Mr Sullivan continues his detailed explanation of the findings covering the negative line items in the budget up to the June 2007 report without a cover letter.
Time: 8 minutes, 25 seconds
MP3 File
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Mr Sullivan Explains the problem: Part 1 (audio)
John J Sullivan, CPA explains the audit findings in great detail. This section covers the initial Fiscal 2006 deficit, the circuit breakers, and starts to review the negative line accounting.
Time: 10 minutes, 39 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 10 minutes, 39 seconds
MP3 File
Opening Remarks by Attorney (audio)
The opening remarks by Mary Joann Reedy, Attorney highlighting the findings of the forensic audit.
Time: 3 minutes, 34 seconds
MP3 File
Updated 1/19/08 with attorney's name obtained from the full copy of the Forensic Report
Time: 3 minutes, 34 seconds
MP3 File
Updated 1/19/08 with attorney's name obtained from the full copy of the Forensic Report
Details on the Forensic Report
The school finance director, recently fired for improper budgeting, did not hold the state certification required for her job, a town councilor indicated last night while discussing the results of an inquiry.
Referring to former Finance Director Delores McCoy, Councilor Joseph McGann asked whether the town had erred by not employing someone in the post with Department of Education certification.
He was told by auditor John Sullivan of Melanson Heath & Co. that the qualification is required unless the state grants a waiver. The DOE does not appear to have done so in this case.
Read more in Michael Morton's write up in the Milford Daily News
School Finance Director let go, basketball hoop falls
School finance director fired after budget mishap
| Finance Director Delores McCoy has been fired as a result of an investigation into school finances, according to a letter released ahead of tonight's Town Council meeting. |
Basketball goal crashes down
| FRANKLIN - A recently repaired basketball goal at the high school unexpectedly swung down from its raised position near the field house's ceiling yesterday, crashing into the bleachers before a game but missing spectators. |
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Joint Town Council - School Committee - Part 2
The second picture of the joint Town Council and School Committee to hear the Forensic Report.
Joint Town Council - School Commitee
All hands (well almost) were on deck for the joint Town Council and School Committee meeting to hear the Forensic Investigation Report.
This is one picture of the group.
There is a second picture available.
The report audio will be available here this week.
The report will also be available on the town web site soon.
Attention Franklin Train Commuters
Amtrak strike would rock T
| The threat of a national Amtrak strike later this month is prompting Boston-area transit officials to prepare for potential chaos on commuter rail lines that would trickle down to subways, buses, and highways. |
In part from the article, we read:A strike would virtually shut down South Station, forcing rail passengers to transfer onto subway lines at the Back Bay, Braintree, and Forest Hills stations. The MBTA would also have to shut down the Providence/Stoughton Line in all likelihood, forcing about 17,000 additional daily commuters to drive into town or to take alternate rail lines. North Station schedules would not be altered, but riders might see picket lines.
"There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. A strike that would shut down service in and out of South Station would severely hamper, perhaps even overwhelm, the subway system," said Daniel A. Grabauskas, general manager of the MBTA.
The private company that runs commuter rail under a contract with the MBTA, Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co., has been discussing contingency plans with the T and making recommendations that include running fewer commuter trains, virtually eliminating off-peak runs. The commuter service, which carries 72,000 riders in and out of Boston daily, is already drawing ire from passengers fed up with increasingly late trains.
No strike, a deal has been reached. Details here.
In the newspapers - Brick, Local Aid
Report: Majority of task force supports brick school
| FRANKLIN - The Brick School Task Force discussed its final report with the School Committee last night, with three members writing in the summary that their colleagues hadn't remained objective and had created a biased document. |
Local aid plan on the rocks
| A plan by cities and towns to get a larger slice of the state budget appears dead, according to State House News Service. That could put more pressure on municipalities to cut spending or ask voters for a Prop 2... |
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
School Committee Meeting 1/8/08
The Brick Task Force presents their report (photo)
Brick report intro (audio)
Brick report presentation (audio)
As additional sections of the audio from the meeting are prepared, they will be posted here.
Brick report intro (audio)
Brick report presentation (audio)
As additional sections of the audio from the meeting are prepared, they will be posted here.
Brick Task Force Report Intro (audio)
Franklin School Commitee Chairman Jeffrey Roy with introductory remarks before the task force made their presentation.
Time: 3 minutes, 33 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 3 minutes, 33 seconds
MP3 File
Brick Task Force Presentation
Members of the Brick Task Force made their presentation to the School Committee meeting Tuesday, January 8th.
Their report can be found here.
Audio files from the presentation and question answer period will be made available here during the week.
Per Chairman Jeffrey Roy before the presentation was received: The School Committee would not be taking a vote or action on the report tonight. Any decision on the Brick classroom will be "resolved in due course during the budget process".
Level service, school job cuts in the news around the state
Level-service budgets may no longer be practical
| MEDWAY - As they start preparing for the next fiscal year, town officials said yesterday the level-service budgets they have used the past few years are hurting municipal services. |
Welcome to Lawrence's budget woes
| More than 40 city workers were laid off last month to close a budget deficit. Then the outgoing City Council failed to approve new tax rates and declined to raise the water rates before leaving office. Now the city assessor... |
Job cuts announced for Salem's schools
| The equivalent of about 80 full-time Salem Public School jobs need to be cut as a result of a $4.7 million deficit caused by underbudgeting and a former business manager's practice of paying old bills out of the current year's budget, Superintendent William J. Cameron Jr. said last night. |
Help is needed for the 4th of July
Yes, the call for help is going out. The long time volunteer effort from Deborah Pellegri and Charles Oteri has come to an end. They are both stepping aside from their leadership roles in coordinating the 4th of July celebration for Franklin.
For more than two decades, Pellegri has served as either the chairwoman or a co-chairwoman of the town's Fourth of July celebration, begun in 1982 to provide a family venue for the holiday to keep the community's children safe. Last year, the six-day event included fireworks, a parade and daily entertainment, and was touted in Family Circle magazine when Franklin was named one of the top 10 places in the country to raise children.
But during a November thank-you party for volunteers, Pellegri announced she would no longer be organizing the event, sponsored the past three years by the town's Lions Club. Oteri, a fellow Lions officer, followed suit, leaving the celebration without leadership or a sponsor.
"We're ready to retire," Pellegri said, agreeing with Oteri that it was time for new blood.
"Fresh ideas," Oteri added.
To that end, Pellegri and Oteri plan to hold an information session Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall for members from other clubs willing to take over their duties.
Read the full article by Michael Morton in the Milford daily News.
If you can step forward as a volunteer, consider attending the information session on January 17th.
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