MassDOT: Rt 140 Road Construction Status Update

Rt 140 Road Construction Status Update

9/24/19

The Town had received many inquiries as to when the road work will be completed on State Highway Route 140 at the Exit 17 off ramp intersection. The Town has contacted the state to receive this update.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is anticipating completion of paving Rt 140 by the end of this week or early next week, weather dependent.

The pavement will need to cure for 3 days before painting and striping. Once the pavement has been striped, paving of Apron/Entrances will commence.

The state is looking at completing the entire project within roughly two weeks. 



This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/rt-140-road-construction-status-update

Higher Education Committee Embarks on Public Campus Tours

Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin) and Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, begin a mission on this week to visit all 29 public colleges and universities in the commonwealth. The tour is set for every Friday starting in North Adams on September 27 and continuing until every campus has been visited.

The Higher Education Committee will be visiting each campus to get a first-hand look at the facilities, meet with faculty and administrators, and hear from students about their experiences. The tours will include meetings with campus leaders, faculty, staff, and students at each of the institutions.

"It's ambitious, but when appointed to chair this committee, one of the very first things I did was to print out a map of the 29 public institutions in the Commonwealth to plan the trip," said Representative Roy. "We want to experience what life is like on these campuses which should provide a better context for the budget and legislative decisions we make. And the tours will provide an up close and personal view of each campus to give us a better perspective on the issues faced by those in each academic community."

Senator Gobi remarked, "I look forward to visiting each campus and having the opportunity to meet with students, faculty, and staff. I am aware that there are several deficiencies within higher education, funding being one, and I expect that these visits will help myself and the committee members to find ways that we can be most helpful and propel us forward."

The tours will also include the members of the Higher Education Committee, as well as the area legislators. The Committee will have an opportunity to see what has been done on each campus, and see what remains to be done to ensure that students have an engaging learning environment which will not only ensure their success, but wi1l contribute to the success of the Commonwealth as well.

The tentative tour schedule through the end of October is as follows: 

• FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 (START: TIME 9:30 A.M.):

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts - 375 Church Street, North Adams, MA
Berkshire Community College - 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA

• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 (START TIME: 9:30 A.M.):

University of Massachusetts Amherst - 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Amherst, MA 
Greenfield Community College - One College Drive, Greenfield, MA

• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 (START TIME: 9:30 A.M.):

Salem State University - 352 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA
North Shore Community College - One Femcroft Road, Danvers, MA

• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 (START TIME: 9:30 A.M.):

Fitchburg State University - 160 Pearl Street, Fitchburg, MA
Mount Wachusett Community College - 444 Green Street, Gardner, MA


Additional info on the Joint Committee on Higher Education 
https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Detail/J29

Joint Committee on Higher Education

Charlie Baker Nine-Foot Puppet Comes To Franklin

On Thursday, September 26, at 10:00 AM, a group of climate activists and supporters from Franklin and surrounding towns, will gather at 541 West Central St. (Route 140) in front of Dunkin' Donuts with a nine-foot puppet of Governor Charlie Baker. The hour-long event is part of the Charlie's Climate Catastrophe Tour happening around the state organized by 350 Massachusetts, a statewide network of climate activists. The public is invited.

Carolyn Barthel, Coordinator of the 350 Mass Greater Franklin node, said, “Despite the disastrous Merrimack Valley explosions a year ago in which over 80 homes were damaged or destroyed and one person killed by gas line explosions, Charlie Baker continues to push new gas infrastructure in the state, including the dangerous Weymouth compressor station project. We must reduce our carbon emissions by stopping new gas infrastructure projects and transitioning from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources like solar and wind.”

The West Central location for the September 26 demonstration was chosen because it is the site of just one of 71 detected gas leaks in Franklin. Consumers pay for these gas leaks, not only monetarily in their gas bills, but in our atmosphere, adding to our growing climate crisis.

350 Mass is also sponsoring Thursday, October 17, 7:00-9:00 PM, with the Massachusetts Climate Action Network and the Franklin Democratic Town Committee a two-hour educational presentation, “Franklin 2050: The Climate Crisis” at the Franklin Elks Lodge, 1077 Pond Street, Franklin. It features a short video narrated by Morgan Freeman and three speakers to talk about the causes, the effects and what we can do about the climate crisis. The public is invited.

For more detailed information, go to “Franklin 2050: The Climate Crisis”
at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/franklin-2050-the-climate-crisis-tickets-65325208457


Franklin alone has 71 detected gas leaks!
 

Franklin 2050:The Climate Crisis

"Gov. Baker declares 4-month ban on vaping products"

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

"Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday announced a four-month ban on the sale of all vaping products in Massachusetts.

Baker made the announcement at a press conference where he said he was declaring a public health emergency in connection with vaping-related lung illnesses. Hundreds of cases of the illness have been reported nationwide and Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel has already ordered all cases to be reported to the Department of Public Health for the next year.

“We as a commonwealth need to pause sales in order for our medical experts to collect more information about what is driving these life-threatening vaping-related illnesses,” Baker said.

The temporary ban will apply to flavored and non-flavored vaping products, Baker said, in retail stores and online. The ban applies to all vaping products and devices, including tobacco and marijuana. It takes effect immediately."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190924/businesses-and-users-react-after-gov-baker-declares-4-month-ban-on-vaping-products

Live reporting: Discussion Only items through to Closing

4. Discussion Only Items
a. Revised FY20 Budget
https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/revised-budget

this is a tiny bit of money and not 'found money'

5. Information Matters
a. School Committee Sub-Committee Reports 
Budget
prepared a 5 year projection for review
budget issues for community sharing

Community Relations
soccer field Sep 28 at 9:00 AM at Dacey Fields
to be where the community is on Saturday

also at the Harvest Festival Oct 5 (noon to 5:00 PM)

Oct 21 - Social Media Panel at FHS 6:30 to 8:30 PM
parents and children and impact it has on our lives
library media center at FHS

newsletter should be out next week

Policy
meeting again, Oct 24 getting to the last B policies

Public Schools Advocacy, MASC
legislative Forum next Feb, date TBD
resolutions for the MASC conference to be reviewed Oct 15

b. School Committee Liaison Reports
Joint PCC
earmarked funds from State budget to support vaping work
Gov Baker issued a 4 month ban on vaping products due to the health risks

Substance Abuse Task Force
vaping diversion developed at high school level being reworked for middle school

School Wellness Advisory Council [SWAC]


6. New Business
a. To discuss any future agenda items
expecting to hear from advisors/students on the high school summer trip
2 year NEASC update report in progress
MASC resolutions for review


7. Consent Agenda
a. Minutes
I recommend approval of the minutes from the September 10, 2019 School Committee meeting as detailed.
b. Executive Session Minutes
I recommend approval of the executive session minutes from the September 10, 2019 School Committee meeting to be released as detailed.
c. Parmenter Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,560.50 from the Parmenter PCC for supplemental supplies as detailed.
d. Remington Middle School Trip
I recommend approval of the request to take the RMS Adventure Club to Mt. Monadnock in Jaffrey, NH for a recurring field trip on October 19, 2019 as detailed.
e. Budget Transfers
I recommend approval of the budget transfers as detailed.

motion to approve, seconded. passed 7-0

8. Payment of Bills Dr. Bergen

9. Payroll Mrs. Douglas

10. Correspondence


12. Adjournment

motion to adjourn, seconded, passed 7-0

The documents released for this meeting can be found on the School District page
https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/september-24-2019-school-committee-packet  Additional documents will be added to this page post meeting (generally during the business day after the meeting)

Live reporting: Discussion/Action items

Return to open meeting from Executive Session  (8:33 PM)

motion to ratify and approve MOA with 
7-0 via roll call  

3. Discussion / Action Items

• a. Elementary School Improvement Plans

I recommend approval of the 19-20 School Improvement Plans for Davis Thayer, Jefferson, Keller, Kennedy, Oak Street and Parmenter Elementary Schools and ECDC as presented and discussed.

motion to approve, seconded, passed 7-0 (move to action while elementary principals were still in the meeting)

• b. Policy – First Readings

I recommend moving the following policies to a second reading at the next School Committee meeting as discussed:

• BEDB – Order of Business 

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/current-bedb

• BEDH – Public Participation

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/current-bedh


motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed 7-0





The documents released for this meeting can be found on the School District page
https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/september-24-2019-school-committee-packet  

Additional documents will be added to this page post meeting (generally during the business day after the meeting)

Live reporting: School Start Times Update

b. School Start Times Update – Dr. Ahern

part II of the update, part I was done earlier this calendar year after the Advisory Committee completed their work

student and issue of sleep came to our attention, should not lose sight of

Superintendent Ahern making recommendation on school start times to School Committee tonight pic.twitter.com/YzeiAdt7Eb

— Steve Sherlock (@FranklinMatters) September 24, 2019

"I would suggest that we pause on its consideration of start time changes across all schools. However, we NEED to continue to address the health of children including sleep."

there will be challenges with the FY 2021 budget, attention needs to be paid there
comprehensive closing study of Davis Thayer requires attention
all collective bargaining agreements are up for renewal this year

MetroWest survey data just came out to say sleep is not increasing among our students

What will be a measure of success for this yet? A return to 2016? or ??
I would be curious to see what other surveys are reporting

current start and end times changes were to meet current contractual requirements and NOT in any relationship to school start times

Linden - there may be members in the community who won't like the idea of pausing. Start times and sleep deprivation is damaging, our district is damaging your children. There is too much tardiness and absenteeism. I deeply disappointed in this decision.

MJ - the pause will not make this go away

Tim Keenan - appreciation for the work done previously, and to Dr Ahern for her answers, I have done a lot of reading and an author of the key studies. I actually got responses. There is a different between sleep research and start time research. There is nothing compelling about start time. The Sleep research is compelling.

Suggestion to come to the Nov meeting on Sleep

Wants to get to a research article that is compelling on Start Time and have a dialog on it.

Feeley - thanks for the summary

Bergen - there are other issues that are in-front of us that we need to deal with
others who have changed recently have taken time to do it right before making the change

Zub - I think it is the right thing to do, there is no right answer, we want to the the best thing for our students. It may be interesting to see if anything is done at the state, California has one on the governor's desk.


11. Executive Session

a. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §21(a)(3) to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the ESP/LPN unit as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.

motion to go to executive session, seconded, passed 7-0