Ode To Davis Thayer (video) Composed by Jamie Barrett

"We say goodbye to Davis   later on today

I've offered up to sing a song   I don't know what to say

He's forever been a part of our Franklin families

Feel like I'm swimming in a flood of memories 

He lived a good long life   almost a century 

Started as a high school ended as elementary

So many came to him with a thirst for knowledge 

So many left and went to work or away to college

Things keep changing that's what they say

And we don't miss nothing till it's gone away

But the truth will be here till we're old and grey

You can take away Davis… but in our hearts he'll always stay

He was our home for many a year

He's seen every burst of laughter and every tear

From the comical and crazy to the calm and the cool

And all of the excitement of a brand new day of school 

Classrooms bursting with creativity

All staff and teachers feeding the kids curiosity 

Amazing artwork and staying fit with ol' Phys Ed

And the Sound of Music keeps on playing in my head

Things keep changing that's what they say

And we don't miss nothing till it's gone away

But the truth will be here till we're old and grey

You can take away Davis… but in our hearts he'll always stay

And now the halls are empty and everything is silent

Once filled with an energy so vital and so vibrant

But as sure as that ol' church bell will chime 

The DT door behind me closes one   last   time…"



YouTube: https://youtu.be/L3uC1EsoT6M

By Franklin's own Jamie Barrett

Register O'Donnell Promotes Registry of Deeds' Social Media

Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell today reiterated the importance he places on the Registry’s use of social media platforms to communicate directly with the citizens of Norfolk County.

“At the Registry of Deeds,” noted O’Donnell, “we put a priority on communicating with Registry users. Just because our doors close at the end of the business day doesn’t mean the Registry has to stop working for you. For example, our website www.norfolkdeeds.org allows people to look up and view over 13 million scanned images with some 40 million pages of land documents dating back to the Registry’s beginnings in 1793. Additionally, users can access our website to learn about our latest consumer protection programs. I also want people to know that Registry information is accessible not just from workstations and laptops, but also from their smartphones and tablets.”

Register O’Donnell further noted that you can print out an application of the popular Homestead Act. A Homestead provides a homeowner with limited protection against the forced sale of their primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000.

Norfolk County residents can also sign-up on-line for its free Consumer Notification Service. This program will alert a person anytime a land document has been recorded against their name in Norfolk County. Additionally, there is valuable county real estate information that can be researched and tracked. Someone interested in the number of residential and commercial properties sold or the average prices of property sold can find that information.  

Besides the Registry website, other forms of social media utilized by the Registry of Deeds include Facebook, facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds and Twitter, twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds. “The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds,” noted the Register, “has utilized Facebook and Twitter to provide information to the general public. By utilizing these platforms, Norfolk County residents can learn more about home ownership and other consumer initiatives like protecting themselves against Deed Scam rip-offs, along with other outreach services, including learning about Registry office hours in their local community.”

The Registry has also filmed multiple public service announcements (PSA’s) which are available on the Registry’s website and YouTube. These PSA’s have touched on a variety of issues such as assistance for residents who have received a Notice to Foreclose Mortgage from a lender.

Concluding, Register O’Donnell stated, “At the Registry of Deeds, we recognize the value of using social media platforms to forward important information to Norfolk County residents. If you have questions related to real property, I urge you to take a look at our social media offerings. As important as these social media offerings are, the Registry of Deeds has a Customer Service Center at 1-781-461-6101 where members of the public can seek assistance.”

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 Promotes Registry of Deeds' Social Media

New York Times: "From the pandemic’s earliest days, the C.D.C. was subject to extreme politicization"

"In November, an independent team of academics and public-health experts who called themselves the Covid Rapid Response Working Group gathered on Zoom to puzzle over what had by then become the pandemic’s most vexing challenge: how to make all schools safe for full-time, in-person learning as quickly as possible. Schools had not proved to be a hotbed of coronavirus transmission, but beyond that the research was complicated, and communities were divided about how to balance the risks. Some people wanted a full reopening, immediately, no exceptions. Others were terrified to return at all.

So far, there was no national plan for how to move forward. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was advising everyone to wear masks and remain six feet apart at all times. But that guidance was a significant impediment to any full-bore reopening, because most schools could not maintain that kind of distance and still accommodate all their students and teachers. It also left many questions unanswered: How did masks and distancing and other strategies like opening windows fit together? Which were essential? Could some measures be skipped if others were followed faithfully?"

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/magazine/cdc-covid-response.html

Danielle Allen, head of the Safra Center at Harvard, led Covid Rapid Response Working Group. You may recall that she also recently declared she would be running for MA Governor.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/boston-globe-harvard-professor-danielle.html

You can listen to Danielle on an episode of  "Toward a More Perfect Union"

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/5230abc8-a5e5-4ec6-89b3-2f1e1beeaa11

listen to Danielle Allen on an episode of  "Toward a More Perfect Union"

Boston Globe: "The warming climate is leading us into a dangerous vicious cycle"

"When smothering heat and humidity overtake the cool of spring, a familiar quest for relief begins, usually a trek to the basement or attic to dig out the window unit that’s been dormant all winter, or flipping on the central air. It brings welcome, sometimes lifesaving cool.

It is also a growing contributor to the already perilous climate problem. And in New England’s heat wave early this month — five days of 90 degree-plus heat, the longest June heat wave in nearly a century — peak electricity demand from air conditioning put 36 million extra pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/20/science/heat-waves-are-becoming-more-common-new-england-these-four-charts-show-damage-inflicted-by-most-recent-one/

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - June 23, 2021

FRANKLIN TOWN COUNCIL

Agenda & Meeting Packet

June 23, 2021 - 7:00 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building

2nd floor, Council Chambers

355 East Central Street

 
1. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR
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. 
b. Chair to identify Council Members participating remotely

2. CITIZEN COMMENTS

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. 

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

None Scheduled

4. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
a. Police Department Recognition: Patrol Officer David Mellor
b. Fire & Police Department Recognition: Winter Street Incident

5. APPOINTMENTS
a. Annual Reappointments

6. HEARINGS - 7:10pm
None Scheduled

7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

• S&J Restaurant, LLC d/b/a Sierra’s Brick Oven Pizza & Pub, New Common Victualer All Alcohol License and Approval of Manager, located at 648 Old West Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038.
• Proof Restaurant, LLC d/b/a Proof, New Common Victualer All Alcohol License and Approval of Manager, located at 862 West Central Street, 2nd Floor, Franklin, MA 02038.

8. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Open Meeting Law (OML) Complaint from Patrick Higgins: Failure to approve Town Council meeting minutes in a timely manner.

9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Capital Budget Subcommittee
b. Budget Subcommittee
c. Economic Development Subcommittee

10. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
10a. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 21-33: Expenditure - Recreation Department Expenses, Fletcher Fund (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-33 - Majority Vote)
10b. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 21-34: Appropriation - Franklin Downtown Zoning and Marketing Capital Account (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-34 - Majority Vote)
10c. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 21-35: FY21 Appropriation Transfers (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-35 - Majority Vote)
10d. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 21-36: Gift acceptance - Police, $100 (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-36 - Majority Vote)
10e. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 21-37: Termination of the Veteran’s Services Agreement (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-37 Majority Vote)
10f. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 21-26: Gift Acceptance - Historical Museum, $100 (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-26 - Majority Vote)
10g. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Zoning Bylaw Amendment 21-874: Amendment to CH. 185 Section 21 Parking, Loading, and Driveway Requirements - Referral to the Planning Board (Motion to Refer Bylaw Amendment 21-874 to the Planning Board - Majority Vote)

11. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT

12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

13. COUNCIL COMMENTS

14. EXECUTIVE SESSION
a. Exception #2: Contract negotiations with non-union personnel, namely: Town Administrator
b. Exception #3: Strategy with respect to collective bargaining: all eight Town unions

15. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
a. Ratify collective bargaining agreements relative to Juneteenth holiday, subject to Executive Session outcome.

Legislation for action: 
Resolution 21-38: Ratify collective bargaining agreements relative to Juneteenth holiday (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-38 Majority Vote)
b. Vote on approving Administrator contract, subject to Executive Session outcome
Legislation for action: 
Resolution 21-39: Approval of Town Administrator’s Contract (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-39 Majority Vote)

ADJOURN

Note: 

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

Agenda folder -> https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/june-23-town-council-agenda

Agenda doc (including connection info) ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/6-23-21_town_council_agenda.pdf

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - June 23, 2021

FM #568 - EDC discussion on housing plan and requirements for home based businesses (audio)

FM #568 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 568 in the series. 

This shares the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting that was held on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. 

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid mode; two committee members were in the Council Chambers, two participated remotely along with several others via Zoom conference bridge. 

Links to the meeting agenda and my notes are in the show notes. The meeting recording runs about 1 hour and forty (~1:40) minutes.  Let’s listen to the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting for June 16

Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/fe96a8ad-4355-46bd-af15-42220606715b

-----------

Meeting agenda 

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/edc_agenda_6-16-2021.pdf

MAHT presentation doc

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/06022021_maht_presentation_-_dpcd.pdf

Housing Production Plan

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/franklin_housing_production_plan_-_may_2021_public_draft.pdf 

My notes captured via Twitter and shared here in summary form

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/recap-economic-development-subcommittee.html 

--------------

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"

 

EDC discussion on housing plan and requirements for home based businesses

Two Franklin High School Girls Sports Team Updates

1 

"The Franklin HS Girls Track Team’s 4x800 Relay scored 8th in the 4x800 Relay at the Div 1 Meet and ran its fastest time of the year. The team consisted of Angelina Perez, Charlene Peng, Lily Duffy, Kyra McSweeney. Also a member of that team was alternate Alli Powderly."

https://twitter.com/FHSSports/status/1406286129477951492?s=19

2

"FHS Girls Tennis 2021 https://t.co/HXrJm2GXiM"

Franklin Girls Tennis 2021

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/fhs_gvtennis/status/1406248170628292609