School Budget Subcmte get preview of potential fee increases for buses, activities & sports (audio)

The School Committee Budget Subcommittee met as scheduled on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 6:00 PM. The started late, left just before 7 PM and hence the full Committee meeting started a little late.

The agenda doc ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/franklin_public_schools_budget_sub_committee_meeting.pdf

Download the PDF  handout of fee increases ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-9L1xop0J7YXYmy9K0rcb0cuMehLj9gy/view?usp=drive_link

My notes captured during the meeting

• Chair David McNeill opens meeting at 6:09 PM, business meeting public invited with watch listen, to participate at discretion of the chair
• Recap of the 4/24 Joint Meeting by Supt Giguere. Coordinated with OCPF to get opinion on videos prepared, can host, can't send directly
• Once the TA FY 2025 budget was released, they could work toward how to cover the shortfall ($6.3m) if the override is not approved by the Town Council, or if approved but does not pass the community vote. Some fee increases, anticipating approx 30 FTE...
• Reduction of supplies within buildings across the board, stipends, mentor, etc. $4.7m reductions after the fee increases. 30 FTE is a significant reduction, negative impact to quality of education, class size, offerings, extra curricular activities, etc.
• The model was put forward, if any variation, that would require an adjustment somewhere else in the budget
• No decisions have been made on positions or roles specifically, they will continue to look at the numbers as the scenario develops/evolves (i.e. override yes and what the # might be)
• Potential use of retirement to help balance but that position is removed ... A loss to the district if the position is not filled
• Fee increases proposed were designed to self fund the program, not to generate additional revenue to be used overall (can't be done anyway). The natural area to look at is class size, then to the required programs looking at electives and AP classes, can't charge for an ...AP course, can only charge for the AP exam.
• Even with fee increases to meet the purpose, as astronomical as they appear, they don't help alleviate the other cuts. Largest expense for the district is staff, period. So reducing expenses means reducing staff
• Athletics first, total cost for each sport, then worked to get to a cost per student, divided into tier, largest cost tier 1
• All programs for athletics is about $1m; approx $400k from fees currently, $600k balance previously covered by budget ...
• Tier 1 fees approx $1k, tier 2 at about $600, tier 3 at about $350 Does include post season costs assuming teams were successful enough to gain that.
• Attrition could be seen at the JV and subJV levels affecting the varsity level at some point with talent feed/development
• Transportation currently at $600 could go to $1100/per to self funding this program. Even with an override, transportation fees may rise anyway to keep pace with cost
• 20% increase for ECDC anticipated, IEP students do not pay, building use rental increase of 5% projected tier level of support required
• Possible parking fee, $125/vehicle to manage overall parking process
• Model can be posted, didn't want to get ahead of the guidance of the subcmte
• Motion to adjourn, passes 3-0
  

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1185-fps-budget-subcmte-mtg-04-30-24

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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/  or www.franklin.news 

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"

School Budget Subcmte get preview of potential fee increases for buses, activities & sports (audio)

Town Council approves FY 24 budget after 9 hours over 2 nights, plan for schools to get $700K more (audio)

FM #1000 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1000 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Town Council meeting held in Council Chambers on Thursday, May 25, 2023. All 9 members of the Council were present in the Council Chambers.

The first budget hearing did not complete on Wednesday evening, so Thursday's session opens to complete the first hearing and then starts the second hearing. When the second hearing completes, the legislation for action commences to record the various approvals as noted below.

Quick recap

• Police to add to their staff to alleviate a scheduling issue that should help reduce the overtime cost and help moral by reducing the amount of forced overtime

• Fire to add to their staff to help provide a third ambulance for coverage during four days of peak call volume. The staff increase is partially offset by additional ambulance revenues

• Senior Center gets approval for a van driver for half the year as a step towards full time 

• Town administration gets approval for a shift from an assistant town administrator to a Deputy Administrator along with a half year funding for an Arts & Culture Director

• The Franklin school budget gets an increase of approximately $700K over the $1.1m initially allocated. These funds will be part of a two resolution vote being scheduled for the June 7 Council meeting. 24 school personnel positions were cut this week by the School District to meet their expected budget shortfall of over $2M. Some of those are due to the continued declining enrollment, some of those can be restored with the additional funds being allocated. As was made clear a few times during the hearings, the Town Council only provides a line item of funding to the Schools. The School district and School Committee have the full responsibility for choices on how that money is spent

• The Joint Budget Subcommittee will begin meeting (schedule TBD) to work on a strategic plan to address the systemic issues across both the Town and Schools budget requirements. There was consensus on increasing the revenue. Some of the increase can come from a variety of measures (storm water fee, sewer rate increase, zoning changes to increase density, etc.) as well as consideration of a possible override ballot question. In order to get to the override question, the amount of increased revenue (i.e. property taxes revenue) needs to be explored and agreed to put before the taxpayers for their approval. There are already a number of increases planned (or expected) and that needs to be part of the consideration.

