Town Council meeting 2/2/11

Present: Mason, Kelly (clerk), Jones, Zollo, Powderly
Absent: Vallee, Whalen, Pfeffer, McGann

(tuned in late to meeting via cable feed)

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
1. Updates:

Snow Budget - getting eaten up quickly with the weather we have had, exhausted the $750,000 initially budgeted, authorization to exceed budget on for approval later, do have $1.3 M set aside in anticipation of this.

Meeting with Recreation Advisory Board -
postponed due to emergency health problems, won't happen immediately
looking to investigate the option of implementing this

Handicap Parking - please don't park in a handicap spot unless you are authorized to do so

High School Feasibility Study - under way

FY 2012 Budget - numbers will be more solid for the beginning middle of Mar, level service budgets loaded from each Dept. School Dept hasn't had their hearing yet (canceled meeting Tue due to weather). Not sure about using the Governors numbers, wanting to see what the House and Senate for with the revenue numbers before proceeding.

Jeff Nutting added that the Library is collecting books, that there will be a book sale.

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
none

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 11-05: Authorization to Expend Funds in Excess of Available Appropriations
Passed 5-0

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
not tonight, see above updates

L. OLD BUSINESS
none

M. NEW BUSINESS
none

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Jones - congratulations to Simon's Furniture on 100's years of business here in Franklin

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required
Motion to enter executive session for collective bargaining, not to return to open meeting
Passed 5-0 via roll call


Note: The meeting went into Executive Session about 7:15 PM


--------

from the video feed:

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – January 12, 2011
motion to accept, passed 5-0

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
The meeting is recorded by Verizon and Comcast, usually by Franklin Matters (but not present for the meeting that evening).

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none

E. APPOINTMENTS
Design Review - Chris Baryluk as member
motion to approve - passed 5-0

Len Rafuse as Associate member
motion to approve - passed 5-0

F. HEARINGS - none

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
Maguro House – Change of Manager
motion to approve - passed 5-0


Franklin, MA

Change, one laugh at a time

Cartoonist Liza Donnelly spends a few minutes (about 7 actually) sharing some thoughts about humor and change.




Have a good laugh today!


Franklin, MA

LinkedIn Event: Small Business Marketing Strategies

For the small business owners in the area, this would be a good event to participate in to see how you can incorporate the social media tools into your business.

LinkedIn Tricia White; MSBDC Advisor has sent you a message. Date: 2/01/2011 Subject: LinkedIn Event: Small Business Marketing Strategies Tricia White; MSBDC Advisor found Small Business Marketing Strategies on LinkedIn Events and thought you might be interested in going! http://events.linkedin.com/Small-Business-Marketing-Strategies/pub/549670 Small Business Marketing Strategies Thu, Feb 10 Ames Free Library, North Easton, MA, US Keywords: social media, small business, small business training, SEO, Facebook, LinkedIN, Blogs, E-newsletters, social networking Sponsored by Ames Free Library, Easton Chamber of Commerce, Patch.com. Marketing Strategies using Social Media – We touch upon basic SEO and what drives search engines, social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, You Tube and My Space), Blogs and E-Newsletters. If you already know this seminar, please share it with others who could use some help in social media! Trish

In the News - snow on roof

Snow crushes Upton barn, damages Franklin building

by Brian Benson/Daily News staff



Franklin, MA

FYI - Trash and recycling cancellation for Wednesday

For safety concerns, the trash and recycling will not be picked up Wednesday and will be delayed one day from your normal pick up day. Friday pick up schedule will be Saturday.

We apologize for the inconvenience, safety is the first priority.

So Weds becomes Thu, Thu becomes Fri, Fri becomes Sat for the trash pick up this week

test post

Test post

post to test new Facebook like function

Updated: I like the looks of it. It is only visible on the individual post, not on the full page which would be overkill.

We'll leave it here for a bit and see (1) if more Facebook likes occur and or (2) someone complains (3) or it breaks something else or ???



Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: School Budget Book - FY 2012

The full and complete budget book for the FY 2012 school budget. This is scheduled for discussion Tuesday at the School Committee meeting beginning at 7:00 PM.

- The Budget Book is not available yet. Due to the way it was packaged with Adobe, it is not viewable via my normal sources - I'll correct it as soon as possible.

