We need your help for Build Day!

Hello everyone,

The first ever Franklin Community Garden is happening and we are full steam ahead.  We are building the 46 beds this Saturday, May 7th and we need your help! We will build them and then fill them up with that gorgeous soil!  There are two 3-hour shifts to choose from unless you want to help the whole day!  No amazing "building skills" required.  All the wood will be pre-cut, so if you know how to hold a piece of wood, then you are skilled enough to come help!

Click this link: https://spreadsheets0.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dFFBSGhPMWFXdG5kTl9faXFGS3lCLWc6MQ  OR visit www.franklincommunitygardens.org to sign up by clicking the word "Form".

Hope to see you this Saturday to help make Franklin an even greener place!

In health and sawdust,

Franklin Community Gardens

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

Library updates

New Items April 2011

from Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library

New Children's Items April 2011

from Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library

One Book One Community

from Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library

Franklin, MA

"everyone calls us for everything that goes wrong"

"We've turned into a reactive department" he said, adding, "What else are we not going to respond to? If you had a break-in with no evidence left, do we even respond (or take information over the phone instead)?" 

Franklin's police force had 54 officer positions about 10 years ago but will drop to 43 officers after two officers are cut in fiscal 2012, Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said. One position is already vacant and Nutting said he anticipates the other position will be vacated before the end of the fiscal year. 

Nutting's proposed $89.2 million town budget cuts more than 31 positions overall, including the two officers, 14.3 school positions, two firefighters, four Department of Public Works positions and 5.5 library jobs. The budget represents a 1.4 percent increase over this year's $88 million budget. 

Cuts have to be made despite the budget going up due to decreased state aid (down about $300,000), decreased local revenue (down about $200,000), a loss of about $2 million in stimulus funds, increases in health insurance costs (up about 12 percent) and increased contractual obligations.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1760690098/Move-to-avoid-cutting-Franklin-Police-snuffed#ixzz1LNJJA5Zb

The Budget hearings will resume Thursday, May 5.

Results of the Budget hearing on Monday evening are contained here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/05/obviously-its-continued-struggle.html


Franklin, MA

In the News - Art, Leaders, Summer program

Franklin Art Association hosts spring art show

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Young leaders honored at Tri-County in Franklin

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin schools to offer summer art programs

by Staff reports

Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda - May 3, 2011

The Finance Committee continues their series of budget hearings on the Fiscal 2012 budget Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM. The department budgets scheduled to be reviewed are contained in the document shown here.

An anonymous commenter on the Milford Daily News has already stated "Cut until someone in a town job actually has to go home tired." This is your town, these are your services. Get informed. These are your choices to make.

FinCom Agenda 5/03/2011



Franklin, MA

"Obviously, it's a continued struggle"

Last night, leaders of the administrative, comptroller treasurer/collector, town clerk and planning departments explained how reduced clerical support could result in longer waiting times, delays in providing services and reduced office hours. Those departments - coupled with the legal, human resources and inspection departments - will lose hours that combined will total the equivalent of one position. 

"We don't want to close the office, but I can envision that if something comes up and someone is out (sick) there's no way we're going to stay open," Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri said. 

Planning Director Bryan Taberner said he would normally write five or six grant proposals in six months, but only anticipates completing two with the reduced staff. 

"In 2009 I probably spent 50 percent of my time on economic development (activities)," Taberner said. "I don't do more than half-a-day a week now."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1870097509/Franklin-budget-would-cut-31-jobs#ixzz1LHQ2pBNl

Budget hearings continue Tues May 3, 7:00 PM, and Thu, May 5 also at 7:00 PM.



Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda - May 2, 2011

The agenda document for the Finance Committee meeting Monday, May 2. This is the first of a series of budget hearings for the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. The fiscal year begins July 1, 2011 and ends June 30, 2012.


FinCom Agenda 05022011



Franklin, MA