Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Friday, August 6, 2010
Survey reminder
You can find the survey here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-trashrecycle-status-survey.html
Note: As of 8/5/10 8:00 PM there were 43 responses. Thanks!
Franklin, MA
In the News - fire, robbery, Norfolk explosion
Franklin storage facility catches fire
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staffMasked man tries to rob CVS
Propane Leak Cause of Norfolk Explosion
Franklin, MA
Thursday, August 5, 2010
New Trash/Recycle Status Survey
Note: email subscribers may need to click through to Franklin Matters to view and respond to the survey.
Franklin, MA
Franklin, MA: ZBA canceled
HAS NO HEARINGS SCHEDULED
FOR AUGUST 5, 2010.
THE NEXT ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR
AUGUST 19, 2010.
You can also check the agendas for the Zoning Board of Appeals on the Franklin, MA website:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_ZBAAgendas/
In the News - Chestnut St fire, attempted theft, business growth
Fire damages Franklin business overnight
Man tries to steal drugs from CVS in Franklin
Franklin encourages business growth
Franklin, MA
Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee Meeting - Agenda - 8/10/10
Location: Franklin YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road
Start Time: 7:30PM
I. Call to Order / Introductions of New Attendees
A. Introduction of new attendees
B. Review & approve minutes of previous meeting
II. Report from our representative from DCR
A. Gates & Grading
III. Membership Committee Report (Denison, McKeown, Sawyer)
A. Committee to report on membership activity
IV. Report from Finance Committee (Rossetti)
A. Report from Treasurer
V. Report of Fund Raising Committee (Sawyer)
A. Report on fund raising activities
a. Report Road Race Committee by Dave Labonte
VI. Report from Grant Writing Committee
A. Extend committee with more members & participation
VII. Unfinished Business:
A.
VIII. New Business:
IX. Set Date & place for Next Meeting and Adjourn
More info on the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee can be found here:
http://www.franklinrailtrail.org/
Franklin, MA
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Bill Glynn - sit and chat summary
They did come. By ones and twos, a total of seven. A mother with her children in Franklin schools who also works as a teacher. A father with children in the school whose wife is a teacher. She was at the boys baseball game, so he came. Two more mothers, coordinators for one of the school PCC organizations. Another mother with two little ones just getting into the school system, curious to understand what their future in the schools might be like. Another mother (also a teacher) brought her son who will be a senior at Franklin High in September (yes, he did want to come along).
Curious, they came to see what the discussion would be like.
Curious, they came to talk about Franklin.
Bill stopped reading when I arrived. The conversation circle we started then expanded with each new arrival. Greetings, small talk (how many kids in school, what school, how did you hear about this, etc.) developed a rhythm, a gentle conversation on a summer evening on the Common.
Were the problems of Franklin solved?
No. There are no easy solutions.
Was it beneficial to talk?
Yes, it was good. There are folks concerned about what is happening. There are folks willing to step up and find out what's going on.
How would I summarize the conversation?
- Many folks recognize that education is important. Class size increases are not good. People may be surprised when they see the number of kids in their child's room.
- The teachers are not happy with how Mr Roy (Jeff Roy, School Committee Chair) has portrayed the FEA (teacher's union) in the newspaper. If this is his attempt at winning the power struggle, from the teachers perspective, he is hurting Franklin more than he thinks he is winning.
- The change to the six period schedule at the high school has been both good and bad. Good in that the schedule itself works. Bad in that the schedule change has reduced the variety of electives. Bad in that along with other teacher staffing changes, some forced by the budget cuts, some with individual teacher decisions (i.e. retirements), some programs have seen a great deal of change. The example cited was five language teachers in three years. Other students had benefited from the same teacher for the four years in that language.
- The high school student asked how do students get involved? What are the channels available? All are available. Come to the meetings, view via the web broadcast. If they want School Committee people to meet with them that can be scheduled.
- The conversation started too late to get the information out for this years override. People were asking what's happening, what's coming and when it all came out, it was too much, too late.
- Some folks believe Franklin schools have always been good. They don't realize that in the 70's the school system was not well respected.
- Some parents may be choosing to send their kids to Xaverian and other private high schools. It may be good that they can afford to do so but their students still end up at Westfield or Framingham. The belief amongst some parents is that the preparation at Franklin High is really better than that which could be obtained elsewhere. So while they can afford to pay for a private high school what are they really buying? What are they saving?
- The concern is that while the students education has been preparing them for the evolving world at the high school today, will the preparation of the students in the lower grades now be sufficient to help them be ready for high school when they go there? Bill shared that in his work with college deans, they have expressed that their concern is many students coming to college are not prepared for it. In that case, the parents end up paying for the remedial study for the students. So what have the parents really saved?
- What will the high school be like when today's elementary and middle school students get there? What will class sizes be like then? What programs will be available then? Will it be renovated?
- Would there be two overrides next year? Technically, there could be one override for the operational budget in May/June 2011. There could also be a debt override for the high school renovation later in 2011 (Nov/Dec), if the current state planning schedule holds.
- How do we get the information out? Reach out to the pre-school mothers. Reach out to all the youth sports groups. Continue the forums, the PCC meetings, the standard notifications. We need to find out how to reach the folks to help them realize that it matters to them. To their home values, to their children's future.
Did I miss something? Maybe, I am not perfect.
