Responses for the Emmons St building

Franklin issued an "Request for Expression of Interest" earlier this year with all responses to be received by July 31. The three that were received and reviewed by the Economic Development Committee can be found here.

What's next? As discussed during the Town Council meeting and reported on by the Milford Daily News here, the Dept of Planning and Community Development will begin to draft a Request for Proposal (RFP) to be reviewed by the Town Council at one of their September meetings. The RFP would initiate the selling process.

The RFP would reserve a portion of the land for a monument to recognize Horace Mann. This proposal was effectively brought forth in the Gateway Committee response.

Roger Calarese response (PDF)

Dean College response (PDF)

Gateway Committee response (PDF)

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to the Franklin Matters website to view three individual PDF files shown here

The Emmons St building 

In the News: driver charged, RFP for Emmons St

In the Milford Daily News today there are two articles of interest.

A Franklin woman was sentenced in Milford District Court Thursday to five years probation for her role in a fatal crash in Mendon in 2013. 

Sarah Chandler, 19, admitted to sufficient facts for a guilty finding on a charge of operating a motor vehicle negligently. A motor vehicle homicide charge was dismissed as a result of the plea. 

Judge Robert Calagione continued the case without a finding for five years, during which Chandler would serve her probation sentence. Calagione also ordered that Chandler obtain a bachelor's degree in that time and complete two traffic-safety programs.

You can continue to read the article online here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140808/NEWS/140807444/1994/NEWS

The Town Council’s Economic Development Committee has asked planning officials to draft a request for proposals (RFP) to develop the town-owned property on the corner of Emmons Street, specifying that a section of the parcel be reserved for green space. 

The committee met Wednesday to review responses to the request for expressions of interest that the town put out in April. 

The Franklin Department of Planning and Community Development received three letters of interest: from Dean College, a citizens group called the Gateway Committee and local developer Roger Calarese. 

The next step is to use the responses to shape the RFP, which the Economic Development Committee plans to present to the council next month.

You can continue to read the article online here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140808/NEWS/140807440/1994/NEWS

the Emmons st building under discussion to be sold

Goodbye Fieldhouse

The demolition of the field house started Wednesday. I stopped by after work before heading to the Town Council meeting to grab these photos.

demolition of the field house

half gone already

look closely and the panther struts on the pile!

While I was there, a steady stream of cars came by to look. Others stopped for photos too.



Note: Photos of the last tour of the old high school building were posted to Facebook and to Flickr for anyone to view in a single place. 

Facebook album       Flickr album


Other information related to the new high school project can be found in this collection:
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/collection-high-school-building-project.html 

Noonday Collection Fall Launch at Pour Richard's

Fashion With A Mission: Supporting Vulnerable Families Around the Globe

With back-to-school on the brain, it is hard for most parents in this region to imagine not having education as an option for their child. Olivia was just days away from handing her 4 year old daughter over to an orphanage in Uganda, before her life changed completely, thanks to a job opportunity as a jewelry maker, which not only provided a rare earning opportunity, but also a scholarship for her daughter. Jacqueline Volpe from Wrentham is proud to share Olivia's story and her beautiful artistry every day in her role as an Ambassador for Noonday Collection. 

Noonday Collection is part of a rising trend of social impact businesses, which are focused on making a difference while creating trendsetting products. For Noonday, their mission is tied to connecting individuals across the globe through shared stories and fashion. In a war-torn country like Uganda, which has 2.5 million orphans, the ability to find self-sustaining income is hard for most people. Which is why when Jacqueline wears her necklace made from paper beads in Uganda, she not only appreciates the craft and beauty of her jewelry, but she relishes the ability to support other women entrepreneurs across the globe. 

Jacqueline joined a growing number of Noonday Ambassadors in May as a way of supporting her own family, but was also drawn to a larger mission of creating opportunities for vulnerable women and families around the world. As an artist herself, she is inspired by the work of the Noonday artisans and she connects with Noonday as a celebrator of creativity and as a preserver of arts and crafts. As a Noonday Ambassador she has not only expanded her own selling and design skills, but she has also become a storyteller, sharing the remarkable stories of the men and women who made the products they wear. 

Noonday Collection and its Ambassadors have directly impacted over 2,000 artisans in over 10 countries, including women like Olivia, by creating jobs and supporting a growing group of entrepreneurs who design and sell jewelry and accessories to fashion-forward women all over the US and some parts of Europe.

Pour Richard's

Noonday will be launching their new Fall line on August 7th, which features designs from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Guatemala, Haiti, Ecuador, Peru, Rwanda, India and Vietnam. Jacqueline has partnered with Pour Richard's Wine & Spirits shop in Franklin for a special LNO – Ladies Night Out and a Noonday Nationwide Trunk Show. Thursday, August 7th, from 6:30-8:30 stop by Pour Richard's at 14 Grove Street in Franklin to sample fine wines, a craft cocktail, delicious nibbles, and be entered in a special Noonday drawing as you explore in person the new jewelry, scarves, and handbags in the Collection. 

