Wadsworth Diary - Jan 19, 1892

Warm & stormy, most the day, rain. Snowed some this PM, & is this eve. Have felt better to day. Fixed the light xpress wagon some & c & c. Willie not as well to day.

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 

Vera Meyer and the glass harmonica returns

With the realization that the Patriots playoff game would be a conflict with this event, it has been  postponed one week to Sunday, Jan 29th. 

The Franklin Historic Commission will celebrate Benjamin Franklin’s Birthday by welcoming back Vera Meyer and her Glass Harmonica to the Franklin Historical Museum on Sunday January 22nd. 29th

The public is invited to the Museum to enjoy the sounds of this unique instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761. It is based on the idea of simply rubbing a wet finger around the rim of a glass. Vera Meyer plays a variety of compositions on this beautiful glass instrument, some specifically written for it, including works by Mozart and Beethoven. 

Ethereal, haunting, mystical and ghostly are just some of the words used to describe the sounds of this rare instrument. Come and hear it for yourself Sunday January 22 during regular museum hours 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Light refreshments will be served in celebration of our town’s namesake’s 306th birthday. The Franklin Historical Museum is located at 80 West Central Street, Franklin.

Related posts:

Franklin Matters: Vera Meyer - Glass Harmonica

Jan 24, 2011

The Franklin Historical Museum celebrated Benjamin Franklin's birthday with a musical performance by Vera Meyer on the glass harmonica (invented by Ben in 1761. I'll have a more complete write up on the afternoon during ...

http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

Franklin Matters: FM #84 - Week Ending Jan 30, 2011

Jan 30, 2011

Those who came by were able to learn from Vera Meyer about the glass harmonica that Ben invented while listening to her play. I hope she is able to come back to the museum in the future. The instrument is special and her ...

http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

For this one, you can skip ahead to about 9:00 minutes to hear Vera play the glass harmonica

Town Council - 01/18/2012

The collection of posts from the Town Council meeting on Weds, Jan 18, 2012 can be found here

• Live reporting - closing
• Live reporting - action items
• Live reporting - Town Council - 1/18/12

Live reporting - closing

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Nustyle building was rebid and bids came in under by $60K, should be able to award the contract soon and have the building demolished (finally).

L. OLD BUSINESS
Jones - when will we see department presentations?
Nutting - Feb

M. NEW BUSINESS
Powderly - What is happening with the DelCarte property?
Nutting - as the engineers work on the plans for fixing the dams, they do have plans to incorporate improvements to the 1.5 acres where the house was.

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Bissanti - kudos to Mr Mercer for the presentation to the community the other night. Kudos as well to Michael Doherty for pulling together the meeting on this topic.

Mercer - The Building Committee will be meeting the MSBA on Jan 25th and with an approval we will be back here on Feb 1.


O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – not required

P. ADJOURN
motion to adjourn, passed 9-0

Live reporting - action items

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Roy - honored to be selected as Chair, the Master Plan committee met last night Bissanti (Clerk), Kelly (Vice-Chair)

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 12-03: Master Plan Committee
motion to approve, passed 9-0

2. Resolution 12-04: Creation of A Citizen Committee
motion to approve, passed 9-0

Discussion - seeking volunteers, contact Chair or Town Administrator, to be selected by Feb 15th

3. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-669: Amendment to Chapter 185-45 Administration and
Enforcement - Referral to Planning Board
motion to waive reading, passed 9-0
motion to s=refer to Planning Board, passed 9-0

B Taberner provided an intro
M Cerel indicates this was the re-write to clean up language and make it more clear and enforceable; Special permits are recognized by our zoning bylaws. This will be back before the Council for public hearing.

4. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-670: Amendment to Chapter 185-3. Definitions – Referral to Planning Board
motion to waive reading, passed 9-0
motion to s=refer to Planning Board, passed 9-0

B Dahlstrom provides an update on the next three all related to a sign bylaw, a complete re-write of the existing bylaw.
More succinct and easily readable, schedule of signs per district, a summary of the districts created
Clearly defines the Building Commissioner as the point of enforcement for all signs
major changes to temporary signs, defined the role of the design review commission

Pfeffer - objecting to one road (i.e. RT 140) not having the same bylaw all along it. It is an other level of bureaucracy, it is confusing things and not making it easier for businesses coming in.

Taberner - different sections of town have a different feel, and respectfully so. Overall, we already have a sign bylaw, this is an attempt to eliminate some of the problems with the existing bylaw. It should help to make it easier spelling things out. I won't say it will fix all the problems, in general, it lays things it out simply.

Vallee - what happens if a national company has specific colors, would they be prevented?

Dahlstrom - No, the Town Council has determined that for a national company, they would not need to abide by our color scheme. This has been vetted through a number of groups, Downtown Partnership, other businesses and town bodies.

