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Monday, January 2, 2017
REMINDER: Winter Sports Classes Begin January 9
Annual Report 2016: Town Attorney
"The Town has an in-house attorney, Mark G. Cerel. Attorney Cerel has an office in the Town Administration offices and works three days a week.
In addition, he attends regular Council sessions and meetings of town boards and commissions on an asneeded basis. His responsibilities include providing legal advice to the Town Administrator and other town officials, review and drafting of legal documents, and representation of the town in negotiations and litigation other than labor-related matters. Having an in-house attorney has enabled town officials to obtain prompt legal review and advice; it has also expedited various town projects which require legal input.
During the past year, Attorney Cerel has continued to be successful not only in resolving actual litigation but also in resolving disputes prior to litigation on terms favorable to the Town; he has also continued to draft proposed legislation and to be involved in contract and real estate negotiations. In addition, he has continued to work with the staff to review and update the Town's zoning and general bylaws.
An in-house attorney plays an essential role in limiting the town’s legal exposure. He assists in resolving matters before they result in legal action and he provides the town with a strong legal presence that discourages people from filing frivolous lawsuits.
The Town Attorney represents the town and is only available to consult with individual residents if the Town Administrator’s prior approval is obtained."
Respectfully submitted,
Mark Cerel
Town Attorney
In addition, he attends regular Council sessions and meetings of town boards and commissions on an asneeded basis. His responsibilities include providing legal advice to the Town Administrator and other town officials, review and drafting of legal documents, and representation of the town in negotiations and litigation other than labor-related matters. Having an in-house attorney has enabled town officials to obtain prompt legal review and advice; it has also expedited various town projects which require legal input.
During the past year, Attorney Cerel has continued to be successful not only in resolving actual litigation but also in resolving disputes prior to litigation on terms favorable to the Town; he has also continued to draft proposed legislation and to be involved in contract and real estate negotiations. In addition, he has continued to work with the staff to review and update the Town's zoning and general bylaws.
An in-house attorney plays an essential role in limiting the town’s legal exposure. He assists in resolving matters before they result in legal action and he provides the town with a strong legal presence that discourages people from filing frivolous lawsuits.
The Town Attorney represents the town and is only available to consult with individual residents if the Town Administrator’s prior approval is obtained."
Respectfully submitted,
Mark Cerel
Town Attorney
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| Franklin Municipal Building |
Download and read the full Annual Report for the Town of Franklin FY 2016
Prior year annual reports can be found
http://www.franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/annual-reportsPlanet Fitness Kick Starts the New Year With Special Offer
Planet Fitness is kick starting the New Year with a sale from January 1 through January 11, by offering new memberships for a $1 enrollment fee and then $10 a month with no commitment. Known for its Judgement Free Zone®, Planet Fitness wants to help first time gym-goers meet their New Year's health and fitness goals by offering a non-intimidating gym experience at an affordable price. Anyone can take advantage of this great deal in the United States or Canada. To find a club, visit PlanetFitness.com/local-clubs.
Brian Zehetner, Planet Fitness' Director of Health and Fitness and co-author of the book Working Out Sucks! (And Why It Doesn't Have To), offers advice to help keep a New Year's resolution from turning into a "stress-olution":
1. Set realistic goals. It's important to set realistic goals and celebrate achievements along the way, both big and small, which will help keep you motivated! It doesn't matter if your goal is to walk your first mile on a treadmill, or train for a 10K, just know it takes time to form a new habit.
2. Be accountable to someone. Let a close friend or relative know what your plans are for the New Year. They may be interested in joining you on your journey, and if so, the PF Black Card® for only $19.99 a month is a great option. You can work out with a buddy every day for no additional fee.
3. Enjoy what you love, in moderation. Working out and nutrition go hand in hand, but you don't have to forgo all your favorite foods entirely. So, if you're trying to eat healthier in the New Year, it's okay to enjoy that slice of pizza every once in a while too. Especially if you're getting in a good workout!
Planet Fitness has revolutionized the fitness industry with extremely low prices (memberships for just $10 or $19.99 a month*) and offers a variety of benefits including a hassle-free environment called the Judgement Free Zone®, brand name cardio and strength equipment, fully equipped locker rooms, flat screen televisions, unlimited small group fitness instruction by a certified trainer through the pe@pf® program, and much more.
Planet Fitness also provides members with an opportunity to connect and support each other with "Planet of Triumphs," an online community that celebrates all accomplishments and inspirational stories of Planet Fitness members. Planet of Triumphs provides an online platform for members to recognize their triumphs (big or small), share their stories and encourage others, reinforcing the Company's belief that 'everyone belongs'. Check out real Planet Fitness member stories and accomplishments at PlanetofTriumphs.com.
