In the News: Recycling company expands; MA schools top rated again

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

"A national recycling center that has a presence in Franklin has moved to a larger location to meet increased demand in people recycling their old working refrigerators and freezers.

In June, Arca Recycling Inc moved from its approximately 15,000-square-foot facility at 40 Kenwood Circle to an approximately 22,000-square-foot facility at 20 Liberty Way, according to Regional Transportation Director Stefan Marszalek.

Many residents in the state are taking advantage of Mass Save’s appliance recycling program, which provides monetary incentives for eligible individuals who recycle their functional refrigerator and freezer. Mass Save is funded by the state’s major energy utilities, including Cape Light Compact, Eversource, National Grid and Unitil.

On Monday, the company hosted an open house at the Franklin location to give representatives from those utility companies a first-hand look at what goes on inside the facility, which includes taking apart and recycling the appliances."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190806/new-franklin-quarters-for-refrigerator-recycling-company

Arca Recycling  https://www.arcarecyclinginc.com/

Arca Recycling Inc

"The state’s schools were the highest-ranked in both math and reading test scores, as well as the lowest percentage of threatened and injured high school students.

For the second year in a row, Massachusetts schools are tops in the nation.

At least that was the result of a recently released study from the personal finance website WalletHub.

The state’s schools were the highest-ranked in both math and reading test scores, as well as the lowest percentage of threatened and injured high school students. The state ranked in the top five in several other categories."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190806/report-says-massachusetts-schools-are-best-again

Read the report online  https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-best-schools/5335/

the highest-ranked in both math and reading test scores

Franklin Candidate Interview Questions Being Formulated

For the candidate interviews, I have dusted off questions from prior elections to bring them up to date for this 2019 Election.

My draft choices are shown below:

General question for candidates:

1. What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? Or what do you bring to the table that helps to set you apart from the others?
2. What do you see as your role's biggest challenge?
3. Do you have any suggestions on how we should resolve it?

Town Council / School Committee:

1. Franklin is facing a budget deficit next year, what do think we should do to resolve the deficit?

Town Council:

1. Social media channels from time to time are full of comments like ‘stop the building’, how do you address those?

Do you have a question to ask a candidate? Use the form to submit a question for consideration. 

I'll publish the final set of questions to asked.

Franklin Election 2019: What does the Town Council do?

The Town Council approves the budget and authorizes all spending. One exception is that the School Committee is responsible for managing the school budget after the Town Council approves the amount as part of the overall Town budget. Hence, you'll often hear of the town side and the school side as the two groups provide separate oversight for their area.

The Town Council hires and reviews the Town Administrator. The Town Administrator (Jamie Hellen) is responsible for the daily operations of the Town departments (except as noted for the schools).

The Town Council is the legislative body to approve changes to the bylaws. Usually there is some controversy when the Town Council 'forgets' their legislative role and attempts to intervene in the day to day operations.

There are nine members of the Town Council all elected 'at large' (they represent all the voters of Franklin as opposed to the individual precincts). The Council chooses their Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk in the first session after each election.

All nine positions are up for election on November 5, 2019. Each position has a two year term.

Additional information on the Council, their process and procedures, fiscal policies, meeting agendas, minutes and a host of other information can be found on the Town of Franklin webpage https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council

"Welcome to the webpage of the Franklin Town Council. By the Town Charter, the 9-member Town Council serves as the legislative body who sets policy for the community. The Council serves as the Local Licensing Authority for Alcoholic Beverages Licenses. The Council also has several subcommittees, including Budget, Capital Budget and Economic Development. The Council also has two liaisons, one to the S.A.F.E Coalition and for Communications.

The Franklin Town Council has established high standards for customer service for the Town staff. If you have a question, concern, or need assistance, please feel free to email us directly using the email forms below, or you can email all nine members of the Council by using that option to the left of this message."

The Annual Report of the Town Council for 2018 can be found
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/franklin-annual-report-2018-town-council.html

Franklin Election 2019: What does the Town Council do?

