Recap: Strong Towns event fostering discussion across rather than within a vertical and reframing a question to get at the issue

Quick Recap:

• Multi-level discussion around how to create sustainable communities. Lots of participation from area communities as well as a good representation of State legislators
• This is a time with the infrastructure bill to help correct some of the imbalance in the liabilities local communities face. Parallel noted to what was done with infrastructure spending coming out of the World War II period to help the economy shift gears from war production to goods production.
• To fix a problem it maybe important to reframe the question to address the broader issue. An example of this is around congestion. If we consider that "Congestion is a demand to be in a place", then congestion is a good thing, so let's create alternatives to get there. Let's not always use auto transportation as the first approach. Parking is heavily subsidized. Consider walking and biking as more than 'exercise'.
• A good start to enabling the conversation we need to have. Consider going across rather than always staying in a vertical approach. Need to be aware of issues with being able to utilize the grants and programs coming. The timeline and resource requirements for such may not be enough to utilize them all due to other economic constraints (i.e. supply chain issues).

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter while I participated in the event at THE BLACK BOX. 
 
The Twitter hashtag #st1115 can be found online The thread begins with https://twitter.com/FranklinMatters/status/1460255606804201475

 

Photos from the event can be found in one album:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/T8ZRubvQKEE6Ab5x6

• Strong Towns event getting underway here at @BLACK_BOXonline with Town Councilor Cobi Frongillo, State Rep Jeff Roy, Congressman Auchincloss and Charles Marohn from Strong Towns #st1115
  
• Little note of interest in that in Cobi's prep for running for the open spot last year he found Strong Towns in the bio of Congressman Auchincloss. #st1115
  
• Both Cobi and Rep Roy remark on the collaboration among the three levels of government as key to getting things done and particularly here in Franklin #st1115
  
• Congressman Auchincloss participating remotely as he needed to be in WDC for the signing of the infrastructure bill later today #st1115  part of the wonders of tech to make this happen with Franklin TV live streaming the event
  
• Charles Marohn talks of the choices to build infrastructure in the post WWII era as a way to avoid going back into the depression of the 30's. The parallel is there to what can be done today #st1115
  
• We have responsibilities to address the liabilities created at the local level. The macro economy needs to serve the needs of the local leaders. What does it look like? Pipes in the ground; walking, exercise opportunity  #st1115
• This is a moment where we can connect the macro level to the local leadership #st1115
  
• Question: how do we address messaging around what Newton saw where single family housing was proposed to restricted? #st1115 foster a mixed neighborhood and intergenerational existence
  
• Lets look at how we can allow folks to remain in their house and to gain additional income to do what they need, i.e. fix their roof #st1115
  
• Question: on how to address infrastructure and schooling costs when faced with new development? #st1115 we have lost capacity to address needs at an intermediate step or approach, need to find a way to neighborhood level growth
  
• Question: on unfunded mandates, how do we break that cycle? #st1115  infrastructure bill trying to square up with this funding to cover local liabilities. "subject to appropriation" language added to bills to ensure funding
• Auchincloss advocates looking to find more of education at a national level, special Ed is probably the largest MA local requirement #st1115  a more broad approach could create more equality in the delivery
  
• Question: what do you do to include public engagement? #st1115 four step plan mentioned (will add link to more on this later) a humble approach to address issues, cities are a co-creation, not something someone else does
  
• Question: from Attleboro resident, how do deal with nodes of congestion; #st1115 how do we connect the rest of the Town to the downtown? "Congestion is a demand to be in a place" or congestion is good, let's create alternatives to get there
  
• "No neighborhood should have radical change, nor should any neighborhood be exempt from change" #st1115
  
• Question: Rehoboth no public water, a right to farm community, no master plan and rapid growth residentially #st1115 not a sustainable process, protection of farms to avoid turnover, (master plan?)
  
• Question: from a MassBike advocate on transportation, how do we move away from an 'alternative' and 3 years out from disabilities act; #st1115 reliability of public transportation we need to make it dependable and resilient
  
• To the extent that we subsidize parking is an issue, until we change that we won't make progress; biking and walking is not just exercise, needs to be a policy shift #st1115
  
• Question on the grant requirements and capacity of being able to get things done and recognize that it will take time to do, across state and local levels; thought to make it easier to build things? #st1115
  
• Let's look to more coordination across the local levels rather than at a grant single focus level. It is a burden #st1115 Brookline Q - can't ink development with MBTA and developers bifurcation between state and local levels
  
• Q - how do we deal with an unnamed online retailer who has brought in distribution, warehouses, etc. #st1115 how do we communicate the quality of life associated with it? Need to have the local discussion
  
• Q - what about the sustainability of transit? The train station is permanently subsidized, it is not likely sustainable, only bus transportation comes close to sustainable for a node like ours. What about the regional context? Franklin got to be what it is due to problems created in other Boston neighborhoods  that got folks to move out here
• Thanks around from Rep Roy, etc. #st1115
  

More about Strong Towns can be found online -> https://www.strongtowns.org/
 

Cobi Frongillo talked about the Strong Towns four step approach in his interview preparing for the local election in Nov 2021:

A lot of people around me might hear me talk about a group called Strong Towns. I like a lot of what they say, but I particularly like their four-step approach to community leadership. The first step is to humbly observe where people struggle in your community. Second step is figure out the next small thing you can do to fix that struggle. Third is do that thing, do it right away. And the fourth is repeat that process. I do think that that's the strongest approach to public policy.

