Live reporting - Organizational meeting - "Citizens for a New Franklin High School"

Over 60 Almost 80 people have gathered here in the library in the middle of Franklin High School to start the committee to promote and advocate for the new high school proposal.

School Building Committee Chair Tom Mercer is providing an overview of the work performed to date. The various proposal put together, what was rated and ranked, pros and cons, then ultimately the MSBA invited Franklin into the "Model School" program.

Participating were at least one representative from the Finance Committee, many of the School Committee and Town Council members.

Among the items shared:

The Whitman-Hanson model school has been replicated 8 times around the state. One other model school has been replicated once. The other two model schools have not yet been replicated.

The foot print of the new building is two-thirds of the size of the existing building. It goes up three stories to reduce the foot print over the existing space.

There is 850 seat auditorium/theater in the new design.

MSBA will vote on Jan 25th to approve or deny our proposal. The School Building Committee will then come to the Town Council asking for a debt exclusion with a target date for the vote - March 27. The Town Council has final say on the debt exclusion and date for the vote.

If all goes well, ground will be broken this fall and the new building should be open in the fall of 2014.

The total cost of the project is projected to be $104.5 M
Franklin's share would be $47 M. The State will pick up 59.52% of the cost (the balance).
When the project started the expected reimbursement was expected to be 30-34%

The debt exclusion is for a twenty year period. It will be an increasing cost and then flat for the remainder of the twenty year term. Compared to an override, the debt exclusion increase in taxes will expire at twenty years. The override never expires (unless there is an 'underride' - and yes, it does happen but not frequently in MA).

Tom is doing this 'road show' several times and the schedule will continue to develop.

The group has a Facebook page
There is a Twitter account created:  https://twitter.com/#!/sayYEStoFHS
There will likely be a website (link to be added when available)

The other model schools being built with the Whitman-Hanson model are coming in on or under budget and schedule.

One of the major items bringing the current high school to warning status is the lack of handicap access. The cost to provide accessibility to the current facility still wouldn't address other issues affecting the warning status.

The current facility is experiencing a rash of electric shorts causing fire alarms. This is part of the overall infrastructure problem.

Important dates
Jan 31 - Finance Committee meeting to preview the proposal and make their vote
Feb 1 - Town Council meeting
Feb 28 - School Committee meeting

The model school is a take it or leave it proposal Franklin can get a 104.5 million facility for $47M.

"Citizens for a New Franklin High School"

Wadsworth Diary - Jan 12, 1892

Damp & foggy most the day & is this eve. Thawy. Chored about home. Cleared up a little in the house & c & c.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html 

In the News - budget balancing, Hamilton digs, Daddario awards, patent law, puppy training

Franklin leaders begin budget-balancing act

by Alison McCall/Daily News staff

Hamilton digs in at Forge Park in Franklin

by Alison McCall/Daily News staff

Daddario Hardware awards $1,000 Shopping Giveaway

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin resident named Boston Patent Law Assoc. president

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

NEADS seeking help training puppies

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin SEPAC: Workshop - Jan 18th

From the Franklin Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC):

Please join us on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 for Assistive Technology: Increasing Your Child's Independence presented by assistive technology and augmentative device specialists from the Integrated Center for Child Development. 

Children with developmental and learning challenges sometimes need assistive technology devices or services in order to benefit fully from social and academic placements and programs, and to participate with the greatest success and independence. This workshop will: explore a variety of new and well known assistive technology solutions; preview the framework and components of an Assistive Technology evaluation; discuss how assistive technology is addressed by IDEA legislation; describe how to access assistive technology services and resources; highlight how assistive technology is integrated into the IEP; and answer questions about how families can access assistive technology resources. 

Presentation will take place at 7:00pm in the 3rd floow training room of the Franklin Municipal Muilding, 355 East Central Street. Free and open to the public.

News from Our Town Publishing / Localtownpages

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FREE Networking Event Coming Jan 18th Don't Miss Out on This Opportunity to Network Invites you to welcome in 2012 with the first FREE Networking Event of the Year at Raffael's, 1601 Main Street, Walpole January 18th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Refreshments served. Pre-register by January 12th and you are entered to win a FREE ad in one of our 5 newspapers. RSVP: publisher@localtownpages.com We have over 57,000 readers and expect a large turnout.

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New Guide for Parents of Teen Drivers

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

New Guide for Parents of Teen Drivers

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 1/10/12

MassDOT Secretary Richard A. Davey today joined MassDOT RMV Registrar Rachel Kaprielian at the Boston Chinatown RMV branch to announce the availability of a new guide to optimize the 40-hours of supervised driving teens are required to complete under parental supervision prior to receiving their license.

"As young people across Massachusetts learn to drive our roadways with obvious excitement, I hope the availability of 'The Parent's Supervised Driving Guide' will ease some of the stress and concern often experienced by the parents and guardians of new drivers," said Secretary Davey.

Teens obtaining their learner's permit will be given a copy of the "The Parent's Supervised Driving Guide" at RMV branches in the Commonwealth. The guide is intended for use by parents and guardians.  The guide is provided at no cost to families or to taxpayers, through a partnership with Safe Roads Alliance, a not-for-profit advocate for improved highway safety and the guides sponsor, Safety Insurance.

The guide is divided into eleven skill sets, such as parking, backing up, city and highway driving, and asks parents and teens to initial each lesson as the material is covered and the lesson is completed. Within the guide, a log is provided to record the required driving hours, the skills covered and the time and weather conditions. The guide also offers parents guidance on how to approach each lesson as well as how to continue education once the 40 hours are completed.

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Nick Alfieri: Why the Conservation Commission Requires a Permit to Work In or Near Wetlands

Franklin residents and contractors commonly ask, “Why do I need to file for a permit in order to do this work?” which is often followed by “This is my property and I have the right to do whatever I want”, or “How can this work affect those wetlands over there?” You may be thinking similarly, so how does working in or near a wetland resource area effect residents of the Town and why should we care? To answer, we all must have an understanding of the science behind wetlands, what they are and how they perform, as well as an understanding of social responsibility and public policy.

Wetlands are lands saturated with water, year round or seasonally, and act as the transition zone between land and water. Aside from the presence of water (or hydrology), the limit of wetlands are determined by particular soil types, vegetation, and topography, creating a unique ecosystem. This unique ecosystem has the ability to control floods by acting like a sponge to contain and absorb floodwater, which can alleviate property damage and loss and can even save lives. In addition, wetlands filter excess nutrients that threaten rivers, lakes, and other water bodies, and provides critical habitat which can often be used for fishing, canoeing, hiking, and bird-watching.

Despite all the benefits provided by wetlands, the United States loses about 60,000 acres of wetlands each year to invasive species of plants and animals, pollutants, and global climate change. The Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (WPA) was created to protect against this loss and degradation. The functions and characteristics of wetlands that the WPA seeks to protect fall into three main categories, water quality/water supply and pollution protection, storm damage and flood control and wildlife habitat and fisheries protection. By protecting the functions and characteristics of wetlands in Franklin, the businesses and residents are protected as well.

When someone buys property in Franklin, they buy the land, the structures on the land, and they buy a set of conditional rights and responsibilities tied to the property. In Franklin, Zoning is the best illustration of this because all properties in Franklin are subject to the Town’s Zoning Bylaw that outlines the rights of the property owners based upon zoning district, regulates building setbacks, open space requirements, building heights, etc. It is the property owner’s responsibility to know what and how they can build in their respective zoning district to ensure compliance. People who own property within Conservation jurisdiction also have unique rights and responsibilities.

Conservation jurisdiction is any area of wetlands, streams or water bodies and their corresponding buffer of 100 ft for wetlands and most water bodies, and 200 ft for a perennial or year-round stream. If your property falls within this area and you intend to do work within any of these areas, it is your responsibility to file for a permit with the Conservation Commission in order to ensure that the vitality of these areas is protected.

