Franklin Matters

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Support of the People’s Rights Amendment

The appeal to the Citizens United decision is on the agenda for the Town Council meeting on Weds May 16, 2012. This video clip provides a quick summary:

This PDF provides a summary of a survey on this issue

You can get additional information on the website http://freespeechforpeople.org/

or their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Speech-For-People/140474869352859

Page 17 starts the documents included in the Town Council agenda for Weds May 16
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/05162012.pdf

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - May 16

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
February 1, 2012, February 15, 2012

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
This meeting is being recorded by Verizon, Comcast, and Franklin Matters

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
Proclamation, Andrew E. Bissanti

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

F. HEARINGS
Alcoholic Beverage License - Failure to Pass Compliance Check – Bamboo House – 7:10 PM

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 12-32: Order Dedicating Town-Owned Land at 459 Pleasant Street for Use As A Public Playground or Recreation Centre
2. Resolution 12-33: Expressing the Sense of the Franklin Town Council in Support of the People’s Rights Amendment
3. Resolution 12-34: Acceptance of Gift – Town of Franklin Council on Aging
4. Bylaw Amendment 12-683: Amendment to Chapter 170, Vehicles and Traffic, §19.B – 1st Reading
5. Bylaw Amendment 12-684:Amendment to Chapter 82, Appendix A, List of Service Fee Rates – 1st Reading

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN

The full set of documents for this agenda can be found on the Franklin website
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/5-16-2012.pdf

“It’s a very positive program"

“I think it’s very important,” Dahlstrom, the town’s planner, said of ensuring residents can walk around town. “We’re obviously not an urban center but we do pretty well. I find it’s very easy to get from Point A to Point B.”

Dahlstrom hopes an initiative by a Boston-based walking advocacy organization to expand outside of Boston and its surrounding communities into the suburbs will help more people realize they can walk around their town.

The organization, walkBoston, through a grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation is working with officials in Franklin, Northborough and Milford to identify walkable areas and map out routes that show the distance and time to walk between shops, historical landmarks, schools and other destinations.

"Dean has prepared me for what’s next"

“Dean College showed me acceptance when other schools didn’t,” said O’Reilly, who majored in theater. “I’m proud of this school. I’m proud I came to this school, and I’m proud of what I’ve done at this school.”

More than 300 Bulldogs dressed in burgundy gowns received associate and bachelor degrees yesterday morning at Dean College’s 146th commencement ceremony.

The college added its first bachelor of arts program in 2007, and by 2010 it offered several four-year programs in business, theater and liberal arts.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Things to do today in Franklin

An Introduction to Gardening and Garden Planning
9:30 am to 11:30 am
By the Franklin Community Garden at the YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/franklin-community-garden-update.html

Stamp Out Hunger food drive
Timed with you mail delivery
Leave out a bag for your mail carrier with food or non-food items. They will pick it up on the mail delivery rounds today and bring it to the Franklin Food Pantry.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/stamp-out-hunger-sat-may-12.html

Cub Scout Recycle Shoe drive
2:00 to 4:00 PM

Fletcher Field on Peck Street
Dacey Community Fields on Lincoln Street (from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
King Street Memorial Park on King Street
Beaver Pond on Beaver Street
Town Common across from St. Mary’s Church

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/franklin-cub-scouts-looking-for-shoes.html

"everybody knows where we are"

“That shouldn’t have happened last year,” Town Council Chairman Robert Vallee said, of the Town Council cut.

To prevent a similar scene, the School Committee and Town Council have been meeting regularly as the Joint Budget Subcommittee to provide each other updates on budget needs and financial limits.

“There’s more communication, more open communication, between the School Committee and the Town Council,” Vallee said. “There’s nothing (in the fiscal 2013 budget) that will come up that will make the councilors attack the School Department for any reason whatsoever, nothing controversial.”

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x775168158/Franklin-officials-hope-to-avoid-budget-showdowns-this-year#ixzz1ued22sgs

The Town Council will hold their budget hearings on Weds May 23 and Thu May 24.

The budget documents can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/04/franklin-ma-fy-2013-budget-documents.html

The Finance Committee budget hearings
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/04/fincom-fy-2013-budget-hearings.html

Friday, May 11, 2012

“You get to share stuff"

Seven sets of twins at the same school? in the same kindergarten grade?

Parmenter Principal Tom Morris said that, while twins aren’t necessarily uncommon in schools, he hasn’t seen such a large number of them in the same grade in his more than 20 years in education.

“Having so many here this year has been interesting for us,” Morris said. Chuckling, he added, “It can be hard for a principal to learn names when you have kids who look exactly alike.”

Fortunately for Morris, most of the twins have been split up, not sharing a teacher.

Despite living in close proximity to one another, none of the parents of the 14 students were aware of this anomaly until they signed their children up for school over the summer, they said.