New York Times: "The ‘Red Slime’ Lawsuit That Could Sink Right-Wing Media"

From the New York Times, an article of interest for Franklin:

“Of course I was surprised, but at the same time, it was pretty clear that these people were trying to discredit the election and they were throwing out 25 conspiracy theories in parallel,” he told me in an interview last week from Barbados, where his company has an office. “I thought it was so absurd that it was not going to have legs.”

But by Nov. 14, he knew he had a problem. That’s when Rudy Giuliani, serving as the president’s lawyer, suggested that one voting company, Dominion Voting Systems, had a sinister connection to vote counts in “Michigan, Arizona and Georgia and other states.” Mr. Giuliani declared on Twitter that the company “was a front for SMARTMATIC, who was really doing the computing. Look up SMARTMATIC and tweet me what you think?”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/20/business/media/smartmatic-lawsuit-fox-news-newsmax-oan.html

Tweet from Dr. Erin Bromage Ph.D.: "More on the UK variant"

Dr. Erin Bromage Ph.D. (@ErinBromage) tweeted at 8:36 AM on Mon, Dec 21, 2020:  More on the UK variant

Bottom line: "There is a concern for 3 of these mutations that could enhance the transmission. Be aware but don't panic."

 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinBromage/status/1341014769587941376?s=03

More on the UK variant https://t.co/PWYlE6lLZ6

— Dr. Erin Bromage Ph.D. (@ErinBromage) December 21, 2020

Planning Board - Agenda - Dec 21, 2020

The Franklin Food Pantry is on the agenda for the Planning Board meeting Monday to introduce the site plan for their new building on East Central St and begin the permit approval process.

Planning Board Agenda

7:00 PM -   Commencement/General Business   

7:05PM    - PUBLIC HEARING - Continued
52 East Central St   
Special Permit & Site Plan Modification
WITHDRAWN   

7:10 PM  -  PUBLIC HEARING - Continued
515 West Central Street   
Site Plan   TO BE CONTINUED    

7:15 PM    PUBLIC HEARING - Initial
138 East Central Street   (Franklin Food Pantry)
Site Plan  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/138_east_central_st_site_plan.pdf

Review docs   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/138_east_central_review.pdf

7:20 PM    PUBLIC HEARING - Initial
Countryside Estates   
Subdivision Modification    

7:25 PM    PUBLIC HEARING – Continued
186 Grove St   
Site plan Modification   

GENERAL BUSINESS:
A.    Road Acceptance: Laurinda Lane
B.    Bond Release: Sandy Knoll Estates
C.    Decision: 72-94 East Central Street- Special Permit & Site Plan
D.    Phasing Plan Approval: 160 Grove St
E.    Endorsement: 164 Grove St
F.    Endorsement: 162 Grove St
G.    81-P ANR: 15-17 Margaret’s Cove
H.    81-P ANR Rescind Vote: 55 Coutu Street
I.    Meeting Minutes: November 2, 2020 & November 16, 2020

This agenda is subject to change. Last updated: December 15, 2020
The next meeting of the Planning Board is scheduled for January 11, 2021 

Agenda doc in PDF format:

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/december_21_2020.pdf

 

Additional renderings and diagrams of the new facility at 138 East Central St

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gPSLTYPorJDWjMq5JGryWxz2go995-Z7/view?usp=sharing

 

new Franklin Food Pantry Rendering: View from East Central Street

FM #418 Town Council Meeting - 12/16/20 (audio)

FM #418 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 418 in the series.

This session shares the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, Dec 16, 2020.

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: members of the Town Council, selected guests, and Town Administration personnel were in the Council Chambers, the public was remote via Zoom conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda including documents released for this agenda. The recording runs about one hour and fifty minutes

Let’s listen to the Town Council meeting of Dec 16, 2020. Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HZZbRDPS


 

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Agenda document (and released supporting materials in one PDF)
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-dec-16.html

Spear phishing update folder
https://franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/spear-phishing

My notes from the meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/town-council-meeting-recap-dec-16-2020.html 

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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!

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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"

 

newly elected Town Councilor Cobi Frongillo

The Hill: "Federal agency says employers can require workers to get COVID-19 vaccine"

Via The Hill

"A key federal agency said this week that employers can legally require their workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine and prevent them from entering their workplaces if they refuse.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in guidance issued Wednesday said that requiring a test would not violate the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. The law bars employers from requiring medical exams such as blood tests that seek information on an employee’s physical or mental condition, but the EEOC said a COVID-19 vaccine does not fall under that category.