For more information or to join online, please visit www.PlanetFitness.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PlanetFitness), Instagram (www.instagram.com/planetfitness/) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/PlanetFitness).
*participating locations
About Planet Fitness
Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of September 30, 2016, Planet Fitness had more than 8.7 million members and more than 1,200 stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Dominican Republic. The Company's mission is to enhance people's lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone®. More than 90% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Happy New Year !!!
Welcome to 2017
This will be the only post today.
Take the time to enjoy the holidays with family and friends.
If you need something to read, there are plenty of posts in the archives going back to November 2007 and there are photos taken in and around Franklin in the Flickr tab.
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| sun and clouds reflecting upon the lower pond at DelCarte |
If you are not already subscribing via email, I would heartily recommend it. The daily email is the best way to keep current with all that matters in Franklin.
To successfully subscribe is a two-step process.
1 - You enter your email on the form. http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html
2 - The service sends you an email to confirm your subscription to which you must reply.
Once you reply, your email is confirmed, and then you will begin to receive the daily newsletter between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. You will only receive one email per day.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
FHS boys basketball and hockey teams posts wins
Via Hockomock Sports
Boys Basketball = Franklin, 76 vs. East Boston, 35 – Final
– Junior Paul Mahon scored a team-high 17 points as the Panthers cruised in their final game of the calendar year. James Hanlon added 11 points while sophomore Jalen Samuels recorded 10 points.
Boys Hockey = Franklin, 5 vs. La Salle Academy 1 – Final
For the remainder of the results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-123016/
Boys Basketball = Franklin, 76 vs. East Boston, 35 – Final
– Junior Paul Mahon scored a team-high 17 points as the Panthers cruised in their final game of the calendar year. James Hanlon added 11 points while sophomore Jalen Samuels recorded 10 points.
Boys Hockey = Franklin, 5 vs. La Salle Academy 1 – Final
For the remainder of the results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-123016/
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| FHS Panthers |
Via the Twitterverse
FHS Boys and Girls Basketball Coaches vs. Cancer event 1/6. Boys Frosh 3:45, Girls Varsity 6:00, Boys Varsity 7:30. Wear your pink!!! 🎀🏀— Karen (@karenmahon73) December 30, 2016
The boys pick up a 5-1 win over La Salle. Hard hat goes to @ginleyowen #Ashee pic.twitter.com/5R0X4jCypr— Franklin Hockey (@FHS_Puck) December 30, 2016
Hi All!!! Coach Bain is officially taking over the @FHSStrength twitter acct as the strength coach. Follow me @lianeblyn. Miss you all!— FHS strength & condo (@FHSStrength) December 30, 2016
Final: Franklin BB 76-35 over East Boston @HockomockSports @FHSSports— Tim Rodgers (@timrodg) December 30, 2016
Franklin BB up 58-26 on East Boston end of 3rd @HockomockSports @FHSSports— Tim Rodgers (@timrodg) December 30, 2016
Franklin BB up 39-20 against East Boston at the half @HockomockSports @FHSSports— Tim Rodgers (@timrodg) December 30, 2016
I don't like wishing time away but .... Spring can't come fast enough! Exciting time to be a panther. https://t.co/0TuhG3nad5— FHS Baseball (@FHSCoachZBrown) December 30, 2016
The new https://t.co/5zxVBVUEQZ website is up and running. We can now add 2017 to our schedule!!! pic.twitter.com/lPCuOcOvx7— Coach Bailey (@FranklinHSXC) December 30, 2016
MBTA: Commuter Rail service for New Year's Eve
The Commuter Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule for New Year's Eve, with extra late night service.
All Commuter Rail trains will be free after 8 pm on New Year's Eve.
Bikes are not allowed on all inbound trains between 10 am and 6 pm and on all outbound trains from 4 pm until the end of service.
Last updated: Dec 30 2016 10:55 AM
Click here for more information: http://www.mbta.com/events
All Commuter Rail trains will be free after 8 pm on New Year's Eve.
Bikes are not allowed on all inbound trains between 10 am and 6 pm and on all outbound trains from 4 pm until the end of service.
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| The Franklin Line operating at Franklin Dean Station |
Last updated: Dec 30 2016 10:55 AM
Click here for more information: http://www.mbta.com/events
Annual Report 2016: Franklin TV
Franklin TV is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. We operate the local access TV studios for Franklin. We produce local TV programs on three channels:
We are Franklin’s local TV channels on Comcast and Verizon, but we do not provide cable TV service.
Background
The Town of Franklin is the Local Franchise Authority (LFA) that maintains agreements with Comcast and Verizon cable TV providers.
Franklin TV’s funding comes from a 4.8% access fee on cable service that cable subscribers pay via these agreements.
Franklin TV does not rely on government taxes. Franklin TV pays a PILOT fee (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) to the Town of Franklin by agreement. We are the first nonprofit organization that pays for town services.
As an IRS 501(c)(3) charitable organization we also may receive grants and donations from contributors.
Local Programming Produced in 2015
During our 2015 operating year we generated:
All of these programs were produced, recorded and edited by our staff on behalf of Franklin residents, organizations, agencies and local government. Our extensive production support reaches beyond the customary charter of other public access studios to lend equipment and provide technical training. This additional commitment of professional support enables us to provide a broader range of programs
In addition to programming, Franklin TV offers free community announcements on our Bulletin Board for all three P/E/G channels. Nonprofit organizations who wish to promote their meetings, special events and activities are welcome to contact us.
Our Studios and Offices
We have five thousand square feet that houses two video studios (a large drive-in access studio and an interview studio), two audio recording rooms, four digital video editing/effects systems, and our offices.
We also have general purpose Community Meeting Space available – free to qualified nonprofit groups and service organizations for occasional meetings. Our facility accommodates up to 30 people.
After some years of effort, we finally succeeded in arranging for Comcast to upgrade our PEG channels connection to digital fiber. We are now connected by our own private fiber directly to the Comcast Milford Network Operations Center (NOC). This noise and distortion free connection was installed in April at a cost to us of $30,000. This digital upgrade retires the obsolete Comcast analog RF iNet link that experienced regular signal outages and interference.
Our Interview Studio
Franklin TV has two studios. Our smaller studio is an excellent facility for staging and recording interview and discussion programs. In 2015 this room was transformed with five all-digital displays that provide fully animated backgrounds. This novel approach enables us to stage more programs very efficiently, with each enjoying customized graphic set design.
Scholarships
In June, as part of our continuing commitment to Franklin students, Franklin TV awarded two $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors:
Our congratulations and best wishes go out to them in their academic endeavors.
A Broadcasting Opportunity, WFPR-FM
In February of 2014, Franklin TV was awarded a construction permit by the FCC for a 100 Watt, noncommercial educational FM radio station. WFPR, (Franklin Public Radio) broadcasting on 102.9 FM. The FCC received 3,000 applications. Franklin.TV was among 81 Massachusetts applicants.
Of these, 19 permits were granted, with 8 going to P/E/G studios like Franklin TV. WFPR will be an extension of Franklin TV’s services to the community and surrounding towns. Our construction permit runs to February, 2017 to allow sufficient time to properly site and construct a broadcast antenna.
FPR will also provide opportunities for local citizens to have a voice by producing their own programs or participating as volunteers to make our radio station successful as a local community resource.
Our Charter Operations
We continue to see increasing requests from various town agencies and civic organizations to provide TV coverage for local events. We cover Franklin events that are cultural or institutional in nature and of general interest.
We are always interested in training volunteers who would like to learn the craft of video production. Trained volunteers and interns work alongside our roster of free-lance and staff professionals to shoot and edit the institutional programs that we cover.
Citizen Access
Residents who produce their own access programs are the owners of these programs. As such, these producers hold their own copyright and may copy and distribute these programs freely, provided that the programs are cablecast on the Franklin system.
Per our Public Access charter, we do not provide equipment for covering private or personal events or for purposes other than generating Access Programs to be shown over the Franklin cable system Information about our weekly programming can be found on our web site: www.franklin.tv.
While visiting our website, also read our informative F.A.Q. on P/E/G TV studios, their operation, history and charter. We also recommend browsing our past newsletter archives to learn more about Franklin TV, our growth and development, and the civic events that we cover throughout the year.
Finally, in closing, “Thanks for watching!”
Respectfully submitted,
Franklin TV’s Board of Directors
Ken Norman, President
Jay Horrigan, Vice President
Wesley Rea, Treasurer
John Milot, Clerk
Anne Bergen, Nick Remissong, Rose Turco
Peter Fasciano, Executive Director
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26).
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28).
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29).
We are Franklin’s local TV channels on Comcast and Verizon, but we do not provide cable TV service.
Background
The Town of Franklin is the Local Franchise Authority (LFA) that maintains agreements with Comcast and Verizon cable TV providers.
