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The Franklin Police Department is looking to residents to help raise money for the annual Jimmy Fund Walk next month.
Chief Stephen Williams, with the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, will be participating in the event for the seventh year in a row and has put collection cans out at local businesses.
"Jimmy Fund canisters will be on display in local Franklin businesses from now throughout September,'' Williams said in a release. "We have always relied on the generosity of the businesses and residents of Franklin to make our fundraising for the fight against cancer a success."
To help Williams, visit www.jimmyfundwalk.org and click "support a walker" to make an online donation.
Town budget status:
Nutting - negotiating the contract with the architect on the high school, still targeting next Nov (Nov 2011) for a debt exclusion question to pay for the renovation
Lost almost $3.2 million in state aid the last couple of years; this was offset by 522,000 in school aid (which still has not been received).
Approx Jun/Jul 2011 should have a proposal for the MSBA to approve by the middle of July so that Franklin could schedule the vote for the regular Nov 2011 scheduled election. Otherwise, a special date would need to be set.
Membership:
Brendan Morrison has left the committee, should there be a replacement? or stay with nine.
Make offer to consider adding any interested, Jeff will post to the Town website. Scott will announce at the Council meeting.
Web site:
Who can take on the task of checking on the posting of the committee documents to the website? Jim Roche will. Jeff will let Diane know that Jim may call regarding the committee documents.
Bargaining Confidentiality background:
No party discusses the status of what is going on until there is an agreement on both sides.
Broad parameters are set during an executive session prior to negotiation commencement.
Committee priorities:
(see listing - to be attached later)
Discussion to clarify what's on the listing and if there needs to be additional items.
Should the committee be "Just the fact's Mame" or should it be an advocacy group?
Creating a generally accessible document is one thing, advocating for the details, explaining the ins and outs is not the same thing as advocating for or against an override.
Need to understand cost control to reference readily
1 - What is under Franklin's control, what is out of our hands and in the hands of either the State (Beacon Hill) or Congress (Washington)
2 - There are two things to show: (1) the number of employees (i.e. Fire, Police, etc.) comparable to a similar sized community and (2) how their salary compares to other similar communities. These are available and updated regularly.
There seems to be a recurring theme around a lack of trust and creditability.
Ongoing item of differentiating the capital budget and the operating budget. How well do we explain the use of free cash and the capital budget?
Anything to add to the listing?
Clarification on the charter of the committee, at least to review and re-evaluate the current charter
If the Administration is already producing a three year outlook beyond the operating budget, why are we producing a report? Should we focus on validating and questioning the current process documents?
For next time: committee to pick three things to do brilliantly well, what would be the most worthy of our time? Also choose two or three things that should come off the listing.
Exceptions: updating the five year plan remains on the listing and does not need to be amongst the three. Monitoring the web site hits is one that can come off the listing. It is necessary but not something that needs to be done everyday.
Next meeting Sep 8th, 7:00 PM
Note email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the documents
One of the musical gems that exists within Franklin is the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse. This is their newest email outlining the schedule of performers for the upcoming season.
You can visit the Coffeehouse website to view details and subscribe to your own copy of this email. http://www.circlefolk.org/
Want to join me for a music filled Hawaiian Cruise in January? Musicians Johnsmith, Don White, Beaucoup Blue, & Doug Bell will provide music as we visit Honolulu, Oahu; Kahului, Maui; Hilo, Hawaii; Kona, Hawaii; & Nawilliwili, Kauai. Great cabin rates only available till the end of August.
Jake
3. Discussion Only Items - none 4. Action Items - none 5. Information Matters Superintendent’s Report a. MSBA Update architect negotiations underway b. Personnel Update still looking to fulfill some positions
c. Schedules / Teacher Assignments should be out next week, been getting phone calls on teacher assignments d. Center For American Progress
Franklin selected as a spotlight district for ROI.
Selected by a Washington, DC think-tank
used a variety of data to per pupil numbers, from state websites, and national databases, took out Special Ed costs, looked at AP scores
looked at 15,000 districts
e. New Staff Orientation (8/24, 25, 26 – RMS 8:00 A.M.)
we have had a lot of personnel changes over the summer OT/PT consultants were hired instead of being outsources via the collaborative three new health PE teachers, foreign language teachers moved to the high school unexpected resignations during the summer 7 teachers were non-renewed who were not performing up to district standards during their 1-2-or 3 year before they obtained their professional status
enrollments continuing to grow, 20 this week alone 6th grade classes are at 28-29
f. Foreign Language Technology Presentation met with Rosetta Stone maybe able to utilize in a future budget year
g. Proposed School Committee Presentations 2010-11
very general outline on forthcoming presentations (to be shared post meeting)
Meeting with committee on full-day vs. half-day kindergarten
should be ready to report in January
Rohrbach - some people don't realize how much the administration does to help
Glynn - do you think there is an opportunity to help the foreign language situation we have?
Sabolinski - Kristy and Michelle are looking at that, once the students come back we want to get a survey out to see how many students would be interested.
