Franklin Matters

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Dave Matthews Band helps the Franklin Food Pantry

The Dave Matthews Band is helping the Franklin Food Pantry via the BamaGreen Project. As the band tours, it is coordinating with local farms and local pantries (yes, us!) to raise awareness and funds for the local farmers.

Dave Matthews Seed Packets are for sale ($5) at each concert venue.

The BamaGreen Food Drive

Click here to view a video on the project http://www.reverb.org/DMB/DMB2.html

Additional info on how you can take action to help can be found here
http://www.reverb.org/DMB/action.html

If you are not going to the concert and would like to contribute, the Franklin Food Pantry accepts donations securely online here

Donate to the Food Pantry

Note the Dave Matthews Band appearance at the Xfinity Center on Saturday, Jun 7th is sold out
http://davematthewsband.com/tour/2014-06-07-xfinity-center

Friday, June 6, 2014

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 6/6/14 - THU 6/12/14

FRI 6/6 12pm-6pm Opening Day for Farmer's Market at Franklin Town Common. Every Friday until October 31!
FRI 6/6 6:30pm-8:30pm Art Night Uncorked at Franklin Art Center

SAT 6/7 9am-3pm Blood Drive in honor of Noah Smith at Franklin United Methodist Church. Please make an appointment at halfpints.childrenshospital.org
Sponsor code is FRMETHCH. Or call Susan Touhey at 508-404-6914. Positive ID required.

SAT 6/7 11:00am to 4:00pm Norfolk Community Day at the Holmes Complex at 22 Myrtle St in Norfolk

SAT 6/7 9am-2pm Kindercare Annual Yard Sale, Pond Street, Franklin.

SAT 6/7 4pm-7pm 2nd Annual Drink Pink For Cure at Pour Richard’s. Rose wine tastings, food, music - benefits American Cancer Society. Purchase your tickets HERE.

SUN 6/8 - 10:30 AM Mass - 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ordination - Pastor Brian T. Manning and Parochial Vicar John L. Sullivan - St Mary's

TUE 6/10 7:30pm Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee Meeting at Franklin YMCA. Public is always welcome.

WEDS 6/11 1:00pm - Easy Walks in Franklin. Marjorie Turner Hollman presents at the Senior Center

THU 6/12 4pm-7pm Annual Strawberry Stroll in Downtown Franklin.
THU 6/12 7:00pm - Easy Walks in Franklin. Marjorie Turner Hollman presents at the Franklin Public Library

For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.

For more details on the events above click HERE.

*If you have any suggestions or events for the calendar, please email Renata@BetterLivingRE.com

Do we pay for the roads, or not that is the question...

*** The Town Council voted to put the ballot question before the voters to raise $1.5 million on a dedicated override to pay for roads and sidewalks. The dedicated override if approved, can only be used for this purpose. This is not line an 'operational' override which for the first year has a cause to rally around it, but in subsequent years the fund drop into the general fund.

road work on Uncas St

If approved, the money raised by the vote would be voted on by the Town Council in July of 2015 to be used for repairing some roads. If the Council in subsequent years, doesn't vote the full amount or any amount, then no money would be spent on the roads. The voters could change the amount or stop the override in another vote.

The $1.5 million would likely be paired with the approx. $1M of water/sewer line repairs and $900,000 in Chapter 90 funds from the State to help make a dent in the overall backlog of repairs required by the 200 miles of roads in Franklin.

The text of the ballot question can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/06/resolution-14-45-dedicated-override-to.html

*** The Town Council voted to fund the hiring of a project manager and architect to proceed with the Library renovations and expansion. This funding would allow for the more detail planning that a formal committee would do to eventually come back to the Council with a more detailed design and cost estimate for the work. The return would like be about this time next year.

The amount authorized was $1M. The amount would be funded within the existing debt service plan and not require any increase in taxes. The same funding method was use to provide for the Senior Center, the Fire Stations, and other significant capital expenses outside of the schools which have been covered by debt overrides (and an appropriate increase in taxes).

Franklin Public Library

The Finance Committee meeting had a more detail overview of the project. The presentation and those notes can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/06/live-reporting-finance-committee-060314.html

*** The Town Council also heard from Alan Mercer on the proposal for creation of a "Cultural District" in Franklin. There are many benefits to do so and the Council spoke in favor of the process.

revised outline of proposed Cultural Council for Franklin

My notes as captured during the meeting on Wednesday can be found here

Live reporting: Closing

Live reporting: Legislation

Live reporting: Cultural Council presentation

Live reporting: Town Council - June 4

LadyBug Spots Public Art Project

The LadyBug Spots Public Art Project is coming to Franklin this summer and into the fall. This fantastic art project will give business, civic organizations, and the whole Franklin community something to celebrate as we honor the 40th anniversary of the law naming our state bug, born in Franklin.

Local area professional artists will collaborate with sponsors to create 25 unique pieces of art. Funds raised from the project will be used towards erecting a sculpture honoring Palma Johnson and the work she did with her students from the Kennedy Elementary School.

If you would like more information about sponsoring a ladybug or would like to be one of the many artists, please contact the Franklin Cultural Council at franklinculture@hotmail.com.

You can also find an article that ran in June issue of Local Town Pages, Franklin:
http://www.franklintownnews.com/content/franklin-ladybugs-get-their-spots

plain Ladybug - ready for adoption

adopted Ladybug and in progress

Ladybug Spots information

DelCarte Program - June 4, 2014

The program handed out at the ribbon cutting for the DelCarte Recreation and playground on Wednesday is available here for your reading (and download).

DelCarte Recreation and Conservation Area

The photos were here posted yesterday and also shared on Facebook

Post by Franklin Matters.

Please note: The recreation area is also conservation space so it will be a "what you carry in, you also carry out" place like other parks.

Norfolk Community Day - Nov 7th

The Franklin Food Pantry truck will be in Norfolk as part of the Norfolk Community Day, Saturday, June 7th.

Franklin Food Pantry truck

Sponsored by the Norfolk Lions, the event is scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM and end at 4:00 PM. It will be held at the Holmes Complex at 22 Myrtle St.

Bring a non-perishable item for the Food Pantry and get an entry into the Community Day raffle.

The Norfolk Lions are sponsoring a food drive this year at Community Day set for June 7th from 11 to 4 pm at the Holmes Busing Company located on Myrtle Street. We have partnered with the Norfolk and Franklin Food Pantry's and are requesting folks attending Community Day bring non-perishable food items or any of the following to the event:

Shampoo

Hand soap/sanitizer

Toothpaste

Deodorant

Cereal

Shaped pasta

Granola bars

White tuna

We will have a collection station in the parking lot, all donors will be entered in a drawing, and we will draw two winners for gift certificates around 3 pm during Community Day. You do not have to be present to win!

The need in our community continues to rise steadily, and the summer months are typically the slowest for donations. Combined, the Norfolk and Franklin Food Panty's service over 600 local families, and each is committed to providing immediate relief from hunger while working towards healthy sustainable solutions. We would appreciate your support in helping the Lions conduct a successful food drive!