Franklin, MA: Town Council - Budget Hearing #2 - June 18

FRANKLIN TOWN COUNCIL

Agenda & Meeting Packet  = June 18, 2020

Franklin High School 

Football Field - Pisini Stadium 

Oak Street, Franklin MA, 02038

7:00 PM

The Franklin Town Council will be holding its annual budget hearing on the Franklin High School Football Field. The purpose of this location is to have a place that allows for proper implementation of the guidelines produced by the state Department of Public Health (DPH) regarding Town Meetings for Municipal Legislative Bodies. Executive Order 38 (below) promulgated by Governor Baker. If attending in person, see DPH guidelines (below). All budget materials are online https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget or the links below.

1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

2. ANNOUNCEMENTS

a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.

3. CITIZEN COMMENTS

a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.

4. HEARINGS - FY 2021 Budget Hearing 7:10pm

• a. Final Recommendation Voting Document
• i. F Y21 Budget Message
• ii. F Y21 Town Administrator Proposed Budget

5. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

• a. Resolution 20-31: Adoption of FY21 Budget (Motion to Approve Resolution 20-31 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/5a._resolution_20-31_adoption_of_fy21_budget.pdf
• b. Resolution 20-36: Community Preservation Act, G.L. Chapter 44B, Sections 3-7 Authorization for Ballot Vote (Motion to Approve Resolution 20-36, CPA Ballot- Majority Roll Call Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/5b._resolution_20-36_cpa_ballot_vote.pdf
• c. Resolution 20-37: Authorize the Borrowing of Money to Pay Costs of Various Capital Improvements (Motion to Approve Resolution 20-37 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/5c._resolution_20-37_borrowing_authorization.pdf

6. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

7. COUNCIL COMMENTS

8. ADJOURN

Note: Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes; Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting


Executive Order 38
https://www.mass.gov/doc/june-6-2020-regulating-gatherings-throughout-the-commonwealth/download?_ga=2.247015046.320592393.1592235776-1919234641.1588012608

DPH Guidelines
https://www.mass.gov/doc/guidance-for-town-meetings-to-address-covid-19/download

Shared from Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1272966385845571584?s=09

The PDF version of the agenda can be found
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/06-18-2020_town_council_budget_agenda.pdf

Franklin Police Statement in Response to President's Order on Police Reform

On Tuesday June 16. President Trump signed an Executive Order dealing with Law Enforcement reforms. There were many parts of this order, but we wanted to highlight an area where the Franklin Police Department is already involved.

His order reads in part:

Sec. 4. Mental Health, Homelessness, and Addiction. (a) Since the mid-twentieth century, America has witnessed a reduction in targeted mental health treatment. Ineffective policies have left more individuals with mental health needs on our Nation's streets, which has expanded the responsibilities of law enforcement officers. As a society, we must take steps to safely and humanely care for those who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse in a manner that addresses such individuals' needs and the needs of their communities. It is the policy of the United States to promote the use of appropriate social services as the primary response to individuals who suffer from impaired mental health, homelessness, and addiction, recognizing that, because law enforcement officers often encounter such individuals suffering from these conditions in the course of their duties, all officers should be properly trained for such encounters.

(b) The Attorney General shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services as appropriate, identify and develop opportunities to train law enforcement officers with respect to encounters with individuals suffering from impaired mental health, homelessness, and addiction; to increase the capacity of social workers working directly with law enforcement agencies; and to provide guidance regarding the development and implementation of co-responder programs, which involve social workers or other mental health professionals working alongside law enforcement officers so that they arrive and address situations together. The Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall prioritize resources, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to support such opportunities.

(c) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall survey community-support models addressing mental health, homelessness, and addiction. Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall summarize the results of this survey in a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, which shall include specific recommendations regarding how appropriated funds can be reallocated to support widespread adoption of successful models and recommendations for additional funding, if needed.

(d) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, in coordination with the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, prioritize resources, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to implement community-support models as recommended in the report described in subsection (c) of this section.
---------------------------

The Franklin Police Department is already actively engaged in this process on many levels. For mental health calls for service and follow up we already have in place our Jail Diversion Program (https://www.franklinma.gov/police-department/pages/jail-diversion-program). Our clinician responds with officers to calls where citizens may be involved in a mental health crisis. The work done there helps determine if the person in crisis is best served by remaining in the community, or needs immediate treatment and transport to the hospital. 

There are advantages to every diversion that happens. First, there is the cost. Not transporting and finding community based support is much less expensive than an emergency room visit. Secondly, and most importantly, having our clinician available results in better outcomes for patients. Our clinician is also skilled in deescalation, and connecting with people in crisis to come to a mutually agreeable plan forward. Each time this happens, it lessens the need for officers to become involved, or end up having to use some degree of force to compel the person for treatment.

Our clinical also works with Franklin Police Detectives' to follow up on drug overdose cases through the Norfolk County Outreach program. This program tracks individuals who have overdosed in Franklin, or another community, but live here. With the clinician and Detective, Franklin has been able to achieve over an 80% contact rate, the highest in the county, to offer these individuals treatment services.

