"property taxes will continue to be a solid source of revenue"

The Milford Daily News reports on the five year financial forecast that is in the current set of documents for Wednesday's Town Council meeting. The forecast says FY 2016 should be ok but FY 2017 is another budget year where balancing the budget will present some problems. 

This financial reason is the driving factor behind the moves to sell both the Pond St and Emmons St properties. The town needs to expand its taxable base to bring in additional revenue.

Nutting said that beginning next year, revenue increases may start to lag behind town expenses, forcing the town to stretch itself thinner in order to balance the budget. 

"By FY 2017, the forecast strongly suggests we could be in a position to use some reserves, reduce the current level of services, and consider a tax increase or some combination of the above to balance the budget," he explained. 

The only short-term solution to reducing costs is cutting town employees, Nutting said, an option he views as a last resort. 

"This will directly affect the quality of education and public services currently provided by the town," he said.

Continue reading the article here: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150107/NEWS/150108229/1994/NEWS#sthash.0xUy51VN.dpuf

150 Emmons St - one of the topics on the agenda

Details on the five year fiscal plan can be found beginning on page 43 of the released set of documents for the agenda for the Town Council meeting, They can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/01/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-jan-7.html

Family Concert Series - “Jazz4kidz Featuring Mark Poniatowski and Friends”

Franklin Performing Arts Company’s annual, free Family Concert Series kicks off this season with “Jazz4kidz Featuring Mark Poniatowski and Friends” on Sunday, January 11 at 1 p.m. at THE BLACK BOX, 15 West Central Street, in downtown Franklin. Joining Poniatowski are vocalist April Hall, drummer Kenny Hadley, guitarist Mark White and pianist Joe Mulholland.

Mark Poniatowski

Family Concert Series events are especially geared to children in length and presentation and provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music. The performances introduce audiences of all ages to music of many genres and feature talented, professional musicians in an engaging, entertaining and interactive format. Audience participation is encouraged.

An Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music, bassist Mark Poniatowski has performed with Sid Caesar, Floyd Dixon, Janiva Magness, Rita Moreno, and Junior Watson. His extensive performing experience includes the Manchester Jazz and Blues Festival with the Toni Lynn Washington Band, the Boston Blues Festival with Joe Bargar and the Soul Providers, and The Music of Gershwin and Porter with Rebecca Parris and the Kenny Hadley Big Band. Poniatowski’s recordings include “Mississippi Moan” with the Bruce Katz Band and “The George Carlin Show” soundtrack.

A treasured FPAC tradition for more than two decades, FPAC’s Family Concert Series continues on February 22 with My Violin Journey, featuring violinist Irina Fainkichen with piano accompaniment by Kitty Cheung Evans, and on April 12 with Alice in Wonderland, an opera for children featuring sopranos Mariko Matsumura and Shauna Martin.

FPAC’s 2015 Family Concert Series is sponsored by Berry Insurance. A distinctive, non-profit arts organization founded in 1991, FPAC presents quality performances with a focus on youth development and live music, while offering opportunities for professional artists, community performers and students of the arts to work together in a collaborative and creative environment. For more information, call (508) 528-3370 or visit www.fpaconline.com and www.theblackboxonline.com

FHS Sports: boys go to 4 OTs to win in basketball

From Hockomock Sports we find that both the boys and girls basketball teams beat Taunton. The girls team won in the game's regulation time while the boys went to 4 overtimes to finally pull it out.

FHS Panthers

Boys Basketball

Franklin, 105 @ Taunton, 98 - Final (4OT) - Franklin senior Marcus Giese had a monster game, scoring a career-high 34 points and adding 13 rebounds, 6 assists and three blocks. Shawn Hanley added 18 points and Dylan Reno finished with a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Jessy Machado lad Taunton with 28 points and six rebounds, EJ Dambreville added 19 points and six rebounds, Jose Mercado had 19 points, Tommy MacLean added 17 points and Corey Green had 15 points and six assists.

Additional write-up on the boys game can be found here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/franklin-outlasts-taunton-in-quadruple-overtime

Girls Basketball

Taunton, 34 @ Franklin, 57 - Final

BFCCPS 8th grade Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser - Jan 24th

Please join the 8th Grade Students at BFCCPS for their annual Pancake Breakfast to be held at the Franklin Elks on January 24th from 8am to noon.  

The event will be $5 per person with a $20 per family maximum. 

Proceeds will benefit the students' upcoming trip to Washington DC.

BFCCPS 8th grade Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser

For additional information about the Charter School, please visit their webpage here http://bfccps.org/

Mass Poetry: Common Threads 2015 is here!

