Saturday, May 19, 2018

Reporting by Walking Around - May 12 - (photo essay)

After spending some time away from Franklin for a family wedding weekend and then a work conference in Toronto, I took a walk around town on Saturday morning to catch up to what has been happening. Join me on the walk
Jane's Frames is closed and getting ready for a new business to open soon.
Jane's Frames is closed and getting ready for a new business to open soon.

The new Santa Fe Grill has their signs up on their brightly colored building.
The new Santa Fe Grill has their signs up on their brightly colored building.

The trees are all full of leaves. Amazing how that can happen in a short period of time
The trees are all full of leaves. Amazing how that can happen in a short period of time

Library book sale this weekend, May 19-20
Library book sale this weekend, May 19-20

a hearty bunch of Garden Club members, boys scouts and high schoolers were working on the flower beds at the Town Common and willingly posed for the photo
a hearty bunch of Garden Club members, boys scouts and high schoolers were working on the flower beds at the Town Common and willingly posed for the photo

Bricks are still available for the new Veterans Walkway on the Town Common
Bricks are still available for the new Veterans Walkway on the Town Common

tree trimming is very evident as the MBTA makes room for the new PTC system being installed on the Franklin Line. Only 2 more weekends for shuttle service!
tree trimming is very evident as the MBTA makes room for the new PTC system being installed on the Franklin Line. Only 2 more weekends for shuttle service!

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FHS boys lacrosse tops Cohasset 12-7

Via HockomockSports and Twitter we share the results of the FHS spring sports action on Friday, May 18, 2018.


Softball = Franklin, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final
– Annabelle Hebard plated the game’s only run with a sixth inning single to lift North Attleboro to the win in a rapidly played game. Ashley Cangiano reached on an error with one out in the sixth and Bella Erti followed with a double to move runners into scoring position before Hebard provided the clutch hit. Hebard had three hits for North and Abby Gallagher and Emily Nardelli each had one. Erti tossed a two-hitter, walking just one and striking out four, and got some help in the seventh with a nice catch by Emily Pastore.

 Boys Lacrosse = Franklin, 12 vs. Cohasset, 7 – Final

For the other results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-05-18-18/

FHS Panthers
FHS Panthers











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Comm Ave Bridge Project Update: I-90 Lane Reductions and Ramp Closures on Weekend of June 1-3 for Dry Run

Dear EZDriveMA Customer,

 Lane Reductions and Ramp Closures on I-90 in Boston on the Weekend of June 1-3 for Dry Run

 Beginning at 9:00 PM on Friday, June 1, MassDOT will reduce I-90 (Mass Pike) between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass in Boston to two lanes in each direction. I-90 will reopen to four lanes in each direction by 5:00 AM on Sunday, June 3. This will allow MassDOT and its contractor to conduct necessary preparation activities and a "dry run" to test the I-90 traffic logistics for the 2018 Construction Shutdown (July 26 – August 11), with the goal of making sure it will run as smoothly as possible.

 The I-90 Eastbound on-ramp from Cambridge Street/Soldier's Field Road will be closed during the dry run. The I-90 Westbound Exit 20 off-ramp to Brighton/Cambridge will be closed intermittently.

 See the I-90 (Mass Pike) Ramp Closures Detour Map and directions on the Traffic Management page (http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/HighlightedProjects/CommonwealthAvenueBridgeReplacement/TrafficManagement.aspx)

 During the dry run, a "crossover" on I-90 will direct all vehicles to either the eastbound
or westbound roadways at different periods of time. There will be no impacts to the MBTA
Green Line, Commuter Rail, or local vehicular traffic during the dry run.

 I-90 Impacts during the 2018 Construction Shutdown
From 9:00 PM on July 27 to 5:00 AM on August 6, MassDOT will implement lane reductions and ramp closures on I-90 in Boston (between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass), as follows:
  • Two lanes in each direction during peak hours (additional lane closures during weekends and off-peak hours).
  • The I-90 Eastbound on-ramp from Cambridge Street/Soldiers Field Road will be closed this entire period.
  • The I-90 Westbound Exit 20 off-ramp to Brighton/Cambridge will be closed intermittently.
  • The lane reductions will be necessary during the shutdown for the contractor to access the Commonwealth  Avenue Bridge for demolition and replacement (see the video simulation of the project on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiGoPf8-3-Q).

For a full list of traffic impacts during the 2018 Construction Shutdown, see the Traffic Management page of the project website (http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/HighlightedProjects/CommonwealthAvenueBridgeReplacement/TrafficManagement.aspx).

 Please share this advisory with anyone you think may be interested in the project, and encourage them to sign up for email alerts for traffic updates and meeting announcements:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MADOT/subscriber/new?topic_id=MADOT_77%27.

For more information on the Commonwealth Ave Bridge Replacement Project, please visit the project website: www.mass.gov/massdot/commavebridge.

 For any questions or comments, please contact Jim Kersten, MassDOT Legislative Liaison, at 857-368-9041 or by email at CommAveBridge@dot.state.ma.us.

 Sincerely,
Commonwealth Ave Bridge Replacement Project Team
Comm Ave Bridge Project Update: I-90 Lane Reductions and Ramp Closures on Weekend of June 1-3 for Dry Run
Comm Ave Bridge Project Update: I-90 Lane Reductions
and Ramp Closures on Weekend of June 1-3 for Dry Run


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Two MBTA Reminders: shuttle buses end next weekend; Spring/Summer Schedule starts Monday, May 21

Reminder #1

Weekend train service on the Franklin Line will be replaced by ADA accessible shuttle buses, making all regularly scheduled stops, between Forge Park/495 and Readville stations from April 7 through May 27 during the installation of PTC.

 The MBTA will install federally mandated Positive Train Control (PTC) systems along the Franklin Line to improve safety by reducing train collisions and derailments. This work will require weekend shutdowns on the line between Forge Park/495 and Readville, where passengers will connect to train service.

 Shuttle buses will be free and passengers will pay for train service from Readville to Boston.

Reminder #2

Spring/Summer schedules go into effect on Monday, May 21, and are now available online.

 Click here for more information: http://www.mbta.com/schedules
or go directly to
https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/route_pdfs/2018-spring/2018-05-21-franklin.pdf





MBTA: Starting May 21 - Commuter Rail schedule change
MBTA: Starting May 21 - Commuter Rail schedule change

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MassBudget: Tending to the Nest Egg



MassBudget  Information.
  Participation.
 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center  Democracy.

May 17, 2018




Tending to the Nest Egg: 
Plan could help nonprofit workers build retirement security

A new, state-run plan could help more workers in the nonprofit sector build greater economic security when they retire.
The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center's new report, Tending to the Nest Egg: Plan could help nonprofit workers build retirement security, explores the barriers that workers - particularly those at small employers - face when saving for retirement and a Massachusetts plan that begins to address some of those barriers.
Setting up and managing retirement plans can be too expensive for small employers. And when they do offer plans, the participants tend to pay higher fees than those at larger employers.
In late 2017, Massachusetts launched a state-administered 401(k) plan - the Connecting Organizations to Retirement (CORE) Plan. Small nonprofits with 20 employees or fewer are able to join this plan for which the Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General will take on the bulk of administrative responsibilities as plan sponsor.
Through economies of scale the treasurer, as plan sponsor, is better equipped to obtain lower fees and expenses than in typical private plans. Even seemingly small fee differences can have a significant effect on retirees' savings. The chart below illustrates how differences in fees can affect long term returns under the CORE plan's upper- and lower-range fee structures compared with typical fee structures of comparable 401(k) plans.
MassBudget: Tending to the Nest Egg
Massachusetts is one of the only states that is implementing this type of plan for nonprofit workers.
Read the full report here.
The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER
15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700
BOSTON, MA 02108
Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108

Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact
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Town Council - May 17, 2018 - Budget Hearing #2

The collection of posts from the second budget hearing on the FY 2019 budget at the Town Council meeting, May 17, 2018. The Council approved the budget at this brief meeting.




The agenda for this meeting can be found

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Town Council - May 16, 2018 - Budget hearing #1

The collection of posts from the first budget hearing on the FY 2019 budget at the Town Council meeting, May 16, 2018


The agenda and associated documents can be found

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