Planned

• storm water begins July 1, 2023

• sewer rate increase for next three years beginning July 1, 2023 to pay for the Beaver St interceptor replacement. Construction along RT 140 begins later this year

• possible debt exclusion for Tri-County RVTHS building replacement (amount expected in Aug 2023, vote anticipated in Oct 2023)

Expected

• water rate increase to pay for PFAS mitigations

• potential debt exclusion for renovation of Davis Thayer (DT) for town use (to make it ADA accessible). Decision on potential use anticipated by Dec 2023 from subcommittee appointed to determine recommendations

• potential debt exclusion for new Police station or renovation of existing, committee appointed and soon to begin work on this; their work will include the DT decision as applicable

• potential operational override to address systemic revenue issues

The recording runs about 3 hours and 42 minutes. Let’s listen to the Town Council meeting on May 25, 2023.  Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1000-town-council-fy-24-budget-hearing-2-05-25-23

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The full agenda and documents associated with it can be found online ->    https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/may_25_2023_town_council_agenda_1.pdf

The Fy 2024 budget document folder ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/webforms/fy-24-budget-materials 

The Franklin TV video replay for both sessions is available

• Wednesday -> https://www.youtube.com/live/P5MzuZ7r7gA?feature=share 

• Thursday -> https://www.youtube.com/live/BLXhaMDHJDk?feature=share 

My Twitter notes captured during the meetings can be found here

• Wednesday ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hmk9G_oo0RXsmkV0KOiHADAXXgXbNGxk/view?usp=drive_link 

• Thursday ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1haEf0ELqCsOMNlz0labwYxe8yBtqsoN9/view?usp=drive_link 

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

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/ or www.franklin.news/

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!

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

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Town Council approves FY 24 budget after 9 hours over 2 nights, plan for schools to get $700K more (audio)

Happy anniversary Franklin Matters! Goodbye Facebook! (audio)

Let’s celebrate your readership (and growing numbers of readers) as we enter November 2021. 

It was only in November 2007 that FranklinMatters.org came into existence. I had started reporting on Franklin about two years prior, and as the override vote became a reality, during 2007 my reporting increased to cover it. There had been talk of getting it on the ballot and then all the informational meetings began to prepare for the vote when it was set for May 22, 2007.

After the vote passed, I continued to report on what was happening and my ‘regular’ readers began complaining about ‘this Franklin stuff’ that was taking me away from other topics I had been writing about. Hence, plans began for a new page. As the 2007 local election was also scheduled for November, I decided to make the switch after the election and begin preparing the new page for that introduction.

The Facebook page was added in 2010 and will be deleted at the end of November 2021. There was life before Facebook, and there will be life after the Franklin Matters page goes away from Facebook. 

So to be clear, while the Franklin Matters feed to Facebook will go away, Franklin Matters will not.

My commitment will continue to be providing timely and accurate information to all interested. I will continue to ‘follow the money’ focusing on the School Committee, Finance Committee, and Town Council meetings. In my current retirement lifestyle, some of the extra time I have, can then be applied to expanding my reporting to include the quality of life items that ‘following the money’ provides for us.

The content will continue to be text based with appropriate links to the supporting or source documents. Audio will be made available when practical. Photos will be shared. Multiple social media channels will help spread the information to where you can find it. Except that Facebook will not be part of our journey forward.

Email is the best source. One email daily with all that matters. 

Twitter will continue to be used for sharing the individual items as well as for capturing my notes during meetings or events. The podcast will share the audio files of meetings and interviews.

Integration with Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) will continue. Someday, not too far away, there will be one page with three views to “Watch, Listen, and Read” all of Franklin’s information. 

1. Franklin TV and the three channels will be the “Watch” view

2. Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) will be the “Listen” 

3. last but not least, to help tie them all together will be Franklin Matters as the “Read’ view

It does take two to tango, so you have a role to play as we take this journey together to keep informed on what matters in Franklin.  What do you need to do? I am glad you asked.

• 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 reading, listening, and asking questions.

My ‘radar’ is pretty good but not perfect. So if you want to know something, don’t be bashful. Ask. Send me an email, or use Twitter. You can also use Facebook messenger. I will still participate on Facebook primarily to keep up with family connections so you can use that if you choose.

I also host a monthly “Franklin Matters Q&A” event. It is usually hybrid. I’ll be in person at the Senior Center with a Zoom link to enable remote participation. It provides some time for a quick overview of what’s current and time for in depth Q&A to answer your questions.

Let me close with this is my public service effort for Franklin because I believe Franklin matters. If you do too, then we are on this journey together.

Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/28cb4f2e-5832-4c3e-b588-b927519bff91

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If you need or want help setting up one of the options to remain 'in the know' , sign up here ->   https://forms.gle/x4gWma8PgrmDD1i66

You can find all the archives for the Override Vote in 2007 on my personal blog  https://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/04/franklin-override-collection.html  

All the posts for the Election Collection in 2007 are also there

https://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/11/franklin-election-2007.html 

Fall house cleaning

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/welcome-little-fall-house-cleaning-is.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/ or www.franklin.news

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!

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

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

the monthly “Franklin Matters Q&A” event is usually hybrid

FM #30 - This week in Franklin, MA

This is podcast #30 in the series on what matters in Franklin, MA. I review the Walgreens decision, the Gallery 218 opening, the School Committee meeting and the Town Council meeting all from this week. You give me about ten minutes, I'll tell you what you should be aware of.

Time: 11 minutes, 29 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes:

Music intro
My intro
FM #30

This internet radio show or podcast for Franklin Matters is number 30 in the series. In this session, I’ll focus on what you should know about what happened this week in Franklin, MA.

1 - The Planning Board approved Walgreens development of the Four Corners property. Traffic at the corner of 140, King and Chestnut was a concern. They are coordinating with the town to create a right turn only lane for those coming up King so that they can turn right onto 140. The second lane will allow traffic to proceed directly through to Chestnut or to turn left on 140 and head into Town. This may still be an issue but isn't expected to be a big one. Time will tell.

The surprise for me was in the new opening date for Walgreens. During the prior Planning Board session, the discussion was concerned with the traffic improvements. Would the Town get the plans in time (April) to get them completed for an opening in Sep/Oct. Now the opening is not until April 2010.

You can view both Planning Board sessions via the video archive now available on the Town web site. The links will be included in the text version of this podcast.

Planning Board - 1/26/09 meeting reviewing the Walgreens plan

Planning Board - 2/9/09 meeting with final approval for Walgreens

2 - The Alumni Show opened at Galley 218 on Tuesday. A Slide show of pictures I took of the opening is available. The link will be included in the notes.

Disclosure: yes, Allison Sherlock is related to me. She happens to be the #1 daughter, a 2004 graduate of FHS and a 2008 graduate of Assumption College. Her sister, Carolyn, a 2006 FHS grad is pursuing her studies at Northeastern Univ and currently working a co-op this semester.

3 – The School Committee meeting was a full one Tuesday night. I have already provided the live reporting updates on Franklin Matters so I'll just point you to the three key presentations

• the literacy initiative – how the approach to integrate reading in everything the student does in the classroom will be incorporated over the next couple of years
• the expansion of the Advanced Placement courses to include more than the “traditional” high graded students
• the high school improvement plan

The presentation documents for each of these are available.


4 – The School Committee started discussion on what the priorities should be as they get into the detail planning for the fiscal year 2010 budget. A "level service" budget, that is providing the same level of service next year as this, accounts for the cost increases in salary, benefits, transportation, etc would require an increase of 3.5 million dollars. The town has already told the school to come in with a "level funded" budget. That is using the same amount of money this coming year as is being used this year. Considering last year, the budget cut required 40 plus positions to go out the door, the 3.5 million shortfall this year may require another 60 or so positions to go out the door. How that would be done will be the major discussion over the next couple of months.

5 – The Town Council meeting on Wednesday was short, lasting less than an hour. They had spent an hour prior to the formal meeting in a goal setting session that unfortunately I was unable to participate in so I have no idea what they did. I do plan on finding out. I would encourage you to do likewise.

The meeting as short as it was, did have some points of interest. The capital budget will come before the Council for a formal vote sometime in March. Jeff is looking to get a better understanding of what the snow budget will really be in case any further adjustments need to be made.

The councilor comments section was also notable for the cautionary words and appeals to sacrifice as the work on the fiscal 2010 budget approaches. I encourage you to tap into the town web site and view the video archives. You can go straight to the councilor comments section to hear what they had to say.

Finally, I want to broach the O word. In all the discussions and news articles about the coming 2010 budget shortfall, one option we should keep in mind is for an operational override. Now, above all the other times it has been proposed would be a good time to actually pass one. We have dug ourselves into a hole depending up state revenues to cover our daily requirements. The state is not going to be increasing aid anytime soon. Franklin needs to step up and start paying their own way.

Yes, it will be a sacrifice but the one real benefit we will get is that for every tax dollar we put up for Franklin, it stays in Franklin.

I leave it here for now but will come back to this override topic as the budget season progresses.

