Dean College buys Franklin Center Commons II

MassDevelopment has issued a $4.5 million tax-exempt bond on behalf of Dean College, a Franklin school that will use bond proceeds to buy Franklin Center Commons II, a 36,000-square-foot, three-story building at 17 East Central Street. The first floor of the building houses retail businesses and the second and third floors consist of 21 apartments. The college had leased the second and third floor of the building, which is less than one-quarter mile away from the campus, to house 75 students and one residence director. The college expects the project will create 15 jobs. Citizens Bank purchased the bond.

“The purchase of Franklin Center Commons II will help to ensure that Dean College has an adequate supply of safe, convenient student housing for years to come,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones. “MassDevelopment is pleased to support Dean College as it increases housing options for its growing student body.” 

“Dean College is proud to partner with MassDevelopment for the purchase of Franklin Center Commons II,” said Vice President of Financial Services and Treasurer of Dean College Daniel Modelane. “This facility is a key to our success as we continue to grow our junior and senior students. In addition, we believe that mixed use of retail and housing will continue to add to the revitalization of downtown Franklin.”

Dean College, Franklin, MA

About MassDevelopment

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2014, MassDevelopment financed or managed 314 projects generating investment of more than $2.9 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create more than 6,300 jobs and build or rehabilitate more than 1,600 residential units.

About Dean College

Founded in 1865, Dean College is a private residential college that creates and cultivates an environment of academic and personal success. The Dean Difference emphasizes quality teaching, personalized academic support, leadership opportunities, and professional development, promoting a lifetime of learning and achievement. Today, Dean serves more than 1,000 full-time students and nearly 300 part-time students, for a total enrollment of almost 1,400 and more than 25,000 alumni.

Franklin Candidate for Town Clerk - Diane Padula-O'Neill

Diane Padula-O'Neill and I sat down at Panera recently. This is the summary of our conversation about her candidacy for Town Clerk.

FM - What is your Franklin story?

Padula-O'Neill - I was born and raised in Franklin, along with my two sisters Darlene Denommee and Denise DePedro, by our parents John R. Padula and the late Sheila (Spadoni) Padula. I currently live in Franklin with my husband Stephen and my four stepchildren.

I started at Dean Bank in a traveling role in 2002. With my personality and previous business and banking knowledge, I could easily bring myself to other branches and I fit in well. Within my first year, I was chosen to become Dean Bank's Electronic Services Coordinator and have been in this position 13 years. In this job I have learned both the service and backend of the online and telephone banking products as well as ATM and Point of Sale, making me the primary contact for both customers and Customer Service Rep's in the Dean Bank's Operations Department.

It was not long after settling into this position that I made the decision to go back to school and eventually graduating from Dean College in 2006 with an Associate Degree in Business and going on to Emmanuel College to earn my Bachelor's Degree in Business in 2011. It took me a bit longer than I originally anticipated as I received a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2007 and needed time off for surgery, radiation treatments and to take care of myself. I had met my husband only one year prior but knew he was a keeper soon after my diagnosis. Through it all, I had the love and support of my family, friends and my employer who directly contributed to my success and I am stronger today because of it. 

My parents were greatest examples and taught me the importance of getting involved, investing in our youth and community. For many years I coached both Pop Warner and High School Cheerleading and participated in many Relay for Life events too. I am a Commissioner for Franklin Housing Authority and member of the Franklin Art Association. I have volunteered with a number of local organizations like the Downtown Partnership "Beautification Days", Franklin Food Pantry annual food drives, Friends of Franklin and the Franklin Rotary Club's Annual Pasta Supper for the elderly where I enjoy serving dinners and I'll even get up a sing a few songs to entertain.

FM - What do you see as a challenge for the position of Town Clerk?

