The Franklin Senior Center offers a wide range of programs, services and activities that serve older adults and disabled individuals by addressing their unmet needs and seeking to improve quality of life. The Center is located at 10 Daniel McCahill Street and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Town-funded staff includes 2 full-time employees and 3 part-time employees. Other staff includes a part-time Health & Wellness Nurse (grant funded) and a full-time Supportive Day Program Coordinator which is supported through program fees. The Center’s Café and Gift Shop are staffed with volunteers.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.
The Senior Center offers opportunities for health screening and wellness, nutrition, social service coordination, socialization, recreation, transportation, educational programs, a supportive day program, and volunteer positions.
Highlights
The Senior Center was awarded Innovator of the Year by the Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging and Senior Center Directors for our Safe & Secure at Home program. This program provides rigorous outreach to frail elders and offers adaptive assistance to homebound, isolated seniors who are at risk for life-threatening falls.
This year two new, evidence-based programs were offered at the Center - My Life, My Health and A Matter of Balance. These wellness programs were designed by Stanford and Boston University respectively, and are being utilized nationally and state-wide to improve health outcomes. Evidence-based programs are a result of planning, implementing and evaluating programs adapted from models that help individuals effectively manage chronic illnesses by gaining skills and adopting beneficial health behaviors. Research supports results of improved health status, decreased health care utilization, and improved health management behaviors for participants in this type of programming. These programs were extremely well received at the Senior Center.
At the request of the Town Council’s Subcommittee on Outreach to the Elderly, the Council on Aging collaborated with the Assessor’s Office in an effort to substantially increase the number of real estate abatement applications for elderly homeowners by assisting elders with their applications. This effort resulted in a 52% increase in abatements being granted to needy elderly residents. Given the grim economic climate, the COA also offered intensive outreach regarding several social benefit programs such as food stamps, fuel assistance, and circuit breaker property tax relief. Senior Center staff and volunteers attended a Diversity Workshop presented by The VNA Network which emphasized respect for diversity and helped develop cultural competency in serving culturally diverse clients.
Also this year, we expanded our intergenerational programming by partnering with the Oak Street School. Each month a class visits the Senior Center and participates in an activity with seniors. Also new this year, Franklin High School art students offered art classes to seniors at the Senior Center. This year, the Senior Center worked with the Police Department to create a Connect CTY database which enables us to inform elderly residents of vital information, or of Center closings due to inclement weather.
Citizens who find their names absent from the registration list can fill out a provisional ballot to be counted later, once it is determined they are eligible to vote.
In the last presidential election, 11,712 provisional ballots were requested but only 3,278 ballots were actually counted, according to Brian McNiff, spokesman for Secretary of State William Galvin's office.
The ruling affected more than Medway residents. Library patrons in other towns could not order materials from Medway via interlibrary loans. The exception was Franklin, which signed an intermunicipal agreement with Medway in July that called for sharing library services.
Absentee Ballot Information: Absentee ballots are now available in the Town Clerk’s office. A registered voter who will be unable to vote at the polls on election day due to the following reasons may vote absentee up to 5:00pm Friday, January 15th. (Due to the holiday, dates have been adjusted by the State)Attest: Deborah L. Pellegri, CMC, Town Clerk/Election Administrator
* absence from your city or town during normal polling hours; or
* physical disability preventing you from going to the polling place; or
* religious belief.
All absentee requests must be made in writing with an original signature (no faxes or e-mails are accepted). If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call Deborah L. Pellegri, Town Clerk, at 508-520-4900.
Additional information about all the Recreation Dept. activities can be found on their website:The Recreation Department is located at 150 Emmons Street. The Recreation Department offers Franklin and Medway residents a variety of programs and events for youths and adults as well as coordination of youth sports organizations and field maintenance. The department operates and schedules activities for Chilson Beach at Beaver Pond, Fletcher Field, Dennis Pisani Field (formally Theron Metcalf), Henry “Ski” Faenza Tot Lot (Nason Street Tot Lot), King Street Memorial Field, Dacey Community Field, and Meadowlark Lane Athletic Fields. The department is also responsible for scheduling the use of all school fields during the summer, when school is not in session.
The business of the Human Resources Department is Customer Service. We provide a wide range of services to employees and citizens of the Town of Franklin.
Once a new employee is selected HR becomes “the benefit place.” The staff makes sure all the paperwork is complete so that individuals will be paid, benefit options are explained, and employees select those which best meet their individual needs. Questions about benefits continue throughout an employee’s time with the Town and continue into retirement. In addition to the mandatory participation in Norfolk Retirement System, or OBRA for part time employees benefits include:
- Life Insurance
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Section 125 Flexible Spending Accounts
- Short and Long Term Disability plans
- Section 457 Savings Plans
All employees, other than Police and Fire, are covered by Worker’s Compensation, a federally mandated program. Our goal is to prevent accidents and lost time from work, but to protect individuals when there is an incident. This “no fault” insurance is designed to provide income security and medical coverage for individuals injured on the job. The program is insured through Massachusetts Educations and Government Association Workers Compensation Group (MEGA). Human Resources continues to ensure that incident reports are filed timely with MEGA reviewing claims and making payments directly to the employees. We also work with managers and employees across the Town to support safe work practices, so that the frequency and length of workers compensation absences are held to a minimum.
On an annual basis, all benefit programs are reviewed to be sure they comply with Federal and State laws. The current Federal legislative branch is very active, and we are watching developments in time off and insurance regulations. Federal changes may require plan changes at the municipal level.
Health Insurance continues to be a major cost issue for employees, applicants and the Town. The Insurance Advisory Committee actively explores options. Contracts with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Guardian, and Boston Mutual were looked at in terms of cost and coverage. The goal is to provide benefits that are competitive with the market to attract and keep the right workforce and to provide those quality benefits at the lowest cost possible.
One element of the Health Insurance renewal was a change in Medicare supplement plans. The new plan is integrated with Medicare and benefits from a federal subsidy. Enrollees pay a co-pay for each prescription they fill, but no longer have a quarterly deductible. The plan change reduced the Medex premium retirees pay by 25%.
The HR Department has continued a wellness program, offered by MIIA to the employees of the Town. These have included fitness walking, relaxation techniques, and healthy eating. This program, designed to improve health and fitness will continue next year at no cost to employees or to the Town. Employees were enthusiastic about participation in the zumba dance class and an extended walking program.
As we begin the next year new goals have been set. They include:
- Partner with School HR activities to find service improvements and cost efficiencies.
- Continue to deliver high quality customer service to employees, retirees, and citizens.
- Constantly monitor full range of benefit options. The focus on the Health Insurance Program will continue.
- Identify information which can be best communicated electronically and keep web site current.
- Provide excellent service to and resolve administrative issues arising from municipal health insurance program.
- Facilitate managers using job descriptions and performance evaluations to strengthen organizational and employee performance.
- Review and edit the Personnel Bylaw and related policies and procedures to keep them current and appropriate for use by managers and employees.
- Educate employees on the Sec. 125 Flexible Spending Accounts which are available to them for medical or dependent care costs.
- Support managers and employees in employee relations activities.
We appreciate input from employees and citizens at any time.
Respectfully Submitted
Stephanie McNeil
Human Resources Director