Pfeffer - Design Review should be out of this completely, it is another level of the problem and shouldn't be there.

Bissanti - signs for businesses are very important, the gauntlet that they run through is not that easy. I applaud the hard work that has gone into this.

Nutting - I keep hearing that and yet when I meet with the developers and find that we are the easiest town to deal with, organized, easy to work with, I am dumbfounded that we are difficult to work with.

Kelly - I understand what you are saying, they will paint a rosy picture as they do not want to hinder their permit processing.

Nutting - There is a difference between being easy and letting people running over of you? Do you want a hundred different ugly signs? I don't think you do.

Bissanti - I don't think we are taking potshots at any departments. You are talking about some big companies, we are talking about the small and medium size projects to try and get it through the process. The Special Permit was a nightmare, I am glad we are cleaning it up.

Roy - I want to switch gear a little, I was hoping we would get out of regulating political signs. It still says we have to have them removed 7 days after the election. The better way would be to try and get the political groups (Democrats and Republicans), we have already meet. I think it would be better to allow the groups to do so.

Cerel - no one has a right to any activities in the public way except by bylaw or common use. People are prohibited from posting signs but they are not prohibited from holding a sign.

Roy - I think we have an opportunity to draft specific language to help resolve this situation.

5. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-671: Amendment to Chapter 185-4. Districts Enumerated – Referral to Planning Board
motion to waive reading, passed 9-0
motion to refer to Planning Board, passed 9-0

6. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 12-672: Amendment to Chapter 185-20. Signs – Referral to Planning Board
motion to waive reading, passed 9-0
motion to refer to Planning Board, passed 9-0

Live reporting - Town Council - 1/18/12

Present: Mercer, Dellorco, Kelly, Powderly, Vallee, Pfeffer, Jones, Bissanti, Roy
Absent: none


A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
This meeting is being recorded by Verizon, Comcast, and Franklin Matters

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS - none

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS - none

E. APPOINTMENTS - none

F. HEARINGS - none

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS - none

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS – Discussion of Remote Participation
Nutting recommendation to hold off on this for now, would require additional technology to provide for all meetings to have this benefit. If critical discussions need to be had, the agendas can be adjusted and have been. This is not just for the Town Council, it would also need to be made available for the other 25 committees.

Roy - The Attorney General did study and allow this. In my opinion this would be at no cost. You can do audio and video or just audio. The technology we have is already here. If we don't do remote participation as a board, we prohibit every other group from doing so. It would inhibit participation in the government. Mansfield, Weston, Natick, and others have already passed. Was able to participate remotely via a laptop connection with a FHS committee. I don't think we should pass it up.

Nutting - there is a cost, we would need to put additional technology into the rooms where meetings are held. There is an expense. It is a complication that we don't need now. As volunteers, we understand we won't make all the meetings.

Mercer - I would support remote access for two reasons, it might allow for more participation for those who travel a lot. I travel to China and speak with meetings here a lot.

Powderly - Not sure that approving this now has such a dramatic effect for the other committees. It is like our moving to electronic documentation, we are trying it now. It is not saying all the others have to do so.

Kelly - I agree with my fellow councilors, I don't see a reason why we would not be able to do this.

Nutting - but you got to do it everywhere. If you miss a meeting, it is not the end of the world.

Bissanti - I would like to be part of a group to try this.

Jones - I don't think we should help foster a remote participation just because it is not available.

Bissanti - if we are not the first community to do this, can we make some calls to see how they are doing it?

Roy - I am not advocating for us to spend any cost on this, I believe it can be done without cost.

Jones - If it is all possible to have a demo on the simplicity of the process.

Nutting - I think it is a lot easier here than some other rooms we have and the knowledge of the users. I'll get the get some additional info and costs.

Nutting - it is the Chief Executive Officer who decides (in our case the Town Administrator)

In the News - Democrats, FSPA

Franklin Democratic caucus held next month

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Tickets available for FSPA show in Franklin

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

MassBudget's FY13 Budget Preview

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Budget Preview, FY 2013  Looking ahead to the fiscal challenges the Commonwealth faces in FY 2013, our Preview shows that the budget deficit will be well over $1 billion. That shortfall can be traced to three things: Tax Revenues have fallen sharply. Not just because of the Great Recession--which has reduced revenues since 2008--but also because of tax cuts and other declines in tax receipts over the last twenty years which are costing the state over $3 billion in annual revenue. The cost of government programs has grown. Overall inflation and health care cost growth both increase government spending. As does the current economic downturn--because more people rely on our social safety net. We have to address a $550 million deficit carried over from FY 2012. A series of temporary measures helped to fill the gap in this year's budget. As we move into FY13, that gap will return. Our Preview evaluates each of these factors in greater detail. And it paints a very stark picture of the difficult choices ahead.  Read The FY13 Budget Preview  MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies--with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people.

