Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Voices of Franklin: Sean Donahue - Misinformation Corrected
First, let me start this letter by saying there are Franklin residents who have taken the time to ask questions and learn the facts about the new Franklin High School project and have still decided they are against this project. Whatever their reason may be, they are entitled to that opinion.
Unfortunately, however, there are still many people who are basing their opposition to the project on misinformation, or much worse, know the facts but are purposely spreading false information to try to get other residents to vote no. This has been evidenced in some of the recent letters against the school printed in the Milford Daily News and Franklin Matters.
When Franklin voters cast their ballot on Tuesday, they deserve to have accurate information and should be making an educated decision based on what’s true rather than the recent campaign of misinformation. Those making false claims and exaggerations are doing a disservice to their fellow citizens.
First of all, the claim that a vote “yes” is giving the town a blank check is simply untrue. The ballot question does not contain the price because of state regulations (http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/publ/misc/prop2.pdf ), but the cost is still clearly defined by the Town Council’s binding resolution at $104 million with the state contributing $57 million and the town paying $47 million. This resolution can be found right on the Town Clerk’s website attached to the information on the election (http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/HighSchoolOverride.pdf ).
And yes, that price is binding because of state law, which makes clear that “even though a dollar amount is not included in the referendum question approved by the voters for these projects, the exclusion is not unlimited and does not necessarily cover all cost increases. An exclusion covers the debt service costs on the borrowing amount authorized or contemplated for the described purpose or purposes at the time of the referendum vote. Debt service on any borrowing above that fixed amount is not excluded unless (1) it is a modest amount attributable to inflation, new regulatory requirements or minor project changes, or (2) another exclusion is approved by the voters.” (http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/publ/igr/2002/2002-101.pdf )
In other words, outside of a modest increase due to “inflation, new regulatory requirements or minor project changes”, an increase in cost would require another debt exclusion to be brought before the town. Considering the $104 million total price ($47 million cost to the town) includes $4.5 million in contingencies, it is quite likely the high school project could come in under budget as many of the recent model school projects across the state have.
The total price also includes the cost to replace all the fields and tennis courts, furnish the new building, all the new technology, remove the old high school, and everything else needed for this to be a turn-key project. These costs are NOT in addition to the $104 million total price ($47 million cost to the town) as some have implied.
Another recent letter continually referred to the cost to a homeowner as an additional $360 per year. That is only true if your property is valued at $486,500. For the average homeowner ($352,700), the cost is $260 per year until the debt is paid off in 2040. To calculate the effect on your property tax bill beginning July 1, 2016, take your assessed value, divide it by 1,000 and multiply the result by .74. If your property is worth $100,000, the cost is $74 per year. If it’s $200,000, the cost is $148 per year.
One letter said places like “Boston, Worcester, Lawrence, and Lowell” need the state funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) more than Franklin. Worcester just completed a new high school using heavy MSBA funding. Boston and Lowell each have five or more current projects using MSBA funds. If Franklin votes not to accept the funds, the funds do not go back to the taxpayers; they go to the next town in line, which could just as easily be Newton, Sharon or Wellesley as it could be Lawrence.
Everyone must weigh the costs of this project, but they should also be mindful that after five years of exploring all possibilities of getting the high school where it needs to be for Franklin’s students, both the state and Franklin School Building Committee agreed the Model School program was the best option for the town after renovation prices, even after MSBA reimbursement estimates, came in at nearly the same cost. Building the model school provides us with a structure designed for the future and avoids the issues and distractions renovating an active school would provide.
A “no” vote does not mean the problems go away. The town would have to either address the problems with no state reimbursement (and spend a much higher sum to renovate than the new model school would cost) or get back in line with the MSBA for funds for renovation or another new school proposal and with no guarantee we would ever see such a great reimbursement rate again. Heading back to the MSBA would take years and in addition to delaying providing our students with a 21st century facility or even just full handicap accessibility, the prices are likely to continue to rise.
If as a town we refuse to provide the money needed to take any of the actions needed to correct the issues with the current high school, we should also remember that when a public school system doesn’t keep up with its peers, those that suffer most are the ones on a tight budget who can’t afford to send their children to private schools or move to another community. We need to weigh that as well when considering the sacrifices everyone has to make due to a temporary – albeit 25 year – tax increase.
As one of Franklin’s most celebrated former residents, Horace Mann, once said, “education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.”
