Meeting notes archive for 2009

 2009

The collection of meeting notes from calendar year 2009

• Finance Comm 04/16/09
• Finance Comm 04/21/09
• Finance Comm 04/29/09
• Finance Comm 05/05/09
• Finance Comm 10/06/09
• Finance Comm 12/01/09
• Financial Plng Comm 01/15/09
• Financial Plng Comm 02/05/09
• Financial Plng Comm 02/19/09
• Financial Plng Comm 03/05/09
• Financial Plng Comm 03/12/09
• Financial Plng Comm 03/26/09
• Financial Plng Comm 04/02/09
• Financial Plng Comm 04/23/09
• Financial Plng Comm 05/27/09
• Financial Plng Comm 10/08/09
• Focus Group Collection
• School Committee Mtg 01/13/09
• School Committee Mtg 01/27/09
• School Committee Mtg 02/10/09
• School Committee Mtg 02/24/09
• School Committee Mtg 03/10/09
• School Committee Mtg 03/24/09
• School Committee Mtg 04/14/09
• School Committee Mtg 04/28/09
• School Committee Mtg 05/12/09
• School Committee Mtg 05/26/09
• School Committee Mtg 06/09/09
• School Committee Mtg 06/23/09
• School Committee Mtg 07/21/09
• School Committee Mtg 08/11/09
• School Committee Mtg 08/25/09
• School Committee Mtg 09/08/09
• School Committee Mtg 09/22/09
• School Committee Mtg 10/13/09
• School Committee Mtg 10/27/09
• School Committee Mtg 11/17/09
• School Committee Mtg 12/08/09
• School Committee Mtg 12/15/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 01/07/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 01/21/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 02/04/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 02/11/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 03/04/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 03/18/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 04/01/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 04/15/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 05/06/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 05/20/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 06/03/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 06/10/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 06/11/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 07/01/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 07/15/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 08/05/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 08/19/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 09/02/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 09/16/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 10/07/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 10/21/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 11/04/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 11/18/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 12/02/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 12/09/09
• Town Council Mtg Smry 12/16/09

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Franklin, MA: Design Review Commission

The Design Review Commission (DRC) has had numerous projects come before them this year. The Commission is currently composed of Jennifer Peters, Chair; Lenley Rafuse, Vice-Chair; Richard Tobin, Jr., Jill Bedoya and James Esterbrook, as well as associate members, Mark Fitzgerald and Robin Stamp.

This past year, the Commission reviewed several Site Plans as to landscaping and lighting and Building Plans as to elevations, colors and materials, including, the Franklin Housing Authority's Plain Street facility; renovations to the 12-36 East Central Street block; Walgreen's Pharmacy; the landscaping and lighting added to the area between 12-36 East Central Street and Summer Street. Signage and awnings were reviewed and approved for many additional locations, including the above, as well as Rockland Trust, Daddario's Hardware and many more throughout the year.

Work on the Town's new sign by-law has been in progress throughout the year and hopefully will be presented to the Town Council prior to the year end.

Meetings are held at the Franklin Municipal Building, Room 205, 355 East Central Street, at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Meeting times and dates are posted at the Town Clerk’s Office. Meetings are usually less than an hour and a half in length.

Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Peters, Chair
Design Review Commission

From the 2009 Town of Franklin Annual Report. This is available in a printed version at the Municipal Building or online at the Town website here.

Franklin, MA: Cultural Council

The Franklin Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The Local Cultural Council program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the
Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community. We are a volunteer board that believes that the arts, science, and humanities have the power to build a healthier and more vital community in Franklin.

Grants

The Franklin Cultural Council reviewed proposals from artists, organizations, schools, and organizations for arts, humanities, and interpretive science projects. The FY2009 grant awards totaling $10,550 were awarded to twenty-five projects that best provided a public benefit to Franklin residents including the Franklin Art Association, Family Concert Series, Senior Citizen Musical Show,
LiveArts, Concerts on the Common and many more. Various awards to the Franklin Schools were made so that children could enjoy performances by artists such as the Hampstead Players for a production of Prince Caspian, Steps Off Broadway, as well as educational programs including Journey Back in Time’s, “Pioneer Living” Program. The Franklin Cultural Council has also been generously funded by the Town of Franklin in the amount of $2,000. For a complete list of the artists funded this year, please visit our web site at: http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_BComm/cultural.

