"Everybody had to give up something here to get to a common good, right"

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

"And on the third day, after sessions that ran for a collective 35 hours, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a sweeping police reform and accountability bill that seeks to certify all law enforcement officers in the state and curb the use of force tactics by police. 

The bill, representing the House’s attempt at addressing calls to counter systemic racism and force changes within law enforcement, largely stayed true to core principals the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus put forward early last month.
Republicans and a significant number of Democrats opposed the bill, but Democrats who control the House were able to pass it on Friday at 10 p.m. on a 93-66 vote. 

The legislation will likely head next to six-member House-Senate conference committee for resolution, but the bill’s negotiators have a short window - seven days - to try to get a consensus bill to Gov. Charlie Baker, who had proposed his own police accountability bill. The Senate approved its bill on a 30-7 vote. 

Formal legislative sessions, where controversial matters are settled, are set to end for 2020 on Friday, July 31."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200725/house-approves-sweeping-police-reform-bill-in-93-66-vote-after-35-hours-of-debate?rssfeed=true

The text of the legislation and amendments can be found online
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4860

DESE released guidance on 'Courses Requiring Additional Safety Considerations' and 'Remote Learning'

July 24 - DESE Releases Guidance on:

• Courses Requiring Additional Safety Considerations https://t.co/2uxffPxv0K
• Remote Learning - https://t.co/7FvkM0WLm3 

pic.twitter.com/M1FH8HTlWB  — M.A.S.S. (@massupt) July 24, 2020

DESE released guidance on 'Courses Requiring Additional Safety Considerations' and 'Remote Learning'

You can get a copy of Remote Learning



Courses Requiring Additional Safety Considerations:

Talk Franklin: "Mid-summer in Franklin: What's going on and what's coming up!

FM #317 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 317 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about: Current Town News

• Solar info sessions for NexAmp (Aug 25, Aug 26)
• Cannabis info session (Aug 6)
• Hazard mitigation plan (Jul 28)
• #Think Blue Franklin
• Spotlight on Senior Center
• Fire promotions event (Jul 22)

Meetings

• School committee Jul 28
• Town Council meeting rescheduled Jul 29

Re-opening

• Travel executive order just issued
• Plastic bag prohibition scheduled for Aug 1/ waiver for Nov 1
• Concerts on the Common tonight

The recording runs about 48 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie.


Audio file link: https://anchor.fm/letstalkfranklin/episodes/Mid-summer-in-Franklin-Whats-going-on-and-whats-coming-up-eh6o27




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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

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!
------------------

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

Talk Franklin: "Mid-summer in Franklin: What's going on and what's coming up!

Town of Franklin, MA (@TOFranklinMA) tweeted at 3:53 PM on Fri, Jul 24, 2020:

Listen to "Mid-summer in Franklin: What's going on and what's coming up! " Tune in to stay updated! Thanks, @FranklinMatters #FranklinMA #ThePlacetoBe #StayConnected #news #events⚓ https://t.co/XFN0qCvpwY https://t.co/lY65wHbFpr

(https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1286751442947252225?s=03)

State Budget for FY 2021 not likely until September

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

"Massachusetts tax collections in the fiscal year that ended June 30 are about $3 billion lower than what budget managers were expecting when they crafted the $43.3 billion state budget a year ago, according to preliminary data released Friday by the Department of Revenue. 

Revenue officials said incomplete revenue collections for fiscal year 2020 so far total $27.276 billion, which is $2.417 billion or 8.1 percent less than fiscal year 2019 and $3.014 billion or 9.9 percent below the year-to-date benchmark. 

But because the tax filing deadline was moved from April 15 to July 15 and DOR is still collecting fiscal 2020 taxes, the agency said the fiscal 2020 revenue total is expected to be updated over the next several weeks." 

“Approximately 81 percent of the year-to-date shortfall is in non-withheld income tax, which is due in large part to the deferral of the deadlines for personal income tax returns and payments and the first two estimated payment installments to July 15, 2020,” Revenue Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder said. “DOR will be releasing a full FY2020 revenue report in September because recently enacted legislation requires the Comptroller to record income tax payments received between July 1 and August 31 as FY20 revenue. We will continue to closely monitor these delayed FY20 revenue collections.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200724/interim-report-flags-3b-gap-in-last-years-budget?rssfeed=true

August funding bill submitted by Gov Baker https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4869
The message for Gov Baker on H-4869  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/HD5195

Weekly video update from FHS Principal Josh Hanna

Franklin High School Principal Josh Hanna writes:

Here is a link to a video update I plan on sharing on a weekly basis. Please click the link under the video and submit questions / concerns around our return to school. I hope you all are able to have a peaceful weekend.

https://youtu.be/YTx2cca8NRg




Click the link to offer questions / concerns to be shared in future updates.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdF9xbPGfZHC8RZZP2GdZCuek8nR1jW5WT9bfJMGblqIHhvQw/formrestricted

(Note the link to the form is currently restricted to those with an FPS email address. I expect this will change to enable parents and community to provide input.)

Franklin radar picked up via Twitter
https://twitter.com/MrHanna_FHS/status/1286803738041163777?s=09

State Rep Roy, Ted McIntyre on climate change

From the Guest Speakers section of Wicked Local

"The predictions of science are bleak based on our current approach to the problem of carbon pollution. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is nothing inevitable about the predictions. We still have the option to construct a good future. We have the power to build a world that does more than simply avoid catastrophe. And we can create a thriving, sustainable future that our children’s children will thank us for. 

Franklin had a very warm winter. According to The Globe it is “likely to end up being among the top five or six warmest since records have been kept.” 

While it is easy to say we have been lucky, last winter’s warmth is not some fluke of good fortune. If we just keep on doing what we are doing, U.S. Government scientists say that for Massachusetts, by the year by 2100, the number of days above 90 degrees Fahrenheit will increase from the usual five to 20 days to an uncomfortable 30 to 60 days. 

Imagine summertime in Franklin with all of July and August above 90 degrees! If last summer’s heat wave was uncomfortable, summers in the future will be awful."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://franklin.wickedlocal.com/news/20200721/guest-speakers-climate-change-issues-call-for-us-to-be-good-ancestors

Franklin radar picked up via Twitter
https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1286637296893272064?s=09

Baker-Polito Administration Issues New Travel Order Effective August 1st

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

"Massachusetts will impose new restrictions on travelers from most of the United States next week, threatening fines of $500 per day for those who do not quarantine or prove they tested negative for COVID-19, the Baker administration announced Friday. 

Under Gov. Charlie Baker’s new executive order, anyone entering Massachusetts will need to fill out a form summarizing their travel, then either self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival or submit negative test results for the highly infectious virus no more than 72 hours old. 

The new policy that takes effect Aug. 1 is an escalation of a travel advisory that has been in place for months, adding enforcement mechanisms as new infections continue to surge in states outside the northeast. Individuals who do not follow the mandatory quarantine order could be fined $500 per day, according to a press release from Baker’s office. 

Travel from states considered low-risk -- defined as having a daily case rate of less than six people per 100,000 and a positive test rate below 5 percent -- will be exempt from the quarantine or test policies. As of Friday, eight states are on that list: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Hawaii."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200724/baker-orders-fines-for-travelers-who-dont-quarantine/1?rssfeed=true

Link to text of the Press Release
https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-issues-new-travel-order-effective-august-1st

Link to the new MA Traveler page https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
To go direct to the new travel form https://www.mass.gov/forms/massachusetts-travel-form

YouTube link for Press Conference = https://youtu.be/o1bWAauaWoU