Franklin Matters

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Franklin Matters: Year in Review -> February 2013

What happened in February?

On the business front, Pour Richard's relocated their liquor license to open at 14 Grove St
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/02/pour-richards-wine-and-spirits-photo.html

The Historical Museum hosted a talk on Franklin's rail history
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/02/franklin-junction-photo-essay.html

Nemo buried Franklin in lots of snow
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/02/after-nemo-photo-essay.html

Franklin Matters: Year In Review -> January 2013

What happened in January?

The argument for the Treasurer/Collector to make another try to go from elected to appointed was re-introduced.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/town-council-012313.html

Vera Meyer returned to the Franklin Historical Museum to help celebrates Benjamin Franklin's birthday
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/the-glass-harmonica.html

creation of a bylaw to allow medical marijuana zoning is going to the Economic Development Committee before coming back to the Council and the Planning Board process.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/town-council-010913.html

The road condition report was published listing the roads from "worst to first" by condition ranking
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/franklin-road-conditions-from-worst-to.html

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas

I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Please enjoy the holiday with family and friends.

as we won't have a white Christmas this year, we'll step back in time to 2012

This will be the only posting today.

If you like what you read here, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don't like what you read here, please tell me!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Where in Franklin? 2013-02

The answer to yesterday's Where in Franklin? photo was correctly provided by Geoffrey Zub. The photo was taken along the nature trail located behind the Parmenter School.

Additional photos from the trail can be viewed here:

There was also a story walk along the trail. Alas it was destroyed by vandals but is captured here to recall what it once was.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/sets/72157625155278049/

For today's photo, where in Franklin are you?

Where in Franklin? 2013 - 02

Send an email, or leave a comment with your answer. First correct answer is the winner. Complete guidelines for "Where in Franklin?" can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/12/2013-where-in-franklin.html

Annual Report 2013: Town Administrator

Continuing the series from Franklin's Annual Report for 2013, we have the Town Administrator

Each year we try to improve the quality of life for our citizens. We are committed to providing great customer service and high ethical standards. We continue to live within our means. There will be challenges in coming years, but we will continue to meet those challenges the only way we know how, head on and with our goal of providing the best service we can.

So, what have we done this year?

On the Budget front, we had a very good year. We balanced the budget with no use of reserves or any layoffs. We maintained a single tax rate and we established an operating stabilization account. We settled all but one bargaining agreement. We authorized a Solar project that will provide the town with about 75% of its electricity use.

Our day-to-day activities include: the continuation of the water main replacement program where we replace a defective water main and then replace the road and sidewalk. We accepted Lady Slipper, Pasture, Symmes, Ruby, Opal, Jade, Garnet, Tanglewood, Sierra, Mary Jane, Anna, Summer Heights, Autumn, Fall, and Dutchess Roads. We updated the flood plan district. The Council authorized the purchase of land at 37 Beaver Street to be used for additional parking at the Senior Center. The Council also transferred town owned land on Beaver Court to the Housing Trust to be used for affordable housing. We continued the
development of the Sculpture Park at the site of the old town pool on Panther Way. We worked on a Ballot question on whether to appoint the treasurer/collector. We adopted a Tax workoff program for Veterans similar to the senior tax workoff program.

We also sought to spur economic activity with zoning changes. We rezoned land off of Exit 16 from Residential to Commercial. We initiated a zoning change to streamline the site plan process as well as a zoning change to improve the impervious coverage bylaw. We also adopted zoning for medical marijuana.

We continued the review of our Town Bylaws to ensure they are fair and reasonable while protecting the interest of all of our citizens. This year we updated the Council on Aging, Dogs, and Transient Vendors bylaws.

With Dams 3 and 4 nearly complete, The Town Council voted funds for the Recreation Park at the DelCarte Property. The property will include a recreation park and a boardwalk to enhance the existing trails.

The Town Council voted to transfer the responsibility of Public Access Cable TV to a Cable Access Corporation. Franklin TV has entered into a PILOT tax agreement with the Town of Franklin.

Probably most important of all, the new model high school project approved in March of 2012 by the voters is right on schedule. Construction that began in the fall of 2012 is on schedule to be completed in September of 2014.

As always, I want to thank the employees of the Town of Franklin. It is my pleasure to come to work every day with such dedicated and hard working people who do their best for the citizens of Franklin.

It is my pleasure to submit my annual report for your review, and please feel free to write, e-mail, or stop by with any questions, concerns, or comments.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeff Nutting
Town Administrator

Franklin's Municipal Building

The full annual report can be obtained from the Town Clerk's office (hard copy) or viewed and/or downloaded from the Franklin website here
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/annual/2013report.pdf

Annual reports of prior years can also be found online at
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/annual/