"From a fiscal standpoint, it's a small action"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Oct 01, 2008 @ 10:45 PM

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FRANKLIN —

Town Council last night voted to fund the late bus service to the town's three middle schools at a reduced price of $10,000.

Only Councilor Judith Pond Pfeffer objected to the funding. Holmes Bus Service offered to provide the service, which normally costs about $40,000 annually, for $10,000 this year after school administrators announced the district could not afford it.

The town will pay for the service out of an old account, Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting said.

The money comes from funds "donated" to the town in 2001, he said. In 2000, he explained, the Zoning Board of Appeals rejected an affordable housing application for Franklin Commons at 575 East Central St. by The Gatehouse Cos. The town lost an appeal and negotiated a settlement that reduced the number of units and gave Franklin $40,000 to be used for extending the bus service to the development or for other public purposes, he said. Since the GATRA, or Greater Attleborough Transit Regional Authority, bus passes by the development, the town no longer needs to fund extending bus service there, Nutting said.

Chairman Christopher Feeley thanked the owner of Holmes Bus Co. for his generosity, noting that he is "not even a Franklin resident."

"For the amount of money it's going to cost us, for the service we're going to get - we'd be foolish not to do this," Feeley said.

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

Town Council Mtg Summary - 10/1/08

• Live reporting - Councilor Comments
• Live reporting - Administrator Report
• Live reporting - Rescheduled items
• Live reporting - Legislature for action
• Live reporting - Zoning bylaw amendment
• Live reporting - late bus approved
• Live reporting - town council meeting 10/1/08
• Town Council Agenda - 10/1/08

Live reporting - Councilor Comments

Zollo - publicly acknowledge the efforts of the teachers stepping up and going beyond under tough times. Secondly to acknowledge the quality of the recreation programs in town. Acknowledge the DPW and grounds maintenance crew have been doing a good job.

Doak - question 1 on the ballot, don't like taxes, but the fact of the matter is Franklin would be hurt significantly, I will be voting against it and would like folks to consider this.

Whalen - if question 1 passes, the loss to Franklin would be $11 million and that is the probably close to the cost of the Fire, Police, and DPW.

Vallee - will bring something to new business about doing something for the Police Dept.

Feeley - thanks to Mr Holmes for reducing the Late bus cost.

Move to go to executive session and not return
approved 7-0

Live reporting - Administrator Report

School building committee met tonight, good meeting

• Tom Mercer, chairman
• Chris Feeley, vice-chair
• Scott Mason, clerk

The Cable TV has a $500,000 gift account

Live reporting - Rescheduled items

• Resolution 08-59: Dissolution of Fire Station Building Committee
• Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-625: Chapter 185-5, Town Code: Zoning Map – Business to Commercial II – 2nd Reading

both these items were moved to the October 15th meeting

Live reporting - Legislature for action

• Resolution 08-53 – Order of Layout, Acceptance and Taking Newell Drive, Dover Circle, Cohasset Way, Sherborn Lane and Related Easements

These have been here before, and are coming back from the Planning Board as a recommendation

The street laws date from the 1800's. The subdivision control law in the mid-1900's. A different set of points, more access than travel. The legislature has not updated the process to deal with subdivision road acceptance.

Doak - why are these coming where others may have not and may have been waiting longer

Cerel - Toll Brothers have working this diligently and cooperatively with the Town to get this done.

Doak - if the developer doesn't plan this properly, then it puts the burden on the town?

Ceral - if the developers haven't planned properly, the home owners technically own to the middle of the road, contacting them these days is tedious is possible

Approved - 7-0

• Resolution 08-54 – Order of Layout, Acceptance and Taking of Hancock Road, Winthrop Road, Corey Way and Lantern Road and Related Easements

Same thing as the previous one

Approved - 7-0

Live reporting - Zoning bylaw amendment

• Zoning Bylaw Amendment to Chapter 185-18. Nonconforming Uses and Structures- Dept of Planning & Community Development

Presentation lead by:

David Roche - Building Commissioner
Nick Alfieri - Conservation Agent
Brian Taberner, Director, Downtown Planning and Community Development

Alfieri - As an example, 450 Maple St, built about 28 feet from the road, therefore it is pre-existing as non-confirming, to put a deck on that would be completely compliant still had to go through the Zoning Board of Approvals (ZBA) to get the approval. It will save time and money. This streamlines the ZBA process.