Padula-O'Neill - The Office of the Town Clerk oversees the town's vital records, town census, town meeting actions, town and state elections and voter registration. I don't see any real challenges but I do see many opportunities. I have taken a proactive approach by announcing my candidacy in March. I have met with our Town Administrator and Town Clerk's in our surrounding towns. I know what is expected of a Town Clerk and I am looking forward to the future of the Franklin Town Clerk's office. 

This job will provide me the latitude to work toward obtaining my Town Clerk Certification while working to increase voter registration through education and improving our civic engagement through visibility. I want to bring the office into the 21st century especially now that online voter registration is available in MA. 

I will work to forge a better relationship between the Clerk's office and our high school students. Because students can pre-register to vote at the age of 16, my goal is to educate and spark their interest in their rights as voters in America and citizens of Franklin.

FM - What do you bring to the position that would set you apart from the other candidates?

Padula-O'Neill - I am rooted in Franklin, I know Franklin, I care deeply about Franklin because it's my lifelong home. I am competent, dedicated and forward thinking. My integrity, education and expertise in customer service will be best served when dealing with the needs and wants of our Taxpayers and other Municipal Departments. I plan to modernize the Clerk's office with a strong focus on customer convenience where my extensive work experience in business and electronic banking services coupled with my passion for serving our community make me the stand out candidate to see this through. 

Although I enjoy seeing people in person, this is not always conducive. Over the next four years, I will work to make the Clerk's office more accessible introducing more online contact and services. For instance, by improving upon the online access of our annual report making it more interactive and user friendly. People don't want to leaf through every page to get to where they want to be. It could be better indexed. I'd also like to look at a Point of Sale (POS) system to handle online orders and in office payments too. The office should be able to take credit and debit cards for payments for copies of certificates and licenses and for services provided by the clerk's office. Not everyone carries cash anymore.

If you have any follow up questions for Diane, you can contact her via ctedianepadulaoneill@gmail.com

You also visit her website http://www.dianepadulaoneill.com/
Of find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dianepadulaoneill/timeline/



Noteworthy: This information is intended to help the Franklin voters when we all head to the ballot box on November 3rd. The interview candidates have had an opportunity to review this text before publishing to ensure the accuracy of our discussion.

"We are in the arena. We are the change"

It has taken me roughly three weeks to process the events that occurred on the National Mall in Washington, DC on October 4th, 2015. I cannot remember a time where I felt such a wide range of emotions in such a short period of time. I have never, in my entire life, felt such an outpouring of love, momentum and hope. 

When we first heard about Unite to Face Addiction, it was merely an idea. It wasn't even called "Unite to Face Addiction" yet. Greg Williams sat in my living room and talked about this idea that he had to bring the recovery community to the National Mall and give addiction it's "AIDS quilt moment." Our friend Mario was in the other room making phone calls to potential backers and entertainers. We wondered what it would look like. We wondered if the recovery community would stand behind it. It seemed so far into the future. I am finding it hard to believe that it is now behind us.

Kate Meyer photo of UNITE 10/4/15

Continue reading Kate's reflections on the historic day on the Washington Mall
http://www.iamnotanonymous.org/unite-to-face-addiction/2015/10/20/the-day-the-silence-ended

FHS boys soccer and field hockey teams win, football loses

Via Hockomock Sports we share the results of the fall sports action on Friday. The FHS football team lost to Attleboro 35-0. The FHS boys soccer team beat Taunton 3-1 and the field hockey team also beat Taunton 3-2.

FHS Panthers

Football

Attleboro, 35 @ Franklin, 0 – Final

• First Quarter: (A) Brendan Nunes 12 yard rush, Elijah Lewis XP; (A) B. Nunes 9 yard rush, E. Lewis XP.
• Second Quarter: (A) B. Nunes 38 yard rush, E. Lewis XP.
• Third Quarter: (A) B. Nunes 11 yard rush, E. Lewis XP; (A) Cam Furtado 8 yard rush, E. Lewis XP.
• Fourth Quarter: No scoring.

