Franklin Matters

Sunday, August 1, 2021

Franklin Election 2021: What does the Town Council do?

The Town Council approves the budget and authorizes all spending. One exception is that the School Committee is responsible for managing the school budget after the Town Council approves the total amount as part of the overall Town budget. Hence, you'll often hear of the town side and the school side as the two groups provide separate oversight for their area.

The Town Council hires and reviews the Town Administrator. The Town Administrator (Jamie Hellen) is responsible for the daily operations of the Town departments (except as noted for the schools, which are overseen by Superintendent Sara Ahern (hired by the School Committee)).

The Town Council is the legislative body to approve changes to the Town bylaws. Usually there is some controversy when the Town Council 'forgets' their legislative role and attempts to intervene in the day to day operations.

There are nine members of the Town Council all elected 'at large' (they represent all the voters of Franklin as opposed to the individual precincts). The Council chooses their Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk in the first session after each election.

All nine positions are up for election on November 2, 2021. Each position has a two year term.

Additional information on the Council, their process and procedures, fiscal policies, meeting agendas, minutes and a host of other information can be found on the Town of Franklin webpage https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council

"Welcome to the webpage of the Franklin Town Council. By the Town Charter, the 9-member Town Council serves as the legislative body who sets policy for the community. The Council serves as the Local Licensing Authority for Alcoholic Beverages Licenses. The Council also has several subcommittees, including Budget, Capital Budget and Economic Development. The Council also has two liaisons, one to the S.A.F.E Coalition and for Communications.

The Franklin Town Council has established high standards for customer service for the Town staff. If you have a question, concern, or need assistance, please feel free to email us directly using the email forms below, or you can email all nine members of the Council by using that option to the left of this message."

Additional information on accomplishments of the Town Council can be found in the Town of Franklin Annual Report for 2020

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/files/town-franklin-annual-report-2020

My notes and audio recordings of prior Town Council meetings can be found in the Meeting Notes page (scroll down to find the "Town Council" section).

https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/meeting-notes.html

VETERANS COFFEE SOCIAL - Aug 4, 2021

August 2021 Coffee Social

Join Us for Coffee & Conversation!

VETERANS COFFEE SOCIAL

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

Franklin Senior Center Cafe

Coffee and Pastry will be provided

All Vets are Welcome!

Face coverings are not required but feel free to wear a face covering - with no judgment!

Shared from Town of Franklin page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/veterans-services/news/august-2021-coffee-social

VETERANS COFFEE SOCIAL - Aug 4, 2021

COVID-19 Pandemic updates: guidance on traveling; vaccine proof

Boston Globe: "With COVID on the rise, we asked disease experts how they’re traveling, dining, and gathering"

"After a lull, COVID-19 is on the rise again in Massachusetts, with new — and sometimes conflicting —warnings and guidance emerging each day from state and national authorities. So how should we react? Should we start wearing masks? Should we stop dining indoors? We asked several infectious disease experts if they are changing their behavior while traveling, dining, gathering, shopping, and schooling. All the experts are vaccinated."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/30/nation/with-covid-rise-we-asked-disease-experts-how-theyre-traveling-dining-gathering/

Washington Post: "You’re going to be asked to prove your vaccination status. Here’s how to do it."

"Congratulations, you’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Now you have to prove it, and your smartphone can help.

Across the world, fears about the contagious delta variant are leading more businesses, schools and travel destinations to require vaccination. Like it or not, there’s a real chance that somewhere you want to go will ask to see proof of your shots.

Let’s say you are planning to visit Hawaii — you’ll need to be vaccinated or show a negative coronavirus test if you want to avoid quarantine. You’ll need proof to work in the federal government, at tech firms such as Google, Facebook and Uber, and a growing list of other companies. And in New York and San Francisco, you’ll need it to go inside a bar, get a seat at some restaurants, or take in a show on Broadway."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/31/covid-vaccine-card-phone/

What are the best ways to carry your proof of vaccination with you? Here's what we found. (Washington Post illustration; iStock)

Inside the Provincetown town outbreak

"A sobering scientific analysis published Friday found that three-quarters of the people infected during an explosive coronavirus outbreak fueled by the delta variant were fully vaccinated. The report on the Massachusetts cases, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers key evidence bolstering the hypothesis that vaccinated people can spread the more transmissible variant and may be a factor in the summer surge of infections.

The data, detailed in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, helped persuade agency scientists to reverse recommendations on mask-wearing and advise that vaccinated individuals wear masks in indoor public settings in some circumstances.

Critically, the study found that vaccinated individuals carried as much virus in their noses as unvaccinated individuals, strongly suggesting that vaccinated people could spread the virus to others. The CDC was criticized this week for changing its mask guidance without publishing the data it relied on. The report released Friday contains some of that data."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/07/30/provincetown-covid-outbreak-vaccinated/

CDC Report -> https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7031e2.htm?s_cid=mm7031e2_w

Boston Globe coverage -> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/31/metro/closer-look-cape-cod-covid-19-cluster-data/

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONRYAN HUDDLE

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Veterans - "Tune It Out" guitar lessons underway and you can still join!

The "Tune It Out" guitar lessons program has officially started!

Music instructor Jamie Barrett is giving introductory lessons to Veterans on Tuesdays from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Franklin Senior Center.

Guitars will be provided to those who are interested in lessons but don't have a guitar. Call the Veterans' Services Office at (508) 613-1315 to sign-up.

Left to right: Jamie Barrett, instructor, veterans Matt Linahan, David Kast and Scott Halet

Shared from the Town of Franklin page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/veterans-services/news/tune-it-out-guitar-program-update

Sen. Rausch slams DESE/DPH non-binding masking recommendations

SENATOR RAUSCH'S STATEMENT ON DESE/DPH MASK WEARING GUIDANCE

"Today, Governor Baker and his administration failed our Commonwealth's children and families. The DESE/DPH masking guidance falls far short of the data-driven recommendations of the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and hundreds of Massachusetts medical and public health experts: everyone age 2 and up in every school setting – from childcare through grade 12 – must wear masks indoors. Kids, parents, teachers, and school committees have been through enough; they deserve better than weak, unenforceable, non-binding guidelines that further endanger their health and safety."

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeccaRauschMA/status/1421158746273849352

Sen. Rausch slams DESE/DPH non-binding masking recommendations

DESE releases fall guidance for school districts

MASC-School Committee (@MASCSchoolComm) tweeted on Fri, Jul 30, 2021:

"Just released fall guidance from the @MASchoolsK12.

Please note:
"Today's guidance is a recommendation for districts, and individual districts should make decisions based on their own particular circumstances."