Live reporting: Town Council - June 24, 2015

Present: Feldman, Padula, Mercer, Kelly, Vallee, Pfeffer, Bissanti, Williams, Dellorco
Absent: none


A. EXECUTIVE SESSION
– Strategy with Respect to Pending Litigation and Collective Bargaining re Fire Fighter’s Union


B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 7:00 PM

C. ANNOUNCEMENTS – This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on
Comcast channel 11 and Verizon channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.

D. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
Raye Lynn Mercer
introduces Electric Youth for a performance before they leave for France and England

Electric Youth introduces themselves before performing "I bet my Life"

a song by Imagine Dragons "I bet my Life"
http://www.directlyrics.com/imagine-dragons-bet-my-life-lyrics.html


K. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

1. Resolution 15-43: Appropriation – FY15 Fire Wages (Arbitration Award)

taking the agenda out of order due to the crowd gathered, 
motion to approve, seconded, 

9 municipal bargaining units, 6% agreement over the four years
had not settled with the Fire Fighters
went to arbitration with the Fire Fighters
award runs concurrent with other union agreements
would need to start into a successor contract for the new period
Council had been putting money aside in anticipation of the award
final deal to allocate the funds to meet the deal
so we have enough money to cover the funding required

so Jeff Nutting is looking to settle this issue
strongly suggesting an affirmative vote

Chuck Allen, Vice President Fire Fighters local union
fire fighters lag behind in comparative salaries
don't want to let the fire dept become the dept of last resort
the report the arbitrator has outlined the summaries

the Council (and other before us) have done much for Franklin
new school, updates to the Library, etc.
however, Franklin is more than just bricks and mortar
without the best people, Franklin would not be the best place in the Commonwealth
voting no would only hurt our families and our community
voting yes would allow us to go forward

vote via roll call - passed 8-1 (Pfeffer)
objecting as she thinks the other unions should get the same increases

Needle Safety Public Service Announcement (video)

Franklin collaborating again.

The Police, Fire, and Public Schools (Panther TV) got together to produce this public service announcement on what to do when you find a needle.





Used needles can be safely disposed of at the kiosk located at the Police Station on Panther Way
http://www.town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Health/needles.pdf

Remember that prescription drugs can be safely disposed of at the Police Station
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_PoliceNews/DrugSafe.pdf

FHS Emily Jeffries named All American

Via the Twitter feed:

Congrats to Emily Jeffries on being named an All-American!! 🇺🇸 #proudcoach https://t.co/EhQEUwpJGK

— FHS Girls Lacrosse (@Fhsglax) June 23, 2015

Emily Jeffries scored four of Franklin's 20 goals on Wednesday against Mansfield. Julia Jette added four of her own and Emily Spath had a hat trick. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Downtown Project: Update #5

The binder course (base coat) will be put down on Summer Street on July 1 or 2 depending on the weather. 

The binder course will be put down on High Street and Main Street from Pleasant to School Street during the same time period. 

They will begin replacing the Emmons Street sidewalk at the end of this week or next week. 

Work at the corner of Emmons and West Central Street (old municipal building) will commence next week, including the installation of the traffic light bases. 

The period lighting bases installation will continue over the summer at several locations. 

The sidewalk reconstruction of West Central Street will begin mid to late July. 

If anyone has a question, please feel free to reach out to the DPW Director, Brutus Cantoreggi or Town Engineer, Michael Maglio at 508-553-5500 or my office at 508-520-4949.

Main St under construction

Pollinator Talk in the King St. Community Garden June 28th at 11AM

Ed Szymanski will be giving at a talk at the King St. Community Garden this Sunday, June 28th, at 1PM. Please join us to learn about the role that pollinators play in making the community garden a success each year.

bee on flower

​Updated 6/25 - 8:00 PM - > Note: We've moved the time of the pollinator event to coincide with that morning's workday. The workday will run from 9am until 11am. At 11am the pollinator event will start and will run until approximately noon.

If you plan on attending please RSVP to franklincommunitygardens@gmail.com so we have a rough head count as there will be handouts.

Sincerely,

The Franklin Community Garden Committee

In the News: Online voter registration, social media for cold cases, teacher award at Tri-County

Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin announced today that the state has implemented online voter registration which allows an applicant to apply to register, change party status or change address for voter registration purposes. 

“In a way, this represents the start of the 2016 presidential election here,” said Galvin in a press release. “The 2016 presidential primary is just eight months away, and this system will make it easier for residents to register to vote.” 

Galvin said that voter registration normally peaks in presidential election years.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150623/NEWS/150628899/1994/NEWS

Police hope the social media blast will bring new light to the cases. 

“We have to keep the fire going,” said Chief Stephan Semerjian. “Someone out there knows information helpful to police.” 

In many area communities, police departments have taken to social media to connect with the community. It’s the fastest, easiest way to get information out, said Semerjian. 

“It’s just the way it is with society. Everyone is high speed now,” he said.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150623/NEWS/150628629/1994/NEWS

The Paul Revere Chapter of the Air Force Association named Kristen Magas, an engineering technology instructor at Tri-County Regional, its 2015 Teacher of the Year. 

Paul Zauner, president of the AFA Paul Revere Chapter, visited the school on June 18 to present Magas with the award. School Committee Chairman Robert Wilkinson, Principal Jean Mallon, and several of Magas' engineering technology students also attended the presentation. 

Magas was named a runner-up for the State Teacher of the Year Award.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150623/NEWS/150628714/1994/NEWS

Live reporting: Closing

5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
Kristen Circe received an MIAA award

modulars coming down next week at Davis Thayer

new assistant principals to be joining the high school
3 promoting from within the district

anyone interested in substance abuse task force, meeting Jun 30th at FHS
will be a lot of work for anyone who wants to be part of it


School Committee Sub
finished policies, will continue work on the rest of the book

budget subcommittee working on lunch prices

Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports

6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.

Reminder on FEF fund raiser for Harlem Wizards coming in November

Trahan mentioned it was good to see efforts to support the local businesses while downtown is undergoing construction - #shopFranklin



8. Adjourn
motion to adjourn, seconded, passed

citizen who did not get to speak earlier asked about when he could do so before the meeting officially closed. "Next meeting or via correspondence" was the reply. (not sure when he had arrived but he might have missed the citizens comments section)

Live reporting: Action Items

4. Action Items
a. I recommend moving the following Policies to a second reading:
1. KF – Community Use of School Facilities
2. KF-E1 – Rules and Regulations
3. KF-E2 – FHS Building Use
4. KF-E3 – Facility Rental Fee Schedule
5. KF-E4 – FHS Facility Rental Fee Schedule
6. KF-E5 – FHS Grounds Rental Fees
7. (NEW)GCCD – Domestic Violence Leave Policy

motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed

b. I recommend the acceptance of two checks totaling $589.71 for FHS as follows:
1. $189.71 Ahold Financial Svc. – Gift Account
2. $400.00 John T. Ombelets/ Elizabeth A. John - Scholarship
motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed

c. I recommend acceptance of two checks totaling $2,370.16 for Keller Elementary School as follows:
1. $370.16 O’Connor Portraiture, Inc. – In-house enrichment
2. $2,000.00 IBM - supplemental curriculum materials
motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed

d. I recommend acceptance of the donation of a Maple Tree (value $150 - 250) from the JF Kennedy PCC for playground shade at JF Kennedy Elementary School.
motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed

e. I recommend acceptance of a check for $150.00 from the Parmenter PCC for a Field Trip.
motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed

f. I recommend acceptance of a check for $25.00 from Target’s Thanks a Billion Program for supplemental supplies at Davis Thayer Elementary School.
motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed

Live Reporting: Policy updates

3. Discussion Only Items

Policy
– First Readings:

KF – Community Use of School Facilities
KF-E1 – Rules and Regulations
KF-E2 – FHS Building Use (new)
KF-E3 – Facility Rental Fee Schedule
KF-E4 – FHS Facility Rental Fee Schedule
KF-E5 – FHS Grounds Rental Fees



- (NEW)
GCCD – Domestic Violence Leave Policy

(policy documents hopefully to be added later, the documents used to be released pre-meeting but recently have not been)

Live reporting: Jefferson / FHS Guidance Presentations

2. Guests/Presentations

b. Jefferson Elementary Update
– Linda Ashley, Sarah Klim

video slide show highlighting activities throughout the school year


c. FHS Guidance Update
– Heather McVay, Josh MacCreery & Jennifer D’Amico

High School Guidance Presentation - 06/23/15 from Franklin Matters

first change is they really are the Franklin guidance dept. covering grades 6-12

developing a curriculum model to spend more time in the classroom rather than just one-on-one with students

guidance seminars developed career seminars
worked with seniors, then freshman, juniors and sophomores

survey showed reduced stress among students with college process, more knowledgeable about scholarship process

student feedback was highlighting that they appreciated the importance of the transcript and how much freshman year really meant to the overall process

worked with the Juniors beginning in January
general info to the larger classes, and then dig deeper into the specifics during the 1-on-1
Naviance - ins and outs of the program and search options

met with the sophomores in the 4th quarter
preparing for junior year and career options
the career plan is a fluid doc but it is started and can be modified as the student progresses through high school

first comment on the high school that has raised a space issue where the prior planning for the new school clearly had not been prepared for the changes in the guidance program (nor could it realistically have been prepared for).

Jennifer D'Amico covered the middle school program

Middle School Curriculum Presentation to School Committee from Franklin Matters

curriculum delivered differently at the 3 middle school but the content was consistent across the schools

first time for middle schools to get exposed to career inventory and career options; look at themselves as a learner, a worker

also looking at developing a curriculum to cover the 5th to 6th grade transition

O'Malley - guidance is the glue that makes schools go, I am impressed
I am impressed with how far we have come
having councilors talk to the 8th graders and their parents is great
having councilors in the classrooms is great
How does the high school or middle school handle a student with a personal or family issue?

Jen - They incorporate the family in the response at the middle school

At the High School, rely heavily on the adjustment councilors and work together with assistant principals as well as part of the team to approach the student situation

Jewel - Concerned about dealing with the problems and not being able to get to the student who can excel; how much with problems versus dealing with the excellence that is required?

With any problem, there is that underlying problem; the communications with the individual teachers is ongoing and priceless; the team approach is key

The great thing about the seminar is being out there creating a presence with the students; at the high school there is the three people to provide support. At the middle school, there is only the one person. 

Maureen - there is also the school psychologists at each of the schools who are good resources. There have been three years of moving walls, to get to this point. Looking to expand further to the kindergarten so it will truly be K-12

Jewell - it is important to get to the students early to get them excited about the STEM arena. Do you use professionals for some examples

One of our goals is to host a career fair for student, if a student has an interest, we do reach out to those where we can. the Senior Project is one particular area that addresses that well.

Clement - How do you strike the balance between showing them options and setting the path? It is good we are giving them the tools

Jen - they explored the options, these are considerations, what is may change many times, it is more about the future planning, not making the final decision

Rohrbach - I know from a parents point of view how overwhelming this can be. This is excellent, thank you

Mullen - When you stop and think about it, you realize how much it has changed over the last several years. Thank you

The seminars are helpful in getting the general info out and are able to have a focused discussion with the individual students

Jen - One of the things to be added to the middle school is to get a better feel on how much the numbers will help in predicting the rising student populations

Live reporting: School Committee - June 23, 2015

Present: Douglas, O'Malley, Rohrbach, Clement, Mullen, Trahan, Jewell
Absent: none


1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments - none

• Chandler Creedon, President Franklin Education Assoc

last time as President, stepping down after 7 years, to devote time to other matters; meeting the goal can only be achieved through sustained effort
thank you

Review of Agenda - none
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the June 9, 2015 School Committee Meeting. 
motion to approve, seconded, passed 7-0

Payment of Bills - Mr. Clement
motion to approve, seconded, passed 7-0

Payroll - Mrs. Douglas

FHS Student Representatives - none

Correspondence:
Budget to Actual – Miriam Goodman

Special recognition for Maureen Barker, had been recording the minutes of the School Committee for the past several years


2. Guests/Presentations
a. Remington Middle School Update
- Paul Peri, Brian Wildeman
Carly Alston, Allison Ivers, Sean Henderson

"The Dawg House"
the school store at Remington

The school store is available online
http://remingtonmiddle.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinMS_WebDocs/thedawghousecatalog.pdf

The top 10 books sold at the store came from a vote by the student body

locker accessories also for sale

proceeds from the sales go to buying more stuff to sale

more collaboration planned with the Student Council next year

(presentation copy to be added later)
(5 minutes recess)

#ShopFranklin: My Little Midge

Via Kiernan Reed:

For this week’s ‪#‎ShopFranklin‬ Spotlight, I interviewed Megan Travers of My Little Midge! 

