Franklin Matters

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
March 21, 2012, April 4, 2012, November 7, 2012
Executive Session

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon channel 29. This meeting may also be recorded by Franklin Matters.

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

F. HEARINGS
Tax Classification Hearing – 7:10 PM

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Citizenship Award – Stella Jeon

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 12-76: Appropriation – Debt – Interest
2. Resolution 12-77: Adoption of FY 2013 Budget – Revision
3. Resolution 12-78: Classification Tax Allocation – Residential Factor
4. Resolution 12-79: Classification Tax Allocation – Open Space Exemption
5. Resolution 12-80: Classification Tax Allocation – Small Business Exemption
6. Resolution 12-81: Classification Tax Allocation – Residential Property Exemption

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 set of documents for the meeting can be found on the Franklin web page here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2012%20docs/112812.pdf

Tax Rate info for FY 2013 updated

I have updated the numbers for this year based upon the info provided for the Town Council meeting agenda and the MA DOR webpages for Franklin.

Franklin FY2013 TaxRateInfo

There is some good news in all this data. The decline in valuation of Residential values is less than prior years. The Commercial category increased for the first time since 2008. Maybe, just maybe this is showing we are at the bottom of the property value decline! Time will tell.

You can view these numbers here
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZX-GuFrcIQNnKeLDAg785q_fgYq4BBjqwArGUDfs86U/edit

Military Uniforms on display

To honor those who have served in the military, a display of military uniforms is the feature this month at the Franklin Historical Museum.

Pictures of Franklin men and women in uniform are on display

Is there someone you know or remember pictured? Stop by to look.

Where is the Historical Museum? 80 West Central St

View Larger Map

You can visit their webpage http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/

or follow them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FHM02038

Holiday Shopping - Benefits Franklin Fusion Softball

Join us on Friday November 30th for a Holiday Shopping Spree!

We have a great line up of vendors for a fun night of holiday shopping and mingling to benefit Franklin Fusion Softball

Friday November 30, 2012 from 7pm-10pm at the Franklin Elks located at 1077 Pond St, Franklin

We will provide snacks and a cash bar will be available.

Cash for Gold! Use your cash to shop!

Sure Shots Sports Memorabilia

Arbonne (Skin care, cosmetics)

Thirty-One (Purses, Tote bags)

Willow House, Sara Blaine (Exclusive home décor and jewelry collections)

Sugar Mommas Custom Cakes, Cupcakes, Cookies

Gems by Jules (Custom accessories)

Wildtree (Herbs, Spices)

Pampered Chef (Premier direct seller of high-quality kitchen tools & gadgets)

Handmade Christmas crafts

Get a Tarot card reading or get your Aura colors done!

In the News: Tri-County, chainsaw sculptor, Sandy relief

Tri-County students to launch projects for NASA

by Zachary Comeau/Daily News correspondent

Medway chainsaw sculptor has reality TV show

by Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

Manocchio: Sandy relief drive a success

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda, Nov 27, 2012

Vision Statement

The Franklin Public Schools will foster within its students the knowledge and skills to find and achieve satisfaction in life as productive global citizens.

"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."

1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the October 23, 2012 and November 7, 2012 School Committee Meetings.
Payment of Bills - Mrs. McIntyre
Payroll - Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence: Budget To Actual

2. Guests/Presentations
a. Franklin Girls Soccer Team – State Champions!
b. MCAS Presentation – Joyce Edwards
(The MCAS presentation can be found here)

3. Discussion Only Items
Calendar Adjustment 2012-2013 (proposed change found here)
Capital Plan (documents for the capital plan can be found here)

