Or go directly to Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/sets/72157631703646697/
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Public Tour of JF Kennedy School - Oct 2012
Photos from the public tour of JF Kennedy School held on Oct 4, 2012. At the time the School Committee was hosting a tour of each of the schools in the District, one per month.
Or go directly to Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/sets/72157631703646697/
Or go directly to Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/sets/72157631703646697/
School Delay 2/28/19 - 2 hours
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Due
to the weather conditions, Franklin Public Schools will have a 2 hour delay on Thursday, February 28, 2019.
When
Franklin Public Schools has a delayed opening, ECDC will have a cancellation/delayed opening as follows:
The
ECDC morning session will be cancelled. The ECDC extended and full day sessions will delay opening by 2 hours. The delayed opening
will NOT impact
the afternoon session.
Emergency
busing will be in effect and students walking or waiting along routes will be offered rides by our drivers.
Office
staff, please arrive as you are able.
Sincerely,
The
Franklin Public Schools
On this date: Feb 28, 2016: Reporting by Walking Around
Stepping in to the archives for Feb 28, 2016 I find that this was one of the "reporting by walking around posts" I did from time to time. I find myself doing less now as I am working from home most of the week and thereby can walk almost everyday to stay current. So hopefully, you see more photos daily rather than bunching them like I did.
Dip into the archives for 2016 and see what has not changed, or changed since Feb 28, 2016
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/02/photos-from-walk-around-franklin.html
"Reporting by walking around, I'll share some photos of the walk around Franklin Saturday morning."
 |
| The new Recreation Dept facility at 275 Beaver St |
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/02/photos-from-walk-around-franklin.html
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Franklin Annual Report - 2018: Human Resources
I just finished my first year as Human Resources Director for the Town of Franklin and it was a very busy, but rewarding year. It has been a wonderful experience so far and I look forward to serving as your HR Director for many years to come!
Fiscal Year 2018 was a big transition year for the Town. We had turnover in three key managerial roles, the Human Resources Director, Comptroller, and Treasurer/Collector. Stephanie Lutz, Susan Gagner, and Jim Dacey had almost 50 years of combined service and institutional knowledge with the Town. Finance Director Chris Sandini, Treasurer/Collector Kerri Bertone, and I have tough shoes to fill, but are catching on quickly and operations have continued without a hitch. Jeff Nutting and Jamie Hellen should be commended for their hard work in making sure that there was a smooth transition in leadership.
In addition to these three key managers, several other employees chose to retire or pursue other opportunities this year. We had a very busy year backfilling positions and even adding a few new positions. There were 16 new full time employees including 4 Police Officers, 3 Firefighters, 6 DPW Laborers, the Finance Director, and 2 Civilians at the Police Department. We also hired 3 new part-time Library Assistants at the Franklin Public Library, several part-time and substitute Custodians for the Facilities Department, part-time dispatchers for Police and Fire, part-time administrative positions and over 40 Referees, Camp/Program Counselors, Gate Guards, and Program Coordinators at the Recreation Department. In addition to local students working summer jobs in the Recreation Department, the Town also hired about 30 Franklin students to work in the Department of Public Works and Facilities Department. These students were instrumental in helping landscape our community and get the schools ready for the 2018-2019 school year.
In Fiscal Year 2018, we continued to struggle with the rising cost of healthcare. Other than wages and salaries, the health insurance budget represents one of the largest single costs to the Town. The Town offers health insurance to all active employees working more than 20 hours per week as well as retirees and their families. We currently have approximately 1200 employees and retirees from both the Town and Schools on our plan. Even a small increase in health insurance premiums can have a huge impact on the total budget.
When we started reviewing health insurance for FY19, we were faced with a potential increase of 10.9% on the HMO plan. Town and School management came together with the Insurance Advisory Committee to try to come up with creative solutions to keep costs down, for both employees and the Town. We enlisted our benefits broker, NFP Inc, to prepare a RFP and went out to bid on health insurance. The Insurance Advisory Committee ultimately decided to save costs in several different ways. We went through the arduous process of switching Health Insurance companies from Tufts Health Plan to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and added a small prescription deductible to our plans.
