Notice the new menu?

Maybe I am longing for spring to really arrive. Yes, April showers bring May flowers but did March need to drown us? Anyway, I am trying out some of the new features available for this Google blog.

Did you notice the new menu?

Located just below the header "Franklin Matters".

You'll now see a series of pages available to get to specific sections quickly.

• The "Home" link will get you back to the top page from where ever you are.
• The "Welcome" page will house the audio slideshow I did to help you navigate around the page. (Yes, I'll need to update it now that I have added this menu.)
• The "Why Franklin Matters?" page combines why I do this as a public service with my disclosure posting.
• The "Weekly podcast" page will get you to the Franklin Matters Weekly podcast posts. It should be easier to find a particular week there. All the details are still here but mixed with all the other posts.
• The "Meeting Notes 2010", "Meeting Notes 2009", and "Meeting Notes 2008" do the same thing for each calendar year. They provide the link to each meeting or event that was reported on.
• The "Important Links" brings above the fold easy access to other key links.

I hope this works better for you.

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to send me an email at shersteve@gmail.com

Zoning Board of Appeals - Agenda - 4/1/10

The Zoning Board of Appeals has their agenda posted to the Town website here (PDF) 

There are three major items on the agenda with hearing scheduled for the following time periods:

7:30 PM 
Lot 6A Miller St – Miller Street Realty Trust, Edward Kaiser, Trustee

Applicant is seeking a building permit to build a single family home on a lot that has 109.19 feet of street frontage where 125’ is required and lot width of 56’ where 112.5’ is required. This building permit is denied without a variance/special permit from the ZBA.



7:40 PM
691 East Central Street - Dan VanRoon

Applicant is seeking a special permit/variance to increase impervious coverage from 18.4% where the max of 15% is allowed in a water resource district. The by-law only addresses industrial and commercial zones up to 60% with a special permit. This building is in a Residential I zone and the coverage will be 19.6%. A variance/special permit will be needed from the ZBA for relief.


7:50 PM
56 Pine Street - Hope Hotchkiss and John Shea

Applicant is seeking building permits for three additions to a SFR home. The building permits are denied without variances from the ZBA for constructing an addition on the front of the house with a side setback of 20.1 where 25’ is required and a front setback of 36.5 where 40’ is required. Construct an addition on the side of the house 23.7’ from side setback where 40’ is required. Construct an addition on rear of house 37.6’ from front setback where 40’ is required.



Franklin, MA

Phil's Phriends - 8th Annual Live Music Silent Auction - April 9th

Join us for our 8th Annual Live Music Silent Auction, April 9th, at Showcase Live at Patriot Place in Foxborough, featuring live music from THE Average White Band and Sugarfoot and the Brass Kicking Horns. Help Phil’s Phriends raise funds to fight cancer through the Pan Mass Challenge and the Jimmy Fund.

Tickets are only $25 per person and must be purchased in advance. Limited tickets are available, so please reserve your spot as soon as possible. To reserve tickets, click here.

We look forward to you joining us for a great event. The doors to Showcase Live will open at 6:00pm. At that time you will be able to order food and beverages, preview auction items and make initial bids. The Average White Band will take the stage at 8:00pm and play until 9:30pm. At that time, we will open the silent auction bidding for 1 hour. At 10:00pm Sugarfoot and the Brass Kicking Horns will take the stage and complete the evening.

All ticket sale proceeds bought from Phil’s Phriends will be donated to the PMC and Cancer Research. All tickets bought through the Showcase Live Box office will be for the Average White Band Show and will not be considered a donation. Auction item bidding will be open to the entire crowd at Show Case Live. Please help Phil’s Phriends support our young PMC pedal partner – Emily Taylor – by raising money for cancer research. We look forward to seeing you at the event and thank you for your support!

The Average White Band are widely regarded as one of the best soul and funk bands in the history of music. Though perhaps best known for their timeless instrumental mega-hit ‘Pick Up the Pieces’ the band’s strength actually lay in their consistently accomplished song-writing, stretching across several gold selling albums and multi-grammy nominations for the legendary Atlantic Records. Sugarfoot & The Brass Kickin’ Horns is a 7 piece band with male & female vocalists and one of the finest horns sections around. The band plays the absolute best funk and dance hits from all eras including Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Madonna, Journey and many more.

To get tickets, click here.

You can subscribe to the Phil's Phriends blog to get regular updates as they prepare for this year's Pan Mass Challenge  http://philsphriends.wordpress.com/


Franklin, MA

David Dobrzynski of Franklin - recognized by CRWA

The 2009 CRWA Stewarship Award recipients are Ken Moraff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Mary Griffin, MA Department of Fish & Game; Richard Claytor, Horsley Witten Group; volunteer David Dobrzynski of Franklin ; and volunteer Maureen Febiger of Wellesley

I'll second the motion!

David has been a good volunteer and advocate for the Charles River Watershed Assoc. I met him last year at Whole Foods in Bellingham as he coordinated the efforts of the volunteers to cleanup. He has provided the early alert on the clean up day this year.

Way to go David!

Read the full article on the Charles River Watershed Assoc event planned for Mar 31, 2010 here.

Franklin, MA: arrest made

An Easton man was arrested yesterday on a warrant for last week's armed robbery of the Tedeschi's Market on Union Street. 

Ronald J. Doherty, 25, of 181 Purchase St., was recognized by Easton police from the surveillance image of Doherty captured early Thursday morning, Deputy Chief Stephen Semerjian said. 

You can read the full article at the Milford Daily News here

The Franklin Police had released surveillance video last week.

Where were you on Feb 19th?

Can you recall without looking at your calendar?

65 years ago, my father - then a 19 year old US Marine, had landed on the black volcanic shores of Iwo Jima on February 19th, 1945. Fierce fighting took place above and below ground on that island until March 26th.

On or about March 26th, yes, 65 years ago, Jerry made his way to the beach to await a landing craft to board, to take him back to the safety of a ship, and then back to Hawaii. Solid food, shower, clean clothes for the first time since Feb 19th. Mission accomplished.

From Jerry's Story

Jerry is the one circled.

Jerry talked about his time in the Pacific at the VA Home in Bristol, RI on Thursday. He spoke without notes. He spoke deliberately and in detail. I complimented him on it after and he said "I left out a few stories". One wouldn't have noticed.

You can view that talk on Jerry's Story here.

And when you think back on what you were doing on February 19th.
Okay, you can go look at your calendar.

And when you reflect on all that you did in the time since then, think of the men who fought on Iwo Jima (in particular as this is their time for remembering) and those who fought elsewhere, and thank a veteran for their service.

The one line I was expecting to hear from Dad at the VA Home, I actually was surprised to not hear Thursday. Whenever he has talked about his time there, and until recently - this was not often, he would usually close with: "The real heroes did not come home."

Are there any Iwo Jima veterans in Franklin?

Please let me know.


Note: this was originally posted on Steve's 2 Cents here

Crowd sourcing real time data

What does that mean?

What would you do if you heard a giant boom and you didn't know where it came from? If you're like thousands of people in Portland, Oregon, you might hit Twitter and Google Maps to participate in the city-wide exploration of a slightly frightening mystery. Last night at about 8 p.m., people in a big part of the city felt their windows shake and no one could tell them what caused it.

Some folks in Portland, OR collaborated to combine their Tweets with updates to a Google Map and help to pin point a city park where the explosion seemed to originate. The police, also following on Twitter, checked out the park and did find remains of a bomb.

Read the full post including detailed maps and screen shots here



Franklin, MA

Using Google Tools

Do you know how to use the free tools available from Google?

This guide avoids some of the obvious things, like using Google Docs for collaborative writing, and instead focuses on some of the lesser-used Google tools options like publishing an online quiz using Google Docs. In all there are 33 pages containing 21 ideas and how to instructions for creating Google Maps placemarks, directions creating and publishing a quiz with Google Docs forms, directions for embedding books into your blog, and visual aids for accessing other Google tools.

The full post and guide can be found here

My thanks to Richard Byrne for doing this.



Franklin, MA

FM #62 - Week ending 3/28/10

This is #62 in the series for Franklin Matters. Let's take less than 10 minutes to review what matters in Franklin, MA as the week ends 3/28/10.


Time: 7 minutes, 30 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes:

This internet radio show or podcast is number 62 in the series for Franklin Matters.

Let's take about 10 minutes to review what matters in Franklin as the week ends Sunday March 28^th.

In this session I cover four meetings Planning Board, Finance Committee, the School Committee meeting and the Financial Planning Committee that occurred this past week.

"encourage people to shop downtown"

"We wanted to be part of the rebuilding of downtown, we think that's a very very exciting thing," she said. "But there are a lot of challenges to being downtown, the most predominant one is people don't think of downtown as a place to shop."

Phil Bellino, owner of Bellino's Italian American Dining on 30 Main St., agrees there's not much business from neighbors.

Bellino, who has been in Franklin for over two years, was the part owner of the now-defunct Vallee's Italian Restaurant in Woonsocket.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

While the article is depressing, it should be noted that while Art Beat is closing Cafe Dolce opened Dolce Express and Maguro House opened both within the past month. There are reasons to go downtown.

Yes, parking is an issue. Yes, I am concerned about the move to the 2-way street. As a commuter and frequent users of the train station, how long will it take for folks to get out of the station parking lot with 2-way traffic? I am looking forward to the additional planning sessions that were announced but not yet scheduled (that I know of) to participate in the downtown planning process.

For the record, I am a contributing member of the Downtown Partnership and United Regional Chamber of Commerce to help understand the needs of businesses, especially because business reflects the heartbeat of Franklin.

Franklin, MA: FHS entries to video contest

Check Out Student Safe Driving Videos

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 3/23/10

Dozens of Commonwealth high school students and schools have answered the call on YouTube and posted their best safe driving videos.

MassDOT RMV Registrar Rachel Kaprielian last month joined Mary Elizabeth Heffernan, Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), to announce the 2010 "Dance. Don't Chance" statewide teen safe driving video contest to encourage a safe prom/graduation season.

Teens wrote, produced and submitted 60-second videos on safe driving and avoiding underage drinking.

Now, you can check out the more than 50 videos on YouTube here. The winning video will be announced next month. The winning school receives a Dream Prom package provided by contest sponsors.

Learn more about the contest. 

There are two entries from Franklin High School

1 - http://www.youtube.com/promshorts#p/u/14/d7-km2zk6rA

2 - http://www.youtube.com/promshorts#p/u/15/0yYH1kRFKBo

Franklin, MA: Moving the Museum

Many volunteers came out to help move items from the Historical Museum on Washington St to the new location downtown.

The large display cases were a challenge to move. Trying not to tip and disturb the contents. Then getting it into the vehicle. Alan Earls and Kai Olsson position this one in Steve Whalen's vehicle.

Jim Dacey and partner tried to fit this carriage in but it just wouldn't make it. It did get moved with another vehicle.

The former Town Hall, former Senior Center, newly refurbished will be a good location for the precious historic items. This is a view of the main space. Brown paper covered the floor to protect it during the move.

As the items arrived at the new museum, they were sorted to go upstairs to the main floor or down into the basement. From there, the items will get into a display location for the opening in May. Or remain in storage for display in the future.

The sled was the subject of some conversation as it was carried. Fortunately, the weather although cold cooperated to help make the move a success. There is still work to do but the good are mostly in the new building and ready for suitable display.

Thanks to all who helped move. I can hardly wait to see the final product.

Franklin, MA: 1997 Master Plan

During the Planning Board meeting on March 22, Town Planner Beth Dahlstrom mentioned that the 1997 Master Plan is scheduled for an update.

The 1997 Master Plan can be found here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Planning/initiatives/master/index

The information on the update to the Master Plan can be found here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Planning/masterplan

Other Planning and Community Development documents can be found here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Planning/current

Welcome

Welcome to Franklin Matters

View more presentations from Steve Sherlock.

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view this audio slide show

Check Out Student Safe Driving Videos

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Check Out Student Safe Driving Videos

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 3/23/10

Dozens of Commonwealth high school students and schools have answered the call on YouTube and posted their best safe driving videos.

MassDOT RMV Registrar Rachel Kaprielian last month joined Mary Elizabeth Heffernan, Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), to announce the 2010 "Dance. Don't Chance" statewide teen safe driving video contest to encourage a safe prom/graduation season.

Teens wrote, produced and submitted 60-second videos on safe driving and avoiding underage drinking.

Now, you can check out the more than 50 videos on YouTube here. The winning video will be announced next month. The winning school receives a Dream Prom package provided by contest sponsors.

Learn more about the contest. 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites