Annual Report 2017: Franklin Fire Department

The Annual Report is compiled and published each year to be ready for voters to obtain at the November election. A PDF copy is also posted online and available for viewing our downloading. 

The following is a text representation of the printed pages 84-85 (actually 91-92 of 264)



"ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FRANKLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT - FISCAL YEAR 2017

Fire Headquarters
40 West Central Street
Franklin, Massachusetts 02038
(508) 528-2323

http://www.franklinma.gov/fire-department

The Department
The Franklin Fire Department is divided into two divisions: Operations and Maintenance, which is the largest and responsible for dispatch, emergency medical services, fire suppression and hazardous materials response. Administration and Support Services is responsible for personnel, budget and finance, training, code compliance and coordinating the Town’s emergency preparedness.

Our Mission
The mission of the Franklin Fire Department is to: Have a positive impact in the lives of citizens and visitors of Franklin in their time of crisis by providing compassionate, contemporary, community driven services.

Safeguard human life from the perils of fire, sudden illness, injury or other emergency medical condition, natural and man-made disasters as well as preserve the environment and property from ensuing destruction. Be responsible for a safe, productive and pleasant work environment for our employees, and provide them opportunities to gain new skills and advance their personal career goals.

Operational Objectives

• Initiating advanced life support to patients within 10 minutes of receiving the telephone call at our communications center.
• To access, extricate, treat and transport and transport trauma patients to a level one trauma medical facility within one hour of the occurrence of the injury.
• Interrupt the progression of fires in structures within 10 minutes of open flame ignition.
• To insure response readiness remains greater than 70%.
• Provide safety and survival skills for all school students in grade K through 5 consistent with the Student Awareness Fire Education (SAFE) initiative
• of the Commonwealth.
• Provide educational opportunities for department members to insure optimal performance and safety.
• To develop and maintain “best practice” to insure personnel and citizen safety.
• Insure fire safety through timely, consistent code compliance services to all external customers.
• Provide all department services in a manner that satisfies the needs of our customers.
• Process emergency notifications in our dispatch center within 120 seconds of receiving the initial call for 99% of all calls.

Message from the Fire Chief
Fiscal Year 2017 ended as the busiest year in department history, with 4,150 emergency responses. Fortunately, the community did not suffer any fire related deaths this year, although there were several tragic incidents which resulted in the loss of life. Department members suffer two loss time work related injuries during the fiscal year. The department continued to see the impacts of opioid related incidents throughout the community. We applaud the work of the SAFE Coalition, Norfolk County Sheriff Michael Bellotti and District Attorney Michael Morrissey for their continued support and resources to provide family assistance during times of crisis.

The department enjoyed the award of two grant initiatives during the Fiscal Year. The first was in the amount of $65,000 from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide department personnel with hearing protection. With the Support of Representative Jeff Roy, Senators Karen Spilka and Richard Ross the department was able to purchase hearing protection which also allows for wireless communications with the two-way radio system. These devices will greatly reduce the effects of hearing loss for firefighters. The next grant was from the FEMA in the amount of $ 219,000 will be used to replace the department’s cache of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus.

We continue to see the number of calls for service that occur back-to-back or simultaneously grow at an alarming rate. Back-to-back or simultaneous calls are where the department receives another emergency call for service while managing a call for services (two at a time). In Fiscal Year 2017, this caused 200 ambulance responses from other Towns into Franklin. The increasing use of out-of-town resources causes delay in our ability to provide timely transport to the hospital emergency room. Franklin’s average response time is 5 minutes, 44 seconds; the average response time for an out-of town ambulance is 12 minutes, 33 seconds – this time difference can have a great impact on the quality of patient outcomes for people with medical emergencies.

The trend of call distribution is compounded by the increasing calls for services. As previously noted, the department responded to 4,150 emergency responses in Fiscal Year 2017, an increase of nearly 9% from Fiscal year 2017.

We believe the trend is in response to an upturn in our economy. This year saw increased occupancy rates in the Town’s Industrial Parks as well as opening of new businesses and facilities. All of these combine to bring more people into the community and increase the demands for our services. We will continue to monitor all of these trends and work with the community to develop strategies to maintain acceptable levels of emergency services within the Town.

Di Ana Baker
The department experienced the sudden loss of Dispatcher Di Ana Baker. Di had been a department dispatcher since 2000. Her energy, vibrancy and
willingness to assist the community will be greatly missed.

This year saw the retirement of three long term employees, Firefighter Robert Tucci; Firefighter Richard Leitch and Firefighter Leo Gallagher. Firefighter Tucci began his career with the department in 1988 and assisted in many department roles. Bob’s career with the department was cut short as a result of a line of duty injury. Firefighter Leitch was with the department for 23 years at the time of his retirement. He was also forced to end his career early due to a long term illness. Firefighter Gallagher retired from the department in December 2016 after nearly 18 years of service. We thank them all for their years of their dedication and service to the Town and wish them the best in retirement.

This year we welcomed new members Becki Carloni, Kathryn Forest and AJ Morris. All come to the department with a wide variety of experiences that
strengthens our ability to provide services to the citizens of Franklin and we look forward to their long productive careers with the department.

In addition to emergency response, the department also continued to try to expand its fire prevention education activities, providing safety and survival education to the most vulnerable population to fire – our children and seniors. Through the dedicated efforts of SAFE Officer Keith Darling, the department reached over 7,600 individuals with safety related programming. This included 100% of all Elementary Students, summer YMCA Camps and various Boy and Girl Scout programs and tours as well as a various activities at the Senior Center. This year the department continued to offer home visit for our senior citizens and include 48 visits. The focus of these visits is to insure there are working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, remove trip hazards as well as provide safety education. Firefighters Kevin Marshal, Bill Blanchard and Christian Mills provide dedicated assistance in completing this important service to our citizens.

In closing, I would like to recognize our employees, who are among the best fire service professional in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts! They continue to work tirelessly to protect life and property within Franklin. In addition to their on-duty responses, our employees commit countless hours in continuing education and training targeted to maintain and improved upon their emergency skills. Additionally, they continue to press forward in attempt to provide the highest level of service to the community based upon advancement in the fire-rescue field and advancements in technology. They continue to be the chief reason for maintaining our current the level of success and level of services we provide our citizens of Franklin.

Respectfully submitted

Gary B. McCarraher, Fire Chief"

Annual Report 2017: Franklin Fire Department

You can find the online copy at the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports

and specifically for 2017
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/files/town-annual-report-2017-revised

Wine Aromas: Wine Class January 11

Wine Aromas

Thursday, January 11, 7:00 - 8:30 PM

 Apple. Leather. Grass. Bell Pepper.

When you start paying attention to wine you hear aroma and flavor descriptions such as these being thrown around. What does it all mean? How can you tell what you are smelling? Join Mark and Kim as they lead you through a guided tasting using the Nez du Vin system to start training your nose to be sensitive to all the Wonderful aromas that wine has to offer.


Franklin Liquors, The Tasting Room
$25/per person


Support Medway Community Education
Sign Up =  http://www.medwayschools.org/sites/medwayps/files/file/file/adult_3.pdf

Support Norfolk Recreation Department 
Sign Up =  https://www.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs

Wine Aromas: Wine Class January 11 (screen grab of Norfolk registration page)

Friendly Reminder: School Start Times Advisory Committee - Apply Online before Jan 17, 2018

Hello

The purpose of the School Start Times Advisory Committee will be to study the feasibility of adjusting school start times in Franklin based on current research related to children and sleep. The Advisory Committee will be considering any proposed changes within the local context. Representatives from the Advisory Committee will present their findings and possible recommendations for the School Committee to consider. Changes to school start times, if any, are to be decided by the Franklin School Committee.

The commitment for this committee is expected to be two meetings per month, most likely in the evenings. The committee is planned for the 2018 calendar year, with a presentation to School Committee planned for January, 2019. All activities of this committee will be subject to the Open Meeting Law.

If you would like to apply to be a member of the Advisory Committee, please fill out this form. The deadline to complete this form is Wednesday January 17, 2018 at 5 PM. Appointment of committee members by School Committee is scheduled to be made at the January 23, 2018 School Committee meeting.



Click on this link to apply: https://goo.gl/forms/stAh38Ok8637KwkG2

Thank you,

Franklin Public Schools



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This email is intended for municipal / educational use only and must comply with the Town of Franklin and Franklin Public School's policies and state/federal laws. Under Massachusetts Law, any email created or received by an employee of The Town of or Franklin Public Schools is considered a public record. All email correspondence is subject to the requirements of M.G.L. Chapter 66. This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please contact the sender and delete all copies.

Franklin High School - should the start time be later?

In the News: balancing the FY 2019 budget; Holliston rail trail; Meals on Wheels needs volunteers

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

"Town officials agree that balancing the budget will be the main topic of concern for the new year. 

Town Administrator Jeff Nutting said town officials haven’t picked through the budget with a fine-tooth comb, but has an early prediction that there could be a more than $3 million shortfall. He said it’s too early to tell where cuts might have to be made. 

“We’re going to have a big struggle balancing the fiscal budget,” he said. “It’s the dominant issue that Franklin will face in the next six months.” 

Nutting said state aid will be set in stone in February. The budget will be voted on in May or June by the Town Council. They will be holding their annual goals workshop later this month."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180102/franklin-2018-brings-budget-trouble

Franklin Municipal Building

"Holliston Trails Committee Chairman Robert Weidknecht started dreaming of a completed Holliston rail trail 20 years ago. 

“Throughout the years, I’ve heard all the naysayers. ‘Oh, it’ll never get done, it’ll cost too much,’” said Weidknecht. “It’s a great thing for the town.” 

Holliston finished its 6.7-mile section of the multi-town Upper Charles Trail in the fall but 2018 will bring finishing touches and expansion. 

The entire Holliston stretch was open briefly until December, when a section over the Bogastow Brook closed to allow repairs to the 8 Arch Bridge. Trail users can detour to Woodland Street until the bridge reopens in the spring."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180102/2017-good-year-for-holliston-rail-trail

"The Medway Meals on Wheels program is hoping to find volunteers to bring food to and check in on local seniors. 

Tina Wright, who helps coordinate the program locally, said the Medway program had lost four drivers over the month of December. 

“We’re really scrambling,” she said. “We’re looking for three to four people who think they can deliver once a month - it’s an hour to an hour and a half commitment every month.” 

Wright said volunteering with the program might be a good way to help fulfill any community-service New Year’s resolutions. Though volunteerism can ebb and spike in certain times of year, she said, Meals on Wheels is seeking drivers who can consistently make monthly deliveries."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180102/meals-program-in-medway-seeks-volunteers

Friendly reminder: trash delayed one day this week

Trash and recycling WILL be delayed one day for the New Year's holiday. Your trash and recycling will be picked up one day later than your usually scheduled trash day.

If you are normally scheduled for Monday, your trash will be picked up on Tuesday; Tuesday on Wednesday, etc.

Christmas tree collection days are scheduled for the week of January 8, 2018.

Christmas tree collection days are scheduled for the week of January 8, 2018

The fall and winter recycling flyer can be found here

http://www.franklinma.gov/recycling-solid-waste/files/20172018-solid-waste-mailer

Franklin Public Schools: Emergency Bus Service to Continue

January 2, 2018

Dear Franklin Public School Families,

We plan to continue Emergency Bus Service for the remainder of the week due to the continued cold temperature predictions and windchills.

Our drivers will stop and pick up any student who may be walking to school in the cold along the bus route, providing the child with a ride to school. Our concern, first and foremost, is the safety of the students and the forecasted temperatures pose the danger of frostbite.

We are closely monitoring the forecast for the potential for a snowstorm on Thursday. As the forecast becomes more precise for our area and potential impacts become more clear, we will issue further notifications.

Sincerely,

Franklin Public Schools

Franklin Public Schools: Emergency Bus Service to Continue

Noises Off Highlights January Events At THE BLACK BOX

The comedy hit Noises Off highlights a full lineup of music and theatrical entertainment at THE BLACK BOX to kick off the New Year this January. A suburban hub for great music and the home of the Franklin Performing Arts Company, THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 West Central Street in downtown Franklin.