The full interview audio (and edited text) can be found ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/fm-611-town-council-candidate-cobi.html

 

Audio recording of meeting to be available in couple of days

 

Town Councilor Cobi Frongillo, State Rep Jeff Roy, and Charles Marohn from Strong Towns; Congressman Auchincloss attended remotely

Mass Senate Unveils Mental Health ABC Act 2.0: Addressing Barriers to Care

 

Senate Unveils Mental Health ABC Act 2.0: Addressing Barriers to Care

Bill works in tandem with landmark investments in mental and behavioral health
to transform mental health care delivery

Today (11/09/2021), the Massachusetts Senate unveiled its Mental Health ABC Act 2.0: Addressing Barriers to Care (ABC) (S2572), comprehensive legislation to continue the process of reforming the way mental health care is delivered in Massachusetts, with the goal of ensuring that people get the mental health care they need when they need it. This legislation comes at a time when the Massachusetts State Senate is making landmark investments in mental and behavioral health, including $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to transform the behavioral health sector, with $122 million dedicated to recruiting and retaining nearly 2,000 behavioral professionals.

The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 is driven by the recognition that mental health is as important as physical health for every resident of the Commonwealth and should be treated as such. The bill proposes a wide variety of reforms to ensure equitable access to mental health care and remove barriers to care by supporting the behavioral health workforce.

"This important bill will put policies place to ensure that people get the mental health care they need, when they need it and provide a national model for how we can create an integrated and comprehensive health care system that treats mental health the same as physical health," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "Out of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is reason for hope, because we are no longer talking about the need for quality mental and behavioral health care in whispers, shamed by stigma. As we all face the emotional difficulties and social isolation of the pandemic, people across our Commonwealth are talking about their struggles with mental health, and the call for quality mental health care is now a roar. I'd like to thank Senators Cyr, Friedman and Rodrigues for their hard work and collaboration on this bill, and the many advocates, individuals and families who have fought for changes to our mental health care delivery system and who have never given up."

"Too many people in Massachusetts struggle to access the mental health services they desperately need and deserve," said Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery. "The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 is an important step towards realizing the Senate's vision to transform how the Commonwealth addresses mental health. I am deeply grateful to Senate President Karen Spilka for her leadership and example, and to Senators Friedman and Rodrigues for their partnership in this most urgent endeavor." 

"For far too long, mental health has been a forgotten component of our healthcare system despite our statutory parity mandate that calls for equitable coverage between medical and surgical treatment and mental health treatment," said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. "This bill serves as a first step forward in addressing the persisting inequities in our delivery of mental health services that keep patients from accessing the care they need, and will provide a framework for the state to better enforce our mental health parity laws. I want to thank Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, and Senator Cyr for their thoughtful collaboration on this initiative and shared commitment to reforming our mental health care system so it is accessible, affordable, and equitable for all."

"The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 is a landmark step toward making sure people can get the mental health care they need when they need it," said Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "The Senate's targeted investments in mental health in the ARPA bill and the FY22 budget have made it clear that cost of action on this issue is far less than the cost of inaction, for the sake of all residents of the Commonwealth. I applaud Senate President Spilka for her compassionate and steadfast leadership on this issue, and Senators Cyr and Friedman for their diligent work to build upon last session's ABC Act and put forward a comprehensive bill that will ensure equitable access to mental health care for all."

Additions to the original version of the Mental Health ABC Act contained in this legislation include: guaranteeing an annual mental health wellness exam at no cost to the patient; creating an online portal that enables access to real-time data to move patients from emergency to appropriate care; establishing a complex case resolution panel to help resolve barriers to care for children with complex behavioral health needs who find themselves in the emergency room; requiring the Office of the Child Advocate and the Health Policy Commission to issue reports on child emergency department boarding; creating a standard release form; expanding access to psychiatric care by requiring the state-contracted and commercial health plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder benefits offered through the psychiatric collaborative care model; incentivizing investments in acute psychiatric services; and establishing an Office of Behavioral Health Promotion.

The following is an overview of The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0.

Ensuring Equitable Access to Mental Health Care

Guaranteeing Annual Mental Health Wellness Exams. The idea that a person's mental health is just as important as a person's physical health is the cornerstone of this reform. This bill would codify this principle by mandating coverage for an annual mental health wellness exam, comparable to an annual physical.

Enforcing Mental Health Parity Laws. Mental health parity as a concept is simple: insurance coverage for mental health care should be equal to insurance coverage for any other medical condition. This concept has been codified in federal and state law for decades, but enforcement of the law has been challenging. As a result, inequities persist, and patients are often denied coverage for mental health treatment that is every bit as critical to managing their health as treatment for diabetes or heart disease.

This bill provides the state with better tools to implement and enforce our parity laws by creating a clear structure for the Division of Insurance to receive and investigate parity complaints to ensure their timely resolution. Other tools include parity enforcement for commercial, state-contracted and student health insurance plans, greater reporting and oversight of insurance carriers' mental health care coverage processes and policies, and reasonable penalties and alternative remedies for when an insurance company does not comply with the law.

Addressing the Emergency Department Boarding Crisis. For many adults and children in the grips of a mental health crisis, the fastest way to get help is to go to a hospital emergency department (ED). Sadly, when they need to be admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit, it can be days, weeks, or even months before they're admitted. Meanwhile, the person must often wait in the ED, receiving little to no psychiatric care. This is referred to as 'ED boarding' and it has increased up to 400% since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Given the severity and urgency of the state's ED boarding crisis, this bill tackles the issue in several ways, by:

• Creating an ARPA-funded online portal that enables access to real-time data on and includes a search function that allows health care providers to easily search and find open beds using a number of criteria;

• Establishing a complex case resolution panel to help resolve barriers to care for children with complex behavioral health needs and would include representatives from several state and local health and education agencies working together to ensure a child's behavioral health needs are met in a timely manner;

• Requiring all hospital EDs to have a qualified behavioral health clinician available to evaluate and stabilize a person admitted to a hospital ED with a behavioral health presentation during all operating hours;

• Directing the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) to produce an annual report on child ED boarding; and

• Tasking the Health Policy Commission (HPC) with conducting a statewide pediatric behavioral health assessment every five years to inform future policymaking.

