MBTA: Franklin Line notice - shuttle bus -through December 20

On weekends through Dec 20, buses replace service on the Franklin Line at Forge Park through Walpole to allow for double-track extension work. They will operate on a normal train schedule. Trains will operate between Norwood Central and S. Station

The shuttle buses will operate on the normal weekend train schedule and will be ADA accessible, though bikes will not be allowed on board. Trains may experience delays of up to 20 minutes due to the shuttle busing, please allow for additional travel time.

Visit mbta.com/FRKwork and mbta.com/FRKdoubletrack for more details.

Last Updated: Nov 20 2020 12:15 PM

If you want to take the train to Boston, drive to Walpole (park there) and avoid the shuttle.

MBTA: Franklin Line notice - shuttle bus -through December 20

"House, Senate budgets contain plenty of policy proposals"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:

"So much for a “narrow” budget.

When the House and Senate Ways and Means committees released their fiscal 2021 budget proposals, both were relatively narrow with few policy initiatives. Chairs Aaron Michlewitz and Michael Rodrigues both stressed the need to adopt the budget on a quick time frame, with the state’s temporary budget expiring at the end of November and the fiscal year already five months in. House Speaker Robert DeLeo said at a Massachusetts Association of Health Plans conference that the budget “is not an appropriate place for major policy reform.”

But through the amendment process, lawmakers have now adopted numerous significant policy proposals. Whether a conference committee will be able to resolve differences quickly remains to be seen. Gov. Charlie Baker has line item veto power over the budget, so policy proposals could also die on his desk – although Democrats, with a veto-proof majority in both bodies, could override him.

The most obvious example is a provision expanding abortion access, which was passed in similar forms by the House and Senate. Senate Republican Leader Bruce Tarr objected to having a major policy proposal taken up in a lame duck budget session, as did Baker – though the governor did not say whether he would veto it."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/house-senate-budgets-contain-plenty-of-policy-proposals-2/

 

 

Franklin's weekend Nov 21-22, 2020

A relatively quiet weekend to enjoy. Be safe, be social at a distance (and masked!)

Saturday, November 21
9:00am - Help decorate downtown Franklin
10:00am - Winter Farmers Market

Sunday, November 22
1:00pm - Historical Museum (open and free admission)

Find the full calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6
 

Community Calendar

 

Town Council Budget Subcommittee - meeting recap - Nov 18, 2020

Quick recap:

•  "incredibly good news" on FY 2021 budget compared to what had been feared in June 2020
• Added back $75K to both Town Clerk and Recreation budgets based upon requirements and changes due to the pandemic
• Adjusted new growth number back upwards and then recommended to set aside $850K in the Budget Stabilization account. This had been emptied by withdrawals to balance the recent budgets
  

 

Budget Subcommittee agenda and supporting documents: https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/budget_subcommittee_agenda.pdf

Photos captured during the meeting and shared with the Twitter thread can be found online https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ksn5Q4qwUrcJ3Eq36

----
As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #bsc1118
https://twitter.com/hashtag/bsc1118?src=hashtag_click

• Chair Matt Kelly opens meeting reading protocol statement and connection info #bsc1118
• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen provides update on FY 2021, "incredibly good news". 2 minor adjustments for budget to Town Clerk and Recreation budget lines. Also recommending putting $850K into budget stabilization fund #bsc1118
• Major change in calculation comes from adjusted new growth over what had been the forecast at the beginning of the pandemic. Effectively, building for the most part has continued hence the growth adjustment #bsc1118 hotel/motel revenue down and no surprise there
• Revenue sheet talked to by Jamie #bsc1118
• Additional sheets with COVID federal funding accounted for which all dries up 12/31/20. #bsc1118 Federal action may happen but not willing to bet on it. Q on CARES act what happens in Jan, can still apply for FEMA reimbursement. At some point that will also run dry
• Looking at run rate, we could need $1M to $1.5 M in the capital funding that we don't propose using until we know more. #bsc1118 global supply is getting tough, supplies are getting hard to come by. After winter with snow/ice behind us, we could look at capital
• Otherwise we have the funding set aside to prepare for some contingency. Health insurance also a positive move and credit to the Human Resources dept and insurance group. Unemployment insurance is one area over budget #bsc1118 anticipating to level out over the year
• Schools did have layoffs, town did some furloughs, likely to be able to bring the Library folks in Jan 2021. Q on maintenance contracts requiring extension in lieu of the capital budget on hold. No issues raised from department heads at this time. #bsc1118
• Would still like to see equipment requests for capital rather than wait. #bsc1118 Kelly - we need to thank the town folks for asking the hard questions; making the adjustments. "We got $200k less than last year and Wayland gets more. I don't think they are fighting hard enough"
• #bsc1118 thanks for keeping folks in Franklin out of an override once again. Memo coming to outline a budget calendar, we will get the full plan on capital requests. Will have likely in Jan, three votes in recommendations.
• #bsc1118 motion to add $75k for recreation budget; motion to add $75k for town clerk budget; motion for setting $853k to budget stabilization fund; all three motions passed - possible vote 3-0 for sure, Kelly, Hamblen, Mercer, didn't see anyone else (Note: Pellegri is listed as a member, was at Town Council meeting after but did not speak or was shown via the broadcast for this meeting)
• Motion to adjourn, passed (same 3-0) vote. Catch you shortly at Town Council meeting at 7. #bsc1118

