Teens Set to Run 4th Annual Charity 3v3 Soccer Tournament

The 2013 Soccer for Smiles to be held during school vacation in February promises fun for all participants while supporting a terrific local charity, the Random Smile Project. The Soccer for Smiles team is looking for contributions from local businesses and individuals as well as players from ages 5 to high school. The tournament is round-robin style and will be held February 18th, 19th, and 20th at Carpe Diem Field on 34 Saxon Street in Franklin, MA.

Soccer for Smiles 3v3 Tournament

Soccer for Smiles was formed in 2010 when four teenagers combined their love for soccer with their interest in contributing to the earthquake relief fund in Haiti. Colin Berg (16), Tim LaRowe (15), Alexa Frongillo (16), and Cobi Frongillo (15), coaches at the Franklin Soccer School, came together to plan and host their first charity soccer event. The teens were struck by the devastation faced by the people of Haiti after the earthquake. They realized also that many people in their local community were in need of support and felt that they could make an impact through a fun, athletic event with children. This led them to partner with the Random Smile Project whose mission is to provide a bridge of support to people going through difficult times.

With increasing participation of over 100 young players in each of three years the tournament has been great fun and very productive. Raising over $2,000 for Haiti, they recognized the power of soccer and charity. Over the last two years, the team focused on local charities and each year outpaced the previous year’s income. In 2011, the tournament raised over $4,000 for the Random Smile Project (www.randomsmile.org). In 2012 the group chose beneficiaries of RSP and Team Isabella, helping a local girl and her family; contributions exceeded $5,000.

This year, the organizers of Soccer for Smiles look to go even higher hoping to get more participants over three days. Working again with the Random Smile Project, they aim to raise over $7,500. For more information and registration forms, go to www.franklinsoccerschool.com or email them at tournament@franklinsoccerschool.com .

Franklin Library: Fun Club - Mardi Gras Party

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Fun Club - Mardi Gras Party

via Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library on 2/5/13

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Live reporting - Finance Committee - 2/5/13

Present: Smith, Goldsmith, Dufur, Quinn, Roche, Dewsnap, Feldman, Aparo, Huempfner
Absent: none

Citizens Comments - none

Approval of minutes from Jan 8th, motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0

Action item:
Town Clerk advertising $1,000
proposed to move from free cash

motion to approve from free cash, seconded, passed 9-0

DPW Road Capital Plan
Mike Maglio, Asst Town Engineer

roadway inventory conducted and road ratings created
update the database yearly
determines the capital plan based upon the ratings

206 total miles, approx. 30 miles are unaccepted roadways

approx 23 miles are private roads, with another 18 miles  that are State roads

avg rating for roads is currently 76, would like to get up to about 80. That number tends to be a good one for communities of our size

if we attempted to upgrade all the roads at once, it would cost about $48M

$1.2 M per year would keep us just holding steady
$2.0 M would get us gradually to an 80 rating by 2022


The town is doing a lot of planning that folks don't always see
The Long Range Planning Committee reported that roads were one of the major issues to be addressed.

The DPW does work with the gas company to coordinate road work
There is a bylaw passed a few years ago that once a road was re-built, it is not to be touched (unless an emergency) for five years. 

Trying to narrow the width of the roads to reduce the storm water handling

What has been the average road budget?
Not sure, let me check and get back to you. I have been here year and a half and just gettign into the budget business

Can you explain the accepted road process?
Has to do with the final as-built reports and acceptance by the Town Council
Working to get some of those identified and accepted into the process
We would be plowing and doing that kind of maintenance but not physical road repair work

Most of the paving is through contracts
we'll do some of the smaller tasks but the larger roads are better done by contractors

Q - how did the sidewalks account for so much/
A - can't repair them, mostly replace. Hadn't done this particular slide so not sure exactly what the calculation was

Tabling the OPEB valuation discussion (J Nutting not here)

Susan Gagner - not much to add just yet, the Governor's budget is out and we are scheduled for more local aid, if that holds it is very open to discussion

Intending to get budget at end of March

Per Jeff Roy, there will not be a local aid cut for this fiscal year.

Tri-County assessment is up, we have more kids enrolled there

Special election cost
There will be a primary and election, whether the state picks up the cost is open

Jim Dacey
we may come back to you for an increase in the processing of the parking tickets
have written only $20K of tickets, had budgeted only $3K for the processing
will be looking to see what it will be before year end and may come back in Apr/May with a number that should be good

Excise tax bills will be going out next Monday


Annual report will be reviewed at the Town Council meeting
Management letter to be addressed regarding action items
esp. a policy for fund balances

May be a requirement to put the unfunded pension liability on the balance sheet
The county has not presented that number to us
it will be interesting to see, all net assets will go down when it is added

Clarification on the asset versus liability and the balance sheet
we are funding the liability but not booking it (pension)
we are not funding the liability (OPEB) but booking

motion to adjourn

Franklin Historical Museum: All Aboard!

ALL ABOARD!

The Franklin Historical Museum will host a talk on the history of the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, SNETT.

Guest Speaker Ron Clough of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation will give a presentation and discuss the history of SNETT which was designated as part of the National Recreation Trail in 1994.

Franklin Station

Join us for an informative look at the Southern New England Railway and trains in Franklin’s history, and learn about the ‘Ghost Train’.

Sunday February 17 @ 1:00pm, 80 West Central Street, Franklin

The science of NFL Football

The Library at Dean College has started publishing a blog. Their most recent post shares a series of videos produced by NBC on the "Science of NFL Football". Just because the Super Bowl has officially ended the season doesn't mean there is no more football!

Queue the videos!

You can find the series of 10 short (about 3-4 minute) videos here:
http://www.nbclearn.com/nfl

They don't provide a way to embed the video so you will need to follow the link. For school teachers to leverage this for their classes, there is a way to login via Blackboard and download the videos for free.


Links:

The Dean College Library blog:  http://deancultureconnect.wordpress.com/

The Dean College Library post on the football videos
http://deancultureconnect.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/the-science-of-nfl-football/

The Science of NFL Football series
http://www.nbclearn.com/nfl


These videos and more are also available at http://science360.gov/files/ (search for "football"). Note I did not have success in actually viewing the videos on this site. They seemed to take forever 'loading'.

Rep Jeffrey Roy - Office Hours

State Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin) announced today that constituent office hours will be held as follows:

Medway – Tuesday Feb 5th = 8:00 AM at the Medway Municipal Building, 155 Village Street, Sanford Hall, 2nd floor, Medway, MA

Franklin – Saturday 16th = 9:00 AM at the Cake Bar, 17 East Central Street, Franklin, MA (Parking on street & in the rear)

Medway – Wednesday 27th = 6:00 PM at Starbucks, 67 Main Street, Medway, MA 02053

Christopher Yancich, his legislative aide, will be accompanying him.

Representative Roy stated that all office hours are open to any residents of Franklin and Medway who may have questions or concerns that they wish to bring to his attention. Walk-ins are welcome, no appointment necessary. He looks forward to hearing from you.

He also invites all constituents to call him at his State House office at (617) 722-2425, stop by Room 437 in the State House, or email him at Jeffrey.Roy@MAhouse.gov.

House rejects governor's call for local aid cut

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House rejects governor's call for local aid cut

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 2/4/13

The House today rejected Gov. Deval Patrick's request for the power to make a 1 percent local aid cut and advanced legislation aimed at snapping this year's budget back into balance.

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