Tuesday, October 11, 2016

"How can the mountains of positive data be trusted when side-by-side comparisons aren’t based on the same factors?"

WGBH's Callie Crossley writes:
http://news.wgbh.org/2016/10/07/local-news/question-2-lifting-charter-school-cap-doesnt-add
http://news.wgbh.org/
Meanwhile, I can’t figure out why the charter cap expansion has gotten so much big money from corporations both here and outside the state. WGBH News reporter Isaiah Thompson discovered that “no single ballot question has drawn as much in donations.” And I still wonder what was the incentive, last year, when three lawyers from three competing white-shoe law firms jointly filed a lawsuit claiming fewer charters denied minority students’ civil rights. Call me cynical but I don’t believe the high-priced lawyers' donated time, and the millions in contributions are about making sure all of Massachusetts’ students have a better education. I’m far from a mathematician, but something just doesn’t add up.

Read her full article online
http://news.wgbh.org/2016/10/07/local-news/question-2-lifting-charter-school-cap-doesnt-add


"consider more stringent regulations for the panels"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The town may consider stricter zoning requirements for solar panels after a local resident brought his concerns to the Town Council. 
Resident Michael Swetz raised the matter during the public comment segment of a recent council meeting, saying he was motivated by a possible 40-panel solar installation on Prospect Street. 
According to Swetz, current laws regard the panels as benign, and do not impose much in the way of regulations on them. 
"Under the zoning ordinance, they're an auxiliary building," he said. "Right now, ground-based solar panels can be put in your backyard like a garden shed, with no screening requirements or safety requirements."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161010/franklin-may-consider-harsher-solar-rules

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/10/present-permitting-for-residential.html
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/10/present-permitting-for-residential.html


The statement by Michael Swetz during the Citizens Comment portion of the Town Council meeting on Oct 5 can be viewed here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/10/present-permitting-for-residential.html


Monday, October 10, 2016

Jason, Brittany & Braydyn's Fire Fund

"Would it be possible for you to share the link below for a Franklin family who lost their home on Beaver street to a fire? 

The family does not have a place to live. They have a kindergartner at Davis Thayer and are expecting a daughter in February.

Their son is in my son's class at Davis Thayer."


Jason, Brittany & Braydyn's Fire Fund
Jason, Brittany & Braydyn's Fire Fund


You can donate via GoFundMe -->> https://www.gofundme.com/2pwt6xys


“Increased trust leads to being able to manage better in a lot of ways”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Massachusetts leads the nation in a lot of things, but transparency isn’t one of them. When news start-up MuckRock published a ranking of government transparency in all 50 states based on how long each took to respond to public records requests in 2015, Massachusetts placed 49th. Only Hawaii lagged behind the commonwealth. MuckRock found Massachusetts hands down little punishment for public records violations and slaps on huge fees for information. The upside, though, is that recent pushback could spark some change in the law. 
Because of social media and the internet, demand for public records has increased over the years. With that, demand for records to be online and easily available has grown. While recent laws aimed at making public records easier to obtain will affect everyone, they are mainly targeted at the state level. At the town level, though, transparency can also be a problem, cropping up at selectmen and other municipal meetings across the region. If you ask Hopkinton's Chris Bullock, though, just putting numbers online isn't enough. Though many municipalities in MetroWest and the Milford area have their records online, Bullock said they need more context."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161009/transparency-changing-municipal-relationship-with-public

screen grab of part of Franklin's 2014 data in ClearGov (note: 2014 is only year currently available)
screen grab of part of Franklin's 2014 data in ClearGov (note: 2014 is only year currently available)



  • For some of Franklin's data in the ClearGov view
http://www.cleargov.com/massachusetts/norfolk/city/franklin/2014


  • Boston is working on CityScore which summarizes the city operations in key performance metrics.
https://www.boston.gov/cityscore


  • More about the dashboard can be found here
http://www.cityofboston.gov/mayorsdashboard/

Register O'Donnell Reports Increased Lending in Norfolk County



Norfolk County Registry of Deeds

Register O'Donnell Reports Increased Lending in Norfolk County

It was a split decision when it came to 3rd quarter real estate data (July-September 2016) in Norfolk County, according to Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell. The Register noted that while real estate sales were flat, the lending market continued to boom thanks to continuing low interest rates.

O'Donnell stated, "Overall, Norfolk County is holding its own in terms of real estate sales. A total of 5,295 property transactions were recorded in the county during the 3rd quarter, representing a 1% reduction from the same period in 2015. However, total real estate volume, both residential and commercial, for the quarter came in at $2.9 billion, a 21% increase compared to last year's numbers. The average sales price, including both residential and commercial quarter 3 was $808,198, a solid 25% increase year over year. It should be noted the total sales and average sales numbers were impacted by a $205 million dollar sale of Westwood Station that took place in mid-August."

"The lending market," noted O'Donnell, "was the real silver lining story. The total number of mortgages recorded was 9,717, a solid 21% increase from the previous year. In addition, total mortgage financing finished at $4.65 billion for the quarter, a 34% increase from last year's 3rd quarter 2015. Clearly, consumers and businessmen are taking advantage of continuing low interest rates to pay for new home purchases, home improvements, education expenses and expansion of business. More than anything, these robust lending figures tell us the eastern Massachusetts economy remains vibrant."

While there is no question the local economy remains on solid footing, some of our neighbors continue to face economic challenges. "The 3rd quarter saw 83 foreclosure deeds recorded , a sobering 34% increase year over year. More encouraging was the reduction in the number of Notice to Foreclose Mortgage recordings, the first step in the foreclosure process. A total of 201 Notice to Foreclose Mortgage filings were recorded during the 3rd quarter period compared to 238 for the 3rd quarter 2015. While one foreclosure filing is one too many, hopefully this trend in reduced filings will continue," stated O'Donnell.

O'Donnell went on to list the ways the Registry of Deeds can help those facing a foreclosure. "The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds continues to partner with Quincy Community Action Programs at (617) 479-8181 x-376 and Neighbor Works Southern Mass at (508) 598-0950 to help anyone who has received a Notice to Foreclose Mortgage from a lender. Another option is to call the Massachusetts Attorney General's HomeCorps program at (617) 573-5333. I would urge those facing issues paying a mortgage to avail themselves of these excellent programs," stated Register O'Donnell.

On another consumer note, Homestead recordings were flat during the 3rd quarter. A total of 3,710 Homesteads were recorded versus 3,700 during the same time period in 2015. Register O'Donnell reiterated the importance of filing a Homestead, "A Homestead recording provides for limited protection against the forced sale of an individual's primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000. I encourage homeowners to continue to avail themselves of this important consumer protection tool."

In conclusion Register O'Donnell stated, "While the Norfolk County real estate sales figures were flat for the 3rd quarter 2016, I am glad there was no significant drop-off. What was really encouraging were the solid numbers seen in lending activity. One note, however, the Federal Reserve is again considering raising interest rates before year's end. We will need to watch this carefully to see how it affects real estate activity."

To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, "like" us on facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter and instagram @norfolkdeeds.

The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, located at 649 High Street, Dedham, is the principal office for real property in Norfolk County. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center at (781) 461-6101, or on the web at www.norfolkdeeds.org.


Register William P. O'Donnell
Norfolk County Registry of Deeds

phone: 781-234-3336
Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, 649 High Street, Dedham,, MA 02026-1831

Sent by registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact
Register O'Donnell Reports Increased Lending in Norfolk County
Register O'Donnell Reports Increased Lending in Norfolk County

In the News: Women's Success Network meeting, legalizing recreational marijuana ballot question

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Women’s Success Network will welcome S. Brent Harding from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Franklin Country Club, 672 E. Central St. 
Harding will explore the color of red and its symbolism and power to generate feelings, self-esteem and action. Her hands-on activity will give participants the opportunity to complete a personal mission statement that will help provide the roadmap to their vision both personally and professionally. 
Harding is the founder of the Wealth Warrior broadcast, a weekly Internet show, dedicated to helping people achieve financial freedom and generational prosperity through financial literacy and focused action. She has also been featured in the Boston Business Journal, Women’s Business Journal and The Urban News magazine. 
To register: wsninc.org. Registration must be completed by Oct. 25.
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161009/womens-success-network-to-welcome-s-brent-harding



"Legalizing recreational marijuana will fall on to voters this November, but trying to parse the conflicting rhetoric of opponents and proponents for ballot Question 4 can be difficult for even close followers of the proposal. 
Some say marijuana is a gateway drug, others say it can actually help opioid addicts get clean. Some say it causes brain damage, but others say the claims in those studies are unfounded. With the two sides directly contradicting each other it begs the question - how safe is marijuana? But even within the addiction community, opposing schools of thought date back much longer than Colorado's 2012 legalization of recreational pot. 
Miriam Boeri is an associate professor of sociology at Bentley University. She focuses on drug addiction and has worked closely with heroin and methamphetamine addicts. She favors marijuana legalization and feels it has potential to limit the number of new addicts. In April 2015, she published a piece in Newsweek with the declarative headline "Marijuana is not, repeat not, a gateway drug."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161009/is-pot-is-addictive-battle-smolders-around-ballot-question

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Recap of the Town Council meeting - Oct 5

The key moment to take away from the Town Council meeting could be found in the section where the Historical Commission provided an update on the work their interns did during the summer. Mary Olsson introduced Allison Anderson, one of the two interns. Both interns have had training in curation and management of historical artifacts.

Franklin is effectively sitting upon a treasure trove of historical items, the value of which is hard to determine as the inventory and caring processes had been put together by volunteers. Now the volunteers have done well for what they had, but many weaknesses were highlighted and a part time curator would be very worthwhile. The summer project effectively set up a framework for future work to build upon. There needs to be a continued investment in people and supplies.

Now that the Historical Commission has a better understanding of what is required, as well as the Town Council, it would not be surprising to see a proposal for a part time curator during the budget cycle.

In other key items, the Town Council referred a set of bylaws to the Planning Board. These items would establish a 'country store' zone to enable the Hillside Nursery to expand their operations on Washington St. After the Planning Board does their public hearing and makes revisions (if necessary), the items come back to the Town Council for public hearings (and possible revisions) before being voted on.

In the Citizen Comment, Michael Swetz Jr, 3 Kara-Lyn Drive detailed the ground installation of a solar panel grid that is apparently being governed by the shed bylaw. The lack of proper guidance in the shed bylaw for such an installation is creating a safety hazard. You can find a copy of the text presented with photos here http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/10/present-permitting-for-residential.html




The notes reported live during the meeting can be found here:


The published agenda for the meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/10/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-oct-5.html


new crosswalk being added on Pleasant St to enable access to the DelCarte property  and foster walking on the newly installed sidewalk
new crosswalk being added on Pleasant St to enable access to the DelCarte property
and foster walking on the newly installed sidewalk