Sunday, December 20, 2020

FM #417 Town Administrator Review - 12/16/20 (audio)

FM #417 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 417 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Town Administrator Review. A subcommittee of the Town Council conducts this, the second session of the review (I missed the first one) on Wednesday, Dec 16, 2020. 

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid mode; some of the key participants were in the Council Chambers, the remainder participated virtually via Zoom conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Quick Recap:
  • Since I missed the first of these review sessions, it was interesting to try and make sense of what was being done. The Town Council goals and objectives (set in a working session at the beginning of the year) become Jamie's goals. This review was to mark and discuss progress on them. More of the discussion seemed to be on the next steps or what's left to be done than, this is what you did and how well you (we) did. (my two cents)
  • The document (linked to)  picked up on the Recreation/Open space section and was completed during this session. The report from the subcommittee will come before the Council sometime in the near future.
  • No surprise and I think most folks would agree, the work done by the Town executed by Jamie (and overseen by the Council) has done quite well during this challenging pandemic year.
  • "Your performance has been commendable"

The recording runs almost about an hour and 15 minutes, so let’s listen to the SubCommittee meeting discussing the Town Administrator Review



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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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Town Administrator Jamie Hellen talking with the subcommittee on the details of his review
Town Administrator Jamie Hellen talking with the subcommittee on the details of his review

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Nikki Giovanni: "We find the song in the darkest days"

From the New York Times:
"Over the course of her 52-year career, Nikki Giovanni has written 12 children’s books and eight nonfiction books, and she has released 10 spoken word albums. But the genre for which she is best known is poetry.

When you flip through a stack of her 19 collections (it’s a tall stack), you find her face, still radiant and smiling at 77, staring back at you from the covers. This is an unusual choice for the jacket of a poetry book, but Giovanni is the rare poet whom a good number of people will actually recognize — a distinction that is all the more noteworthy considering how long it has been true.

She was name-checked in the 1980 Teena Marie song “Square Biz,” featured in the Afropunk Festival in Brooklyn in 2016, and both seen and heard reading her poem “Dream” last fall in a campaign ad for Joseph R. Biden Jr. It was 1972 when Ebony magazine first called her “a personality, a star.” Her staying power over half a century comes from a stream of acclaimed work, her proclivity for a punishing schedule of tours and readings, and a fearlessness born of not caring what foolish people think.

“The best thing you can do for yourself is to not pay attention,” Giovanni said during a video interview from her home in Christiansburg, Va."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/16/books/nikki-giovanni-make-me-rain.html

Listen to a wonderful interview with Nikki Giovanni and Neil Pasricha   https://www.3books.co/chapters/65

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Franklin Cultural District Committee - Year-end Message

December 18, 2020

Dear Cultural District Partners,

As 2020 draws to a close the Franklin Cultural District Committee looks back with gratitude on some of the brighter spots in a challenging year. Since March we have been amazed at the creativity of our Cultural District Partners. We were inspired as partners developed a variety of virtual performances for members of the community. When spring arrived, many outdoor spaces were transformed into performance venues and casual dining spots. Circles were drawn on the Franklin Town Common so that families could gather safely at a social distance to enjoy some fun summer concerts and movies. When the cold weather returned many restaurants re-designed their indoor spaces to comply with the state's guidelines. The Franklin Public Library has transitioned many of their existing programs online and created many new digital classes and events for young students as well as adults.

The Franklin Cultural District would like to thank all of the partners for your creative work throughout this COVID pandemic.  While this year has been very different than any year we have known before, we are grateful for the many wonderful cultural opportunities you worked hard to provide for all to enjoy right here in Franklin.

The FCDC is looking forward with excitement to the new year. On January 11th we will be having the first 2021 Franklin Cultural District Partners' meeting, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. At this meeting we will be discussing plans for the Cultural District and laying the groundwork for the future. Our guest speaker for the January FCD Partners' meeting will be Athena Pandolf. Athena is the Executive Director of the Natick Center Cultural District. Athena will speak about some successes and challenges of the Natick Center Cultural District, as well as some of the exciting projects they are currently working on. We hope that you will all attend to meet Athena and to share your thoughts and ideas.