Electric Youth 2018, the international touring ensemble of talented young singer-dancers, debuts at THE BLACK BOX on Friday, January 5, with two shows at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Offering family entertainment for all ages, the group is backed by an eight-piece band of world-class musicians who have performed, recorded and toured with such music legends as Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, The Temptations and more. Electric Youth presents fully choreographed, high-energy music, including pop, classic rock, Broadway and country hits. Tickets are $26. Reservations for tables of 6 or more are available. Call (508) 528-3370 for table reservations after the group’s tickets have been purchased.

FPAC launches the 2018 Family Concert Series on January 7, at 1 p.m. with a program of Sunday Afternoon Blues, featuring Mark Poniatowski on bass, Sonya Rae Taylor on guitar/vocals, Joe Bargar on keys/vocals, Ed Scheer on drums/vocals and Bobby Gus on guitar. Showcasing talented, professional musicians in an engaging and entertaining format, Family Concert Series events are presented free to the community and are especially geared to children. Sponsored by Berry Insurance, the concerts provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music. The 2018 Family Concert Series continues next month with the New England Percussion Ensemble on February 4.

BLACK BOX Jazz presents the Tim Ray Trio at 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 13. The ensemble features pianist Tim Ray, drummer Mark Walker and bassist John Lockwood. Perhaps best known as long-time pianist for Lyle Lovett, Tim Ray has appeared on over 70 recordings to date and is currently on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music. He has performed with pop music icons including Aretha Franklin and Bonnie Raitt, and with leading jazz figures such as Gary Burton, Esperanza Spalding, Lewis Nash and Rufus Reid. 

BLACK BOX Jazz presents the Tim Ray Trio at 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 13

Classical credits include concerts with Gunther Schuller, the Boston Pops, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and the Boston Classical Orchestra. The trio first played together backing alto great Greg Abate, including on Abate’s Kindred Spirits: Live at Chan’s album with the legendary Phil Woods. In 2016 Tim Ray released the jazz trio recording, Windows, featuring Lockwood and Walker. The CD showcases well-known songs penned by Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver, as well as Lockwood’s composition “12 by 7,” Ray’s originals “DE-Train” and “Joy,” and his innovative arrangements of Ellington’s “I’m Beginning to See the Light,” Monk’s “Monk’s Dream” and Chick Corea’s “Windows.” Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) presents the hysterical farce, Noises Off, on January 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and on January 21 at 2 p.m. Michael Frayn’s Noises Off takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure. This play-within-a-play captures a touring theatre troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening show, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run. Frayne gives us a window into the inner workings of theatre behind the scenes, progressing from flubbed lines and missed cues in the dress rehearsal to mounting friction between cast members in the final performance. Brimming with slapstick comedy, Noises Off is a delightful backstage farce, complete with slamming doors, falling trousers, and – of course – flying sardines. Tickets are $26, with general seating.

THE BLACK BOX Classical Series presents violinist Irina Fainkichen and pianist Irina Kotlyar on Sunday, January 28, at 4 p.m. The program will include Beethoven’s Sonata No. 5 and selections by Tchaikovsky, Chausson and Piazolla. Tea service will be available in the lobby. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Irina Fainkichen is a member of Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, assistant concertmaster of Brockton Symphony Orchestra, and co-founder of “Flying Hearts” duo, which performs in a number of musical genres including jazz, Klezmer and classic American tunes. Born in Ukraine, Irina Kotlyar received degrees from the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem, Israel. With Gregory Shifrin, the Kotlyar-Shifrin Piano Duo has won several international prizes and awards and has performed throughout Israel, Europe and America. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors, with an additional $5 for the optional tea service.

For tickets and more information, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or call (508) 528-3370.

Annual Report 2017: Finance Committee

The Annual Report is compiled and published each year to be ready for voters to obtain at the November election. A PDF copy is also posted online and available for viewing our downloading. I'll highlight some key sections from the current report over the next week or so.