“If a vaccine is administered to an employee by an employer for protection against contracting COVID-19, the employer is not seeking information about an individual’s impairments or current health status and, therefore, it is not a medical examination,” the commission said."

Continue reading the article online

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/530963-federal-agency-says-employers-can-require-workers-to-get-covid-19-vaccine

The EEOC page with COVID-19 highlights in a Q&A format

https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-covid-19-and-ada-rehabilitation-act-and-other-eeo-laws

Franklin School Committee to hear presentations on ECDC and Performing Arts Tuesday, Dec 21

The presentation documents as released for discussion at the School Committee meeting Tuesday, Dec 21, 2020.

 

II. Guests/Presentations
A. ECDC Highlights - Kelty Kelley  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/ecdc_update_to_school_committee_12_22_20.pdf
 

 

 

 

B. Performing Arts Events - Diane Plouffe  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/franklin_performing_arts_department_presentation_2020.pdf

Franklin School Committee to hear presentations on ECDC and Performing Arts Tuesday, Dec 21

Register O’Donnell Discusses Need for Mortgage Transparency

 With the legislative session winding down, Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell reiterated the importance he places on pending legislation to promote mortgage transparency here in Massachusetts. 

At the beginning of 2019, Register O’Donnell had two bills filed, H.1413 and S.960, which stated that when banks sold their residential mortgages to a different lending institution, that transaction, or assignment, would be required to be recorded with the relevant Massachusetts Registry of Deeds office within 30 days of its execution. 

“During the most recent legislative session,” noted O’Donnell, “both H.1413 and S.960 wound their way through the legislative process. After both pieces of legislation were filed with the Massachusetts House and Senate Clerks offices by lead sponsors Rep. William Galvin (D-Canton) and Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy)  respectively and given a docket number, dozens of other state representatives and senators signed up as co-sponsors.  The clerks offices then gave each piece of legislation a bill number (H. 1413 and S.960). Then each bill was assigned to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary for further consideration. A public hearing on the legislation was then held where I provided arguments for supporting the legislation. The joint committee on the Judiciary reported the legislation favorably in early 2020. On February 13, 2020, H.1413, accompanied by S. 960, was ordered to a third reading by the Massachusetts House. Unfortunately, no further action has taken place on the legislation. Certainly, the members of the legislature have been dealing with many pressing matters including COVID-19 and the fiscal year 2021 State Budget.”

The Register further stated, “My specific arguments for supporting the mortgage transparency legislation included the fact the legislation would eliminate the possibility that a homeowner may not know who the holder of their mortgage is because an assignment was not recorded. Because some banks have gone out of business in previous years or merged with another lending institution, homeowners are in some instances forced to consult with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation website or the Massachusetts Division of Banks to determine who holds their mortgage. The legislation would make assignments of residential mortgages more transparent to the consumer.”

Another argument for the bill’s passage was that it created a more level playing field between smaller community banks and larger lending institutions. The smaller community banks tend to hold their mortgages while many larger nationwide banks are not diligent in recording their mortgage assignments.

The need for this legislation hit home recently when the Boston Globe published an article by Sean P. Murphy on December 8, 2020 which highlighted the difficulties that can result when an assignment is not recorded. O’Donnell stated, “The article spoke about a couple who had found a home in Worcester which needed work. To finance the purchase and remodeling costs, the couple wanted to sell their condo in Easton. However, a title problem developed with the Easton condo due to a mortgage assignment not being properly recorded. Because the assignment was not recorded at the Registry of Deeds, the lending institution who was the current holder of the mortgage lacked the legal authority to discharge the mortgage. A process that should have taken a few days took several weeks as two large lending institutions could not get their act together and solve the title problem by filing the assignment. After several weeks of back and forth the problem was resolved and the assignment was recorded, but only after the intervention of the Boston Globe.”

“The assignment legislation that has been filed would have eliminated this problem as an assignment would have been required to be recorded 30 days after the mortgage was transferred, or sold, to another lending institution,” stated O’Donnell.

In conclusion, Register O’Donnell noted, “With the legislative session winding down, it is unlikely the legislation, H.1413 and S.960 will advance further. However, I am not giving up the fight to help Massachusetts homeowners. I will once again be filing mortgage transparency legislation in the upcoming 2021-2022 legislative session. I am hopeful our arguments will be persuasive and after years of trying, the legislation will wind its way through the legislative process and onto Governor Baker’s desk for his signature.”

To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at Facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and/or Instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.

 

The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham.  The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information.  All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org.  Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org

 

Register O’Donnell Discusses Need for Mortgage Transparency