Retiring Police Chief Semerjian's letter to the Franklin residents and businesses

To: The Residents and Business People of the Town of Franklin

When I first took the oath of service before self in 1978 it never crossed my mind then that I would be authoring this letter as the retiring Police Chief some 38 years later. Much time has passed since then and I can say in all honesty that I would not have wanted things to go any other way. Our Town Government, my Family and Friends, our Police Officers (then and now) and the people of Franklin have all become part of who I am and what I have been able to accomplish over these many years. The opportunity to be your Chief of Police has been without a doubt the high point of my professional career. During my four years as Chief Franklin has had the distinction each year of being recognized as one of the safest cities in Massachusetts and the United States to work, reside in and raise a family. This is an honor that I am proud to share as we have all taken a part in making this happen.

To those of you who have taken the time to comment on our department Facebook page or send me congratulatory cards I want to say “thank you” for your very kind words and well wishes. Those of you from the Class of ‘72’, my old classmates, teachers and coaches I send along a very special “thank you” (Dennis that sounds just fine!). Thinking back to the 1960’s and 70’s I’m not sure any of us had any idea just what and where we were heading in our lives. I think it safe to say that the “old” Franklin High School and athletic fields prepared us all well for our future.

Over the years I have always strived to make the impact I made here a positive one. This job brings with it the potential to very much help, or very much hinder people both professionally and personally. This is what comes along with the responsibility of having been sworn to enforce the law. It is my hope that I was able to help many more people than not. The measure of one’s success or failure is determined by those he serves. I like to think the litmus test of how the community has judged me will be counted by the many well wishes, smiles and handshakes that continue to be extended to me.

I’d be remiss if I did not mention these two unsolved cases which I had been involved with. In December of 1978 Theresa Corley was the victim of homicide; she was located on an embankment off Route 495 northbound in Bellingham. In July of 1988 Jane Gilboy was also the victim of homicide which occurred in her home in Franklin. Both cases remained unsolved to this day. I ask if there is anyone out there who has any information whatsoever on either of these cases to please contact the Franklin Police Detective Division or the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office State Police Division. It goes without saying that as members of society we all have an interest in bringing individual(s) capable of committing such violent criminal acts to Justice.

It has been my honor and privilege to have had this opportunity to serve you all as Police Chief for the Town.

I wish you all the very best of luck, good health and good fortune.

Sincerely

Chief Stephan Semerjian

Franklin Police, 911 Panther Way

The PDF of the Chief's letter:

In the News: Franklin 5K runs Sunday, Police chief sworn in

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The Hockomock Area YMCA will host a race and family event this weekend with the aim at furthering its programs for special needs children. 

Sunday's 5K run/walk, which starts from the Remington and Jefferson schools, will be the 12th running of the event. Timothy Shaw, the YMCA's program director, said the race was started by the Biagiottis, an area family. 

"(Kristine and Kayla Biagiotti) are a mother-daughter tandem," Shaw said, noting that they had run the Boston Marathon, with Kristine pushing the wheelchair-bound Kayla along the race course. "The race was originally known as 'The Run for Bob,' in memory of Kris' late husband."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160622/franklin-ymca-5k-this-weekend

Franklin 5K - Sunday, June 26

"A packed house watched Wednesday night as Thomas Lynch was sworn in as police chief. 

The Town Council, Franklin police personnel, area law enforcement officials and family members watched Town Clerk Teresa Burr administer the oath of office to Lynch and new Deputy Chief James Mill. Hearty applause rang out through the council chambers as the ceremony came to an end. 

Lynch, in his remarks following the oath, praised the department as one of the finest in the state. 

"I'd like to thank those who supported, influenced and put faith in me," he said. "I'd like to thank all members of the Franklin Police Department, past and present, who have supported me these past 20 years."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160622/new-franklin-police-chief-sworn-in

For all the news from the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, check the real time reporting here:
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/06/real-time-reporting-town-council-62216.html

How does Mass compare to other states for child well-being?

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy.    2016 KIDS COUNT Data Book finds MA youth lead in education and health; many struggle economically Children in Massachusetts lead the nation in educational achievement and also rank highly in health measures, but more than one in seven live in poverty, according to the 2016 KIDS COUNT® Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. MassBudget is home to KIDS COUNT in Massachusetts, a national and state-by-state effort funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to track and improve the well-being of children across the United States. The annual report measures child well-being state-by-state across four categories: health, education, economic well-being and family and community. For instance, the Data Book tracks reading proficiency in fourth grade and math in eighth grade. Massachusetts students lead the nation in both measures, with 50 percent of our students proficient in reading and 51 percent in math. But while the data show that Massachusetts leads the nation, the report also shows that half of our students are not achieving these goals. There are similar mixed messages for other education measures: 12 percent of our students do not graduate high school on time - that's too many, but down from 18 percent in 2008. While Massachusetts ranks at the top in educational attainment and near the top in child health, on measures of family economic well-being it ranks 11th. Raising the incomes of low and middle income families remains an important challenge for our Commonwealth. The well-being of families has a direct effect on their children. Policies that improve wages and working conditions - such as minimum wage increases and paid family leave laws that make it easier for parents to take time to bond with a new child - can help children get a better start in life. Read the 2016 KIDS COUNT Data Book (HERE). There's a two-page summary of the Massachusetts profile (HERE). You can see all of MassBudget's KIDS COUNT Resources (HERE).  You can read MassBudget's recent fact sheets on Paid Family and Medical Leave, including how the program differs from similar programs (HERE), how such programs impact businesses and families in other states (HERE), how Massachusetts residents currently cope without paid leave (HERE), and answers to frequently asked questions (HERE).  For more information on evidence-based strategies to support children from pre-Kindergarten through high school, see Roadmap to Expanding Opportunity.  The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with MassBudget Report

Real time reporting: Town Council - 6/22/16

The new police chief and deputy were sworn in at the Town Council meeting. This was also an historic moment as the 4 recent chiefs were together in the same place (photo op!).

The proposed downtown parking plan received general acceptance and will come back before the council in a set of bylaw changes to make formal approval. Once approved, then the DPW will get to work on making new signs.

Be sure to scroll through the Storify widget to review all the notes taken during the meeting.

a full house was on hand for the Town Council meeting to see the new police chief and deputy get sworn in 

Downtown Project Update - #36

Paving has begun in downtown. The contractor will be in the reminder of this week beginning the tree and shrub plantings in downtown. The contractors will also be onsite to mill the section of Beaver Street and Union Street.

Paving is planning to resume next week, tentatively for Tuesday and Wednesday of the week of June 27, including East Central St and the rest of main.

Please be aware as you enter these intersections there may be detours throughout downtown.

Signals making downtown a two-way intersection should be tentatively taking effect mid-July.

Please contact the Town Administrator's Office at 520-4949 with any questions. We will continue to keep the public informed through our website, Twitter and Facebook.

new 'brick' polymer crosswalk

Comment Concerning the Danger of adding the Proposed Spectra Energy Natural Gas Pipeline

Comment Concerning the Danger of adding the Proposed Spectra Energy Natural Gas Pipeline, Delivered at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Scoping Meeting, May 18, 2016, Milford, MA. 

If this meeting were happening in 1963 when the current old bare steel pipeline was installed who would be here? Perhaps a few farmers looking for compensation or expressing concerns about the impact on their livelihood. That was then and now is now. Today these areas are heavily populated and we know much more about the effects of gas leaks. And now Spectra Energy is proposing to build a second high pressure line as close as 20’ from the old one. I contend that this idea is irresponsible given what we know. 

I’m not here tonight to talk about the environmental damage caused by fracking and gas leaks. I’m not here to talk about exporting natural gas and having us pay a tariff to do it. And I’m not here to restate that the Attorney General’s and the Conservation Law Foundation’s reports indicate that there’s no need for another pipeline that would interfere with the goals of the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act. 

I’m here to share the concerns of many residents who worry about the safety of gas pipelines. At a Spectra Energy open house in February I observed aerial pictures of the existing and proposed pipelines. I’ve been to many affected neighborhoods and observed that the current pipeline is roughly within 25’ of some homes and within 50’ of many others. 

Most of these homes were built after the pipeline was installed in 1963, and before people knew the potential dangers caused by leaks. According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the HCAs (High Consequence Areas) are at least a 660’ radius. Hundreds of homes lie within this zone. According to a Spectra employee, the old 24-inch bare steel pipe contains about 700lbs per square inch of pressure and the proposed 30” line can handle up to 1200 lbs. So what could happen? 

Given that a similar old bare steel transmission line exploded on April 29th in Pennsylvania after being inspected two years earlier is very concerning and calls into question Spectra’s ability to assess pipeline safety. Houses were destroyed and a man was badly burned. The preliminary finding was that the leak was caused by corrosion. The inspection didn’t prevent this. 

On January 5th Medway had a serious gas leak where a lateral pipeline crosses Rt. 109. According to the Milford Daily News, six homes were evacuated while the leak was repaired. In addition to the Medway Fire Department, three other fire departments were on hand. Luckily, it didn’t explode. 

According to Heetma.org, Massachusetts has more than 20,000 natural gas leaks, so why pump more gas into a leaky system? It just doesn’t make sense.
In my opinion, the fact that the proposed pipeline could be as close as 20 feet from the existed line would increase the incineration zone exponentially. If one pipeline explodes, the other probably could too. A leak and a spark would be devastating. This could happen anywhere in Massachusetts given the enormous number of ignored leaks. 

According to the US Department of Transportation’s Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration from 1994 through 2013, there were 110 serious incidents with interstate gas transmission pipelines. This resulted in $448,900,333 in property damages, 195 injuries and 41 deaths. 

From 2002 to 2015 there were 589 resolved civil penalty cases totaling $47, 447,675. At this time there are another 637 open cases with proposed penalties of $64,856,000 Given that Massachusetts has over 20,000 natural gas leaks, why would we pump more natural gas into a leaking system? It just doesn’t make sense. 

On November 30, 2015 Steve Aklquist of RI Future.org wrote an article based on an interview with two former safety inspectors who worked for Spectra in nearby Burrillville, Rhode Island. The two safety inspectors were working on a section of Spectra Energy’s AIM pipeline system and stated that the company cut corners when it came to project, worker and environmental safety. 

One inspector was quoted as saying, “Right now, what they’re hoping to do, is they’re hoping to slam all this through, and then at the end ask for forgiveness,” They’ll say, “Oops, sorry about that, I didn’t know, let me write you a check. Because once this thing’s turning meter, they’re going to be making millions of dollars a day. It doesn’t matter what your problems are.” 

According to the article the other inspector added , “These pipes have to last underground for at least 50 years….If there’s the smallest mistake in their cathodic protection, that’s what’s going to corrode. All of a sudden you’ve got, even at 800-900 pounds of pressure, doesn’t sound like much, but when you’ve got a 42-inch pipe, traveling that distance and it goes ka-bang, you’re not talking about taking out a block, you’re talking about taking out a large area. You’re talking about a humongous ecological impact, you’re talking about displacing hundreds of families, you’re talking about leveling homes, killing people instantly, I mean, if one of those places were to go up, it’s going to be a bad day.” End of quote. 

As I said, I’m not here tonight to talk about the environmental damage caused by gas leaks and fracking. Or the fact that both the Attorney General’s and the Conservation Law Foundation’s research indicates that there are better ways to address peak winter days than adding another pipeline. 

I’m here to say that given the track record of pipelines and the extreme pressure and location of the proposed pipeline, we ask that FERC consider the safety of our citizens by rejecting this proposal. Thanks for your time. 

Respectfully submitted by, 

James F. Hill
Franklin, MA 02038

No Spectra sign found on a Franklin lawn

Rockland Trust Family Splash Park Opens At The Bernon Family Branch YMCA

On Thursday, June 16th the Hockomock Area YMCA hosted a dedication and celebration of the Rockland Trust Family Splash Park at the Bernon Family Branch YMCA. On a beautiful sun-soaked afternoon, representatives from Rockland Trust joined Hockomock Area YMCA leadership volunteers, staff and kids christening the park highlighted by a tumultuous wave of water dropped from a huge bucket suspended 15 feet from the ground drenching kids and adults alike.

“This is a very exciting day,” exclaimed Brian Earley, chairman of the Board of Directors at the Hockomock Area YMCA. “We are so grateful for the partnership and friendship of Rockland Trust. This Splash Park will be a great addition to our YMCA, and another exciting touchpoint for the community, providing families with a place to spend quality time together.”

Jane Lundquist, executive vice president of Rockland Trust and president of the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation marveled at the finished splash park and noted, “I remember that large hole in the ground back in October and look at it today! We are so proud to award a major grant to the Hockomock Area YMCA, an organization that has such an impact on the community.” At the end of her brief remarks Jane was greeted by cheers as she turned to the kids and asked “Are you ready?!”

Franklin Town Administrator Jeff Nutting thanked Rockland Trust for “this wonderful gift to the community and the Y. It’s about those kids, not us, and the important family time this will encourage.” Thanking the Y, Nutting remarked, “Every year I contribute to the Y because the Y gives it back 10-fold.”

At the conclusion of the dedication ceremony Hockomock Area YMCA President Ed Hurley noted, “I want to add my personal thanks to everyone at Rockland Trust. We’re very proud of the long-standing relationship our YMCA has with a bank that believes in giving back to the community. We are honored and proud to be the recipient of your support and friendship.” Hurley presented Jane Lundquist a rendering of the bronze plaque that will be mounted on granite in the park. The plaque reads “Rockland Trust Family Splash Park made possible through the thoughtful generosity of the Rockland Trust Family Foundation. Thank you for your commitment to supporting kids and families in our community.”

Hockomock Area YMCA Board of Directors Vice Chairman Bill Chouinard (far left) and Hockomock Area YMCA Board of Directors Chairman Brian Earley (far right) with YMCA members Aiden Cohen (second from left) and Ryan Martin (third from left)

Hockomock Area YMCA members enjoy the first ceremonial bucket drop

Jane Lundquist, executive vice president of Rockland Trust, and Ed Hurley, president of the Hockomock Area YMCA, with the Rockland Trust Family Splash Park dedication plaque

A community group photo of representatives of Rockland Trust, the Hockomock Area YMCA and the town of Franklin

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.

The Hockomock Area 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 cause-driven organization with facilities in North Attleboro, Foxboro, Franklin, and Mansfield. For more information visit hockymca.org.