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Sunday, September 21, 2008
Harvest Festival visitors - Thank You!
A hearty "Thank you" to all that I had a chance to talk with at the Harvest Festival in downtown Franklin today.
I trust you will find some worthwhile information here. Please consider subscribing via
If you don't find something you are looking for, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
I trust you will find some worthwhile information here. Please consider subscribing via
If you don't find something you are looking for, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
FM #15 - The 5 Things you need to Know this Week
The 15th podcast on what matters in Franklin, MA. This podcast sumarizes the five things you should know about what happened in Franklin this week.
MP3 File
Session Notes:
Music intro
My intro FM #15
This podcast for Franklin Matters will focus on the 5 things you need to know about what happened this week.
First, the Town Council appointed the new School Building Committee. This is the one that will work on the high school but because there will be other school buildings that will need work on them before the high school is completed, the committee is not called the High School Building Committee. The State Dept of Education has guidelines that determine the make of the committee so the Town Council was expressly careful to follow the guidelines in making their appointments.
In this clip from the Town Council meeting on 9/17/08, we hear Chair Chris Feeley read the appointments
- insert clip from Town Council/Chris Feeley with the announcement -
Thomas Cameron William Goode Rob Halter Michael LeBlanc Thomas Mercer Scott Nathan
Second, the bylaw to rezone some parcels along RT 140 near the Knights of Columbus and Dunkin Donuts ends up being rescheduled for another meeting as it was evident that the matter was not going to gain enough votes. Two councilors were absent with a two thirds majority required to pass. One factor for the lack of cohesion on the decision was the Department of Planning and Community Development had not provided the additional information required by a couple of members of the council.
In this segment from the Town Council Meeting of 9/17/08, you’ll hear the request and the response from Brian Taberner.
- insert clip from B Taberner with Vallee saying he wasn’t aware of the outstanding request -
Third, the working sessions for the Finance Planning Committee (FPC) started in earnest this past Thursday night. Fire Chief McCarraher spent about 45 minutes reviewing his operation followed by Police Chief Williams. These two discussions were the most informative of all the meetings I have attended in the past 18 months. The information generated from this session will be very helpful in the telling the story as the FPC goes forward.
You should recall that the FPC is charted with developing a long term plan for the Town, assuming there is an override next year (very likely) what is the long term outlook, how many will there need to be, or is something like the Arlington plan going to work in Franklin.
Fourth, doubting anonymous should be satisfied now. As reported in the Franklin Gazette delivered on Friday, and in the Milford Daily News on Sunday, Supt Wayne Ogden confirmed that yes, there really were 44 teachers laid off and not replaced. Debbie Pellegri and the Brick School Association filed a FOI request and obtained the information on the teachers let go. Now that you have the info, you have the proof that the teachers were indeed let go. Let it go. Let’s get on with business. Let’s work together to avoid another layoff.
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1603414373/Superintendent-Franklin-teacher-layoffs-did-happen
Fifth, I think Question One is the most imminent danger that Franklin faces. Question One is on the ballot in November.
The State Income Tax Repeal is also known as Massachusetts Question 1. It is an initiated state statute that will appear on the November 4, 2008 ballot in Massachusetts.[1] If the measure passes, it will end the state's current 5.3% income tax on wages, interest, dividends and capital gains.
You can find objective information at this link:
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Massachusetts_State_Income_Tax_Repeal_%282008%29
You can find the Yes position here: http://www.smallgovernmentact.org/
You can find the No position here: http://votenoquestion1.com/?adtrack=education&gclid=CO2I-trz65UCFQpwGgodmkJeew
Where would you cut $11 million from the Town Budget?
Public safety is about 9 M, Central Gov’t Services is about 9 M. Public Works is about 6 M. If 2.8 million cost the town 44 teachers, what would loosing $11 million dollars cost the town?
The idea of the commonwealth is for all of us together to work and pay for the community services we need. If you think taking $11 million dollars out of the Franklin budget would bring you the community you want, I’d like to know what it would look like.
These are the five things that matter to Franklin this week:
This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music
- The School Building Committee was appointed.
- The bylaw to rezone parcels on RT 140 was moved to another meeting.
- The Finance Planning Committee really got working this week.
- The teacher layoffs were confirmed, doubter anonymous should rest easier now.
- The imminent danger of Question 1 for Franklin's budget.
Time: 11 minutes, 37 seconds
MP3 File
Session Notes:
Music intro
My intro FM #15
This podcast for Franklin Matters will focus on the 5 things you need to know about what happened this week.
First, the Town Council appointed the new School Building Committee. This is the one that will work on the high school but because there will be other school buildings that will need work on them before the high school is completed, the committee is not called the High School Building Committee. The State Dept of Education has guidelines that determine the make of the committee so the Town Council was expressly careful to follow the guidelines in making their appointments.
In this clip from the Town Council meeting on 9/17/08, we hear Chair Chris Feeley read the appointments
- insert clip from Town Council/Chris Feeley with the announcement -
Town Officials
- Chris Feeley, Town Council
- Scott Mason, Town Council
- Ed Cafasso, School Committee
- Paula Mullen, School Committee
- Maureen Sabolinski, Ass't Supt of Schools
- Pamela Gould, High School Principal
- Michael D'Angelo, Town/School Facilities Director
- Jeff Nutting, Town Administrator
In this segment from the Town Council Meeting of 9/17/08, you’ll hear the request and the response from Brian Taberner.
- insert clip from B Taberner with Vallee saying he wasn’t aware of the outstanding request -
Third, the working sessions for the Finance Planning Committee (FPC) started in earnest this past Thursday night. Fire Chief McCarraher spent about 45 minutes reviewing his operation followed by Police Chief Williams. These two discussions were the most informative of all the meetings I have attended in the past 18 months. The information generated from this session will be very helpful in the telling the story as the FPC goes forward.
You should recall that the FPC is charted with developing a long term plan for the Town, assuming there is an override next year (very likely) what is the long term outlook, how many will there need to be, or is something like the Arlington plan going to work in Franklin.
Fourth, doubting anonymous should be satisfied now. As reported in the Franklin Gazette delivered on Friday, and in the Milford Daily News on Sunday, Supt Wayne Ogden confirmed that yes, there really were 44 teachers laid off and not replaced. Debbie Pellegri and the Brick School Association filed a FOI request and obtained the information on the teachers let go. Now that you have the info, you have the proof that the teachers were indeed let go. Let it go. Let’s get on with business. Let’s work together to avoid another layoff.
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1603414373/Superintendent-Franklin-teacher-layoffs-did-happen
Fifth, I think Question One is the most imminent danger that Franklin faces. Question One is on the ballot in November.
The State Income Tax Repeal is also known as Massachusetts Question 1. It is an initiated state statute that will appear on the November 4, 2008 ballot in Massachusetts.[1] If the measure passes, it will end the state's current 5.3% income tax on wages, interest, dividends and capital gains.
You can find objective information at this link:
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Massachusetts_State_Income_Tax_Repeal_%282008%29
You can find the Yes position here: http://www.smallgovernmentact.org/
You can find the No position here: http://votenoquestion1.com/?adtrack=education&gclid=CO2I-trz65UCFQpwGgodmkJeew
Where would you cut $11 million from the Town Budget?
Public safety is about 9 M, Central Gov’t Services is about 9 M. Public Works is about 6 M. If 2.8 million cost the town 44 teachers, what would loosing $11 million dollars cost the town?
The idea of the commonwealth is for all of us together to work and pay for the community services we need. If you think taking $11 million dollars out of the Franklin budget would bring you the community you want, I’d like to know what it would look like.
These are the five things that matter to Franklin this week:
- School building committee
- bylaw rezoning
- FPC working sessions
- teacher layoffs confirmed
- the imminent danger of Question 1
This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music
"Doubting anonymous" should be satisfied now
Milford Daily News
FRANKLIN —
Weeks into the new school year, some residents are still skeptical that the district actually laid off 44 teachers, an accusation Superintendent Wayne Ogden says he wishes were true.
Referring to an anonymous caller who only identified himself as a former town councilor, who asserted teachers were not given pink slips, or have since been rehired, Ogden said, "He is completely wrong.''
"I wish he were right. I wish that were true. I'd be a happier human being. In fact, I might not have resigned,'' he said.
Residents will be able to check "the truth according to the Department of Education,'' by the end of October, when the department publishes the number of students, teachers and administrators in every school district in Massachusetts, Ogden said.
The department produces both a current list and last year's numbers, so people can compare and view them side-by-side, he said.
.......
This summer, Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri, on behalf of the Brick School Association, submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the School Department, seeking the names of all those teachers and positions that had been cut.
"We weren't doubting (teachers had been laid off), we just wanted to see the people's names and how many people were let go,'' Pellegri said.
The list she received in response to her request identified the names, positions, and corresponding schools of 46 teachers, four of whom were part-time, and two administrators.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
"It just amazes me to think that people can be so cruel to animals"
Milford Daily News
FRANKLIN —
With the vigilance of a cat stalking its prey, self-proclaimed "Cat Lady'' Dorothy "Dottie'' Luff, 81, scours the woods that are home to a colony of feral cats for traps.
Every day, she said she watches for them, terrified someone will catch and later kill one of her precious babies, whom she has named, fed and cared for over the past decade.
Recently, while she was checking on "Gayle,'' "Leftie'' (so-named because she always rubs against Luff's left leg), "Debbie'' and "Blackie,'' Luff looked down and saw an unfamiliar puff of fur on the ground.
As she petted the animal, she thought it was the softest fur she'd ever felt, and turned it over to discover it was a raccoon, and it was dead. Someone had stabbed it with a stick through the front of its body, she recalled, shaking her head and remarking that no child or animal had done it.
"Sometimes I think the humans are worse than the animals,'' Luff said.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
Saturday, September 20, 2008
188 King St - siding is now complete
Windows and doors last week, siding this week. The construction is making good progress.
Another foundation!
Yes, for all the talk of the economy in dire straits, there is a new foundation on King St between 188 King (under construction) and 194 King (recently renovated).
Museum - construction progress
The future home of Franklin's museum looks to be getting a whole new entrance.
Note: the funds being used to do this work are from the CAPITAL budget and not the Operational budget. The funds from the pending sale of the Four Corners building can be used to pay for this work. The funds from the pending sale of the Four Corners building could not be used for an operational expense like re-hiring a laid off teacher or bringing on another person in the Police, Fire or Public Works Dept.
Fall cleaning = yard sales
This pole at the railroad bridge downtown says there are quite a few choices for yard sales today!
Electing a US President in Plain English
With the November election approaching, it is time to start preparing for it. Let's start with a good explanation of how the electoral college works. This one by the folks at Common Craft is a good, accurate and simple explanation of the electoral college. No chads are left hanging!
Electing a US President in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.
Enjoy!
If you are interested in the behind the scenes explanation of how the video was created visit Common Craft here.
Electing a US President in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.
Enjoy!
If you are interested in the behind the scenes explanation of how the video was created visit Common Craft here.
Friday, September 19, 2008
"The virus can cause serious, life-altering symptoms"
GHS
FRANKLIN —
The first "killer frost," expected in one to three weeks, should end the threat of West Nile virus here, said Franklin Health Director/Agent David E. McKearney.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a warning earlier this week after finding mosquitoes in Franklin that tested positive for West Nile virus.
The virus was detected in a sample taken on Sept. 11, in central Franklin, near Union Street and West Central Street, McKearney said.
"It's really not earth-shattering news. We know that West Nile virus is endemic in Massachusetts. We've had a lot of positive samples in Massachusetts, so it's not surprising," McKearney said.
In the past, the state found West Nile virus in a bird here, but not in a mosquito and never a human, he said.
Read the full article here in the Milford Daily News
In the News - Recycling event; Harvest Festival
GHS
------------------------
FOXBOROUGH —
Piles of electronic detritus, including discarded computer monitors and hard drives, tangles of thick power cords, and bulky TVs, filled a parking lot next to Gillette Stadium last Saturday, waiting to be hauled off and recycled.
The daylong event, a cooperative effort of Sony Electronics Inc. and Waste Management Recycle America, was proclaimed a success by the organizers.
"The event exceeded our expectations on all levels, which was great," said Jensen Kroll, an account manager with Waste Management who coordinates the company's recycling efforts for the northeast region.
"It was fantastic," agreed Doug Smith, director of corporate and environmental affairs for Sony. "Everything was extremely smooth. No one had to wait in line."
He said 3,494 vehicles navigated the 11 lanes set up at the drive-thru event, discarding electronics that had been pushed aside for more modern models.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
------------------------
Harvest Festival on horizon
By By Joyce Kelly, DAILY NEWS STAFF
Wed Sep 17, 2008, 04:29 PM EDT FRANKLIN -
The Downtown Partnership is gearing up for its sixth annual Harvest Festival, the largest downtown event, featuring more than 80 vendors, a farmers' market and entertainment.
The festival, which will be held Sunday, Sept. 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is expected to draw 2,200 visitors along Main and East Central streets.
Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here
"the gallery really sends a message that art is important"
Franklin teachers show off their artistic talents
By Heather McCarron/STAFF
Thu Sep 18, 2008, 03:54 PM EDT FRANKLIN -
There’s an old saying that goes like this: "Those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach."
And it’s completely false, says Mike Caple, art director for the Franklin Public Schools, who is joining other members of the K-12 art faculty this fall in an exhibit that shows "these teachers can do."
To open the second season of Franklin Public Schools’ new art gallery, Gallery 218, many of the 17 members of the district’s art and visual media faculty are introducing their artist selves to the public by putting their own work up for viewing through Nov. 7.
Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here
Work from the gallery can also be viewed online here.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
live reporting - Police Dept
Chief Williams
This is my request for the two additional officers. I am 95% personnel driven. If my budget gets cut, that means some person does less. I have 4 people on our overnight. If we have one accident at 4 Corners and something happens over at the Elks, we are in trouble.
When is the busiest time? Wednesday morning between 8:00 and 9:00 AM last year.
About 70,000 folks coming through here on a daily basis, via 140, 495, the trains.
Our calls for service have gone up 3-4%, our arrests have gone up 40+%
we are the busiest town in court cases in Dedham, in Wrentham
On track to handle about 850 calls just with our children, in our schools and outside
Our biggest complaints are traffic, children, elderly.
We are generally in ahead of the Fire. Grant money is keeping us afloat.
We are down in personnel but maintaining our service with technology
Jim Vallee has gotten quite a bit of money to help our technology needs
Capital money has generally been reduced because of the grants, but there is no guarantee of that
7200 times for 911 calls last year
We need the bodies to answer that call
The State has mandates but they don't fund them properly, proper booking for an arrest, a long process that the State does not fund
Someone processing an arrest is taken off the street who could respond to a call
Looking at four officers over the next four years, 2 right away, then one 2011, another one 2012
The two we asked for this year were cut, I understand that, 40 plus teachers were cut
What have we done on a regional basis?
I lead our tactical regional response group. We have a group ready to respond.
Franklin is the last stop on the train, we are getting an influx of people that we have never had before.
We did over 400 drug cases last year.
Because we are involved people will tend to come to us.
This is the best cooperation we have between schools and police that we have ever had.
Domestic violence is an issue.
44000 incident, incident any call that requires a response; a small portion of that is house maintenance
Over 100,000 phone calls
Looking for a repeater in the north end of town to help the radio can get a good signal there
Possibly putting an antenna somewhere there to help the signal, I have grant money to do this.
Our computer system allows for a quick update and get back on the road more quickly, less time reporting.
Can you do a voice thing and let someone else type it in?
We do have a system but it is expensive and we use it for a big court case where there are lots of witness statements, etc.
FBI stats say 2 per thousand people, we have 46, FBI would have us with 66. I am about 7 officers below in comparable communities, 15 of 16 in ranking.
Chief Williams has provided some statistics to Steve Whalen, he will send it around to the group.
Franklin has a good reputation so they can get transfers in and it gets the new hires up to speed quicker. It would be good to get all four new officers at the same time, could put them all into the training cycle.
The town has more firemen (48) than police (46).
This is my request for the two additional officers. I am 95% personnel driven. If my budget gets cut, that means some person does less. I have 4 people on our overnight. If we have one accident at 4 Corners and something happens over at the Elks, we are in trouble.
When is the busiest time? Wednesday morning between 8:00 and 9:00 AM last year.
About 70,000 folks coming through here on a daily basis, via 140, 495, the trains.
Our calls for service have gone up 3-4%, our arrests have gone up 40+%
we are the busiest town in court cases in Dedham, in Wrentham
On track to handle about 850 calls just with our children, in our schools and outside
Our biggest complaints are traffic, children, elderly.
We are generally in ahead of the Fire. Grant money is keeping us afloat.
We are down in personnel but maintaining our service with technology
Jim Vallee has gotten quite a bit of money to help our technology needs
Capital money has generally been reduced because of the grants, but there is no guarantee of that
7200 times for 911 calls last year
We need the bodies to answer that call
The State has mandates but they don't fund them properly, proper booking for an arrest, a long process that the State does not fund
Someone processing an arrest is taken off the street who could respond to a call
Looking at four officers over the next four years, 2 right away, then one 2011, another one 2012
The two we asked for this year were cut, I understand that, 40 plus teachers were cut
What have we done on a regional basis?
I lead our tactical regional response group. We have a group ready to respond.
Franklin is the last stop on the train, we are getting an influx of people that we have never had before.
We did over 400 drug cases last year.
Because we are involved people will tend to come to us.
This is the best cooperation we have between schools and police that we have ever had.
Domestic violence is an issue.
44000 incident, incident any call that requires a response; a small portion of that is house maintenance
Over 100,000 phone calls
Looking for a repeater in the north end of town to help the radio can get a good signal there
Possibly putting an antenna somewhere there to help the signal, I have grant money to do this.
Our computer system allows for a quick update and get back on the road more quickly, less time reporting.
Can you do a voice thing and let someone else type it in?
We do have a system but it is expensive and we use it for a big court case where there are lots of witness statements, etc.
FBI stats say 2 per thousand people, we have 46, FBI would have us with 66. I am about 7 officers below in comparable communities, 15 of 16 in ranking.
Chief Williams has provided some statistics to Steve Whalen, he will send it around to the group.
Franklin has a good reputation so they can get transfers in and it gets the new hires up to speed quicker. It would be good to get all four new officers at the same time, could put them all into the training cycle.
The town has more firemen (48) than police (46).
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