Senator Ross: September 2016 State House Update

Senator Richard J. Ross, State House Update, September 2016 View this email in your browser Facebook Twitter Website LinkedIn State Senator Richard J. Ross (R-Wrentham) proudly serving the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District. State House Room 419 Boston, MA 02133 Ph: 617-722-1555 Fax: 617-722-1054 Email: richard.ross@masenate.gov Dear Friends, I have made it a priority to meet and listen to residents of every town in our district. Hearing your comments and concerns is an important part of representing my constituents in Boston. Please read/share my monthly newsletter for updates on what is happening in the district as well as important resources for both citizens and local farmers. I am honored to serve you and look forward to the new legislative term. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Dear Constituent: It has been a great honor to serve you in the Massachusetts State Senate for the past six years. I work hard each and every day to make sure you have the most effective representation possible and that your voice is heard in all state matters. We have addressed many challenges in our State, but we have so much more to do to ensure that we can reach our full potential and greatly improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents. This is why I am asking for your help in identifying the issues most important to you, and where you want me to focus my efforts in the new session. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. To do so, click the "Give Feedback" button below. Thank you. Give Feedback PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM MOSQUITOES As the fall season approaches, it is important to remember that mosquitoes are still present. With recent cases of West Nile Virus found in Massachusetts, I urge my constituents to take precaution and be preventative against mosquito bites. Prevent mosquitoes and mosquito bites by: Applying insect repellent when outdoors: Be sure to use a repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient. Be aware of peak mosquito hours: Dusk to dawn is the peak hours for mosquitoes, so try to avoid outdoor activities during this time. Wear long-sleeves and other protective clothing to keep mosquitoes away from the skin Drain standing water: Mosquitoes lay eggs in bodies of standing water. Be sure to drain rain gutters and change water in birdbaths often. ********************** The newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full text, follow this link in your browser

FHS cross country results from Kelley Invitational

Congrats to everyone on a great meet at the Kelley Invite! We finished 4th place overall 🎉😊 pic.twitter.com/BkjxDjOi6p

— Franklin Girls XC (@FHS_girlsXC) October 2, 2016

FHS cross country team on the bus

FHS girls varsity cross country results from Kelley Invitational

The full set of results for the Kelley Invitational
http://ma.milesplit.com/meets/248717/results#.V_G3Q_ArLIU

The girls junior varsity results
http://ma.milesplit.com/meets/248717/results/475592/formatted#.V_G4MfArLIU

The girls freshman results
http://ma.milesplit.com/meets/248717/results/475597/formatted#.V_G4e_ArLIU


The boys varsity did not appear to run,
The freshman boys did post results
http://ma.milesplit.com/meets/248717/results/475595/formatted#.V_G3ifArLIU

The boys junior varsity have results (preliminary - corrected ones expected)
http://ma.milesplit.com/meets/248717/results/475513/raw#.V_G32_ArLIU

• For the Hockomock results for this meet

https://hockomocksports.com/hockomock-results-from-frank-kelley-invitational-2016/

"It’s time for vocational schools to get some respect"

Vocational education is in the news with two articles coming across the radar on Sunday. First from the Magazine section of the Boston Sunday Globe. The second from the Milford Daily News (MDN).

The Globe article touts vocational education as something to be considered. The MDN article effectively provides a good example of why.

The links to both articles are shown below:

"On a Monday morning in late spring, city buses arrive like clockwork on Malcolm X Boulevard, disgorging students hunched over cellphones, earbud wires trailing down the fronts of hoodies. They file toward Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, where executive director Kevin McCaskill, in a suit and pin-striped shirt with matching pocket square, and two other administrators greet them as if part of a receiving line. “Good morning! Good morning! Good morning!” McCaskill booms at bleary-eyed kids moving as if they are battling a stiff wind. 

Among those passing through the metal doors is Reno Guerrero, who emigrated several years ago with his mother, older sister, and younger brother from the Dominican Republic to Dorchester. Guerrero, 19, wears a white T-shirt, jeans, and white socks with soccer sandals. His hair is close-cropped, and a shadow of a beard is shaved to precision points at his temples. Clear stone studs sparkle in each earlobe. He is feeling nervous about his senior presentation on engine repair, the culmination of three years of course work plus intensive training in automotive technology. But the nerves are tempered by excitement. He’s learned he’s been accepted to MassBay Community College, and he already has a job lined up for after graduation at a garage that services Boston’s city-owned vehicles. “Cars, for me, is everything right now,” he says. “It’s what I know how to do, and I’m going to do it for life.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2016/09/28/workschool/BapGlJ8WGrI5cdQuDmcmNI/story.html

"Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School senior George Wood received the opportunity to tour Europe over the summer, thanks to his cooperative education employer. 