View this email in your browser Common Threads 2015 has arrived! We are excited to release the fifth edition of Common Threads, guest edited by Alice Kociemba, contributed to by Robert Pinsky, and graced with eight stunning poems by Massachusetts poets! It includes discussion questions, writing prompts and more, and boasts a complementary media package and a host of exciting events throughout 2015. Check out the Common Threads page of our website or use these quick links: FREE PDF $10 HARDCOPY MEDIA PACKAGE EVENTS (to be continuously updated throughout the year) New this year: 1) Common Threads events can take place anytime in 2015, so if you are interested in hosting a discussion or writing group, you can still do so! We just ask that you sign up so we can keep track of all the groups happening across the state. 2) Please send us photos & videos! We would love to add you to the media package--record yourself reading your favorite poem from the issue, take a snapshot of yourself with the issue, etc., and send to commonthreads@masspoetry.org or share via social media using the hashtag #CommonThreads2015. If you are hosting a Common Threads event that is open to the public, please submit your event info when ready so that we can add it to the calendar. Where might I run a Common Threads group? At a library near you! (Check out the simple search feature in the upper right-hand corner.) With seniors in your area With your church group or school At a local coffee shop or bookstore With friends! We've got poets available to partner with you if needed (you can request one during sign-up or via email), and a live webinar with Alice Kociemba on Jan 16 (limited spots available) if you'd benefit from a run-through with a Common Threads veteran. Our Suggestions for Common Threads Discussion Group Leaders might also be helpful. Questions? Contact us at commonthreads@masspoetry.org. Help us spread the word on social media with these ready-made posts! On Facebook: Common Threads 2015 is here! Bring poetry into your community today. masspoetry.org/commonthreads #Threads15 Common Threads: Diverse, accessible, contemporary poems by MA poets + discussion questions, writing prompts, & more. Explore the free PDF & ways to get involved at masspoetry.org/commonthreads #Threads15 Not sure you like poetry? Step out of your comfort zone this year by checking out Common Threads, an outreach program connecting people and communities with poetry. Get the free PDF & find events near you at masspoetry.org/commonthreads #Threads15 On Twitter: Common Threads 2015 is here! Explore the free PDF at masspoetry.org/commonthreads #Threads15 @masspoetry Diverse, accessible poems by MA poets + discussion questions, writing prompts & more masspoetry.org/commonthreads #Threads15 @masspoetry Not sure you like poetry? See if you connect with one of these 8 poems by MA poets. masspoetry.org/commonthreads #Threads15 @masspoetry Lead or attend a poetry group this year with Common Threads! masspoetry.org/commonthreads #Threads15 @masspoetry Share Tweet Forward Facebook Twitter MassPoetry.org Copyright © 2015 Mass Poetry, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up on our website. Our mailing address is: Mass Poetry 15 Channel Center Street, Suite 103 Boston, MA 02210 Add us to your address book

Questions should be raised, answers sought, opinions stated

The Franklin Downtown Partnership has issued a call for action:

Please attend the Town Council meeting this Wednesday. 

We encourage the public to come to the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, January 7th, at Town Hall at 7:00 pm if you have concerns about a food drive-through at the 150 Emmons Street downtown location.

Our hope is to convince the Council to change the wording in the RFP so a food drive-through is not an option at this busy intersection. 

This will be the final discussion before the Council votes on the RFP. Come make a difference and have your voice heard.

The Town Council agenda has a couple of key items regarding the town property. 

• Sale of 150 Emmons St
• Rezoning of 44 Pond St

You can let your voice and interests be heard by showing up to the meeting.

The Town Council has four options on the Emmons St property. The options were published as

1. Sell the land for $500,000 and allow the developer to construct anything on the property allowed by zoning. 

2. Sell the land for $500,000, but restrict the use. (The discussion at the Economic Development Committee was whether to allow for VSEs (Vehicle Service Establishments) for any use or not allow VSEs for fast food/coffee uses? 

3. Sign a Land Disposition agreement and allow the developer 180 days to find a tenant (s) acceptable to the Council. 

4. Take no action at this time.

The Town Council also has a public hearing scheduled for 7:10 PM on the rezoning of the Pond St property. Questions should be raised, answers asked for, opinions stated.


The full agenda for the meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/01/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-jan-7.html

The options can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/01/options-for-150-emmons-st-decision.html

A quick survey/poll on the options can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/01/survey-says-which-option-on-150-emmons.html

The Downtown Partnership call to action can be found here
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2015/01/make-your-voice-heard-wednesday.html

Additional info on the Pond St property can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/01/public-hearing-pond-st-zoning-bylaw.html

150 Emmons St

Friends of Franklin Library - next meeting March 4

The Friends of Franklin Library will not hold regular monthly meetings in January or February. Instead, members will meet in subcommittees to plan for 2015 and beyond. 

The group's next full meeting will be Wednesday, March 4, at 7 p.m., in the library's community room.

As always, the Friends' board appreciates hearing from members and library patrons. Reach the group by email at fofl02038@gmail.com or check in via Facebook and Twitter.

On Twitter you can find them at https://twitter.com/FriendsFranklin

screen grab of the Friends of Franklin Library twitter profile

On Facebook you can find them at 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Franklin-Library/700089496685566

screen grab of Friends of Franklin Library Facebook page