Vallee - this is an excellent amendment

Whalen - sounds good, what would be an example of something more controversial or how it could not be abused?

Alfieri - Speaks directly to single and two-family houses only. Others would still need to go through the ZBA. If the alteration itself is non-conforming, it would still go through the ZBA process.

Doak - how did this change from prior

Alfieri - They split non-conforming structures from non-conforming uses into two separate sections

Cerel - Nick and I worked closely on this, the section is obtuse, in the absence of a local bylaw you had to go through the rigmarole.

Doak - this seems to fall in the category of common sense

Feeley - what would you like us to do with this?

Nutting - put this on the next agenda to put through the process to get to the planning board

Live reporting - late bus approved

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
no citizens for comment


E. APPOINTMENTS
motion to add item for election day poll workers, passed 7-0
motion approved, passed 7-0

F. HEARINGS
none

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
none

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

• Funding School Late Bus

Nutting speaking for the Late Bus, the bus company has come back with a reduction to $10,000 for the one year. If the Council would like to pursue funding this, the town has a gift of $40,000 for transportation or other public purposes as a negotiated settlement from Gatehouse in lieu of further litigation after the town lost a court decision. Council could move to transfer the gift.

Feeley moves to fund the Late Bus, authorized expenditure of $10,000 from the comprehensive agreement

Pfeffer disagrees with use of this for 3 middle schools as not being in the "public interest". Three PCC's have volunteered to fund this, let them. Why is not the School Committee here to support this.

Feeley I'll take that one. They offered to be here, I did not think it would be necessary.

Vallee references a letter received this afternoon from Paula Sandham and speaks in favor of the late bus.

Whalen has heard lots of feedback for not funding the late bus, he disagrees with that and explains why. School Dept made their decision based upon a set of circumstances at that time. We are now under a different set of circumstances have changed. Does meet the definition of "public purpose" in his view. This is perfectly appropriate.

Doak was surprised to hear about this funding sitting there for awhile. It is not recurring revenue, it can legitimately be used for this. The PCC's fund a lot of extra things that the school department does not fund.

Mason, my concern is that a number of people will read the paper and say, the override failed, the late bus should not be here. The opportunity is here because of the generosity of the bus company. At the end of the day, you need to side on the needs of the children.

Zollo, if anyone were to think that they were misled, that is not true, the circumstances changed, this money is available, lets use it, it is both legal and appropriate.

Stacy Bower - we were told that the late bus was lost if the override lost. If the PCC wants to fund it, let them. The Fire Dept and Police Dept were also looking for funding. The late bus is not required by the State. Doesn't feel that the Town should use this generous gift. The late bus is a luxury in town. When is the town going to say "enough"?

Feeley regardless of what happened in the past, I am supporting this as a good thing to do.

Approved 6-1 (Pfeffer no).

Live reporting - town council meeting 10/1/08

Councilors present: Whalen, Mason, Vallee, Feeley, Pfeffer, Doak, Zollo

Councilors not present: Bartlett, McGann
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A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – September 3, 2008
moved to approve - approved 7-0

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
no

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - Thelma Pullen Knowlton
Resident for over 90 years, only remaining graduate of Dean Class of 1948

"I get more out of it now"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Sep 30, 2008 @ 11:22 PM

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FRANKLIN —

For the first time since its Franklin inception 40 years ago, the Junior Miss program is bowing out.

Organizers canceled the show, which is part of the America's Junior Miss Scholarship Program, this year due to a lack of funds and sponsors, but hope to bring it back next year by appealing to former donors and attracting new ones, said Becky Lavergne, chairwoman of Franklin Junior Miss.