Forward email This email was sent to shersteve@gmail.com by nberger@massbudget.org |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

STOP SOPA

To support the STOP SOPA Blackout being conducted today, this will be the only post created here:




I have included the link to wikipedia but they are one of the sites reported to be going offline so you may not view this link today.

If you like what I do here, sharing information about what matters in Franklin, MA - then please find out more about SOPA and PIPA.

What would happen if this site got shut down?

Google has a page with information and petition to sign here
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/



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

Wadsworth Diary - Jan 17, 1892

Very pleasant & cold morn, but warmer day. Done the chores. Baked beans, cooked rice, cranberry sauce & c. E. Simonds.

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 

Would you like to dream?

Spend a few minutes (about 20 actually) to view this video and see the story of three young women and their exploration of science played out.

In 2011, three young women swept the top prizes of the first Google Science Fair. At TEDxWomen Lauren Hodge, Shree Bose and Naomi Shah described their extraordinary projects-- and their route to a passion for science.

They all were driven by passion and determination. They all succeeded despite lots of rejections.

Creation of a Citizen Committee

On the Town Council agenda for Weds Jan 18, 2012 is this RESOLUTION 12-04:


WHEREAS, the Town Council continues to explore ways of making improvements to our community; and

WHEREAS, the Town Council would like participation by the citizens to provide valuable input.

Now therefore, be it resolved by the Franklin Town Council that a Citizen Committee is established. Said committee shall consist of 5 to 9 members to be appointed by the Town Council. Said committee shall make recommendations to the Town council on how to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Franklin in areas including but not limited to enhancing citizen participation, aesthetics of the community, and business development, and other recommendations that the Council deems appropriate. Said committee shall make its recommendations by December, 2012. This Resolution shall become effective according to the rules and regulations of the Town of Franklin Home Rule Charter.

Would you be interested?

Sounds like it would be a short-term commitment (complete the work by Dec 2012).

"I just don’t see that as a reality"

... Carriera wonders how she will get to work if potential cuts that would eliminate commuter rail service on weekends and after 10 p.m. during the week come to fruition. 

“I can’t imagine not having this,” the 26-year-old Franklin resident said yesterday as she waited for a train at the Dean College station. “I don’t know what I would do.” 

Needing to close a $161 million gap in next year’s budget, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority released two scenarios that would see fares rise by 35 to 43 percent and include service cuts on rail lines, buses and ferries.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x873521975/MBTA-considering-fare-hikes-service-cuts#ixzz1ji8n5P9n

The MBTA has published their full listing of public meetings on the proposed fare increase. The MDN article doesn't include that link but it is available here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/01/mbta-fares-service-public-meetings-set.html

“I’d like to raise awareness"

“It’s very scary, very alarming to people,” Dr. Sara Gray said, Pursuit’s veterinarian at Franklin Veterinary Clinic. About a dozen animals at the clinic are medicated for seizures, she added. “I think it’s just the scariness of watching their animals go through seizures like that.” 

Both Gray and McLean have seen dog owners decide to euthanize their epileptic dogs, before getting the combination of diet and medication right. 

“It’s a very overwhelming disease,” McLean said. She gestured toward her computer, where she found a support network online of other dog owners dealing with the same issue. “Honestly, every week someone is putting their dog to sleep.”

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x2062851824/Dogged-determination-in-Franklin#ixzz1jiGPrTtR

Parking Ban Activated

January 16 2012

Parking Ban Activated Through 5am Tuesday.

426 PM EST MON JAN 16 2012

...A PERIOD OF SNOW SHOULD OVERSPREAD THE REGION BETWEEN 10 PM AND

1 AM TONIGHT RESULTING IN UNTREATED ROADS BECOMING SNOW COVERED

AND SLIPPERY FOR A TIME...

AN AREA OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION LATE TONIGHT

AND CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF A

COATING TO 1 INCH ARE POSSIBLE. SINCE ITS BEEN VERY COLD THE PAST

FEW DAYS...UNTREATED ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY

FOR A TIME OVERNIGHT. THE SNOW SHOULD CHANGE TO RAIN FROM SOUTHEAST TO

NORTHWEST BETWEEN 3 AM AND 7 AM TUESDAY MORNING.

HOWEVER...MOTORISTS PLANNING TRAVEL OVERNIGHT SHOULD BE PREPARED

FOR UNTREATED ROADS TO BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY FOR A

TIME.

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"I have a dream"

On this day, it is important to remember.

To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction. 

