Tuesday, December 6, 2016

MIAA App provides the FHS Sports Schedule on your smartphone!

If you want to follow the FHS Panthers boys basketball team, or any other FHS team, you can download the MIAA app to your smart phone and get the season schedule.

I had heard of the app from the Facebook posting by the FHS boys team.



It does install quickly

in the Google Playstore
in the Google Playstore
It is also available for iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/miaa/id987574520?mt=8

Prompts you to select a favorite (FHS was my choice!)

the installed app prompts to select a favorite school
the installed app prompts to select a favorite school
FHS winter sports selected as favorites for now
FHS winter sports selected as favorites for now
You can also get the schedules at HockomockSports.Com. This is the source of most of the sports results that I share.


Franklin Recycling Center operates on new Winter Schedule

There is a new seasonal and holiday schedule for Franklin Recycling Center this week. November 29th was the last Tuesday that the Recycling Center is open. 
Tuesday operations will resume on April 4th, 2017.


  • Christmas Eve hours: 8am - noon
  • New Years Eve hours: 8am - noon




This was shared from the Franklin DPW Facebook posting:



http://www.franklinma.gov/recycling-solid-waste/pages/recyclopedia-what-do-i-do
Recyclopedia: What do I do with?


Have you seen the Recyclopedia?

It answers your questions on what to do with each item: trash or recycle!


  • The recyclopedia can be found online

http://www.franklinma.gov/recycling-solid-waste/pages/recyclopedia-what-do-i-do


“Is the fuel delivery infrastructure as constrained as it may appear or not? Prices may suggest it’s not.”

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

"New England has undergone a profound shift in how it produces electricity over the past decade and a half, phasing out coal and oil plants while becoming more reliant on natural gas. 
Following passage of a state energy law this summer, Massachusetts will see wind, solar and imported hydropower become increasingly important sources of energy in the coming years, but many in the energy industry expect natural gas to remain a crucial resource for the foreseeable future. 
“We’re not going to likely see any new coal built in the region,” said Anne George, vice president of external affairs and corporate communications for grid operator ISO New England. “Oil is very limited in this region … There’s unlikely to be any new nuclear in the region. So you’re left with natural gas, and we do see the increasing desire to develop renewables.” 
Back in 2000, just 15 percent of New England’s power was produced by burning natural gas. Last year, natural gas accounted for 49 percent of all electricity generated in the region."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161205/energy-landscape-undergoes-major-changes



About us page for ISO New England
About us page for ISO New England

ISO New England - screen grab of real time chart showing fuel mix (non-renewables)
ISO New England - screen grab of real time chart showing fuel mix (non-renewables)

ISO New England - screen grab of real time chart showing fuel mix (renewables)
ISO New England - screen grab of real time chart showing fuel mix (renewables)


Download these brief explanation documents from ISO New England:


Jane's Frames: A quick note from us



For the busy Holiday Season  we have extended the hours at  Jane's Frames
We are now Open:
Monday from 12:00 Noon-5:00 p.m.
Tuesday,  and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m-6:00 p.m.
Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 pm
Friday from 9:30 a.m-6:00 p.m.
Saturday from 10:0 0 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Hopefully this will make it easier for you to take advantage of our many services, such as:
Custom Picture Framing
Photo Restoration
Custom Mirrors
High Quality Photo Printing
Unique Original Art 
Antique Map Reproductions
Tabletop Photo Frames
Handmade Artisan Crafts
(Handmade cards, Unique Jewelry, Handmade Ceramic items,
Holiday Home Decorations, Handmade Quilts and More)

We thank you for your continued Business!

Jane's Frames | 11 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038

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Jane Curran at Jane's Frames, website photo
Jane Curran at Jane's Frames, website photo


Monday, December 5, 2016

Public Hearing: EPA Brownfields Grant - Dec 6 - 5:00 PM

The Department of Planning and Community Development will be a holding Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 6th at 5:00PM for an EPA Brownfields Grant in regards to the former Nu-Style site at 87 Grove Street. 

The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at the Town Hall.

Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central St
Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central St


Related posts on the NuStyle property



  • A similar hearing was held almost one year ago

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/12/public-hearing-notice-for-87-grove-st.html



  • From the 2015 Annual Report:

"Also during 2015 DPCD continued to work with other Town staff, consultants, and the EPA to move forward redevelopment of the Town’s “Nu-Style” Property. The Nu-Style Property at 87 Grove Street consists of two parcels totaling 1.2 acres. The property is contaminated with a variety of hazardous materials. Demolition of the main NuStyle building was completed within FY13; demolition was required in order to access and analyze soil and water under the building to assure that the full extent of soil and water contamination is known.  

