Franklin Issue on the 2020 'Watch List': Multiple Fiscal Challenges

I struggled with a short and quick way to state the obvious without going over the top to grab a headline. There are any number of fiscal challenges facing Franklin, and yes, I believe that this year IS different from the prior years. While I have heard any number of folks say every budget year is a challenge, in the dozen or so years I have been closely reporting on the Franklin budget, I have not seen as many issues come together as this year brings.

Exhibit one: the Town Council's proposed 'goals and objectives' doc fortunately captures most of these in the first Fiscal section:

Fiscal

● Approval of Annual Capital Improvement Plan -- FY20 and FY21
● Approval of a balanced Operating Budget -- FY21 and FY22

o Closely monitor expected budget shortfalls in both FY21 and FY22

● Establish Ad Hoc Subcommittee to evaluate storm water fee analysis

o Present analysis to the full Council

● Determine Water rate increase for FY20/FY21, notably for the water treatment plant and wells loan package
● Determine Sewer rate increase, if needed, for FY20/FY21
● Seek new borrowing capacity for municipal and school building capital improvements and sidewalks
● Discussion on the Community Preservation Act
● Discussion on Trash & Recycling account
● Continue to ask for OPEB solutions with state officials
● Explore new revenue options, generally

The Town always passes a 'balanced budget', by law it has to, so the real issue is how do you bring the revenue and expense sides to 'balance' especially with "expected budget shortfalls in both FY21 and FY22"?

There is a new storm water fee coming and we are already facing increases in the water/sewer and trash/recycling fees. That is a whole lot of money coming from Franklin residents in one year. So I rest my case that it will be a challenge and ask your participation in the resolution.

The adage goes: you can be part of the problem, or part of the solution! I recommend getting involved in the discussion (aside from Facebook!) to be part of the solution. 

Action:

• Get to a meeting. 
• Talk with our Town Council, School Committee, Finance Committee, School Administration (including Superintendent Sara Ahern) as well as Town Administrator Jamie Hellen.
• Have a civil conversation about one or more of these issues, together we can, and must, find a solution.

The full goals and objectives doc can be found on the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/mai/files/8b._town_council_2020-2021_goals_memo.pdf

 

Franklin Issue on the 2020 'Watch List': Multiple Fiscal Challenges

Second Sunday Speaker Series - President Taft’s visit to Franklin - Jan 12

Massachusetts is the birthplace of four US presidents (George H.W. Bush, John F. Kennedy, John Quincy Adams, and John Adams) but a fourth, Ohio-native William Howard Taft, made the Bay State his second home. 
 

President Taft’s visit to Franklin

Serving from 1909 to 1913, he is the only president known to have visited the town of Franklin, and he was accompanied that day by a future US president!

Learn more about the complex legacy of our 27th president, his local roots in Mendon and Uxbridge, his contribution to the prestige and glamor of the Massachusetts “gold coast,” and when and why he came to our town. 

On Jan. 12 at 1:10 PM at the Franklin Historical Museum, presenter, Alan Earls, returns with a slide show and anecdotes about the man known, among other things, for his girth, his custom-built bathtub, and his later service on the Supreme Court.

Doors open at 1:00 PM. Museum located at 80 West Central Street. ADA Accessible

 

Second Sunday Speaker Series - President Taft’s visit to Franklin - Jan 12

Franklin Cultural Council To Offer ArtWeek Festival Grants

The Franklin Cultural Council (FCC) announced today that it is again the community collaborator for ArtWeek, a statewide festival happening May 1st – May 10, 2020. Applications for the festival are now available at artweekma.org. 

The early bird deadline to submit an ArtWeek event is January 10th, 2020 and the final deadline is February 21, 2020. 

The FCC will also be offering ArtWeek grants to events that are free and open to the public in Franklin.Grant applications open January 6th, 2020, and close February 7th, 2020.

ArtWeek is an award-winning innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive or offer behind-the-scenes access to arts, culture, and the creative process. Now an annual statewide festival, ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and recently expanded its footprint across the Commonwealth.

"Franklin has one of the most vibrant arts scenes in MetroWest," says FCC Co-Chair Kaye Kelly. "Our role as a collaborator is to help artists, performers and venues partner together to create a truly memorable ArtWeek festival. Last year, there were 50 Franklin ArtWeek events, which was 10% of all the events in the state. We hope to offer as many again this year."

The Franklin Cultural Council ArtWeek grants are for up to $250 each for programs that are offered free of charge to the public, at a Franklin venue. Grant applications can be filed online at https://goo.gl/PMQPGj

If you are an interested artist, educator, performer or venue that would like help creating an ArtWeek event, or for information on ArtWeek grants, please email FCC Co-Chair Kaye Kelly at franklinculturalcouncil02038@gmail.com.

Franklin Cultural Council To Offer ArtWeek Festival Grants

About the Franklin Cultural Council — The mission of the Franklin Cultural Council (FCC) is to encourage participation and enhance opportunities for enrichment in the cultural arts and sciences throughout our community. Comprised of committed residents, the FCC meets monthly with the purpose of supporting events and programs through grants from the Town of Franklin, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

About ArtWeek – Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek has become an annual award-winning innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences. Statewide partners include: Mass Cultural Council, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism as well as Mass Center for the Book, MASSCreative, MassHumanities, MassPoetry, New England Foundation for the Arts, New England Museum Association, Young Audiences of Massachusetts and VSA Massachusetts. To learn more about ArtWeek, visit www.artweekma.org.

FHS Red Auerbach Frosh/Soph Individual Results Jan 4, 2020

Red Auerbach Freshman Sophomore Large Schools - 1/4/2020            

Mass State Track Coaches Assn                         

RLTAC-Bob McIntyre Track-Boston                        

Complete Results       http://www.mstca.org/Winter_Season/Winter%202020/ResultsFSLarge.htm                             

Franklin results filtered from total

Girls 55 Meter Dash

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 Meet Record: #  7.31 1/28/1996   Elizabeth Tubbs, Boston Latin HS            

    Name                    Year School     Prelims H#

==============================================================

Preliminaries

  1 #  312 Simas, Kiyanni      9 Milford     7.70q 2

27 #  154 Fraulo, Ava        10 Franklin       8.08 4 8.072

58 #  149 Arnold, Isabelle   10 Franklin       8.38 10 8.376

Girls 300 Meter Dash

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 Meet Record: # 40.90  1/6/2018 Abby Comella, Wellesley HS                  

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  307 Flanagan, Sarah    10 Milford     42.08 12 

  2 #  153 Fenerty, Jillian   10 Franklin     43.45 11

Girls 600 Meter Run

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 Meet Record: # 1:36.34  1/6/2018 Emma Sullivan, Shepherd Hill HS           

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  410 Keating, Katherin  10 O'Bryant   1:39.87 7 

 23 #  158 Mulvey, Ruth Ann    9 Franklin 1:53.72   3

33 #  148 Agati, Tarah       10 Franklin   1:56.93 1

Girls 1000 Meter Run

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 Meet Record: # 3:00.74  1/4/2019 Katherine Connolly, Natick HS             

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  365 Kouroriez, Charlo  10 Newton North   3:07.78 5 

 18 #  151 Cogavin, Maura     10 Franklin   3:27.97 3 

 20 #  152 Duffy, Liliana     10 Franklin   3:28.68 3

Girls 1 Mile Run

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 Meet Record: # 5:08.33  12/28/2007 Bridget Dahlberg, Newton South HS         

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  544 St. George, Sophi  10 Walpole   5:21.60 4

58 #  156 Golden, Colleen     9 Franklin 6:58.64   2

Girls 2 Mile Run

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 Meet Record: # 10:58.94  1/2/2017 Grace Connolly, Natick HS                

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  462 Theiler, Daphne    10 Sharon   12:02.64 2 

 20 #  150 Casey, Caitlin     10 Franklin   13:10.91 1

Girls 55 Meter Hurdles

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 Meet Record: #  8.55 1/6/2019   Jamie Chamberlain, Brookline HS             

    Name                    Year School     Prelims H#

==============================================================

Preliminaries

  1 #   35 Parrott, Jodi      10 Andover       9.05q 1

59 #  159 Pfluke, Barra       9 Franklin   11.31 7 11.305

63 #  155 Gaughran, Madison   9 Franklin 11.42  10 11.419

Girls 4x200 Meter Relay

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 Meet Record: # 1:49.21  1/3/2015 Cambridge Ridge Latin, Cambridge Ridge Lat

    School                                               Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 Hingham  'A'                                 1:52.76 7 

 20 Franklin  'A'                             2:01.40 3

Girls 4x400 Meter Relay

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 Meet Record: # 4:08.45  1/5/2019 Newton North HS, Newton North HS          

    School                                               Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 Newton North  'A'                       4:05.17# 4 

 17 Franklin  'A'                             4:47.13 3

Girls High Jump

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 Meet Record: # 5-06.50  1/4/2017 Julia Jordahl-Henry, Wellesley HS         

    Name                    Year School     Finals 

==============================================================

  1 #  306 Brogioli, Sarah    10 Milford   5-00.00   

  5 #  154 Fraulo, Ava        10 Franklin   J4-10.00 

Girls Long Jump

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 Meet Record: # 18-00.50  1/6/2011 Carla Forbes, Newton North HS            

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  456 Dunbar, Simone     10 Sharon   17-01.50 5 

 19 #  153 Fenerty, Jillian   10 Franklin   14-06.25 3

Girls Shot Put

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 Meet Record: # 37-03.75  1/28/1996 Heather Oldham, Woburn HS                

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  203 Powers, Kate       10 Hopkinton   33-08.00 4 

 32 #  160 Rench Fogarty, Ha  10 Franklin   21-07.00 2

Boys 55 Meter Dash

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 Meet Record: #  6.46 1/6/2018   Richmond Kwaateng, Lowell HS                

    Name                    Year School     Prelims H#

==============================================================

Preliminaries

  1 #  783 Rivera, Antonio    10 Framingham       6.84q 1 

 52 #  795 Toolin, Brendan    10 Franklin       7.48 1 7.475

85 #  796 White, Maximus      9 Franklin     8.20 11

Boys 300 Meter Dash

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 Meet Record: # 36.43  1/5/2011 Brian Sommers, Acton Boxboro HS             

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  629 Landry, Alex        9 Acton-Boxbor   36.72 14 

 30 #  787 Clifford, Jack     10 Franklin     41.15 8 

 34 #  793 Proenca, Kevin     10 Franklin     41.24 9

Boys 600 Meter Run

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 Meet Record: # 1:22.71  1/3/2015 Theo Burba, Newton North HS               

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  957 Rosa, Jonathan     10 New Bedford   1:28.14 7 

   6 #  792 Powderly, Tyler    10 Franklin   1:32.84 6 

 21 #  797 Zielinski, Mathew  10 Franklin   1:35.72 5

Boys 1 Mile Run

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 Meet Record: # 4:26.75  1/6/2018 Tyler Brogan, Franklin HS                 

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 # 1089 Lopez, Nathan       9 Saint John's 4:32.03   5

47 #  788 Golden, Clancy     10 Franklin   5:15.31 2

60 #  790 Kucich, Connor     10 Franklin   5:20.97 3

Boys 2 Mile Run

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 Meet Record: # 9:38.31  1/28/2014 Sam Stubbs, Cambridge Rindge Latin        

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 #  896 Pesko, Drew        10 Marshfield   10:16.03 3 

 13 #  794 Sieczkiewicz, Gri  10 Franklin   10:51.01 3

Boys 4x200 Meter Relay

==============================================================

 Meet Record: # 1:34.99  1/5/2019 Acton Boxboro HS, Acton Boxboro HS        

    School                                               Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 Acton-Boxborough  'A'               1:37.33 8 

 29 Franklin  'A'                             1:47.10 4

Boys 4x400 Meter Relay

==============================================================

 Meet Record: # 3:29.64  1/28/1999 Brockton HS, Brockton HS                  

    School                                               Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 Lexington  'A'                             3:47.22 3 

 10 Franklin  'A'                             3:56.41 1

Boys Long Jump

==============================================================

 Meet Record: # 21-06.25  1/5/2009 Craig Langes, Woburn HS                  

    Name                    Year School     Finals H#

==============================================================

  1 # 1198 Stakun-Pickering,  10 Wellesley 21-08.50#  4 

 23 #  787 Clifford, Jack     10 Franklin   16-09.25 3

39 #  793 Proenca, Kevin     10 Franklin   15-05.00 2

Jill Fenerty takes 2nd in the 300m race for the Fr/So meet! (Coach Bailey Twitter photo)

FHS Panthers had seven individuals reach their championship wrestling match

From the Wicked Local/Franklin, article of interest for Franklin:

"For the fourth consecutive year, the Natick wrestling team hosted the Redhawk Dual Tournament with several teams from the area as well as New Hampshire and Rhode Island participating. 

Mt. Hope (Bristol, R.I.) and Franklin were individual “Pool A and Pool B” champs (there were no point totals assigned, pool winners were based on dual match records) and then a new twist was added this season with individual champions crowned in each weight class. 

The Panthers had seven individuals reach the championship match of their respective weight classes and went home with three champions. 

“It was a good day for us, coach (Bob) Anniballi always does a great job and it was a nice little twist with the individual championship this year too,” said Panther coach Carmine Colace. “We got a bunch of matches, we got JV’s to wrestle today too so it’s definitely a good point in the season to see where you stand, especially against some of the out of state competition.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://franklin.wickedlocal.com/sports/20200104/franklin-wrestling-wins-pool-has-three-individual-champions-at-redhawk-dual-tournament

FHS Panthers had seven individuals reach their championship wrestling match

Norfolk County Registry of Deeds: Register O'Donnell Promotes Homestead Act

	Norfolk County Registry of Deeds
	Register O'Donnell Promotes Homestead Act Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell is again reminding Norfolk County homeowners about the importance of filing for Homestead protection. Under Massachusetts law, recording a Homestead provides a homeowner with limited protection against the forced sale of their primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000. "For most of us, our home is the most important financial asset we have," noted Register O'Donnell. "If you own a home, and it is your primary residence, one way to protect it is to file a Homestead. The Homestead law also allows for the filing of an Elderly Homestead application, which defines an elder as a person who is 62 years of age or older. This protection can be increased if the elderly couple files jointly." O'Donnell further stated, "The Homestead law was updated by an act of the Massachusetts Legislature back in 2011. Current language in the law states a valid Homestead cannot be terminated when refinancing a mortgage. Other enhancements that took place in 2011 state that a Homestead can provide protections for a primary home even if it is kept in trust. The definition of a primary residence has been further expanded to include a manufactured or mobile home." While a Homestead provides important protections for homeowners, it is important to note there are certain debts that are exempted from protection under the Homestead Act. These include federal, state and local tax liens, as well as mortgages contracted for the purchase of a primary home and nursing home liens. Most other mortgages, debts, and encumbrances existing prior to the filing of the Declaration of Homestead, along with probate court executions for spousal and child support, are also not covered under the Homestead protection statute. Homestead recordings can be filed at the Registry of Deeds for a state imposed fee of $36.00. To find out more about the Homestead law, or get a free application, please go online to the Registry's website at www.norfolkdeeds.org or contact the Registry's Customer Service Center at 781-461-6101. Register O'Donnell concluded, "A Homestead is an important consumer protection tool that provides limited protection against the forced sale of a homeowners primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000. While the debt is still owed, homeowners can have peace of mind knowing that with a Homestead filed at the Registry of Deeds, their primary residence cannot be forcibly sold to satisfy most debts." To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and/or Instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds. The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry's website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org. Register William P. O'Donnell Norfolk County Registry of Deeds email: registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org phone: 781-234-3336 web: http://www.norfolkdeeds.org

Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, 649 High Street, Dedham,, MA 02026-1831 Sent by registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!