Tuesday, July 15, 2008

school committee - Live update

Approx $251,871 unencumbered at this time against the FY 08 budget. Some minor bills are still outstanding and normally will appear to be used against this amount.

Motion to accept line item transfers for FY 08 financial report.

Underbudgeted in classroom teachers, health insurance, maintenance (buildings and grounds and security), curriculum development...

Overbudgeted in substitutes, library media, guidance councilors, athletics...

Fee structure for community use of school facilities was underfunded for the use provided this year. This is on the agenda for discussion later.

Motion approved

School Committee meeting - live update

Miriam Goodman presents the revised budget reflecting the override adjustment and the facilities consolidation adjustment.

No questions

motion to accept the FY09 budget in total for $49,940,242
motion passed

School Committee - Live update

Citizens comment

Mr Hunter - representing Brick School Assoc
checks on agenda appear to be in violation of the targeted gift policy

Asst Supt Sabolinksi
request to modify the agenda, the two checks in question did get on the agenda without prior review of Supt Ogden or herself and should be removed. They do not meet the guidelines of the new policy on targeted gifts and will be returned. The principals have been notified.

In the News - Senior Center, Concerts, Walgreens

Openings at Franklin senior center program

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

The Supportive Day Program at the Franklin Senior Center is accepting new clients.

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A not-so-common concert series

By Tanya Girgenrath/Daily News correspondent


For most, Wednesday is known as "hump day" - that is, unless you are spending the summer in Franklin.



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Walgreens developers give Planning Board overview

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

A developer last night gave the Planning Board an overview of its plan to develop a Walgreens pharmacy at the site of former Four Corners School.

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School Committee meeting 7/15/08 - agenda

Franklin School Committee Meeting
July 15, 2008
Municipal Building – Council Chambers
7:00 P.M.

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 June 24, 2008 School Committee Meeting.
• Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
• Payroll Ms. Armenio
• FHS Student Representatives
• Correspondence:
Budget to Actual

Guests/Presentations

Discussion Only Items
  • Review Budget spreadsheets for $49,940,242 FY09 Budget
  • FY08 End of Year Financial Status
  • Summary of Audit Implementation of Recommendations
  • Late Bus Options
  • Policy KF / Building Use 1st Reading
  • Superintendent Evaluation Process

Action Items
  • I recommend budget transfers as detailed on the attached memo.
  • I recommend acceptance of Action Plan to implement FY07 audit recommendations.
  • I recommend acceptance of the donation of paperback books from Rose Cafasso for the Oak Street Elementary School.
  • I recommend acceptance of six checks totaling $4,800.00 from the Horace Mann PCC for the HM In-house Enrichment program.
  • I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,000.00 from the Parmenter PCC for supplies for the Parmenter Elementary School.
  • Based on School Committee policy IJOAB/ Extended Field Trips, the revised proposal for the band trip to Disney World in April 2009 is not in compliance with district policy so I am unable to recommend approval.
  • I recommend declaring the Remington Middle School inventory list as surplus.

Information Matters:
• Superintendent’s Report
a. Ed Nets Update
b. Pay to Ride Update
c. School Choice / Historical Data
d. Annual Report
• 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

Adjourn

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Franklin Matters: Recap of Week ending July 12, 2008

Another in a series of podcasts about what matters in Franklin, MA. This session covers the Town Council meeting I missed, the Milford Daily News articles on the Arlington Plan and the Brick classroom status. It also looks out to the upcoming School Committee meeting on July 15th.

Time: 11 minutes, 20 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes

Intro - This is Steve Sherlock with another in a series of podcasts for Franklin Matters.

In this session we’ll recap the Town Council meeting, the Arlington plan, the upcoming School Committee meeting, and topics on its agenda including the audit report and Brick classroom status, and finally the new town web site

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I missed the Town Council meeting this week due to the scheduling problem I already wrote about. I had recorded Jeff and Chris talking about the first meeting in July being the second weds (as it normally is) but for some reason the official schedule (resolution 07-46) said the first meeting is 7/16.

