Monday, December 16, 2019

HockomockSports.com Girls Soccer awards for Addi, Atwood, Balkus

Here are the FHS athletes selected for the HockomockSports.com Awards for Girls Soccer 2019.

HockomockSports Editor’s Note: The HockomockSports.com Awards are selected strictly by our staff and have no affiliation to the official Hockomock League all stars.

HockomockSports.com Best XI

Sabrina Addi
Sabrina Addi
Sabrina Addi – Franklin – Defense
Franklin senior Sabrina Addi was a rock at the back for the Panthers, who tied King Philip for the fewest goals allowed this season and only allowed two goals in regulation over the final 13 games of the season. Addi dominated from her center back position and led a relatively inexperienced defensive unit. She also stepped up on the offensive side, scoring seven goals and dishing out a pair of assists. Franklin coach Tom Geysen said, “Sabrina took an inexperienced defense and helped turn it into an outstanding group of defenders. She took the challenge on and performed with outstanding consistency. She is well skilled, physical, tough, and reads the game as well as any defender we have had in a long time.”

Breanna Atwood
Breanna Atwood
Breanna Atwood – Franklin – Goalie
Franklin senior goalie Breanna Atwood earned first team honors for the second year in a row after another impressive season between for the Panthers. Atwood was one of the main reasons that the Panthers had one of the league’s top defensive records, allowing only nine goals in 18 games and allowing only two goals in regulation over the final 13 games of the season. She finished with 11 clean sheets and was selected as an all-star by the Hockomock League coaches for the second straight season. Franklin coach Tom Geysen said, “Her toughness, athleticism, and understanding of the game made Bre the best keeper in the league. In addition, she was a team leader and led by example in every possible way.


HockomockSports.com Second XI

Anna Balkus
Anna Balkus
Anna Balkus – Franklin – Defense
Franklin senior Anna Balkus played in multiple positions for the Panthers this season, but it was her move to left back that helped solidify the backline and turned Franklin into one of the best defensive squads in the league. The Panthers allowed only nine goals in 19 games and gave up only two goals in regulation over the final 13 games of the season. Balkus, who started up top and in midfield early in the year, scored twice and had an assist. Franklin coach Tom Geysen said, “We were 1-3 and treading water. After the move to defender, Anna turned our season around. Game after game she marked the other team’s best offensive player and shut her down. A totally unselfish player for all positions.”


Continue reading about the other HockomockSports.com awards for Girls Soccer
https://hockomocksports.com/awards/girls-soccer/2019-2/
 

Girls Basketball: Players to Watch - FHS' Ali Brigham

FHS senior Ali Brigham was named one of the Girls Basketball: Ten Players to Watch in 2019-2020 by HockomockSports.com.


Ali Brigham, Senior – Franklin

Ali Brigham (HockomockSports.com photo)
Ali Brigham (HockomockSports.com photo)
"Every season Brigham has improved different parts of her game and last year it came together in a completing dominating performance that earned the George Washington University-commit league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year honors. Brigham scored 25.6 points per game, reaching the 1,000-point plateau for her career, pulled down more than 17 rebounds per game, and blocked more than six shots per game.

She led the Panthers to a division title, the D1 Central title, and had them minutes from a spot in the D1 final. If she continues at this pace, then Brigham could finish her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer. Numbers aside, Brigham continues to develop her all-around game, not just controlling the paint with her height but also showing off quick feet to cover forwards and extending her range on offense and forcing defenses to cover her further from the basket.

After stepping her game up to a new level in the postseason, Brigham looks poised for a huge senior season and is the primary reason that Franklin is the heavy favorite to repeat in the Kelley-Rex and is a state title contender this winter."

For the nine other girls basketball players to watch
https://hockomocksports.com/girls-basketball-ten-players-to-watch-in-2019-2020/


Sunday, December 15, 2019

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Dec 18, 2019

The published agenda and documents for the Franklin Town Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

You can also find the full set of documents in one PDF
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/12-18-19_full_agenda_web_1.pdf
 
(Note: where there are active links in the agenda item, it will take you to the associated document)

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/december-18-town-council-meeting

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS
a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast Channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.
2. CITIZEN COMMENTS
a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda.  The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. October 2, 2019
b. November 13, 2019
4. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS
- None Scheduled 
5. APPOINTMENTS
a. Historical Commission, Associate Member: Alan Earls
6. HEARINGS
- None Scheduled 
7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
- 7:10 PM
7a. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
a. La Cantina Winery Company, Farmer Winery, Farmers Market
7b. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
b. The Chateau Restaurant of Franklin, Change of Hours, 466 King Street.
7c. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
c. Acapulcos Mexican Restaurant, License Modification, Change of Location, 371 Union Street
7d. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
d. GlenPharmer Distillery, LLC, New Farmer Series Pouring Permit for a Farmer-Distillery, 860 West Central Street
7e. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
e. 2020 Annual Alcoholic Beverages License Renewals 
8. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
a. Plastic Bag Waste Reduction
b. Town Administrator Annual Evaluation
9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Capital Budget Subcommittee
b. Budget Subcommittee
c. Economic Development Subcommittee
10. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 19-89: Gift Acceptance - Franklin Veteran’s Services Department, $1,480 (Motion to Approve Resolution 19-89 - Majority Vote (5))
11. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
13. COUNCIL COMMENTS
14. EXECUTIVE SESSION
- Purpose #6: to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property (majority roll call vote)
ADJOURN

GlenPharmer Distillery, LLC, New Farmer Series Pouring Permit for a Farmer-Distillery, 860 West Central Street
GlenPharmer Distillery, LLC, New Farmer Series Pouring Permit for a Farmer-Distillery

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda - Dec 17, 2019

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING =Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 6:30 PM

Franklin Senior Center, Conference Room
10 Daniel Mccahill Street, Franklin; MA 0203.8

AGENDA

1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes of 12/10/19 Meeting
3. Public Comments
4. Capital Budget Presentations:
a. Department of Public Works
5. Final Recommendations and Vote
6. Storm water Presentation
7. Adjournment


Balance Update
• General Stabilization $6,137,866
• Recreation Fields $304,951
• Open Space Acquisition $1,121,867
• Budget Stabilization $396,332
• Free Cash $3,482,875
• OPEB $5,852,978
• Property Acquisition $269,781
• Fire Truck Stabilization $209,595

OPEB Obligation as of 6/30/18 (PAYGO): $68,554,870

The full agenda and documents released for this meeting can be found
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/fincom_agenda_12-17-19.pdf

rain garden at Parmenter, one of several around Franklin part of the storm water mitigation plan
rain garden at Parmenter, one of several around Franklin part of the storm water mitigation plan

FHS girls hockey win big, wrestling goes 3-1 in Quad meet, girls swim post win vs Canton

Via HockomockSports.com and Twitter, we share the results of FHS winter sports action on Saturday.

Girls Hockey = Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 7 – Final
– Franklin opened the season with a big win at home over visiting Stoughton. Freshman Lyndsey Atkinson had a big debut, scoring her first goal while adding a pair of assists to lead the way. Sophomore Maggie McCaffrey, freshman Shaw Downing, and freshman Molly Hurley also scored their first career goals for the Panthers win the win. Gabby Colace had a 12-save shutout for the win.


Wrestling = Mount Hope (R.I.) Quad (Franklin, Stoughton), 10:00AM




Boys Swimming = Canton @ Franklin, 10:30 (@ Milford)

Girls Swimming = Canton @ Franklin, 10:30 (@ Milford)




Boys Indoor Track vs Taunton on Friday


Girls Indoor Track vs. Taunton on Friday

For other results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/saturdays-schedule-scoreboard-12-14-19/


Boys Hockey = Canton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final
Josh Perry, Managing Editor of HockomockSports.com, provides the boys hockey game recap:

"Canton was on its heels for large portions of Saturday night’s season opener at Pirelli Veterans Arena, struggling with the speed of the Franklin forwards and struggling to find the outlet passes that would send the Bulldogs racing forward into the offensive zone.

Still, the Bulldogs know how to find ways to win games. Senior forward Shane Marshall took advantage of a fortuitous bounce off a skate to score a power play goal with 11:27 to play and it turned out to be the difference in a 3-2 victory that extends Canton’s unbeaten run to 27 games and makes it four straight wins against the Panthers.

“It was probably not as tightly played as we’re used to, but that’s a really good team,” Canton coach Brian Shuman said. “They’re a very skilled, high-flying team this year. They were doing some stuff that we hadn’t seen them do in the past. I was very impressed with them, they played very well, and they took it to us.”
Continue reading the game recap
https://hockomocksports.com/marshall-nets-winner-to-lift-canton-boys-hockey-past-franklin/

For a photo gallery by Josh Perry
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/2019-2020/Winter-2019-2020/Franklin-Canton-Boys-Hockey-12-14-19/

Declan Lovett ready for a face off (HockomockSports.com photo)
Declan Lovett ready for a face off (HockomockSports.com photo)

Pantherbook: "Toxic Turf at Beaver Pond?"

Via Pantherbook:
"Have you ever played on the field at Beaver Pond in Franklin, MA? Many kids have. Little do they know, discarded turf from the field has been decomposing in the pond’s wetlands for over two years."
Continue reading the Pantherbook article online
https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2019/12/11/toxic-turf-at-beaver-pond/

The Pantherbook posting was prescient as the Boston Globe published this:
"Amid growing concerns about toxic chemicals in the water supply, state regulators Friday announced significant new limits on the human-made compounds in drinking water and approved new requirements ordering polluters to clean up contaminated soil and ground water. 
The long-awaited rules come as environmental officials acknowledge that the per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, known as PFAS, have been found in a growing number of communities across the state. 
The chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, low infant birth weights, and a range of diseases, have been found so far in 28 of 37 municipal water systems that have provided test results to the state Department of Environmental Protection, officials said this week. Of those, 12 found that the amounts exceed the proposed standards for drinking water."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/12/13/massachusetts-issues-new-standards-for-forever-chemicals-water-supply/dz25i9Sk92QfiDl5TeSJFL/story.html

And as an update to the previously shared listing on the "turf issue":

What we know:


What we don’t know:


  • What happened to the Conservation Commission mitigation measures from when the field was first installed (in 2004?)?
  • Where was the old carpet and bags of unused infill taken?
  • What will the Federal agencies do with PFAS and the recent revelations (if anything)?


bags of the acrylic coated infill ready for install at FHS in August 2017
new turf carpet being installed at Beaver St field in 2017
new turf carpet being installed at Beaver St field in August 2017

In the News: tax cut will reduce state tax revenues; La Salette opens for 65th year

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

"In 2000, Massachusetts voters handily approved a ballot question meant to reduce the state’s income tax rate to 5%.

Two decades later, they’re finally getting their wish.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker announced last week that on Jan. 1, the income tax rate will be cut from 5.05% to 5%.

The tax cut marks the end of a process that began in 2002 following passage of the ballot question two years earlier."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20191215/mass-taxpayers-to-see-tax-cut-okd-back-in-2000



"For 65 years, the Christmas Festival of Lights at La Salette has helped illuminate the reason for the season while providing delight and beauty for countless visitors.

The Rev. Flavio Gillio loves to light up the night. After all, that’s his job; he is the director of the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro. Each year, he is responsible for making sure the 300,000 lights and scores of holiday displays at the religious site shine brightly. As you might imagine, it’s a lot of work.

“Tis the season! ’Tis the season! Yes, we are very busy!” chuckles Father Flavio in a soft Italian accent. The priest in the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette was born in a small town near Turin in Italy, across the valley from the village in France where Mary was said to have appeared to two young children in 1846."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20191211/lighting-up-night-christmas-festival-of-lights-at-la-salette-is-welcoming-place