If you are interested in applying for a grant from the Franklin Cultural Council, all information and forms are available at www.massculturalcouncil.org. You may also pick up a grant application at the Municipal Building or the Franklin Public Library. Deadline is October 15, 2009 for an application to be submitted to Franklin Cultural Council, PMB 284, 279 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038.

Membership

Membership on the Council is open to all Franklin residents that are interested in working for the cultural enrichment of Franklin. Meetings are held monthly (second Monday of the month) from September to June. We welcome and need new members. Please contact Sue Sheridan at 508-533-1917 or email at  FranklinCulture@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 284, 279 East Central St., Franklin, MA 02038 1917 if you are interested in serving in this vital community volunteer activity.

Council members for 2008-09: Amy Kessler Welsh and Nathaniel Packard, Co-Chairs, Jodi Kanadanian, Treasurer, Sue Sheridan, Membership, Kim Rezendes, Secretary, Claire Griffin and Kathy Stankard.

From the 2009 Town of Franklin Annual Report. This is available in a printed version at the Municipal Building or online at the Town website here.

Franklin, MA: DelCarte Conservation Area

The Conservation Commission continued their on-going effort to address deficiencies with the DelCarte Conservation Area dam system (known as the Franklin Reservoir). This area was donated to the Town and offers a network of walking trails along a number of ponds and wooded areas.

The Commission chose PARE Corporation from Foxboro, MA, to conduct a review of the DelCarte Conservation Area, specifically the condition of seven structures in the area. PARE completed their initial Study and presented their findings to the Commission in late 2008. Following the Commission’s review of PARE’s findings, it was determined that an additional phase to the Study, which would focus on three potential repairs options, would be required in order for the Town to determine the most beneficial approach to addressing deficiencies at the Site, while taking into consideration both the environmental sensitivity of the Site and cost to implement the repairs. The Commission anticipates PARE to complete the next phase of the Study and present their findings by end of calendar year 2009.

Update: As 2009 is closing, the update is really more likely to come before the Town Council during Jan-Feb-Mar 2010.

Where is the Delcorte property?
You can find it on Google Maps referenced as the "Franklin Reservoirs"


View Larger Map

Franklin, MA: In house Attorney - Mark G Cerel

The Town has an in-house attorney, Mark G. Cerel. Attorney Cerel has an office in the Town Administration offices and works three days a week. In addition, he attends regular Council sessions and meetings of town boards and commissions on an as-needed basis. His responsibilities include providing legal advice to the Town Administrator and other town officials, review and drafting of legal documents, and representation of the town in negotiations and litigation other than labor-related matters. Having an in-house attorney has enabled town officials to obtain prompt legal review and advice; it has also expedited various town projects which require legal input.

During the past year, Attorney Cerel has continued to be successful not only in resolving actual litigation but also in resolving disputes prior to litigation on terms favorable to the Town; he has also continued to draft proposed legislation and to be involved in contract and real estate negotiations. In addition, he has continued to work with the staff to review and update the Town's zoning and general bylaws.

An in-house attorney plays an essential role in limiting the town’s legal exposure. He assists in resolving matters before they result in legal action and he provides the town with a strong legal presence that discourages people from filing frivolous lawsuits.

The Town Attorney represents the town and is only available to consult with individual residents if the Town Administrator’s prior approval is obtained.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark Cerel
Town Attorney

From the 2009 Town of Franklin Annual Report. This is available in a printed version at the Municipal Building or online at the Town website here.

In the News - social networking, water quality

How towns use social networking sites

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Krista Perry/Daily News staff

Twitter accounts:

Franklin Police - http://twitter.com/franklinpolice
Franklin Fire - http://twitter.com/FranklinMAfire

Franklin Matters - http://twitter.com/FranklinMatters

A listing of Franklin, MA Twitter accounts: http://twitter.com/GraydonSmith/franklin-ma

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Stepping up water quality efforts in Franklin

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Four Corners remembered

The Walgreens has made great progress finishing construction and getting ready to open (April, is what I recall but it could be sooner by the looks of it?).

Out front on the triangle of "public space" that they will maintain, there is a historic marker with information on the Four Corners School which stood on the grounds.

A close up of the marker shows this:

When you go by the corner some time, stop and read the history of Four Corners School.