Franklin Matters

Friday, October 23, 2015

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 10/23/15 - THU 10/29/15

FRIDAY 10/23/15
12-6pm Franklin Farmers Market at The Town Common
3:30pm Science Friday: Mission Space (grades K to 4) at Franklin Public Library
4-6pm Annual Franklin SEPAC Halloween Ride at Tangerini’s Farm. Event is free and open to all Franklin special-needs students and their families. RSVP required! Event fills up quickly. Email: franklinsepac@gmail.com.
6:30pm Project Smile 12th Anniversary Celebration, Doubletree Milford. Great auction items! Support the non-profit that supports the community and children involved in traumatic events.
6:30-8pm Annual Spooky Games at the Franklin YMCA. Community event open to all.
8-9:50pm Spooktacular DJ Public Skate at Pirelli Arena

SATURDAY 10/24/15
9-11am Franklin High School Open House
10am-3pm Craft and Vendor Fair to benefit Santa Foundation @ Elk’s Lodge in Franklin
12-4pm Grand Opening of Sugar Shoppe, 334 Union Street, Franklin
5:30-9pm Halloween Party for all ages at FUSF
7:30pm FSPA presents “The Addams Family” at The Black Box

SUNDAY 10/25/15
7:30-10:30am Weekly Sunday morning breakfast at Franklin Rod and Gun Club, open to public.
2pm FSPA presents “The Addams Family” at The Black Box
3pm Greg and Axel Show at Franklin Public Library

TUESDAY 10/27/15
6-9pm Taste of the Region at the Tri-County HS

THURSDAY 10/29/15
6:30pm Genealogy Club Monthly Meeting at Franklin Public Library

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

FHS girls soccer and volleyball top Taunton

From Hockomock Sports we share the results of Thursday's fall sports action where the FHS girls soccer team continued keeping a clean sheet by wining 2-0 and where the volleyball team topped Taunton by a 3-2 win in the matches.

FHS Panthers

Girls soccer

Franklin, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final

– Victoria Stowell scored from the penalty spot and Megan Georges had Franklin’s second goal on an assist by Maddie Connelly.

Volleyball

Taunton, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final

– Sam Campbell and Rose Morrisette both played strong defense for the Panthers and each had key serving runs in the fifth set to lead Franklin. Dayna McCue had 43 serve receivers, 21 digs and four aces, Aubrie Kutil had 12 kills and a pair of digs and Beth Neal had 18 assists, eight kills, four aces and a pair of blocks.

For the rest of the results around the Hockomock League on Thursday
http://www.hockomocksports.com/thursdays-schedule-scoreboard-102215/

Wizards Game Tickets Available to Buy at Franklin Recreation Basketball Skills Session

WIZARDS VS FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS (FPS) BASKETBALL FUNDRAISER
NOV 13th, 7:00pm, Tri-County HS gym

Wizards Game Tickets Available to Buy at Franklin Recreation Basketball Skills Session this Saturday! Save Money and Purchase Your Tickets Before the Game (and before we sell out).

We will be at the following schools’ skill sessions this Saturday.

General Admission tickets:

Adults-$12;
Students $10.

Cash or check only.

Harlem Wizards

Sullivan Middle School Gym - 8:00-10:00am and 11:00am-1:00pm
Horace Mann Middle School Gym - 2:00-6:00pm
Remington Middle School Gym - 1:00-5:00pm

For more information, please visit http://www.franklined.org/harlem-wizards
Or see our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/franklined.org

Franklin Library: Greg the Magician and Axel the magic mutt

Halloween Fun with Greg the Magician and Axel the magic mutt on Sunday, October 25th, 3 PM at the Franklin Public Library.

Greg and Axel, halloween fun

This was shared from the Franklin Library page here
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/10/halloween-fun-with-greg-magician-and.html

In the News: Adult learning workshops, Exelon lacks water contingency, Mercer runs for 3rd, Jones looks to return

The Center for Adult Education and Community Learning, 218 Oak St., announced five upcoming one-night workshops open to the community beginning Nov. 7.

Each one-night session is designed to be an informative and enjoyable evening in a relaxed setting. Some sessions are interactive.

Anyone interested in one or more of the following one-night workshops can register by going to FranklinLifelongLearning.com and clicking on Adult Education or by calling The Center at 508-613-1480:

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151023/NEWS/151029925/1994/NEWS

Although there is no guarantee that Exelon, Millis and Medway will come to an agreement on pumping water through each town to Exelon's proposed expansion, the company does not have a contingency plan.

Millis Town Administrator Charles Aspinwall said he only received a final proposal Monday from the engineering firm Kleinfelder to do feasibility study of selling water to Exelon.

The company needs a maximum of 95,000 gallons per day, but will be able to draw about half of that from an onsite well.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151022/NEWS/151027807

During his time on the Town Council, Thomas Mercer has helped bring multiple new town buildings to fruition, and said he was proud the town had invested in its infrastructure over the years.

Mercer is one of 14 candidates seeking nine Town Council seats in Franklin's Nov. 3 election. A lifelong resident of Franklin, he is running for a third term on the council, though he has served the town in several other capacities.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151022/NEWS/151027809/1994/NEWS

As a former Town Council member himself, candidate Glenn Jones finds himself in an interesting position as he runs to rejoin it.

Jones is one of 14 candidates seeking nine seats on the council in the Nov. 3 town election.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151022/NEWS/151027814/1994/NEWS

Voices of Franklin: Sean Slater on a Tax Override Question

Hello fellow Franklin residents

My name is Sean Patrick Slater and I am running as a 1st time candidate for the Town Council. There has been a couple of hot topics that have come up recently in the social media forums. While collecting signatures I was asked if I would support an override. Given the informal discussions around this issue you would think it would be a complicated issue. It is not, it is simple.

There is no such thing as an “unexpected” or “emergency” expense. A tax increase request in the form of an override is an admission to an unbalanced budget. Proper planning eliminates the need to ask for more money due to unscheduled expenses. I believe citizens, including myself, recognize that managing a budget for 33,000 residents is a massive responsibility. I also believe those involved with the budget process start out with nothing but the best intentions. That being said, the size of the budget and the unmet demand for services should not be used as override rhetoric.

If you hear we need an override to pay for road repairs and/or to help fund a $93M OPEB unfunded obligation, I would follow that up with a question; with a budget of approximately $113M, where specifically were these dollars allocated? Trust then verify. If we are saying $113M is not enough to run this town then I would humbly ask to validate each line item in the town budget that looks questionable. There is a reason overrides have been repeatedly voted down, Franklin residents are intelligent enough to use common sense.

The other question I was asked was “if the question does surprisingly make the ballot, would the outcome of the vote change how you would conduct business on behalf of the town? Regardless of an override outcome, our priority is always to be as fiscally responsible as necessary in carrying out the will of the people. We do not change our approach or behavior based on a vote. The way we allocate or prioritize may change in respect to budget items.

However, we, as a Council, should not be using the results of a vote to compromise our commitment to fiscal discipline. Both scenarios will require an open and honest communication among the Council, Town Administrator, finance committee and department heads. A collaborative and common sense approach is the best way to move forward with an issue that is this controversial.

Chalk it up to my experience in corporate America but in my current job, if I know I am unable to keep the project on budget they will find somebody else who can. If I ask my SVP for more money without any legitimate evidence to validate that request then he would tell me to take some time off after laughing me out of his office. In the private sector this is known as the chicken little defense. The sky is not falling just because we are not receiving more funds, rather the confidence is falling because we are abandoning reason and logic in asking for those funds.

Thank you for your time.

Thanks
Sean P. Slater, PMP

Sean's email address = seanp.slater_pmp@yahoo.com

Franklin Matters - Voices of Franklin

Guidelines for submission to "Voices of Franklin" can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Fun at the Downtown Partnership October Stroll

FALL FUN At the OCTOBER STROLL

We had a clear and beautiful afternoon for Thursday's downtown Franklin October Stroll! The crowds came out to celebrate Fall in Franklin with music, impromptu dance parties, crafts, face painting, games, pumpkins and decorating kits, gift shopping, costumed characters and delicious foods. Thank you to all the wonderful Franklinites and area residents who came out to celebrate the season with us!

Our wonderful sponsors helped make our first October Stroll a resounding success - Thank You!

Thanks to the Bernon Family Branch YMCA for operating the Children's Area for the event. Thanks, also, to the Franklin DPW and the Franklin Police for helping us with logistics and safety.

Many thanks, too, to all the volunteers who helped organize and run this fun event.

Here are a few photos from the evening.

Gold Sponsors Middlesex Savings Bank and Rockland Trust

Silver Sponsors Dean Bank, DCU, Franklin Ford and The Estate at Franklin

Bronze Sponsors Chestnut Dental Associates and Keefe Insurance

Bronze Sponsors Chestnut Dental Associates

Friends of the Stroll Sponsors Alumni Restaurant, Beaux Regards Photographic Art by Marjorie Sardella, Crossway Church, D. G. Ranieri Real Estate, Jane's Frames, Nexamp, Next Step Living, The Franklin Historical Museum and WMRC 1490-AM.