Not only is it your responsibility to file for a Conservation permit, but it is your responsibility to preserve and protect the functions and characteristics of the associated wetlands where you intend to do the work. You are a Steward of those wetlands for the good of all residents of Franklin.

If anyone has questions or comments they can call the Franklin Conservation Department at 508-520-4929, or just stop in between 8:00 am till 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday and speak with someone directly.

Nick Alfieri, Franklin Conservation Agent 

Wadsworth Diary - Jan 11, 1892

Snowed a little to day, cool. Chored about. Sent a bbl. apples to Norwood. Elmer went back to Ashland this morn.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html 

Wadsworth Diary - Jan 10, 1892

Pleasant & cool. At home all day. Chored about. Elmer cooked a chicken for us. He went to ride with Emma this eve.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html 

Budget Workshop - Weds, Jan 11, 2012

As announced during the Jan 4 Town Council meeting, there will be a budget workshop for Town Council, School Committee, Finance Committee and open to the Franklin public to participate.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, Jan 11 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers and is also reported to be broadcast. Participation in the room can guarantee your input, questions and answers are addressed.

Watch as Councilor Tina Powderly mentions this workshop at the end of the Jan 4th meeting at about 39:00 minute mark
http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=rXB9VmkYdGYwNuGB9%2fgS1g%3d%3d

Note: about the 27 minute mark, Councilor Tom Mercer (and School Building Committee Chair) provides an update on the increased (and final) reimbursement amount for the project at 59.52%.

High School Building Project - new design photos

A few additional design photos showing the proposed 'model school' for Franklin High School are now available:



These were originally posted to the Franklin School Building Committee webpage


Additional information on the high school building project is all collected here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/collection-high-school-building-project.html


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the photos or visit Franklin Matters on Facebook

"endorsed the final site plan"

The Milford Daily News reports on the Planning Board meeting Monday night:

D’Errico’s final site plan calls for an eight-apartment building next to his existing 10-unit building, with a parking lot between them, and access from Winter Street. 

Neighbors came to nearly every meeting over the last several months, but publicly spoke at only a few of them. Their initial complaints were about whether the buildings fit with the neighborhood. Recently, neighbors have worried that under the new plan, trees will be removed and reveal a large, red, factory-like building on adjoining property. That building has been there for years. D’Errico does not own that building. 

Planning Board members agreed with residents, rejecting the proposed apartment building in 2007 and again in March 2011, before D’Errico re-introduced it in June 2011. 

The final site plan endorsed last night has a lower roof, slightly fewer paved parking area, and features about 75 trees and shrubs.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1178907480/Franklin-board-backs-apartment-plans#ixzz1j3C8rGFB

Franklin Public Library: eReaders and eBooks

 

 

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

 

 

eReaders and eBooks

via Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library on 1/9/12

 

 

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Wadsworth Diary - Jan 9, 1892

Pleasant & warmer. Aaron Canney helped me load a load of 935 lbs. hay. I carried to M.M. Daniels, then I put up a bbl. apples & carried to Mr. Finley 7 1/2 bus turnips to F. E. Hancock & got 25 lbs. candy & 10 bags grain.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale. 


From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html 

"2.3 degrees warmer than normal"

The Milford Daily News has an article about how the warmer weather and lack of snow cover is allowing the local communities to do some work that otherwise would wait.

In Franklin, children can enjoy a renovated baseball field at Davis Thayer Elementary School thanks to the warm weather. Crews recently replaced a clay infield with one made of stone dust that requires less maintenance, Department of Public Works Director Robert Cantoreggi said. 

“Because of the storms or lack of funding, it never got to the top of the list,” Cantoreggi said. “Now, we had some time.”

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1266412661/Warm-weather-helps-area-towns-get-work-done#ixzz1ixN01Uph