Streaming Video - Historic event

There was a significant historical event this week. The first Town Council meeting was streamed live over the web on Wednesday evening.

What does that mean?
Instead of being in your home with a cable subscription, you can now view a town meeting via your computer. This means that anyone with interest to find the meeting can view it anywhere in the world via the internet and their computer.

Since only 90+% of the town has access to cable, how much this will enable those who don't have cable access is open for discussion.

What will this streaming live change?
I think it will be interesting to see how this will change the meetings, if anything changes at all.

• Will the various board and committee members improve their personal behavior and conduct now that they can be viewed around the world?
• Will the nature and presentations of the meetings themselves be modified now that there is a worldwide audience?
• Will there be an increase in viewing amongst the people in the town?
  

The one drawback I see is that the availability of the meeting via the internet may reduce the actual physical attendance in the room. Only those who actually need to be there to participate in the meeting will continue to be present. On the other hand, the worldwide audience may actually increase the participation due to the exposure.

How do you view the meeting?

1. On your computer, open your favorite browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.)
2. Navigate to the Franklin website home page
3. Follow the link on the notice for the live streaming (I have not yet found another way to get to this live streaming or archive. I assume there will be an additional path put on the site at some time.)
4. The first time you view a meeting, Microsoft Silverlight will require to be installed. Once installed, you'll need to close your browser and restart the browser. After this installation, you should be able to go direct to view either the live or an archived program.
5. You can view the meeting from beginning to end or skip to sections according to the published agenda.

Have you viewed a meeting yet?

What do you think of this?

Northborough pursues wind power

"This could cut taxes, eliminate the electric bill of the regional high school, and decrease our dependence on the Middle East," said town resident Bob Giles, a retired engineer who has spearheaded support for the proposal. He said the turbine, once up and running, could save the town up to $600,000 annually.

.....

As Giles and selectmen move ahead with their plans, they are looking to Hull for guidance. Since 2001, the seaside community has set up two wind turbines that provide about 11 percent of Hull's electricity, according to Town Manager Philip Lemnios, and is looking to build four more turbines offshore, which could potentially meet 100 percent of the town's electricity needs.

Read the full article in the Boston Globe West edition here

Can green jobs solve poverty?

There is an interesting conversation about

Can green-collar jobs clean the "dirty-energy economy" and lift people out of poverty?

The discussion revolves around education in California where the drop out rate from public schools is now 25%. 41% for Blacks and 31% for Latinos.

Van Jones and California State Senator Darrell Steinberg discuss a unique solution for our economy and environment. Together they offer a clear vision for green economic development and its potential.

Click through to listen here.

Well worth listening to!

Peter Light will serve as acting principal

By Michelle Laczkoski/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jan 07, 2009 @ 09:12 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

Peter Light will serve as acting principal of Franklin High School for the remainder of the school year, Superintendent Wayne Ogden announced yesterday.

Light, an assistant principal at the school, has worked in the district for 12 years. He will replace Pamela Gould, who has been hired as the new assistant superintendent of human resources for the Plymouth School Department.

One of four assistant principals at the high school, Light began his tenure in the district as a teacher. His academic background is in music and educational administration.

Gould announced her departure just before Christmas break, giving administrators time to talk with students and faculty about the upcoming change.

"Peter let me and (assistant superintendent) Maureen Sabolinski know if called, he would serve. He became the logical choice," Ogden said. "Plus he's a talented young administrator and we thought he had the skills to do what we need done."

Students shared their desire for consistency in the remaining school months, Ogden said.

"To bring somebody in midyear who doesn't know the school, students or faculty ... it's a terribly awkward situation," Ogden said. "When (we) talked to students in focus groups, they were talking about stability and a need to continue the improvement projects they were working on."

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

"I apologize for this happening"

An apologetic Michael P. D'Angelo, director of public facilities, explained what happened over the New Year's holiday to councilors. His recap revealed staff did not realize until a day later that electricity had been lost in spots throughout town for about an hour. The high school's and Senior Center's backup generators did not restart heating pumps, which contributed to the damage, D'Angelo said.

The Senior Center will reopen today, after being closed this week because of the damage. The John F. Kennedy Elementary School and high school never had to close, though some classrooms were shifted around and the smaller gym's floor at the high school needs to be replaced.

Insurance will cover all but $5,000 of the damage, said Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting. Most of the repairs are already done.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

My live reporting from the same meeting is available here.

Town Council Mtg Summary 01/07/09

This is the collection of posts for the Town Council meeting on Wednesday 1/7/09

• Incident Summary Water loss 1/1/09
• Live reporting - Legislation for action
• Live reporting
• Live reporting - Incident summary 1/1/09
• Live reporting - license transactions
• Live reporting - Town Council meeting 2
• Live reporting: Town Council Meeting
• Town Council - Agenda 1/7/09

Incident Summary Water loss 1/1/09

This was the handout provided and reviewed by Mike D'Angelo

-----------------------------

Incident Summary Water loss 1/1/09
Apparent power loss between 3:00 and 4:00AM


KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Custodian shoveling reported school cold at about 10:00 AM
• Sent heating company to investigate
• ATC (heating contractor) found problem and got heat back on

Damage: Broken coils in two rooms and the cafeteria, food loss in the cafeteria fridge and freezer. Rooms soaked with water

Status: Coils all repaired, Carpets shampooed, Fridge fixed


FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL

• Athletic director reported a big water spill on gym floor and it being very cold in the High School about 5 :00 PM
• Checked school on computer and called people to investigate pump problem
• Custodian found pumps down
• Called heating company and they isolated gym coil and got heat back on approximately 10:00 PM
• Custodian cleaned up water in gym and one room

1/2/09

• Heating company on site as coils started to unfreeze and leak. Isolated coils and removed 3 for repair. Problems with 5 areas. Cleaned up water spills

1/3/09

• Heating company and I on site to work more on heat after building still cold
• Returned full heat to building and 7 more coils unfroze and leaked, isolated and custodians cleaned up water. Building secure with full heat.

Damage: 10 classrooms heating coils, gym coil, greenhouse heat, floors damaged in 8 rooms and gym floor buckled.

Status: Heat repaired in all 10 rooms and greenhouse. All rooms cleaned. Starting tile removal tomorrow and possibly replacement next week. Start to work on procuring gym floor replacement next week.


FRANKLIN SENIOR CENTER

1/2/08

• Received call from fire that senior center had problem fire alarm going off, checked on computer and saw no heat. Sent heating company
• Restored heat but sprinkler piping had froze and broken flooding multipurpose room
• Sent Compton sprinkler and custodians to clean up water
• Custodians returned Saturday and Sunday to do more cleanup

1/6/09

• Sprinklers repaired
• Pressure valve in dishwasher replaced, heat in attic repaired

1/7/09

• Affected rugs in 3 rooms re-shampooed
• Drying system set up in multipurpose room

Damage: Sprinkler system heads and piping including outside heads, dishwasher valve, fill tube in attic, wet sheetrock in multipurpose, $3,000 in computers, multipurpose flooded, 3 rooms flooded.

Status: Sprinkler interior repairs complete, rooms cleaned and shampooed, dishwasher valve and fIn tube repaired/replaced.

Open: Outside sprinkler heads on order, multipurpose drying, misc. ceiling tiles to replace


GENERAL

• Insurance claim proceeding after meeting with adjuster on Tuesday. Approval given by MEGA to complete items and forward bills
• Norma Collins got verbal approval from State DCAM Department of Asset Management Attorney George Matthews office to expedite all repairs with reduced procurement requirements
• No school time lost from incidents in schools
  
• Senior center will open tomorrow for all areas excluding multipurpose room
  
• Investigating monitoring system for heating system points. Approximate cost for 16 properties is $25,000 to install and $5,000 per year in monitoring costs