Vallee made a fool of himself again. After declining to participate in any of the override information sessions, he opens discussion on looking to raid the stabilization fund for a million dollars to save some of the teacher layoffs. He was lucky to get enough votes to get it on the agenda. 4 councilors missed that meeting and he only needed a simple majority to get the agenda item. He had two votes, his and McGanns until Feeley put his in to put it on the agenda but with full disclosure that he would appreciate a good discussion on it but could not support it. With 3 of the 5 present he had a simple majority, with all nine present last Wednesday, he did not stand a chance.

Instead of simply withdrawing his motion, he claimed that since no one from the schools were there to support it, he would withdraw it. What a cheap shot? Generates a sound bite with no recourse.

I am beginning to wonder what value he does add to the council? He came back supposedly to lend his expertise. He has shown no leadership. He has shown no expertise in solving problems. He has shown time and again that he might be better off saying nothing.

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The Arlington plan was reviewed on Thursday night with the special Financial planning committee. Arlington does differ from Franklin in a number of ways. They do have considerably less commercial development within their tax base.

They would not have kept the promise of their five year plan without an unexpected windfall increase of state funds. Read the article in the Milford Daily news. Our planning committee will have their work cut out for them to try and replicate the Arlington plan for Franklin.

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The school committee does meet this Tuesday July 15th. The agenda is not yet posted for review but that usually is there late Monday so it is still early.

The school dept should be going to the town council meeting on the 23rd to provide an update on the forensic audit. That should be an interesting meeting. New Finance Administrator Miriam Goodman, Superintendent Wayne Ogden, Chairman Jeff Roy, and others from the committee are likely to attend.

The Brick situation remains unresolved. The Milford Daily News reports in Sunday’s edition of the BSA presence at this coming meeting.

Several councilors are quoted in favor of keeping it open but respectful that the decision is in the School Committees hands.

This is a tough choice. The study showed that in sq foot terms, it was the most expensive classroom to operate in the district. The last school committee Asst Supt Sabolinski talked about the fact that it can’t service special needs children in the classroom.

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New town web site turned on this weekLost some links to the prior meeting agendas. The minutes for the meetings in 2008 up thru May 7th are available but nothing prior to that yet.

The look and layout is cleaner. It will take some getting used to getting aroundWhat do you think of it?

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This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock

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

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

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

In the News - McGann Jr, Brick, Gas prices

The Milford Daily News has three articles of interest or reference to Franklin today.

FRANKLIN —
Joseph McGann Jr. hasn't slowed down much since nailing two
state championships in wrestling at Franklin High School and a national title at
Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., in 2001.After wrestling for North Carolina
State, McGann kept a low profile, training in Eastern-style fighting at United
States Mixed Martial Arts in Bellingham, under Ultimate Fighting Championship
professional Jorge Rivera.

Read the full article here

Franklin -
Supporters of the Red Brick School are continuing their
efforts to keep the historically distinctive building open for classes this
year.Members of Brick School Association plan to "have a very visible presence''
at the School Committee's July 15 meeting, said association treasurer Herbert
Hunter. "We'll certainly provide plenty of input,'' Hunter said. The group is
not officially part of that meeting's agenda.The School Committee's Subcommittee
on Building Use has said it will likely recommend declaring the Red Brick as
surplus and return it the town, essentially ending the building's standing as a
one-room red brick school in continuous operation, recognized by the National
Historic Register. The School Department has announced there is no money in its
budget to continue running a kindergarten class there. About 1,000 residents
celebrated the school's 175th anniversary this June, said Deborah Pellegri, town
clerk and Brick School Association member.

Read the full article here

Franklin -

In Franklin, developer John Marini is mixing downtown
apartments with shops and office space, all a stone's throw from a downtown
commuter rail stop. Westborough's Bay State Commons, which opened last year,
combines everything from a Roche Brothers supermarket to 44 luxury
condominiums.

Read the full article here