Schedule changes

You may have noticed that there was a Long Range Financial Planning committee meeting scheduled for Monday, Sep 19. Notification that it was canceled appeared on the Franklin website Monday.

The Town Council meeting that had been scheduled for Sep 21 was announced at last week's meeting to be moved to Weds, Sep 28th

Resources for alcohol retailers

How convenient - The Bureau of Consumer Protection, part of the FTC just published this listing of resources for alcohol retailers.

 

 

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

 

 

Resources for alcohol retailers

via BCP Business Center | Blog Feed by Janet Evans on 9/13/11

Launching this year's "We Don't Serve Teens" campaign, the FTC and a coalition of private and public groups have materials available for businesses, parents, and others that support the legal drinking age of 21.  If you're an alcohol retailer — or have clients in the industry — you know that underage alcohol sales are illegal.  But how can store owners and managers build compliance into the day-to-day operation of their business?  Here are some tips from the FTC:

1.   Create and maintain a written policy that lists steps your staff has to take for every alcohol sales transaction.  Subjects to cover:  when an ID check needs to be done, what a valid ID looks like, and when — and how — to refuse a sale.

2.   Train all managers and staff on your alcohol sales policy. The best training includes role-playing on how to ask for an ID and how to deny a sale in a non-confrontational manner.

3.   Use tools that make it easy.  Program cash registers to recognize alcohol sales and prompt cashiers to require ID.  If electronic ID verification isn't possible, use a specialty calendar showing birth dates eligible to buy.

4.   Monitor staff conduct through review of point-of-sale videos and private "mystery shopper" inspections.

5.   Keep records that show training dates, unusual occurrences, and the results of compliance checks. Use these records during employee reviews to prevent recurring problems — and to give credit to employees that follow company policies.

6.   Communicate with the public.  Alcohol retailers help their communities when they post information about the legal purchase age and the importance of preventing teen access to alcohol.  Free signs in English and Spanish about the legal drinking age are available from the FTC's bulk order site.

7.   Looking for more information? Visit the Don't Serve Teens site and bookmark the BCP Business Center page for members of the alcohol industry.

 

 

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Canoe the Waterfire in Providence, RI !!

From a faithful reader concerned about our water quality comes a unique opportunity!


"If you are an experienced canoeist and are looking for an unusual and fun opportunity to use your paddling skills please Check out this YouTube video of WaterFire Founder and Executive Artistic Director Barnaby Evans inviting you to participate in this special project.




With your help Waterfire Providence plans on making it even more spectacular by increasing our school to 85 illuminated Japanese Koi!

This year Waterfire is partnering with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council and celebrating Rhode Island Water Celebration Day, a day marking the importance of water quality, access, and its uses that enrich the lives of everyone who lives in or visits Rhode Island.

If you are an experienced canoeist and want to be a a part of WaterFire Providence's September 24th lighting, please follow this link and complete the registration. Further event details including a timeline, directions, etc. will be updated on www.waterfire.org/clearcurrents as the date comes closer.

Thank you for supporting another spectacular WaterFire Providence special project!"

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

The ballot line up is being confirmed today

Candidates who have not returned their papers have until today at 4 p.m. to drop them off at the clerk's office to be certified. 

All nine Town Council seats and all seven school board posts are up for grabs every two years. 

Because some people have not yet returned their papers, there isn't yet a race for School Committee, but there are 11 people who have taken out nomination papers for the board. 

Incumbents Cynthia Douglas, Susan Rohrbach, Edward Cafasso and Paula Mullen, along with newcomer Sean Donahue, have all returned their papers and are therefore the five confirmed candidates. 

Pamela McIntyre, Cora Armenio, Mary Peterson, and John Jewell, chairman of the Republican Town Committee, as well as incumbents Roberta Trahan and William Glynn have taken out, but not yet returned, papers for School Committee.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x66189020/Franklin-election-deadline-is-today#ixzz1YOD92aIP

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day - Oct 1

Franklin's annual hazardous waste collection day is scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 2011. The form would need to be filled out to obtain a ticket for the day. Tickets cost $10 and can be obtained first come, first served from the DPW as detailed on the form:

Household Hazardous Waste 2011

REcycle: helping Bikes Not Bombs

There was order and process to the REcycle Club event yesterday at Franklin High School. The end result was 65 bikes and over $200 collected for Bikes Not Bombs!

Bikes that were donated were lined up.



Care was taken to not damage the seat as the peddles were removed and the handle bars turned to make the bikes more compact for shipping



When the bikes were complete they were lined up ready to board the truck



The truck from Bikes Not Bombs arrived and was ready to be loaded



And part of the crew processing the bikes paused briefly from their work for a photo:



From Left to right: Zak Borelli, Cody Williamson, Michael Williams and club leader - Eamon Earls

For more about BikesNotBombs visit their website: http://bikesnotbombs.org/

Community turns out to clean up Milford trail

For those following the development efforts of the Franklin Citizens Rail Trail Committee, this from neighboring Milford catches the eye. They had the clean up this Saturday in advance of the ribbon cutting to formally open the new section on Sat, Sep 24.

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Community turns out to clean up Milford trail

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Brian Benson/Daily News staff on 9/17/11

Armed with brooms, garbage bags and rakes, more than a dozen volunteers descended on the Milford Upper Charles Trail yesterday, adding beauty to the recreational resource.

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Related posts covering the Milford Trail
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/08/upper-charles-trail-milford-section.html

http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/09/in-new-milford-rail-trail-update.html

Could the Blackstone Valley become a national historic park?

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Could the Blackstone Valley become a national historic park?

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by By Brian Benson, DAILY NEWS STAFF on 9/17/11

It may not be as well known as historic sites in Boston or Lexington and Concord, but supporters of a proposal to create a national historical park in the Blackstone Valley said the region played a critical role in the country's industrialization.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to The Milford Daily News News RSS using Google Reader
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Networking Luncheon - Friday, Sep 23

Franklin Downtown Partnership

Networking Luncheon

Friday, September 23

1 p.m.

Dean College Campus Center

New Dining Hall

$5.50

It's a great way to meet new members!

Contact Joel Carrara if you have any

questions -- jcarrara@printsmartoffice.com

Parmenter: Back to Football Friday

The NFL is sponsoring a Back to Football Friday whereby they will award 34 $10,000 grants to benefit Health and Wellness in local schools in a country wide competition.

What Parmenter did was to incorporate community service as a way to not only stress the importance of Health & Wellness but to also stress the importance of community service. We collected:

P - Paper Products
A - Animal Products
T - Toiletries
S - Stuffed Animals

These items will be distributed to the Friends of Franklin, Franklin Food Pantry, Animal Shelters, etc.

We took pictures of all our students and a few of smaller groups. Our group picture is still with our photographer, but here are two pictures of smaller groups.

One has all our items that we collected (which were abundant):



One at our school sign.




Thanks to Mary Jo Peterson and Jennifer Taddeo, a couple of "community contributors", who provided info and photos from the event at the Parmenter School on Friday.


If you have a local event or good news about Franklin to share, please let me know. Good news is always welcomed!

Halloween costumes for a good cause

A nice cool, fall morning can get us thinking that Halloween will be coming soon!


Berry Insurance, with offices in Franklin and Quincy, Massachusetts, will be collecting Halloween costumes to benefit Children’s Hospital Boston.

This will be Berry Insurance’s third year hosting the drive. In years past Berry Insurance has collected and donated over 50 costumes to the Hospital.

Berry Insurance is collecting only brand new, unused/unworn, Halloween costumes and accessories for children of all ages to be donated just in time for Halloween. All costumes must be new and shouldn’t be violent or scary. Don’t forget about accessories like hats and crowns for those children that can’t get out of bed to dress up.

For anyone who would like to donate, drop off locations are set as follows. Please bring in any donations prior to October 21, 2011.

· Berry Insurance, 9 Main Street, Franklin, MA 02038 from 8am – 4pm

· Berry Insurance, 300 Congress Street, Suite 306, Quincy, MA 02169 from 8am – 4pm

· United Regional Chamber of Commerce, 42 Union Street, Attleboro, MA 02703

· United Regional Chamber of Commerce, 5 West Street, Franklin, MA 02038

The donations will be made in conjunction with Four Point’s by Sheraton’s nationwide costume drive.

In the News - Dean College, Ellis Paul, FPAC season

Dean named makes 'Best College' list

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Ellis Paul plays Saturday night in Franklin

by Ed Symkus/DAILY NEWS CORRESPONDENT

FPAC announces ‘11-’12 season

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

2 Kennedy Playground Fund Raisers

From the Kennedy Playground Committee comes word on two fund raisers:


#1

We are having a day at the 99 Restaurant. David Camilleri, the Franklin's 99's general manager, has set it up that if a person or a group brings in the Kennedy Voucher, 15% of their bill will go toward the Kennedy Playground Fund. Usually they only do 4pm to 9pm but extended it to 11am to 10pm so people can come early for lunch or for a late dinner.

The details are
Location: 99 Restaurant, Franklin Ma
Date: Wednesday, Sept 28th
Time : 11am to 10pm
15% of a person's bill goes toward the Kennedy Playground Fund 

Vouchers can be downloaded and printed from our website - www.KennedyPlayground.com

Dining for a Cause Customizable Organization Flyer

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


#2

Ladybug 5K Road Race/Walk and Fun Run

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Race/Walk - registration $20 (before Oct 24), $25 on race day

Fun Run - registration $5 (before Oct 24), $10 on race day

Registration forms can be found here or online at the Kennedy Playground website

"Do I have to do anything?"