Addressing ED boarding will help families experiencing acute mental health crises receive timely care.

Reimbursing Mental Health Providers Equitably. Mental health and primary care providers are reimbursed at different rates for the same service. The bill seeks to level the playing field for reimbursement to mental health providers by requiring an equitable rate floor for evaluation and management services that is consistent with primary care.

Reforming Medical Necessity and Prior Authorization Requirements. When an adult or child arrives in an emergency department in the throes of acute mental health crises requiring immediate treatment in an appropriate setting, clinical determinations should be made by the treating clinician. In practice, however, insurance carriers impose too many restrictions on providers' clinical judgement in terms of prior approval and concurrent review requirements for mental health services.

This results in barriers to, and delays in, treatment for patients who need immediate care, creating a dysfunctional system that allows insurance companies to have more leverage in determining a patient's course of treatment than health care providers.

This bill mandates coverage and eliminates prior authorization for mental health acute treatment and stabilization services for adults and children; requires MassHealth and commercial insurance companies to follow a uniform set of criteria established by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) for medical necessity and utilization management determinations for treatments for substance use disorder (SUD); and ensures that if a health insurance company intends to change its medical necessity guidelines, the new guidelines must be easily accessible by consumers on the health insurance company's website.

This bill also establishes a special commission to bring all stakeholders to the table to study and make recommendations on the creation of a common set of medical necessity criteria to be used by health care providers and insurance carriers for mental health services.

Creating a Standard Release Form. Behavioral health providers struggle in the era of electronic health records and care coordination to create systems that simultaneously protect an individual's right to consent to share sensitive health information and allow practitioners to access the information they need to treat the individual and coordinate care. This bill would direct the development of a standard release form for exchanging confidential mental health and substance use disorder information to facilitate access to treatment by patients with multiple health care providers.

Increasing Access to Emergency Service Programs. Emergency Service Programs (ESPs), which are community-based and recovery-oriented programs that provide behavioral health crisis assessment, intervention, and stabilization services for people with psychiatric illness, are currently covered by MassHealth. The bill would require commercial insurance companies to cover ESPs as well.

Expanding Access to the Evidence-Based Collaborative Care Model. The collaborative care model delivers mental health care in primary care through a team of health care professionals, including the primary care provider, a behavioral health care manager, and a consulting psychiatrist. This evidence-based access to mental health care has proven effective, less costly, and less stigmatizing. The bill would expand access to psychiatric care by requiring the state-contracted and commercial health plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder benefits offered through the psychiatric collaborative care model.

Reviewing the Role of Behavioral Health Managers. Some insurance companies have subcontracted mental health benefits to specialty utilization management companies for years with mixed results. The bill directs the Health Policy Commission, in consultation with the Division of Insurance, to study and provide updated data on the use of contracted mental health benefit managers by insurance carriers, often referred to as "carve-outs." 

Incentivizing Investment in Acute Psychiatric Services. This bill would create an exemption from the Department of Public Health's determination of need process to incentivize health care facilities to invest in and develop more acute psychiatric services across the Commonwealth, including inpatient, community-based acute treatment, intensive community-based treatment, a continuing care unit and partial hospitalization programs.

Tracking and Analyzing Behavioral Health Expenditures. This bill includes a critical first steps toward incentivizing greater investments in mental health care within the analysis of statewide health care cost growth. Specifically, the bill directs the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to define and collect data on the delivery of mental health services to establish a baseline of current spending; and directs the Health Policy Commission (HPC) to begin tracking mental health care expenditures as part of its annual cost trends hearings.

Establishing an Office of Behavioral Health Promotion. Current behavioral health services are spread across state agencies. This dilutes the responsibility for mental health promotion and focus on the issues and undermines the important work being done. This bill would establish an Office of Behavioral Health Promotion within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to coordinate all state initiatives that promote mental, emotional, and behavioral health and wellness for residents.

Increasing Access to Care in Geographically Isolated Areas. This bill would direct the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to consider factors that may present barriers to care—such as travel distance and access to transportation—when contracting for services in geographically isolated and rural communities.

Removing Barriers to Care by Supporting the Behavioral Health Workforce

Creating a Roadmap on Access to Culturally Competent Care. This initiative builds off an academic study mandated and funded through the Commonwealth's Fiscal Year 2021 budget to review the availability of and barriers to accessing culturally competent mental health care providers. Under this provision, an interagency health equity team under the Office of Health Equity, working with an advisory council, would make annual recommendations for the next three years to improve access to, and the quality of, culturally competent mental health services. Paired with the Senate's ARPA investment of $122 million in the behavioral health workforce through loan repayment assistance programs, this roadmap will make great strides toward building a robust workforce reflective of communities' needs.

Allows for an Interim Licensure for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. The bill would create an interim licensure level for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) so that they can be reimbursed by insurance for their services and be eligible for state and federal grant and loan forgiveness programs, further increasing the number of licensed providers able to serve patients.

Expanding Mental Health Billing. This bill would allow clinicians practicing under the supervision of a licensed professional and working towards independent licensure to practice in a clinic setting. This will help to ensure quality training and supervision and encourage clinicians to stay practicing in community-based settings.

Updating the Board of Registration of Social Workers. The bill would update the membership of the Board of Registration of Social Workers to clarify that designees from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Department of Public Health (DPH) be licensed social workers.

This legislation builds upon the original Mental Health ABC Act, passed by the Senate in 2020, important provisions of which have been signed into law, including:

• Standardizing credentialing forms, which shortens the amount of time it takes for newly hired mental and behavioral health professionals to be approved for inclusion in an insurance network, increasing access to care.

• Requiring coverage for same day care, removing a significant financial barrier to the integration of primary care and mental health.

