Town of Franklin Department Re-entry Updates - May 8

Hello Franklin,

Our COVID-19 Information Portal is updated regularly with the latest information and resources. You can find it HERE.

Please find our Department Re-entry Updates attached below and visit our website and/or social media frequently for news and announcements.

Have a good weekend!

"Based on the escalating global COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Baker’s most recent Executive Orders, the Franklin Town and School Administration offices, as well as all Franklin public buildings will be closed to the public and most employees through May 18th, 2020. We are following the guidance coming from Governor Baker. We are working on a measured plan to initiate baby steps toward re-opening limited services that cannot be performed remotely, while keeping the safety of our employees and community at the forefront.

On May 11th, the following departments will be re-opening with limited staff and services as an initial phase in. Careful decision-making and return to work procedures will take place in the coming weeks, with safety as the top priority.

● The drive through window at the Municipal Building will be re-opening for service on May 11th for regular business hours. The window will serve as the point of contact for all municipal services for both the Town Clerk’s Office and the Treasurer/Collector. Cash will not be accepted at this time. The public will not be able to access the building in any way other than the drive through.
● The Library will be reopening with a skeleton crew for online orders and no contact pickup/dropoff of requested materials. Patrons can place material holds online or by phone. (limit of 5 items over the phone) Search our catalog at find.minlib.net , and limit the collection location to Franklin. Once you receive a text or email that your items are ready, visit the Library entrance at School Street. Hours will be Monday - Saturday 10am - 1pm. Please stay tuned to the Franklin Public Library websites for children's programming and other offerings that will be available to residents remotely.
● The DPW and Facilities Departments will begin with a soft opening on May 11th, with limited employees returning to work to assess and plan for the weeks ahead. Beginning May 18th, the DPW and custodial staff will be fully open, with work crews returning in one man vehicles where necessary. The DPW Administration Building will remain closed through May 18th.
● The Senior Center is aiming to develop a curbside lunch program for members to access Cafe prepared grab-and-go meals. The goal is to have this service available beginning June 1st, with the hope of adding the same service for breakfast in the future. More details will be released as they become available..
● On May 11th, we will begin a very limited phase in of staff at the Municipal Building. The building will not be open to the public.
● The Recycling Center is currently open regular business hours, with the addition of noon - 3pm on Thursday May 14th for yard waste only. Beginning May 18th, the Recycling Center will be open regular hours for full services. No cash or checks will be accepted. All residents who wish to use the recycling center for item drop off will need to go online prior to pay the required fee(s). A printed slip detailing the fees paid will be required to show proof of payment. The online payment portal for recycling fees is on our Viewpoint site.
● Curbside Clothing Recycling restarted the week of April 27th on your normal trash day. Please have bags out prior to 7am for pickup.
● All municipal parks and playgrounds will be closed to the public. Nature trails are OK to use.
● All public and private schools are closed through the end of the year. Childcare facilities (other than emergency centers for first responders) will be closed until June 29th.
● Trash and Recycling Pickup will continue to be picked up on their normal schedule.

While the Municipal Building and most other departments are closed for direct, in-person service, staff will be available for all regular business activities via phone, email and our online services center at www.franklinma.gov. For an emergency, please continue to dial 911."

Additional details on the Re-entry Updates: https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/department_protocols_covid_19_8.pdf

Town of Franklin Department Re-entry Updates - May 8

Franklin Public Library: Curbside Pickup Returning May 11

Curbside Pickup is returning to the Library Monday, May 11! 

Patrons can place holds online or by phone. When placing holds by phone, there is a limit of five holds per call. 

There is no inter-library loan at this time, so holds are limited to Franklin materials shown as "available" in the catalog. 

Search our catalog at find.minlib.net , and limit the collection location to Franklin. 

Once you receive a text or email that your items are ready, visit the Library at the School Street entrance between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM Monday through Saturday to pick them up! 

The Library will still be closed to the public, but staff will be available to answer questions by phone and email 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Monday through Saturday. 

Please call us at 508-520-4941.


Shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/news/curbside-pickup-returning-franklin-public-library

Franklin Public Library: Curbside Pickup Returning May 11

 

Senate President Karen Spilka: The latest updates on COVID-19

Updates from Beacon Hill and MetroWest The Massachusetts State Senate is here to help you during the COVID-19 crisis. As we move through the public health crisis of COVID-19 and its aftermath, I want you to know that the state Senate is here to serve as a resource to help you navigate state government during this difficult time. If you live in my district, which consists of Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick, you can contact my office by email and you will be contacted by a member of my Constituent Services Team. You can also visit the MetroWest Resources During COVID-19 page on my website. If you live anywhere else in Massachusetts, you can find the contact information of your state Senator here: Find My Legislator. Senators and their staff are available to help you apply for unemployment or health insurance, answer your questions about small business and nonprofits, or connect you with other resources you, your family, or your business may need right now. For up-to-date information on the work of the state Senate, including bills we have passed to provide for remote notarizations, prevent evictions and foreclosures, waive the MCAS requirements for the school year, and expand access to safety net programs, please visit the Updates section of my website. As a reminder, here are places when you can find up-to-date information on COVID-19: Massachusetts COVID-19 Updates and Information Department of of Public Health (DPH) Information on the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) State House News Service Coronavirus Tracker Federal Coronavirus.gov Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Page Use the following links to access specific information on the following topics: Unemployment: Information on Unemployment and Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Insurance Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and MassHealth Massachusetts Health Connector COVID-19 Resources and Information Consumer Protection: Resources During COVID-19 Education: Department or Early and Secondary Ed COVID-19 Information and Resources Department of Higher Ed COVID-19 Information and Resources Businesses: COVID-19 Resources and Guidance for Businesses Please don't hesitate to reach out to me or your state Senator for any reason. We are here to help. Warm Regards,

This newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full set of contents  https://karenspilka.com/covid

"it may not be pretty, but this is the situation we’re in”

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

"There are many possibilities for how lawmakers might tackle next year’s budget, Senate President Karen Spilka said, but the pandemic’s shocks to state revenues may mean the idea of passing one-month budgets while a full spending plan is developed would need to look different than it has in the past.

The economic turmoil created by the COVID-19 crisis began as Beacon Hill’s budget season approached - typically, the House passes its budget in April and the Senate in May. The final budget is due by July 1, the first day of the new fiscal year, though lawmakers have often negotiated beyond that deadline and passed “one-twelfth” budgets that allocate enough money for a month of operations, based on the previous year’s spending.

With the normal timeline thrown off course and the pandemic’s full economic impact not yet quantified, it’s still unclear when the Legislature will take up the fiscal 2021 budget or what its bottom line will be.

The set of emergency rules the House adopted this week gave the House Ways and Means Committee until July 1 to report out its version of the budget, and S&P Global Ratings said in a recent bulletin that it expects Massachusetts to adopt a fiscal 2021 budget this summer."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200508/spilka-local-budgets-may-not-be-pretty

The FY 2021 budget will definitely be a challenge for Franklin. It has been part of the weekly conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. The Budget Subcommittee met on Monday, May 4. The Joint Budget Subcommittee (School Comm budget team, Finance Committee, and Town Council Budget Subcommittee) will meet on Monday May 11.

Budget Subcommittee audio
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/budget-subcommittee-notes-may-4-2020.html

Talk Franklin with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen - May 1
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/fm-260-talk-franklin-with-jamie-hellen.html

The Town of Franklin budget page  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget

"it may not be pretty, but this is the situation we’re in”

 

You may be eligible for SNAP benefits

AlertsMA: Need help buying healthy food? You may be eligible for SNAP benefits. Visit Mass.gov/covid-snap for more information and how to apply.

"You may be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) administers SNAP benefits. SNAP provides a monthly benefit to buy nutritious foods.

To get SNAP, you must be low-income and be a U.S. citizen or legal noncitizen (restrictions apply). Eligibility for SNAP benefits depends on financial and nonfinancial criteria."

You may be eligible for SNAP benefits

PEW: The State of Trust, Facts, and Democracy

Stat: 59 percent: The percentage of Americans who say they have little to no confidence in the public’s political wisdom.

Story: As the new year—and an election year—begins, we turn to data on our democracy to learn more about how Americans view institutions and civic life today. Host Dan LeDuc speaks with Michael Dimock, president of the Pew Research Center, about the latest research on trust, facts, and democracy in America.

Listen here  https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2020/01/10/the-state-of-trust-facts-and-democracy

PEW: The State of Trust, Facts, and Democracy

Silkroad with Yo-Yo Ma Livestream is TODAY! - 4:00 PM

Tune in at 4pm EDT/ 1pm PDT on YouTube.

View this email in your browser TUNE IN TODAY AT 4PM EDT / 1PM PDT ON YOUTUBE. Silkroad and Playing for Change Foundation are uniting to bring you an incredible cross-cultural concert to aid our work to provide emergency food and health supplies to put programs and communities in need around the world — places like Mali and Bangladesh — that have incredible cultural wealth but are on the brink of survival during this pandemic. Join us and experience music from an array of cultural traditions from around the world, including China, India, Japan, Spain, and beyond. Together we can feed, heal, connect, and uplift through the power of music. Tune in and help us raise crucial funds that will support artists and communities most in need. 100% of the proceeds will benefit Silkroad, including Silkroad's Emergency Relief Fund for artists and crew, and the Playing for Change Foundation Emergency Response Fund. Featuring: Yo-Yo Ma, Silkroad Founder Nicholas Cords, Silkroad Co-Artistic Director & Host Sandeep Das, tabla Colin Jacobsen, violin Eric Jacobsen, cello Aoife O'Donovan, guitar & vocals Cristina Pato, piano Kojiro Umezaki, shakuhachi Wu Man, pipa WATCH THE LIVESTREAM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcEl9T04Swc&feature=youtu.be You are receiving this email because you are a member of the Silkroad community. Copyright © 2020 Silkroad, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Silkroad 175 North Harvard Street Boston, Massachusetts 02134 Brought to you with generous support from the Barr Foundation, Ctrip (Trip.com), and Hyosung!