The Jail Diversion Program is extensive, and one of the greatest programs we have added in recent years. It is also very notable that this program is free to the Town of Franklin, and the Town of Medway, who we share our clinician with. This is the result of a grant written by both agencies which is funded by the Department of Mental Health. A full report is available online on our Jail Diversion Page (https://www.franklinma.gov/police-department/pages/jail-diversion-program).

The Franklin Police take seriously the needs of our citizens. In addition to the JDP program we are also part of the IACP One Mind Campaign (https://www.theiacp.org/projects/one-mind-campaign). Participation in this program required the Franklin Police to train every officer in Mental Health First Aid (https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/training-courses/mental-health-first-aid/), and 20% of our officers in Crisis Intervention Training (https://www.nami.org/Advocacy/Crisis-Intervention/Crisis-Intervention-Team-(CIT)-Programs). We have successfully completed this program. 

 

Franklin Police Statement in Response to President's Order on Police Reform

Dyuthi Papineni dedicates song recording to Ms. Hersee

"@HMMSLightning Dyuthi Papineni recorded a song and wants to dedicate it to Ms. Hersee. She will miss her and wishes that the Franklin middle school chorus program continues next year. Good luck and see you next year!"

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kkU_cYF3x63a5yknAaSQoDC2U-T12vyK/view?usp=sharing



shared via Twitter: https://twitter.com/selenacousin1/status/1272982050509918208?s=09

Franklin Youth Baseball - registration now open

Franklin Youth Baseball has opened registration for baseball this summer. 

Visit visit franklinyouthbaseball.com to register or send questions to franklinyouthbaseball@yahoo.com. 

More information can be found here http://franklin.sportssignup.com/site/ClientSite/article/3468521

Franklin Youth Baseball - registration now open

Senate President Spilka's Message, June 15, 2020

Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka offers and updates on the Senate's efforts to address racial justice, as well as an upcoming debate on vote-by-mail legislation. She also reviews the passage of funding for transportation infrastructure and EEE protections.

Video link = https://youtu.be/wMhxoC5Xc1k

In the News: "Franklin’s school district isn’t alone in its fiscal troubles"

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

"As the town struggles with pre-existing financial difficulties likely to be exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the word “override” has started to show up prominently in Franklin conversations.

The bleakness of the situation came into painfully clear focus last week when, in the face of potentially significant layoffs, dozens of teachers and their supporters turned out to demonstrate in the town center.

It was precipitated after the School Department found itself in the difficult position of having to advise 103 of its employees they may no longer have jobs for the 2020-21 school year - and all of this amid questions about how school will function in the fall and meet, with fewer resources, the kinds of socially-distanced guidelines that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is suggesting.

“We reluctantly issued non-renew notices to our non-professional status educators in order to meet the statutory deadline of June 15,” Schools Superintendent Sara Ahern said via email. “We did so because of the uncertainty of budget cuts and projected reductions in state aid.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200616/will-franklin-be-next-to-ask-override-question

Town Council budget hearing info for June 17-18

• June 17 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/franklin-ma-town-council-budget-hearing.html
• June 18 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/franklin-ma-town-council-budget-hearing_17.html
• Inside the budget documents https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/inside-budget-documents.html
• How did we get here?  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/how-did-we-get-here.html
• Just so you are not disappointed  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/just-so-you-are-not-disappointed.html

In the News: "Franklin’s school district isn’t alone in its fiscal troubles"

Ayla Brown to feature at THE BLACK BOX Outdoor Concert

THE BLACK BOX, the region’s premiere concert, theater, and event venue, has announced outdoor weekend concerts throughout the month of July in the theater’s parking lot. The shows will be presented in a 1 hour format with two seatings at 6:30 and 8:30 PM. Tables will be socially distanced and masks will be required when patrons enter THE BLACK BOX building to access the box office, restrooms, and bar. Table groupings will be limited to six.

The concert series will open on July 2nd with a weekend of Patriotic-inspired entertainment. Country singer Ayla Brown will headline on the Fourth of July. From parachuting with the Army Golden Knights jump team, lighting up the scoreboard for Boston College Basketball, or acting as a main correspondent for national news programs, Ayla Brown is no stranger to the spotlight. Most recently, she has been named as the Morning Show Co-host at Country 102.5 in Boston. Jonathan Wier and Ayla Brown can be heard weekdays from 5:30 to 9am on WKLB-FM (https://country1025.com/shows/jonathan-wier-ayla-brown/). 

Musically, Ayla has released two full length albums Heroes & Hometowns and Let Love In both to critical acclaim and her new single, “Label,” is available on all digital platforms. Brown, an alumna of the Franklin School for the Performing Arts, was also a finalist on nationally renowned television program American Idol, and she continues to utilize her vast repertoire of talents while advancing her already successful and illustrious career. Other July performers will be announced soon.

Tickets will be available at www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or by calling 508-528-3370. THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 W. Central St. in downtown Franklin. 

Ayla Brown to feature at THE BLACK BOX Outdoor Concert