 

sheet showing the two additions of $75 and the set aside of $850K

Finance Committee meeting recap - Nov 17, 2020

Quick Recap:

• The Finance Committee gets an update on the Beaver St interceptor, effectively a shorter and concise review of what the Town Council received at their Oct 21, 2020 meeting.
• The finance options are expected to be ready in January 2021. It is likely that the sewer rate payers will absorb the cost of the project as it is user based. A better understanding of how much is due in January.
• The balance of the meeting was discussion on topics for future meetings.
  

The Oct 21, 2020 Town Council meeting segment with the Beaver St interceptor presentation and discussion  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/fm-372-town-council-mtg-102120-part-2.html

The Finance Committee posted agenda including the interceptor project presentation document  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/11/franklin-ma-finance-committee-agenda_14.html

Photos of the meeting shared via Twitter can be found in one album

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fHPczB9FKC5P67U16

----
As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #fincom1117
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Fincom1117&src=typeahead_click

• #fincom1117 meeting starts on time
• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen also remote for this meeting #fincom1117
• Jamie provides an overview of the presentation and introduces Brutus who will get into the details. Finance plan desired for Town Council discussion on Jan 2021 #fincom1117
• Interceptor over 100 years old, did well but is in need of repair/ replacement before something major happens. Couldn't have been built in a worse spot. I&I has overtime taken 1m gallons of flow out of the pipe. #fincom1117
• Interesting slide depicts the flow high to low, all gravity fed. Also the brown on top shows how deep the pipe is, and an indication of the trouble to repair (i.e. access to it) #fincom1117
• #fincom1117 three options/alternatives for work: attempting to do pro/con analysis for the options to develop a weighed average
• Catching up to this meeting status, distracted by hearing about the #schcomm1117 workshop that was canceled and I did not find out about. Brutus did finish his overview, stay tuned for the real finance details sometime in Jan 2021. Now on discussion of future topics
• Mention of SchComm budget workshop now scheduled for December 1. #schcomm1117 #fincom1117
• #fincom1117 question for future SchComm update can cover; what are steps and lanes? also how are we keeping the three small schools when we have lost about 1200 students over the years? buildings are expensive, principals are also?
• "This is must see TV" the tax rate hearing may generate interest. #fincom1117 discussion on getting interest, this is where it happens. Motion to adjourn, seconded, passed So that will be all for tonight folks. One full meeting and one partial wait for, catch you next time

key slide shows the gravity flow of the sewerage along with the depth of the service access points

Panther News Friday, November 20, 2020

Panther News Friday, November 20, 2020

Video link = https://youtu.be/3sAXSd7BsJo

Thanksgiving Food And Wine, What To Serve With The Bird 2020 (audio)

The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) = Episode 138
Topic:  Thanksgiving Food And Wine, What To Serve With The Bird 2020

Released by:  The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW)

Audio link: https://soundcloud.com/user-492543397/episode-138thanksgiving-food-and-wine-what-to-serve-with-the-bird-2020

You can listen to The Wonderful World of Wine on wfpr.fm with Mark Lenzi, Kim Simone. All about wine, its culture, lore and finer points

• Wednesday's at 10:00 AM / 1:00 PM / 7:00 PM     Saturday's - 1:00 PM
  

 

The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) · Episode 138-Thanksgiving Food And Wine, What To Serve With The Bird 2020