Franklin: Urgent: Coronavirus Information Portal (Updates Here)

March 15, 2020 Update (8:15 PM)

Based on the information provided in Governor Baker's press conference this evening, effective tomorrow, March 16, 2020, the Franklin Town and School Administration offices, as well as all Franklin public buildings will be closed to the public. 

While the Municipal Building and other departments are closed for direct, in person service, staff will be available for all regular business activities via phone, email and our online services center at www.franklinma.gov. For an emergency, please continue to dial 911.  

Employees are expected to report to work tomorrow for a regular work day. More information will be forthcoming in the days ahead.
 -- Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator and Sara Ahern, Suprintendent of Schools

Letter from Town Administrator, Jamie Hellen and the Superintendent of Schools, Sara Ahern regarding Coronavirus 

A letter from the Superintendent of Schools, Sara Ahern Regarding Caronavirus and School closings

* Residents please be informed that the over 1.3 Million square feet of municipal facilities (ie. Schools, Town Hall Building, etc.) are being sprayed every weekend with commercial grade disinfectant to help mitigate the spread of germs. This practice will continue for the foreseeable future. 

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The Town of Franklin is keeping up to date with the latest information related to the novel Coronavirus as it becomes available. This site will be updated regularly with information from State and Federal agencies. Please check back frequently. 

The Town of Franklin will be cleaning and sanitizing all public buildings every weekend. 

There are many things you can do to prevent the transmission of COVID - 19 and other of viruses. Please follow the tips found here:

1. Keep a distance of 6 feet from people, especially individuals who are showing signs and symptoms of upper respiratory infection. 
2. Keep a small bottle of alcohol based (60%) hand sanitizer for travel. Rub over entire hands until hands are dry.
3. Wash hands with warm or hot water and soap for 20 seconds.
4. Try as hard as possible to not touch eyes, ears, nose, mouth, especially if you one has not washed hands recently. 
5. Sneeze or cough into a tissue, discard tissue and wash hands thoroughly.

The following links provide up-to-date information regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Frequently Asked Questions

Best Practices for Prevention and Treatment 

Steps to prevent illness

Messages from Superintendent Dr. Sara Ahern (March 8th, Feb 28th)

Franklin Police Response to COVID-19 (March 13, 2020)
 
Council on Aging COVID1-19 update (March 10, 2020)

How to clean your smartphone (and other computer hardware) 

Please follow this link for information from Monica Bharel MD MPH, Commissioner of the Department of Health: https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department/pages/corona-virus-information

Franklin: Urgent: Coronavirus Information Portal (Updates Here)

Franklin Public Schools: Governor’s Announcement -- Updated Duration of Closure

March 15, 2020

Dear Franklin Families,

Governor’s Announcement -- Updated Duration of Closure

Earlier this evening, Governor Baker announced that public and private schools in Massachusetts will be closed for three weeks, through April 6. Therefore, Franklin Public Schools will be closed until April 6, planning to resume operations on Tuesday, April 7. This may be revisited in the coming weeks.

Our last day of school is still expected to be Wednesday, June 24, 2020.

A key emphasis of the Governor is that this measure is designed to promote the slow of the Coronavirus infection through the practice of social distancing. This article may be helpful to you in understanding what behaviors help to support this measure:

“Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day” by Asaf Bitton, MD, MPH, https://medium.com/@ariadnelabs/social-distancing-this-is-not-a-snow-day-ac21d7fa78b4

To summarize the article, the author advises no playdates, no movie theaters, no parties, no sleepovers, among other social behaviors. The author suggests taking care of yourself and family members and, although challenging, that everyone practices social distancing.

Food Services
During this period of closure, families who feel that their student would benefit from having a grab-and-go lunch or breakfast may pick up meals via the back driveway of Franklin High School between the hours of 11:30 AM and 1 PM, Monday through Friday. If transportation is a concern, please reach out to the Student Services Office at (508) 553-4811 who will assist you.

We also wish to share the following message from Franklin Food Pantry:

“The Franklin Pantry will be open regular hours next week, March 17 – March 20. We will be open to our current neighbors or anyone who needs us including families who count on the breakfast and lunch options provided by the Franklin area schools. We will provide a prepackaged bag full of nonperishable items to help you through this time. You can visit us daily if needed. We will reopen on March 24 with our regular shopping hours and procedures.

How can you help?

We are so grateful to our community and have received many questions on how you can help us during these uncertain times. If you are able, the best way to support The Pantry is through a monetary donation. Monetary donations allow us to purchase the items we need at a cheaper price through the Greater Boston Food Bank. If you are interested in donating items, please visit our current needs list. Check back regularly as we update frequently. Thank you for your continued support of the Franklin Food Pantry.”

Learning Opportunities
We will be sharing more information with families in the coming days about ways in which we will keep students engaged in learning and connected to school during the closure.

Building Access
Be on alert for messages from your building principal(s) about when students can come to the building to retrieve books, Chromebooks, instruments and other personal items.

SPAM Folders
Some recipients of our messages have noted difficulty in receiving our e-mails. Please check your SPAM folders and be sure to mark our messages as “not spam” so that they may be delivered directly to your inbox.

Coronavirus Portal
We wish to remind you that the Town of Franklin has developed a portal for the public to access the latest information on Coronavirus: https://www.franklinma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/coronavirus-information-portal


Kind regards,

Sara E. Ahern
Superintendent of Schools


Download a PDF of this announcement
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MHQDph06Gga7AIrZ9E-AGf0hLi1K_rKM/view?usp=sharing

Coronavirus Information Portal

Mutual aid networks for 350 Mass during Coronavirus

"We hope you are staying healthy and finding support during these disorienting times.

As climate activists, we know that as climate change worsens, we will see increasingly frequent and dangerous crises like this one.