4. Action Items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $270.00 from BJ’s for district in-house enrichment.
b. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1500.00 from the Hockomock YMCA for enrichment, yoga and field trips for ASMS.
c. I recommend acceptance of a check for $168.79 from PBC for in-house enrichment for the Athletics Department.
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $2473.39 from O’Connor Portraiture for in-house enrichment for Keller Elementary School.
e. I recommend acceptance of a check for $126.35 from Ohiopyle Prints, Inc. for in-house enrichment for the FHS.
f. I recommend acceptance of a check for $156.43 from HMMS PCC for in-house enrichment at HMMS.
g. I recommend approval of the field trip request of Allison Wroe to take Parmenter students to the Veteran’s Auditorium in Providence, RI on April 11, 2013.
h. I recommend acceptance of a check for $282.66 from Douglas Lee for in-house enrichment at FHS.
i. I recommend acceptance of a check for $5000.00 from the Jefferson PCC for field trips for Jefferson Elementary School.
j. I recommend approval of the FPS Capital Plan as detailed.
k. I recommend adjustments to the 2012-2013 School Calendar: April 12 and May 24 as elementary reduced days; and May 3 and May 31 as secondary reduced days as discussed.
l. I recommend approval of the request of Mr. Light for the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band travel to UNH for the Band Invitational on April 29, 2013 as detailed.
m. I recommend approval of the request of Mr. Light for approximately 200 Music students travel to Orlando, Florida for “Festival Disney” during April vacation 2014 as detailed.
n. I recommend approval of the request of Mr. Light for Franklin Arts Academy students to travel to Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) in Providence, RI on March 3, 2012 to see Blue Man Group.
o. I recommend acceptance of the donation of 50 passes to the premier of Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in Boston on December 10, 2012 for HMMS students.
p. I recommend acceptance of a check for $600.00 from Mass Cultural Council for Sullivan Middle, Keller and Parmenter Elementary Schools.
q. I recommend approval of the request of Beth Ackley for the HMMS Ski Club’s recurring field trip to Mt. Sunapee in Newbury, NH on January 26, 2012 as detailed.

5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports

6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.

7. Executive Session
Contractual Negotiations

8. Adjourn

Franklin Public Schools: Capital Plan FY 2014

Here are the documents outlining the proposed capital plan for FY 2014 for the Franklin Public School District. These items are scheduled for discussion at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Nov 27th and assuming they are approved will then be part of the capital planning process for the Town.

The proposed Facilities capital plan

The proposed Technology capital plan

The full agenda for the School Committee meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/11/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-nov.html

Franklin Public Schools: MCAS Report 2012

The MCAS Report for 2012 for the Franklin Public Schools. This is scheduled for discussion at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Nov 27th.

MCAS 2012

The full agenda for the School Committee meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/11/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-nov.html

Franklin Public Schools: Proposed calendar change

The proposed calendar change for this current 2012-2013 school year is shown in the file below. Effectively, it is the addition of two reduced days to both the elementary and secondary schools.

On the agenda, the action item currently reads:

k. I recommend adjustments to the 2012-2013 School Calendar: April 12 and May 24 as elementary reduced days; and May 3 and May 31 as secondary reduced days as discussed.

The full agenda for the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Nov 27th can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/11/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-nov.html

"You don’t want to see them fail"

The Milford Daily News writes about the State and Federal grants that sponsor the underage drinking stings conducted regularly by some MetroWest area community police departments. Franklin is one that conducts the stings twice a year when covered by the grant. The article includes this from one of the sting participants:

"At first, I was a little nervous," he said. "But you know you aren’t going to get in trouble: You’re helping the police. You just have to be confident and levelheaded."

Teenagers aren’t responsible enough to drink alcohol, he said, and his peers usually never think of the tragedies that can result from binge drinking or drunk driving until one hits home.

"People don’t see that it’s bad until they lose a friend, or it’s life changing," he said.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x719497693/Selling-booze-to-minors-Busted#ixzz2DEjCA1El

Recent suspensions:
Franklin Wine and Spirits (in the plaza with Dunkin Dounts on King St)
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/10/live-reporting-license-hearing.html

Bamboo House
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/live-reporting-license-hearing.html

And in 2011
DaVita's Market, Joe's American Bar and Grill, Tedeschi Food Shop, and Uptowne Pub
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/09/live-reporting-liquor-license-failures.html

"not counted as part of a formula"

The Milford Daily News writes about unaccepted roads. According to the MassDOT inventory in 2011 Franklin has 28.7 miles of unaccepted roads and 170.4 miles of accepted roads.

Franklin, whose Town Council accepts roads, sought help from the state Legislature. Lawmakers last year approved a simplified acceptance policy that eliminates some of the legal work.

Department of Public Works Director Robert Cantoreggi said the town has been working in recent years to accept streets. State data shows the town has about 29 miles of unaccepted roads.