I encourage everyone to vote YES, on Tuesday, March 27th, but if you do vote no, please do so with full knowledge of the facts and don’t be misled by the misinformation.
Sean Donahue
Franklin
Unfortunately, however, there are still many people who are basing their opposition to the project on misinformation, or much worse, know the facts but are purposely spreading false information to try to get other residents to vote no. This has been evidenced in some of the recent letters against the school printed in the Milford Daily News and Franklin Matters.
When Franklin voters cast their ballot on Tuesday, they deserve to have accurate information and should be making an educated decision based on what’s true rather than the recent campaign of misinformation. Those making false claims and exaggerations are doing a disservice to their fellow citizens.
First of all, the claim that a vote “yes” is giving the town a blank check is simply untrue. The ballot question does not contain the price because of state regulations (http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/publ/misc/prop2.pdf ), but the cost is still clearly defined by the Town Council’s binding resolution at $104 million with the state contributing $57 million and the town paying $47 million. This resolution can be found right on the Town Clerk’s website attached to the information on the election (http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/HighSchoolOverride.pdf ).
And yes, that price is binding because of state law, which makes clear that “even though a dollar amount is not included in the referendum question approved by the voters for these projects, the exclusion is not unlimited and does not necessarily cover all cost increases. An exclusion covers the debt service costs on the borrowing amount authorized or contemplated for the described purpose or purposes at the time of the referendum vote. Debt service on any borrowing above that fixed amount is not excluded unless (1) it is a modest amount attributable to inflation, new regulatory requirements or minor project changes, or (2) another exclusion is approved by the voters.” (http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/publ/igr/2002/2002-101.pdf )
In other words, outside of a modest increase due to “inflation, new regulatory requirements or minor project changes”, an increase in cost would require another debt exclusion to be brought before the town. Considering the $104 million total price ($47 million cost to the town) includes $4.5 million in contingencies, it is quite likely the high school project could come in under budget as many of the recent model school projects across the state have.
The total price also includes the cost to replace all the fields and tennis courts, furnish the new building, all the new technology, remove the old high school, and everything else needed for this to be a turn-key project. These costs are NOT in addition to the $104 million total price ($47 million cost to the town) as some have implied.
Another recent letter continually referred to the cost to a homeowner as an additional $360 per year. That is only true if your property is valued at $486,500. For the average homeowner ($352,700), the cost is $260 per year until the debt is paid off in 2040. To calculate the effect on your property tax bill beginning July 1, 2016, take your assessed value, divide it by 1,000 and multiply the result by .74. If your property is worth $100,000, the cost is $74 per year. If it’s $200,000, the cost is $148 per year.
One letter said places like “Boston, Worcester, Lawrence, and Lowell” need the state funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) more than Franklin. Worcester just completed a new high school using heavy MSBA funding. Boston and Lowell each have five or more current projects using MSBA funds. If Franklin votes not to accept the funds, the funds do not go back to the taxpayers; they go to the next town in line, which could just as easily be Newton, Sharon or Wellesley as it could be Lawrence.
Everyone must weigh the costs of this project, but they should also be mindful that after five years of exploring all possibilities of getting the high school where it needs to be for Franklin’s students, both the state and Franklin School Building Committee agreed the Model School program was the best option for the town after renovation prices, even after MSBA reimbursement estimates, came in at nearly the same cost. Building the model school provides us with a structure designed for the future and avoids the issues and distractions renovating an active school would provide.
A “no” vote does not mean the problems go away. The town would have to either address the problems with no state reimbursement (and spend a much higher sum to renovate than the new model school would cost) or get back in line with the MSBA for funds for renovation or another new school proposal and with no guarantee we would ever see such a great reimbursement rate again. Heading back to the MSBA would take years and in addition to delaying providing our students with a 21st century facility or even just full handicap accessibility, the prices are likely to continue to rise.
If as a town we refuse to provide the money needed to take any of the actions needed to correct the issues with the current high school, we should also remember that when a public school system doesn’t keep up with its peers, those that suffer most are the ones on a tight budget who can’t afford to send their children to private schools or move to another community. We need to weigh that as well when considering the sacrifices everyone has to make due to a temporary – albeit 25 year – tax increase.
As one of Franklin’s most celebrated former residents, Horace Mann, once said, “education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.”
I encourage everyone to vote YES, on Tuesday, March 27th, but if you do vote no, please do so with full knowledge of the facts and don’t be misled by the misinformation.
