These buds are for you

The photos from several weeks ago showed trees in all their bareness. The trees these past two weeks are beginning to bud. The buds are opening. Soon the world will be more green as the leaves open.

budding tree - 1

forsythia

budding tree - 2

budding tree - 3

Do you have photos of buds to share?

Book Drive: Milford 99 - May 17-18

Book Drive - Milford 99 - May 17-18

Stop by the 99 in Milford on May 17th and 18th from 11am-4pm and check out our Book Drive to benefit The Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund.

Lots of amazing books available to get you ready for your Memorial Day Trip reading pleasure!

Stock up on our summer reading material!

Toddler books, Children's books, teenage reading, Novels, books on travel, ...self-help books...the list goes on!

Wonderful author's such as:

• James Patterson
• Steven King
• John Grisham
• Danielle Steel to just name a few.

Stock up for summer! Find summer reading material for your students. Come check us out! We have LOADS of books!

We will also be collecting returnable cans and bottles at this time.

All proceeds from the Book Drive & Bottle and Can collection will be donated to The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund.

Last year we raised $7,000. Help us reach our goal of $10,000 this year.

Via  https://www.facebook.com/events/671104832957396/

Analyzing the House Budget for FY 2015

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. The House Budget for FY 2015: Analysis of Amendments Adopted During Debate   During three days of budget debate the House made only modest changes to the budget put forward by the Ways and Means Committee. These changes are detailed in our full Budget Monitor. Overall, the House added $143.9 million in amendments, about a third of one percent of the budget. The final House budget, like the Governor's proposal, makes incremental efforts to address major challenges, but does not make the type of substantial progress in expanding opportunity in all of our communities that could be achieved with new revenue invested effectively. The House adopted amendments affecting most areas of the budget, including the following:  Child Welfare received an additional $7.7 million in funding, mostly to support the hiring of additional social workers. This should allow reductions in the number of cases each worker needs to manage and therefore increase the department's capacity to protect vulnerable children. This is a step forward. But it is only one of many steps that would be needed to support all of our families in crisis, protect all of our vulnerable children, and give them the opportunity to thrive. The final funding level in the House is essentially the same as that proposed by the Governor in January.   Youth Jobs and related programs received $6.2 million in increased funding during floor debate. The total funding level for these programs in the final House budget, however, remains $7.7 million below current funding levels.   MassHealth received an additional $44 million during floor debate, directed to increasing reimbursement for the state's safety net hospitals that serve large numbers of low-income patients, and for nursing homes. The federal government will reimburse Massachusetts for half of this total.  For detail on the most significant changes between the Ways and Means budget proposal and the final House version, please read our full Budget Monitor HERE.   The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Privacy Policy. Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

What are you doing June 16? Join the United Chamber on the links!

The United Regional  Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament  ************************************************************************************************************************************ June 16 - Franklin Country Club  672 E. Central St., Franklin   What's Included: 18-holes of Golf, Cart, Lunch, Dinner, Raffles and More Important Times: 11 a.m. Registration 11:30 a.m. Putting Contest, Rules & Cart Pick-Up  Noon Shotgun Start 5 p.m. Dinner, Awards & Raffles     Cost:  $185, or $210 with player passport before June 3                                          Download the Registration Form or Call: 508-222-0801 or 508-528-2800     Thank You to These Generous Sponsors:        More Sponsorships are Available. ************************************************************************************************************************************

Forward email The United Regional Chamber of Commerce | 42 Union Street | Attleboro | MA | 02703

Live reporting: Finance Committee - May 6, 2014

Present: Dowd, Conley, Fleming, Dufour, Aparo, Heumpher, Quinn
Absent: Dewsnap, Smith


motion to accept meeting minutes from prior meetings, seconded and passed 7-0


Items for Action:
Snow and Ice Transfer

• motion to appropriate $280,000 from free cash for this; seconded, passed 7-0

Recreation Transfer
need some fund to balance the expense side of the budget, increased revenue is coming due to increase participation; this amount finishes this fiscal year

• motion to appropriate $7,000 from free cash; seconded, passed 7-0 

Wachusett/Upper Union St. house demolition transfer
transfer of funds from account previously set for the Beaver St house demolition

• motion to transfer $15,000 from the Beaver St account, seconded, passed 7-0

Central Services Transfer
postage increase in January, and increased notifications via certified mail to abutters for Zoning Board, etc.

motion to appropriate $10,000 from free cash; seconded, passed 7-0


Old Business
thanks for the work on the budget, it passed successfully


New Business
1 - Oct 18th annual Finance meetings

2 - Looking to go to the Town Council in June for $1M for the project manger and start up of the Library project; right now everyone is out straight with the high school building

Conversations around town asking why add space to the library when with the advent of ebooks books may not be around for ever

Intent to bring the Library folks here for the June meeting to answer all the questions around what the proposals

bathrooms, meeting space, conceptual design, the building committee would put together the actual plan
undersized and over utilized, the Library Board can come to review all the details
these are good questions

libraries are evolving, programs and education, museum passes, etc. are also there

3 - also to ask the Town Council to consider putting on a dedicated override for the road in the November election. would also be on the June agenda

4 - Franklin is now officially on Twitter (as of last week)
another channel for communications

5 - downtown project contracts sent out to the contractor, hopefully in June... received the money in 2009 but haven't spent it yet.

Tentative ribbon cutting for DelCarte Jun 4th at 5:00 PM
No date yet for the Sculpture Park

Construction - Lincoln street should start after school gets out

Sep 20 - tours, Sep 21 - grand opening
Sometime in June final walk through for old high school

old school starts coming down after school gets out in June
whole school should be down by Labor Day, then the fields and roadway gets to the completion



Adjournment
motion to adjourn, seconded, passed 7-0

Healthy Kids Day - Stuff the Truck

The Franklin Food Pantry participated in the Healthy Kids Day at Patriot Place on Saturday, May 3

Healthy Kids Day

Coordinated by the Hockomock YMCA as part of Healthy Futures, the event had activities for kids of all ages. Displays from multiple companies and organizations shared information and more about health.

Panorama of the Healthy Kids Day

The Franklin Food Pantry was visible in a prime location.

Panorama 2 of Healthy Kids Day

 The folks with Stop and Shop helped to fill the truck by donating about 40 cases of water and several cases of snack bars.

Left to right: Marissa Garofano, Bob Hamilton, Patty Hartnett, Kristy Brousseau, Stephanie Joyce,
Mark Lavallee, David and Susan Strittmatter

Healthy Futures Coordinator Marissa Garofano posed with Food Pantry Board Members Bob Hamilton and Mark Lavallee, Stop and Shop volunteers Kristy Brousseau and Stephanie Joyce, along with Food Pantry volunteers Patty Hartnett, David and Susan Strittmatter with the almost stuffed Food Pantry truck.

Stamp Out Hunger - May 10

Now's the time to fill your food donation bag and get ready for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 10. Just leave your bag of non-perishables by your mailbox on May 10 and the Franklin letter carriers will pick it up and deliver it to the Franklin Food Pantry. For more information, including a list of items most needed by the Food Pantry, visit here.

Show your support for the Franklin Food Pantry and the Franklin letter carriers in the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive by changing your Facebook profile photo this week to the campaign’s logo!

Stamp Out Hunger - May 10

The current needs of the Franklin Food Pantry
http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/04/franklin-letter-carriers-help-franklin.html

Additional info on the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive   http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/