Franklin will plow a road, fix potholes and perform other limited maintenance once it has three homes on it.

"People kind of forget about it," Cantoreggi said. "No one really knows (it is unaccepted) until a road falls apart."

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x35743936/Unaccepted-roads-pose-challenges-for-residents-and-towns#ixzz2DEeFA7cR

The MassDOT report for 2011 can be found here
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Portals/17/docs/RoadInventory/2011_ye_rpt.pdf

What is an unaccepted road? MassDOT defines this as "unaccepted roads consist of roads open to public travel but not formally accepted by a city or town, as well as some private ways." A road that is not legally owned by the local community. It was put in by a developer in order to complete the development of some number of residences. It may not have been built to the local community standard by the developer. The community may have a process to bring a road up to standard and then "accept" it as part of the community maintenance. Bringing roads up to standard can be a costly proposition and the question of who contributes to the delay in accepting the road.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Tickets on sale; "A Christmas Carol Times Two"

"A Christmas Carol Times Two!", a dramatic reading performance of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" combined with traditional 19th century English Christmas carols will happen on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 7:00 PM at the Franklin United Methodist Church, 82 West Central Street in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Actor Al LePage will become "Englishman Thomas Hutchinson, Traveling Thespian" complete with English accent, clothing of the period and other accoutrements for the dramatic reading part. Organist and local minister Rev. Dr. Dianne Carpenter will weave piano music between various scenes to set the tone for what's to come and entertain.

This is a special benefit performance sponsored by the Franklin Historical Commission and hosted by the Franklin United Methodist Church with all proceeds to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry.

Tickets are on sale at the Franklin Historical Museum

today from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Sunday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Thursday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (also the Holiday Stroll - Nov 29th!)

For more about the show
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/10/a-christmas-carol-times-two-dec-13.html

Construction update

Some of the side roads downtown are newly paved now. You may recall that they had their water and sewer mains worked on earlier this year.

What streets are they? East St, West St, Church Ave, Walnut Ave and Nason St.

A view down West St

A view up East St (from Union St)

The Google map for this area:

View Larger Map

This is one of my favorite spots because East does meet West!

Post and photos from October 2012
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/10/east-st-construction.html

From the Franklin DPW page we find this status
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_DPW/Construction_Projects/construction_projects_index

Dressing up for the holidays

Thanks to the Franklin Downtown Partnership, Franklin is now dressed up for the holidays.

Greens and wreaths were added down at the Main St/West Central St triangle

Ready for the Holiday Stroll!

For more about the Franklin Downtown Partnership, visit their web page here
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/

Note: I am proud to be an individual member of the Partnership as well as a member through the Franklin Food Pantry

Friday, November 23, 2012

Foggy morning

Muted colors this foggy morning. The sun will break through the cloud cover. Have a good day!

Turkey Trot Family 5K Fun Run - photo essay

The Turkey Trot Family 5K Fun Run held by Feed the Need drew over 300 participants on Thursday morning. The event benefited the Franklin Food Pantry filling the van with food and a donation of about $5,000.

The entry fee was 20 cans or $20. Part of the entry fees collected:

At the end, the Franklin Food Pantry van was filled with all the contributions:

The view of the group before the Start

One happy group running in costume on the course:

On behalf of the Franklin Food Pantry, Many thanks to Hayden Whitmore, the Eagle Scout who organized this event. Thanks to his family and the many volunteers who helped. The contributions to the Food Pantry are deeply appreciated.

"It was an amazing experience"

How quickly can you solve the Rubik's Cube? Andrew Ricci has the fastest recorded solve time in all of North America. The Milford Daily News article tells how Andrew practiced.

"Speed methods don’t really have anything to do with math," he said. "The methodology behind solving the cube doesn’t really involve math unless you’re looking at it from a level of theory."

According to Ricci, the most important attributes when "speed-solving" are time and patience.

"There’s a lot to learn in order to solve the cube fast," he said. "It really comes down to having a lot of time to practice and being really motivated to practice."

Ricci said he would perform up to 400 solves a day "back when I was really into it," before his record-setting competition.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Feed the need 5k

Part of the donations gathering here for the feed the need turkey trot 5k.