The following is a text representation of the printed page 83 (actually 90 of 264 in the PDF version)


"ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Year in Review - 2017

Our fiscal year, which started July 1, 2016, began with a proposal to raise and appropriate $162,350 to continue full day kindergarten given state grant money was not received as expected. The committee approved unanimously a motion to recommend passage to the Town Council. We also were informed by the Town Treasurer the “Municipal Modernization Bill” was passed and will have a positive impact on various operations within the town.

During the year the committee met 8 times. Three of those meetings were focused on the Fiscal 2018 budget process, with the end result being the approval of a projected $120.5 million operating budget for the town. The budget allows for the town to provide services at the same level as FY 2017.

The long term financial plan projected continues to project financial challenges over the next 5 years. While our town continues to provide excellent services with little increase in resources, our reserve levels continue to be challenging. A concerning indicator is shown in the Franklin Public Schools need to draw on their reserves at an unsustainable pace. Housing units are projected to grow and the impact on the school budget is currently unknown and will need to be monitored on a regular basis.

The town continued our prudent practice of reserving funds to our OPEB Trust Fund, Fire Truck and Recreational Fields Stabilization funds.

Our town continues to invest in our public spaces, appropriating $0.5 million for general road and sidewalk maintenance. Additionally, snow removal exceeded the budget by $85K and the committee voted unanimously to fund the deficit from Free Cash.

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank my fellow committee members for their ongoing dedication to continued improvements and the financial well being of our town.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael Dufour
Chairman, Franklin Finance Committee"

Annual Report 2017: Finance Committee

For more about the Finance Committee, visit their webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/finance-committee

You can find the online copy at the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports

and specifically for 2017
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/files/town-annual-report-2017-revised

Franklin Public Schools: Emergency Bus Service Due to Cold Forecasted Temps

January 1, 2018

Dear Franklin Public School Families,

Due to the cold overnight temperature predictions and forecast for windchills well below zero, we will be running our buses tomorrow morning (Tuesday, January 2, 2018) on "Emergency Bus Service". Our drivers have been instructed to stop and pick up any student who may be walking to school in the cold along the bus route, providing the child with a ride to school. Our concern, first and foremost, is the safety of the students and the forecasted temperatures pose the danger of frostbite.

We will continue to keep you informed about the forecasted temperatures to determine if we should continue this process on subsequent days.

Sincerely,

Franklin Public Schools

Franklin Public Schools: Emergency Bus Service Due to Cold Forecasted Temps

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: Danielle Miraglia - Jan 6

Danielle Miraglia sings the blues - don't miss her.

View this email in your browser DANIELLE MIRAGLIA Jan 6 - 8 PM $20 with Open Book Danielle Miraglia sings the blues! She comes armed with a strong steady thumb on an old Gibson, an infectious stomp-box rhythm and harmonica with tunes ranging from heart-felt to socially conscious that will move both your heart and hips. Her latest "All My Heroes Are Ghosts," released with her band Danielle M and The Glory Junkies, touches on a lot of what might be on your mind these days – the loss of so many musical heroes on the title track, the chaos of "fake news" on "Monster," the general sense that the world is on fire on "All On Fire," the more personal with the death of a complicated loved one on "Guilt Trip" and more.   The music itself blends influences of some of Miraglia's own musical heroes - The Rolling Stones, Prince, Janis Joplin along with Danielle's lyrical ability to explore human nature at its best and worst.   Danielle was nominated for a 2015 Boston Music Award for Singer-Songwriter of the Year. "Straddling the line where folk/roots meets rock/blues, Miraglia has a voice that can go from a raspy come-hither purr to an Etta James-esque powerhouse belt, although she may be best known for her lead thumb — a heavy, thumping strike on her Gibson that's backdrop percussion in itself." - Lauren Daley - The Boston Globe "Danielle Miraglia is a treasure! She captivated her audience from the first few notes she played until the end of her second encore. She is charming, talented, a total professional, and completely down to earth. I can't wait to bring her back next year! She is always welcome on our stage." -   Barron Chandler, Director, Narberth Summer Concert Series "With hints of Bonnie Raitt and Rory Block, Danielle Miraglia is carving out a new place all her own in the music world. Simply put, she is stunning…with a voice that just comes out of nowhere. She animates a stage and commands the rapt attention of all within earshot. This is one artist to watch, she is going to be huge." -   Jamey Reilly, The PSALM Salon New York's Open Book duo starts the show. Rick and Michele Gedney, known as the duo Open Book have been writing, recording, and performing together since 2000. Their original music features melody invention and vocal harmonies backed by a tapestry of interweaving guitars.  Open Book has released  three albums which have received national airplay and critical acclaim. They are the winners of the 2017 Connecticut Folk Festival 'Grassy Hill Songwriting Competition'. The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with Franklin's First Universalist Society. Concerts are presented in a smoke free and alcohol free environment at the Society's handicapped accessible Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin, and begin at 8:00 PM; doors open at 7:30 PM. Beverages and gourmet desserts will be available.  Tickets for this shows are $20.  Please call (508)528-2541 or visit http://www.circlefolk.org/ to purchase tickets or for more information. SCHEDULE CHANGES Please note that Gretchen Peters will now be appearing on April 7th and The Lonely Heartstring Band is unable to be here on March 17th. Upcoming Shows Jan 27       Seth Glier with guest Rachael Kilgour Feb 10       Chelsea Berry with Billy Keane Mar 3         Patty Larkin Mar 17       TBA Apr 7          Gretchen Peters Apr 28        Pat Donohue May 12       TBA