I think I got the gist of the conversation. Bill does plan to do this again. His August's schedule is already hectic so maybe in September.
My thanks to Bill for taking the time to have this conversation.
Many thanks to those folks who came and hopefully had their curiosity satisfied.
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You can get a weekly summary via email by subscribing to Franklin Matters Weekly. It will contain a review of the prior week's events and provide an outlook on the coming week. It is meant to be read (or listened to) in about ten minutes. If there is something that you need to get more information on, there are links to provide the additional details. I have not updated it during the summer. So little is happening (and my own travels have taken me away from Franklin). August is already here, September is just around the corner.
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Note: Bill Glynn is a first term member of the Franklin School Committee.
Franklin, MA
Franklin, MA: Concerts on the Common
Wed Aug 4th - Frank Padula Band (6:30 PM to 8:30 PM)
Children's Program: Elaine Kessler, Story Teller (6:00 PM to 6:30 PM)
Franklin, MA
FSPA presents Shakespeare on the Town Common, plus
Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) is pleased to announce that the Third Annual Whatever Theater Festival will take place from Wednesday, August 4through Saturday, August 7, 2010. The Festival’s events include Shakespeare on the Common, a medley of one-act plays, The Game Show of Game Shows, and a hilarious and entertaining Soiree.
The Festival’s medley of one-act plays will be presented at Franklin School for the Performing Arts, 38 Main Street, Franklin on Wednesday evening, August 4th at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday afternoon, August 7th at 3:00 p.m. The wonderful collection of short plays ranges from silly and strange to mysterious and thought provoking.
The Festival will feature Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night on Thursday, August 5th and Friday, August 6th at 8:00 p.m. The play will be staged on The Franklin Town Common and is free to the public.
The cast also will perform The Game Show of Game Shows on Saturday, August 7th at 7 p.m. at The School on 38 Main Street in Franklin.
To conclude the Whatever Theater Festival, the cast will present a Soiree on Saturday, August 7th at 9:00 p.m., also at The School. Guaranteed to be a night full of laughter, the Soiree features both prepared and improvisational pieces. Past soiree numbers have ranged from song and dance numbers to hula-hoop acts!
The box office for the Whatever Theater Festival can be reached at (508)-528-8668. There will be no charge for the Shakespeare performances on the Franklin Town Common. Tickets for the other performances are $10 for adults and $5 for students at the door.
Franklin, MA
In the News - rain gardens
Garden to clean stormwater in Franklin
by Ashley Studley/Daily News staffAdditional information on the Charles River clean up can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/costs-of-charles-river-cleanup.html
Franklin, MA
Franklin, MA: Traffic Alert
You can subscribe to receive news like this directly to your email by following the steps here:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/subscriber-news
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Franklin, MA: Police alert - injured officer status
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On Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at 11:30 am Franklin Police Officers responded to a report of a police officer that had been struck by a motor vehicle while on paid detail duty at the intersections of King Street and Route 495 in Franklin. The suspect vehicle described by witnesses as a small red car fled the scene leaving the officer, 25 year police veteran Edward Clifford on the roadway. Franklin Firefighters were luckily on scene and immediately rendered first aid to Officer Clifford. Clifford was transported by Franklin Fire to the Milford Whitinsville Regional Hospital for injuries suffered. His condition is good as he was released and is recovering at this time at home.
Witness accounts of the accident and subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of Ari C. Cunard, age 25 of 301 Union Street apartment 220 in Franklin for the offenses of Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident and Operating a Motor Vehicle so as to Endanger the Lives and Safety of the Public. Cunard was located at her home address and subsequent to questioning by Franklin Police Officers admitted to having been the operator of the suspect motor vehicle, a 2006 Red Chevrolet Cobalt Massachusetts registration 698ES6. The suspect vehicle was located in the rear parking area of 301 Union Street where Ari Cunard resides. Ari Cunard was booked for the above listed offenses and held in the Franklin Station until released on bail for appearance in the Wrentham District Court on Wednesday the 4th of August.
Updated: 8/8/10
Boston Herald says Ari has a record:
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20100806alleged_hit-run_driver_busted_twice_at_hotels/
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Note: The police officers working on details are working on their own personal time earning extra money and money for Franklin. Franklin charges the contractors for the detail services which covers the cost of the police officers time, plus. This information has been confirmed in prior budget meeting discussions with police and town personnel.
Franklin, MA
Information Sessions Regarding Franklin Residually Designated Discharges
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Plans for schools advance
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
As the new school year approaches, officials in Franklin and Medway are on the verge of hiring architects for longstanding school renovation and repair efforts, and are moving closer to asking voters to approve property-tax increases to pay for the projects.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Boston Globe -- Globe West using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Municipal Relief Bill enacted
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
Highlights of the law, formally titled An Act Relative to Municipal Relief, include:
-- Allowing cities and towns to extend their pension funding schedules out to 2040, rather than meeting the previous deadline of 2030 which seemed all but impossible given unprecedented asset losses from the stock market decline of 2008;
-- Giving communities more flexibility in their borrowing by allowing the financing of projects over a term matching the asset's useful life up to 30 years;
-- Permits communities to adopt a limited early retirement program;
-- As noted in City and Town article of July 22, "Certification Year Reshuffle," restructures the schedule for triennial property tax recertifications.
There is much more in the new law, including changes in bidding, intermunicipal agreements, and provisions to stimulate regionalization and shared services.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites