How do you report a pothole?

The updated Town of Franklin webpage has a DPW Service Request Form to report street lights, potholes, downed trees and Other (please specify) issues.

You can also call the DPW 

Hours of Operation:
M, T, Th: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Wed: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Fri: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm 

Phone:
(508) 520-4910
(508) 553-5500

From the mobile device (in this case, a phone)

The updated Town of Franklin website is enabled for mobile use

scroll down the Home Page to find a quick link for "Public Works Order"

click on the "Public Works Order" to open up the DPW Service Request Form

From your desktop/laptop

Scroll down the home page on the desktop/laptop versions to select the DPW Service Request Form

The form will ask the same questions whether on the mobile device or desktop/laptop

You can go directly to the form here
http://www.franklinma.gov/public-works/webforms/dpw-service-request-form

“There were several hundred acres and few access points"

"Like the majority of his constituents in Franklin and Medway, state Representative Jeffrey Roy is a frequent traveler on Interstate 495, the heavily traveled highway that bisects his district. 

But it wasn’t until two years ago, when Roy and another lawmaker met with Franklin resident Alan Earls, that he came to appreciate a stretch of woods and waterways between Exit 17 in Franklin and Exit 18 in Bellingham that spans both towns and a section of Medway. 

“I never knew some of the richness of the land, the history, how the trolleys traveled between Franklin and Bellingham 100 years ago,” said Roy, a Democrat who has lived in Franklin for 31 years. 

A year after their tour, Earls launched the Charles River Meadowlands Initiative, a grass-roots group formed to draw attention to the tracts of land — more than 400 acres in Franklin, about 350 acres in Bellingham, and another 50 in Medway — that are protected by the Army Corps of Engineers and open to the public."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/west/2017/02/17/this-land-protected-but-can-people-reach/uh2PYr2vBlI2nuaj4FwkfO/story.html

For more about the Charles River Meadowlands project follow the news as I can share it here. 

Visit them at their website  https://www.charlesrivermeadowlands.org/

Come to a future planning meeting to help the effort:

* Tues Mar 7, 6:30 PM, Dean Rm, First Universalist Soc. 262 Chestnut St, Franklin, MA
​*  Tues Apr 4, 6:30 PM, Dean Rm, First Universalist Soc. 262 Chestnut St, Franklin, MA
​*  Tues May 2, 6:30 PM, Dean Rm, First Universalist Soc. 262 Chestnut St, Franklin, MA

one of several photos of the meadowlands in snowy winter

Franklin Cultural Council Grantee Reception - March 23

The Franklin Historical Museum is pleased to be hosting the Franklin Cultural Council Grantee Reception honoring their 2017 Grant Recipients on Thursday, March 23rd at 7:00PM. 

All grant recipients and a guest are invited to enjoy entertainment and light refreshments as part of the evening’s schedule. 

Franklin Town Council Members, Senator Richard Ross, Senator Karen Spilka, Representative Jeffrey Roy and representatives from the Massachusetts Cultural Council are all invited to the evening reception.

The Franklin Cultural District Steering Committee is pleased to announce that it was one of the 2017 Grant Recipients. The grant will be applied to the upcoming 3rd Annual Franklin Cultural Festival.

 

Franklin Cultural Council    Massachusetts Cultural Council

"The 3rd Annual Franklin Cultural Festival is supported in part by a grant from the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency."

FHS boys basketball tops Cardinal Spellman

Boys Basketball = Franklin, 70 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 66 – Final

– Franklin was impressive in the first three quarters, building an 18 point lead before Spellman closed the gap in the final quarter. Franklin senior Josh Macchi registered a career-high 22 points while junior Paul Mahon added 15 points and sophomore Jalen Samuels finished with 14 points.

Boys Hockey = Franklin, 1 vs. Lasalle Academy, 4 – Final

Girls Hockey = Franklin, 0 vs. Ursuline, 3 – Final


For all the results around the Hockomock League on Monday
https://hockomocksports.com/mondays-schedule-scoreboard-022017/

FHS Panthers

Madalene Village public hearing continued to March 2

The Madalene Village proposal public hearing has been continued (yes, again) to March 10 this time. The next ZBA meeting is actually scheduled for March 2. During the intervening time, the developer is supposed to work out some issues with the peer reviewer as well as revise the submitted waivers listing to better reword some of the requests.

Partial summary of open issues:
The stream is still an issue as it is referred to as a 'ditch' and not acknowledged as a viable and valuable water resource.

The town has a current drain from Fletcher Field into the 'ditch.' The developer says Franklin has no easement for it. Franklin says it is on their land. This should be interesting to resolve.

There was a bunch of discussion on 'subsurface structures' and the definition of that versus an 'infiltration basins'. The dispute is around what design standards from MA DEP requires. A 'mounded analysis' is hence required by the Town and is questioned by the developer.

The developer has yet to meet with or engage in anyway the Conservation Commission. Conservation issues are being addressed to the ZBA, which respectfully speaking, is not their subject of expertise.

The wording of many of the waivers requested seem to be broader than required. Some of them were acknowledged as being worthy of refinement.

Recap on process
The ZBA does not need something from the Conservation Commission before the ZBA makes a decision. The concept is before the ZBA. If the board is so inclined to proceed with a permit, they would still come back with the construction design to approve that formally. If they (the developer) goes to the Conservation Commission and can't meet the State regulations, then the development would stop.

You can view the ZBA meeting here
http://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=franknma&eID=434

Files released before the meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/02/madalene-village-documents-for-zba.html

and here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/02/zoning-board-of-appeals-meeting-feb-16.html

Spruce Pond Brook is proposed to be rerouted for the development

"Better to be prepared early on"

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

"The Town Council has enacted a set of zoning rules that govern the placement of recreational and medicinal marijuana facilities in town. 

The council gave final approval at its meeting last week to a set of five zoning bylaw amendments, which would limit such facilities to the town's industrial parks and require special permits for their establishment. 

Town officials said the bylaws are meant to protect the town while the state finalizes marijuana regulations. 

"The intent of the zoning is to be prepared," said Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting. "At the very least, we're starting off in a conservative position."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170220/franklin-council-passes-marijuana-zoning

For the full Town Council meeting recap check this  link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/02/town-council-meeting-recap-follow-water.html

DPW Director Cantoreggi addresses the Town Council during the water presentation

Town Council meeting recap - follow the water!

The most significant take away from the Town Council meeting on Wednesday was the overview on the water situation for Franklin. We get all our water from the underground aquifer. Very interesting stats and details on how we get it, how it is treated before we use it and where it goes after we have used it (via sewer to the Charles River Treatment plant in Medway).

Some big expenses coming down the road. A water treatment plant is needed for Wells 3 and 6 or we would see this in our faucets (slide 35 from the presentation below):

Well 6 is underutilized as it has too much iron and manganese in it

The water treatment plant needed for Wells 3 and 6 (slide 37) is estimated at $6M. This is starting to be planned for now and would likely begin in a couple of years.

Replacement of the Beaver St connector is more expensive and would cost approx $15-20M. The connector was built in 1910 and carries most of Franklin's waste to the Charles River plant in Medway (page 5 of the presentation below).

I highly recommend listening to this presentation and discussion about the proposed inclusion of private wells in the future water ban restrictions. Not, the normal conservation effort only the water ban (if declared). 

It begins approx. 25 minutes into the video and runs for over an hour.

Franklin DPW Water Presentation from Franklin Matters

The video replay of the Town Council meeting of Feb 15, 2017 can be found here
http://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?PGD=franknma&eID=433

The Actions Taken by the Town Council can be found here
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/town_council_actions_taken_february_15_2017.pdf

My notes reported live during the meeting can be found here

• Live reporting: Closing
• Live reporting: Water update
• Live reporting: Storage Facility
• Live Reporting: Town Council Meeting - Feb 15, 201...
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