Boys Soccer

Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final 

– David Stowell put Franklin ahead in the first half off an assist from Wes Kozil. Brian Czuba got his first goal before the break off an assist from Cam LeBlanc. Taunton pulled within one in the second half off a free kick from Austin Botelho but Czuba added an insurance goal off an assist from Hatim Brahimi.

Field Hockey

Taunton, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final 

– Caroline Lounsbury scored the game winning goal with 44 seconds left off assists from Taylor Reutlinger and Kenzi Pleshaw to lift the Panthers. Taunton held a 1-0 lead at halftime but Diana Griffin knotted the game just three minutes into the second half off assists from Cassi Ronan and Reutlinger. Annie Walsh put Franklin ahead at 2-1. Abbey Kingman scored both of Taunton’s goals.

For all the results around the Hockomock League on Friday:
http://www.hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-102315/

Franklin Public Schools: Announce Community Walking at Franklin High School

Franklin Public Schools ~ Lifelong Learning Institute Community Walking at Franklin High School  As we enter Autumn and the temperature begins to drop, we are pleased to announce that Community Walking at Franklin High School has returned.  Escape the cold and walk in the warmth of the high school track or hallways.  Walking is available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, when school is in session, 5:30 to 7:30 PM.  Walkers may use the elevated track when there are no games taking place in the gym.  If the track is not available, walkers may use the high school hallways on the first floor.  Walkers should enter the Panther door and go to the Adult Education office to sign in. They will receive a guest lanyard to wear.  When they are finished walking, they will return to the Adult Education office to sign out and return the guest lanyard. The sign-in/sign-out process and wearing guest lanyards are part of the school safety protocol. For more information about Community Walking, please email lifelong@franklin.k12.ma.us or call 508-613-1480.

Forward this email FPS- Life Long Learning | 355 East Central Street | Franklin | MA | 02038