On behalf of the Franklin Cultural District Committee (Nancy Schoen, John LoPresti, Pandora Carlucci, Amy Adams, Jamie Barrett, Evan Chelman, Roberta Trahan), I would like to wish each of you a very happy, healthy and safe holiday season. We hope that you will have time to relax and enjoy some special times with your families. We look forward to working together with you in the New Year.

Sincerely,

Nancy Schoen
Chair, Franklin Cultural District Committee 

Franklin Cultural District Committee - Yearend Message
Franklin Cultural District Committee  - Year-end Message


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COVID-19 hits US with "a new 9/11 day after day"

When 9/11 occurred the US lost the lives of just over 3,000 people. COVID-19 has seen four days with as many US deaths in a single day, and yet the outrage and the rally to address the loss is not here. 

From the Washington Post:
"As the number of coronavirus cases ticked upward in mid-November — worse than the frightening days of spring and ahead of an expected surge after families congregated for Thanksgiving — four doctors on President Trump’s task force decided to stage an intervention.

After their warnings had gone largely unheeded for months in the dormant West Wing, Deborah Birx, Anthony S. Fauci, Stephen Hahn and Robert Redfield together sounded new alarms, cautioning of a dark winter to come without dramatic action to slow community spread.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, among the many Trump aides who were infected with the virus this fall, was taken aback, according to three senior administration officials with knowledge of the discussions. He told the doctors he did not believe their troubling data assessment. And he accused them of outlining problems without prescribing solutions."
....

"The story of how America arrived at this final season of devastation, with the reported death toll some days surpassing 3,000 people — a new 9/11 day after day — is based on interviews over the past month with 48 senior administration officials, government health professionals, outside presidential advisers and other people briefed on the inner workings of the federal response."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)


daily COVID-19 deaths in US year to date 2020 (12/18/20)
daily total COVID-19 deaths in US year to date 2020 (as of 12/18/20)


daily COVID-19 deaths in US last 14 days (as of 12/18/20)
daily COVID-19 deaths in US last 14 days (as of 12/18/20)

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Register now for new youth programs starting at the YMCA in January

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Collection of Relevant Tweets - Saturday, Dec 19, 2020

A collection of relevant Tweets.

As President of the @MA_Senate, I am proud to have authored this piece with @SpeakerDeLeo on the need for federal stimulus to help our residents face the economic impact of #COVID19 in Massachusetts.  #mapoli 1/3
Even a state like Massachusetts, with a significant rainy-day fund, cannot unilaterally absorb all of the pain of an unprecedented public health crisis. #mapoli 2/3

Congress must remember its duty to the American people and pass a bill that will provide states with much-needed funds. Our constituents facing unemployment and our struggling small-business owners deserve nothing less. #mapoli 3/3
The piece referenced =>  https://t.co/uTwUfwEsUE

#Scammers are taking advantage of fear and uncertainty during the #COVID19 pandemic to steal money and launder it through the complex cryptocurrency ecosystem. Protect yourself, and report #fraud to the #FBI at https://t.co/MWss57C5gI. 
FBI press release => https://t.co/YoxbsBHvHa  
Link to tweet =>  https://t.co/opEyy3pImF

  • Via Wired

"The goal of Russian disinformation is not to make you believe in anything, but to destroy your trust in everything." Journalist Maria Ressa explains the real goal of disinformation operations—and how they're weakening democracy:
Link to the Wired video clip => https://t.co/knUd9vEF1b
Link to the tweet => https://t.co/t32HYnRvXC

Alaska Airlines parodied an '80s song to promote COVID-19 safety https://t.co/r8CVKpLsRV https://t.co/2LF7U9nCir

Or directly to YouTube  https://youtu.be/b9w_paUjzKs


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Dr. Fauci vaccinated Santa

"Children around the world should not worry about the logistics of Christmas present delivery while the coronavirus pandemic rages, Dr. Anthony Fauci said – because he vaccinated Santa himself.

“I took care of that for you,” the top US infectious diseases expert told CNN. “Because I was worried that you’d all be upset.

“So what I did a little while ago, I took a trip up there to the North Pole. I went there and I vaccinated Santa Claus myself. I measured his level of immunity, and he is good to go. He can come down the chimney. He can leave the presents, he can leave, and you have nothing to worry about. Santa Claus is good to go.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
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