Poll question results

IF THE OVERRIDE WAS SPLIT INTO 2 SEPARATE QUESTIONS, WOULD YOU HAVE APPROVED THE SCHOOL OVERRIDE? Q1 - $2.1 MILLION FOR SCHOOLS Q2 - $900K FOR ROADS/THE TOWN

Yes - 33

No - 22

Total - 55

Franklin, MA

Carnival setting up for the 4th of July

The 4th of July is rapidly approaching but the carnival rides have already appeared on the Town Common. Some old favorites will be there for your enjoyment on the holiday weekend.

The slide!

The spinning apple!

The train ride!

And if you haven't lost your lunch yet, Twister!

The rides and food booths will open at 6:00 PM on Thursday, July 1

The full schedule of events can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/franklin-ma-4th-of-july-schedule.html

Enjoy!


Franklin, MA

Common Core Standards - open for review

“Our message all along has been clear and consistent: Massachusetts will only adopt the Common Core standards if they match or surpass our current expectations for students,” said Education Secretary Paul Reville. “Even if the Board votes to adopt, the Commonwealth would still maintain the opportunity to add to the standards, personalize them to Massachusetts and build them out in a way that will allow our educators to propel our students to the next level of learning.”

“Our goal is to provide every student in the Commonwealth with the best possible schools, teachers, curriculum and opportunities they need to be successful in school, college, careers and in life,” Chester said. “We will take the time to evaluate the Common Core Standards before making a decision, and if we ultimately find that the final product represents a decline in expectations from our state standards, we will not hesitate to walk away.”

The Common Core State Standards and survey can be viewed by clicking here

Read the full posting on the School Committee blog here:
http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/2010/06/25/public-invited-to-review-and-comment-on-common-core-state-standards/



Franklin, MA

"needs in the context of a strategic plan"

The 495/MetroWest Development Compact is aimed at ranking infrastructure improvements for the region as a whole, rather than tackling projects piecemeal.

Greg Bialecki, the state secretary of housing and economic development, and Jeff Mullan, secretary of transportation, announced the compact at the 495/MetroWest Partnership's annual conference.

Bialecki said the compact will help create a common "strategic action plan" for all of the agencies involved to get behind, rather than "creating a laundry list of changes to infrastructure that need to be made."

Franklin would be one of the 36 communities covered by this compact.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here:
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x2071995398/Cooperation-sought-prioritizing-MetroWest-infrastructure-goals


Franklin, MA

Franklin's state aid

On June 24, 2010, the Legislature approved the Conference Committee’s version of the FY2011 budget.  The Division of Local Services has posted updated local aid estimates based on the Conference Committee budget recommendations at the link below:

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorsubtopic&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Local+Officials&L2=Municipal+Data+and+Financial+Management&L3=Cherry+Sheets&L4=FY2011+Local+Aid+Proposals&sid=Ador

Though the estimates are substantially the same as previous estimates, the Conference Committee proposal relies on reimbursements from the Federal Medical Assistance Program (FMAP) to fund part of certain appropriations. 

Outside section 190 restricts the expenditure of FMAP funded appropriations until receipt of those funds is certain. 

Cherry sheet estimates for the State-owned Land, Regional School Transportation and Local Share of Racing Taxes programs reflect the portion of the appropriation funded only from the general fund. 

If the FMAP funding becomes certain by tax rate setting time, FY2011 cherry sheets will be amended.

These estimates are subject to final approval by the Governor.

Franklin, MA

Reminders

Farmers Market - today - noon to 6:00 PM on the Town Common

Office Hours - come sit and talk Franklin matters with me on the Town Common - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Poll question - What does the survey say? (see the center column) - stays open until midnight tonight!



Franklin, MA

Networking Group - workshops today - Jun 25 meeting

If you are looking for work and need a good opportunity to network,  the workshop today at the Hopkinton Networking Group meeting Friday, June 11 25 is one to catch. 


Someone you may know will be facilitating two engaging, productive, and fun activities. 

If you have the time, you could not spend it any better than networking at Hopkinton today!