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse · First Universalist Society · 262 Chestnut St · Franklin, MA 02038 · USA

“It’s a meditative walk"

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

"For many, welcoming the new year involves noise, parties and lots of revelry. The First Universalist Society in Franklin, though, offered a more tranquil way to contemplate 2018 on Sunday evening: a labyrinth walk.

The event, said organizer Judy Swaim, is a tradition at the church - it has been held there every New Year’s Eve for the past 11 years or so. 

“It was part of our services this morning, so that was new and kind of fun,” she said. “We get calls about it from all over Massachusetts. People read about it in the paper and want to participate.” 

Labyrinths, she said, date back thousands of years and can be found all around the world, having seemingly developed independently in multiple civilizations."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180101/first-universalist-in-franklin-welcomes-new-year-with-labyrinth-walk

the outdoor labyrinth walk at FUSF on a warmer day

Annual Report 2017: Franklin Community Cable Access (Franklin.TV and WFPR.FM)

The Annual Report is compiled and published each year to be ready for voters to obtain at the November election. A PDF copy is also posted online and available for viewing our downloading. I'll highlight some key sections from the current report over the next week or so.

The following is a text representation of the printed pages 77-79 (actually 84-86 of 264)



"ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FRANKLIN COMMUNITY CABLE ACCESS, INC.

for Our Operating Year 2016 dba Franklin.TV (www.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:

• 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. Franklin.TV’s funding comes from a 4.8%
access fee that cable subscribers pay per the LFA agreements. Thus, F.TV is not funded by taxes. We operate at no cost to the town of Franklin. F.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 2016
During our 2016 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

Community Bulletin Board Service
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.

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. After completing approvals and clearances for our new radio tower located at the top of Forge Hill, Franklin Public Radio began broadcast operations and went on the air for the first time at 10:29 AM on February 2nd 2017. Our WFPR tower is also home to Franklin’s Police and Fire Radio Communications systems. The town relocated their services this spring, saving the cost of renting antenna space on a nearby cellular tower.

WFPR is a public broadcasting extension of F.TV’s media services to Franklin and surrounding towns. WFPR provides opportunities for local citizens to have a voice by producing their own radio programs or participating as volunteers to make our radio station successful as a local community resource.

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.

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 freelance 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,

FranklinTV’s Board of Directors
Ken Norman, President
Jay Horrigan, Vice President
Wesley Rea, Treasurer
John Milot, Clerk
Anne Bergen, Pandora Carlucci, Rose Turco

Peter Fasciano,
Executive Director
Franklin.TV and wfpr.fm"

Annual Report 2017: Franklin Community Cable Access (Franklin.TV and WFPR.FM)

You can find the online copy at the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports

and specifically for 2017
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/files/town-annual-report-2017-revised

Ben Franklin’s Autobiography Readathon - Jan 17

"In honor of the 312th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the namesake of our town and founder of our library, the Franklin Public Library will be holding a “readathon” – a marathon reading of the full text of the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, first published in 1791. The book is considered a classic of American literature. According to the Library of Congress, “It was not only the first autobiography to achieve widespread popularity, but after two hundred years remains one of the most enduringly popular examples of the genre ever written.” 