The Franklin Food Pantry appreciates the community support!

Giving Tuesday

Will you be shopping on Black Friday?

Will you be shopping on Cyber Monday?

How about giving back to others on Giving Tuesday!

We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. This year help create #GivingTuesday™, the giving season’s opening day.

On Tuesday November 27, 2012 charities, families, businesses and individuals are coming together to transform the way people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season.

It’s a simple idea. Find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to join in acts of giving. Tell everyone you can about what you are doing and why it matters. Join a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity.

And together we’ll create ways to give more, give better and give smarter.

Giving Tuesday can take many forms. What are you comfortable doing? What is reasonable for you?

On this Thanksgiving, perhaps spend a moment or two to plan for giving Tuesday

More information on #givingtuesday can be found on the webpage here http://givingtuesday.org/

"Everyone in town knows him"

The Milford Daily News provides a nice profile and background article on Peter Willis.

Peter, she said, is very social, outgoing and friendly. From volunteering at the Hockomock YMCA in Franklin to photographing weddings and other events, he's always involved in some activity.

However, Peter Willis, 20, was not always as outgoing as he is today.

When Peter was born, he was diagnosed with failure to thrive, or insufficient weight gain. As he grew, he was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, as well as Lujan-Fryn syndrome, a genetic disorder that results in mild mental retardation and a tall, thin stature.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Up hill to finish!

For those walking or running the Turkey Trot 5K Thursday morning, there is a good slope as you come back for the finish. You may not have noticed this with the excitement at the start. You'll still be in a pack as you head down this.

Coming back to the finish, the crowd will have separated. You'll turn the corner and see the uphill and spirits may drop. Do not despair. It is a short hill and the finish is right there on the top!

There is still time to register online. Payment is taken on race day with either the canned goods or $20 per entry. http://www.feedtheneed.org/

The Feed the Need race is benefiting the Franklin Food Pantry.

School break

The school week is already over with only two days in school this week.

The frost is not as heavy this morning as it was Tuesday when this photo was taken.

For those traveling, may your journeys be safe!
For those sticking around Franklin, may you have a good time with friends and family.

"help our friends in Franklin"

The Milford Daily News reports on the activities of the Friends of Franklin as the holiday season gets underway.

This time of year, the Friends of Franklin get into the act, too. The members of the local charity are busy working behind the scenes to ensure that the holidays are bright for fellow residents who have fallen on hard times.

On Monday, the Friends put up one of their annual Angel Trees at Shaw's Supermarket in Horace Mann Plaza, hanging it with dozens of angel-shaped tags, each one bearing the special Christmas wish of a Franklin child whose family might not be able to afford it.

"We put the angels up on the tree and people come and take them and get the things on the tags," said Priscilla Cornetta, Friends co-president with Sheila Hooper. "Each tag has the child's age, clothing size, gender and a gift they would like."

"giving back and giving thanks"

Students at the Remington Middle School prepared a Thanksgiving meal for their parents as reported in the Milford Daily News:

"We tell them over and over again, ‘You are going to have to work really hard,’" said Kristen DeSimone, a seventh- and eighth-grade special education teacher who for the past seven years has planned Remington’s annual Thanksgiving Harvest Luncheon.

The mouth-watering event, DeSimone said, teaches the 18 students who participate valuable social and life skills, while challenging them to put to use some of the lessons they’ve learned in class.

For instance, math came up during the shopping spree last week, she said. Students had to bargain hunt, identify the best prices and manage their food budget.

On Monday, they had to measure just the right amount of ingredients while baking pies for dessert.

2012 Annual St John's Christmas Fair - Dec 1

This year St. John’s Christmas Fair will be held Saturday, December 1st from 9am - 3pm in the St. John’s Parish Hall located at 237 Pleasant Street in Franklin, MA.

There will be homemade gift baskets, Cookie Walk, pastry table, as well as hot soup and coffee to enjoy.

Pictures with Santa as well as other activities for the kids! Join us for a fun day!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Coles Tavern: Fund Raising for NJ Hurricane Sandy survivors

Please join us in an effort to give back! On November 29th at Coles Tavern in Franklin. From 7:30pm ~1:00 … make a simple donation to the Red Cross of New Jersey.