This is a grim thought, but I also find it a powerful one: the structures, connections and resources we develop to support each other now, will leave us better prepared to support each other during future climate crises and disasters.

We know that climate change disproportionately harms people already marginalized by society, and this public health crisis is no exception: my heart is particularly with people who have compromised immune systems; people without health insurance or access to treatment; those who cannot afford to stay home from work and do not have paid sick time; kids who rely on free school lunch; and many others.

Tuesday’s weekly newsletter will focus on resources and best practices for responding to coronavirus. But while that is still a work in progress, we wanted to send one resource out without delay.

In the spirit of support and solidarity, I want to introduce a new tool: 350 Mass and Community Mutual Aid form.  
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSch5YoXLpT-mfRmYyocdCYJ98flZOK2WFOhhe_khamR-Uv-Eg/viewform

While a certain administration in DC is not going to take care of us or our people, we have many resources to care for each other.

Do you have resources to share with someone in need--extra food to share with a neighbor? A room someone forced to leave campus housing could stay in? A Netflix password?

Do you have needs the community could help meet--someone to look after your kids? Someone to drive you to the grocery store so you can avoid public transit?

Please fill out this Google form with your needs and offerings: 
 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSch5YoXLpT-mfRmYyocdCYJ98flZOK2WFOhhe_khamR-Uv-Eg/viewform

The results will be on a survey you can access to connect with each other. I’m excited to use this tool both to help support our friends and community within the 350 Mass network as well as to share it with frontline community partners, and I encourage you to share it with your community (on a neighborhood forum, Facebook group, or just with family and friends), especially those whose needs might be higher or access to resources lower.

(Note: many communities are putting together local mutual aid networks as well--we encourage you to participate if your community has one, or consider forming one if not!)"

With love and power,
Jon Wishnie for 350 Mass

350ma.org

 

Please fill out this Google form with your needs and offerings

Need to Read? Try a Little Free Library? or Start a new one

"Welcome to the world’s largest book-sharing movement! Join us in:

• Building Community
• Sparking Creativity
• Inspiring Readers"

https://littlefreelibrary.org/

Little Free Library locations in Franklin, MA

https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/

On map:

• 26 Lawrence Dr
• Franklin Federated Church, 171 Main St
• 109 Union St
• 131 Hillside Road

Not on map:

• 366 Lincoln St
• 28 East Park St
• Davis Thayer
• Hockomock YMCA (Forge Hill) (added via feedback)
• ??

If you know of one not on this listing, please let me know

Little Free Library locations in Franklin, MA (as of 3/14/20 noon)

Need to Read? Try a Little Free Library

FM #225 Stormwater Utility Session 2 - 3/11/20 (audio)

FM #225 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 225 in the series.

The Town Council Stormwater Utility Fee Subcommittee held the second of three information scheduled sessions to review the proposed stormwater utility fee as a response to the Federal mandate required by the EPA MS4 regulations.

The session was held at the Franklin TV studio on March 11 and also broadcast via Facebook Live.

Subcommittee Chair Melanie Hamblen opened the session and discussion. Councilors Glenn Jones, Bob Dellorco, Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, DPW Director Robert (Brutus) Cantoreggi, GIS Coordinator Kate Sjoberg also sat at the main table in the studio.

Consultant Jean Haggerty sat in a front row to provide support and comment/answer as required.

As we record this intro, the Library has been closed for public events so the third session which as mentioned was scheduled for March 21 is in jeopardy due to the coronavirus mitigation plans. Stay tuned for updates. It may very well be conducted and other than the presenters, the participation may be all remote.

The audio segment runs about 93 minutes, so let’s listen in to the presentation and discussion of the stormwater utility fee. 
https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HZ6yY75X






The presentation document (updated from the first session) 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I2WQBG4XgPRjak-b4athnfqal6h1xMR-/view?usp=sharing

Or on the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/_stormwater_council_outreach_2019_2.pdf

The handout can be found online at the new Stormwater Division page along with the rain barrel rebate program
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/ms4_permit_-_quick_facts.pdf

Visit the Stormwater Division page to review the mitigation plan as well as the MS4 itself  https://www.franklinma.gov/stormwater-division

Visit “Soak it up Franklin” https://www.soakitupfranklinma.org/

The Facebook ‘watch party’ can be found here
https://www.facebook.com/watchparty/811564642656706/


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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

FM #225 Stormwater Utility Session 2  - 3/11/20 (audio)

“We are preparing for more confirmed cases”

From the Milford Daily News, an article of interest for Franklin:

"State officials on Saturday relaxed rules on who can get tested for the coronavirus in an effort to identify more cases and slow the spread of the outbreak.

The state also announced a new command center to coordinate the response to the virus. State Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders will lead the center, which state officials said will focus on expanding testing, preventing health care equipment shortages and ensuring hospitals are ready for large numbers of patients.

“Far more people are going to get tested,” Gov. Charlie Baker said Saturday morning during a news conference called to announce the changes.

The state has tested 475 people for the virus as of Friday. Before the change announced Saturday, health professionals had to seek state approval before administering a test for the virus."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200315/massachusetts-eases-virus-test-rules-creates-command-center

“We are preparing for more confirmed cases”

In the News: casino operations shutting down in response to COVID-19

From the Milford Daily News, an article of interest for Franklin:

"The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has voted to shut down operations at the state’s casinos in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the state.

An expeditious and orderly shutdown process is underway at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville.

Commissioners voted unanimously to temporarily suspend operations at the three casinos. The commission anticipates that the gaming floor at the casinos will close to patrons at 5:59 a.m. Sunday.

The decision will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to the gaming commission."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200314/mass-gaming-commission-votes-to-shut-down-casino-operations-in-response-to-covid-19