To recap this week in Franklin:

• Walgreens is coming in 2010
• Gallery 218 features art works of FHS alumni
• The school committee meeting has multiple presentations worthy of viewing
• The capital budget will be coming up for vote in March
• 2010 will be a tough budget
• there should be an override option to offset job and service cuts
  

The week ahead will be a quiet one as school vacation is upon us and there are no major meetings scheduled for the town council or school committee. There is a Financial Planning Committee meeting on Thursday the 19th.


Have a great week in Franklin!

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This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow citizens of Franklin, MA

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music

FM #70 - Week Ending 6/20/10

This is #70 in the series on what matters in Franklin, MA. As the week closes, Father's Day, June 20th, let's take about ten minutes to review the week behind and look ahead.

Time: 8 minutes, 50 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes:

This internet radio show or podcast, number 70 in the series for Franklin Matters.

Let's take about ten minutes to review what matters this week as it comes to a close with Father's Day here in Franklin, MA on June 20th.

Last week instead of doing a new session, I re-published the analysis I had done on the split versus single tax rate in December 2009. The topic had come up again during the override discussion. With so many new readers/listening I thought it would be appropriate to bring that piece forward.

http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/refreshed-tax-rate-and-split-tax.html

The Town Council held their two budget hearings (Jun 9 and 10) after the override results were finalized. The budget with all the cuts as discussed was accepted.

Weds 6/9
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/live-reporting-town-council-fy-2011.html
Thur 6/10
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/live-reporting-town-council-fy-2011_10.html


The Town Council met on the 16th and approved a transfer of $100,000 from free cash was approved to cover for the additional unemployment expenses the town will encounter due to the layoffs of 15 teachers and 3 police dispatchers. The other personnel cuts were from positions that opened due to retirements or folks leaving and while the positions went unfilled, they have now been removed from the roster.

http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/town-council-061610.html

Of interest was the analysis on the Open Meeting law changes that are scheduled to take effect July 1. Some of the details remain to be determined so it will be interesting to see which way the state proceeds. The intent is to make the town business meetings more accessible and open.

The document Mark Cerel shared with the Town Council can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/mark-cerel-analysis-of-open-meeting-law.html

A great deal of misinformation is still prevalent in the conversations particularly in the comment stream for the Franklin articles in the Milford Daily News.

The task remains to continue to share accurate information and encourage its spread. The PEW Internet and American Life Project published a study that showed:

In a poll conducted at the end of last year, we asked about online connections to communities and neighbors and found that in the twelve months preceding our survey:

• 22% of all adults (representing 28% of internet users) signed up to receive alerts about local issues (such as traffic, school events, weather warnings or crime alerts) via email or text messaging.
• 20% of all adults (27% of internet users) used digital tools to talk to their neighbors and keep informed about community issues.

What becomes relevant for our actions here is their finding that the largest single source of local information was obtained by talking face-to-face.

Overall, physical personal encounters remain the primary way people stay informed about community issues. In the twelve months preceding our survey:

• 46% of Americans talked face-to-face with neighbors about community issues
• 21% discussed community issues over the telephone
• 11% read a blog dealing with community issues
• 9% exchanged emails with neighbors about community issues and 5% say they belong to a community email listserv
• 4% communicated with neighbors by text messaging on cell phones
• 4% joined a social network site group connected to community issues
• 2% followed neighbors using Twitter

The full study document can be found here:
http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Neighbors-Online.aspx

Given the majority of information is shared in personal conversations, the opportunity is to continue to share accurate information on what matters in Franklin and encourage you to talk with your neighbors.

The battle of accurate information versus misinformation will be won, one conversation at a time.

What does the week look like?

The distribution of the new trash and recycle bins is scheduled to complete this week. As I ran down Chestnut st Sunday morning, I saw a few houses where they had been delivered but not yet pulled into the yard from street side.

The Planning Board meets on Monday, June 21. Of interest is the continuation of the hearing on the special permit for the Price Chopper proposal as well as opening a new hearing for the same property. I anticipate that what is happening is the original plans are being changed so they will close that hearing (and proposal) and open a new one. We'll find out if this analysis is correct.

The School Committee meets on Tuesday. They will formally accept their budget which will require the reduction in 15 teachers and then approve the increase in sports and activity fees as presented during the override discussion.

The EPA will hold a brief information session on Tuesday at Tri-County regarding the storm water treatment regulation changes they are proposing and then immediately following open a public hearing to take comments on the proposed changes.

The Financial Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday. No agenda is available for this meeting at this time.

A friendly reminder also that there is a poll question open until June 25th. It arose from the discussions amongst the comments on the Milford Daily News. The question can be found on the front page of FM. The story behind the question can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-if-poll-fixed.html

As I close the session this week, let me remind you that

• If you like what I am doing here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don’t like something, please tell me

Thank you for listening!


For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

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 and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission

I hope you enjoy!

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to listen to the audio podcast.