"opportunity to have a lower cost energy option"

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

"The town (Medway) has entered into a municipal aggregation agreement with an energy supplier, saving residents an estimated $215,500 over the first half of 2018. 

The town entered into the six-month contract - its first under the new Medway Community Choice Power Supply program - with Constellation NewEnergy of Texas late last week. The state’s Department of Public Utilities approved the local aggregation program in October. 

The town worked with energy consultant Colonial Power Group throughout the approval and bidding process. Mark Cappadona, Colonial’s president, said the agreement charges Medway customers about 11.8 cents per kilowatt hour, beginning in January. This represents a savings over the default rate of 13.2 cents per kilowatt hour that Eversource will begin charging in January."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171205/medway-signs-energy-agreement


Update: Franklin also has a municipal aggregation program. The Town has gone to bid three times and have yet to get an acceptable rate to start. Deputy Town Administrator Jamie Hellen wants to get a good differential rate for the first time out as the rate will change over time (as shown in the Medway article).

The Municipal Aggregation program documents can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/02/municipal-aggregation-program.html

• From the Town Council meeting where this was approved

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/03/live-reporting-legislation-for-action.html

cover page of presentation to Town Council on Aggregation Program

We Did It For You! - Women's Journey Through History - Dec 10

"We Did It For You! Women's Journey Through History tells the story of how women got their rights in the United States. With catchy musical numbers and a dash of comic relief, this highly entertaining and educational musical is a must see for teens and adults. 

In a time when our rights are being questioned, We Did It For You! shines light on how we got to where we are. Q&A with playwright and cast. Reception to follow sponsored by Starbucks. $10 tickets ($5 students). 

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Natick Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency."

"This heartwarming play takes audiences on a profound emotional journey that results in a deepened awareness of, and appreciation for, women in history upon whose shoulders we stand today. I urge you to run, don't walk, to see this magnificent performance!” - Women's Information Network

We Did It For You! Women's Journey Through History - Dec 10

Common Street Spiritual Center

13 Common St, Natick, Massachusetts 01760

Additional info can be found on the Facebook event page
https://www.facebook.com/events/126967471329405/

Recognition of Significant Accomplishment

Dec 4, 2017 

To: Franklin Cultural District Committee, Jeff Nutting, Town Administrator, Jamie Hellen, Deputy Town Administrator

CC: Bryan Taberner, Director, Planning and Community Development, Representative Jeffrey Roy

From: Franklin Cultural Steering Committee

RE: Recognition of Significant Accomplishment

We want to take a moment to recognize the significant accomplishment that has occurred over the past several years. What started as an idea for a cultural district was nurtured, tended to, and brought to reality through hours of dedicated service by numerous individuals. It began on November 21, 2013 when several of us, joined town and school officials, Ms. Anita Walker, Executive Director of the Mass Cultural Council, and Jeff Roy, State Representative, on a tour of the high school (which was under construction) and the downtown area, including THE BLACK BOX (also under construction). During this tour, the seeds of the proposed cultural district were planted.

We set out to create a Cultural District, conduct a Cultural Festival to showcase the wealth of cultural assets in Franklin, and prepare an application for Cultural District status for the town. We did this work over the past four years. The Franklin Cultural Festival began in July 2015, highlighting the visual, culinary, performing arts, music, dance, and the talents of the many individuals and organizations within Franklin. The Festivals continued in 2016 and 2017 demonstrating the importance of cultural events and encouraged the inclusion of the arts within other town events. By way of example, the Franklin Downtown Partnership has consistently elevated its inclusion of the fine and performing arts within its community events.

The seven member Franklin Cultural District Committee was formally approved by the Town Council on Wednesday, Nov 29, 2017 by unanimous vote. The formal application for Cultural District status can now be submitted.

The Cultural District Steering Committee, which brought this to fruition, has achieved this through much hard work, many hours of planning, collaborating, and executing. We want to thank the Town leadership, Franklin businesses, and institutions, and the numerous individuals and organizations that helped to advance Franklin along the pathway to Cultural District status.

Our work as a Cultural District Steering Committee and as the coordinator of the Cultural Festival is complete.

Sincerely,

Pandora Carlucci
Alan Mercer
Jim Schultz
Susan Sheridan
Steve Sherlock
Roberta Trahan


PDF version of this letter can be found here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v1DvlJpoHOXSb_jGm9fad92R66v1Gnlo/view?usp=sharing

Town Council Recap - November 29, 2017

The meeting saw the Town Council approve

• meeting minutes from the Oct 11 and Oct 25 meetings
• the appointment of the Franklin Cultural District Committee
• the single tax rate and set the rate at 14.65
• no exemptions for open space, small business, and residential property

The DPW provided an update on the snow/ice plan for the coming Winter season

The Town Council also announced their sub-committees as follows

Budget:  Padula*, Mercer, Pellegri, Kelly
Economic Development Committee (EDC): Mercer,* Earls, Jones, Hamblin
Capital: Dellorco*, Casey, Kelly, Pellegri
Review of council procedures: Mercer*, Padula, PellegriLiaison to the Agricultural commission = HamblinLiaisons to the Safe Coalition = Dellorco, Casey

* indicates chair of the sub-committee

The tax classification hearing documents can be found here
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/mai/files/tax_classification_ii_0.pdf


Actions Taken can be found here: http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/town_council_actions_taken_for_november_29_2017.pdf

Franklin (MA) DPW Snow/Ice Presentation - 2017 from Franklin Matters

My notes: reported live from the meeting

• Live reporting: Snow-Ice presentation
• Live reporting: Legislation for action
• Live reporting: Town Council - Nov 29, 2017

tax classification hearing underway at the Town Council meeting Nov 28

Superintendent Ahern - Community Forum Recap - Nov 30, 2017

Newly appointed Franklin Superintendent of Schools, Sara E. Ahern, held a forum at the Municipal Building on November 30, 2017 to provide a chance for community members to meet and share their concerns and for her to discuss her approach to school management. 

The meeting commenced at 6:30 PM with an overview provided by Ahern. She first described the four primary initiatives within the 2017-2018 District Improvement Plan: Social-emotional learning, curriculum and instruction, collaborative culture, and two-way communication. In pursuing these initiatives, she said she is starting with stakeholder engagement through events such as the forum and similar events held with faculty, administration, school committee, and small groups of parents. 

Based on input from these sessions, Ahern said she hopes to identify themes and patterns that will help her to understand concerns and problems needing attention. She said she will then report on those findings to the district as a first step in developing a strategy for implementing improvements.

Ahern explained that her goal is to provide “stakeholder” (parents, faculty, etc.) awareness and “investment” in the District’s Strategy. In other words, she emphasized; she plans to listen. 

One of the attendees expressed appreciation for that approach and said she had “tried for five years to get an appointment with the previous superintendent and couldn’t even get a return phone call.”

She and others commented about concerns such as extremely short recess periods that they felt were not conducive to learning in young children. Similar comments were aired regarding lunch periods that were perceived as being too short for a child to eat and snack breaks for young children as late as 11 AM.

Another parent raised a concern regarding frequent changes in math curriculum that required his child to relearn fundamental skills in a new way in order to move ahead. Ahern said some of those shifts were driven by external changes in state mandates. The future, she said, would likely be less chaotic.

A parent whose children are no longer in the system, expressed concern that Franklin schools were perhaps not measuring up to their public reputation, since most were ranked as “level 2” [In a Massachusetts 1-5 ranking system]. “Only the high school is level 1,” he said. Ahern, for her part, said that the high school is actually now also ranked as level 2. However, she noted, the rankings can be misleading since they measure improvements and the standards by which they are measured shift. Therefore, she explained, even a top-rank school can have its designation reduced simply because it hasn’t improved further.

Ahern closed the meeting with an invitation to participants to reconnect at any time.

Submitted by Franklin Matters contributor Alan Earls

The handout Superintendent Ahern talked to for her overview:



The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) published the district scorecard. The scorecard and supporting information for Franklin can be found here
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/reportcard/DistrictReportCardOverview.aspx?linkid=106&orgcode=01010000&fycode=2016&orgtypecode=5

Superintendent Ahern - Community Forum Recap - Nov 30, 2017

Reminder: New England Irish Harp Orchestra - Dec 10

New England Irish Harp Orchestra will share a wonderful medley of Holiday music that will put you in the perfect mood for the season!

Sunday, December 10 - 7:00 pm

St. John’s Episcopal Church 
237 Pleasant Street Franklin, MA 

Tickets $10 (payable at the door) 

FREE  With Dean College ID 

Transportation provided call (781) 708-1327 

New England Irish Harp Orchestra - Dec 10

LET'S LAUGH TODAY in Franklin is on Wednesday, December, 13

Trade all your holiday stress for laughter on Wednesday, December 13 from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM at he Meetinghouse of the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin. 

Come and enjoy this unique exercise of guided laughter exercises combined with gentle breathing that brings more oxygen to the body's cells. This oxygen boost gives enhanced vitality, energy and a feeling of real well-being. 

Any age and any level of physical ability can participate in this uplifting experience! New laughers are always welcomed! 

$5 donation to the church, $10 maximum per family. Please bring your water bottle because laughing is dehydrating. 

Led by Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers, Linda and Bill Hamaker. www.letslaughtoday.com. If you have any questions, just call them at 508-660-2223 or e-mail billandlinda@letslaughtoday.com.

LET'S LAUGH TODAY in Franklin is on Wednesday, December, 13

LET'S LAUGH TODAY in Franklin