Having trouble viewing this email? Click here |
| ||||||||||||||||
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108
|
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here |
| ||||||||||||||||
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108
|
Very Pleasant & cold, 2 above zero. Boiled lot potatoes for the hogs. Fixed clothes frame. Looked over accts with Pherson & Jos. Fixed my rubber Boot & c. Father & Mother went to Mr. Phersons & spent the afternoon. Went to writing school with Sarah but teacher didn’t come. Staid with Mrs. Wright last night & going to to night.
The 29 percent cut did not negatively influence services, Nutting said, noting that hours were not reduced and programs were not dropped. Nutting said the cut was a move to make the library more efficient.
“The library is fully open and functional,” Nutting said.
Cuts came from cost-saving initiatives such as eliminating a circulation desk and encouraging self-checkout, he said.
“The reality is, the library took a large cut simply because of the way the library does business,” Nutting said. “The outcome is we’re getting good services for less dollars.”
In-law apartments are extra dwellings converted from, or added to, existing homes. They can often become a quagmire for illegal renting situations after their original purpose has lapsed.
Committee members noted that, more and more, grown children, complete with significant others or families, are moving back in with their parents, or parents are moving in with their children to save money.
The town does not have clear definitions for how to deal with that type of situation, except for turning a single-family home into a two-family home. Little prevents the owners from later renting the extra space.
“There’s no standard — that’s the issue,” Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said of how the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board address the requests. “It’s case by case by case.”
Franklin Library Director Felicia Oti today indicated she wanted meet with Franklin library trustees to discuss the situation, and steps that may be taken to appeal the decision, before commenting.
The Franklin Library, famed as the home of the first public library collection, was decertified by the state board on Feb. 2. According to the Norfolk Library's advisory, the action was taken because of "inequitable budget cuts."
"The Franklin Library was hit with a 30 percent cut in its funding this year. This is far below the threshold set by the Board of Library Commissioners to grant a waiver," the advisory states.
Library Spending Waiver
“Public libraries are required to meet certain spending levels each year in order to receive state aid. Under the current system, a municipality must fund its library at 2.5% above the average preceding three years‟ budgeted amounts. This is in order to provide balanced funding responsibilities within inter-library loan programs and continuity of library services from year to year. If a library cannot meet this requirement, it may petition for a one year waiver from the Board of Library Commissioners, but there are only 10 waivers issued per year.
In this fiscal climate, many municipalities across the Commonwealth will have difficulty meeting this spending requirement. In order to prevent unnecessary reductions in state aid, the Commission would allow all communities to waive the spending requirements in fiscal year 2010 without approval from the Board. Communities choosing this option would be required to restore library spending to required levels within 24 months, and no waivers would be available to those communities who do not meet this stipulation.”From the MA Board of Library Commissioners website
Very Pleasant but very windy & cold. Shoveled some paths. On loaded some wood & c. Staid in store some. Jos was in house fixing book for papers at Franklin. Sarah & Father came home. He got a Dog, 7 mths old of W. Reed of Milton. His name is Sanco.
Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L., c.78, s.19A), states that a municipality must appropriate a figure of at least the average of the last 3 years' municipal appropriations to the library for operations, increased by 2.5%, in order to be certified for State Aid to Public Libraries
This calculated figure is known as the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR).
A municipality must meet the MAR or apply for and receive a waiver of the MAR in order to be eligible to be certified for State Aid to Public Libraries by the Board of Library Commissioners. Capital appropriations cannot be used to meet the MAR.
Dear Franklin Residents:
You are receiving this message because you have a library card at the Norfolk Public Library and we have important news about the status of your home library, the Franklin Public Library.
We are sorry to inform you that the Franklin Public Library was decertified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners on Feb 2, 2012, due to inequitable budget cuts. The Franklin Library was hit with a 30% cut in its funding this year. This is far below the threshold set by the Board of Library Commissioners to grant a waiver. Decertification negates the state-wide reciprocal borrowing agreement and Franklin residents are no longer eligible to borrow books and materials from the Norfolk Public Library.