Pew Research Center: How random sampling is used in surveys

"Here at Pew Research Center, we are often asked about how we conduct our research. We work hard to make our methodologies transparent and understandable, but we also know that survey mode effects and data weighting aren’t on everyone’s short list of water-cooler conversation topics.

That’s why we’re launching Methods 101, a new occasional video series dedicated to explaining and educating the public about the basic methods we use to conduct our survey research. We hope this effort will make survey methods more accessible, even if you’re not a statistician or pollster. We also hope it will help give our audience the confidence to be savvy consumers of all polls.

Our first video is about random sampling, a concept that undergirds all probability-based survey research. The video explains what it means and why it’s important. We hope you’ll find it useful."

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/12/methods-101-random-sampling/

 https://youtu.be/sonXfzE1hvo




https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/12/methods-101-random-sampling/

"Funny part is, we played in these parking lots when we were kids"

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

"Former Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman, a Worcester native, was right at home. So was former Sox pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd.

The star battery of the 1986 American League pennant-winning Red Sox on Monday christened home plate, or rather, where home plate will be when the new Polar Park opens in 2021.

And they led a gaggle of children in an inaugural charge around what will be the base paths in Worcester’s new field of dreams.

The Sox legends joined the manager of the Pawtucket Red Sox and three current PawSox players as guests of honor in ceremonies at the site of the future home of the Boston Red Sox top minor-league club, at Gold and Washington streets just outside Kelley Square."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190805/home-plate-planted-at-polar-park-site-in-worcester

Catch the PawSox while they are still playing in McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket this year and next.  https://www.milb.com/pawtucket

"Funny part is, we played in these parking lots when we were kids"

 

Lifelong Community Learning: Fall 2019 Registration is Open!

Classes begin in early September, so be sure to sign up today!

In addition to recurring favorites, we are excited to add new courses including: cupcake decorating, ballroom dance, tai chi, and a holiday tour to the Newport Mansions.

We will also be partnering with the Franklin YMCA to offer CPR and first aid training, babysitting certification, and baby/toddler swim lessons.

The Fall 2019 Course Offerings
http://www.franklinlifelonglearning.com/Adult%20Ed/LCLBrochure-Aug-2019.pdf

Register online:
https://reg.abcsignup.com/view/cal7a.aspx?ek=&ref=&aa=&sid1=&sid2=&as=79&wp=407&tz=&ms=&nav=&cc=&cat1=&cat2=&cat3=&aid=FPSLLI&rf=

LIfelong Community Learning: Fall 2019 Registration is Open!

"It’s important to give everyone opportunities”

Josh Perry, Managing Editor of HockomockSports.com, provides this article on the New England Revolution Unifed Sports program featuring Franklin High alum Farley Asmath.

"On the morning of July 31, hours before the Major League Soccer (MLS) all-stars took the pitch at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium to face Spanish power Atletico Madrid, MLS WORKS and the Special Olympics hosted another all-star game featuring some of the best soccer players from across the country.

The sixth annual Unified Sports All-Star Soccer Match pitted partners and athletes representing teams from the Eastern Conference against those from the West in an 11-on-11 match at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The New England Revolution were part of the festivities. Franklin High alum Farley Asmath was chosen to be the Revs Unified partner at the event, teaming up with athlete Preston Hall III.

Asmath, who earned HockomockSports.com Second XI honors in 2016 as a senior striker for the Panthers and who led the region in goals and points last fall at MassBay Community College, was thrilled at the honor of representing the Revs in Orlando.

“I’m just very thankful that they’ve noticed what I’ve been doing with the team…that I’m putting in the work at practice and things like that,” he explained. “I’m very thankful for that.” (Asmath and the Eastern Conference pulled out a 2-1 victory on Wednesday morning.)"

Continue reading the article online
https://hockomocksports.com/franklins-farley-asmath-represents-revs-at-all-star-game/

Franklin alum Farley Asmath (left) and Preston Hall represented the New England Revolution at the Special Olympics Unified Sports All-Star Soccer Match at the ESPN World Wide of Sports facilities. (New England Revolution)