Town Council - Recap of March 20 - great reading in the Auditor's Report

Two take aways for me from the Town Council meeting held, Wednesday, March 20 were 

(1) the breadth of offerings by the Recreation Dept and how such a great value that is to the residents of Franklin 
and  
(2) the depth of information in one place for the finances of Franklin for FY 2018.

Recreation
The presentation document shared by Ryan Jette at the Council meeting is shown here. Page by page, the number of program offerings, the total involvement of the community, the minimum cost to the community (all funded by the fees for each program). 

If you are not taking advantage of one or more of the Recreation Dept programs, what are you looking for? Seriously, raise the question, they have shown to be expanding to meet the needs over the years, it may very well be something to happen.

Franklin Recreation Dept - Update 3/20/19 from Franklin Matters

https://www.slideshare.net/shersteve/franklin-recreation-dept-update-32019

Financial Audit Report

• An audit report can be dry reading. 

First and foremost, Franklin has a good report; there are no issues, the auditors found that Franklin's processing and accounting is all in good order. We are one of the 20% of MA communities to get such a clean report. We do have a lot of good folks working for the Town that make this happen and be thankful for.

• An audit report does contain lots of great information.

In rounded numbers, $74M of the $144M revenue the Town sees comes from property taxes. $6M from excise taxes. $8M for charges for services provided. $48M from grants and contributions. The bulk of the 48M is state funding. Half of our overall revenue comes from property taxes. We could not raise sufficient funding from either the excise taxes or services we provide (even if we could try).  See pages 6, 7 and 8 for these numbers.

The unassigned fund balance on Page 9 amounts to 9.8% and is a good number to have. This is money that Franklin has in its 'savings' account, that is set aside for special purposes. $1.5M of that was used to balance the FY 2019 budget.

Page 10 highlights the general fund spending.

Page 11 shows our overall Capital Asset position. How much is all the land and buildings Franklin owns really worth?

Page 11 and 12 also provide a history of the Stabilization fund balances since the 1990's. What have we done with the money? The key answers are provided there, year by year.

In among the "Notes to the Financial Statements" which begins on Page 26, the definition of a capital asset and the depreciation schedule is found on pages 29-30. 

In addition:

• The Norfolk County Retirement System is covered beginning on page 44
• The Mass Teachers Retirement System is covered beginning on page 49
• Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) is covered beginning page 52

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14FpwU6WMmIZjNEqda6lBRnOXOhArjGZe/view?usp=sharing





My notes reported live during the meeting can be found

• Live reporting: to Closing
• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/live-reporting-to-closing.html
• Live Reporting: Legislation for action
• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/live-reporting-legislation-for-action_20.html
• Live reporting: Recreation Dept Update
• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/live-reporting-recreation-dept-update.html
• Live Reporting: Town Council - March 20, 2019
• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/live-reporting-town-council-march-20.html

Recreation Director Ryan Jette presenting to the Town Council

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - March 26, 2019

Vision Statement

The Franklin Public Schools will foster within its students the knowledge and skills to find and achieve satisfaction in life as productive global citizens.

A G E N D A

“The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.”

1. Routine Business
a. Review of Agenda
b. Citizen’s Comments
i. In the spirit of open communication, “the School Committee will hear public comment not related to an agenda item at the beginning of each regular School Committee Meeting. The Committee will listen to, but not respond to any comment made. A Committee member may add an agenda item to a future meeting as a result of a citizen comment” – from Policy BEDH
c. FHS Student Representative Comments
d. Superintendent’s Report

2. Guests / Presentations
a. Special Guest – Ben Franklin
b. Robert Seide – Art Scholarship
c. School Start Times Advisory Committee Presentation
d. Technology Presentation

3. Discussion / Action Items
a. Policy – 2nd Reading/Adoption
I recommend adoption of Policy IJOAB – Extended Field Trips as discussed.

4. Discussion Only Items

5. Information Matters
a. School Committee Sub-Committee Reports (e.g. Budget; Community Relations; Policy;
Transportation; Public Schools Advocacy; Ad Hoc Superintendent’s Evaluation)

b. School Committee Liaison Reports (e.g. Joint PCC; Substance Abuse Task Force;
School Wellness Advisory Council [SWAC]; School Start Times Advisory Committee
[SSTAC], MASC)

6. New Business
a. To discuss any future agenda items

7. Consent Agenda
a. Minutes
I recommend approval of the minutes from your March 12, 2019 School Committee Meeting as detailed.
b. Transfers
I recommend approval of the budget transfers as detailed.
c. FHS Scholarship
I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,000.00 from Robert Seide for a FHS Scholarship as detailed.
d. FHS Donation
I recommend acceptance of the donation of a Nikon D60 Camera and 55-250mm zoom lens valued at approximately $300.00 from Ivy Patten for FHS as detailed.
e. JFK Gifts
I recommend acceptance of two checks totaling $1,075.00 for JF Kennedy Elementary School as follows:

• $350.00 American Heart Association for Supplemental Supplies
• $750.00 JFK PCC for Field Trips

f. Davis Thayer Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,700.00 from the Davis Thayer PCC for field trips as detailed.
g. Music Dept. Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $323.00 from various music parents for in-house enrichment for the Music Department.
h. Keller Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $4,098.50 from the Keller PCC for field trips as detailed.
i. HMMS Recurring Trip to Save the Bay
I recommend approval of the recurring request of Rebecca Motte to take 6th Graders to Providence, RI for Save the Bay program on June 5, 6, & 7, 2019 as detailed.

8. Payment of Bills Dr. Bergen

9. Payroll Mrs. Douglas

10. Correspondence

11. Executive Session
a. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §21(a)(3) to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the FEA/RN unit as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.

12. Adjournment

The meeting packet and documents released for this meeting can be found online
https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/march-26-2019-school-committee-packet

Not some of the documents will only be posted AFTER the meeting (usually during the day Wednesday)

new scoreboard at FHS donated by Middlesex Savings Bank

“We only have so much money regardless of where we land”

In the School Committee Legislative Forum, much discussion was on the reforms to the state's education funding process. Given the major hearing on Friday, the legislature is showing that the issue will be addressed. What the resolution will be remains to be seen. 

The Boston Globe report on the school funding hearing held Friday, March 22

"In this year’s first major hearing in the debate over education funding on Beacon Hill, dozens of mayors, teachers, school officials, and even a quartet of New England Patriots players urged lawmakers to boost aid to urban districts struggling with growing populations of high-need students and steep budget cuts. 

Brockton School Superintendent Kathleen A. Smith captured the argument of those demanding an overhaul of the state’s school funding formula, telling lawmakers that her city in 2017 spent just $1 on supplies per student, while wealthy Weston spent $275 per pupil. 

“I am saddened and dismayed that after five years of coming before you more than a dozen times to advocate for our neediest students, I am once again asking you to act and update a 25-year-old funding formula that is broken and no longer serves the needs of the increasingly diverse student population in our Commonwealth,” Smith, whose district has been contemplating a lawsuit over school funding, told members of the Legislature’s joint committee on education during a packed hearing Friday."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/03/22/how-much-enough-lawmakers-governor-clash-over-proposed-changes-school-funding-formula/QUqeEcRoFCa73dd4hg7H7N/story.html


Milford Daily News also has an article on the hearing
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190324/hundreds-attend-state-ed-funding-forum

My notes from the Legislative Forum held on Feb 5, 2019 can be found 
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/02/notes-from-legislative-forum-feb-5-2019.html

Angelica DaSilva of Dorchester (right) attended a packed education hearing at the State House’s Gardner Auditorium. (DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF)

Unfunded Mandates are also a cause of concern for school and local budgets. A bill currently filed would increase steps to test for lead in school drinking water.

"Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are pushing legislation aimed at improving the safety of drinking water in schools in part by requiring schools and child care centers to test every drinking water outlet each year for elevated lead levels. 

Legislation on tap in the Massachusetts House and Senate would force schools to immediately shut off drinking water outlets that show elevated lead levels. The water outlet could be turned on only after it has produced at least two sets of certified test results showing no elevated lead levels."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/03/23/bills-tap-state-house-target-lead-school-water/WHQhsXF9KjDoFTbar2cRMM/story.html

FTC Consumer Alert: Those (not really) IRS calls (video)

Franklin Police Chief Thomas Lynch had a voice message to all residents recently alerting us to avoid phone scams. This FTC video delivers the same message

Those (not really) IRS calls by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education You've probably gotten one of these calls: They say it's the IRS and they're filing a lawsuit against you for back taxes. They may threaten to arrest or deport you. What do you do? Watch this video to learn more: Read more online https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/those-not-really-irs-calls?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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"we still have a long way to go to reach full equality"

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

"Portraits of past Senate presidents hanging in Karen Spilka’s office featured almost all male faces — until Spilka temporarily replaced each with an important woman in state history. 

The Legislature has a record number of women in office this year, but Senate President Karen Spilka is well aware that progress is - historically speaking - a new trend. 

Women were granted the right to vote in the United States in 1919, just about a century ago, Spilka pointed out on Thursday. And to add a little perspective, in Massachusetts, more than 20,000 men have served as representatives and senators, compared to only 210 women. 

And the portraits of past Senate presidents hanging in Spilka’s office featured almost all male faces — that is, until Spilka last week temporarily replaced each one with an important woman from the state’s history."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190323/political-notebook-sen-spilka-pictures-different-legislature

Senator Karen E. Spilka

Contact info for Senator Spilka can be found on her MA.gov page 
https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/KES0

Franklin Public School News - March 2019

The Franklin Public School Newsletter for March 2019 is available here is a couple of formats. Follow the link to download your copy of the one-page PDF file. Or view the PDF file embedded here.

The links embedded in the PDF to other documents are also copied here to save you some time

Full PDF File
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczN2hHWU1RbVpxVlVkZ0NBV2FPU05ydXBiRnpN/view?usp=sharing


FY 20 School Budget Letter
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/uploads/fy20_fps_budget.pdf

Homework Update Memo
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/uploads/homework.pdf

School Committee Homework policy
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee-policy-manual/pages/ikb-homework-policy

Homework Presentation to School Committee
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/123hrGuU6I3IVtU8USiiysAbeEvx2ndB3TjvTmOyg_4Q/edit?usp=sharing

School Start Times Update
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/uploads/school_start_times_advisory_committee_update_1.pdf

School Start Times Forum (YouTube video)
https://youtu.be/IWwUnQTURME

Franklin Public School News - March 2019

Play the Census Bureau's Population Bracketology Game

Test your knowledge of population data! How close can you get to a perfect score of 63? Mouse-over results for the latest population estimates.

Play the Population Bracketology Game Test your knowledge of population data! Start by choosing your geographic level: metro areas or states. Click on the name in each match-up that you think has the larger population. Green shows a correct answer, red indicates an incorrect answer. When you have opposing names picked for the next round, pick again.  How close can you get to a perfect score of 63? When you are finished, play again or mouse-over results to view the most current population estimates for each pair. https://www.census.gov/dataviz/visualizations/057/ Here are the data sources we used to build this data visualization: Metropolitan Area Definitions Population Estimates Vintage 2018 International Data Base Winners in each metro area match-up are based on a comparison of the July 1, 2017 population estimates. Metro areas included are the 64 most populous (based on 2017 population) in the 50 states and District of Columbia. Help us spread the word about the Census Bureau's Population Bracketology game! https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCENSUS/bulletins/238b37f Get Answers to Your Data Questions We're here to help you get the most out of Census Bureau data. If you have a question, visit Ask Census.gov or give us a call at 1-800-923-8282 (TTY 1-800-877-8339). You can also connect with us on social media.

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This is an official email from the U.S. Census Bureau. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us (https://www.census.gov/about/contact-us.html).