To learn more about the Noonday Collection, please visit www.jacquelinevolpe.noondaycollection.com or contact Jacqueline by email at jacqueline@jbvdesignstudio.com.

Ladybugs Coming This Weekend ...

Hello,

The Franklin Cultural Council is truly grateful to you for joining the Ladybug Spots Project. We want to remind you that the decorated ladybugs will be on display this coming weekend, August 9th and 10th, from 12p.m. to 4p.m. on Franklin Common.  We would love to see you and catch up among the beautiful, bright and creative two foot fiberglass ladybugs, each one a unique piece of public art.  Stop by before or after a trip to St. Rocco's Italian Festival on St. Mary's former School Grounds.  Maybe bring a cannoli or two to share.  

If you can't make it this weekend or still want sponsor a ladybug, don't worry.  We have just five left and they are looking for homes.  Contact franklinculture@hotmail.com for more details. 

Attached is a flier for you to share with friends and neighbors. We look forward to celebrating the 40th Birthday of our state bug, born right here in Franklin.  Remember that with your help, we are raising funds toward a permanent sculpture honoring the 1974 2nd grade class from Kennedy Elementary School and their teacher, Palma Johnson, who inspired them to petition and follow the bill through to witness it signed into law. 

Again, thank you for being a part of this exciting event,

The Franklin Cultural Council

Ladybug Spots Project

Ladybug spots - Aug 9 and 10

4 Tips for a Healthier Tomorrow

The MA blog has an article with four sets of tips on improving health for children that can easily be applied to adults as well.

Obesity rates have more than doubled among children and quadrupled in adolescents over the last 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With nearly one-third of all children and teens in the United States overweight or obese, this serious health issue  increases risk for additional health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and asthma. 

You can help fight these health risks by introducing a healthy lifestyle to your children’s daily lives today

screenshot of MA.gov webpage with article

The article goes on to outlines tips in four areas: eating healthy, getting more exercise, forming good habits at school and watching your body mass index (BMI). You can read the full article here
http://blog.mass.gov/blog/health/end-childhood-obesity-4-tips-for-a-healthier-tomorrow-2/

Live reporting - Closing items

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Economic Development
next meeting Aug 27 at 5:30 PM
desire to draft RFP to submit to the council in early Sept
The RFP would reserve a portion of the land for a monument to recognize Horace Mann.
This proposal was effectively brought forth in the Gateway Committee response.


J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
none

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
school safety signs for the some of the schools, thanks for our legislators to get this

St Rocco's is this weekend

L. OLD BUSINESS
Padula - recycling center, 40 people came in Sunday the first day it was open
over 100 on Saturday
no trash, expecting it to get busy

Vallee - what is the status with Cottage/Union
Nutting - we are in discussion with the railroad, they are headquartered in Jacskonville
Bissanti - have they mentioned any price?
Nutting - that would be subject of an executive session. They want a deed restriction. Historically, railroad property is not good property for re-use

Vallee - what about train station parking lot?
Nutting - I have escalated to Sen Spilka to ask her assistance to set a meeting. It is their liability. The platform needs to be fixed.

M. NEW BUSINESS
Padula - Judy and I are talking with the hospitals, we have a stroke awareness session coming to the Senior Center in October

Kelly - 1st meeting for Sep discussion on special permitting

Pfeffer - Citizens advisory committee wants to appoint tow more members
Nutting - put it on the next agenda

Vallee - can you watch the parking enforcement?
Williams - it is tight regulations, citizens feel entrapped where it is implemented


N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Jones - Great to see the recycling center was open Sunday, Councilor Padula was there

Kelly - thanks for the work at the transfer station
thanks to Councilor Mercer, for the good work on the school, how good it looks

Mercer - 1st and formost some misconceptions on the old high school
anything that was in the school that could be used in the new school, in the system, or in another school or to a non-profit have been, things that were seen were damaged beyond repair. The dumpster was supposed to be there and didn't arrive, so the items were exposed

90-95% of the existing building will be recycled in some form, they separate the components, recycled in different ways, which is all done by the contractor and part of the bid when he bid on the high school

Jones - how about the budget?
Mercer - we remain on budget and I am confident that we will come in on or under budget and open on time

Vallee - we have 6-7 custodians for the building?
I am concerned about the size of the building,

Nutting - the new school is smaller than the old building, the materials are different
our buildings are in excellent shape, we need to let it open and see what happens, everything is under warranty for the first year

Pfeffer - we would like to see a maintenance plan for the new building
Mercer - I'll get that and bring it to the next meeting
all of the custodians moved to the new high school and have been getting weeks of training on the new school and systems in the school, they will have been in the facility 5-6 weeks before school opens
The facility manager estimated the increase of one, there are more controls with more than 50 cameras
8 more core classrooms, but the overall building is smaller


P. ADJOURN
motion to adjourn, passed 8-0