organizations. Those with developmental challenges used to be sequestered to state institutions, or their families had to absorb the stress of caring for them, with parents often divorcing because there was no support network to help, said Michael E. Moloney, Horace Mann's president and CEO.

"We've moved to not only tolerance and acceptance but appreciation of diversity," he said. "People are not hidden away any more. ... In general, people with a disability bring as much to our lives as we do to theirs."

Moloney, a North Attleboro resident, came to Horace Mann 17 years ago after a state job with people who had mental disabilities. He returned briefly to the public sector but has spent much of the past two decades at Horace Mann.

"This has been a phenomenal career field for me," he said. "I've seen what amounted to a social justice movement."

Initially known as the Wrentham Research Foundation, Horace Mann was based on the grounds of the Wrentham Developmental Center, where its primary mission was to conduct research about mental retardation. In 1982, the agency moved to Franklin and was renamed Horace Mann Educational Associates after Horace Mann, an educator who was born in Franklin.

The quote in the title comes from the article and is credited to Franklin's 'Father of Pubilc Education' - Horace Mann.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

The 10th Annual Independence Walk/Run will be held on May 22 centered on the EMC facilities in the Forge Park Industrial Park (behind the Franklin Fire Station #2 on King St). More information on the event can be found here. The road race is 5K and I'll be volunteering at the registration desk for the race.



Franklin, MA

Survey on priorities - remains open until 1/29/11

To say I am disappointed is an understatement. So far there has been only one entry on this survey to develop a listing of priority services that Franklin offers. Come on folks, you can do better than that!



In the January issue of the new Franklin newspaper delivered to your mail box, I wrote about setting priorities for the services that Franklin provides. This survey intends to develop a list of services that you would consider discontinuing and of services that you think we should continue.

The survey will remain open for your input through Saturday, Jan 29th.
The results of the survey will be published Sunday, Jan 30, 2011.

Note: use the scroll bar in form to get to the second question and "Submit".
You can provide an answer for both questions or chose to answer only one question.
For this kind of 'list building' exercise, there is no limit on entries. The survey results will provide two lists for further discussion.





Franklin, MA