Sean Donahue
Franklin
The Cake Bar will be moving to Downtown Franklin
Hey, that sign looks new?
It is. It took the place of the sign for the former Cafe Dolce.
The Cake Bar is currently located on Union near the corner of Cottage and will be moving downtown in early May.
Visit the Cake Bar's website for additional information on the goodies they sell today
http://www.thecakebaronline.com/
VOTE YES Spirit Day
There's only one day left before we can FINALLY VOTE YES for the New FHS!
If you need any last minute information, the home page, Supporters page, Learn the Facts Questions & Answers, and News & Updates page of our web site -- www.newfhs.com -- have all been updated with the latest information and letters to the editor. Thanks again for all of your support!
Remember: Vote YES for FHS. A Real Need. The Right Time.
To spread our energy all over town, the Citizens for a New Franklin High School is staging a VOTE YES Spirit Day! Volunteers will be at the Franklin Village Plaza, Stop & Shop parking lot tomorrow, Monday, March 26th, from 12 to 4 p.m. to help you paint VOTE YES on your car windows in White and Blue!
Take a few minutes Monday to turn your car into a mobile VOTE YES campaign sign, show your support and have some fun! Email photos of your Campaign Car to voteyesforfhs@gmail.com and we'll post them to the campaign's Facebook page www.facebook.com/newfhs.
Remember, VOTE YES on Tuesday, March 27th. We will need every single YES vote. Do NOT assume the debt exclusion will win approval without YOUR VOTE on March 27. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. School is in session and patience will be required due to the expected large turnout, but parking spaces have been reserved for voters. If you are not able to get to the polls Tuesday, you can still vote in person at the Town Clerk's Office until noon, Monday, March 26, by absentee ballot.
If you need any last minute information, the home page, Supporters page, Learn the Facts Questions & Answers, and News & Updates page of our web site -- www.newfhs.com -- have all been updated with the latest information and letters to the editor. Thanks again for all of your support!
Remember: Vote YES for FHS. A Real Need. The Right Time.
“This is probably the cheapest it’s going to be"
Unlike other “vote yes” residents, however, Chaudhury has a unique problem — she’s only 16 years old, and not eligible to vote.
So the Franklin High sophomore began drumming up support among voting-age, 12th-graders at the school. As early as this past winter, she created a Facebook group, emailed teachers, fashioned her own website in support of the debt exclusion and got herself appointed student liaison to Citizens for a New Franklin High School.
“Even before our group was formed she was encouraging people,” said Michael Doherty, chairman for Citizens for a New Franklin High School. “It shows that she cares about her community and wants to have a say in an important decision that our town has to make.”
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x121055476/Franklin-teen-says-Now-is-the-time-for-new-high-school#ixzz1qDHtcWyn
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - 3/27/12
Vision Statement
The Franklin Public Schools will foster within its students the knowledge and skills to find and achieve satisfaction in life as productive global citizens.
Mission Statement
The Franklin Public Schools, in collaboration with the community, will cultivate each student's intellectual, social, emotional and physical potential through rigorous academic inquiry and informed problem solving skills within a safe, nurturing and respectful environment.
"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."
1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the March 13, 2012 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mrs. McIntyre
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence: none
2. Guests/Presentations
a. Plaque for Linda Anderson – Van Driver, Retired
b. Oak Street Update
3. Discussion Only Items
Policy – Second Reading
1. JJ/JJ-E – Co-Curricular and Extracurricular Activities
4. Action Items
a. I recommend approval of the budget transfers as detailed.
b. I recommend adoption of Policy JJ/JJ-E – Co-Curricular and Extracurricular Activities as detailed.
c. I recommend acceptance of a check for $242.20 from Wells Fargo matching gift program: Douglas Lee donor for FHS.
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $8236.75 from the Oak St. PCC for field trips/in-house enrichment as detailed.
e. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1800.00 from the Franklin Music Boosters for in-house enrichment at FHS.
f. I recommend acceptance of a check for $278.62 from Uno Restaurants for Supplies for HMMS.
g. I recommend approval of the RMS field trip to Providence Place Mall on April 13, 2012 as detailed.
h. I recommend approval of the RMS Band’s field trip to RI on April 3, 2012 to play at the New England League of Middle Schools as detailed.
5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports
6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.
7. Executive Session
Review of Minutes
8. Adjourn
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