We urge you to contact Franklin officials, i.e. your Town Administrator and City Council members to restore funding to the Franklin Public Library in order to regain the library's certification status. When the Franklin Public Library regains its certification the recripricol borrowing privileges will be restored and you will once again be able to borrow materials from the Norfolk Public Library.
Norfolk Public Library
Statement on Lending to Residents
of Municipalities with Decertified Libraries
Public libraries in Massachusetts that do not meet the minimum standards for funding and service necessary for certification by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) are 'decertified' by the Board. As such, they are not eligible to participate in reciprocal borrowing with other libraries.
Massachusetts state law (605 CMR 4.01) states that certified public libraries are not required to lend materials to residents of municipalities with decertified libraries.
The Norfolk Public Library will not lend materials to residents of municipalities with decertified libraries, as this places an inequitable burden on NPL resources and local tax dollars.
Massachusetts General Law (605 CMR 4.01) states, "all residents of the Commonwealth shall have access to reading and reference rooms under the same conditions as residents of the community." Residents of communities with decertified libraries are therefore welcome to use Norfolk Public Library resources within the library building.
Robin Glasser, Director
Norfolk Public Library
Very Stormy, Windy & cold all day. Snow Made & set 2 hoops on a cask, took most fournoon, than helped Jos shell our corn that grew on the Pherson lot, about 18 baskets. Than went up with oxan & c. Dutchman staid here last night in barn, couldn’t understand him. Sent him off in cars.
Written on side: Mrs. Wright is here this eve. Going to stay tonight.
Congratulations to the all the FPS Middle School and High School Visual Art students who were selected by their art teachers to participate in this year’s Massachusetts State Scholastic Art Competition! More than 150 students from Annie Sullivan, Horace Mann, and Remington Middle Schools and Franklin High School had their artwork chosen for this competition, FPS’s strongest showing ever. This is a testimony to the beautifully creative and skillful work these art students are capable of and to the art faculty who nurture students’ creative, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
The Franklin School District is proud to announce that 36 students received awards in this competition: 11 Gold Key Awards; 8 Silver Key Awards; and 17 Honorable Mentions. The students garnering awards are in the attached worksheet. Franklin's 11 Gold Key and 8 Silver Key winners' artwork will be shown from Monday, February 13 through Friday, April 20, 2012 at the State Transportation Building in Boston. The exhibit will be open Weekdays - 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. including holidays and Saturdays & Sundays - 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.
Additionally, the work of the entire 150+ Franklin Students will be on display at Franklin High School's Gallery 218 in late April and May when all the work returns to the district. Please join me in congratulating all these wonderful young artists and celebrating their hard work and creative spirits!
Regards,
Jane Hogan
Franklin Public Schools
Very Pleasant & warn, clowdy towards night. On loaded 2 load wood than went after a load with Jos oxan and got set. The pole pulled out & pin broke & c. Than came home, (it was noon) & staid in store till 3 o’clk (than Jos. came home). Than went after the wood with both yoak oxan. Wm. Young, Albert Newell & G. Hall went with me. Hard work to start it, throwed off part, got home most night.
Written upside down: Abby Daniels is here. Herman, Mary & Isa here in eve. Jos, Abbie & Sarah went to Franklin & around Sarah staid. Started 10 ½ o’clk, got home 3 o’clk.
Written on side: Father went to Dedham & Milton
Second Generation Energy, based in Hopedale and specializing in solar panel installation, began putting up 44 solar panels on First Universalist Society's roof this week, partly to advertise the benefit of solar panel energy to the community, and partly out of neighborly spirit.
Very Pleasant & Warm. Father went to Rev. Thayers after the wagon & I went after Jos. Oxan. Than we drawed birchwood from the Rockwood lot. Drawed 3 cords with oxan & 1 with horse. Jos was away part the day. Went to writing school in eve with Sarah.
Very Pleasant & Warm Went to meeting al day. Rev.J. Thayer preached. Olive Sayles & Mrs. Carlton were taken into church. It was communion, no meeting this eve. There was notice given that there would not be any regular service in fournoon.
Written upside down: but prayer meeting instead at (?) commencing next Sabbath. Sarah stayed at home.