Wednesday, May 7, 2008

"taxpayers expect and deserve a five-year plan"

"The most important thing we can do to help pass the ($2.8 million) override is to immediately begin an intensive planning process that will lead to the development of a five-year financial plan before the year is over," said School Committee member Ed Cafasso.

"It's badly needed. Not only do taxpayers expect and deserve a five-year plan, we as town officials need a blueprint to guide our decisions going forward - we can no longer afford to beg for a life preserver every year," said Cafasso.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.

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

Learn all you need to by visiting here frequently.

Visit the School Committee override page for the schedule of information sessions

Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th

"I had a lot of preconceived notions"

"Definitely, take the opportunity to go out there. Certainly, before I got involved in town government, I had a lot of preconceived notions about what was going on," Roche said.

"It's a big, important decision, and there are a lot of factors in there," he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.

Listen to all that Jim Roche said as he said it at the Finance Committee meeting here

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

Learn all you need to by visiting here frequently.

Visit the School Committee override page for the schedule of information sessions

Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Finance Committee Meeting Summary 5/6/08

The audio segments from the Finance Committee meeting of Tuesday 5/6/08 are as follows:

Nutting updates the Facilities Issue (audio)

Override Information (audio)

Possible 4 Corners Bldg/Land Sale (audio)

Budget adjustments for snow/ice (audio)

New Ladder Truck arrives next week (audio)

Override Election Budget Approved (audio)

4 Corners Bldg for $2.5M (text)

Nutting updates the Facilities Issue

From the Franklin Finance Committee meeting 5/6/08, Town Administrator Jeff Nutting provides an update on the facilities transfer issue. It may not be resolved before the end of this fiscal year, or before the override vote.

It is not an override vote issue, there will be no money saved this FY 09 budget. The only question is who controls the budget for this the Schools (as they have and done well with) or the Town?

Time: 2 minutes, 56 seconds



MP3 File

Override Information

From the Franklin Finance Committee meeting on 5/6/08, Chair Jim Roche reviews the information on the upcoming override vote scheduled for June 10th,

Time: 2 minutes, 57 seconds



MP3 File


Learn all you need to by visiting here frequently.

Visit the School Committee override page for the schedule of information sessions

Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th

Possible 4 Corners Bldg/Land Sale

From the Franklin Finance Committee meeting 5/6/08, Town Administrator Jeff Nutting provides an update of the upcoming discussion at the Town Council meeting 5/7/08. WalGreen is offering $2.5 million for the land which if approved would net the town approx. $1.1 million for use on another capital asset (i.e. another building or payoff of debt for another building, firestation or Senior Center come to mind).

Time: 4 minutes, 32 seconds



MP3 File

Note: Capital revenues of this sort can not be used for operational expenses.

Budget adjustments for snow/ice

From the Franklin Finance Committee of 5/6/08, budget transfers for the current fiscal year (FY 08) to cover the unbudgeted expense for the winter snow and ice removal.

This will also likely be an under-budgeted item for next year.

Time: 3 minutes, 14 seconds



MP3 File

New Ladder Truck arrives next week

From the Franklin Finance Committee meeting on 5/6/08, Jeff Nutting talks of the new ladder truck (or aerial platform) being delivered next week. The committee approved the transfer of money for the first payment of the $869,000 total cost. $169,000 this year; $175,000 for each of the next four years.

The purchase and delivery of this truck had been delayed until the new firestation was open and ready to fit it.

TIme: 6 minutes, 57 seconds



MP3 File

Override Election Budget Approved

From the Finance Committee meeting 5/6/08, they approved the transfer of $8,000 to fund the override election on June 10th.

Time: 40 seconds




MP3 File


Learn all you need to by visiting here frequently.
Visit the School Committee override page for the schedule of information sessions

Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th

4 Corners Bldg for $2.5M

Live - FINCOM meeting 5/6/08

Per Jeff Nutting at the FINCOM meeting Tuesday evening, the Town Council will be considering a proposal to sell the Four Corners Building to WalGreen for an estimated $2.5 million.

The agenda item is for discussion only. If it does gain interest, it would comeback for a formal vote at the Town Council.
  • The money after paying off the approx. $1.1M debt can only be used for a similar type capital asset.
  • It can not be used for operational expenses.
  • It could be used for paying down other building debt.

Town Council Agenda 5/7/08

The Town Council meeting 5/7/08 agenda has been posted to the town web site here.

There are several items of that should be interesting on the agenda:
  • Four Corner School purchase status
  • Multiple resolutions for capital expenses including a new ladder truck for the fire dept.
  • The sign on the Town Common returns as a resolution for vote (last time this was withdrawn before even getting close to a vote)
  • The second reading on the water/sewer rates
  • Two by-law amendments (one amending the salary structure in the Personnel Code, the other amending the Water map)

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Franklin Contribution 1994-2009


Franklin Contribution 1994-2009, originally uploaded by shersteve.

I am troubled by the declining participation of the Franklin budget in the school area.

Yes, the school budget increases year to year. The school enrollment has increased, the costs have, and yet since 2003 as outlined earlier, there have also been 80 plus positions eliminated from the school department. The positions affected all areas of the operation; teachers, administrators, custodians.

Now would be a good time for Franklin to step up to the plate and help turn the tide on the declining participation in the future of our children.


Note: These numbers come from the table found in the Executive Summary on page 1 of the Town Administrator's budget page (PDF) here. I used the Fiscal Year, School Budget, and Percent Local Funding columns to create this chart. If there are any errors, please let me know.


Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th



Where in Franklin? #48


Where in Franklin? #48, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Hmm, barbed wire, big tank. Is this as large as the molasses tank that created the flood in Boston?

Where do you find this tank in Franklin?

The guidelines for playing "Where in Franklin?" can be found here.

Where in Franklin? Answer #47


Where in Franklin? Answer #47, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Yes, the answer to picture #47 is the Church of the Latter Day Saints on Jordan Road.

ltsjs, can you send me an email with your answer and let someone else try to guess in the comments? Assuming you are first and correct, you'll still get credit. You would help let others participate.

Stay tuned for the next opportunity.

Thanks to all for playing!

In the news - seniors tax break bill not likely this time around

GHS
Posted May 04, 2008 @ 12:13 AM

FRANKLIN —

The situation is not unique to Franklin: the elderly are pitted against young people in a battle to pass a Proposition 2-1/2 tax override that keeps schools competitive during budget crises.

Seniors on fixed incomes speak out about their struggle to pay for basic needs and hang onto their homes, while those who are the voice of another vulnerable population - children - endure attacks for proposing a tax increase.

Now that Franklin is in the throes of an override battle, School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy is urging citizens to appeal to their senators (Sens. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, and Karen Spilka, D-Ashland) to pass a bill permitting towns to exempt eligible seniors from tax overrides.

On Feb. 28, the House overwhelmingly (111-34) passed Bill No. 2840, which gives Franklin's Town Council the ability to give this tax break to seniors aged 65 or older with a family income of $60,000 or less (if their real estate tax payments exceed 10 percent of their total income). The bill was sent to the Senate and referred to the Senate Ethics and Rules Committee.

Read the remainder of the article in the Milford Daily News here

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

Franklin seniors seek override relief

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Sun May 04, 2008, 12:08 AM EDT

FRANKLIN -

A group of women playing Scrabble at the Franklin Senior Center recently said a bill protecting them from override taxes ``sounds good'' to them.
``Oh yes, definitely,'' said senior Clare Flynn.
The women ``don't make nearly $60,000,'' and their Social Security income is so low, they are considered to be living in ``poverty,'' they said, laughing and adding they would like to be given the same tax breaks as billionaires.
An exemption would not automatically compel them to vote in favor of a Proposition 2« tax override, however, they said.
``It would depend on what the override is for, if it seemed they (town officials) spent money foolishly, and why they reached the point where they'd have to call for an override,'' Flynn said.
``If the money really would go for what they're saying, then I'd consider it,'' she said.

Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here