Franklin TV’s funding comes from a 4.8% access fee on cable service that cable subscribers pay via these agreements.
Franklin TV does not rely on government taxes. Franklin TV pays a PILOT fee (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) to the Town of Franklin by agreement. We are the first nonprofit organization that pays for town services.
As an IRS 501(c)(3) charitable organization we also may receive grants and donations from contributors.
Local Programming Produced in 2015
During our 2015 operating year we generated:
- 217 Public Access Programs
- 95 School/Sports Programs
- 19 School/Civic Events Programs
- 96 Government Meetings
- 427 Locally Produced Programs
All of these programs were produced, recorded and edited by our staff on behalf of Franklin residents, organizations, agencies and local government. Our extensive production support reaches beyond the customary charter of other public access studios to lend equipment and provide technical training. This additional commitment of professional support enables us to provide a broader range of programs
In addition to programming, Franklin TV offers free community announcements on our Bulletin Board for all three P/E/G channels. Nonprofit organizations who wish to promote their meetings, special events and activities are welcome to contact us.
Our Studios and Offices
We have five thousand square feet that houses two video studios (a large drive-in access studio and an interview studio), two audio recording rooms, four digital video editing/effects systems, and our offices.
We also have general purpose Community Meeting Space available – free to qualified nonprofit groups and service organizations for occasional meetings. Our facility accommodates up to 30 people.
After some years of effort, we finally succeeded in arranging for Comcast to upgrade our PEG channels connection to digital fiber. We are now connected by our own private fiber directly to the Comcast Milford Network Operations Center (NOC). This noise and distortion free connection was installed in April at a cost to us of $30,000. This digital upgrade retires the obsolete Comcast analog RF iNet link that experienced regular signal outages and interference.
Our Interview Studio
Franklin TV has two studios. Our smaller studio is an excellent facility for staging and recording interview and discussion programs. In 2015 this room was transformed with five all-digital displays that provide fully animated backgrounds. This novel approach enables us to stage more programs very efficiently, with each enjoying customized graphic set design.
Scholarships
In June, as part of our continuing commitment to Franklin students, Franklin TV awarded two $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors:
- Tatyana Youssef of Franklin High
- Emily Scannell of Tri-County High
Our congratulations and best wishes go out to them in their academic endeavors.
A Broadcasting Opportunity, WFPR-FM
In February of 2014, Franklin TV was awarded a construction permit by the FCC for a 100 Watt, noncommercial educational FM radio station. WFPR, (Franklin Public Radio) broadcasting on 102.9 FM. The FCC received 3,000 applications. Franklin.TV was among 81 Massachusetts applicants.
Of these, 19 permits were granted, with 8 going to P/E/G studios like Franklin TV. WFPR will be an extension of Franklin TV’s services to the community and surrounding towns. Our construction permit runs to February, 2017 to allow sufficient time to properly site and construct a broadcast antenna.
FPR will also provide opportunities for local citizens to have a voice by producing their own programs or participating as volunteers to make our radio station successful as a local community resource.
Our Charter Operations
We continue to see increasing requests from various town agencies and civic organizations to provide TV coverage for local events. We cover Franklin events that are cultural or institutional in nature and of general interest.
We are always interested in training volunteers who would like to learn the craft of video production. Trained volunteers and interns work alongside our roster of free-lance and staff professionals to shoot and edit the institutional programs that we cover.
Citizen Access
Residents who produce their own access programs are the owners of these programs. As such, these producers hold their own copyright and may copy and distribute these programs freely, provided that the programs are cablecast on the Franklin system.
Per our Public Access charter, we do not provide equipment for covering private or personal events or for purposes other than generating Access Programs to be shown over the Franklin cable system Information about our weekly programming can be found on our web site: www.franklin.tv.
While visiting our website, also read our informative F.A.Q. on P/E/G TV studios, their operation, history and charter. We also recommend browsing our past newsletter archives to learn more about Franklin TV, our growth and development, and the civic events that we cover throughout the year.
Finally, in closing, “Thanks for watching!”
Respectfully submitted,
Franklin TV’s Board of Directors
Ken Norman, President
Jay Horrigan, Vice President
Wesley Rea, Treasurer
John Milot, Clerk
Anne Bergen, Nick Remissong, Rose Turco
Peter Fasciano, Executive Director
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| Franklin Public Access Studio, 23 Hutchinson Street |
Download and read the full Annual Report for the Town of Franklin FY 2016
Prior year annual reports can be found
http://www.franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/annual-reports
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