Franklin Matters

Friday, August 21, 2015

Good news on the DelCarte Playground - reopens Saturday, Aug 22

Steve

They are finishing the repairs to the Del Carte Playground and it will reopen on Saturday. Please spread the word

Jeff Nutting
Franklin Town Administrator

So the kids will be able to play again on Saturday, August 22

DelCarte playground

FSPA: Back to School Open Houses

The Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) will hold Back-to-School Open Houses for prospective students and families on

August 26 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

August 29 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

September 1 and 3 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

September 12 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

September 16 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

at 38 Main Street in downtown Franklin. The community is invited to tour the facilities, speak with faculty and staff, and learn more about FSPA programs in music, dance, and drama. Prospective students are also encouraged to try a complimentary class.

Franklin School for the Performing Arts

Celebrating a milestone 30th anniversary season, FSPA has been dedicated to the enjoyment of the arts for all ages and to the artistic growth and development of young people. Founded in 1985 by Director Raye Lynn Mercer, FSPA offers an extensive roster of classes in all dance disciplines, acting, musical theater, voice, and instrumental instruction.

FSPA is also home to the Little Music School, an innovative program that teaches children as young as 18 months to play the piano. An unparalleled calendar of performing opportunities features all-student musicals, plays, voice and instrumental recitals, opera scenes, acoustic coffee houses, musical theater showcases, performing troupes, dance companies, a classical ballet variations ensemble, and instrumental ensembles. Many FSPA students also participate, by audition, in the affiliated Franklin Performing Arts Company’s annual season of shows.

Fall registration is ongoing. For more information, including class schedule and catalogue, call (508) 528-8668 or visit online at www.FSPAonline.com.

"more details about the program will be determined in the fall"

This summer, the state Department of Housing and Economic Development awarded $894,082 in total to the towns of Franklin, Bellingham and Hopedale for housing rehabilitation and fuel assistance.

Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said the money will allow needy families to complete necessary home repairs.

"It's to provide housing rehabilitation on an emergency basis," he said.

He said, as an example, that a homeowner in need of $10,000 to repair a roof could apply through the program, and would not need to pay the money back, as long as they continue to own the house for a set length of time.

Nutting said this is not Franklin's first experience with a housing rehabilitation program.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150820/NEWS/150829056/1994/NEWS

The full set of notes from the Aug 5 Town Council meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/08/community-takes-exceptions-to-councilor.html

corner of Emmons St and West Central street under construction for the downtown improvement project

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Franklin TV presents Dr John Kelly's talk for the S.A.F.E. Coalition meeting (video)

Franklin TV has made the video of Dr John Kelly's talk for the S.A.F.E. Coalition meeting at Franklin High School on Aug 12, 2015 available for your viewing pleasure.

The audio of the full meeting has been made available in two parts
Part 1 - Dr Kelly's talk
Part 2 - The panel and audience Q&A

The live reporting from this meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/08/live-reporting-safe-community-meeting.html

S.A.F.E. Coalition meeting - Panel with Q&A session (audio recording)

FM #113

The second of 2 parts to the recording of the SAFE Coalition meeting at Franklin High School on Aug 12, 2015. The first part has the presentation by Dr John Kelly. This second part has the panel discussion and audience Q&A.

Note: the volume may need to be adjusted from one speaker to another. While the audio quality is good, the variation between speakers may require an adjustment.

The live reporting from this meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/08/live-reporting-safe-community-meeting.html

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As I close this special session, let me remind you that

If you like what I am doing here, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don’t like something, please tell me

It is through this feedback loop that you can help me improve the information I provide for you.

Thank you for listening!

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission

I hope you enjoy!

You can also subscribe and listen to the audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

The Spectra Access Northeast project is back - meeting 8/20 from 7-9p at the First Universalist Society

Via Monica Linden:

The Spectra Access Northeast project is back - and planning to build a pipeline right through Franklin and neighboring towns. If you'd like to get more information to stop this pipeline (or if you are a concerned potential abutter - if so, you've probably been contacted by Spectra already) there's a meeting on Thursday 8/20 from 7-9p at the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut St. (Also, I'm wondering what any of the town council candidates think about this, and how they might help those of us who might be directly affected!)

Via the Milford Daily News:

The project is in the early planning stages and hasn’t yet entered the federal permitting process, according to Spectra spokesman Arthur Diestel.

The project aims to bring about 5,000 megawatts of power to 70 percent of New England’s gas-fired power plants. In the works for 2017, Spectra bills the new infrastructure as a way to lower electricity rates as early as winter 2018.

Local activists say that’s false advertising. Citing environmental concerns, worry the rate payers will foot part of the $3 billion project through their utility bills, and the fear rates may increase as Spectra uses the pipeline to export gas to Canada, the consumers’ interest may not be so dear to the company’s heart, according to a flyer circulated by the group, which has yet to take an official name.

“They’re in it to make a buck on our backs and I don't trust it's going to lower costs,” said Gail Chirdon, a Franklin resident active in fighting the Atlantic Bridge Pipeline proposal, abandoned by Spectra in late May.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150820/NEWS/150829529/1994/NEWS

About the project:

"The beauty of the Access Northeast project is that very little “greenfield” or pipeline construction through areas where pipelines don’t exist is required. The stiff resistance to the Kinder Morgan TGP NED project largely comes from communities that don’t want new pipeline cutting through the area. Can New England support two new massive pipeline projects–both Access Northeast and NED? From a purely economic standpoint–would both projects make their respective investors/companies money and be profitable–we suspect the answer is yes. But from a political viewpoint–can you sell both projects to liberal, fossil fuel-hating New Englanders? Probably not. We suspect only one of these projects will survive. With an alliance of different partners, locking up much of the electrical generating customers in the region, and very little greenfield construction required–Access Northeast increasingly looks promising to be the winner."

http://marcellusdrilling.com/2015/02/access-northeast-pipeline-pulling-ahead-of-kinders-ned-project/