If you’ve ever been to Twist Bakery in Millis, you’ve already seen My Little Midge’s custom chalkboard art; the 23-foot-long menu above their counter is all Megan’s handiwork. Although Megan’s business started out with several different crafts, her chalkboard art quickly became her signature. “I liked how it was kind of what I was known for,” says Megan.  

My Little Midge!

She started with birthday chalkboards, which are still one of her most popular items, and expanded from there. For the birthday chalkboards, parents provide Megan with ten to thirteen facts about their child, such as their favorite foods, measurements, likes and dislikes, and so on. Megan takes that information and turns it into a permanent piece of art that captures the child at that age. 

“They change so quickly,” explains Megan; the artwork is a way for the parents to remember the little details that might otherwise be forgotten. These chalkboards aren’t just for kids’ birthdays, though. Megan has created them for weddings, anniversaries, and other milestones. “I can put anything on chalkboard and have it made into something that’s personalized,” Megan says. 

Unlike typical chalk art, Megan’s chalkboard artworks are permanent. She starts with wood or canvas painted with chalkboard paint, to give the artwork that “authentic feel,” and sketches out her design with chalk. She goes over any imperfections, smooths them out and adjusts the spacing, and then permanently fixes the design by going over it with oil paint markers. According to Megan, this method allows her to be “more precise with my execution.” 

After the birth of Megan’s second child, she became a stay-at-home mom, but felt the need to do something beyond caring for her family. Megan has always loved art, so turning her artworks into a business via My Little Midge was a natural progression. “I love what I do,” says Megan. “It allows me to be home with my kids and do something that’s fulfilling to me.” 

In fact, My Little Midge is named for Megan’s five-year-old daughter, Bridget, who has been “Midge” to her family since birth. Bridget wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and has her own table in Megan’s office where she creates her own art while Megan works. “She’ll ask, ‘Mommy, are we working tonight?’” Megan relates. Bridget even critiques Megan’s designs, often telling her “It needs more swirls!” 

Megan’s husband was born and raised in Franklin, so the town was a natural place for them to settle after college. Megan loves Franklin’s sense of community, and loves that “they’re really pushing the whole small business thing… people want to see small businesses grow.” 

Franklin’s support for small businesses has led Megan to make connections with other business owners; she recently partnered with Kooky Critters for a giveaway, and works with Absolutely Fabulous Affairs to throw amazing kids’ parties. Megan is also in talks with other town businesses to do more menu artwork. 

In the future, Megan plans to continue working from her home so she can be there for her kids, but would love to partner with someone for a storefront in future. Since all of her artwork is custom-created, Megan says her clients don’t always understand that it takes time. 

The “orders snowball… I’m like, OK, I can’t take any more for six weeks!” For Megan, “my kids always come first and I don’t ever want them to think that they don’t,” so as her business continues to grow, she’s looking for ways to merchandise her artwork on easily reproducible items such as mugs, prints, and greeting cards. “I don’t want to just plateau – I want to keep going, I want to see where this takes me,” Megan says.

You can find My Little Midge on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/MyLittleMidge

or Etsy   https://www.etsy.com/shop/mylittlemidge



Kiernan's post was shared from the Living in Franklin website

2015 Summer Reading Program gets started at the Library

Franklin’s 2015 Summer Reading Program is set to begin with two parties this week.

For middle and high school students, a special kickoff party is being held Tuesday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the library. Teens will be able to register for summer reading, as well as enjoy Henna tattoos, Wii games, and karaoke. Moe’s Southwest Grill is putting on a taco buffet, and Making Whoopie will provide whoopie pies.

For younger readers, a special party is planned for Wednesday, June 24, at 3 p.m., on the library lawn. In addition to information about summer reading, there’ll be glitter tattoos, face painting, balloon animals and sidewalk chalk.

The kickoff events and Summer Reading Program are sponsored by The Friends of Franklin Library in conjunction with library staff.

