Mike D'Angelo reviews the commodity bidding process for gas and electric for the town facilities and how this alone has saved millions of dollars over the ten years or so since he started this process first with the school buildings.
Time: 2 minutes, 13 seconds
MP3 File
Saturday, April 12, 2008
FINCOM: Facilities - lighting (audio)
Mike D'Angelo reviews the efforts to provide efficient lighting in the town facilities with compact fluorescent lighting (CFL), etc.
Time: 2 minutes, 5 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 2 minutes, 5 seconds
MP3 File
FINCOM: Facilities Budget FY 09 Overview (audio)
From the Franklin Finance Committee meeting 4/9/08, Mike D'Angelo reviews the budget for the facilities. One of the good pieces of work done to reduce cost by managing on a rationale and consolidated approach.
Time: 10 minutes, 4 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 10 minutes, 4 seconds
MP3 File
FINCOM: Library Budget FY 09 (audio)
From the Franklin Finance Committee meeting on 4/9/08, the discussion on the Library Budget for FY 09. Felicia Oti, Jeff Nutting were key participants.
Time: 21 minutes, 14 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 21 minutes, 14 seconds
MP3 File
FINCOM: Technology Budget FY 09 (audio)
From the Finance Committee meeting on 4/9/08, the discussion on the Technology budget for FY 09. Jeff Nutting, Tim Raposa, Ken Norman, Jim Roche amongst others.
Time: 12 minutes, 16 seconds
MP3 File
Time: 12 minutes, 16 seconds
MP3 File
FINCOM: Comptroller Budget FY 09 (audio)
From the Finance Committee meeting on 4/9/08, the discussion on the Comptroller budget for FY 2009. Jeff Nutting, Susan Gagner, Ken Norman, Rebecca Cameron, and Jim Roche participate.
TIme: 12 minutes, 44 seconds
MP3 File
The proposed Town budget can be found here (PDF).
TIme: 12 minutes, 44 seconds
MP3 File
The proposed Town budget can be found here (PDF).
Regionalization, consolidation, two avenues to explore
In order to maintain a sufficient level of service in any industry, it is imperative to look at the process and the cost drivers. While much has been said and written on the rising costs for employees and they generally account for much of the overall costs in a company; the employees are only one leg of the three leg stool: people, process, technology.
Technology for technology sake is expensive. Technology implemented properly should enable the the people to execute the process more effectively and more efficiently, hence in a less costly manner. Then and only then does technology provide a return on investment in a short period. But you don't look at technology first.
Assume you have the best people, and start by looking at the process. Are they working in the most efficient and effective manner? If not, identify the steps in the process that hinder effectiveness and make changes. Goldratt's Theory of Constraints is a good model to follow.
As you work the constraints out of the process, you can look to apply technology. You may also find that the employees require additional training or that some may not be a good fit for the new process. Making those adjustments on a continuous and phased process will ensure continued improvement.
Part of the process evaluation should include an examination of the scope of work. Massachusetts is a commonwealth of 351 communities all self governed, most with their own municipal infrastructure: police, fire, library, schools, etc. It is time to look carefully at some of these areas to see where and how either regionalization or consolidation can help each local community continue to provide services but at a reasonable cost to the community.
Franklin has taken steps in this area with the consolidation of facilities, data processing and the current discussion underway on the consolidation of maintenance services. Properly done this will ensure delivery of service at the best cost. It may not guarantee a reduced cost, some cost factors will still be rising but the management of them will be done one time instead of multiple times (one department, not two or three).
The Milford Daily News last week had an article on this topic and the Marlborough Fire Chief was quoted as saying:
Technology for technology sake is expensive. Technology implemented properly should enable the the people to execute the process more effectively and more efficiently, hence in a less costly manner. Then and only then does technology provide a return on investment in a short period. But you don't look at technology first.
Assume you have the best people, and start by looking at the process. Are they working in the most efficient and effective manner? If not, identify the steps in the process that hinder effectiveness and make changes. Goldratt's Theory of Constraints is a good model to follow.
As you work the constraints out of the process, you can look to apply technology. You may also find that the employees require additional training or that some may not be a good fit for the new process. Making those adjustments on a continuous and phased process will ensure continued improvement.
Part of the process evaluation should include an examination of the scope of work. Massachusetts is a commonwealth of 351 communities all self governed, most with their own municipal infrastructure: police, fire, library, schools, etc. It is time to look carefully at some of these areas to see where and how either regionalization or consolidation can help each local community continue to provide services but at a reasonable cost to the community.
Franklin has taken steps in this area with the consolidation of facilities, data processing and the current discussion underway on the consolidation of maintenance services. Properly done this will ensure delivery of service at the best cost. It may not guarantee a reduced cost, some cost factors will still be rising but the management of them will be done one time instead of multiple times (one department, not two or three).
The Milford Daily News last week had an article on this topic and the Marlborough Fire Chief was quoted as saying:
"Is (regionalization) possible? Absolutely," he said. "Is it feasible, able to be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time? No, not with what I'm looking at. I'm not opposed to regionalization or the concept of it, but there's a lot that goes into the makeup of trying to regionalize."It will take time but the time to start is now. This is no reason to wait.
Friday, April 11, 2008
In the News - fire station open house, blues at Cottage St Pub
GHS
FRANKLIN —
Eight years after the idea was first proposed, the town has a new fire station.
To mark the occasion, the department is hosting a dedication ceremony tomorrow and inviting the public inside for a look around.
"We're thrilled," said Fire Chief Gary McCarraher. "Our employees went from the old station, which was virtually crumbling, to (13 months in) a trailer.
"It's great to get them into a professional place to conduct business," McCarraher said of the new $9.3 million building constructed on the site of the former station at 40 West Central St.
"The troops really suffered during construction. It was cramped, especially in the winter," he said.
McCarraher and Lou Allevato, chairman of the Fire Station Building Committee, Town Council Chairman Chris Feeley and other dignitaries will speak at the dedication, which begins at 11 a.m.
The station will be open for public tours until 2 p.m.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News
----------------------------
GHS
FRANKLIN —
A local pub owner has given the green light to the blues.
Inspired by the widely known Yard Rock Cafe in Quincy, Cottage Street Pub owner Phil Butkevich is bringing the blues to town this month.
Those who are blues fans run "from one end of the spectrum to the other - the blue collar worker to the white collar worker," Butkevich said.
"It's good sitting music, and it's good if you want to dance. Sometimes you're at a club, and the music's kind of loud. Personally, I think when you look at bands and hear the trombone, brass, bass and bugles, you're getting better quality sound," he said.
Every weekend this month, Butkevich will host at least one blues band from the Interstate 495/Rhode Island area at his 130-person-capacity pub.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Franklin School Budget Reductions (updated)
A few minor updates have come in to render this new version:
Thank you for your inputs
Thank you for your inputs
In the News - override, library, budget
GHS
FRANKLIN —
The idea of a tax override to prevent massive school layoffs has drawn mixed reaction so far.
The School Committee plans to talk with the Town Council and Finance Committee about giving townspeople an alternative to the cuts that will be required under the budget proposed by Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting.
While Nutting's budget gives $800,000 more for schools than last year's budget of $54.6 million (a 1.5 percent increase, totaling $55.4 million), the district needs $58.6 million - a 7.4 percent increase - just to maintain the same level of services and keep teachers and staff, said School Superintendent Wayne Ogden.
Ogden has outlined some of the major impacts of accepting Nutting's proposed budget of $55.4 million: 45 layoffs (mostly teachers), elimination of the late bus, a pay-to-ride fee hike, and increased class sizes.
Town Councilor Stephen Whalen said he "fully supports" putting a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override question before voters.
"It would be extremely difficult to get it passed, but in my opinion, its passage would be in the best interests of the town," Whalen said.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News
---------------------
GHS
FRANKLIN —
In continued budget hearings last night, the Finance Committee approved several departmental budgets including a reduction in the library budget that the library director adamantly opposed.
Franklin Public Library Director Felicia Oti requested a $976,985 budget, a figure that would allow her to fund replacing two full-time-equivalent positions in the children's department, but the committee instead approved about $800,000 as proposed by Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting.
The library's budget last year was $925,196, said Finance Committee Chairman Jim Roche.
Prior to the vote, Oti argued that the library is understaffed and that morale is at "an all-time low."
"It's the lowest it's been in the 10 years I've been at the library," Oti said.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
FINCOM - Facilities
Mike D'Angelo explaining the building usage, added the new DPW building, the new Senior Center, adding the new Fire Station.
Explaining the internal phone system, a private network using lease lines for all internal departmental calls. Cheaper than the phone company.
Custodial staff are part time, adding two to cover the additional buildings.
-------------------
Library only building not using compact florescent lighting (CFL).
Bids out gas and electric as commodity. Buy without huge risk, gets pretty good pricing. Saved millions of dollars over the ten years he did this with the schools and then the town buildings.
-------------------
Explaining the internal phone system, a private network using lease lines for all internal departmental calls. Cheaper than the phone company.
Custodial staff are part time, adding two to cover the additional buildings.
-------------------
Library only building not using compact florescent lighting (CFL).
Bids out gas and electric as commodity. Buy without huge risk, gets pretty good pricing. Saved millions of dollars over the ten years he did this with the schools and then the town buildings.
-------------------
FINCOM - Library
Morale amongst library staff is at its lowest in the ten years that Felicia has been here.
Franklin's library is in the Top 20% of attendance, bottom 29% of purchases for books and materials, top 14% for hours open.
--------------
Jeff Nutting says times are tough, we need enough to get by and do more next year.
--------------
Mike D'Angelo on the Library status: Expecting final plans for work to correct the situation in the library, going out to bid in late May so they should be able to go forward in the summer. They'll come back to get funding for those repairs.
-------------
FINCOM approved budget as submitted.
Franklin's library is in the Top 20% of attendance, bottom 29% of purchases for books and materials, top 14% for hours open.
--------------
Jeff Nutting says times are tough, we need enough to get by and do more next year.
--------------
Mike D'Angelo on the Library status: Expecting final plans for work to correct the situation in the library, going out to bid in late May so they should be able to go forward in the summer. They'll come back to get funding for those repairs.
-------------
FINCOM approved budget as submitted.
In the News - consolidation, override talk raised
FRANKLIN —
read the full article in the Milford Daily NewsAt its budget hearing tomorrow night, the Finance Committee will discuss possibly bringing the School Department's $5 million maintenance budget under the town's jurisdiction, a contentious issue between Town Council members and the School Committee.
The Finance Committee will make a recommendation on the change in its budget package to Town Council by April 18, said Finance Committee Chairman James Roche.
Roche and Town Councilor Robert R. Vallee said they support the consolidation, as proposed by Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting.
----------------------------
FRANKLIN —
The School Committee last night decided to send Chairman Jeffrey Roy to start discussions with the Finance Committee and Town Council about presenting voters with an override ballot question this year.
The committee is not advocating for an override, but members said they want to give voters the option in a year when the School Department faces 45 layoffs and other town departments will suffer from budget cuts.
The committee unanimously voted to propose two school options, a budget that would be close to level-funded, and one which would keep the same level of services, and which would require the override.
The close to level-funded budget would have a 1.5 percent, $800,000, increase over this year's $54.6 million budget, reaching $55.4 million. The level-services budget would rise 7.4 percent, or $4.1 million, hiking the budget to $58.6 million.
Both options will be discussed with the Finance Committee at the budget hearing Monday night.
A level-service budget would enable the district to maintain its staff and programs
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News
Monday, April 7, 2008
Franklin School Committee Meeting Agenda 4/8/08
AGENDA
Call to order Mr. Roy
Pledge of Allegiance
Moment of Silence
-
Routine Business
-
Citizen’s Comments
-
Review of Agenda
-
Minutes:
I recommend approval of the minutes from the March 25, 2008 School Committee Meeting.
-
Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
-
Payroll Ms. Armenio
-
FHS Student Representatives
-
Correspondence:
-
Budget to Actual
-
Letter from Representative James Vallee regarding Portable Classrooms
-
-
Guests/Presentations:
-
Prudential Spirit of Community Award Honoring Remington Middle School student
-
Remington 6th Grade Project Report
-
Signing of the Educational Support Personnel (ESP) Contract
-
-
Discussion Only Items
-
School Choice for 2008-2009 school year
-
2009-2010 School Calendar
-
Second Reading of Policy JEA Entrance Age
-
Second Reading of Policy JFAA-R Residency
-
FY 2009 Budget – FinCom and Council presentations
-
FHS Building Project & Building Committee
-
Action Items:
-
I recommend approval of the FY 2009 budget at the level service amount of (7.4%) $58,687,804.
-
I recommend approval of continuing the School Choice Program for the 2008-2009 school year.
-
I recommend approval of the 2009-2010 School Calendar
-
I recommend adoption of Policy JEA Entrance Age
-
I recommend adoption of Policy JFAA-R Residency
-
I recommend acceptance of a check for $800.00 for a portable washing station for the Davis Thayer art teachers from the Davis Thayer PCC
-
I recommend acceptance of a check for $35.72 from Follett Educational Services for surplus books for the Parmenter gift account.
-
I recommend acceptance of a check for $2625.00 from the Annie Sullivan PCC for the 7th grade field trip to McAuliffe Center.
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I recommend acceptance of a check for $154.83 from Target for 8th grade field trip to YMCA in Hopkinton, MA.
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I recommend acceptance of a check for $198.00 from the Davis Thayer PCC for library books for DT.
-
I recommend approval of the request of FHS for the Track Team to participate in the Penn Relays from 4/23 to 4/25/08 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Mt. Laurel New Jersey.
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I recommend approval of the request of FHS for the Football Team to participate in the Athletic Program & Retreat at Camp Cobbossee in Winthrop, ME from 8/21 to 8/24/08.
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I recommend approval of the request of Keller Elementary School for the 5th grade class trip to Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI on 5/2/08.
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Information Matters:
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Superintendent’s Report
-
School Choice 2008-2009
-
School Calendar for 2009-2010
-
Enrollment Comparison for 3-30-07 and 3-28-08
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Consolidation
-
Online Courses
-
-
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
-
School Committee Liaison Reports
-
New Business:
-
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.
-
Executive Session
-
Contractual Negotiations – FEA side letters and early retirement
-
Adjourn
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