Hurricane Sandy is NOT over! The rebuliding has just begun. Please give a little. People just like you, without homes or electricity and all of their possessions have been washed away.

Every little bit counts.

There will be raffles, 50/50 and wonderful prizes like jewelry from Tiffany’s, a Booze Basket, Celtics Tickets, a beautiful painting from Simons Furniture.

hThe donations have been overwhelming and the support has been unforgettable. So with just $5 at the door, you can make a HUGE difference to these people affected by the hurricane.

So Please, please, please spread the word and help out your fellow human beings by giving back.

Rebuliding has begun but they need all the help they can get. Come to Coles Tavern on the 29th and make that dream possible!

Join us for a fun night of dancing and drinking….all for a great cause! Look forward to seeing you there. Spread the word and we can bring a little peace of mind back to New Jersey! Thanks for your support!

MassBudget: Building a Better Future Together

MassBudget		Information.
MassBudget		Participation.
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center		Democracy.

Building a Better Future Together

Our state budget is a statement of our priorities, a reflection of the choices we make together to strengthen our communities, support vulnerable residents, and build a vibrant economy.

MassBudget's new online slideshow, Our State Budget: Building a Better Future Together, describes the ongoing fiscal crisis, recent budget cuts, our tax system, and the choices we will face moving forward.

In most of our emails, this is the point when we would tell you to GO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW. This time, as part of our ongoing effort to reach new audiences, we would also like to encourage you to:

LIKE the slideshow on our Facebook page (and LIKE the page while you're there).

SHARE the Facebook post with friends who care about the condition of the Commonwealth.

COMMENT on how you see the budget choices that will shape our future.

In general, email will remain our core method for communicating with you--whenever we release a report, finish a factsheet, or update our budget browser. But we will also be using social media to share shorter pieces, research highlights, and information about interesting reports from other organizations.

VIEW OUR BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER SLIDESHOW

VISIT US ON FACEBOOK

The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER

15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700

BOSTON, MA 02108



Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center \| 15 Court Square \| Suite 700 \| Boston \| MA \| 02108

"This is a very active town"

The Milford Daily News reports on Meghan White the new program coordinator for the Franklin Recreation department.

Recreation Director Ryan Jette said losing Reagan was difficult, given how long he worked for the department, but that White’s background in athletics and education makes the transition easier.

"We just started our winter registration, so it’s a busy time for us," Jette said. "Around here, winter is arguably the biggest time of the year. Megan is picking up real quick, learning very fast. I’ve had a lot of compliments about her already. She’s going to be a good fit."

White's experience as a student athlete and coach lends her a unique set of skills.

"As an athlete, I feel that thinking about programs, how they need to be ran and how to interact with the different players, comes naturally," she said, adding, "Any athlete wants to work in a sports-related job. If they aren’t, then they don’t like their job."

Slowing Revenue Growth Derails Automatic Income Tax Cut

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Slowing Revenue Growth Derails Automatic Income Tax Cut

via Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue by Ann Dufresne-DOR Communications Director on 11/19/12

The State Department of Revenue (DOR) recently certified that there is insufficient tax revenue growth under the terms of a 2002 state law that would trigger a 0.05 percentage point cut in the Part B indivdual income tax rate beginning in 2013. As part of the legal process determined by the Legislature, an automatic tax cut would go into effect if the following thresholds in revenue growth were exceeded:

Inflation-adjusted baseline revenue growth for the previous fiscal year surpassed 2.5% and,
There was positive inflation-adjusted baseline revenue growth in each of the consecutive three-month periods starting in August and ending in November in the current calendar year compared to the same consecutive three-month periods in the previous calendar year.

DOR certified on September 6th that FY2012 inflation-adjusted baseline revenue increased 2.77% over the previous fiscal year. The agency also certified that revenue growth was 4.12% for the first growth period and 1.88% for the second growth period. However, revenue growth was negative (-1.29%) during the third period so the 5.25% Part B individual income tax rate will remain the same for 2013.

Things you can do from here:

Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue using Google Reader
Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Monday, November 19, 2012

Franklin: From Puritan Precinct to 21st Century ‘Edge City’

VIA APPIA PRESS has announced the release of Franklin: From Puritan Precinct to 21st Century ‘Edge City.’