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., The Purpose of Education

Campaign starting for a new Franklin High School

Hi everyone,

I hope you are enjoying the long weekend. I wanted to pass along the email (below) I received from the citizens group formed to win approval of the debt exclusion for the new high school building. It contains information if you wish to support the effort. If you have any questions or if you wish to be added to the mailing list, please feel free to contact the campaign committee at voteyesforfhs@gmail.com, or just shoot me an email.

_________

Thank you for volunteering to help Citizens for a New Franklin High School. Together we will bring the community a modern new facility that serves our children, strengthens our great community and school system, and makes us all proud. Also, thank you to those of you who joined us Thursday night for the organizational meeting of the Citizens for a New Franklin High School. The energy in the room was amazing! There is a lot of work ahead of us to get the 5,000 - 6,000 votes we need, and we have a great plan to get there.

In case you did not sign up that evening, couldn't make the meeting or are just learning about the group, there are a lot of ways to get involved:

Donate - We have a lot of great ideas -- lawn signs, handouts, mailings, get-out-the vote efforts -- but these ideas need money to be implemented. Checks can be made out to "Citizens for a New Franklin High School" and mailed to Mary Jo Peterson, 10 Juniper Road, Franklin, MA 02038.

Register to Vote - Confirm that you are registered to vote by contacting the Town Clerk's office at 508-520-4900. Encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. Once the vote date is determined, a deadline for registration will be set.

Volunteer - If you are interested in helping with the get-out-the-vote effort -- planting a sign, helping our friends and neighbors get registered, obtaining an absentee ballot or voting on Election Day or many other opportunities, contact Craig or LeAnne Haba at clhaba@comcast.net.

Host - Tom Mercer, chairman of the Building Committee, as well as other committee members, have agreed to speak to various civic organizations in Franklin, and at gatherings hosted in people's homes. If you are interested in hosting a gathering in your home, please contact Laura Brand at Brandfam4@gmail.com to schedule it.

Follow Us - Follow us on Facebook on the page "Vote Yes for the New Franklin High School Building " on Twitter with the handle @sayYEStoFHS. When our website goes live next week we will circulate that as well. When in doubt, please check these resources for accurate, timely information. Feel free to ask questions on these sites. To be added to our mailing list, please email Tina Powderly at ttpowderly@gmail.com.

Please share this email with your friends, neighbors, family members and coworkers who live here in Franklin. It is important that all of us - homeowners and renters, parents or those with no connection to the school system - have the information we need to make a good decision for the vote.

Thank you!

Citizens for a New Franklin High School

_____________

Ed Cafasso
edcafasso@comcast.net
Cell: 508.259.1833
Twitter: @edcafasso
http://www.linkedin.com/in/edcafasso
Blog: http://edcafasso.blogspot.com

Wadsworth Diary - Jan 16, 1892

Pleasant & cold. Have done but little besides the chores & looked over some papers & c & c. E. Simonds here to night. Took ?_ of buggy & put on express.

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 

"70 percent of school systems have such charges"

The Milford Daily News covers the increase in fees being charged by school districts for sports and other activities. This is one key reason that drew my attention to the Franklin budget problem as my daughters were going through the Franklin schools.

Hawkins’ survey shows a range of approaches to fees in Massachusetts. While some districts charge flat fees, some vary charges depending on the cost of a particular activity or sport. 

“Some communities have family caps on fees, others do not,” Hawkins said. 

Franklin charges $200 per sport, $175 for track and $450 for hockey with no family cap, and a $325 bus fee with a $975 family cap for that per year.

The fees were much less back when my girls were going to school here. They graduated from FHS in 2004 and 2006. The forecast is for a continued and gradual increase.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x255285967/Area-schools-trying-to-rein-in-student-fees#ixzz1jcpcPSc0

Did you get a Kindle?

The Milford Daily News reports a jump in e-book users across the Minuteman Library Network:

Susan McAlister, the executive director of the Minuteman Library Network, said the consortium that serves 42 libraries in 35 communities saw a huge jump in subscriptions to the network’s OverDrive e-book service after Christmas. From Dec. 25-29 the network saw 1,292 subscribers, with 316 joining on Christmas Day. She said an average day sees 80 new subscribers. 

“There were a lot of people looking to get content, even on Christmas Day,” she said.
McAlister said the consortium has a committee that is tasked with growing the network’s library, which currently stands at 4,553 unique titles and 7,962 total copies.

While Franklin's Library is not referenced in the article, there is a class scheduled at the Library on Monday, Jan 23 to help you understand how to take advantage of your new e-reader/e-book.

Details on the class can be found here:
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/01/franklin-public-library-ereaders-and.html

The remainder of the MDN article can be found here: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1987746710/Area-libraries-trying-to-keep-up-with-e-reader-explosion#ixzz1jcnlQ0oX