The Milford Daily News has a follow up conversation with Police Chief Stephen Williams who is scheduled to retire in December:

Williams worked his way through the ranks exclusively in Franklin, an advantage he said he hopes his successor will have. 

"It's an advantage for me to be a homegrown boy in that I know the people and the players - knowing what Franklin is, what it has been and what it will be," Williams said. 

Williams said his replacement will most importantly have to be connected to and involved with the community, pointing to officers who pay attention to local government decisions, coach school sports, visit senior centers and care about downtown parking problems. 

"Those are very key components of having a department that's well-entrenched in the community," Williams said. "The new chief will continue to build those bridges and friendships."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x948307078/Police-chief-looks-back-as-Franklin-prepares-to-fill-his-spot#ixzz1Y6gVwuyX

Chief William's retirement was announced during the Town Council meeting Wednesday night
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/09/live-reporting-door-to-door.html

Farmer's Market - Open - Noon to 6:00 PM

Franklin Farmers Market,  Friday,  12:00pm to 6:00pm

Located on the Town Common

Reminder that the Farmers' Market now accepts SNAP dollars and can double your purchasing power.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/07/franklin-farmers-market-doubles-food.html

Visit the Food Pantry tent at the Farmers' Market for details.

In the News - 9/11, Cultural Council, Women's Club

Students pay homage to 9/11 in Franklin

by Alison McCall/Daily News staff

Franklin Cultural Council seeking applications

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

St. Mary’s Catholic Women’s Club season begins

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Reminder: Bike Recycling

On Saturday, September 17th there will be a used bicycle collection at the Franklin High School parking lot, 218 Oak Street, to benefit charity. The collection runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and is sponsored by the Franklin High School RE:Cycles Club to benefit a Boston based charity that provides used bicycles to people in need, in the US and overseas. We are looking for used bike donations as well as money donations to defray the cost of shipping overseas. Bikes Not Bombs, the beneficiaries of the drive, are a 501(c)3 charity, and donors can request a receipt for tax purposes. We are especially in need of adult bikes in reasonable or easily reparable condition. The event will be held, rain or shine.

For more information contact Eamon McCarthy Earls at re_cycles@yahoo.com.

"I'm sad to see him go"

... councilors voted to raise sewer and water bills by 10 percent each in June of 2012, amounting to about $44 more in sewer bills to the average customer and $60 more in water bills to the average customer in the first year. 

The additional money is expected to pay for planned capital improvements to those utilities. The Charles River Pollution Control District requires upgrades to the regional sewer treatment plant, of which Franklin owns 65 percent, said Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting. On the water end, councilors authorized a $7.5 million bond to improve the water system last year. 

Though two years of increases were on the budget for approval, councilors approved both years of sewer, and only the first year of higher water bills.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x948306558/Franklins-top-cop-to-retire-in-3-months#ixzz1Y0tpptLB

My summary of the Town Council meeting

• Four establishments get penalized for serving underage minors on July 29, 2011.
• A new restaurant to open in Franklin Village Plaza gets a liquor license
• Chief Williams will be retiring in December
• Chief McCarragher provided an update and lessons learned from the response to Irene
• Sewer rates are going up due to EPA requirements for the Charles River Pollution Control District of which we are responsible for 65% of the volume
• McGann will run for Town Council and let the voters decide if his attendance record matters (54% attendance)

The full set of notes can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/09/town-council-091411.html

"I'm going to let the voters decide"

"I'm really surprised that more people aren't interested in the Town Council and the School Committee," said Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri, a 27-year incumbent who does face a challenger, former Town Councilor Deborah Bartlett. "We've had so much going on. People have been blogging left and right, and I wish some of these people would come forward and run." 

Every one of the nine Town Council seats and all seven School Committee seats are available every two years. 

The Town Council has only eight candidates who have returned nomination papers so far. Incumbents Glenn Jones, Tina Powderly, Robert Vallee and Judith Pond Pfeffer are running. New hopefuls include School Committee Chairman Jeff Roy, School Building Committee Chairman Thomas Mercer, Robert Dellorco and Juan Ramon Rivera. 

Councilors Joseph McGann and Matthew Kelly have taken out but not yet returned nomination papers. At last night's council, McGann, who would be running for his fifth term, said three councilors have asked him not to run because of missed meetings.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x227170085/Few-candidates-for-council-school-board-seats-in-Franklin-election#ixzz1Y0qI4tOS

The attendance records for Town Council and School Committee for the past two years are available here

Note: the School Committee records are not up to date but the attendance percent is high and their record is consistent. The Town Council has some folks with shady attendance records. The majority of those with poor records are not running for a new term. One will be. So if you want your voice to be represented half the time time (54%), that will be your choice.

In the News - golf tournament, Gerry's Place, diabetes walk

Franklin arts center golf tournament Sept. 26

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Tri-County School restaurant open to public

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin walk to raise money to cure diabetes

by GateHouse Media, Inc.