Preparing the site for redevelopment is expensive, and DPCD has sought funding and technical assistance from a variety of sources in recent years. DPCD secured EPA technical assistance to assess the quality of ground water at the Nu-Style site; several monitoring wells were drilled and two rounds of water samples were analyzed. In addition, the EPA performed indoor air quality assessment activities in an adjacent privately held building to assure contaminated soil and ground water on the Nu-Style property is not negatively impacting adjacent properties. Building II, a smaller dilapidated mill building on the back of the Nu-Style property became the focus of DPCD efforts during the second half of FY15."

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/12/annual-report-2015-department-of.html



Finance Committee - Agenda - Dec 6, 2016

The Finance Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Dec 6 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The full agenda document is attached below with the key items highlighted here:

  • Technology – E Permitting Purchase
  • Technology – Google Applications Purchase
  • Turf Field Design and Development

Items for Discussion:

Town Administrator Updates 
  • FY 17 Capital/FY 18 Budget, 
  • Multi-units development in Town

the new artificial turf field at FHS has good softness with its new infill although it is  crumb rubber and is controversial
the new artificial turf field at FHS has good softness with its new infill although it is 
crumb rubber and is controversial


Worthy of note is the balance of the budgetary savings accounts. These accounts are used to plan for actual or emergency expenses.

The "Rec Fields Stab" is money set aside to replace the FHS and Beaver St artificial turf fields. Coincidentally, one of the action items on this agenda is to use some money from the "Free Cash" to fund the design for those fields. The design is needed to put the work out to bid with an expectation to have the fields replaced during the period June-July 2017.


Balances update 09/30/16


  • Gen Stab 4,987,740
  • PW Stab -0- 
  • Rec Fields Stab 870,105
  • Traffic Stab 4,611 
  • Fire Truck Stab 486,407
  • Property Acquis Stab 255,527 
  • Open Space 1,085,668
  • Budget Stab 1,345,759 
  • OPEB Trust 2,262,251
  • Free Cash 3,516,586


OPEB Obligation: Pay as you go 93,975,598 as of 6/30/15



S.A.F.E. Coalition Members presents Certificate of Appreciation to Franklin Resident Sam Pfeiffer for his Fundraising Efforts

Sam Pfeiffer, an 8th grade student at the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (BFCCPS), raised $280 for the S.A.F.E. Coalition as part of his Capstone project. The project aimed to help educate middle school students at his school about the ongoing opioid crisis, and raise funds to support those affected by Substance Use Disorder in the greater Franklin area. 

Sam raised the money by organizing two separate events: a popsicle sale at BFCCPS in the spring and a lemonade stand sale at the school's annual back-to-school picnic, during which he handed out brochures and other supporting information provided by the S.A.F.E. Coalition to help increase awareness in the community.

The presentation was made November 22, 2016 during the S.A.F.E. Coalition Meeting at the Franklin Municipal Building. 

Shown in the picture are S.A.F.E. Board of Directors members Megan Lazarek (Member), Jennifer Knight (Vice President), Jim Derick (President), Sam Pfeiffer, Jordan Warnick (Secretary) and Steve Spiewakowski (Member)
Shown in the picture are S.A.F.E. Board of Directors members Megan Lazarek (Member), Jennifer Knight (Vice President), Jim Derick (President), Sam Pfeiffer, Jordan Warnick (Secretary) and Steve Spiewakowski (Member)

In acknowledging the enormous action on Sam's part Jim Derick (President) said: 
  • 'If there were more Sam's involved, we would be able to bring the crisis under control…’ and … 'it brings in a new generation into the fight [sic against Substance Use Disorder].'
  • 'It [sic, these funds alone] will support S.A.F.E. phone services for more than a year.’
Sam also received a letter of congratulations from Rep. Jeff Roy, who could not be present.

S.A.F.E. is a coalition of community partners who have come together to provide support, education, treatment options, and coping mechanisms for those affected by substance abuse disorder. We do so by empowering those affected, including their families, with the tools necessary to succeed on their journey to recovery. We understand that while I can't, we can.

For further information about the S.A.F.E. Coalition of MA please visit us on the Web (http://safecoalitionma.com) of on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/safecoalitionma/)

Did you hear about photos with Santa?

Did you hear about photos with Santa?
"Come and have your picture taken with Santa!
Santa Claus himself will be here at the Police Department from 9am-1pm. 
We will be collecting toys for our annual toy drive, so please bring in a new unwrapped gift. Thank you!"

You can follow the event on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/events/858818804253532/


Franklin Police Dept event photo on Facebook
Franklin Police Dept event photo on Facebook
Franklin Police Station - post Halloween
Franklin Police Station - post Halloween

Boston school starting times

In the Saturday edition of the Boston Globe:
"Boston school officials have decided against changing the start times for elementary, middle, and K-8 schools for next fall, saying they need more time to conduct an analysis and consult with the community, officials announced Friday night. 
“There are no plans at this time to make changes to start and end times for the upcoming school year as it’s important that we take the time to work with the entire school community through this process,” the School Department said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/02/boston-puts-brakes-changing-school-start-times-least-for-now/DFxNyhH5zCj3n27a4Xv1ZO/story.html

This is a follow up to an earlier story
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/01/boston-considers-changing-school-start-times-save-busing-costs/hkB7hYljDz8eh561bGzuYO/story.html


Boston has three times for bus routes; 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30. They were looking to save money by switch some of the school star times so that more busses could run the three time slots. More planning and communication is needed before making any change.


Percent Franklin Voter Turnout 2003 - 2016 (updated with official results from Nov 8, 2016)

The "official" results from the November 8th were posted to the Town of Franklin webpage and as I updated my chart with the final numbers, I also realized that i had left out a key election in the last chart. I'll attribute that to a version control issue, I had updated an earlier version rather than the proper version. 

Here is the most recent chart with the percent Franklin voter turnout for elections from 2003 - 2016.

percent Franklin voter turnout for elections from 2003 - 2016
percent Franklin voter turnout for elections from 2003 - 2016 (color coded by election)

  • The official results from Nov 8 were posted to the Town of Franklin page here
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/copy_of_official_results_state_election_nov_8_2016.pdf


  • The prior posting in November can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/11/franklin-voter-turnout-from-2003-2016.html



Registration is now open for the 2017 Winter Session

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Registration is now open for the 2017 winter session at The Center for Adult Education and Community Learning, 9 E. Central St., 218 Oak St, Franklin. 
This winter participants can exercise, dance and paint, or play sports — badminton, basketball and volleyball. They can also enjoy food and wine demonstrations and tastings and explore the Italian language. 
Classes in digital photography and financial planning will be offered. 
The Kids’ Corner program will also expand. This program is a unique collection of afterschool activities for children with the goal of making learning fun. Classes are small, relaxed and designed to encourage children’s creativity. Children can explore art, cooking, science and yoga."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161204/registration-open-for-adult-ed-classes


  • To view the catalog online 

http://cms5.revize.com/revize/franklinlifelong/Winter%20for%20print%20brochure%2011%2015%20final%20no%20links.pdf

Community Entrance at Franklin High School, also to the Lifelong Learning offices
Community Entrance at Franklin High School, also to the Lifelong Learning offices


Sunday, December 4, 2016

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Dec 7, 2016

The agenda for the Town Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 7, 2016. This was shared from the Town of Franklin website. The links in most cases go directly to the supporting documents. 

Agenda ItemSummary


A. Approval of MinutesA. November 16, 2016 Minutes
B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Town Council Announcements
C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
Swearing in of Police Officers
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the Agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments.  The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.
E. APPOINTMENTS(No appointments listed)
F. HEARINGS
Public Hearing - 7:10 pm
G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
Public Hearing - 7:10 pm
H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Franklin Advisory Committee
I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS(made during the meeting)
1. Resolution 16-58: Request for Legislation
Exempting all positions in the Fire Department from Civil Service Law
2. Resolution 16-67: Classification Tax Allocation - Residential Factor
3. Resolution 16-68: Classification Tax Allocation - Open Space Exemption
4. Resolution 16-69: Classification Tax Allocation - Small Business Exemption
5. Resolution 16-70: Classification Tax Allocation - Residential Property Exemption
6. Resolution 16-71: 2017 Schedule of Town Council Meetings
7. Resolution 16-72: Legal Notices
8. Resolution 16-73: Acceptance of Grant of Utility (Drainage) Easement on Property at 9 Macintosh Street
9. Resolution 16-74: Declaration as surplus and available for Disposition (Ground Leasing) and Authorization Therefor of a Portion of Town-owned land off Forge Hill
10. Memo to Capital Budget Subcommittee
10.1 Resolution 16-76: Appropriation - Technology - Google Applications
11. Resolution 16-77: Appropriation - Turf Field Design and Development
12. Resolution 16-78: Appropriation - Technology - E Permitting
13. Resolution 16-79: Acceptance of Gift - Council on Aging
14. Bylaw Amendment 16-778: Chapter 160, Taxpayers, Delinquent - 1st Reading (Motion to Move Bylaw Amendment 16-778 to a 2nd Reading (majority))
K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT(made during the meeting)
L. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS(made during the meeting)
M. COUNCIL COMMENTS(made during the meeting)
N. EXECUTIVE SESSION(placeholder - may not be required)
O. Adjourn
meeting adjourns



Franklin's Town Common
Franklin's Town Common