Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Register O’Donnell was Guest Speaker at Franklin Senior Center

As part of an ongoing effort to bring the Registry of Deeds directly to the citizens of Norfolk County, Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell appeared January 23rd as guest speaker at the Franklin Senior Center. O’Donnell gave an overview of the Registry, the principal office for providing real property information in Norfolk County.

Register O’Donnell also spent time warning seniors about an ongoing deed scam that is being perpetrated against all citizens of Norfolk County, young and old. “Norfolk County residents continue to receive direct-mail solicitations offering them a certified copy of their property deed for an exorbitant fee ranging anywhere from $59.50-$86.00,” stated O’Donnell. 

“Don’t fall victim to this deed scam. These companies are making outrageous profits. If a consumer knew that the Registry of Deeds would provide them a certified copy of a property deed for a charge of only $1.00 per page, plus an additional $1.00 for postage, they would never agree to pay these companies such an outrageous fee for service. The average price for a mailed homeowner’s deed by the Registry, usually two pages, is $3.00.”

A good portion of the address was also spent discussing the advantages of the Massachusetts Homestead Act. Register O’Donnell noted, “The Homestead Act is an important tool for homeowners as the law provides limited protection against the forced sale of an individual’s primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000.”
Register O’Donnell was Guest Speaker at Franklin Senior Center
Register O’Donnell was Guest Speaker at Franklin Senior Center

Concluding his remarks, O’Donnell stated, “I want to thank Karen Alves, Director of the Franklin Senior Center, Council on Aging board members and all the staff at the Senior Center who do an outstanding job serving the elderly community of Franklin.”

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

The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda - Jan 30, 2018

The agenda for the Finance Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 30, 2018.


1. Call to Order
2. Election of New Officers; Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Clerk
3. Public Comments
4. Approval of Minutes
5. Free Cash Overview/Administration
6. Capital Budget Presentations:

  • School Department
  • Facilities Department
  • Technology Department
  • Town Clerk Department
  • Fire Department
  • Police Department
  • Public Works Department
  • Water Enterprise Department

7. Final Recommendations and Vote
8. Adjournment



Trust Fund Balances Update as of 12/31/17
• General Stabilization      $ 5,060,984
• Recreation Fields                    6,802
• Open Space Acquisition    1,101,229
• Budget Stabilization         1,848,663
• Free Cash                       2,821,988
• OPEB                              4,072,090
• Property Acquisition            260,620

OPEB Obligation as of 6/30/17 (PAYGO): 69,295,796


The full agenda document can also be found on the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/finance-committee/agenda/finance-committee-agenda-revised-3

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda -Jan 30, 2018
Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda -Jan 30, 2018

Mansfield tops FHS gymnastics

Via HockomockSports and Twitter we share the results of the FHS sports action on Monday, Jan 29, 2018


Gymnastics = Mansfield, 144.35 @ Franklin, 135.35 – Final

For other results around the League on Monday
https://hockomocksports.com/mondays-schedule-scoreboard-01-29-18/


via the Twitterverse





Franklin Public Schools - Delayed Opening 2 Hours - Jan 30, 2018

Dear Franklin Public Schools Faculty, Staff, and Families,

Due to snow-covered roads conditions this morning, the Franklin Public Schools will be opening with a 2-hour DELAY on Tuesday, January 30, 2018.

Preschool and Delayed Openings: the morning preschool session will be cancelled. Full and extended day preschool will have a delayed opening. The delayed opening does not affect the afternoon preschool.

District office staff — please arrive as you are safely able.

Please allow for extra time and care this morning to arrive safely.

Sincerely,

Franklin Public Schools

Davis Thayer in snow from an earlier storm in winter of 2018
Davis Thayer in snow from an earlier storm in winter of 2018

Reminder: Franklin Newcomers and Friends - Game Night - Feb 7

Come join your Franklin friends and neighbors at the Franklin Newcomers and Friends monthly meeting. Meet us upstairs at "3" Restaurant on Wednesday, February 7 at 7:30. Take a break from the cold and warm up at our Game Night. It’s one of our favorite and more social events.

We invite any resident of Franklin, or a surrounding town that doesn't have a Newcomers Club, to join us at "3" Restaurant, 461 West Central Street, Franklin. Complimentary appetizers and beverages are provided and a cash bar is available. We meet upstairs at 7:30 PM on the 2nd Wednesday of the month (occasionally we switch Wednesdays to accommodate holidays or speakers). We run our meetings September through May. Additionally, we hold many fun and varied events to stay connected throughout the year.

For more information, please visit our website www.franklinnewcomers.com or our Facebook page, Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club.


Franklin Newcomers and Friends: Game Night - Feb 7
Franklin Newcomers and Friends: Game Night - Feb 7

Franklin Rotary Club invites seniors to Valentine's Breakfast - Feb 10

The Franklin Rotary Club invites the senior community to join us at 9:00 AM on Saturday, February 10 for a Valentine's Breakfast at the Franklin Housing Authority. Featuring a warm breakfast, hot coffee, fruit, music and some special Valentine's Day surprises. 
Franklin Rotary Club
Franklin Rotary

The Franklin Housing Authority's Large Community Hall at 1000 Central Park Terrace is where the event is located. 

Call the Franklin Housing Authority at 508-528-2220 to sign up. Please register by Monday, February 5.

In case of inclement weather, the rain date will be Sunday, February 11. Call the Franklin Housing Authority for more details.





“This community is action-oriented and has a can-do attitude I deeply respect"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Superintendent Sara Ahern has been going from school to school sitting in on classes, hosting forums, and meeting with parents and other stakeholders to learn as much as she can about her new district. 
Ahern highlighted her observations to the School Committee on Jan. 23, and while she had many positive things to say about the dedication of Franklin parents and teachers to their children, she also pointed out a few areas that could use improvement. Ahern took over this summer for Maureen Sabolinski, who retired at the end of last year. 
The report, part of Ahern’s entry plan to the district, is a compilation of observations she gathered by visiting all 11 schools multiple times to perform observations on about 164 classrooms and other workplaces."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180129/franklin-superintendent-highlights-early-observations


The full report of Entry Plan Findings can be found below and on the Schools webpage
http://franklindistrict.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinDistrict_News/025D2652-000F8513.0/Superintendent%E2%80%99s%20Report%20of%20Entry%20Findings.p




the Word Cloud of words students provided in her round of meetings
the Word Cloud built of words students provided in her round of meetings