Use the Community Entrance (Panther Door) at FHS

"The TC Insider" - news you can use from Tri-County Regional Voc Tech

OCTOBER 21 A Message from Principal Mallon: As many of you know, Tri-County holds one main funding event each year. Four years ago, we switched from an auction to a golf tournament. This year, our Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, June 10, 2016, at the Wentworth Hills Country Club in Plainville. This will be an early release day for students. We use the revenue we raise from the Golf Tournament to help fund student activities. Whether you are a golfer, sponsor, or volunteer, your help will be greatly appreciated. We would like to avoid having to charge students fees to participate in clubs and activities. Thank you in advance for your support. Another way to get involved in the school is to join our very active Tri-County Athletic Boosters association. Members of TCB devote considerable time and energy to raising money to fund scholarships at graduation, trophies and awards at the end of each sports season, letter jackets for qualifying student athletes, and other special projects here at the school. You may have noticed a link to the TCB on the webpage under Athletics. If your schedule does not permit you to get directly involved, please consider supporting their various fundraising activities. TC News Students in our Automotive Collision Repair program spent seven months working on a 1969 Mercury Cougar. Their work paid off on October 10 when the vehicle claimed first place in the People's Choice category at the Cougar Club of America East Coast National Car Show. Learn more: http://www.tri-county.us/node/236 Athletic News We're proud to announce the Varsity Golf and Varsity Volleyball teams are 2015 Mayflower Athletic Conference Champions! Congratulations to Junior Kyle Hobbs who was selected as the 2015 Outstanding Golfer for the Mayflower Athletic Conference. Get ready for Ski Club! The Ski Club will begin their weekly trips to Wachusett Mountain beginning on January 9, 2016. The club visits Wachusett each Saturday from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for six weeks. Ms. Johannesen will begin the application process on November 2. Applications are due NO LATER than Tuesday, November 24. Please see Ms. Johannesen for more information and to pick up your application. An Update from Guidance: If you haven't already scheduled a parent meeting with your student's guidance counselor, please contact Mr. O'Brien (last names A-K) or Ms. Johannesen (last names L-Z) to discuss their future goals. Seniors should continue to visit the guidance office for updated information regarding career opportunities. Common Application Workshops will continue to be offered to seniors on Wednesdays in S206. Please listen to the announcements. SAT Testing The registration deadline is November 5 for the December 5 SAT. The late registration deadline is November 23 (with an additional fee). *Students eligible for free or reduced lunch should see their guidance counselors regarding possible fee waivers for SATs and college applications. College Financing Seminar The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, MEFA will present a College Financing Seminar here at TC on Tuesday, December 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Cooperative Education Update Co-op seniors now have a Co-op Course in Its Learning. This interactive platform will allow Co-op students to reach out to Mrs. MacLeod easily, especially on B week when they are not at Tri-County. Bulletins will be posted along with answers to frequently asked questions as they arise. Additionally, both the Co-op Calendar and Time Sheet are now available for print through the site. Co-op students are reminded they must fill out their time sheet in its entirety prior to their supervisor signing it at the end of the week in order to receive weekly credit for hours worked. They need to indicate the types of jobs, chores and experiences that they were a part of before the supervisor signs it. The shop teachers receive a copy of those time sheets. It is very important for the instructors to be aware of the types of new and different experiences that your child encounters on the job. All Co-op students must turn their time sheet into Mrs. Roberts in the front office when they arrive back to school on Monday. Mrs. Roberts inputs those hours so that your child is not considered absent or delinquent from school. Failure to do so may result in suspension from Co-op for the next shop week. An occasional reminder to your child is always a plus and greatly appreciated! Senior Project Seniors have completed the process of determining what their Senior Project Product will be. Parents co-signed this form indicating that you are aware of the scope of the project selected. Senior Project fabrication time is Monday, November 16, through Wednesday, November 25.. All seniors will be working on their Projects in-house during this time. The student is responsible for providing the necessary materials to fabricate their Product. Upcoming Events Career Day Thursday, October 29 Career Day Friday, October 30 Veterans' Day Wednesday, November 11 About The TC Insider The TC Insider is a biweekly newsletter for the families of Tri-County students. Forward to a Friend Follow on Twitter Like us on Facebook View Email In Browser Tri-County RVTHS 147 Pond Street Franklin, MA 02038 www.tri-county.us 508-528-5400

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District · 147 Pond Street · Franklin, Ma 02038 · USA image from Tri-County webpage

In the News: Lippert Field, Franklin Distinguished Young Women, Johnston essay on Pellegri

On Oct. 17, Dean College honored faculty member and coach Dale Lippert with a surprise dedication at the Longley Athletic Complex, 69 Maple St. 

Thanks to a donation from Peter Hexter, a member of the board of trustees, Dean College was able to dedicate the football field in Lippert’s name. 

The surprise was announced during the halftime show of Saturday’s Dean College football game. Lippert was asked to make his way to the center of the field and he was honored for his dedicated service with an unveiling of a sign across the press box with his namesake.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151023/NEWS/151027850/1994/NEWS

The Greater Franklin Distinguished Young Women Program will host an information session for female high school juniors 7 p.m. Nov. 1 in the community room at the Franklin YMCA, 45 Forge Hill Road. 

The program is open to all female high school juniors and is free to join. Rehearsals will start in late February and will meet one night per week. Attendance is preferred. The program show date will be in May or June, but it will be announced at a later time.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151023/NEWS/151027845/1994/NEWS


James Johnston, Franklin historian and regular contributor to the Milford Daily News has this piece on the retirement of Deborah Pellegri

Deborah Pellegri is ending a long era of public service in the town of Franklin. Her civic service to the Franklin community has spanned four decades, going way back to her founding of the Fourth of July Committee with two other great Franklin civic leaders, Jean Cataldo and Lorraine Doherty. Together this dynamic trio has created a tradition of celebration of this nation's birth that has spanned a third of the last century and lives on to today.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151020/OPINION/151029056/2011/OPINION