Franklin Matters

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

In the News: fire, fraud, culture, time

$30K in damage estimated after Franklin house catches fire

by Alison McCall/Daily News staff

Franklin man arraigned in prescription fraud case

by Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Franklin Cultural Council accepting applications

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

GUEST SPEAKER: Not the Right Time for a New Franklin High

by Shawn Kenner/FRANKLIN

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

"we're at the point where that's no longer possible"

But the budget cuts that took effect July 1 caused the department to drop from 10 on-duty firefighters to nine. Three firefighters are left in the King Street station on a fire engine, but everyone else has been moved into the downtown station, which, Allen said, has caused problems already.

"Am I concerned? Absolutely. I continue to advocate the best system is an ambulance and an engine in each fire station," Fire Chief Gary McCarraher said at the Sept. 14 Town Council meeting. "We can't afford that right now, and we're doing the best we can with what we've got."

At that meeting, McCarraher said response times could be delayed, but he does not have conclusive evidence yet after going through less than two months of data.

"The simple, brass tacks are we have been cut year after year," Allen said. "We need the public to know that we are having a difficult time helping them."

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From TakePart "How to Help Hunger Awareness Month"

"We will put those numbers out to the public as soon as they're available"

"I think it's a really well thought-out and efficient design," said Sabolinski, adding that the building will also save money in heating bills and other operational costs. "We're not building something just for today. I think it's very utilitarian and it ... will also stand the test of time."

The first suggestion the School Building Committee gave was that space, including larger classrooms, be added throughout the design, since Whitman-Hanson has 1,350 students, and Franklin has 1,650.

The School Building Committee-approved modification that received the most discussion was the gymnasium, which would replace the current field house. The field house is 30,000 square feet, Ai3 principal architect Scott Dunlap said, although it has only 22,000 square feet of usable space. The gymnasium in the proposed new school could have 23,000 square feet of usable space.

Franklin, Marlborough charter schools earn MCAS kudos

"Benjamin Franklin Classical in Franklin was noted for its Grade 8 English scores."

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Franklin, Marlborough charter schools earn MCAS kudos

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Staff reports on 9/26/11

Franklin and Marlborough charter schools are among the 15 charter public schools ranked Number 1 in the state on various 2011 MCAS tests, according to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data released today.

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Senate Adopts Spilka's Amendments to Protect Local Communities

SENATE ADOPTS SPILKA'S AMENDMENTS TO PROTECT LOCAL COMMUNITIES

(BOSTON) – The Senate began debating the bill to expand gaming in the Commonwealth and during today's session, two of Senator Karen Spilka's (D-Ashland) amendments aimed at strengthening safeguards and providing additional protections for surrounding communities were adopted.

"I have filed these amendments to make sure the needs of surrounding communities are better addressed and understood so we can have the best possible outcome for our towns, our residents, and the Commonwealth as a whole," said Spilka. "And as the debate continues, I will continue to fight to protect and support my district's residents, communities, neighborhoods, and local businesses."

The first amendment adopted makes clear that the initial studies an applicant is required to provide to the Gaming Commission would not be deemed to prevent the need for corresponding studies and reports prepared for host or surrounding communities. Host and surrounding communities will be significantly impacted and this amendment ensures that a municipality has the ability to receive additional studies on these impacts from the Commission or gaming applicant that they need to fairly negotiate agreements.

The second amendment adopted authorizes the Commission to provide for reasonable costs of negotiating agreements between municipalities and applicants – the Commission may require applicants to pay these costs. Since the negotiation process can be burdensome, complex, and expensive for host and surrounding communities, this will give them the tools they need to ensure effective and fair representation.

Spilka has already fought hard to include protections for communities that find themselves impacted by another community's choice to host a gambling facility in the current version of the bill. After hearing from and discussing this issue with many of her constituents and local officials, Spilka submitted amendments to strengthen these community safeguards and ensure that surrounding communities and the public are involved in the entire process.
Highlights of Additional Amendments filed by Senator Spilka:

· Changing the definition of "surrounding communities" to ensure fairness to all impacted communities and to give them a seat at the table during the process;

· Giving surrounding communities and substantially impacted communities the ability to vote – not just host communities;

· Ensuring public sentiment is taken into consideration by requiring the Gaming Commission to consider the public support or opposition in the host and surrounding communities;

· Increasing surrounding community involvement in the long term mitigation process by allowing each Local Community Mitigation Advisory Committee to appoint one member to the Subcommittee on Community Mitigation – which currently only has representatives from the host communities;

"Working on my constituents' behalf to further strengthen our communities is the reason I get up in the morning and their priorities come first," said Spilka. "These amendments were submitted with the needs and concerns of my constituents foremost in my mind."

The Senate will resume debate Tuesday, September 27^th in the afternoon.