Franklin Matters

Sunday, April 8, 2012

"These are not new challenges for Massachusetts"

As we get into the annual budget season, one factor driving up the cost of education is the cost of delivering services for the special education students. The Milford Daily News devotes a long article to a recap of this issue and the state's underfunding of the costs back to the local school districts.

The state funding of special education was raised in a MassBudget report posted here recently
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/03/new-massbudget-video-discusses.html

The Marlborough School Department Finance Director Adam Olivere said that because special education costs have risen so dramatically, there is an underfunding in the foundation budget, which is calculated using the average cost-per-pupil, enrollment, and inflation. Costs are rising at a much greater rate than funding each year.

“The state uses a percentage around 5 perfect to determine what the increase in costs should be, when in actuality, special education costs are increasing as much as 15 or 20 percent each year,” Olivere said. “The foundation budget underfunds special education costs by about $1 billion, and that affects net school funding.”

Meanwhile, the federal government has never lived up to a promise 40 years ago to cover 40 percent of the excess cost of educating students with special needs.

“The brunt of it still is falling on the local schools to fund out of their own resources,” said Rich Robison, executive director of the Federation for Children with Special Needs and a member of the Sudbury School Committee.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x826306718/More-students-complex-needs-higher-costs-in-special-education#ixzz1rRVln8jj

The 2011-2012 School Budget for Franklin highlights special education as one of the factors increasing the cost of education. Additional information on the FY 2012 Budget for Franklin is collected here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/01/fiscal-year-2012-budget-information.html

Karen Spilka: A decade at the State House

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Karen Spilka: A decade at the State House

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff on 4/7/12

Karen Spilka takes pride in her relentless approach to her job representing the Second Middlesex and Norfolk District in the state Senate. "Patience and perseverance" are two important qualities one needs to have to be a legislator, Spilka said.

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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Franklin at night

I stopped at the triangle downtown to snap this photo when walking back from the Food Pantry after a Board Meeting the other night.

It was quiet. The buds have changed to blossoms this week.

If you would like to share a photo of spring around Franklin you can send it via email to shersteve.fmnews@blogger.com or post it to the Franklin Matters Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/franklinmatters

Water Restrictions begin Apr 17

The lack of precipitation during the winter (was there a winter?) and lack of rain this spring is not helping the situation. In either case, the annual water restrictions imposed by the Commonwealth of MA being ot take effect on Tuesday April 17.

Details are contained in this notice originally published on the Franklin webpage
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/0188C918-000F8513

Franklin Water Restrictions 2012

FYI: Route 140 Construction

Hello this is Brutus Cantoreggi, your DPW director calling with an important message about road work on West Central Street.

This Monday, April 9th, the replacement of a waterline and roadway improvements will commence on West Central St in the vicinity of the Franklin Municipal building and near the McDonald's restaurant. This work will last around 6 weeks. During this time traffic will be reduced to one lane. The work will not begin until 9AM after rush hour and will stop by 4PM. There maybe some nighttime work.

This work will cause traffic delays, so please allow extra time and drive carefully when in the construction area.

We apologize for any inconvenience to residents and business located in the area. More information can be found on the Town's website or feel free to contact the Franklin DPW at 508-520-4910

Once again, thank you for your patience while we make improvements to your water and roadway systems.

To listen to the above message, you will need audio software and speakers on your computer.

This e-mail has been sent to you by TOWN OF FRANKLIN. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message. If you wish to discontinue this service, please inform TOWN OF FRANKLIN either IN PERSON, by US MAIL, or by TELEPHONE at (508) 520-4938. THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS IS NOT MONITORED. Please do not reply to this e-mail as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

To subscribe to receive this type of news alert directly visit this page on the Franklin website

http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/subscriber-news

Friday, April 6, 2012

"information we’re going to use”

“Franklin gets it,” state Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said. “It knows what it’s doing and it knows what businesses need.”

She and state Rep. James Vallee, D-Franklin, spoke at the 2 ½ hour session.

The summit was held at Tegra Medical in Forge Park, one of Franklin’s three touted industrial parks, meant to accommodate businesses while balancing residential needs.

Jones said that high technology and biotechnology businesses, like those Franklin has begun to attract, have job openings, but that most applicants are not qualified to do the jobs.