When: 10:00 AM - Noon
Where: St John's Evangelist Parish Center, 20 Church St, Hopkinton
Cost: $1


The details on the workshops as published to the Acton Networking Group listserv:

Hello Everyone,

The agenda for this Friday's Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) meeting will be featured by workshop activities.  The facilitator for this week will be Steve Sherlock.   We will devote the first hour, from 10 to 11 AM to the following agenda: Welcome, Landings, Announcements, New Member Intros, and Needs & Leads.   Please arrive early, so we can make every effort to start on time.   In the second hour, we will conduct a workshop with various activities.  Here is how it will be done:

Workshop Activities:

Discovery...Re-Discovery...and FUN:

The handout provided has a 7 x 4 matrix of boxes, i.e., 28 in all, where each box contains an open-ended statement that when completed will yield a more composite picture of the person.

Transferrable Skills:

Bring your resume.  We will break out into small groups and use the classrooms.  After the resume is reviewed, a discussion will take place to determine what transferrable skills your résumé displays.

Name Associations (if time permits):

Think of a relationship of your name with something else that others could relate with and could remember your name.  For example, the association I use is the breakfast serial Rice Krispies whereby removing the last letter "s" and replacing it with a "n" spells my last name.  You will be quite surprised how easily it will be to remember names afterwards.

Franklin, MA

Spruce Pond Creamery

It is a family tradition to walk to the local ice cream parlor at the end of the school year for a supper of ice cream.

The local choice for us is the Spruce Pond Creamery on King St in Franklin, MA. The sign was recently re-freshed to include the fact that they now offer beer and wine in the restaurant. Their flatbread sandwiches and pizza are very good. Adding the beer and wine option for the accompaniment is good.

Their ice cream take out windows are where we headed on Tuesday.

Ice cream for supper? Why not?

A banana split provides multiple food groups (dairy, nuts, and fruit) with more than enough calories for a meal.

It was good! We only do this at the end of the school year so this is a real treat and not a regular staple of our diet.

What special food treat do you enjoy?


Franklin, MA

Everything is possible!

When you were a kid, everything was possible. Why isn't it the same way now?

I especially like the short video at the end of Cameron Herold's TED Talk.



Yes, a video within a video. Plenty of food for thought.

What do think?


Franklin, MA

In the News - Flickers ... for Hope

By Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted Jun 24, 2010 @ 11:51 PM

FRANKLIN —

They may be on summer vacation, but Meghan and Shannon Morrison are already getting into the holiday spirit.

The sisters were only 9 and 7 at the time their mother, Susan, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. And though Christmas that year fell on one of Susan's "bad weeks," she was able to spend the holiday home with her family.

Recognizing their own good fortune in being able to see their mother at Christmas, the sisters have dedicated themselves to raising money to buy holiday decorations for the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston - an outpatient care facility that serves as a home away from home for cancer patients.

 Read the full article here:
http://www.milforddailynews.com/features/x2071995044/Franklin-teens-spread-holiday-cheer

Donations to Flickers ... for Hope can be made payable to AstraZeneca Hope Lodge, and sent to the attention 

Flickers ... for Hope 

AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston

125 South Huntington Ave 

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Franklin, MA

Green with a little green!

Susan sent me an email with the text and picture attached. Comments don't allow pictures so I am posting this separately:

Buzz has planted what he calls his "two dollar garden" - left over lattice strips and seedlings that were on sale a couple of weeks ago - all less than $2.

See, something green can be accomplished with just a little green!


Franklin, MA

"a NO vote is being penny-wise but pound-foolish"

How about this from the Boston Globe:

'If we had data on all 351 Massachusetts municipalities, the exact impact of the simulated override might vary, but the overall results would be similar. By not passing the override, homeowners in Hull would save on their property taxes over the next five years. But for every tax dollar they save, Hull homeowners would likely forfeit close to four dollars in home value when they sell their homes.

Before pulling the lever in the voting booth, residents across Massachusetts considering a Prop 2 override to help fund local schools might be wise to consider whether a no vote is being penny-wise but pound-foolish.'

Read the full article here
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/06/24/do_the_math_on_overrides/

And the School Committee blog post (which pointed me to this) here
http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/do-the-math-on-overrides/




Franklin, MA

Green front porch

The Franklin Food Pantry has taken the food revolution to their front porch. The greenery growing in the pots are flowers and edible plants (i.e. vegetables).

Do you have space for a planter to grow something for your table?


Franklin, MA

Reminder: The question is open until midnight on June 25th

Based upon the discussion around the article in the Milford Daily News on Tuesday 6/15/10, a new poll question has been added to the center column of Franklin Matters.

The question asks if the override question had been phrased differently would the results have been different. In particular the question is:

If the override was split into 2 separate questions, would you have approved the school override? Q1 - $2.1 million for schools   Q2 - $900K for roads/the town

Yes

No

The article and full comment stream can be found here:http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x1602636112/Franklin-proceeds-with-layoffs



 Franklin, MA

"Morris stood out from the crowd"

By Ashley Studley, Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted Jun 24, 2010 @ 01:22 AM

FRANKLIN —

The School Committee Tuesday welcomed a new addition to the district's administration team, incoming Parmenter Elementary School Principal Tom Morris.

On July 1, Morris will replace Judi Bassignani, who is retiring.

A music teacher for Newton public schools, Morris is looking forward to his new position.

"I'm thrilled to be coming to the Franklin public school district," he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x2071994758/Franklin-welcomes-new-Parmenter-principal

This was reported in real-time from the School Committee meeting on Tuesday evening here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/live-reporting-tom-morris-parmenter.html

Live reporting - Financial Planning Committee

Present: Hardesty, Roche, Cameron, Bartlett, Whalen, Rohrbach, Zollo
Absent: Morrison, Trahan, Mason, Nutting, Sabolinski

What is the next thing we can do to have an incremental effect?

Update forecast, provide an estimate on next years shortage
How do we control costs going forward, esp with 80% of our costs in employee compensation

How many towns have passed overrides around us?

need to re-do the report to make it more easily understandable, i.e. what impact does it have on me!

(Roche left)

Town of Wakefield Chap 70 inequity example
http://www.wakefield.ma.us/Public_Documents/WakefieldMA_EmerNews/02A596B0-000F8513

Norfolk, MA failed their override 6/22/10
The override did not pass. 1,806 votes, which is 29% of registered voters. Yes 571, No 1,235
http://www.norfolknet.com/norfolk/

what are the spending priorities over the next several years?
solicit input on the level of services and what services should be kept
what is the spending priority list?



Franklin, MA

Brainstorming Rules

Rules for brainstorming? Are you sure?
Yes, most definitely. Every game has rules even if they are made up along the way.

Is brainstorming a game?
If we treat it as such, with rules, then the best ideas will win. Note: the ideas win! Not the people who play, the ideas!

The Rules

1. Generate as Many Ideas as Possible
2. Encourage Wild and Exaggerated Ideas, No Matter How Crazy, Ridiculous, or Farfetched the Idea Might Be
3. There will be No Detailed Discussions about an Idea, Except to Provide Clarification
4. Assign Someone as the Scribe. The Scribe Should Write Down Every Idea – No Screening
5. Keep a Copy of the Rules in Plain View (That's called transparency!)
6. The Brainstorming List Must Be Visible to Everyone (also transparency!)
7. Snowballing on Other Ideas is Encouraged
8. Postpone and Withhold Judgment of Any Idea (Yes, this will be a tough one)
9. Leave Your Titles at the Door (and likely the hardest!)
10. The Optimum Number of People is Between 8 And 12, with One-Third of the Group Being Outsiders

Would you like to play?


Note: the rules come from Mark L Fox and his book DaVinci and the 40 Answers

Franklin, MA

School Committee - 06/22/10

The posts live reported from the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 can be found here

• Live reporting - Closing
• Live reporting - Foreign language (Latin, Spanish)...
• Live reporting - Action items
• Live reporting - FY 2011 budget
• Live reporting - Best Buddies 'Don't Use the R Wor...
• Live reporting - Tom Morris, Parmenter Principal
• Live reporting - School Committee
• 
  

Franklin, MA

"Finding interested and qualified candidates has been difficult"

Franklin school decisions explained

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



Franklin, MA

"the EPA should come up with the money"

Officials estimate businesses could spend $6,000 to $120,000 per acre on systems used to redirect stormwater.

"The benefits (of cleaning the river) are grossly overstated and do not justify the expense," said Franklin Director of Public Works Robert Cantoreggi.

Cantoreggi argued that legislation should be sought to control sources of the phosphorous, such as lawn fertilizer. He also said "social research" should be conducted to see if there is support within the communities to fund phosphorous control systems.

"Let the people decide where their money goes," Cantoreggi said.

Read the full article on the EPA Stormwater regulations here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/features/x2071994370/Residents-speak-out-against-EPA-mandate


Franklin, MA