On this day: May 22, 2007 Franklin voted for the first operational override

On this day, twelve years ago, 8759 Franklin residents went to the old high school field house to cast their votes for an operational override. The vote was successful and historic. 

While Franklin has successful passed debt exclusions for several school buildings (including most recently for the new high school in 2012), this was the only operational override passed.

"The votes came in to pass the first operational budget override in Franklin's Prop 2 1/2 history.
The final tally was 5,028 for and 3,722 against with 9 blanks and 8,759 total votes cast."

https://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/05/vote-tally-override-52207.html

The override collection for the 2007 vote can be found here
https://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/04/franklin-override-collection.html

Yes, this was the beginning of Franklin Matters. The domain and new website came online in November 2007. Links to the prior posts on my personal blog are still valid in the archive where needed.

Franklin failed to pass operational overrides in 2008 and 2010 and has not had a vote scheduled since that time. However, next year maybe an opportunity.

Franklin override collection for 2010 (FY 2011)
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Franklin override info for 2008 (FY 2009) (not a single collection; I learned as I went along to do so)  https://www.franklinmatters.org/search?q=override%2C+2008

On this day: May 22, 2007 Franklin votes for first operational override

Local Artist Series presents The Baxter Hall Trio at THE BLACK BOX - May 24

THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series will present The Baxter Hall Trio with opener Dwayne Haggins on Friday, May 24 at 8 pm.

The Baxter Hall Trio is an experimental rock band which began in early 2019. The group consists of Baxter Hall on guitar, Mike Jones on bass, and Lukas Bratsos on drums. Baxter is a nineteen year old guitarist/singer-songwriter from Millis, MA, who has shared the stage with many blues musicians throughout New England and beyond including Duke Robillard, James Montgomery, George McCann, Sam Gentile, and many others. Baxter Hall's official debut album is set to be released sometime in late 2019. This album is being produced by Grammy nominated guitarist and producer Duke Robillard.

Since early 2017, Dwayne Haggins has been on a quest to make a living playing music, leaving his mark on dozens of bars, restaurants and clubs scattered across eastern and central Massachusetts. His distinctive sound, which delivers a brand new take on the traditional country-blues and soul that he loves, has generated a rare sense of excitement and possibility throughout the area's musical community.

THE BLACK BOX venue features a full bar to accompany an evening of great music. Tickets are available at www.theblackboxonline.com, by calling the box office at 508-528-3370, or at the door. THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 W. Central St. in downtown Franklin.

Local Artist Series presents The Baxter Hall Trio at THE BLACK BOX - May 24

Franklin in Focus: A short course on running for a Town Election seat

RUN! A short course in what it takes to run for elected town office in Franklin...

Many people think about getting involved in town government but are unsure of the process. With town elections coming this fall, from 10:30 AM to noon on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at the studios of Franklin TV, Franklin in Focus will present a 90-minute short course that will discuss the paperwork, the rules, the risks, and the rewards of running for elective office. 

We will be joined by a former school committee member who will describe his experiences and "lessons." We will also discuss the alternative of getting involved with the town's appointed boards. Audience space is limited. 

If interested in attending or if you have any questions, please use the Contact form on the bottom of the home page at www.franklininfocus.org

Franklin in Focus: A short course on running for a Town Election seat

FHS boys lacrosse and girls tennis post wins; Unified Track competed at King Philp

Via HockomockSports and Twitter, we share the results of the FHS sports action on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.


Boys Lacrosse = Franklin, 15 @ Canton, 7 – Final
– Franklin raced out to a 5-0 lead after a quarter but Canton chipped away to get within two (9-7) early in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers scored the final six goals to pull away and secure a perfect record in Hockomock League action. Jake Davis had three goals and three assists for Franklin while Owen Palmieri scored five goals, Ben Greco had a goal and four assists, and Jacob Alexander (who had a strong day at the faceoff X) added two goals. Griffin Roach (assist) and Andrew Canto each had three goals for Canton while Tommy Vaughan had one goal and two assists. LSM Nick Mackay had his best all-around game of the season and won some key faceoffs for the Bulldogs.

Girls Tennis = Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final
– Franklin swept doubles action and earned one more point with a victory in singles action to beat Attleboro. Krissy Stoyonova earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles, the team of Brynn Jacobs and Ashvika Boopathy won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at first doubles, and Vagmi Kantheti and Tessa Cacioppo teamed up for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles. Attleboro’s Ella Lynch-Bartek won 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at first singles and Bri Aronne picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at second singles.


For other results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/tuesdays-schedule-scoreboard-05-21-19/

Photo gallery from the Hockomock Unified Track meet
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/2018-2019/Spring-2019/2019-Hockomock-Unified-Track-Meet/i-X3pdZ8G

Photo from the Hockomock Unified Track meet (HockomockSports.com photo)

UNIFIED HOCKOMOCKS = Happy, Helpful, Heartwarming, Huggable...my HERO’S!!!! #wechoosetoincludedoyou #unifiedpanthers #unifiedcommunity @FHSSports @FranklinUnified @Coach_Angelo @HockomockSports pic.twitter.com/wM0onuBUYB

— Kate Lynch (@kateluvs2laugh) May 22, 2019

FHS Baseball adjusted game schedule this week:

Wed. 5/22 Franklin @ Attleboro 3:45pm (Hayward Field)

Thurs. 5/23 Franklin vs Hopkinton (Home) 7pm 1st Round of Pedroli Tourney

Sat. 5/25 Franklin vs LS or Natick 1pm or 4pm at Natick (Mahan Field) Final Round of Pedroli Tourney

— FHS Baseball (@FHSCoachZBrown) May 22, 2019

Yesterday's postponed JV and V Softball games vs. Attleboro will be made up on Sunday, May 26 at 10:00am at FHS Softball Fields. @coachkate9 @fhs_softball2

— FranklinAthletics (@FHSSports) May 21, 2019

Per Pupil Spending Increased per US Census Bureau (2017 data)

The US Census Bureau announced

"There are around 48.6 million children enrolled in public elementary and secondary education in the United States. But how much are we spending on their education? 

The nation spent a total of $694.3 billion on public school systems in fiscal year 2017, up 4.4% from FY 2016, according to Census Bureau statistics released today. 

It was the largest yearly increase in total expenditure since 2008."

Continue reading the article online
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/05/largest-annual-increase-public-school-spending-since-2008.html

U.S. School Spending Per Pupil Increased for Fifth Consecutive Year, U.S. Census Bureau Reports

Franklin is not a large school district with only approx 5,400 in-district students and per the 2018 numbers from the MA Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education spending $12,504 in-district and $13,310 for the total 5948 students.

http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/finance.aspx?orgcode=01010000&orgtypecode=5&

DESE: Franklin - Per Pupil Expenditures, All Funds

Franklin's Dress Barn to close - date TBD

The Franklin Village Drive store is one of 650 stores nationwide being closed.

"Dressbarn's owner Ascena Retail Group said Monday its closing all of its roughly 650 stores, as it hopes to stabilize its business. 

Ascena has built up a portfolio of apparel brands over the past decade through acquisitions, including plus-size retailer Lane Bryant and women's apparel brand Ann Taylor. But as shopping has shifted online and styles have evolved, Ascena has been grappling with sagging sales and a large debt-load. 

Same-store sales for the year ended July 2018 were down 2%, according to Factset. The company had $1.33 billion in total debt, in the same period. Shares of the company, which have a market value of $214.4 million, are down 55% year-to-date 

Looking to stem the losses, Ascena is turning to pruning its less successful brands."

Continue reading the DressBarn article online
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/21/dress-barn-is-about-to-close-650-stores-heres-a-map-of-the-stores.html


MA Store listing

US Store listing

FPAC to present Cabaret - Jun 14-15

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will conclude its musical season with Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret June 14 and 15 at THE BLACK BOX. In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920’s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the Cabaret. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, Cabaret explores the dark, heady, and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. 

Cliff, a young American writer newly arrived in Berlin, is immediately taken by English singer Sally Bowles. Meanwhile, Fräulein Schneider, proprietor of Cliff and Sally’s boarding house, tentatively begins a romance with Herr Schultz, a mild-mannered fruit seller who happens to be Jewish. Musical numbers include well known show tunes such as “Willkommen,” “Cabaret,” “Don’t Tell Mama” and “Two Ladies.”

Zoë Kassay as Sally Bowles

FPAC’s production stars Zoë Kassay as Sally Bowles. A former Equity actor, Kassay’s regional credits include Legally Blonde (Elle Woods), Hairspray (Penny), 9 to 5 (Doralee), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Deelee), Footloose (Ariel Moore), Singin’ in the Rain (Lina Lamont), and a stint as a mainstage performer with Disney Cruise Line. Originally from Franklin, Kassay’s FPAC credits include Into the Woods (Cinderella), ‘Tis the Season, and more. She has a BFA in Music Theatre from the Hartt School of Music and a Masters of Arts in Theatre Education from Emerson College.

Aaron Frongillo, a musical theater junior at Wagner College, will return to FPAC to play Clifford Bradshaw. Frongillo toured for three years with Electric Youth and has been seen in FPAC productions of Fiddler on the Roof (Perchik), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Gaston), and THE BLACK BOX Sings...Frozen (Hans). 

Former Equity actor Nick Paone will reprise his role as the Emcee. His professional credits include Cabaret, Little Shop of Horrors, Oklahoma, Red Roses, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Romeo and Juliet. Nick has written and directed numerous shows, produced an evening of one-act plays in NYC, and traveled extensively performing with TheatreWorks USA.

Cabaret will be choreographed by NYC’s Chris LeBeau. LeBeau toured internationally with Chicago the Musical and was featured in Crazy for You at Lincoln Center starring Laura Osnes and Tony Yazbeck with choreography by Susan Stroman. He was most recently seen as Davey in FPAC’s production of Disney’s Newsies earlier this season starring Broadway’s Christopher Rice with choreography by Chaz Wolcott. 

Additional choreography will be by Kellie Stamp. Stamp has a Masters of Performing Arts Degree from Emerson College and she continued her tap and jazz training at the On Stage Academy for the Performing Arts, as well as with Rosemarie Boyden and at the Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Kellie has also studied Dance for Musical Theater with Broadway actress and choreographer, Leslie Woodies.

Cabaret runs June 14 at 7:30 PM and June 15 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin. Tickets are available at www.theblackboxonline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. You can follow FPAC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.