Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
"The Board of Incorporators is actively working on a schedule for our next coalition meeting, speaking programs, our web and social media campaigns, and additional support services. This newsletter is to provide you with some updates and information to keep the conversation going."
Missin Matt walk in Milford Sept 12
The S.A.F.E. Board of Incorporators is actively working on a schedule for our next coalition meeting, upcoming speaking programs, our web and social media campaigns, and additional support services. This newsletter is to provide you with some updates and information to keep the conversation going.
In the meantime, a great event coming up is the Missin Matt Walk in Milford which will take place on Saturday, September 12 at 11 am. I have registered along with my colleague Rep. John Fernandes (D - Milford) and was hoping you would join us for this important event to raise awareness.
Consistent with the mission of our S.A.F.E. coalition, we will walk for a couple of miles, listen, learn and be a part of the solution to the opioid crisis plaguing our communities. It is in remembrance of Matthew A. Bertulli, who died on November 3rd, 2012 at the age of 27. His young life was abruptly ended by a heroin overdose.
As Kattie Truit (Matt's mom) put it: "We walk for Matt, we walk to bring education, we walk to help stop the judgment, we walk to give hope and we walk to help. Our goal is to make a difference in our community."
You can join us and register by clicking here or on the image above. Help us get a large crowd at the event and spread the word.
SUPPORT SERVICES
Community of HOPE (Healing ourselves, preserving each other) has begun meeting on Monday evenings at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 262 Chestnut Street in Franklin at 7 p.m. The group offers support for families struggling with addiction and recovery. Its preserves anonymity and creates a safe place for people and families in crisis. Starting in September, the Missin Matt Foundation will host a family support group meeting every Wednesday night in the Milford Hospital. The program will feature a 12 step Big Book workshop for those suffering from addiction. Healing Hearts has begun meeting on Thursday evenings on the second floor of the Franklin YMCA at 45 Forge Hill Road in Franklin at 7 p.m. The group offers support for families struggling with addiction and recovery. Its preserves anonymity and creates a safe place" for people and families in crisis.
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FRIDAY 8/28/15
10:30am Pony Rides at Franklin Public Library
12-6pm Franklin Farmers Market at The Town Common
7pm Movie Night at Beaver Pond (Toy Story) with games and Small Shop Co-Op Market Place
8-9:50pm Frozen Friday DJ Public Skate at Pirelli Arena
9pm Comedy Night at “3”
SATURDAY 8/29/15
10am-2pm FSPA Back to School Open House
SUNDAY 8/30/15
11am-1pm Family Field Day for Team Frate Train (grades K-5) at King Street Memorial Park
TUESDAY 9/1/15
7pm Franklin Garden Club Meeting at Franklin Senior Center - new members welcome
WEDNESDAY 9/2/15
6:30pm Franklin Art Association Meeting at Franklin Senior Center - new members welcome
THURSDAY 9/3/15
8:30am Franklin Downtown Partnership Meeting at Dean College - public welcome
10am-8pm FSPA Back to School Open House
For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.
"Chris Herren is man in long-term recovery from alcohol and other drugs since August of 2008.
Chris was a high school basketball legend from Fall River, Massachusetts, who realized his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA when he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1999 and then was traded to his hometown team, the Boston Celtics in 2000.
Chris struggled with substance use for much of his basketball career, but now in recovery has courageously chosen to share his harrowing story of addiction and recovery."
Bring your whole family and enjoy watching Toy Story on the big screen in a classic Franklin setting - Beaver Pond!
The movie itself will start at dusk, but WOODY AND BUZZ ARRIVE AT 7:00!
Kids will get an opportunity to meet and play games with both characters.
In addition to the characters arriving early, a whole host of local small businesses will be represented at booths offering treats, fun toys, and other retail offerings! The marketplace opens at 6:30.
the marketplace opens at 6:30, Woody and Buzz arrive at 7:00 PM
Note - the dates shown below were update to be Monday, Aug 31 through Friday, Sep 4th
3
461 W Central Street (Rt.140), Franklin, MA 02038 • 508.528.6333 • www.3-restaurant.com Please visit our other Let's Eat, Inc. restaurant in Norwood: SKY
Steven Tyler will not only be joining us on stage to perform at the historic rally on October 4th, but he has graciously allowed UNITE to Face Addiction to use the iconic song "Dream On" in a new event trailer released today.
We are just over a month away from the rally and it is time for all of us to begin to "Dream On" about what it will feel like to stand shoulder to shoulder with tens of thousands of people on the National Mall in Washington, DC to finally address the most pressing health crisis of our time.
Franklin will have some choices to make for key positions. One more candidate has taken out papers since the last posting. The updated listing of candidates as of Wednesday, August 26 is shown below. 11 of these have returned their papers and 8 of the 11 have had their papers certified at this time. There is still time to take out papers, the ballot won't get finalized until the end of September. The full election calendar is linked to below.
Time for a pony ride. At 10:30 AM on Friday, Aug 28, the experienced staff at Ridge Valley Stables will be offering pony rides at the Franklin Library. This is another in the series of summer events sponsored by the Friends of the Franklin Library
"Chief Stephan Semerjian and Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting announced that Lt. Thomas J. Lynch will start as deputy police chief of the Franklin Police Department on Sept. 6.
Lynch has been a member of the department since 1996, where he began as a patrol officer. He was promoted to sergeant in 2000 and became a lieutenant in 2002.
Throughout his career, Lynch has participated in all aspects of the department’s operations, from selecting and training employees, to budget management and strategic planning."
"The Franklin School Committee approved a new agreement at its meeting this week that would have the town continue to assume maintenance responsibilities at school facilities.
Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski told the committee, during its Tuesday-night session, that the schools and town council first adopted the arrangement in 2007. That agreement expired on June 30, according to Sabolinski.
"We've been working with the town administrator to develop a new memorandum of agreement, " she said.
That agreement, said Sabolinski, set down terms under which the partnership would operate. She said several changes were made from the previous agreement, including a change that the schools could request more frequent background checks of workers."
The Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Franklin and the School Committee/School District was review, some minor changes made to the prior agreement and the whole item was approved by a 7-0 vote. It now goes to the Town Council for their approval.
Several updates on the preparation for opening school next week were provided. Additional administration changes were made, additional enrollments are still being seen (6 families enrolled today).
"increased complexity and rigor" is the theme for the coming school year for improvements to the instruction and curriculum.
The transportation plan was reviewed. Links provided for the bus schedule and several forms related to bus stops.
The reduced price lunch application form is now online (link provided)
Franklin Matters
Security was addressed by a number of 'minor' changes. The major security review is still in process by the vendor. The full report is expected later this year with any recommendations to be included in the capital budget planning (also later this year) and then for potential decisions with the budget reviews by the Finance Committee and Town Council in an April/May 2016 time frame.
When I discovered that I was missing a few key components to my mobile reporting tools, I resorted to using Twitter to post my notes and then put together a Storify summary. I am getting to like this method. You'll have to let me know if it works for you.
The YMCA is pleased to announce the return of the Franklin 5K walk/run family event, which will be held on Sunday, Sept. 13. Now in its eleventh year, this fun community event supports programs for children with disabilities at the Y.
This year, the race moves to Remington/Jefferson School and the scenic surrounding neighborhood at 628 Washington Street in Franklin. Free activities for families will take place from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Aiming to break down barriers for individuals with disabilities, it is an honor to include Team Hoyt at the event. Dick and Rick Hoyt are truly one of the world’s most inspiring stories. The race, formerly called Run for Bob, was started by Kris and Kayla Biagiotti in memory of Kayla’s dad Bob Biagiotti and his belief that no child should be left on the sidelines. Kris continues her advocacy through this event.
Inspired by Team Hoyt, Kris and Kayla (The K Girls) achieved the incredible accomplishment of being the first mother/daughter team to finish the Boston Marathon in 2013. But it was not easy. Kris and Kayla were 50 yards from the finish line when the first bomb went off, and instead of raising their hands in victory, they were forced to shield themselves from flying shrapnel. A month later, they got to cross the finish line and receive their medals at The Franklin 5K. The race has raised more than $75,000 over the past several years to benefit children with special needs.
Franklin 5K - Sep 13
“The Hockomock Area YMCA is to be commended for creating such a wonderful program for the youth in the communities it serves,” said Dick Hoyt upon receipt of the Legends Award in 2012 at the Y’s Legends Ball, the annual gala at the Hockomock Area YMCA raising funds for the Integration Initiative. The initiative was born 10 years ago at the Hockmomock Y out of an emerging need in our community to provide inclusive programs for children with special needs and their typically developing peers.
Register today at hockymca.org. Cost is $25, but will increase to $30 after August 31. Medals will be awarded to the top 3 men’s and women’s finishers from several age categories and all participants will receive a finisher medal. On the day of the event, walk-in registration will be offered starting at 9:00am. Pre-event bib pickup will be offered. The 5K will start at 10:00am.
Free family activities include: Kids Fun Run, inflatable obstacle course, refreshments, games, DJ entertainment, and more.
Thank you to event sponsors Ashworth Awards, Bay State Physical Therapy, Design Elements for Business, Gym Source, the Rodman Ride for Kids, and Franklin Rotary. Questions, please contact Sr. Director of Youth Programming Tim Shaw at 508-879-5746 or tims@hockymca.org.
About The Hockomock Area YMCA Where Cause Meets Community. At the Hockomock Area YMCA, strengthening community is our cause. The Hockomock Area YMCA is an organization of men, women, and children sharing a commitment to nurture the potential of kids, promote healthy living, and foster a sense of social responsibility.
With over 31,000 members, the YMCA is committed to partnering and collaborating with others to create and deliver lasting personal and social change in the 15 communities they are privileged to serve. The Hockomock Area YMCA is a not-for-profit charitable community driven organization with facilities in North Attleboro, Foxboro, Franklin, and the Mansfield Arts & Education Center. For more information, visit hockymca.org.
Pet the animals today! The Franklin Library welcomes the traveling petting zoo today at 1:00 PM. This is another event in the series sponsored by the Friends of the Franklin Library.
A crash between a car and a tractor-trailer on Interstate 495 sent the driver to the hospital via medical helicopter with life-threatening injuries Tuesday, state police officials say.
The crash, which occurred sometime after 11 a.m. just prior to exit 17, shut down all three southbound lanes of the highway, reducing traffic to just the breakdown lane for about two and a half hours.
The driver of a 2002 Toyota Echo, a 25-year-old from Brockton, was taken to a Rhode Island hospital via medical helicopter with life-threatening injuries and a 22-year-old passenger was taken by ambulance to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, state police spokesman David Procopio said. The driver of the tractor-trailer was uninjured.
About 2,800 students will be taking the bus to school this year and nearly 70 percent of them will pay for the privilege, the School Committee was told Tuesday night.
Business Administrator Miriam Goodman said the district will be hauling approximately 2,800 students on 31 buses. A total of 51 students are on a waiting list.
"Twenty-one of them are at the high school level - the high school buses are pretty full," she said, noting that 19 buses travel to the high school. "We're trying to get everyone on as quickly as possible and meet everyone's needs."
The Franklin Public Schools will foster within its students the knowledge and skills to
find and achieve satisfaction in life as productive global citizens.
AGENDA
"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which
may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed
and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent
permitted by law."
1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
The key to learning
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the August 11, 2015 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Clement
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence:
2. Guests/Presentations
a. Town School Facilities MOU
b. Transportation Update
3. Discussion Only Items
School Opening
Capital Update
Establishment of a School Store Revolving Account
4. Action Items
a. I recommend approval of the Budget Transfers as detailed.
b. I recommend acceptance of the Town School Facilities MOU as presented.
c. I recommend approval of the establishment of a School Store Revolving Account as discussed.
5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports
6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town of Franklin and the Franklin Public Schools. Several years ago, the custodians were transferred from the School Dept to the DPW which resulted in the first MOU and then renewals of such. This document contains the latest renewal agreement and appears to run for 5 years.
Tune in to the School Committee meeting Tuesday, Aug 25 to hear the discussion. The meeting is broadcast via Comcast and Verizon and also available via the internet for those who can not make it to the meeting in person
Yes, the Whalemobile arrives today (Tuesday, Aug 25) at 1:00 PM at the Franklin Public Library. Good for kids from K-6 grade, you'll learn about whales and step inside to examine the "whalemobile."
The Whalemobile - Tuesday, Aug 24 at 1:00 PM
Another in the series of summer events sponsored by the Friends of the Franklin Library
The annual letter from Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski to the district at the start of the school year. Additional changes in school administration are announced in this letter.
Opioid abuse and addiction will become a regular topic on the Board of Health’s agenda.
Member Jordan Warnick, who made the push for Medway to join the SAFE Community Coalition, based out of Franklin, made the request at Monday’s meeting “so opioid abuse can come up as a regular topic.”
Warnick said the coalition’s meeting – which featured a speech by Director of Addiction Recovery Management Service at Mass General Hospital Dr. John Kelly – was a success.
“He gave a really good discussion of the problem at a community level so that everybody could understand it,” said Warnick, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2012. “I even took some new things away from it.”
Steve - Hope you might notify people about the next program in our series around the substance abuse disorder issue.
Judy Giovangelo talks about the suicide of her creative, but troubled son who committed suicide just six days after his 18th birthday. She turned her grief into a non-profit foundation, Ben Speaks Louder than Words, with a mission to empower youth and reduce self-destructive behavior.
She shares her wisdom and offers gentle guidance for young people and the people who love them.
Addiction to alcohol and other drugs is an insidious public health crisis impacting more than 85 million Americans. The time has come to UNITE to Face Addiction at a national rally that will transform the conversation from problems to solutions for one of the most pressing issues of our time.
On October 4, 2015 a transformative event will take place in Washington, D.C. that will ignite and grow an emerging national grassroots movement to solve the addiction crisis.
UNITE To Face Addiction is being organized by an independent coalition of national, state, and local non-profit organizations to produce a collaborative and unifying event to collectively raise awareness and reduce the human and social costs of addiction.
UNITE to Face Addiction - Oct 4, 2015
Why Now?
Long-term recovery from addiction is a reality for over 23 million Americans, one of our nation’s best-kept secrets. Regardless of the paths people have chosen to achieve recovery, their lives and the lives of their families, friends, neighbors, co-workers and communities are vastly improved as a result. They are the living proof that there are real solutions to the devastation of addiction.
While recovery from addiction is a reality, more than 350 Americans die from alcohol or other drugs on average each day – some 135,000 people each year – more than who die from either homicides or motor vehicle accidents. Another 22 million Americans are still suffering from addiction and the majority never receive any help.
Where is the national outrage about this needless loss of life, the costs to families and the economy, and more importantly, the demand for solutions? We know that addiction is preventable, treatable, and people can and do get well. Too many of those affected have been incarcerated, and for decades they and others have been afraid to speak up about the failed policies and poor care due to long-standing stigma and discriminatory public policies. And, for too long, a great majority of people connected to addiction have remained silent.
About 40 candidates have taken out nomination papers to run in the town's November election.
The majority of the Town Council has taken out papers to seek re-election, and a total of 14 candidates are seeking election to the council. All nine of the body's seats are up for election.
Eight council incumbents have taken out papers: Brett Feldman, Judith Pond Pfeffer, Peter Padula, Thomas Mercer, Robert Dellorco, Matthew Kelly, Andrew Bissanti and Robert Vallee. Six newcomers are seeking seats on the council, including current Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri, Richard Power Sr., Glenn Jones, James Schultz Jr., Sean Slater and James Gianotti Jr.. Of the 14 candidates, only Power and Pellegri have returned papers so far.
The MA Gov blog ran a two part series for renters recently. Citing a stat from the Census, 37% of MA live in rental units. Excerpts from each of the two parts are shared here. Follow the links for additional details on "Knowing Your Rights as a Tenant"
Searching for a rental home, signing a lease, and meeting new neighbors can be exciting, but it’s also important that you keep your rights as a tenant in mind. The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) provide information on what you should expect from your landlord before renting a home in Massachusetts.