"a partnership-based program with cities and towns"

The article does not reference it but this may be the kind of deal that Franklin is part of to bring the joint emergency dispatch center to reality. 

There is not much money attached to Gov. Charlie Baker's "Community Compacts" program, but local officials who have signed on say it may help in other ways. 

The push for the agreements, which encourage the towns to adopt "best practices" in return for state support, has seen results in MetroWest and the Milford area - Ashland, Marlborough and Medway have signed the compacts, while Natick, Upton, Mendon and Hopkinton are listed as considering the pacts. Forty-one communities statewide have signed on to the program.

....

Medway Town Administrator Michael Boynton said his town pledged in September to improve communication within the community. 

"It's about doing more outreach," he said. "We want to be more interactive, and use social media, the Web and video." 

Though the town could pursue greater outreach on its own, Boynton said he believed the state's expertise on these matters would help Medway achieve its goal. 

"I think, while you can always do anything on your own, there's certainly a benefit to partnering with the state," he said.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151018/NEWS/151016425/1994/NEWS

Franklin Candidate for Town Council - Brett Feldman

Our schedules did not align to meet in person so Brett Feldman and I conducted our discussion via email. The results are shared here.

FM - what is your Franklin story? 

Brett Feldman - I grew up in Burlington, MA; my wife Shari is from Stoughton. I have a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Boston University. I lived in Washington, DC for 2 years consulting for the US Environmental Protection Agency and in San Francisco for 2 years consulting for the electric utilities in California. We moved back to the Boston area when we were ready to settle down and have kids near our parents. 

We have lived in Franklin for 11 years; the first 8 in the Stone Ridge condos and the last 3 in a house on Meadowbrook Rd. I now work out of my home for an energy consulting company. We have 2 kids at the Oak Street School, and my wife is the Secretary for the Oak St. PCC. I coach soccer, basketball, and flag football teams in town. We are members of Temple Beth Torah in Holliston. 

Right after we moved to Franklin, I joined the town’s Recycling Committee (now defunct). A year later, I joined the Finance Committee, where I served for 8 years, including 1 year as Vice-Chair. I was elected to Town Council in 2013.

FM - what do you see as the challenge for the role you seek?

Brett Feldman - I learned a lot during my first term on the Council. I came in with a good understanding of the town’s budget process from my time on the Finance Committee, but I had a lot of knowledge to acquire about things like zoning and economic development. Some of the big issues on the horizon include the opioid crisis, the state of the roads, the downtown development project, and the Pond Street land. 

A more overarching challenge though is communicating effectively with the public. The Council needs to be accepting and respectful when citizens come to address it at meetings. We also need to do a better job of outreach to let the people know what is going on via the internet and social media. It is ok to have disagreements over issues, but everyone should feel welcome and well-informed.

FM - what makes you uniquely qualified to fulfill this role?

Brett Feldman - As mentioned above, I have been involved in the town’s governing bodies since I moved here. My tenure on the Finance Committee serves me well on the Council, and I have long-standing relationships with the heads of the various departments in town. 

For the last year, I have spearheaded the Franklin Solar Challenge, which displays my leadership and innovation skills. I led the vendor selection process, organized the initial informational meetings, created a team of citizen volunteers, and worked with our vendor to promote the program. We have exceeded all of our goals, attaining the best pricing for everyone and earning a bonus free solar array for a local non-profit organization. I have now turned my attention with the Town Administrator to municipal electricity aggregation, which holds the opportunity to lower the electricity bills of all Franklin residents. 

My current fellow Councilors all either grew up or have lived most of their lives in Franklin. Their commitment to the town is admirable, but there is also value in having diverse representation including the young families that have moved here in the past fifteen years or less. 

I am not a politician; I am a policy-maker. I am not spending any money on campaigning. I rely on my track record and ability to communicate with the people to earn their votes.

If you have any follow up questions for Brett, you can contact him via:
feldjamin@hotmail.com


Noteworthy: This information is intended to help the Franklin voters when we all head to the ballot box on November 3rd. The interview candidates have had an opportunity to review the text before publishing to ensure the accuracy of our discussion. 

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Oct 21, 2015

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

B. 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.

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS- Town Clerk

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

F. HEARINGS
15-52: Whether public safety, necessity and convenience requires laying out and acceptance of a portion of Lewis Street currently private, as a public way. 7:10 PM- 2nd Reading

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

1. Resolution 15-52:Order of Layout, Acceptance, and Taking of a Portion of Lewis Street, Currently a Private Way -2/3 vote
2. Resolution 15-66: Reconstructing, Adding to, Equipping and Furnishing the Franklin Public Library-2/3 vote
3. Resolution 15-67: Appropriation of Police Salaries
4. Resolution 15-68: Appropriation of Fire Salaries
5. Resolution 15-69: Amendment to the Town Administrators Contract
6. Resolution 15-70: Authorizing Tax Increment Financing, Cole Chain Technologies, Inc. And Knickerbocker Properties, Inc. XLIII
7. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 15-752:Nonconforming Buildings, Structures, and Uses – 2nd Reading-2/3 vote

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION

P. ADJOURN

rendering of new addition to the Franklin Public Library

For the documents released for this agenda check here
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2015%20Complete%20With%20Documents/10212015.pdf

News and updates from the Franklin Historical Museum

LOOKING FOR MUSEUM HOST VOLUNTEERS

The Franklin Historical Museum is looking for volunteers to host at the Museum during regular business hours. 

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity in your community?  Are you interested in Franklin History? 

This could be what you're looking for.  Responsibilities would include opening and closing the museum, greeting guests, answering questions and accepting any donations that might be brought to the museum.  We are looking for volunteers willing to host 1 day a month.  If you would like to volunteer, or would like more information, please call Mary Olsson @ 508-520-9187. 

The museum is open Saturday mornings, Sunday afternoons and Thursday evenings (except during winter months).

Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central St 

WINTER OPERATING HOURS FOR THE MUSEUM

The Franklin Historical Commission has found that visitor numbers to the museum on Thursday nights during the cold winter months, drops dramatically. 

For the second year, the commission has voted to close the museum Thursday evenings during the months of December, January and February.  

We will be open for the Downtown Partnership Holiday Stroll on Thursday December 3rd and will close Thursday nights starting the following week, December 10.  We will resume our regular operating hours in March.

MASS MUSEUM DAY AT THE STATE HOUSE

The Franklin Historical Museum recently participated in the 1st Annual Mass Museum Day, hosted by NEMA, (New England Museum Association).  The event took place on Wednesday October 7th in the Grand Hall at the State House.  Senator Stanley Rosenberg, President of the State Senate along with Senator Eric Lesser, Chair of the joint committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development welcomed the 30 museums from across the State.  

Participants were invited to showcase their museum and show their legislators why it is important to continue to fund the local arts and cultural organizations within our communities.  The Franklin Historical Museum fittingly featured favorite son Horace Mann, who served in the Massachusetts State legislature, Served as President of the Senate in 1836-1827, and was the first Secretary of Education.  

State Rep Jeffrey Roy and Senator Richard Ross both supported and participated in the day by visiting the table and promoting Franklin and the museum.  The Historical Museum was proud to help sponsor the event and was recognized by having our logo displayed on the NEMA event banner.  

If you haven't already had the chance, visit the museum, located downtown at 80 West Central Street.  The museum is open Saturdays 10:00AM - 1:00PM; Sundays 1:00PM - 4:00PM and Thursday evenings 5:00PM - 8:00PM (except Dec, Jan, and Feb).  

Handicap access is available at the back of the building.  Come by and discover Franklin's history, where our story began.

You can also visit the Historical Museum on the web at
http://franklinhistoricalmuseum.org/   

or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FHM02038?

Retirement Open House: 10:00am --- 6:30pm - Franklin Municipal Building

Open House

Everyone Is Invited!

After 31 Years, Our Town Clerk, Deborah L. Pellegri, Cmc, Will Be Retiring On November 11th. Stop By To Wish Debbie Good Luck In Her Retirement And Thank Her For All Her Years Of  Service. We Are Planning The Retirement Open House:

Place: Franklin Municipal Building
Date: Wednesday, October 21st
Time: 10:00am --- 6:30pm

Ceremony/Presentations To Follow In The Council Chambers @7.00pm At The Regular Town Council Meeting.

All Are Invited

Desserts Will Be Available Throughout The Day.

Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central St

What can Franklin do about the Medway power plant expansion?

1 - There is a "Public Forum" on Wednesday at 7PM, Medway High School 88 Summer Street.   

Franklin neighbors are encouraged to attend. If opposed to the plant, folks are asks to wear a red shirt.

2 - There was a Fox News report on Thursday (10/15/15):

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston


http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/30274284/power-plant-expansion-causes-controversy-in-medway

3 - "Stop Medway Peaker" recently released a statement: 

This power plant threatens the health and safety of our children and our communities by polluting our air and wasting our precious natural resources. Please plan to attend the public forum Oct. 21 to have your voices heard. Let the Board of Selectmen know how you feel and tell them to voice their strong opposition to this project and do everything in their power to stop the expansion.

4 - What can Franklin Residents do?

WRITE THE STATE SITING BOARD: Go to the web page http://www.stopmedwaypeaker.com/ Click on "contact officials" where you can find sample letters and who to email.

Twitter image

Follow and share the group's activities via social media

• facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nopowerplantmedway
• twitter: @stopmedwaypeak
• email: stopmedwaypeaker@gmail.com
• website: http://www.stopmedwaypeaker.com/

St Mary's: First Grade Religious Education Registration

Religious Education for First Communion is a two-year program. The first year the students complete the book at home with their parents following our schedule. The second year, the students attend classes at the Parish Center (across from the church) and then receive the Sacraments of Penance and First Eucharist. A student must complete the First Grade Program before they enter the Grade Two Program.

We will be having registration (in the Religious Education Office inside the Charter School) for this program at the following times: 

• Tuesday, October 20th—5:15 p.m.—6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 27th—5:15 p.m.—6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, October 29th—1:00 p.m.—3:30 p.m.

The Registration Fee for First Grade is $50.00. If your child was NOT baptized at St. Mary's in Franklin, you must provide a copy of his/her Baptismal Certificate. NO REGISTRATIONS WILL BE TAKEN WITHOUT A BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE. 

If your child was baptized here, we have that on record so you do not need a Baptismal Certificate. You will receive a book and the schedule to follow as you complete the program with your child.

St Mary's Franklin

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Religious Education Office at 508-528-1450.


Karen Ackles
Director Grades 1-8
St. Mary's Franklin
508 528-1450

LET'S LAUGH TODAY in Franklin is on Monday, October 26th

Experience the health benefits of joyful laughter every fourth Monday at the Meetinghouse of the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin from 7:30pm to 8:30pm.  

Laughter Yoga is a fun and healthy combination of laughter exercises, yoga breathing and gentle stretching. It's a great stress buster with real health benefits. Join in the laughs, fun and finish with a restful cool down meditation.Wear a funny hat for Halloween if you like! "Monster Mash" will be played afterwards!  

Any age and any level of physical ability can participate in this uplifting experience! New laughers are always welcomed! $5 donation to the church, $10 maximum per family.  Please bring your water bottle because laughing can be dehydrating. 

Led by Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers, Linda and Bill Hamaker. See www.letslaughtoday.com for additional information.  If you have any questions, just call them at 508-660-2223 or e-mail billandlinda@letslaughtoday.com   

Also ask for the information on the week-end workshop/certification on how to bring more laughter into your life on November 14th and 15th!

Linda and BIll Hamaker

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/Nov15connection.pdf

Franklin Senior Center

You can find out more about the Senior Center on their official Franklin webpage
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Senior/index

Franklin Candidate for Town Council - Rick Power

Rick Power and I met recently at Panera to talk about his campaign for Town Council. This is the summary of our discussion.

FM - What is your Franklin story?

Rick Power – I grew up in Norwood and went to Xaverian Brothers High School and UMass, Amherst. I was commissioned as an Infantry Office in the Army National Guard and served 12 years. I have three amazing kids, Alyssa, Nicole and Rick. We raised them in Randolph for about eight years and then moved in Lakeland, FL to care for my father-in-law. 

When it was time to return to New England, choosing Franklin as our home was a ‘no brainer’. Renowned for its school systems and secure community, I knew our children would flourish in Franklin. That’s all a dad really wants. Our family roots are also here: my sisters, brother, four nieces and my parents live in town. Although my ex-wife and I are now divorced, the kids still live in the house they know as home. It was an amicable separation and we minimized any disruption for the kids. 

Shortly after we moved to Franklin, my daughter started playing softball for the Franklin Girls Softball Association and I got involved in coaching. I eventually joined the Board of Directors and have served as the President for the past three years. I am still involved in the girls’ softball league even though my daughter is not playing anymore. I promised myself I would leave the league in a better situation than when I joined it and there is still work to be done. 

I work as an Area Manager for the largest complex rehab company in the US. I manage a budget of over $15M and we provide custom wheel chairs for people with progressive diseases like ALS and MS. It is very rewarding, helping people with some pretty tough diseases. 

People ask me how come I want to get involved in politics. My reason is because I love the town of Franklin, and I want to do my part to ensure it grows in a controlled, responsible manner. I want to continue to attract families looking for great schools and a safe community as well as businesses that can offer the town needed products and services.

FM - What do you see as a challenge for the position of Town Council?

Rick Power – They have a few. One would be getting the people a little more engaged. There seems to be a little bit of adversity going on; People vs. the Council. There is also a perception that there are too many realtors and lawyers involved and benefiting from town council development decisions. I feel the council could do a better job addressing those concerns. I won’t engage in negative campaigning when most of what is being said is unfounded. 

We have a town of 34,000 people and less than 20% of registered voters actually get to the polls for local elections (closer to 60% during Presidential elections) and not too many attend council meetings. I get it; these meetings can be pretty boring. Maybe they are designed to be but I feel they could be a little lighter and a more open to discussion. Maybe a town hall style meeting is a better forum where there can be more interaction. 

I recently attended the Opioid Meetings- I thought they were great. The organizers said their piece, a long piece but it had value, and then they opened it up for others to talk and engage. That is the type of engagement I’m talking about, that’s what is needed in the Town Council. 

I am active on Facebook. You have to be very careful. Some people are just looking to be argumentative but most want the interaction. I think that social media is part of the world we live in now. If we aren’t involved there, we’re missing the boat. I do like the immediate feedback that is available about the issues. 

The budget is another big issue. We currently have a balanced budget and it took a lot of hard work to get here but soon we are going to have to do address the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) of $70-$80M I think it is. We can’t keep kicking that can down the road.I want to strike a balance with new development and keeping the small town feel that people came here for or grew up here and love. Transparency and openness into how the decisions are being made is crucial. 

Another issue seems to be the roads and sidewalks. People appreciate the effort but complain about the timeframe to complete. That is a communication thing. What is the timeline? How long will it take? I’d like to see better communication from the DPW on stuff like that.One of the items that came up on Facebook was trying to build a community/teen center in town. We have a great senior center but need something more. I talked with my son about the opioid issues. He said there is nothing to do in town for teens and above so they sit around bored. The bowling alley just closed. We used to have a cinema. I think we are foolish as a town to not look at that at least. It may cost us some money but we did it for the seniors.

FM - What do you bring to the position that would set you apart from the other candidates?

Rick Power – I think we touched on some of my biggest benefits as we talked. I'm not a politician. I am unbiased and pretty open minded. I am willing to look at both sides of the issue before making a decision on which one makes the best sense for the most amount of people. Sometimes there are people, like in my business, that can't advocate for themselves, yet they are worthy of the benefit. We need to advocate for them too. 

I have many years of leadership experience both in the military and in private sector business. I owned or managed several small businesses so I know the challenges they face. 

I am pretty technically savvy, on social media and the like. The feedback and information flow can be pretty intense. 

I think I can be a liaison for the town. I can be a little bit more in touch. Through my family and community involvement I can reach out to a wide range of residents and keep the lines of communication open. 

I’d like to hold some open houses, get some other councilors involved in engaging the community in a conversation about key issues. You got to keep your hands on the pulse of the town.

If you have any follow up questions for Rick, you can contact him via email at rwpower1@verizon.net

You can find additional information about Rick’s campaign on this website http://franklintowncouncil.weebly.com/

You can also visit his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RickPowerFTC


Noteworthy: This information is intended to help the Franklin voters when we all head to the ballot box on November 3rd. The interview candidates have had an opportunity to review the text before publishing to ensure the accuracy of our discussion.

FHS soccer teams win, volleyball wins, football loses on Friday, Oct 16

Friday was a good day for the FHS falls sports with the exception of the football team. Football lost the homecoming game to Mansfield 24-3. Meanwhile, both the soccer team beat Attleboro (boys 3-0 and girls 5-0) and the volleyball team also topped Attleboro 3-0. Thanks to Hockomock Sports for posting the results that we can share here.

Football

Mansfield, 24 @ Franklin, 3 – Final

• 1st Quarter: (M) Anthony DeGirolamo 10 yard pass to Mike Arnold, Diogo DeSousa XP good.
• 2nd Quarter: (F) Nick Yelle 33 yard field goal.
• 3rd Quarter: (M) D. DeSousa 20 yard field goal.
• 4th Quarter: (M) Connor Finerty 15 yard rush, D. DeSousa XP good; (M) Nick Graham 80 yard rush, D. DeSousa XP good.

Hatim Brahimi (10) scored a goal and assisted on another, as Franklin beat Attleboro to clinch a postseason spot and a tie for first in the league. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Boys Soccer

Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final 

– Hatim Brahimi broke open a scoreless game with a goal in the 52nd minute for the Panthers. He then assisted on a goal by Kevin Hall, who added a second in the final minutes of the game.

Girls Soccer

Franklin, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final 

– Alexis Stowell netted a pair of goals, Emily Foley scored a goal and had an assist and Emily Spath and Abigail Gipson each scored once. Jess Kroushl, Halle Atkinson, Victoria Stowell and Meghan Dieterle each had an assist.

Volleyball

Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final 

– Franklin’s Caroline Maguire had seven aces and added four kills and a pair of blocks to lead the Panthers. Maddy Kuzio had four aces and a pair of digs and Lauren McGrath had 10 assists and three aces for Franklin.

For the remainder of the results around the Hockomock League on Friday
http://www.hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-101615/


The boys soccer game against Attleboro was also the subject of a complete write up by Hockomock Sports.

At halftime, the Panthers were in need of a spark. Attleboro had packed the midfield and limited the home team to no shots on target and a single corner. Franklin huddled during the break, discussed the situation, and came out for the second half on the front foot. 

Senior Hatim Brahimi scored what turned out to be the game-winner 12 minutes after the break and added an assist on the first of Kevin Hall’s two goals as Franklin beat the Bombardiers 3-0 on Friday afternoon at Pisini Field. 

With the victory, the Panthers clinched a return to the state tournament and, coupled with a Mansfield draw against King Philip, moved into a tie at the top of the Kelley-Rex standings.

Continue reading the full length article by Josh Perry, Managing Editor
http://www.hockomocksports.com/brahimi-hall-shoot-franklin-past-bombardiers/

Additional boys soccer game photos can be found here:
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/20152016/Fall-2015/Franklin-Attleboro-boys-soccer/

2016 Ballot Question: Stop Common Core MA

Hi Steve, 

Sorry it's taken me a couple of weeks to get back to you! I was hoping we would have a definitive signature signing schedule to provide for you but it seems that our weeks are planned as we go. The best resource for your readership to find locations where they can sign would be to point them to the www.endcommoncorema.com website where each weekend it is updated with signing locations. 

You can read the petition there as well. The deadline for signature submission is November 18, 2015 and the required number of certified signatures is around 69,000 in order for the question to be placed on the ballot. 

End Common Core MA

Also on the website, your readers can find who their town Captain is if they are interested in volunteering. Patrick Touhey is Franklin's captain. http://www.endcommoncorema.com/volunteer

This is a grassroots effort to allow the voters of MA to decide if Common Core standards are in the best interest of our superior educational system. I, along with Moira Keating and Janice Dunne, are members of Medway Matters: End Common Core MA. 

I personally got involved in this effort when our school district was considering participating in the PARCC pilot test, at which time I had no idea MA had adopted Common Core. These national standards were implemented back in 2010 with a Race To The Top grant from the federal government, with no input or review process. Experts state that Common Core lowers our existing standards and will not prepare our students for STEM based degrees in college.  

Thanks  

Kelly O'Rourke

Franklin Public Schools: Events

A message from FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Here are some upcoming events:

1 - Prepare to Succeed/Transition from HS- Free program hosted by Dean College and the Franklin Y - weekly on Monday evenings - October 19 - November 30 from 6:30-8:00pm Dean College Campus Center FREE 

2 - Calling All Teens/ Come See What Programs the Franklin Library Has to Offer-- Pizza and cake FREE October 22 6:30-8:00 Franklin Public Library  

3 - Open House at Franklin HS Saturday October 24 9:00- am - 11:00 am Coffee and Doughnuts

Franklin High School

This e-mail has been sent to you by FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message. 

Fire Fighter Fund Raiser - Chad Larivee - Sunday, Oct 18th

Please join us to aid the family of Chad Larivee, a Taunton firefighter and Franklin resident who was seriously injured in 2014 in a fall from a roof.

12 noon at the Jockey Club in Raynham. Four live bands! Great food/drinks, bounce houses, bowling, raffles, bagpipers and more! Get your $20 entry/donation wristband at the door!

For more info or questions inbox or email at chadlariveefund@gmail.com

Facebook photo for The Chad Larivee Firefighter Fundraiser

The Chad Larivee Fund

Additional info can be found on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/The-Chad-Larivee-Firefighter-Fundraiser-764285140296032/

Related articles on the fund raising efforts over the past year

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/08/chad-larivee-fundraiser-oct-18.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/02/choggys-chuggers-chad-larivee-fund.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/08/firefighter-chad-larivee-fund.html

Representative Jeffrey Roy Announces November Office Hours

State Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin) announced today that constituent office hours will be held in Medway and Franklin for the Month of November on the following days:

• Medway – Saturday, November 7th,  9:00-10:00AM, Muffin House Café, 116 Main Street, Medway, MA
• Franklin – Thursday November 12th,  8:30-9:30, Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street, Franklin, MA

Christopher Yancich, his legislative aide, will be accompanying him.

Representative Roy stated that all office hours are open to any residents of Franklin and Medway who may have questions or concerns that they wish to bring to his attention. Walk-ins are welcome; no appointment necessary. He looks forward to hearing from you.

He also invites all constituents to call him at his State House office at (617) 722-2020, stop by Room 527A in the State House, or email him at Jeffrey.Roy@MAhouse.gov.

Will money pave the way?

Per the PILOT agreement, Exelon will pay the town $73 million in taxes and just under $2.2 million in Community Preservation Act (CPA) money, beginning in year 1 with $3,811,248 in taxes and $114,337.44 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) money. 

In year 20, the final year of the agreement, the company will pay $3,482.432.14 in taxes and $104,472.96 in CPA money, per the PILOT agreement. 

Those figures are based on an initial valuation of just under $209 million in the first year that the facility is built. 

In the final year, the plant’s value falls to $190,922,814.93, according to the agreement. 

The agreement will be negotiated in the 19th year. 

The Board of Selectmen will vote on both agreements on Monday, but the PILOT will go to voters at Annual Town Meeting next May.

Continue reading the article on the recent negotiations (subscription may be required) http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151015/NEWS/151017197/1994/NEWS

Facebook photo from Stop Medway Power Plant group page

Related articles on the power plant expansion under discussion in Medway

On the water needs
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/09/a-pump-will-be-needed-to-send-water-to.html

Background on the expansion
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/09/medway-power-plant-expansion.html

In the News: Sabolinski gets 'exemplary', St Vincent DePaul food drive

School Committee members were effusive in their praise of Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski, whose performance they evaluated this week. 

At Tuesday night's committee meeting, members said they had rated Sabolinski as "exemplary" in all four categories in which she is judged. 

Committee Chairwoman Paula Mullen gave a brief overview of the contents of the evaluation. 

"I think Maureen is very, very data-driven and collaborative," she said. "She's a creative and effective problem-solver."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151016/NEWS/151016553/1994/NEWS

The St. Vincent DePaul Society of St. Mary’s Parish in Franklin, One Church Square, will hold its seventh annual Thanksgiving Food Drive from Nov. 1 through Nov. 22, to provide a holiday dinner to those in need and to restock its food pantry shelves. 

Suggested items to donate include applesauce, cranberry juice, popcorn, peanut butter, jelly, jams, cookies, crackers, bread mixes, pudding, candy corn, cranberry sauce, stuffing, cereal, fruit cocktail, coffee, tea, cocoa, boxes of chocolates, canned yams and other vegetables, rice, chowder and a Thanksgiving tablecloth or decoration. 

Donations may be dropped off any time and may be placed in the boxes at the doors of the church.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151016/NEWS/151016770/1994/NEWS

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 10/16/15 - THU 10/22/15

FRIDAY 10/16/15
12-6pm   Franklin Farmers Market at The Town Common
1pm   Franklin Downtown Partnership: Networking Luncheon at Dean College (Smith Dining Center)
6-9pm   Fall Porketta Dinner at Franklin Rod and Gun Club ($20), open to public. Dinner service starts at 7pm.
8-9:50pm   Frozen Friday DJ Public Skate at Pirelli Arena

SATURDAY 10/17/15
9am-4pm   Book Sale at Franklin Public Library

SUNDAY 10/18/15
7:30-10:30am   Weekly Sunday morning breakfast at Franklin Rod and Gun Club, open to public.
8am-12pm   Ladybug 5K at J F Kennedy School on Pond Street. Bib pick up starts at 8am, Kid’s Fun Run at 9:30am, 5K at 10am. Kid’s activities, raffles, games…
9am-12pm   Library Bag Sale at Franklin Public Library
11am    Candidate Meet and Greet on the Franklin Town Common (weather permitting)
Noon   Firefighter Fund Raiser for Chad Larivee at the Jockey Club in Raynham
2-5pm   Purrfect Cat Shelter Fundraiser at Pour Richard's in Franklin
3pm   Ed the Wizard Halloween Show at Franklin Public Library

TUESDAY 10/20/15
10am    Candidate Meet and Greet at the Nason Street Playground (weather permitting)

WEDNESDAY 10/21/15
6:30-7:30pm   Doggie Tales: Read to a Service Dog, grades 2 and up, registration required

THURSDAY 10/22/15
6:30-8pm   Teen Open House at Franklin Public Library - bring your ideas, learn about valuable resources. Pizza and cake will be served.
6:30-8:30pm   Sip and Sparkle: Franklin Food Pantry Fundraiser at Pour Richard's. Shop Touchstone Crystal, sample wines and beers. $10/ticket - 100% donation to FFP.

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

Franklin Candidate for Town Council: Glenn Jones

Glenn Jones and I met recently at Panera to talk about his campaign for Town Council. This is the summary of our discussion.

FM - What is your Franklin story?

Glenn Jones - I have lived in Franklin now for a little over seventeen years. Shortly after we moved here, we had our first daughter, Dakota, then along came Jillian, Simon, Rebecca, and lastly Sabrina. We live in the center of town and enjoy it very much. It is where a lot of fun places to visit are; Franklin Public Library, Historical Museum, Davis Thayer Elementary School, the Commons and so many other enjoyable places. We have embraced Franklin as our home. Our children consider themselves true Franklinites! 

I am big on people getting involved in their community; whether it’s volunteering for the Franklin Food Pantry or the community gardens, helping out with children’s activities – (school based or not). We need to support and promote the overall health and wellbeing of the community. 

I grew up in a family of educators. My mom was a teacher. My sister is a teacher. I am a licensed Vocational Electrical Teacher. I currently teach at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School. Education is probably without a doubt THE most important thing we can do for our community, our children and our country as a whole. Keeping our children well educated will ultimately help the United States and our community be key players in the world and global economy. It all starts with education.

FM - What do you see as a challenge for the position of Town Council?

Glenn Jones - What needs to be continuously addressed, and this is speaking as the former Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, are the underutilized available resources that are right here in the Town of Franklin. What I mean by that is, we have a current commercial and industrial base that if built upon, not expanded, would dramatically increase much needed revenues. This would bring new jobs to the Town of Franklin, which has always been a major goal of mine. 

Franklin has a very reasonable tax rate. We get so much with a comparably smaller tax rate in comparison to the other peer communities. However, the wonderful services that we have come to enjoy will be challenged in the near future due to the towns pressing OPEB (other post-employment benefits) obligations. Our pension obligation has yet to be paid out of the town’s budget. We will have to find creative ways to start and continue funding this line item out of future budgets. It will be a large burden for our citizens. It doesn’t take much for these kinds of issues to have a negative domino effect. 

I can also understand the passion that our Pond St neighbors have. I grew up in a small home in Watertown with a commercial property abutting my backyard. The last thing I want to see is commercial development interwoven with residential zones. Our family home was in a residential neighborhood but the City of Watertown zoned a portion of the neighborhood block as a commercial zone. That resulted in my house backing up to a double high fence topped with razor wire. The commercial property (car stereo installer) that was immediately behind the fence had no respect for the neighbors. It was an unattractive and noisy commercial building and the surrounding property was very unkempt and not well cared for. It wasn't really the ideal situation for my family. 

My goal is to work with residents of abutting neighborhoods, together we can find a viable community solution to source revenue while keeping our neighborhoods attractive and our residents satisfied. The last thing we want to see is our property values diminish. I am a no different than my Pond street neighbors. I am a Franklin tax payer and share their passions.

FM - What do you bring to the position that would set you apart from the other candidates?

Glenn Jones – What makes me a significant candidate for this particular role in town government, is that I am experienced, I carry no special interests, I don’t bring a bias to the table, and I have no personal political agendas other than to serve my community. My feelings have been and always will be to remain a solid voice for the people of Franklin. I want to be part of a group that can work collaboratively, make the right decisions, and serve as a dedicated representative of the people of Franklin. 

My reputation is that of a dedicated, honest, hardworking volunteer. I have the track record to back it up. If anyone has questions or would just like to voice their thoughts and opinion, I will always make myself available to them. 

It has always been my opinion that the more voices we get around a particular issue, the more we can accomplish, ultimately coming to a consensus and/or at least a compromise. I know I can make that happen as a team oriented member of the town council. 

If elected I would propose the hiring of a full time public relations officer and the establishment of a Communications Committee made up of real citizens, the PR Officer and two Town Council Liaisons. The monies could be raised through adoption of House Bill - H 1566 - An Act relative to electronic publication of certain legal notices. This bill proposed by State Rep. Jeff Roy and endorsed unanimously by the Franklin Town Council (resolution 14-03) will allow for Franklin to stop having to pay pricy fees to local newspapers to post legal notices.

If you have any follow up questions for Glenn, you can contact him via:
gf_jones@verizon.net

You can also visit his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Vote-Glenn-Jones-Franklin-Town-Council-1646758335567720/timeline/

For reference, Glenn was also interviewed in 2011
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/11/glenn-jones-answers-3-questions.html 

and in 2009
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2009/10/town-council-candidate-glenn-jones.html


Noteworthy: This information is intended to help the Franklin voters when we all head to the ballot box on November 3rd. The interview candidates have had an opportunity to review the text before publishing to ensure the accuracy of our discussion.

FHS field hockey tops Attleboro, golf ties for 7th in league Championships

From Hockomock Sports we share the results of the fall sports action on Thursday, Oct 15th. The field hockey team beat Attleboro 4-0 and the golf team finished in a tie for 7th place with King Philip in the Hockomcok League Championships.

FHS Panthers

Field Hockey

Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final 

– Diana Griffin scored a pair of goals, Annie Walsh had a goal and an assists, Cassi Ronan scored once and Alex Sullivan added two assists in the win for the Panthers.

For all the other action around the Hockomock League
http://www.hockomocksports.com/thursdays-schedule-scoreboard-101515/

Golf Championship Results

Franklin finished in a tie for 7th place with King Philip

http://www.hockomocksports.com/hockomock-golf-championship-results-2015/