Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Candidate Forum at Senior Center in jeopardy

There is a Candidate Forum at the Senior Center on Wednesday, October 28th at 9:00 AM.

If you would like to attend please call the Senior Center to register (508-520-4945).

If there are not enough people attending, they may cancel the Forum. Decision for the cancellation would be made on Friday, October 23.


Note: The Town Council Candidates Debate is still scheduled for Monday, October 26th at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of the Municipal Bldg. This will also be broadcast via the cable channels as well as the Internet webcast.



Police to hold Halloween Festival

Franklin Police will hold its annual Halloween Festival Sunday, October 25h from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Franklin High School fieldhouse.

Additional details in the flyer originally posted on the Franklin Police website:

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

This event is targeted for kids in Grade 5 and younger!


Traffic Alert: MassPike Overnight Tunnel Closures



Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:





via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 10/20/09

MassPike E-Traveler To allow for tunnel construction and inspection work in the Prudential Tunnel, I-90 (MassPike) East between Exit #22 (Prudential Center/Copley Square) and South Boston will be closed at night intermittently throughout October and November beginning tonight Tuesday, October 20, 2009 and tomorrow night Wednesday, October 21, 2009 from 11:30 PM to 5:00 AM the following morning. Direct access to the Ted Williams Tunnel from Frontage Road, and South Boston will remain open.

All traffic will be directed off the Turnpike at Copley Square onto Stuart Street.  Drivers should follow the posted detour route on Stuart Street, Arlington Street, and Herald Street and continue following the posted detour signs to their destinations, as indicated below:

To South Station, Downtown and I-93 North: From Herald Street, turn right onto Albany Street.  From Albany Street, take left onto Broadway Connector and follow the existing signs. Alternate route would be to exit Masspike at Allston/Brighton Tolls and travel east on Storrow Drive.

To Massachusetts Avenue: Turn right onto Albany Street.  Continue south on Albany Street to Massachusetts Avenue.

To I-93 South: From Herald Street, at the Albany Street intersection, take first left onto the I-93 South on-ramp.

To I-90 East/South Boston/Airport: Turn right onto Albany Street.  Continue south on Albany Street and use the Ramp to I-90 East from the Albany Street Connector.
In addition, drivers should be aware that the Massachusetts Highway Department will continue to have lane closures on I-93 bridge deck repairs south of the city near Neponset Circle for its interstate maintenance project.  Bridge deck repairs and conduit work for highway lighting replacement will continue on I-93 north of the city near the Mystic River crossing.
Check all MassPike traffic advisories here.



Things you can do from here:



Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Senior Center - Men's Group


What is social media all about?

That was the basic question. These gentlemen now know a little bit more about being social in the Internet world. It is not much different from meeting at the Post Office or barbershop and chatting with your neighbors. The biggest difference is you don't have to walk (or drive) to either the Post Office or the barbershop when it is open for business, you can go to the Internet, go to Facebook at any time during the day.

The notes I prepared for them to take away are as follows:

The two best books to start with
  1. The Cluetrain Manifesto by Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, David Weinberger
  2. Trust Agents by Chris Brogan, Julien Smith
Tools to start with
1 - A Google account
    provides email, RSS reader, alerts, photo place (Picassa), video place (YouTube), blogs (Blogger)

2 - Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/
3 - Twitter  http://twitter.com/
4 - LinkedIn  http://www.linkedin.com/

Blogs to read


Seth Godin: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/
Mark Hurst: http://goodexperience.com/
Tom Peters: http://www.tompeters.com/

Steve Sherlock: http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/   and   http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

The three step process for social media
  1. Listen
  2. Learn
  3. Leverage


My thanks to Ken Norman for arranging this. My thanks to my current boss for allowing me to keep this prior commitment.

"The average person knows very little"

With only seven candidates for seven open positions on the School Committee, there is no competition. And yet, the School Committee controls half the Franklin town budget. They are responsible for the education of over 6,000 students and are the largest Town employer.