Welcome to Franklin, Massachusetts, a town that to a casual visitor might appear to be nothing more than an ‘ordinary’ Greater Boston suburb; maybe even the kind of place where, “Nothing much ever happens.” But don’t be fooled. This is the entirely true story of how one town transformed from a small hamlet – a precinct in a frontier community -- into one of the fastest growing municipalities in America; an ‘edge city’ built around an Interstate. It’s a story of religious extremists, farmers, factory workers, entrepreneurs, anarchists, and eccentrics. It’s a story more than 300 years in the making and it has never been told before in one volume...until now.

Franklin: From Puritan Precinct to 21st Century ‘Edge City’ is 204 pages in length, featuring more than 70 illustrations, and retails for $19.99. The book can be ordered through www.viaappiapress.com.

About the Author
Eamon McCarthy Earls is a longtime resident of Franklin, and a graduate of Franklin High School, Class of 2012. Eamon has been involved with the Franklin Historical Commission since 2010. Realizing the need for a new, updated history of Franklin, Eamon built on his experience in writing and researching his previous book; Wachusetts: How Boston’s Quest for Water Changed Four Towns and a Way of Life and tapped a wide range of sources, including extensive interviews with local residents, to complete Franklin: From Puritan Precinct to 21st Century ‘Edge City.’

"things changed pretty quickly"

The destruction left by Hurricane Sandy in the NY and NJ area is immense. Two Franklin fire fighters got to help at a shelter in Brooklyn, NY recently and the Milford Daily News recaps their experience with this article.

In New York City, Smith said, the darkness was eerie and disquieting.

"I didn’t expect that," he said.

Smith said he never realized the scope of Sandy’s wrath.

"While we were deployed, I saw no news; I heard no news, so I wasn’t even aware of how bad the devastation was until I got home," he said.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1107412492/Franklin-firefighters-help-out-after-Hurricane-Sandy#ixzz2CfArD0yf

To contribute to the relief effort you can donate to the American Red Cross here or to this Occupy Sandy effort for those in New Jersey.

"looking forward to a new legislative session"

Roy, who spent 14 years as a Franklin town official, serving on the Town Council, as well as the Master Plan Committee and School Committee, said his main focus will be jobs and the economy.

He also wants to help speed completion of the Franklin High School project and to increase local aid during the upcoming session.

Roy hopes to serve on the education and criminal justice committees.

"I am delighted to be a part of the team and I hope to make it stronger," he said.

DCR issues ice safety tips

Given the variations in weather we have seen, it is not too early to prepare for ice.

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

DCR issues ice safety tips

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 11/18/12

As winter approaches, the Department of Conservation and Recreation has issued safety tips about ice.

Things you can do from here:

Subscribe to Wicked Local Franklin News RSS using Google Reader
Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Sunday, November 18, 2012

FHS Girls Soccer - Championship game highlights (video)

Here are video highlights of the game Friday night. The Franklin High School girls team won the state championship with a 2-1 victory!

Thanks to Marianne Lonati for sharing this on Facebook

Related post on the game
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/11/franklin-high-school-girls-soccer-2012.html

Reminder: Turkey Trot Family 5K Fun Run - Thanksgiving morning

There is still time to register to run on Thursday morning. I like to do a race on Thanksgiving, not so much to race, but to get out for a good run and have a reason to eat well later.

Thanks to the efforts of Feed the Need, this event is a win-win. You get to run or walk and the proceeds go to help the Franklin Food Pantry.

-------
If you are a runner, or walker you can help the Franklin Food Pantry.

Registration, course map and additional race information can be found at http://www.feedtheneed.org/

If you would like to organize a collection in your neighborhood, you can print out this flyer to use

"The The Impotence of Proofreading," by TAYLOR MALI

Time for a little fun with language. Words are important. Using the right one at the right time is so critical for success. Taylor's performance takes liberty with proof reading to an extreme (and is full of double entendres).

On the stage with Taylor Mali is Billy Collins, a good and humorous poet in his own right.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Things you can do from here:

Monday, November 26, 2012

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Friday, November 23, 2012

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Things you can do from here:

Monday, November 19, 2012

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Things you can do from here:

Sunday, November 18, 2012

GA4