You can view the presentation from Saturday
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/01/budget-workshop-preliminary-school.html

and the document handout (which is the intro to the Budget Book)
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/01/school-budget-workshop-hand-out-from.html


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.

Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - 2/1/11

Vision Statement

The Franklin Public Schools will foster within its students the knowledge and skills to find and achieve satisfaction in life as productive global citizens.

Mission Statement

The Franklin Public Schools, in collaboration with the community, will cultivate each student's intellectual, social, emotional and physical potential through rigorous academic inquiry and informed problem solving skills within a safe, nurturing and respectful environment.

"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."

1. Routine Business

Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the Open and Executive Sessions of the January 25, 2011 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Glynn
Payroll - none for this meeting Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives

Correspondence
1. Budget to Actual

2. Guests/Presentations
a. Lifelong Learning – Pandora Carlucci
b. Preliminary Budget Overview

3. Discussion Only Items
Proposed School Committee Schedule for 2011-2012

4. Action Items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $921.60 from the Remington PCC for in-house enrichment.
b. I recommend acceptance of a check for $125.00 from the Kennedy PCC for field trips.
c. I recommend the naming of the FHS away-side press box in memory of FHS football coach, Gerry Leone.
d. I recommend approval of the recurring field trip to Hartford, CT for the FHS Cheerleaders for a competition as detailed.
e. I recommend adoption of the School Committee Schedule for 2011-2012 as discussed.

5. Information Matters

Superintendent’s Report

School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports

6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.

7. Executive Session
Contractual Negotiations

8. Adjourn


Franklin, MA

Sound in the Hall Records

They hope to sell 500,000 downloads in the month of February of Copathetic, an independent music album featuring Virginia singer/songwriter Kate Herndon and Jessi Fanuele, a Franklin High School history teacher who plays acoustic guitar.

The students are part of Sound in the Hall Records, a student-run record company launched five years ago to supplement music recording and performance classes at the high school. About 30 students participate in the group, which has recorded local bands and school concerts and broadcasts radio shows on the Internet.

If they are successful, they would earn a Gold record, awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America for albums that sell 500,000 copies, Peacock said, adding they would probably become the first independent record company to reach this goal.

"We'd be making history," Peacock said. "And, we'll be pioneering a new way of marketing an album."

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

You can visit Sound in the Hall records website here



Franklin, MA

Medway Library trustees meet about agreement with Franklin

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Medway Library trustees meet about agreement with Franklin

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Julie Balise/Daily News staff on 1/31/11

Medway Public Library supporters have been invited to a meeting tomorrow to discuss the Board of Trustees decision to end their inter-municipal agreement with Franklin.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to The Milford Daily News News RSS using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

In the News - registration postponed, fire, Dean seminar

Franklin kindergarten registration postponed

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Two cats die in Franklin fire

by Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

Dean College Children's Center sponsors Early Childhood seminar

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin, MA

Budget Workshop: Preliminary School Budget

The presentation used during Saturday's budget workshop for the FY 2012 budget for the Franklin (MA) Public Schools.

Franklin Public Schools FY2012 Preliminary Budget


My notes reported live from the Budget workshop can be found here and here

Note: Email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document


Franklin, MA

Getting squeezed

The i495 and King St intersection was completely re-done last year in a MassDOT project. The wide lanes disappear in the snow however so be very careful navigating there.

You really need to be skinny when you get squeezed into what was a full lane but is no longer and there is an 18 wheeler next to you. Be careful!

While the State did the reconstruction of the interchange, does any one know who is responsible for this section to be plowed: the State or Franklin?


Franklin, MA

Tale of two sidewalks (part 2)

It is good to see that downtown businesses can be taken care of. After all, business is at the heart of Franklin.

From what I hear, some folks would like the sidewalks around schools to be given a little more attention.

Parmenter School looked like this Friday morning:

To be fair, I need to go back to Parmenter to see what it looks like today. The downtown picture was taken Saturday afternoon. The DPW do a tremendous job. They have not added personnel since the 1990's and their amount of roads to cover has grown in that time. One of the two sidewalk snow plows dates back to 1970's. But it all costs money!


Franklin, MA

Work real hard to clear the snow!

Someone will need to be really energetic to clear all the snow with this mortar and pestle!

Stir, stir, stir!


Franklin, MA