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Thursday, October 2, 2008
Live reporting - Financial Planning Committee 10/2/08
Not Attending: Shannon Zollo, Matt Kelly,
Roche - let's publish an agenda prior to meeting, Steve has been good getting the meeting reminders out. We need to figure out a timeline to determine our financial model, build some assumptions, we are not here to arrive at the right number, we need to determine and understand the cost drivers, set the assumptions for the model.
Whaelen - without assuming we will go for an override, if there is one needed, we are going to need to start earlier, the work product will need to be good, explanable, etc.
Roche - next three months, build the model, start telling our story, circulate it for feedback
Bartlett - the Council will need to prepare in February that if no money is coming across, we are going to need to make some hard decisions
Nutting - the Town budget will need to come together, it likely will come out in the same time frame, one driver will be the School budget
Let's start - DPW will go first
"From a fiscal standpoint, it's a small action"
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
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Live reporting - Councilor Comments
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
- 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
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
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
Approved - 7-0