Franklin Public Library

For a complete listing of the Summer Programs check this flyer
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Library/summer2015.pdf

Franklin Community Coalition on Opioid Abuse

The first meeting of the coalition is Monday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at FHS. View this email in your browser Share your info Please answer this brief survey to help us learn about the audience We are conducting a voluntary five (5) question survey to learn a little about our coalition members ahead of the first meeting which will be held on June 30th at 7 pm in the Franklin High School Auditorium. The information you provide will help us maximize the potential of this coalition and enable us to use your experience and expertise appropriately and create the best materials to help us reach our goals. Simply click here to complete the short survey. Thank you in advance for your interest and assistance with this project. In the meantime, you may want to review Governor Baker's Stop Addiction website which provides  information on how to prevent and identify opioid misuse and where to go for help. You can view that site by clicking here. And below, I have included some links to two timely videos on the subject. One is a short film called If Only which was produced by James Wahlberg and filmed in Tewksbury. It tells the story of two teenagers battling addiction to prescription opiates. One of the boys gets help to beat the addiction, while the other dies of an overdose. The other film is an 87-minute documentary titled The Other Side of Andover Massachusetts. It's the work of a recent Andover High School graduate who is trying to draw attention to opiate abuse in his community. I thought the films would be of interest in preparation for our first community conversation next Monday. I look forward to seeing you then. If Only, a film produced by James Wahlberg, tells the story of two teenagers battling addiction to prescription opiates. Click the image above to view the movie. The Other Side of Andover Massachusetts is the work of a recent Andover High School graduate trying to draw attention to opiate abuse in his community. Click on the image above to watch the movie. Copyright © 2015 Jeffrey.Roy@MAHouse.gov, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in joining the fight against obioid abuse in our community. Our mailing address is: Jeffrey.Roy@MAHouse.gov State House - Room 527A Boston, MA 02133 Add us to your address book

Senior Center: A new edition of The Franklin Connection is available

A new edition of The Franklin Connection has been published on the Town of Franklin web site.

Click the link below to read the latest edition.

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Senior/JulyAug15connection.pdf

Franklin Senior Center

_______________________________________________
You are subscribed to the The Franklin Connection - Senior Newsletter mailing list.

Franklin's first Cultural Festival arrives this summer!

The Franklin Cultural District Committee is in the final weeks of preparation for its first Franklin Cultural Festival that will run from Wednesday, July 29 to Sunday, August 2, 2015. The Celebration will take place in various locations in downtown Franklin including: THE BLACK BOX (inside and outside on its stage) and Historical Museum, in locations along Main, Daniel McCahill and Oak Streets that include but are not limited to The Cake Bar, Jane’s Frames, Dean College, the Public Library, the Town Common, and the Horace Mann Middle School, and in other locations (businesses, restaurants, etc.) within the district footprint.

Franklin Cultural Festival - Arts Happen Here!

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29 at the Town Common. It will be followed with a performance by Electric Youth and, later in the evening, FPAC: One Acts at THE BLACK BOX. Earlier in the day the Pumpernickel Puppets will perform at the Library and Jane’s Frames will host a Zentangle Class. Numerous activities are scheduled for the evening of Thursday, July 30 and the afternoon and evening of Friday, July 31.

The majority of the Cultural Festival events and performances take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2. Saturday the performances and events will be located around the Town Common and on Sunday afternoon, they will be downtown at the Historical Museum, the Methodist Church, and THE BLACK BOX. Sunday afternoon the Circle of Friends is hosting a stage for numerous performers and the first Taste of Franklin will be offered by Franklin restaurants.

Throughout the Festival ceramic bowls, made by the Franklin Art Association, will be available for purchase, as a fund raiser for the Franklin Food Pantry.

The Franklin Cultural District Steering Committee includes: Alan Mercer, Roberta Trahan, Sue Sheridan, Jim Schultz, and Pandora Carlucci.

If you are interested in learning more about the Franklin Cultural Festival please check out our Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinCulturalFestival or our webpage http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/

To financially support the Festival please visit: gofundme.com/tx62gs. If you want to be added to our email group, contact us at: FranklinCulturalDistrict@gmail.com. Thank you!



This was shared from the Cultural Festival page here

http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/2015/06/franklin-cultural-festival-summer-2015.html

The Town of Franklin is looking for volunteers for committees/boards

Some committees are up for their annual re-appointment and some have openings for you to step up to help!

Town of Franklin header image

The Town of Franklin is looking for Members for the following committees: If you are interested in becoming a member, please complete the attached form and return the Town Administrator's Office.

• Conservation    Conservation Commission
• Design Review Commission
• Disabilities Commission
• Municipal Affordable Housing Trust- Contact Maxine Kinhart 508-520-4949
• Zoning Board of Appeal

The volunteer form to fill out when you are interested can be found here

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/01E3B9EF-000F8513.0/TOWN%20OF%20FRANKLIN%20VOLUNTEER%20FORM.pdf

In addition to those listed above, there is also an opening on the Finance Committee:

The Town of Franklin is looking for a new Member for the Finance Committee.  If you are interested,  please complete the attached form and send along with a resume and letter of interest to the Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting at jnutting@franklin.ma.us

You can fill out the same volunteer form (above) and contact Town Administrator Jeff Nutting

Reporting by walking around - Saturday, June 20th (photo essay)

The good weather had me out for a walk around town on Saturday morning. The camera came along and by sharing these photos, you can too.

Parmenter has their field day today, with Kindergarten
finishing on Tuesday and all grades finishing on Friday

the new tot lot at Fletcher Field (off Peck St)
was busy on Saturday, a good sign!

softball game in progress at Pisini Field off Peck St

empty lot going to be expanded parking for the Oteri Funeral Home

Did you know Chinese Mirch has a lunch buffet now?

new sidewalks being put in along Emmons and Main St

top layer of asphalt removed along Main St from School St to Pleasant St

High St is being redone by the contractor at the same time but paid for by
Town funds and not the grant that covers the other work

Davis Thayer sign also announces K last day on 6/23 and all grades with half day on 6/26

What are those purple flags on the Cape for?

In case you missed the article in the Globe West Sunday edition: 

Dan Gilmartin placed purple flags in the Mashpee rotary. His son Cory, 32, died of a heroin overdose in January 2014. (DEBEE TLUMACKI FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)

Gail Mahoney, 77, measures the toll of the heroin crisis here and across the country by counting the number of grandchildren she and her friends have lost to the deadly drug. 

One friend lost two grandchildren. Another friend buried one grandchild and has a grandson who is “fighting for his life.” Mahoney said her son’s stepdaughter died of a heroin overdose four years ago. 

“I’m just a little nobody, and I know seven people that have kids that have lost their lives,” Mahoney said Friday. “It’s everywhere. It’s not just on Cape Cod. It’s throughout our whole country. My question is: Why do we have so much heroin in this country?” 

Mahoney, a Mashpee resident, visited the Mashpee rotary Friday night to speak with volunteers who placed 330 purple flags to represent people who died from overdoses of heroin and other opioids on Cape Cod and the Islands between 2000 and 2014.

Continue reading the article here: (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/06/20/those-died-oid-overdoses-remembered-cape-with-purple-flags/UQgtjhD88zP3ySHDsQZ5fI/story.html


What can be done about the opioid epidemic in Franklin? Come out to the Community Coalition - June 30th - 7:00 PM.  Franklin can come out from behind closed doors to the High School Auditorium on 7:00 PM Tuesday, June 30. The meeting will introduce the formation of a Community Coalition to help with our own problem.

"Firefighters have been without a new contract since June 2011"

If the council chooses to honor the award, the cost to the town for fiscal year 2012 through fiscal year 2015 is about $525,000, with an additional $70,000 needed for fiscal year 2016, according to Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting, who sought councilors' support of the award in a memo to them last week. 

The main concern for councilors Wednesday night will be whether the town can finance the award. Union leaders say the town’s fiscal health is not an issue. 

“The union knows that this is not a big win for anybody,” said Robert Donovan, the union president. “But a neutral panel has figured out the best way to solve this four-year battle that put us at an impasse. We entered into arbitration because we wanted to solve this problem, and now we have to honor the decision. 

“The character of both parties will show in how they react to this decision,” Donovan added.

Read the full article online here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150621/NEWS/150629494/1994/NEWS

Fire Dept

The full agenda document for the Town Council meeting on Wednesday can be found here.

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2015%20Complete%20With%20Documents/062415.pdf

Pages 4 and 5 are the letter from Jeff Nutting to the Council outlining the award details and funding sources. Franklin had prudently been setting money aside each year in anticipation of an award.