"Reductions in aid would have especially hurt towns such as Franklin"

In Franklin, where Town Councilor Tina Powderly has urged online for residents to tell their legislators to support the reform, the town has also had success negotiating with its unions, Town Council Chairman Scott Mason said. 

Nevertheless, "we need to take the constraints off and have a little more control of our own financial destiny," Mason said, adding he was surprised the issue came up this year. "No one on the state level has seemed to want to step forward and take the reins on it. Unfortunately it's a political time bomb."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1890541283/Local-towns-pleased-with-state-aid-numbers-for-next-year#ixzz1JxaUgMeZ


Franklin, MA

Franklin Community Garden Committee to meet Thursday

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Franklin Community Garden Committee to meet Thursday

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 4/18/11

The Franklin Community Garden Committee will be hold its first meeting Thursday.

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Good luck Boston Marathoners!

Good luck to the approx 25 runners from Franklin registered to run the Boston Marathon today.

May the wind be at your back and the road be kind to you this day!

Additional information can be found on the revised BAA website here: http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.aspx



Franklin, MA

Earth Day - 2011 - Pleasant St results

Earth Day 2011, a set on Flickr.

On my Sunday run, returning along Pleasant St, I found good piles of trash in the blue bags used on Earth Day.

Thanks for all the help! Earthy Day is every day, there are still areas around Franklin that haven't been touched and need to be cleaned.

Of course, we also need to stop treating the roadway as a dump zone. Please don't discard your trash along the road!



Franklin, MA

Emergency utility work on Union St

Couldn't get through on Union St early Sunday morning? The Franklin Police had it blocked off to allow some emergency utility work. The police log for 11:35 PM on Saturday April 16th reads:

SEVERAL 911'S REPORTS CAR V POLE. ALL CRUISERS RESP. FD RESP. NATIONAL GRID RESP. REPORT TO FOLLOW. GROVE STREET TOWED MV. POLE 3

When a car goes against a pole, the pole usually wins. In this case, it still needed to be replaced. No word on the condition of the driver from the police report.


Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Apr 20, 2011

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March 16, 2011

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION:
1. Resolution 11-12: Order of Taking-Land Located on Colt Road and Washington Street
2. Resolution 11-13: Designation of “Special Municipal Employees” Under State Ethics Law
3. Resolution 11-14: Acceptance of Deed of Parcel 212-011, Pond Street Pursuant to G.L. Chapter 60, Section 77C
4. Resolution 11-15: Acceptance of Deed of Parcel 212-012, Pond Street Pursuant to G.L. Chapter 60, Section 77C
5. Zoning Bylaw 11-652: Amendment to Chapter 185 §4. Districts Enumerated – Referral to
Planning Board
6. Zoning Bylaw 11-653: Amendment to Chapter 185 §7. Compliance Required – Referral to
Planning Board
7. Zoning Bylaw 11-654: Amendment to Chapter 185 §12. Schedule of Lot, Area, Frontage, Yard & Height Requirements. – Referral to Planning Board

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


The full document for this meeting's agenda can be found here:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2011tc%20Complete%20With%20Documents/04202011agenda.pdf

Franklin, MA

Earth Day - left the area cleaner

Jim Esterbrook, Franklin DPW GIS Manager,  said there was a good turnout for Franklin's Earth Clean cleanup activities. He worked with some groups before hand to coordinate where they would clean so they would save some time traveling to Beaver Pond to check in and then go out to their area. The cool weather may have held the turnout down although the athletic fields are Beaver Pond were busy with teams practicing.

Dave Labonte (standing beside the booth in the photo below) of the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee, co-sponsors of the clean up, split time securing the tent and table from being blown over by the wind, and answering questions about the groups activities.



The 5K road race on the former Putnam property on Saturday, April 23 will help to create awareness for the rail trail as well as serve as a fund raiser for the group. Information on the race can be found here.




Pictured in the photo (from left to right): Colleen Kleya, Kevin Silvia, Brian O'Connell and Justin Kleya.

At the Whole Foods Market parking lot in Bellingham, the Grass Gypsys bundled up to stay warm, entertained the crowd. David Dobrzynski coordinated the efforts for the 12th Annual Clean Up along the Charles River. He thought the weather played more of a part in the turnout than the schedule. It was the start of school vacation for Franklin and other communities but the cool wind and overcast skies did not help. Several of the canopies were blown over in the parking lot and were taken down due to the high winds. One scout troop had been scheduled to participate with 30 scouts and showed up with 16.

A good deal of trash was removed from the Charles River shores. One disturbing trend reported in three different spots was that gas or oil cans were found leaking along the shore. "This is our water, you'd think by now people would have gotten the message." The important point was that while participation was down from prior years, "We left the place cleaner than it was so that is a good thing."


For additional information on

• the Charles River Watershed Association can be found here
• the Grass Gypsys can be found here
• the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee can be found here

Recall last year 125 tires were removed from Mine Brook


Franklin, MA