Wood, a computer information systems student from Medway, was hired by Hamilton Storage Technologies Inc. as part of the school’s Cooperative Education Program. Students who qualify for the program receive paid, full-time employment in their respective fields in place of the time they would spend in their career programs. 

After hiring Wood in the summer for the fall semester, Matthew Hamilton, president of the Franklin-based company, chose to send him to Switzerland to receive training from the information technology department."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161002/tri-county-student-receives-it-training-in-europe

http://www.tri-county.us/

Ballot Question 2: Teachers on opposite sides

In the Magazine section of the Boston Sunday Globe, Oct 2, there was an article with a question and answer for two teachers on opposite sides of the charter school ballot question.

"Question 2, the referendum on November’s Massachusetts state ballot proposing to let up to 12 more charter schools open or expand each year than current limits, is expected to draw a record-setting $30 million in TV advertising spending by backers and opponents by the time polls open. The dollars might seem out of whack, given that if Question 2 passes it would be more than a decade before even 10 percent of the state’s public schools were charters (today just 78 of our 1,854 K-12 public schools are). 

The proposal looks incremental, but, nationally, this ballot question is seen as a shootout at the OK Corral for charter schools, says Paul Reville, who was then governor Deval Patrick’s secretary of education and is now a professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. He says Question 2 could eventually see hundreds of millions of dollars in state aid follow students to charter schools, threatening the status quo."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2016/09/28/charterschools/VYVtAZREZrZNR5pdupjw7L/story.html

Voter Information mailer for Nov 8, 2016

The MA.Gov summary of Question 2 can be found here
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele16/ballot_questions_16/quest_2.htm

Franklin Recreation Basketball - signup by Oct 7

K-2 basketball will start December 3, 3rd-8th grade basketball will start November 12. 

Sign up before October 7

https://www.activityreg.com/ClientPage_t1.wcs?clientid=FRANKLIN&siteid=1

Shared from the Facebook posting
https://www.facebook.com/FranklinRecreationDepartment/posts/1618716868429032



Register here:
https://www.activityreg.com/ClientPage_t1.wcs?clientid=FRANKLIN&siteid=1

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Oct 5, 2016

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 
– September 21, 2016

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS 
– This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon channel 29. This meeting may also be recorded by others.

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS 
– Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the Agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.

E. APPOINTMENTS 
- Election workers

F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS -
 Historical Commission

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 16-58:Request for Legislation, Exempting all Positions in the Fire Dept from
Civil Service Law
2. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 16-768: Districts Enumerated. Creation of Rural Business
Zoning District – Referral to Planning Board
3. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 16-769: Definitions. Country Store – Referral to Planning
Board
4. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 16-770: Rural Business Zone Use Regulations – Referral to
Planning Board
5. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 16-771: Rural Business Zone Dimensional Regulations –
Referral to Planning Board
6. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 16-772: Rural Business Zone Sign Regulations – Referral to
Planning Board
7. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 16-773: Zoning Map Changes from Rural Residential 1 to
Rural Business an Area on Washington Street – Referral to Planning Board

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

M. COUNCIL COMMENTS

N. EXECUTIVE SESSION

O. ADJOURN


You can find the full agenda and supporting documents as released on the Town webpage
http://franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/024F0E17-000F8513

Or a copy of the agenda can also be viewed/downloaded here

The new wing being added to the Franklin Library is rising into shape

Library topping off recognized on Tuesday, Oct 4 - 11:00 AM

As has been reported previously, the Franklin Public Library expansion and renovation is underway. The concrete foundation for the new wing has been poured and this week the steel girders started rising. The traditional topping off ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday morning, Oct 4 at 11:00 AM.

Recent walks captured these photos of the construction progress.

Saturday from School St

Friday from Dean College

Thanks to Library Building Committee Chairperson Judith Pfeffer for sharing the information