Fire Dept Presentation doc and video clip

The presentation document used by Chief McCarragher during the Town Council meeting on Wednesday can be found here

Ping 4 Alerts Presentation - April 1, 2015 from Franklin Matters

On page 4. it seems to be blank but this was when the following video clip was shared. 

screen grab of the MEMA page touting Ping4Alerts

My notes from the live reporting for this section of the Town Council meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/04/live-reporting-ping4alert.html


The summary of the meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/04/this-purple-heart-community-received.html

Franklin Library: Gmail account hands on workshop

Do you have a Google account? 

If you do, you know all the applications that the one account can provide for free. 

If you don't have one, there is a class at the Franklin Library on Wednesday, Apr 8th that will walk through setting up a Gmail account (with Google).

Space is limited for this session, please call the Library to register. 

Create and manage a Gmail account

This was shared from the Franklin Library page
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/04/create-and-manage-gmail-account.html


While Wordpress tends to get a lot of notice for its blog service, the Blogger service (part of Google) is competitive. The Library page linked to above is done with Blogger as is Franklin Matters, the Franklin Food Pantry and the Franklin Downtown Partnership. 

"The future poses some thorny issues"

The "recent' audit is actually an annual event for Franklin. This year was an achievement in that the audit results were the best of the past several years.

A recent audit of the town has found its finances “solid and well-managed,” while drawing attention to a multimillion-dollar post-employment benefits liability still looming over every budget. 

Melanson & Heath, a New Hampshire-based accounting and tax firm, presented information from its audit to the Town Council this week. The firm gave Franklin an unqualified opinion, meaning it believes the town’s financial statements are sound and free from any material misstatements. 

Karen Snow, an accountant with Melanson & Heath, highlighted the town’s upgraded bond rating, which improved last year from AA to AA+. 

“Part of the reason (Standard & Poor’s) upgraded that is because they feel you have a nice solid fund balance and you don’t have any plans to spend that fund balance down,” Snow explained.

Continue reading the MDN article here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150403/NEWS/150408041/1994/NEWS

Franklin Municipal Building

My reporting on the audit results can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/04/this-purple-heart-community-received.html

The 2014 audit results can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/03/what-is-public-need.html

The 2013 audit results can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/02/town-council-020613.html

Spring Cleanup - Apr 11th - Parmenter School

The 5th Grade at Parmenter School will be doing a Spring Cleanup on Saturday, Apr 11th. 

Get your car washed, drop off those bottles/cans, any used books or clothing - they'll take 'em!. 

Spring Cleaning 5th Grade Fund raiser - Parmenter School - Apr 11 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Register Today, Save $5 and Receive an Official Race Shirt!

This race is located in Andover and for a good cause. If you don't know Colleen's story you can find out about it here.

#StepUp4Colleen - May 3, 2015 30 days from today thousands will participate in the second annual Step Up for Colleen 5k Walk/Run. Are you ready to Step Up for Colleen? If you have not yet registered, please sign up today to take advantage of pre-race registration savings. Also, the first 3,000 registrants will receive a Badger C2 performance T-shirt. This year's course is pending certification by USA Track and Field and will follow the pulse start model. Whether you are an experienced runner, a walker, or just a family gathering together for a good cause, everyone is welcome. All participants will wear a bib number with an electronically-readable chip and prizes will be awarded to the first three male and female finishers. Register today and save $5! Registration is $30 through Sunday, April 19th and will increase to $35 after the 19th.   Register today and share why you are stepping up. See some of the hundreds of reasons on the right hand side of this email. If you have already registered, thank you! We look forward to seeing you amongst the sea of pink on Sunday, May 3rd. Please remember to share on Facebook and Twitter the graphic (below) you received in your thank you e-mail and encourage friends and family to join you in Stepping Up for Colleen. We look forward to seeing you on May 3rd and again, thank you for Stepping Up for Colleen! Sincerely, The Ritzer Family and Step Up for Colleen Race Committee Proceeds from the event will support the Step Up for Colleen Fund at the Essex County Community Foundation which benefits the Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Fund provides college scholarships to high school graduates who pursue education as a college major and reflect Colleen's values. We look forward to seeing you on May 3rd and thank you for Stepping Up for Colleen! Some Reasons Why People are Stepping Up for Colleen I want to Step Up For Colleen because I want to honor my teacher who not only helped me love math but who taught me what being good and kind to people is all about. I'm stepping up for Ms. Ritzer because I've learned that teachers don't just teach they change lives. She changed all of our lives and it's time to give back to her. Ms. Ritzer was an engaging and dynamic teacher!  She made every student feel special.  Her memory should be remembered and celebrated! I am very grateful for Colleen's impact as my child's teacher. Step Up for Colleen | www.stepupforcolleen.com Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Forward this email Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Scholarship | P.O. Box 1269 | Andover | MA | 01810

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 4/3/15 - THU 4/9/15

FRI 4/3   10:30am-12pm   Egg Hunt at the Franklin Public Library (Children’s Section)
FRI 4/3   6:30pm   Art Night Uncorked at the Franklin Art Center
FRI 4/3   8-9:50pm   Frozen Friday DJ Public Skate at Pirelli Arena

SAT 4/4   10:30am   Family Story Time at the Franklin Public Library
SAT 4/4   2-3:30pm   Kids Yoga and Meet and Greet Jeff Kinney (ages 6 and up, registration required) - Franklin YMCA
SAT 4/4   2:30-4pm   Kids Yoga and Meet and Greet Jeff Kinney (ages 6 and up, registration required) - Franklin YMCA
SAT 4/4  3-4:30pm   Kids Yoga and Meet and Greet Jeff Kinney (ages 6 and up, registration required) - Franklin YMCA

WED 4/8   12-2pm   Adult Painting at Franklin Art Center
WED 2/8   6-9pm   FEF 18th Annual Trivia Bee at Horace Mann Middle School. Live Music by Franklin HS Jazz Band. NEW THIS YEAR - Middle School Trivia Bee (6-7pm)!
WED 4/8   7-8pm   Create and Manage Gmail Account Hands On Workshop, Franklin Public Library, registration required.

THU 4/9   7pm   Small Business Co-Op Meeting at The Cake Bar - public welcome

For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.

For event details click HERE.

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

#shopFranklin - The Curry House - Mon/Tue in April

The Curry House is offering the first #shopFranklin customer special!

Every Monday and Tuesday in April, you will receive 1/2 off your second entree (the lesser priced) when you dine in and show the attached image.

#shopFranklin - The Curry House

#shopFranklin is the 'accidental' effort being fostered by Sarah Mabardy. You can find the #shopFranklin group on Facebook here. 

Be sure to read and follow the guidelines:

This group was formed in response to our desire to help support and promote our local, independently owned and operated businesses in Franklin and create a community where we respect and support our neighbors. 

All area residents and small businesses are welcome to join and post on the page according to the mission of supporting Franklin’s independently owned businesses.

Franklin Police: Change to Driving Law

HEADLIGHTS ON FOR SAFETY 

Mass General Law Ch. 85 sec 15 

1. Motorists will be required to turn on headlights and taillights whenever the windshield wipers are on. 

2. Motorists will be required to turn on headlights and taillights when visibility is reduced so that persons or vehicles are not visible at 500 feet due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions - Law will take effect April 7, 2015.

Franklin Police Station, Panther Way

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You are subscribed to the Franklin Police News and Announcements mailing list.

Egg Hunt at the Franklin LIbrary - 10:30 AM

Looking for something to do with the little ones this morning? How about the egg hunt at the Library? Starting at 10:30 and running until noon, there will be crafts and the egg hunt of course!

egg hunt at the Franklin Library

This was shared from the Franklin Library page here
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/03/egg-hunt-crafts.html

"a partial solution to the issue of parking"

From the Downtown Partnership general meeting on Thursday, Milford Daily News writes about the update on the construction project by Town Administrator Jeff Nutting:

At the meeting, he presented an artistic rendering of the finished island in front of the Rome Restaurant on East Central Street. 

“The island gets smaller and really busy between the flagpole, the sign, the troth, the planters; in working with the Downtown Partnership, we plan to buy the planters and then surround them with stonework — similar to in front of the Town Hall,” he said. 

Business owners say a lack of parking is one of the major barriers preventing more people from shopping and eating in the downtown. 

Nutting believes he has found a partial solution to the issue of parking: Next month, he will deliver a proposal to the Town Council asking for the removal of the downtown meters in favor of two-hour parking. In addition, commuter rail passes will only be active from 5 a.m. to noon, freeing up spots that might otherwise be taken.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150403/NEWS/150408542/1994/NEWS

This "Purple Heart" community received an "unqualified opinion"

The Town Council meeting was varied and efficiently conducted in just about an hour. The summary of items discussed and where appropriate voted on is as follows:

• A proclamation was made to recognize Franklin as a "Purple Heart Community"
• The liquor license transfer from Soco Rose to GBU was approved.
• The DPW was authorized to purchase a 'hot box' to help improve the pot hole patching process.
• Chief Gary McCarragher presented on Ping4Alerts, a new alert system being deployed by MEMA and Franklin for all the alerts and other targeted important notifications.
• The auditors talked about the "unqualified opinion" that Franklin received as being the highest rating and how "solid and well managed" Franklin was overall.
• The insurance payments for the Keller sprinkler incident required a Council vote to approve the disbursement. As the payments had come to the Franklin accounts, the Council needed to authorize the payments to the vendors involved. Most of the insurance reimbursements had gone directly to the vendors and hence did not require a Council vote.

The MEMA video touting Ping4Alerts




To get Ping4Alerts, follow the links on this MEMA page
http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/massachusetts-alerts.html

Massachusetts alerts

For all the detailed notes reported live during the meeting, check these links:

• Live reporting: Legislation through to closing

• Live reporting: audit results - "an unqualified op...

• Live reporting: Ping4Alert

• Live reporting: License transfer and hot box purch...

• Live reporting: Town Council - Apr 1, 2015

Giving Youth Sports Back to Our Kids - be part of the studio audience!

We would like to invite the public to be part of a studio audience at our new Cable TV studio.  

We are inviting the public to a series of thirty-minute shows on topics trending in education with a focus on raising resilient children.

The first is to be held on April 14th at 9:30 a.m. at the studio on 23 Hutchinson Street.

The topic is:  Giving Youth Sports Back to Our Kids, featuring Jay Horrigan, who has a wealth of experience through his involvement with sports programs at all levels.

The new studio is beautiful... we are so lucky to have it in our town.  This is a great opportunity for people to visit and interact on topics of interest.

I am hosting the program

       Anne Bergen
(recently retired principal of Horace Mann Middle School)

main entrance to Franklin TV studio on Hutchinson St

Franklin Library: LEGO Mania - Apr 2

LEGO Mania returns to the Franklin Library on Thursday, Apr 2 and Apr 16 at 4:00 PM.

LEGO Mania

Ideal for those aged 3 - 12. Those of us whow would like to play with LEGOs will need to find another time/place.

This was shared from the Library page here
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/03/lego-club.html


Check out the work of Nathan Sawaya, the Brick Artist for some inpirational creations  http://www.brickartist.com/

image from The Brick Artist

.

FHS lacrosse tops Canton - twice

From Hockomock Sports we find that both the boys and girls lacrosse teams topped their counterparts from Canton High School on Wednesday.


Boys Lacrosse

FHS Panthers

Canton, 6 @ Franklin, 17 - Final - After struggling against an aggressive Canton team early, Franklin finally settled down according to Panther's head coach Lou Verrochi. Jack Vail led the way with five goals and an assist, Austin Kent had two goals and four assists and Alex Campbell had two goals and two assists. DJ Shea had 11 saves in net and Mike Sullivan, Alec Borkowski and Sean Lockhart were "excellent in close defense," Verrochi said.

Girls Lacrosse

Franklin, 14 @ Canton, 4 - Final - Emily Jeffries led the way for the Panthers with four goals and an assist. Kendall Reardon added four assists for Franklin and Caroline Lounsbury and Diana Griffin each recorded their first career goals. For Canton, Mary McNeil had a hat trick and Mary Nee had a goal and an assist.

For all the results of the Hockomock spring action Wednesday, check here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-040115

2015 WMRC Local Music Awards

The stage is set for this year's WMRC Local Music Awards!  On May 17^th hundreds of musicians, fans and local music supporters will gather at Liz's Diamond Bar and Grille in Hopedale to honor, celebrate and relish all that The Greater Milford Area Local Music Scene offers.

The festivities will begin at 4:00pm with a special pre-awards show featuring the band TETER TODDERS and friends.  The official award ceremony starts at 5:00pm featuring a red carpet introduction of nominees, 10 live performances and 30 award presentations. 

 

WMRC 1490 AM

"There is such immense talent in our direct area" said event organizer, Ray Auger of WMRC First Class Media Solutions in Milford.  "Four years ago, I decided it was time to honor the talent that encompasses Milford and its surrounding 13 towns.  We make one hell of a night of it!  Everyone, 21 plus, is invited to attend and enjoy a night of local music at its best… and it's FREE!"

This event is designed to look and feel as if it would be a night at the Grammy Awards.  No detail is missed. There will be red carpet, VIP Lounge, SWAG, interviews; must-see-fashion, laminated VIP passes for those lucky enough to be granted access to the VIP Lounge, live performances and coveted trophies handed out throughout the night included the Stanley Cup of local music honors, The Headliner Award.  The WMRC LMAs were designed to honor the arts in style. 

"The focus on local music from WMRC has been amazing, says local musician and promoter Tom Pile.  "The WMRC Local Music Award event is a spectacular celebration of what the local artists have accomplished over the past year, voted on by their fans and peers. Every year seems to get better and better."

Voting for the 30 multi-genre categories begins April 1^st and runs through April 14^th.  For more details on the WMRC Local Music Awards like the Facebook page or visit http://wmrcdailynews.com./