• Creating a tele-behavioral health pilot program, which authorized three pilots for tele-behavioral health services in public high schools in the Commonwealth.

• Creating a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner fellowship pilot program, which offers additional support and training to psychiatric nurse practitioners who agree to work in community settings with underserved populations.

• Creating a mental health workforce pipeline to encourage and support individuals from diverse backgrounds to choose careers in mental health by emphasizing that it is valued and important work.

• Studying access to culturally competent care to review the availability of culturally competent mental health care providers, as well as to identify potential barriers to care for underserved cultural, ethnic and linguistic populations, the LGBTQ+ community, and others.

This legislation also comes at a time when the Massachusetts State Senate is making transformative investments in mental and behavioral health, including:

• $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to transform the behavioral health sector, with $122 million dedicated to recruiting and retaining nearly 2,000 behavioral professionals.

• $10 million annually for the newly-created Behavioral Health Outreach, Access and Support Trust Fund, which funded the highly successful More to the Story public awareness campaign.

• $10 million for the rapid creation of new inpatient mental health acute care beds, particularly new beds for children, adolescents and underserved communities.

• $15 million for Programs of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) for children who exhibit symptoms of serious emotional disturbance; PACT uses a multidisciplinary team approach to provide acute and long term supports for individuals in the community.

• $3 million for a loan repayment assistance program to recruit and retain child and adolescent psychiatrists at community mental health and health centers.

The Senate is scheduled to debate the Mental Health ABC 2.0 Act next week.

CommonWealth Magazine coverage of the legislation released for discussion

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/senate-unveils-major-mental-health-bill/

Boston Globe coverage of proposal  https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/09/metro/mass-senators-unveil-wide-ranging-mental-health-measure/

School Committee candidate Jen D'Angelo responds to questions

For the following you can read FM = Steve Sherlock and JD as Jen D'Angelo, candidate for School Committee. The answers were provided by Jen via email in response to the offer made to all the candidates for the Franklin Election Nov 2, 2021. 

Publication of the answers or interview responses does not constitute an endorsement of the candidate. This is my public service effort to enable informed voters for the election Nov 2, 2021.

FM = Briefly, what is your ‘Franklin story’? Tell us briefly about your life here.

JD = As a lifelong resident and a proud graduate of the Franklin Public Schools, it is my privilege to run for reelection. I have strong connections to the community and a vested interest in supporting the growth and development of our resources including our schools. I have had many opportunities to participate in town organizations including volunteering with a variety of groups beginning in high school. Some of those opportunities include delivering food baskets to those in need during the holidays, teaching religious education at St. Mary’s Church and fundraising to support a number of other local organizations. Most recently, I have had the privilege and honor of serving on the Franklin School Committee. Though this was my first time holding a public office, I found my knowledge of the community to be invaluable in our work.

FM = Participating in elections is one of the key freedoms of American life and voting is one of the primary responsibilities of citizens. While the law does not require citizens to vote, voting is a very important part of any democracy. What can you tell us about your own voting record? And if you have not been an active voter, please tell us why? And how important is it that we elect people who are active participants in the election process?

JD = Voting, considered by many as the most basic right of citizenship, is an opportunity for individuals to voice their opinions on leadership, public issues and legislation. I have been an active participant in the election process for many years voting in both local and national elections. The United States has a long history of voting milestones which eliminated barriers to voting and in essence promoted an equal voice for all citizens. Though I exercise my right to vote, I have not seen any evidence that would suggest a strong correlation between the voting history of elected officials and their ability to positively contribute to their communities.

FM = Have you been vaccinated for COVID-19? Do you think there should be a mask mandate in Franklin? Finally, what measures should the government take to protect the public from the virus, and how should these efforts be delineated between the local, State, and Federal governments?

JD = I feel medical information and the sharing of that information is a personal choice. Though I have been vaccinated, I do not feel it is appropriate to dictate what others should and should not do medically. People have unique health situations and I believe healthcare decisions should be made by individuals. With access to current data as well as expertise in the healthcare field, I believe the Department of Public Health should be making the decision on mask mandates in Franklin. Our government, both state and federal, have taken appropriate measures to provide information, recommendations and treatments to ensure the public's safety. We cannot expect elected officials to make perfect decisions all the time especially when information and situations are constantly changing. Collectively, we have to make decisions that best meet the needs of our personal situations.

FM = What are the 3 most important actions you believe are needed to move Franklin forward?

JD = It is difficult to identify three important actions when so many of our opportunities for growth and development are connected. Below are the three fundamental areas we should consider to ensure our actions as a committee and a community support our visions:

A. A collective effort to build respectful and collaborative relationships among our community members, elected officials, boards and committees. Over the past several months, the amount of hateful rhetoric has been overwhelming. In order for our town to identify and address our areas of growth and move forward to expand opportunities for all residents, we must be able to engage with one another in a respectful way.

B. A commitment to engage the community in our work as a school committee. Though engagement is different for each person, creating meaningful ways to contribute is essential. Some community members are eager to attend coffee chats while others are content to receive email newsletters and discuss topics that are important to them with their peers. I feel it is the duty of the School Committee to find ways to create opportunities for those who would like to engage in issues relative to not only the school community but also our town as a whole. Another piece of engagement is feeling your opinions are respected even when they differ from others. From community members I have had the opportunity to speak with, this was one area they felt could have been better and something the elected committee should continue to build upon in the coming years.

C. A deeper dive into the current culture of our district. While financial resources can make a difference in improving educational outcomes, there are other variables that are just as, if not more, important. For example, competitive teacher salaries improve the quality of candidates and increase retention, lower teacher to student ratios allow for more personalized learning and a structured system of supports for all students are known factors to minimize achievement gaps and create meaningful educational opportunities. Changes in district and school culture can happen independent of and be more impactful than spending. This should also include maintaining high expectations for staff, students and families and focusing on doing what works while eliminating what doesn’t. A strategic reallocation of resources is a more sensible and realistic approach and creating a long-term strategic plan will be an important step in establishing sustainable change in the district.

FM = What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? Or what do you bring to the table that helps to set you apart from the others?

JD = Education is a collaborative effort among teachers, administrators, families, community members and elected officials. As an elected committee member, my major focus has been and will continue to be those issues and concerns that are a priority to the parents, students, and teachers I represent on the committee. It is important to be open to the opinions and views of all in order to make thoughtful decisions in the best interest of our students. As our schools face some challenging decisions in the coming years, I am confident I can continue to be an impartial committee member who can make well-informed decisions based on the needs of our community. With over seventeen years of experience in public education, I am well versed in a variety of areas including school finance, curriculum and state and federal regulations. In addition to my work experience, I also hold a Master of Business Administration from Suffolk University and Master of Education from Bridgewater State University. I feel my unique skill set is invaluable as a member of the Franklin School Committee.

FM = With the Franklin Public School District managing the largest portion of Franklin's budget, what are your ideas to help solve the structural deficit in the operating budget?

JD = I wholeheartedly believe you cannot solve a problem until you have identified the root of the problem. Financial strain in Franklin is not new nor is the narrative that we (the school district) are underfunded. If you look up the term “structural deficit” the definition would read “a budget deficit that results from a fundamental imbalance in government receipts and expenditures”. In simpler terms, we spend more than we generate. So how do you solve this issue when you do not know the root of the problem? Is spending the problem or is it the lack of funds generated or is it a combination of the two? The first step in creating a solution is to examine our current situation through an operational and efficiency study done by an external review. The review would examine the adequacy of the educational and non-educational services delivered and the efficiency with which they are delivered. It will also help to identify short- and long- term costs that should be incurred and savings, if any, that could be gained through the implementation of best practices. Potential opportunities to collaborate with our municipal departments may also be considered similar to the transfer of the maintenance responsibility of school facilities to the town facilities department which took place in FY09.

School Committee candidate Jen D'Angelo responds to questions

School Committee candidate Mark Bisson responds to questions

For the following you can read FM = Steve Sherlock and MB as Mark Bisson, candidate for School Committee. The answers were provided by Mark via email in response to the offer made to all the candidates for the Franklin Election Nov 2, 2021. 

Publication of the answers or interview responses does not constitute an endorsement of the candidate nor an attestation that the statements are true. This is my public service effort to enable informed voters for the election Nov 2, 2021.

FM = Briefly, what is your ‘Franklin story’? Tell us briefly about your life here.

MB = My wife, Lindsay, convinced me to move to Franklin eight years ago because she said that “Franklin has everything!” She started teaching first grade here in town in 2004 and insisted that our future children attend Franklin’s fabulous school system. We now have 3 children. Our son is five and attends kindergarten, our daughter is four and attends our public preschool, and our youngest daughter is two-years-old. We love our franklin community, and of course my wife was correct, Franklin does have everything. We believe that it is important to play an active role to help continue to support our community at every level. Lindsay is active in our community as the secretary of the PCC at ECDC and as the Vice President of the non-profit organization the MOMS Club of Franklin, MA, which is a support group for Franklin moms with young children. I have played a supportive role within the MOMS Club helping with events and setting up. Our family really believes in the MOMS club, and has been an instrumental group for not only our family, but so many other wonderful families here in the Franklin community, and I have always been really inspired by what this group of moms have been able to accomplish. So now it is now my turn to become an active leader within in our community, and I know that I can play a positive and constructive role within the school committee.

FM = Participating in elections is one of the key freedoms of American life and voting is one of the primary responsibilities of citizens. While the law does not require citizens to vote, voting is a very important part of any democracy. What can you tell us about your own voting record? And if you have not been an active voter, please tell us why? And how important is it that we elect people who are active participants in the election process?

MB = I agree, voting is a fundamental right and responsibility of every American citizen. I believe we all have a responsibility to participate in the election process, and a duty as citizens to be well informed on the candidates and policies we vote on. My past voting record mostly consisted of major elections as opposed to local elections. But as I have gotten older and now have children of my own, I believe I have an obligation to play a more active role in the process. I tend to vote for the individuals who have the best ideas and policies, and not based on which party they belong to.

FM = Have you been vaccinated for COVID-19? Do you think there should be a mask mandate in Franklin? Finally, what measures should government take to protect the public from the virus, and how should these efforts be delineated between the local, State, and Federal governments?

MB = I believe in an individual’s right to choose the best course of action for themselves and their health. Much like voting, I believe that individuals have a responsibility to be well educated/informed on the issue and do a risk assessment based on all available facts and data, because ultimately these decisions will affect them, and their families for the rest of their lives, and they should not be taken lightly.

The government should play a vital role in identifying, educating, and combating any threat to our country and its citizens. The state and local governments have to play a vital role in their regions to provide sound/fact-based information, coordination, and effective guidance. I believe a balanced approach has always been required whenever dealing with an unknown, like the COVID-19 virus. Unfortunately, we have not seen this type of approach and instead we have seen contradicting standards, mandates that are not based in science, or even commonsense, and misleading and coercive measures to get individuals to respond a certain way, which inevitable lead to mistrust and hesitation.

FM = What are the 3 most important actions you believe are needed to move Franklin forward?

MB =  1.  An important action to move Franklin forward is for the school committee to communicate better with the community. The members of the school committee have an obligation to clearly articulate what they are doing, and most importantly why they are doing it. Since the decisions and policies that are being voted on by school committee members impact teachers, I feel that the school committee also needs to be communicating with our Franklin teachers. Communicating via different platforms and not just social media should be utilized to ensure we are reaching as many members of our community as possible. School committee newsletters could be created and sent out via emails to all the Franklin Public schools families and staff and published on the school committee website. The newsletters could be published in the Franklin Town News newspaper, their website (www.franklintownnews.com), on Facebook, etc. I believe we can also accomplish this by openly communicating with the teachers, parents, and community through open forums with the school committee to brainstorm wants, needs and best practices.

2. Another important action to move Franklin forward is to redistrict the schools. Now that the Davis Thayer school is closed, I believe students should be properly redistricted to schools more evenly and closest to their homes.

3. Finally, I believe leadership and a balanced approach are very important actions needed to move Franklin forward. The stripping of the parents right to choose the best course of action for their children has been a real eye opener for me as a parent, and as a tax paying resident of Franklin. I believe that the school committee had an opportunity to show leadership and stand up for the parents right to choose, and trust to that they would make the right decisions for the health and safety of their children and our community. But ultimately, they were subjugated by DESE, and as a result they relinquished their authority, which not only silenced the members of the school committee, but all of the parents of Franklin as well.

FM =   What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? Or what do you bring to the table that helps to set you apart from the others?

MB = I believe I bring a commonsense approach to problem solving.

I believe I am able to communicate effectively with the public we serve, but I will be able to encourage the public to get involved with the decisions we are facing.

My career and background is in the commercial construction/building industry. I have built some very large projects, including the largest Buddhist Temple built outside of Thailand in the world (which is located in Raynham, Ma). I know how to manage a budget, a schedule, to communicate effectively, and to maintain the highest-level of safety.

One example where school committee did not demonstrate effective problem solving and planning was the process of closing Davis Thayer. It was a disaster. I feel bad for the families of the Davis Thayer and Helen Keller school communities. I believe that the School Committee failed all those children and their families, as well as, the teachers. They had no plan and ultimately just shoved them all in at Keller… To me that is completely inappropriate.

Being the spouse of a former Franklin teacher sets me apart from the other candidates. I have heard my wife discuss many of the districts’ strengths and those areas of growth that we as a school district can work to improve on. For example, there should be more support in the younger grades where the children have limited attention spans and there is a range in ability levels. If the teachers and students receive more support in kindergarten and first grade, they most likely won’t need as much support going forward. Also, I am sure that people aren’t aware of the fact that teachers are generally handed the materials and provided professional development for new programs the day before being expected to teach that new program…. That clearly doesn’t give teachers adequate time to prepare. I think we can do better.

FM = With the Franklin Public School District managing the largest portion of Franklin's budget, what are your ideas to help solve the structural deficit in the operating budget?

MB = My platform for the school committee is “Back to the basics Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic” so I believe we should do a full audit, with the town council, of the district’s spending and in doing so ensure all programs we have within the curriculum are effective. By putting the primary focus back on the fundamentals of education, we could see a real potential for savings. I find it disappointing that we wasted money on the Envisions math program about 5 years ago in the Elementary schools and are already onto a new math program. After the first year, many teachers were either not using the program or were heavily supplementing it with materials from other programs. This tells me that it wasn’t piloted properly or by enough teachers and spending money on this program was clearly a waste of our money.

I would look to create a subcommittee to review other districts that are having success while maintaining a healthy operating budget. This can help us identify best practices to emulate into our own district.

I would look to establish an intern program with Franklin’s own Dean College, and to continue to build on our relationship with Tri-county high school to bring in students to assist the teachers and students in the classroom. The utilization of interns in the private sector has been very beneficial in terms of staffing, reducing payroll cost, and providing an opportunity for invaluable real-world experience in the teaching/education profession to students.

• For additional election information in preparation to vote on or before Nov 2, 2021

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/07/franklin-election-collection-2021.html

School Committee candidate Mark Bisson responds to questions

In another shift, Baker Administration will mandate masks for K-12 school opening

Massachusetts K-12 (@MASchoolsK12) tweeted Fri, Aug 20, 2021:

PRESS RELEASE Education Commissioner to Ask Board for Authority to Mandate Masks in Public Schools to Provide Time to Increase Vaccinations - https://t.co/CLO6N5sTXC #MaEdu #COVID19MA @MassEducation

"Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley will ask the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to grant him authority to mandate masks for all public K-12 students, educators, and staff through October 1 to ensure schools fully reopen safely and to provide time for more students and educators to get vaccinated. After October 1, the commissioner’s policy would allow middle and high schools to lift the mask mandate for vaccinated students and staff only if the school meets a certain vaccination rate – at least 80 percent of students and staff in a school building are vaccinated. Unvaccinated students and staff would still be required to wear masks.

The mandate would include exceptions for students who cannot wear a mask due to medical conditions or behavioral needs.

 

The Commissioner will revisit the mandate in the near future to revise it as warranted by public health data. The purpose of the policy is to encourage higher vaccination rates among students and staff and to implement a uniform policy for all schools to begin the year."

Continue reading the full press release:  https://t.co/CLO6N5sTXC

Assuming the proposal does come to reality, the Franklin School Committee will remove from its agenda its own policy update as 'not needed'

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_b_-_policy_adoption.pdf

Press release hared from Twitter:   https://twitter.com/MASchoolsK12/status/1428737492627468290?s=03

CommonWealth Magazine coverage ->  https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/in-another-shift-baker-mandates-masks-in-schools/

State education commissioner Jeff Riley. (Photo by Llyr Johansen)

Recap: Town Council takes 4+ hours to review FY 2022 budget on Wednesday

Quick Recap:

• Yup, over 4 hours for the Town Council to review, Q&A the budget; multiple questions, mostly answered, a couple carried over to Thursday's session
• Carried over a possible move of $3,000 from Historical Commission to Historical Museum; update from School Dept on unfunded mandates, update on total school age population and where schooling (inside or out of Franklin)
• Under the standard format, not sure the community gets the full picture of a department budget matter, they only get the phrasing of a particular councilor. To really understand a departmental budget, folks need to view the Finance Committee meetings; (it would also be good for more councilors to do so).
• Why wouldn't the Town proceed with a pilot effort to provide a full time nurse (RN) for the community? It uses the same process (grant and collaboration with neighboring communities) that other departments (Fire and Police for example) have (and did explain also during this meeting). Yet some councilors 'don't get it'
• Fire Dept hopeful for positive news on a SAFER grant that they submitted for which would enable the  addition of 4 more firefighter/paramedics. They would be funded by the grant for 3 years and then Town would need to pay
• MECC received a grant to enable Mendon and Millville to join regional dispatch. The grant fund Franklin's portion for several years. Town is planning to put money aside to save for the day when the grant expires and the funding is required
• Multiple questions around the school budget, how it continues to increase and yet the enrollment is decreasing. Chap 70 funding will provide some relief in transportation and special education circuit break costs. The Town faces a gradual increase in its own support of the schools. We (Town of Franklin) have historically underfunded the schools and are being forced by the State to eventually pay our fair share. The closing of Davis Thayer, and potentially other buildings to restructure will not provide the budget relief required to fix this structural deficit. Consider two numbers: the State calculates our per pupil expense at $14K per student; the average tax bill for a Franklin homeowner is $6-7,000. So if the homeowner/family has only one student, the Schools are already not recovering the cost for what educational benefit is provided to the family.
• DPW losing 2 positions (previously unfilled to help manage expenses during the pandemic); have other open positions they are attempting to fulfill within the budget
• Stormwater division created to help clearly identify all the costs associated with stormwater management. What is being done is less than that required by EPA MS4 permit. Stormwater utility fee had been on the discussion listing for this year but is is gone (for now). The Town needs to better manage the funding source for stormwater and the utility fee is a more more reasonable approach than using the current tax base. Too many don't pay their 'fair share'.
  
• Back again Thursday night for the remainder of the discussion and eventual vote on the budget for FY 2022

----

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  #tc0526

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23tc0526&src=typed_query

 

Photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter can be found in one album  https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fyhg4jjavLURjt92A

The agenda doc for this meeting can be found

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/05-26-2021_franklin_town_council.pdf 

Or https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/may-26-town-council-agenda 