Aside from the National School Board Association's plugs for what the organization does, the brief video does make some excellent points on what the School Committee members should consider.



This was posted on the NSBA site here


seniority or performance?

Good questions raised by Dr Scott McLeod in this posting on the use of seniority or performance to retain teachers when faced with layoffs.

Teacher layoffs: Should seniority rule?

from Dangerously Irrelevant




Monday, October 19, 2009

Time to clear the drains!

Time to clear the drains.
Time to clear the drains.

This is a mantra that could be done as a parody of the old Dunkin Dounts commercial.

The wet weather is knocking down the leaves and clogging the storm water drains.



Yes, this is an "after" picture. I had already used my wet running shoes to clear this drain.


Financial Planning Committee Report - updated

The updated and "final" report from the Financial Planning Committee is on the agenda for the Town Council meeting Wednesday.

You can review (or download) a copy of the report from the Town website here.



Town Council - 10/21/09 - Agenda

A.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES
– October 7, 2009, Regular & Executive Session

B.  ANNOUNCEMENTS

C.  PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D.  CITIZEN COMMENTS

E.  APPOINTMENTS 
Disability Commission, Public Land Use Committee

F.  HEARINGS

G.  LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H.  PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS  -
1.  Presentation to Outgoing Council Members
2.  Financial Planning Committee Final Report

I.  SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J.  LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1.  Resolution 09-67: Acceptance of Covenant-Lakeview Terrace
2.  Resolution 09-68: Acceptance of Gift – Franklin Senior Center

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



In the News - new trash option

It was mentioned during a Town Council meeting earlier this year that with the contract for trash pickup expiring, the Town was looking at a "single stream' option. Additional details can be found in this article.

Franklin eyes change in trash, recycling pickup

from The Milford Daily News News RSS 

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Sunday, October 18, 2009

Franklin Area Climate Team wins grant


Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) Executive Director Rob Garrity today announced the award of a Wolfe & Rita Climate Action Grant to the Franklin Area Climate Team (FACT), which is organizing activities in Foxboro and surrounding towns on Saturday, October 24th, an international day of awareness and education on global warming.
 

Using the grant and private donations, organizers are creating a “Cut the Carbon” hands-on demonstration to show how everyone can do his/her part to solve the growing problem of global warming. This will be just one of thousands of events for climate action on October 24th. The “Cut the Carbon” event will take place at the Foxborough Universalist Church, 6 Bird Street, on the Foxborough town common in the afternoon.
 

The International Day of Climate Action, (www.350.org) is focused on the number "350" because that is the number scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide — measured in "Parts Per Million" -- in Earth’s atmosphere.
 


Charles DiPompo, a Foxborough resident involved in the FACT group, said “Since the planet currently has carbon levels close to 390, the limit of 350 parts per million is the number we need to get back to as soon as possible to avoid devastating climate change.”
 

The gathering will begin at 3:00 pm with an interactive display of 350 white ping pong balls and 40 black ping pong balls.  This display will symbolize the urgent need to reduce the abnormally high concentration of carbon already in the atmosphere. Area residents are invited to pledge their willingness to help solve global warming by taking home one of 40 balls representing the desired reduction in levels of carbon.  Paul Mortenson, member of the Foxborough Board of Selectmen, will be speaking.
 

Later in the afternoon, at 3:50 p.m. the bell of the Bethany Congregational Church, high in its steeple overlooking the town common will be rung 35 times as a call to action.
 

The events are part of an international effort, with thousands of organizations from over 100 countries around the world participating in local events to draw awareness to climate change and motivate citizens to action. All local events are open to the public at no charge and will be listed on the FACT blog at http:franklinareaclimateteam.blogspot.com.  Additional events include: bell ringing at 3:50 pm at the St. Blaise Catholic Church in Bellingham, the Epiphany Episcopal Church in Walpole and the First Universalist Society of Franklin Church.
 

Bishop Bud Cederholm of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts asks the diocesan community to join him in observing an "International Day of Climate Action" on Saturday, Oct. 24, when events on town and city commons will be held to raise awareness and public advocacy toward reducing carbon emissions to slow global warming.  "Go to www.350.org for more information about how Episcopal congregations can join ecumenical and interfaith groups in their communities in holding a powerful and prophetic event.  What's needed is your leadership," Bishop Cederholm stated.
 

 “October 24th is our opportunity to think globally and act locally,” DiPompo explained. “The 24th is fundamentally a day of hope for our future.”
 

“Wolfe & Rita Climate Action Grants provide MCAN local chapters with a supplementary source of funding to pursue climate action projects, education outreach programs and promote climate activism in their communities,” said Garrity, Executive Director of MCAN.  “Since 2002 this grant program has provided MCAN chapters with more than $20,000 to pursue local projects reducing energy use, cutting carbon emissions, and educating people about climate change.”
 

Founded in 1999, MCAN is a growing coalition of 40 locally organized groups fighting the climate crisis in 70 cities and towns across Massachusetts.  The network promotes carbon-reducing practices on a municipal and residential level, supports other MCAN chapters and allied organizations in their efforts to build a focused statewide movement and provides assistance to state policy makers as they adopt policies to reduce energy use and address the threat of climate change.  To learn more visit www.massclimateaction.net.

Additional information about the Franklin Area Climate Team can be found here


In the News - Frongillo, Vallee

Franklin Youth Soccer would not be the same without the effort of Rich Frongillo.

Frongillo named to New England Soccer Hall of Fame

from The Milford Daily News News RSS

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Rep Jim Vallee recognized for his work by Community VOICES

Group recognizes Frankin rep. for work protecting victims

from The Milford Daily News News RSS


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In the Globe - virtual high school

Milford is exploring use of online courses. Franklin does this with their use of Moodle. As I understand it, the Moodle classes are taught by Franklin teachers and can be open to student from around the world (maybe even down the road in Milford). This brief article in the Globe West seems to imply that the virtual courses would be taught by others around the world and access by Milford students with a teacher facilitating the overall process.

Virtual high school planning advances

In preparation for the launch of its Virtual High School initiative in the spring, the Milford School Department has hired former webmaster Karen Healey to serve as the program’s coordinator.





Saturday, October 17, 2009

Franklin's Express Line

The current Franklin Express Line has just been published.

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

You can subscribe on the Town website to receive your own copy here.

In the News - Pulaski Blvd, Tegra Medical

The update promised for "tomorrow" made it to the paper today

Pulaski Boulevard to be improved

from The Milford Daily News News RSS

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A good news story on the business front.

Franklin's Tegra Medical wins award

from The Milford Daily News News RSS


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Friday, October 16, 2009

2009 Election Collection

The collection of posts covering the Franklin election on Nov 3rd

Audio of Election Results in Franklin HS field house




Milford Daily News summary of the Town Council and Board of Health candidates

School Committee candidate - Jeff Roy

Town Council Candidate - Glenn Jones

FM #47 Tina Powderly
audio recording and text

Register to vote by October 14th

Town Council Candidate - Judith Pond Pfeffer

FM #46 - Scott Mason
audio recording and text

Town Council Candidate - Tina Powderly

Town Council Candidate - Glenn Jones

November Election Line up

 Note: this is not an endorsement of these candidates. This is an information sharing exercise to enable you, the voters, to prepare an informed decision when you enter the polling place (Franklin High School field house) on November 3rd.


Franklin: Library book sale Sat 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM


The sign says it all.

Franklin Library Book Sale

Saturday, October 17th

9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

At the DPW facilties on
25 Public Works Way off Hayward St.

In the News - local aid cuts, Universalist music

In the details of this announcement local aid cuts are coming. 40% of the Franklin budget comes from local aid, from the State. Any dollar cut by the State will affect our services here.

Governor calls for emergency budget cuts

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Jim O'Sullivan/State House News Service

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Franklin's Universalist Society is a sanctuary for music

from The Milford Daily News News RSS