New videos touting Franklin previewed, more on the way to address opiate drug problem

Franklin will get to showcase itself with five new advertising videos. The five spots were viewed by the Town Council last night. The video spots run about 1:30 to 2:00 minutes each and tout the benefits of Franklin. The spots are meant to be used to advertise Franklin at conferences and such occasions. 

The Horace Mann statue committee was created and the following members named to it: Debbie Pellegri, Charles Oteri, Jeff Roy, Mary Olsson, Lisa Piana, and Robert Dellorco. Tom Mercer was added to the previously published listing of committee members.

Three citizens spoke up about the proposed gas pipeline that is slated to be brought through Franklin. There is a Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 28th at the Council Chambers.


Considerable time and discussion was spent on the opiate drug problem that Franklin is affected by along with many other communities in the Commonwealth. Police Chief Stephan Semerjian, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey, Representative Jeff Roy spoke of their efforts collaborating to address the growing issue. Among the new efforts to address this will be the formation of a coalition to bring together the many organizations that are affected by the problem. The students at Panther TV will be working with the Police Chief to develop some public service video announcements.

Police Chief Semerjian and his team address the Town Council

The Council approved of the purchase of 20 acres of land along Lincoln St to add to existing property already owned by Franklin and marked for open space. The purchase of this land by the open space funds would prevent the land from being re-purposed for a fire substation which caused Councilor Kelly to cast the only no vote. The measure passed 8-1.

My notes reported live during the meeting can be found here:

• Live reporting: Closing
• Live reporting: Legislation
• Live reporting: Police Chief on the drug problem
• Live reporting: Franklin TV
• Live reporting: Town Council - May 20, 2015

Open Mic Night at The Cake Bar

The 3rd Thursday of the month has rolled around again. 

Thursday, May 21st is the THIRD THURSDAY of the month and that means it's Open Mic Night at the cake bar! Come show off your musical talent in a fun and intimate setting. 

Sign up in advance for a guaranteed spot or walk in that night and check availability. Open Mic night is FREE and last month we had a variety of talented teen and adult performers. 

Come and join us this Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 at THE CAKE BAR in Franklin.

Open Mic Night - The Cake Bar

This was shared from The Cake Bar's Facebook page

LEGO Club returns at 4:00 PM today

The LEGO Club returns at 4:00 PM today. For ages, 3 to 12. The Library will be the place to help satisfy your LEGO mania.

This was shared from the Franklin Library page here
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/05/lego-club.html

time to “get up to speed”

With the current town clerk not seeking re-election this November, town officials will likely reduce the salary for the position by about $10,000. 

Longtime town clerk Deborah Pellegri announced early last month that she would not be taking nomination papers for the biennial town election. 

Last year, Pellegri received about a $10,000 raise, bringing her salary to more than $80,000. Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said at the time that Pellegri’s pay was roughly 13 percent less than the state average.

Continue reading the article here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150521/NEWS/150529210/1994/NEWS

For other items of note in the FY 2016 budget you can refer to the reporting on the budget hearings here

• Finance Committee - Budget hearing #4
• Finance Committee - Budget hearing #3
• Finance Committee - Budget hearing #2
• Finance Committee - Budget hearing #1

Since taking office in 2010, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey each year has noted a rise in deaths resulting from overdoses of heroin and other opioids. 

Two years ago there were 63 deaths, he said; in 2014, there were 94. And before he left his Canton office Wednesday, the count for this year stood, already, at 58, including one during the day. 

“It’s the single largest problem I have as a district attorney,” Morrissey said, referring to the state’s opioid epidemic. “It’s the largest killer of young people.”

Conitnue reading the article here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150521/NEWS/150529106/1994/NEWS

FHS baseball and girls lacrosse top Foxboro

In the Franklin vs. Foxboro competitions on Wednesday, the FHS baseball and girls lacrosse teams won, the boys tennis team lost. Thanks to Hockomock Sports for providing the results to share here


Baseball
Foxboro, 2 @ Franklin, 6 - Final 

- Anthony Chaiton struck out 10 in over five innings of work to pick up the win for the Panthers. Chaiton helped his cause at the plate, going 2-3 with a walk and a pair of runs scored. Nick Santucci was a perfect 3-3 with three runs scored and Kyle Wardrop picked up the save in relief, going 1.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts.

FHS Panthers

Girls Lacrosse
Franklin, 13 @ Foxboro, 2 - Final 

- Franklin jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first half and never looked back. Emily Jeffries led all scorers with four goals and two assists, Kenzie Pleshaw had three goals and Dani Lonati made five saves in net. Head coach Kristin Igoe said Grace McDermott played well defensively for the Panthers.

Boys Tennis
Franklin, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 - Final 

- Foxboro's Wes Young won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at first singles, Liam Riess won 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 at second singles, Andre Jaberi won 6-0, 6-3 at third singles and Brian Bortolotti and Jack Marino won 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles. Franklin's James Johnston and Eli Brooks won 6-4, 6-4 at second doubles.

For all the results from Wednesday around the Hockomock League
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-052015

Live reporting: Closing

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

thanks to Gus Brown for his work on all the affordable housing efforts

public hearing on the gas line, state hearing not federal or the gasline

bylaw on door to door coming after hours, had not registered and were out after 8pm; first response, don't answer the door, ask them to leave and call the police; there are legitimate reason to go but they need to register

thanks for beautification day, all the folks that donated the flowers and swaeat labor

National EMS week, congratulate them

attended presentation at the high school with Kennedy and others with the company who did the grant for the school lab equipment, thanks to them for that

RFP for the solar and other use on Pond St is out due back July 9th


L. OLD BUSINESS
none

M. NEW BUSINESS
Pfeffer - groups like the Art Association or Garden Club can't sell items under our bylaws and use rules, they can go to Norfolk to do so but can't do so here

Nutting- we'll be happy to look at it

Kelly - I want to talk about the door to door folks that were going around, there is no reason to have folks going around after 8:00 PM. I'd like to look at that in a future meeting

the train noise, what would a quiet zone cost them? Norfolk got their's before the Federal law passed

if we could at least control the noise

Freight train running overnight to deliver between 1:00 -3:00 AM


N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Pfeffer - can we start the coalition
the committee did a fantastic job

Franklin Council on Aging - expressing approval on the increase in minimum wage for the tax workoff program

Kelly - can we get something on the webpage about the DelCarte
some change to the route for the Memorial Day parade and ceremonies this year

hoping to get more to the cemetaries with the separate schedule


O. EXECUTIVE SESSION

P. ADJOURN
motion to adjourn, passed 9-0

LIve reporting: Legislation

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution15-26: Purchase of Unimproved Land at 864 Lincoln Street Authorization and Appropriation
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-1 (Kelly only no)

would tie nicely to current land that the Town already owns
using 250,000 to link the land and provide access to the Charles is good

Question to provide access for a fire substation
no access other than via the high tension wires
could use some space at Dacey field for that

Kelly - I just want to leave our options open for supporting fire/ambulance

Nutting - we could short term put some picnic tables and parking, longer term you coud do more, first you need to own the property


2. Resolution 15-27: Transfer From Water Enterprise and Rescind Borrowing Authority (Resolution 14-16 Appropriation Funding Sources)
motion to waive the reading, seconded, passed 9-0
motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0 

mostly an accounting process


4. Resolution 15-29: Acceptance of Deed of Open Space in Catherine Estate Open Space Residential Subdivision and Confirmatory Order of Taking
motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0 (via roll call)

developer needs to give the town about 12 acres
Kelly - what took so long, I was in high school when this started?
the developer also was paying taxes on the land that he could not use


5. Resolution 15-30: Compensation Plan – FY 2016
motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0
an annual proposal to adjust the wage scales, does not affect individuals at this time


6. Resolution 15-31: Appropriation – Snow & Ice
motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0
$505,759 over the current budget
we spent over $300,000 on the one storm they will reimburse and we might get half of that back later this calendar year


7. Resolution 15-32: Appropriation - Animal Control Truck
motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0
We split with Bellingham, they pay half and we do
we need a new truck


8. Resolution 15-33: Appropriation – GASB 45 Actuary Study
motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0


9. Resolution 15-34: Appropriation – Central Services
motion to approve, seconded, passed 9-0
to cover an anticipated shortfall in postage