• Getting ready for the Town Council meeting, and 1st of two budget hearings for FY 2022. What is in the budget? What didn't make it? What questions will be asked tonight? Listen in to find out. Connection info and live stream available -> https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/may-26-town-council-agenda  tc0526
• Based upon prior sessions, the Council clerk will read the budget line items, line by line. Councilors with a question in that area can place a 'hold' and when done reading through, they'll come back and get to each line, question by question #tc0526.
• The voting doc copy you can follow along with is in the agenda doc https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/05-26-2021_franklin_town_council.pdf  #tc0526
• Meeting opens #tc0526
• Memorial Day service at noon on Monday, no parade however. Honor guard will visit Dean College, St Mary's cemetery, etc. that day before the service on the town Common #tc0526  2 minute recess as public hearing is posted for 7:10 PM
• Meeting resumes after recess  #tc0526
• Budget Subcommittee chair Kelly leads with comments thanking all the staff for their work during the pandemic. Pleased to present the budget for discussion. TA Jamie Hellen opens with his remarks also thanking the staff for the work done without skipping a beat #tc0526
• "Putting high quality affordable services forward" very fortunate, visit the Franklin page to visit the budget page with plenty of details. #tc0526 FinCom voted unanimously approved after 4 nights of deep dives into the details. "Towns look to emulate us"
• Council holds placed on 192, 210, 220, 300, and 422. That is Facilities, police, fire, schools and DPW. The five largest items in the budget. #tc0526
• Holds also placed on the following: 155, technology; 164, elections; #tc0526 225, regional dispatch; 390, tri-county; 395, Norfolk Aggie; 510, Board of Health; 690, historical museum; 691, historical commission;
• Cyber security new hire is for security split between town and schools, to oversee security, best practices, testing, etc. #tc0526 explanation on split of technology between schools and town, schools have a greater percent of usage.
• Elections #tc0526 actually just a decrease in budget from FY 2020, thanks
• Facilities - does the budget include reductions for the Davis Thayer facility closing? Yes. Still need some maintenance portion to keep it safe and kept up.
• $60k for DT building maintenance on town side; teachers etc and other expenses, are on the School side.
• #tc0526 the UVGI units came from CARES act funding (federal funds) not operational town funds. Equipment came in for school campus, library and Senior Center ->
• So those facilities will be operational in a couple of weeks. #tc0526 UV tubes will last a year, about $90 per (not thousands, just dollars) FHS was cheapest install due to the equipment already there. Presentation coming for MSBA on UVGI ->
• The budget last year includes bonding for facility projects at Remington/Jefferson and eventually we'll need to get to the other schools. #tc0526 Franklin is first with the UVGI, couldn't really have done it pre-COVID. None of the part-time staff have health insurance
• Now to Police, #tc0526 Q synopsis of Certification? Self initiated process audit, on all operations, training, etc. 159 standards to be met, evaluated and documented. 15 depts certified, 257 standards for accreditation. Q personal status, going from 52 to 53 ->
• Combination of personnel moves, replacing backfill, etc .allowed for the additional officer, including a reduction in ammunition used in fire arm training. A savings in unscheduled OT also helped with the new person. #tc0526 will need more $ next year to get 4 more
• Shortage of ammo is real, multiple factors playing but it should start easy up over time. #tc0526 things are going well with the changes to the force. Change can be fearful, haven't really had a baseline due to COVID yet but hopefully. Succession planning is underway ->
• Likely 6-8 over next several years, planning is underway. Collective bargaining agreements define what can be done. A lot will happen this fall and then dominoes will fall next year and later. #tc0526 trying to do accreditation within the year. Then good for 3 years
• Q on safety equipment line, also includes onboarding and hence the adjustments. Next year will likely increase due to changes but not this year. #tc0526 Jail diversion program is doing well, in year 3 of 10 year grant, looking to see how to expand with Advocates. Police exam ->
• Every three years, or with lateral transfers #tc0526 it is not hard for folks from elsewhere to want to be here. Would more officers help with response time? Yes. Town is growing, there is more if everything. Police have 2 drones, one used at the fire this week
• Next up Fire Dept. #tc0526 Q what is personnel status for this FY year, 56 firefighters and at full staff this time. Ambulance transport billing, we take the avg of top 50 to ensure our rates are competitive. Safer grant pending for more firefighters, very competitive
• Firefighters were evacuated just before the floor collapsed, shows the efficiency of the battalion chiefs. #tc0526 "you are a gift to the Community" folks don't realize how close we were to losing some folks the other day. We need another station out to serve the north ->
• We have 2 ambulances online, wouldn't make sense to bring a 3rd on now, using the reserve unit would help without relying on mutual aid. #tc0526 I think we are in a really good place right now, high training, good equipment, it has been a group effort and a team sport
• If we get the grant, it would cover salary/benefits for 3 years. After that would be in our budget. #tc0526 Pellegri not seen morale as high as it is now in her time. Your commitment to training has shown effects so far, thanks. ISO update, class 2 last year, with ->
• With so many changes in 12 months, we may ask them to come back. Left a spot on the side of the engine for the cert label when we get it #tc0526
• Mendon and Millville joined regional dispatch MECC, got a grant to cover their participation. #tc0526 amount budgeted for setting aside money to enable the future payment after the grant expires. (Brief sound interruption on one system may have been on my side issue) ->
• Switched to live stream from Zoom session to get audio #tc0526 Taking a 5 minutes break
• Meeting resumes, thunder still rolling around outside #tc0526
• Q on Board of Health increase? Working to bring in a public nurse along with a community grant. There is not a separate line item for enforcement, used CARES act funding for some of that. Qs on need for RN part-time. #tc0526 we are doing a regional effort ->
• LPN is part-time at Senior Center. Other towns have full time nurses, we don't. #tc0526  Q on historical museum vs commission and switching funds, to be researched and decided on Thursday session
• Next up Schools, Dr Ahern #tc0526 we're about 4800 this year, decreasing over next 10 years, slightly lower than forecasted, other districts lost more students due to the pandemic. Hot real estate is due to inventory, expecting a decrease and possible baby bust ->
• Elementary school population stabile, middle school seeing more of the decrease, also making it to the high school. Eventually FHS would operate at capacity or less ( has been over since opened) #tc0526  Attempted at a # for unfunded mandates, does have a partial ->
• Budget continues to rise, is related to special Ed costs? No, we are doing well there. The enrollment is well distributed so we don't see that economy of scale where it could help us. Rate increase is special Ed is out of our control, circuit breaker funding may help ->
• We are obligated to service all the students in town. #tc0526 if we lose students to other schools, do we know why? Programs cut in prior years could be not competitive vs other schools. There are 300 folks I have sought out and you don't seem to be getting to them ->
• 75% of districts spend more than Franklin does. How do we solve that? It is dollars. More teachers,  more programs, high school could use more teachers to improve offerings we can be creative but that doesn't solve the issue. #tc0526 approx 54% if the town budget
• To keep and retain the people we have here will cost more money. All the reforms won't change the expense side of the budget. Digital learning integrationists DLI support teachers and students and skills on digital literacy. #tc0526
• How do we tell, explain an increase in the budget when we are closing schools and loosing teachers. Health care and transportation are increasing. We are managing expenses elsewhere. Education is being more complicated, expanded nurses, all hands on deck, escalating ->
• Mental health concerns, we are happy to do it, our responsibility and each has expanded. #tc0526 Multiple questions around school budget, clear lack of understanding by TC. It is complex but when per pupil expense is $14k and the average property tax is $6 or 7k ->
• There is an issue with school funding. #tc0526 Plug for Tri-county by Kelly, less students going to Norfolk Aggie, should be trying to get more there Both also have changes in leadership for the schools
• Creation of Stormwater division shows the cost of doing business. Moved funds and personnel from other depts to accommodate. #tc0526 did remove 2 people from budget as well as the curb weed spraying. New treatment plant now online, provides capacity to pump full amount ->
• Permitted, and operates very efficiently. The 2 positions were open and not rehired during the past year. #tc0526 clarification on the cut positions are still in the budget.  There is a level of difference between what we are obligated to do and what we are doing
• We have been doing stormwater since 2007, some of the numbers are shifting from wherever to stormwater to better reflect the total expense. #tc0526 street lights down due to change to LEDs.  $40m in backlog of roadwork that needs to be done. Covers existing roads
• Chapter 90 has not seen increases to keep up. Ability to compost to save? It is expensive and we don't have a space for it, it is part of a plan going forward. #tc0526 water and sewer use going up, collections have increased. Retained earnings explained. Used to ->
• Pay cash for some expenses within the water and sewer expenses. When we talk stormwater, that has nothing to do with water or sewer. Look at the stormwater division, street sweeping, catch basin cleaning, etc. #tc0526 we run a lean ship, loosing 2 people is a big deal
• We will continue this hearing Thursday. #tc0526 council comments underway. Live stream cut out as the TV automation cut in at 11. The Council should (could) have not gone so long. Zoom session still working
• Motion to adjourn, passes 9-0 That's all for tonight, catch you next time #tc0526 

Dr Sara Ahern answering a question

DPW Director Cantoreggi answers a question