FM #74 Week Ending 10/17/10

Let's take about 10 minutes to catch up on what matters in Franklin, MA as the week ends Oct 17th, 2010.

Time: 10 minutes, 49 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes:

Let's take less than 10 minutes to review the week ending Oct 17 here in Franklin, MA. So what should you know from the past week?

The School Committee met on Tuesday Most of the night was spent on the high school

• The school improvement plan was reviewed http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=HW0UW7w25OKFIuztz4K2Eg%3d%3d
• The senior project was reviewed http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=Z6iurs7XvBmQeuYTQ5aJIA%3d%3d
• The school discipline process and statistics showing the improvements were reviewed http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=M2eDWWFyvuaKUWPh8tPJnw%3d%3d

Copies of the presentations are posted to Franklin Matters.

Of special interest is this segment of dialog between chair Jeff Roy and Principal Peter Light discussing the effects of the Rachel's challenge event recently held at the high school.

(here is the audio clip from the meeting)

What do we have coming up this week?

The Town Council meeting is Weds. The continuation of the public hearing on the underground utilities will be held. You may recall the initial hearing 9/29. The notice was incorrect in that it left out the section of Main St hence, part 2 this week. While the council did a straw vote last time indicating that they would likely not vote to proceed with putting the utilities underground, the official vote should be this week. The council did vote last time to endorse the change from 1-way to 2-way traffic, there will be additional votes required as there is a by-law change needed before that changes. Oh and the construction downtown will begin during 2011 and complete sometime 2012.

Of most interest this weds will be a series of updates from the DPW

• Winter Road Treatments & Snow Removal
• Franklin Town Common Tree Report
• Report on the new Solid Waste and Single Stream Recycling System
• Sewer System Discussion

A series of posts covering the state wide and two local questions that the Franklin voters will see on the Nov 2 ballot will be found this week on FM. The link to the Sec of the Commonwealth page where you can put in your home address and obtain a view of the full set of ballot questions. There is not a one ballot for all of Franklin as the MA legislative districts split Franklin. You may recall for example that the “Scott Brown seat' only covers precincts 2, 3 and 4 in Franklin, Karen Spilka covers the remainder of the Franklin precincts.

 As I close this session this week, let me remind you that

• If you like what I am doing here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don’t like something, please tell me

Thank you for listening!

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission

I hope you enjoy!

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to listen to the audio podcast.

In the News - WWII, community garden

Franklin may honor World War II soldiers

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

Franklin Community Gardens meeting

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc

Franklin, MA

Town Council - agenda and documents

The agenda and associated documents are available for the Town Council meeting on Weds, Oct 20. The layout and formatting makes some of this hard to read (unless you sacrifice a few trees first).

I'll try to obtain copies of the individual presentations but in the meantime, you can prepare for a series of updates from the DPW on

• Winter Road Treatments & Snow Removal
• Franklin Town Common Tree Report
• Report on the new Solid Waste and Single Stream Recycling System
• Sewer System Discussion

The DPW updates begin after the Public Hearing on the underground utilities for the Downtown Project.
(You may recall there was already a public hearing on 9/29/10 for the underground utilities but due to the original notice leaving out the Main St portion of the project, the public hearing needed to be re-posted (hence this part 2). The Council will be in a position to take a vote on the underground utilities. The straw poll taken at the 9/29 meeting indicated a resounding No vote. Council Jones will be missing this meeting as he is in Haiti. Will all the other councilors show up? Stay tuned to find out.)
Town Council 10/20/2010 Agenda



Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Election Nov 2 - State Question #1

QUESTION 1

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or House of Representatives before May 4, 2010?

*** This proposed law would remove the Massachusetts sales tax on alcoholic beverages and alcohol, where the sale of such beverages and alcohol or their importation into the state is already subject to a separate excise tax under state law. The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2011.

A YES VOTE would remove the state sales tax on alcoholic beverages and alcohol where their sale or importation into the state is subject to an excise tax under state law.

A NO VOTE would make no change in the state sales tax on alcoholic beverages and alcohol.

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You can find the complete set of ballot questions and candidates for office on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's web site here:  http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php


You can put your Franklin address into this form and receive a full set of the candidates and ballot questions (3 state wide and 2 specific to Franklin).


Franklin, MA

Comedy Night - Nov 12

Franklin Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC)

2010 Evening of Comedy Fundraiser!

Date: Friday November 12, 2010

Time: Doors at 6:30, show at 8

Location: Milford Doubletree Hotel Ballroom, 11 Beaver St. Milford, MA 01757

Ticket cost: $30 in advance/ $35 at door (includes show and appetizer buffet)

We are happy to announce our 3rd annual Comedy Night

Featuring:
Door prizes throughout the evening
AMAZING silent auction
Our infamous balloon raffle
And, of course, TONS OF LAUGHS


TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
Email Sarah Montani, SEPAC fundraising committee chair, at sarahmontani37@gmail.com.


Franklin, MA

Do you have a Filene's Basement Story?

Dean College to premier “Voices From the Basement” documentary October 19
History of Filene’s Basement documentary by Milford Native Michael Bavaro

Franklin, MA – The premier of the documentary “Voices from the Basement” a history of Filene’s Basement, will be held at Dean College on Tuesday, October 19, 2010, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the College’s Multi Purpose Room (MPR) in the Campus Center, 135 Emmons Street.

The history of Filene’s Basement is captured through newsreels, archival footage, vintage photographs and audio recordings. Its founding brothers, Edwards and Lincoln Filene, were two of the great retail pioneers who helped shape many of the social and economic paradigms that made America great.

“This is the first time this documentary will be played to a large audience,” said Gerry Shaw, Ph.D., Interim Department Chair of Dean’s School of Business. “We are using this documentary across the curriculum in business , theatre , communications , sociology and history classes,” said Dr. Shaw. “We are especially grateful to Michael Bovaro who created this documentary and Susan Edbril who produced it for choosing to premier the film here,” he said.

“Almost everyone has a Filene’s Basement Story,” said Maureen Ridings, Director of Alumni Relations for Dean. “Whether you went there with a relative as a child, or shopped there for your first business suit, we all have great memories of the store in Downtown Crossing.”

Bovaro, a native of Milford, MA wrote, filmed and directed the 45-minute film. The program will be followed by a panel discussion with Bovaro, Ms. Edbril, Sociology professor Kristin Holster, and Brian Early, general manager of Patriot Place. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Shaw. Refreshments will be served.

The event is open to the public and free of charge but registration is requested. Please call 508-541-1612 to register.





Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - 10/20/10

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – September 29, 2010 and October 6, 2010

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS -Meetings of the Town Council are Recorded

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS
Design Review Commission - Chris Baryluk

F. HEARINGS - Public Hearing to Consider Removal of Utility Poles, Overhead Wires & Associated Overhead Wires and Associated Overhead Structures in Downtown Area – 7:10 PM

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Department of Public Works:

• Winter Road Treatments & Snow Removal�Winter Road Treatments & Snow Removal
• Franklin Town Common Tree Report
• Report on the new Solid Waste and Single Stream Recycling System
• Sewer System Discussion

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 10-59: Confirmatory Taking – Land at 459 Pleasant Street
2. Resolution 10-62: Appropriation – Library Expense Account
3. Bylaw Amendment 10-650: Chapter 168, Vacant Properties: Registration and Maintenance – 2nd Reading

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN