Other action items (audio)

From the Town Council meeting 5/7/08, a series of resolutions were discussed briefly and voted on to approve funding for the following:

• balance the snow/ice account now that winters passed
• zoning board advertising budget
• override election funding
• veterans budget adjustment
• comptroller budget adjustment
  

Time: 5 minutes, 37 seconds

MP3 File

My notes taken during the meeting can be found here.

Ladder Truck paydown plan (audio)

From the Town Council meeting 5/7/08, the discussion and vote on the paydown plan for the new ladder truck. The truck costs $869,000. This resolution approves the payment of $169,000 this year and $175,000 for each of the next 4 years.

Time: 3 minutes, 45 seconds



MP3 File

My notes taken during the meeting can be found here.

4th of July (audio)

The new 4th of July coalition gets the same town backing (capped at $15,000) as when the town ran the recent 4th celebrations (approx 2002-2007).

There is no parade this year. The group was cautioned that this should be considered seed money. They should expect to become self-sustaining in future years as the town funds are tight.

Time: 17 minutes, 48 seconds



MP3 File

The notes from the meeting can be found here.

Franklin School Department positions lost 2003-2009

If the override does not get passed, the school department would lose 46.5 positions. The reduction this year (FY 2009) would come primarily from teachers in the classroom this year that would leave in June and not return to help Franklin's students continue their education in September.

A more complete picture of the reductions in the education budget can be found in the slide presentation found here.

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Learn all you can by visiting here frequently.

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

You can find all the override related information here

Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th

Election date - June 10th

Election Date

Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Time: 6:00am - 8:00pm

Place: Franklin High School Fieldhouse

Question #1: Shall the Town of Franklin be allowed to assess an additional $2,800,000.00 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of the operating budget for which monies from this assessment will be used for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008? Yes No

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Learn as much as you can 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

Four Corners Potential Sale to Walgreens (audio)

from the Town Council meeting 5/7/08, the presentation and discussion on the potential sale of the Four Corners building and land to Walgreens. This item will return to the agenda in two weeks for a formal vote.

Time: 24 minutes, 10 seconds



MP3 File

My notes taken during the meeting can be found here.

Councilor McGann during Citizens Comment (audio)

From the Town Council meeting on 5/7/08, Councilor McGann uses the Citizens Comment portion of the meeting to complain about his not getting notified of the meeting at 6:00 PM the week before to vote on the override question. He arrived at 6:50 and was surprised to find the meeting over.

Time: 5 minutes, 4 seconds



MP3 File

My notes taken during the comments by Councilor McGann can be found here.

"Franklin voters will be able to start trusting again"

Yes, I did say that.

During the Town Council meeting 5/7/08 when Chairman Chris Feeley proposed a committee to prepare a long range projection for Town finances.

I'll have the complete audio file up some time this week. In the mean time, you can read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

My "live blogging" recap of the meeting can be found here.

5 Year Plan committee to be formed

During the New Business portion, Chairman Chris Feeley put forth a proposal to name a committee to develop a five year projection. The group would be comprised of

• 2 School Committee representatives
• 2 Finance committee representatives
• 3 Town Councilors

I stepped forward to make the suggestion to add two citizens to the panel. In so doing, this would allow the community to take part in this critical activity. This would be a compelling step to helping restore trust in the administration and elected officials. There is some distrust in the community.

The motion was amended to include two citizens and approved unanimously.

Town Administrator Report

moved discussion on Peace & Good Order amendments to June 4th meeting

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meeting in Boston, tip sheet the downtown funding should be okay

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new business

proposal to put together a group to come up with a five year projection, comprised of
2 School
2 Finance
3 Councilors

suggestion by myself to add two citizens to the panel

motion approved

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Zollo participated at Davis Thayer PCC today to answer questions on override

McGann condolences to Mrs Mullen on the loss of her husband

Feeley to address McGann on meeting moved to 6:00 PM
he will show the email with his name on it
he was not aware of the meeting at 6:00, he did show up early for the 7:00 PM meeting
Feeley will take the heat for it

Water conservation starting

Tuesday after Memorial Day

start lawns before then, after that Tuesday you'll need to abide by the restrictions

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DPW Open House

10:00 to 1:00 PM on May 31st

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Action items

Resolution passed to grant an easement 5 years after the fact

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Franklin 4th of July

resolution to allow town resources to work on the events for the celebration

Mike Kelly, co-chair
Warren Revell, paperwork submitted for 501C
Frank Falvey

Feeley confirms that their attorney has been applied for the necessary paperwork for both

amendment to limit the Town expense at $15K - passed unanimously

net expense of 10K to be reimbursed

approx 2002 town took over the 4th of July
transitioned from no cost to town cost to capped cost

Fire overtime was cut from budget so this would need to be added back
All-night party is paid for by a grant and not town money

partly good will, partly good public safety to have someone at the event

Bartlett advises to start thinking for obtaining their own funding for next year

Revell - "precedent set, town should show some support"
Bartlett - "needs to be equitable"

Vallee will support it, McGann echoes Vallee
with fuel cost rising, the crowd this year will potentially be larger

Kelly wants to keep the tradition going
meeting weekly to lay out the ground work for this event

Falvey - citizens may not have been aware of the town support
please contact if you would lke to make a donation
PO Box 152, Franklin, MA

there is no parade this year
there will be fireworks

there are two open booths currently

resolution passed as amended

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ladder truck pay down
Finance Committee approved 9-0

discussion on value of the equipment and how frequently it would be used
how to you value a life? the safety of the firefighters is significantly improved

unanimously approved

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resolution on snow/ice

approved unanimously

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resolution on zoning board advertising budget adjustment

question on where the money is coming from, insurance claims varies
budget for FY 09 is less in that account

approved unanimously

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resolution on override election funding

approved unanimously

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resolution on veterans expenses

approved unanimously

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resolution on comptroller budget adjustment for advertising expense

approved unanimously

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resolution on Town Common sign placement

signs for historic walking trail which starts at Brick School House

Zollo speaking for, thanks for work

a permanent sign with historic significance
funding for the sign is from the grant from the Downtown Development

discussion on placement, does it denigrate?

approved 7-2 vote

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amendment on water rate/sewer rate

Vallee on the record opposing this by-law

roll
McGann no, Vallee no, Whalen absent

passed 6-2

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amendment personnel regulations

moving to second reading, adds positions to salary scale
raising scale by 3%, due to cost of living actually 4.3% which is raising it less than the cost of living

this doesn't cost the town anything by itself, it just provides the scale by which the positions are hired at

adding positions in anticipation of resolving the facilities issue

more discussion coming at second reading

approved unanimously

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by-law amendment to adjust water map

Pfeffer expressed desire to vote against

developer looking for town water extension
wells did go dry in that area 3-4 years ago
subdivision is in vicinity of well 10

no cost to the town but does bring a benefit to the town

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Four Corners Building

Four Corners School - Proposal for purchase from Walgreens

Richard Cornetta, attorney
Scott Weymouth, principle for Arista, LLC

Walgreen by this group is already in Bellingham at intersection of RT 126/140

provided a couple of plans to the council

site plan does include a couple of other private residences already under contract to Arista

envisions set back requirements due to proximity to residences, ready for planning board approval processes

14,500 sq
no more than 2 stories tall
60 parking spaces
single entrance, double exit from King St
single entrance, single exit on Cross St

does envision a drive-up for pharmacy, not like fast food drive-ups

extreme corner at King/140 would be green space
recognizes importance of location as approach to town

$2.5 million
approx 40K annual real-estate taxes, a number of jobs created
20 permanent positions once operational
construction positions created for the building

P/S by June 08, permits by Dec 08
projected closing date for Feb 09
shovels in the ground potential for Mar 09

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Feeley answers a question about has this already been sold?
No, it has not. This is a proposal.
The economic development group has approved this unanimously

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Pfeffer with proposal for moving one of the existing to another space within the town and have Habitant for Humanity work to bring in two units

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discussion on the willingness to work with the town
could consider moving the house, could consider renovating
one was planned to remove

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less than 25% mezzanine level on the second floor to move some of the operational space up there and leave the lower level for the retail space

would do a full traffic study, did a brief analysis to prepare the draft plans

their estimate of tax revenue is in the ball park per Jeff Nutting

construction if started in Mar could be done by October to be open in time for the holidays

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McGann question on the restrictions with the 24 hour drive through and neighbors comments
was written into the RFP specifying the restriction

how does it effect the developer?
there is an impact, a competitive disadvantage

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Vallee complaining again about restrictions

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did design to meet the requirements
minimum should be 59 parking spots

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will be on agenda two weeks from tonight for a vote

Election Info - McGann uses Citizens Comment

Live blogging from the Council Chambers at the Town Hall

Town Clerk - Debbie Pellegri with election information

absentee ballots are available in the Town Clerk office at Town Hall
can vote at the office up to 12:00 noon on the day of the election
absentee requests must be made in writing (no emails)

Register by Wednesday 5/21/08

phone for Town Clerk office - 508 520 4900

Voting from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM on June 10th
All precincts will vote at the high school field house

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Councilor Joe McGann making a citizen comment regards to missing last week's 6:00 PM meeting

claims he was not notified of the meeting, was the only councilor not notified

should have been a different way of notifying the public of the change

would have voted for putting the override on the ballot

Chairman Feeley can not answer the question during the citizens comment portion of the meeting

is posted on the Clerk's office that the meeting was 7:00 PM, although below it was a smaller notice changing to 6:00 PM

no finger pointing intended, just wants to make the point clear

Town Council Meeting Summary 5/7/08

This is the summary of the live blogging posts and the audio recordings for the Town Council meeting held on May 7, 2008. The posts are listed in reverse chronological order.

• Feeley responds to McGann (audio)
• New Committee to develop 5 Yr Projections (audio)
• DPW Open House 5/31/08 (audio)
• Water/Sewer Rate Changes (audio)
• Town Common sign placement (audio)
• Other action items (audio)
• Ladder Truck paydown plan (audio)
• 4th of July (audio)
• Four Corners Potential Sale to Walgreens (audio)
• Councilor McGann during Citizens Comment (audio)
• 5 Year Plan committee to be formed (text)
• Town Administrator Report (text)
• Water conservation starting (text)
• Action items (text)
• Four Corners Building (text)
• Election Info - McGann uses Citizens Comment (text)