"We have no choice - we have no money to give away. Our committee's gone over this a lot. ... We knew it was probably coming since last November. No one wanted to do this, but it was either give it up completely, or raise as much money as possible and come back next year," Lavergne said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

In the News - cats, alumni, walk/run, art, fair

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Sep 30, 2008 @ 01:20 AM

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FRANKLIN —

People at odds over a feral cat colony at Highwood Condominiums may get a resolution tonight.

The condominium complex's board of trustees will discuss the matter and possibly decide to take action at a meeting open only to condo owners, said property manager Roy Blanchard.

Blanchard declined to talk about the controversy.

"This doesn't need to be in the press anymore. We can take care of our own issues," he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

All the remaining items can be found in this article on Franklin Notes

Town Council Agenda - 10/1/08

October 1, 2008
7:00 PM

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – September 3, 2008
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - Thelma Pullen Knowlton
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. APPOINTMENTS
F. HEARINGS
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

• Funding School Late Bus
• Zoning Bylaw Amendment to Chapter 185-18. Nonconforming Uses and Structures- Dept of Planning & Community Development

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

• Resolution 08-53 – Order of Layout, Acceptance and Taking Newell Drive, Dover Circle, Cohasset Way, Sherborn Lane and Related Easements
• Resolution 08-54 – Order of Layout, Acceptance and Taking of Hancock Road, Winthrop Road, Corey Way and Lantern Road and Related Easements
• Resolution 08-59: Dissolution of Fire Station Building Committee
• Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-625: Chapter 185-5, Town Code: Zoning Map – Business to Commercial II – 2nd Reading

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
L. OLD BUSINESS
M. NEW BUSINESS
N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required
P. ADJOURN

late bus on tap for Town Council

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted Sep 27, 2008 @ 11:12 PM

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FRANKLIN —

Town Council on Wednesday will discuss whether to fund the school district's popular late bus at a steeply discounted rate.

Parent Communication Councils were willing to fund the bus at $10,000 after School Superintendent Wayne Ogden announced the district did not have funds for it this year, but the district is turning to the town instead, said Chairman Jeffrey Roy, after Council Chairman Christopher Feeley and Vice Chairwoman Deborah Bartlett offered their support.

The late bus has been a hot issue since administrators first warned the district it would have to eliminate it without additional money from the Proposition 2 1/2 tax override that was voted down in June. Concerned about the children of working parents, who would miss out on after-school activities and getting extra help with academics, School Committee member Ed Cafasso pushed the School Committee to find a way to keep the service.

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

Live performances this weekend in Franklin

Classical music on Sunday

Franklin’s own LiveARTS Sunday Concert Series presents the 2008-2009 season lineup and opening performance scheduled by award-winning Triple Helix, the Piano Trio, on Sunday, Sept.28, at 3:30 p.m.

All concerts are held at the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut St.

LiveARTS Sunday Concert Series is an affordable way for classical music lovers to enjoy professional, high-quality artistry right in their backyard. Season subscriptions are $45 adults, $30 youth and seniors, and $75 for family groups of three or more. Season subscriptions give you the gift of four concerts for the price of three.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Folk music on Saturday

Don White is appearing Saturday at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse. Opening will be Teresa Storch. View the full schedule and order your tickets online at the Circle of Friends website here

Cabaret at the High School

The student production of Cabaret will be conducted at Franklin High School this weekend. I could not find additional information online but if you call the high school, they should be able to provide the details.

Accreditation - more kindergartens earn the mark!

FRANKLIN -

John F. Kennedy and the F.X. O’Regan Early Childhood Development Center are one of the first early childhood programs to earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

"We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said principals Joan Toye and Karen Seyfried. "NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible."

read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here

I recall that Oak St Elementary School's kindergarten actually achieved this NAEYC certification first in the new process. Check out the announcement from last year and here.

I think it is more impressive that many of the Franklin schools have accreditation than which one was first.