Like other readathons, this one invites the public to participate! Readers are encouraged to sign up in advance for 15-minute segments. Commencing when the library opens at 9 AM on January 17, readers will share the words of Ben Franklin with anyone interested in dropping by for all or part of the event. It is expected that the reading will be completed by the time the library closes at 8 PM. Water and other refreshments will be available for readers and audience alike."

Event Timing: January 17, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Event Address: Franklin Public Library, 118 Main St, Franklin, MA
Contact us at (508)520-4941 or kshipala@minlib.net

sign up online to read
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScm0UJMnxgiGC5BZpoUH_CWO_vZvd0hOyO5RaaSloeBAYdJZw/viewform

Ben Franklin’s Autobiography Readathon - Jan 17

Franklin gains "Green Community" status

The Baker-Polito Administration today (12/28/17) announced that an additional 25 Massachusetts cities and towns have been designated by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) as Green Communities, committing to an ambitious renewable energy agenda to reduce energy consumption and emissions. With today’s designation, over half of the Commonwealth’s municipalities have earned their Green Communities designation and 68 percent of residents live in a Green Community. 

The 25 new Green Communities are now eligible for grants totaling $4,316,955 to complete renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in their communities. Since the program began in 2010, DOER’s Green Communities division has awarded over $65 million in grant funding to the Commonwealth’s cities and towns through designation and competitive grant rounds. 

“The Green Communities Program helps the state achieve a renewable energy portfolio, while preserving taxpayer resources,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “With over 68 percent of residents living in a green community, the program continues to be a successful model for state and local governments working together to achieve impactful progress and responsible savings.”

Continue reading the press release
https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-designates-25-cities-and-towns-as-green-communities


Franklin gains a grant as part of the status

Franklin

$183,020

For more about Green Communities

https://www.mass.gov/green-communities-designation-grant-program

The Green Communities brochure

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/09/29/gc-brochure.pdf

For more about Green Communities

"If I could tell my seven-year-old self one thing it would be to refuse to shrink"

In a random scroll among the Twitterverse, I stumbled upon this contest. There is time to apply!

"In our continuing efforts to inspire and promote voices in girls’ and women’s sports, the Awesome Sports Project is excited to launch the Awesome Sports Writing Contest. Male and female writers of all ages and level of writing experience are welcome, but the submission must be nonfiction and about girls’ and women’s sports. The work must be previously unpublished in any form. 

The reading fee is $7 per entry, and will help us with the cost of running of the contest – please contact us if the fee is an obstacle to participation. Multiple submissions from a single writer are welcome. We also look forward to reading international submissions, but all writing must be in English. There is a 3,000-word limit, with no minimum."

More about the writing contest can be found online
https://awesomesportsproject.com/2017/11/21/2nd-annual-awesome-sports-writing-contest/

Contest details can be found here
https://awesomesportsproject.com/contest/

A recent sample of the writing posted to this site and the source of the quote
https://awesomesportsproject.com/2017/12/19/refuse-to-shrink/

"If I could tell my seven-year-old self one thing it would be to refuse to shrink"

“We arrived to find heavy fire in the attic”

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

"Firefighters battled both a raging blaze and sub-freezing temperatures Sunday as a fire gutted a Jordan Road house. 

A resident of the home - at 76 Jordan Road - was taken to Milford Regional Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation, said Fire Chief Gary McCarraher. The call first came in at 9:49 a.m. 

Passers-by Barbara Steele and Gina Harrold said they were walking through the neighborhood Sunday morning - as they do most weekends - when, after passing the crest of a hill, they saw smoke coming from the house. 

Harrold said she banged on the door and honked the horn of a vehicle in the driveway. The homeowner, she said, told the two not to call the fire department, as he had extinguished the fire. The women urged him to leave the house. They called 911."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171231/fire-guts-home-on-jordan-road-in-franklin

fire department in action on Jordan Road