We also, for the first time, offered employees the option to enroll in a Qualified High Deductible Health Plan coupled with a Health Savings Account. A High Deductible Health Plan offers a lower monthly premium, but the employee may have a higher out of pocket cost, since the deductible would increase from $400 to $1500 for an individual and from $1000 to $3000 for a family. Since the decrease in monthly premiums would save the Town a significant amount of money, we were able to share the savings with the employees by depositing money into the employee’s Health Savings Account ($750 for employees on an individual plan and $1500 for those on a family plan). This money could then be used to pay for any health related expenses and reduce out of pocket costs. Even with this arrangement, the cost to the Town for the High Deductible plan was still lower than the standard HMO plan.
Through the changes listed above, our overall Health and Life Insurance budget for the Town increased by just 5.42%, which is slightly lower than last year and below the national average.
The Town continues to offer a very competitive benefits package, which, in addition to health insurance, offers employees the option to sign up for Life insurance, Dental insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and/or Health Savings Accounts, Short and Long Term Disability, and two different vendors for deferred compensation retirement plans. In FY19, we plan to review all the benefit plans to make sure that we stay competitive and offer our employees robust, cost-effective benefits.
This year, we worked with MIIA (the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association) to offer Harassment Training to all our employees. A professional trainer came in and offered 12 different classroom sessions. The training focused on the federal and state laws around discrimination and harassment and our responsibilities as employees in preventing harassment and responding appropriately if it does happen. Employees generally had positive feedback about the training and felt that they learned a great deal.
2018 was a very demanding, but fulfilling year. I, along with Sandy Golebiewski, look forward to another great year of serving our employees and our retirees in 2019.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Bratt
Human Resources Director
You can read the full Annual Report for 2018 online
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/franklin_2018_town_report.pdf
The archive of prior year annual reports
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports
Fiscal Year 2018 was a big transition year for the Town. We had turnover in three key managerial roles, the Human Resources Director, Comptroller, and Treasurer/Collector. Stephanie Lutz, Susan Gagner, and Jim Dacey had almost 50 years of combined service and institutional knowledge with the Town. Finance Director Chris Sandini, Treasurer/Collector Kerri Bertone, and I have tough shoes to fill, but are catching on quickly and operations have continued without a hitch. Jeff Nutting and Jamie Hellen should be commended for their hard work in making sure that there was a smooth transition in leadership.
In addition to these three key managers, several other employees chose to retire or pursue other opportunities this year. We had a very busy year backfilling positions and even adding a few new positions. There were 16 new full time employees including 4 Police Officers, 3 Firefighters, 6 DPW Laborers, the Finance Director, and 2 Civilians at the Police Department. We also hired 3 new part-time Library Assistants at the Franklin Public Library, several part-time and substitute Custodians for the Facilities Department, part-time dispatchers for Police and Fire, part-time administrative positions and over 40 Referees, Camp/Program Counselors, Gate Guards, and Program Coordinators at the Recreation Department. In addition to local students working summer jobs in the Recreation Department, the Town also hired about 30 Franklin students to work in the Department of Public Works and Facilities Department. These students were instrumental in helping landscape our community and get the schools ready for the 2018-2019 school year.
In Fiscal Year 2018, we continued to struggle with the rising cost of healthcare. Other than wages and salaries, the health insurance budget represents one of the largest single costs to the Town. The Town offers health insurance to all active employees working more than 20 hours per week as well as retirees and their families. We currently have approximately 1200 employees and retirees from both the Town and Schools on our plan. Even a small increase in health insurance premiums can have a huge impact on the total budget.
When we started reviewing health insurance for FY19, we were faced with a potential increase of 10.9% on the HMO plan. Town and School management came together with the Insurance Advisory Committee to try to come up with creative solutions to keep costs down, for both employees and the Town. We enlisted our benefits broker, NFP Inc, to prepare a RFP and went out to bid on health insurance. The Insurance Advisory Committee ultimately decided to save costs in several different ways. We went through the arduous process of switching Health Insurance companies from Tufts Health Plan to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and added a small prescription deductible to our plans.
We also, for the first time, offered employees the option to enroll in a Qualified High Deductible Health Plan coupled with a Health Savings Account. A High Deductible Health Plan offers a lower monthly premium, but the employee may have a higher out of pocket cost, since the deductible would increase from $400 to $1500 for an individual and from $1000 to $3000 for a family. Since the decrease in monthly premiums would save the Town a significant amount of money, we were able to share the savings with the employees by depositing money into the employee’s Health Savings Account ($750 for employees on an individual plan and $1500 for those on a family plan). This money could then be used to pay for any health related expenses and reduce out of pocket costs. Even with this arrangement, the cost to the Town for the High Deductible plan was still lower than the standard HMO plan.
Through the changes listed above, our overall Health and Life Insurance budget for the Town increased by just 5.42%, which is slightly lower than last year and below the national average.
The Town continues to offer a very competitive benefits package, which, in addition to health insurance, offers employees the option to sign up for Life insurance, Dental insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and/or Health Savings Accounts, Short and Long Term Disability, and two different vendors for deferred compensation retirement plans. In FY19, we plan to review all the benefit plans to make sure that we stay competitive and offer our employees robust, cost-effective benefits.
This year, we worked with MIIA (the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association) to offer Harassment Training to all our employees. A professional trainer came in and offered 12 different classroom sessions. The training focused on the federal and state laws around discrimination and harassment and our responsibilities as employees in preventing harassment and responding appropriately if it does happen. Employees generally had positive feedback about the training and felt that they learned a great deal.
2018 was a very demanding, but fulfilling year. I, along with Sandy Golebiewski, look forward to another great year of serving our employees and our retirees in 2019.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Bratt
Human Resources Director
You can read the full Annual Report for 2018 online
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/franklin_2018_town_report.pdf
The archive of prior year annual reports
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports
 |
| Franklin Annual Report - 2018: Human Resources |
Parmenter 5K - June 2012
The Parmenter 5K was held on Jun 10, 2012 at the Gerald M Parmenter Elementary School in Franklin, MA 02038.
or go directly to Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/sets/72157630033523485/
or go directly to Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/sets/72157630033523485/
On this date: Feb 27, 2015 - DPW gets grant to curb stormwater
Stepping into the archives for Feb 27, 2015, we find that the DPW had just received a grant to help with storm water management.
The storm water management efforts by the DPW are plentiful and visible all around Franklin.
Rain gardens, tree wells... the listing goes on.
DPW Director Cantoreggi will be leaving soon (?) to take the Town Administrator role for Norfolk.
"The Department of Public Works plans to use money from a state grant to curb the amount of stormwater draining into the Charles River.
The town on Tuesday won a $119,000 grant through a state Department of Environmental Protection initiative to help cites and towns manage local water supplies. In all, DEP awarded around $755,000 in grants to 12 communities, including Medway.
Franklin DPW Robert Cantoreggi said Thursday the grant will fund work to build a water recharge area off Jefferson Road."Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150227/NEWS/150226926/1994/NEWS#sthash.qKXmtquO.dpuf
The storm water management efforts by the DPW are plentiful and visible all around Franklin.
Rain gardens, tree wells... the listing goes on.
DPW Director Cantoreggi will be leaving soon (?) to take the Town Administrator role for Norfolk.
 |
| one of the rain gardens at Parmenter School |
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Franklin Annual Report - 2018: Historical Commission
The Franklin Historical Commission is a volunteer committee appointed by the Town Administrator and ratified by the Town Council. We are dedicated to maintaining, staffing, and operating the Franklin Historical Museum, and to preserving the historical assets of the Town of Franklin. Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM at the museum and are open to the public.
We have up to 7 full-time members with voting privileges along with non-voting associate members.
Phyllis Malcolm,Treasurer
Jeremy Ball, Recording Secretary
Colette Ferguson
Bob Percy
Paul Pisani
Richard Remillard
Kai Olsson
Overview
The Franklin Historical Museum has been in our present location for 8 years now. The museum occupies the old Town Hall Building at 80 West Central Street, just a half block before the fire station, and across the street from the new Horace Mann Square. We continue to work to engage the community and area residents so they rely on the
museum and find it a place to explore and celebrate the Town's heritage, achievements, and unique place in history.
Mission Statement
The Franklin Historical Museum is a center for community engagement, committed to facilitating the exploration of Franklin through a local, regional, and national lens, to a multi-generational audience.
WE ARE OPEN: Saturdays 10AM to 1PM; Sundays 1PM to 4PM; Thursdays 5PM to 8PM. During winter months (beginning of December thru end of March) we are closed on Thursdays.
Museum Hosts
Commission members and volunteers keep the museum open by giving of their time to host at the Museum during our open hours. Our hosts answer questions and share their knowledge of Franklin’s history. (Hosting is also a great way to learn more!) To become a host volunteer, contact any member of the commission.
Some of our events this year:
Town of Franklin Birthday Party
On March 3rd we celebrated the founding of the town by inviting local town residents who share the same birthday with the town. Those birthday celebrants attending were entered into a drawing for a $100 ‘picture of Ben’. And, as with any birthday celebration, cake was served.
Second Sunday Speaker Series
This year we are pleased to announce the founding of our Second Sunday speaker events at the Museum. On the second Sunday of each month, at 1PM, local and regional speakers share their knowledge and insight on various historical and cultural topics.
Appraisal Day
Antiques expert Nancy Wyman hosted another interesting appraisal session at the Museum in April. People discovered more about their ‘finds,’ and learned of their approximate market value.
Art Week
As part of this town-wide celebration, Dennis Ferguson performed on the Museum’s locally manufactured Trowbridge piano. Also performing were the Prolatio Singers, under the direction of Dr. Ferguson. Musician and artist Kai Olsson performed and displayed his paintings.
Little League Display
To recognize the founding of Franklin Youth Baseball in 1953, an informative and interesting display by Elaine Costello was presented in April. Some of the original players attended a kick-off reception in their honor.
Hi-definition Photographs
We are continuing to add to and refine our permanent collection of historic photographs on our iC4K Display Screen, invented and produced by Almont Green Studios of Medway. This display screen allows visitors to view and browse through large format digitized photographs of Franklin’s past.
Wedding Dress Display and Speakers
Returning this year, June through August, was another exquisite wedding dress display, the product of many volunteer hours. To complement the display were two separate event presentations on wedding dresses. The public was invited to submit their wedding photos to be scanned and added to our permanent collection.
Annual Events of the Downtown Partnership
The Commission enjoys being part in the annual events planned by the Downtown Partnership which include the Strawberry Festival, the Harvest Festival, and the Holiday Stroll. The Holiday Stroll is always a fun evening hosted by Mrs. Claus who reads to many wide eyed children.
Social Media
The Museum’s presence in social media continues to grow. Come join the discussion on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FHM02038/).
Wall Calendars
In 2018 we produced calendars of old Franklin photographs and key dates. We plan to produce another for 2019, to be available at the Museum for a nominal fee.
School Participation
We encourage elementary, middle, and high school student visits to the museum to learn about Franklin throughout the course of the year. So many stories to tell! Learning about our town’s history is a wonderful gateway to history as a whole. Teachers are encouraged to contact us to make arrangements to bring their class in for a visit and hosted tour.
Demolition Requests
Under the demolition bylaw passed by the Town Council, the Historical Commission reviews any demolition request of a property built in 1930 or before. We make every attempt to encourage the preservation of any building of historical significance. We have the option to delay the demolition of a building for up to a year so that suitable alternatives can be considered.
This year, the following properties were approved for demolition:
This speaks to the ongoing issue of the disappearance of the Town’s historical assets.
You can read the full Annual Report for 2018 online
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/franklin_2018_town_report.pdf
The archive of prior year annual reports
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports
We have up to 7 full-time members with voting privileges along with non-voting associate members.
Members
Mary Olsson, ChairPhyllis Malcolm,Treasurer
Jeremy Ball, Recording Secretary
Colette Ferguson
Bob Percy
Paul Pisani
Richard Remillard
Associate Members
Mary O'NeillKai Olsson
Overview
The Franklin Historical Museum has been in our present location for 8 years now. The museum occupies the old Town Hall Building at 80 West Central Street, just a half block before the fire station, and across the street from the new Horace Mann Square. We continue to work to engage the community and area residents so they rely on the
museum and find it a place to explore and celebrate the Town's heritage, achievements, and unique place in history.
Mission Statement
The Franklin Historical Museum is a center for community engagement, committed to facilitating the exploration of Franklin through a local, regional, and national lens, to a multi-generational audience.
WE ARE OPEN: Saturdays 10AM to 1PM; Sundays 1PM to 4PM; Thursdays 5PM to 8PM. During winter months (beginning of December thru end of March) we are closed on Thursdays.
Museum Hosts
Commission members and volunteers keep the museum open by giving of their time to host at the Museum during our open hours. Our hosts answer questions and share their knowledge of Franklin’s history. (Hosting is also a great way to learn more!) To become a host volunteer, contact any member of the commission.
Some of our events this year:
Town of Franklin Birthday Party
On March 3rd we celebrated the founding of the town by inviting local town residents who share the same birthday with the town. Those birthday celebrants attending were entered into a drawing for a $100 ‘picture of Ben’. And, as with any birthday celebration, cake was served.
Second Sunday Speaker Series
This year we are pleased to announce the founding of our Second Sunday speaker events at the Museum. On the second Sunday of each month, at 1PM, local and regional speakers share their knowledge and insight on various historical and cultural topics.
Appraisal Day
Antiques expert Nancy Wyman hosted another interesting appraisal session at the Museum in April. People discovered more about their ‘finds,’ and learned of their approximate market value.
Art Week
As part of this town-wide celebration, Dennis Ferguson performed on the Museum’s locally manufactured Trowbridge piano. Also performing were the Prolatio Singers, under the direction of Dr. Ferguson. Musician and artist Kai Olsson performed and displayed his paintings.
Little League Display
To recognize the founding of Franklin Youth Baseball in 1953, an informative and interesting display by Elaine Costello was presented in April. Some of the original players attended a kick-off reception in their honor.
Hi-definition Photographs
We are continuing to add to and refine our permanent collection of historic photographs on our iC4K Display Screen, invented and produced by Almont Green Studios of Medway. This display screen allows visitors to view and browse through large format digitized photographs of Franklin’s past.
Wedding Dress Display and Speakers
Returning this year, June through August, was another exquisite wedding dress display, the product of many volunteer hours. To complement the display were two separate event presentations on wedding dresses. The public was invited to submit their wedding photos to be scanned and added to our permanent collection.
Annual Events of the Downtown Partnership
The Commission enjoys being part in the annual events planned by the Downtown Partnership which include the Strawberry Festival, the Harvest Festival, and the Holiday Stroll. The Holiday Stroll is always a fun evening hosted by Mrs. Claus who reads to many wide eyed children.
Social Media
The Museum’s presence in social media continues to grow. Come join the discussion on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FHM02038/).
Wall Calendars
In 2018 we produced calendars of old Franklin photographs and key dates. We plan to produce another for 2019, to be available at the Museum for a nominal fee.
School Participation
We encourage elementary, middle, and high school student visits to the museum to learn about Franklin throughout the course of the year. So many stories to tell! Learning about our town’s history is a wonderful gateway to history as a whole. Teachers are encouraged to contact us to make arrangements to bring their class in for a visit and hosted tour.
Demolition Requests
Under the demolition bylaw passed by the Town Council, the Historical Commission reviews any demolition request of a property built in 1930 or before. We make every attempt to encourage the preservation of any building of historical significance. We have the option to delay the demolition of a building for up to a year so that suitable alternatives can be considered.
This year, the following properties were approved for demolition:
- 300 W. Central St. 1880
- 70 E. Central St. 1900
This speaks to the ongoing issue of the disappearance of the Town’s historical assets.
You can read the full Annual Report for 2018 online
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/franklin_2018_town_report.pdf
The archive of prior year annual reports
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports
 |
| exterior siding work is nearing completion, next up will be work to repair the cupola |
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