Franklin Matters

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Community Garden (OPENING - Today) - Parks opening next week (with restrictions)

Good Morning,

Tomorrow (Weds, May 20) is the first day the Community garden will be open. Water should be turned on this week. Barricades should be moved from the entrance to the inside the park to block only the playground/ball field area. For now, parks and playgrounds still remain closed, although we are making the Community garden available to you folks.

Next Monday, we will be removing all barricades around Town and opening parks with restrictions in place. I wanted to make sure you all received the attachment I provided last week, so I'm including it in the body of the email. Have fun and please be safe.

Franklin Community Gardening during COVID-19

Franklin Community Gardens offer many benefits which include socialization, exercise, and the production and consumption of nutritious, fresh and locally grown herbs and vegetables. Beginning Wednesday, May 20, we will open the Community Garden to one member per garden bed for their maintenance.

Garden access will be restricted to no more than 5 gardeners at one time. It is important to understand the state guidelines (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information) regarding social distancing and proper hygiene. (These regulations also are subject to change amid fluid developments.)

This guide offers ideas and guidance on:

Best practices for community garden management during the COVID-19 pandemic
Additional cleaning/sanitation precautions to utilize in the Franklin community gardens
Recommendations on being a safe, responsible visitor at the Franklin community garden.

Following these recommendations, along with the use of common sense and caution, can increase the likelihood that our community garden will remain accessible.

In such a public setting, the Centers for Disease Control now recommends wearing cloth face coverings. For a guide on how to create your own cloth face coverings, visit the CDC website (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html).

Best Practices for Community Garden Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Franklin Community Garden is considered an essential space; garden members should immediately implement the following practices:

Garden members must wear masks or cloth covering at all times, along with gloves.
DO not visit the garden if you feel ill, have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last two weeks or have had known contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last two weeks
Leave garden gates open during hours of operation to avoid frequent contact. No need to keep opening and closing gates, unless you are the last one to leave later in the day.
Avoid use of public benches or picnic tables
Limit the size of work groups to 5 people or fewer inside the fenced area
If folks cannot police this themselves, we may be forced to stagger times for arrival and availability to reduce crowds
Social distancing guidelines of remaining at least 6 feet apart at all times
If members have them, please bring your own tools or make certain you wear gloves while using. We will have cleaning supplies in the shed and we expect anyone that uses a tool will sanitize before and after use.
We would appreciate folks helping with the following.

Regular cleaning of contact surfaces (doors, padlocks, water spigots, gates, wheelbarrows, etc.)
Hand-washing or hand-sanitizing regularly

PLEASE USE COMMON SENSE TO HELP KEEP EVERYONE SAFE AND HEALTHY.

Ryan Jette
Director of Recreation
Franklin Recreation Department
275 Beaver Street
Franklin, MA 02038
Office: (508) 613-1667

Mobile:(508) 400-4099

Email: rjette@franklinma.gov
"just for the fun of it"

Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Web

Prior notification on the Community Garden opening
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/community-garden-opening-may-20.html

Community Garden (OPENING - Today) - Parks opening next week (with restrictions)

Davis Thayer Facility Analysis Subcommittee - May 21, 2020

DT Facility Analysis Subcommittee

Virtual Meeting (Links in agenda)

DATE: 5/21/2020

TIME: 4:30 PM

Approval of past minutes
Discussion:

● Update on recent conversations with Kaestle Boos

○ possible recommendations and logistical implications

Agenda doc: https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/agendas/agenda_dt_subcom_5.21.2020.docx.pdf

little free library at Davis Thayer

Reminder: Seniors join us for a Coffee Hour - Thu May 21 - 8:30 AM

Attention Seniors! Please join us for a Coffee Hour Thursday, May 21 at 8:30 AM! The Zoom links are found below.

A great opportunity to connect with local and state officials!

Join the Zoom Meeting here https://t.co/a02nsyERY8 Meeting ID: 818 3989 8549 or call the # below! https://t.co/4Anb3sYZRz

State Rep Jeff Roy, Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and members of the Town Council

Shared from https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1261364428944969728?s=03

Seniors: Virtual Coffee Hour next Thursday, May 21

CDC Guidelines for reopening are now available

From the Washington Post, we find the CDC guidelines are available

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week laid out its detailed, delayed road map for reopening schools, child-care facilities, restaurants and mass transit, weeks after covid-weary states began opening on their own terms.

The CDC cautioned that some institutions should stay closed for now and said reopening should be guided by coronavirus transmission rates.

For schools, the CDC recommended a raft of social distancing policies: desks at least six feet apart and facing the same direction, lunch in classrooms, staggered arrival times, cloth masks for staff and daily temperature screenings for everyone.

It advised that buses leave every other row empty, bars add sneeze guards and child-care centers limit sharing of art supplies.

The 60-page guidance document was posted on the CDC website over the weekend without fanfare after weeks of delay and an internal debate over whether the guidelines were too restrictive."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/cdc-guidelines-released-at-last-offer-low-key-guide-to-reopening/2020/05/19/c99eb63a-99f8-11ea-a282-386f56d579e6_story.html

Download a copy from here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15wQ1d0QP48nn6Iy7pHmFNxq_1Y5F0TnG/view?usp=sharing

or directly from the CDC page
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/php/CDC-Activities-Initiatives-for-COVID-19-Response.pdf

CDC Guidelines are now available

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

FM #271 Franklin Health Director - Cathleen Liberty 5/11/20 (audio)

FM #271 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 271 in the series.

Town of Franklin Health Director Cathleen Liberty took some time from her schedule to sit and talk about something other than the coronavirus. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

While we are out on trail and in the outdoors, in general during this pandemic period, Cathleen informs us on some of the precautions to take with regards to avoiding ticks and mosquitoes. The new term from this conversation is “questing”. Questing is the term for the tick looking to jump to a food source.

We review the precautions that should be part of the daily hygiene when we head outdoors and make it as frequent a part of the routine as adding sunscreen lotion.

The recording runs about 22 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Cathleen Audio file = https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-271-franklin-health-director-cathleen-liberty-5-11-20

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Town of Franklin Health Dept page https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department
Tick questing from the CDC page https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/life_cycle_and_hosts.html
EPA mosquito repellent page https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!
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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

adult deer tick (photo by Scott Bauer)

Town of Franklin: Job Opportunities = Water-Sewer Superintendent; DPW heavy equip operator; firefighter-paramedic

Job Opportunities

To apply for a vacant position, please submit a resume and cover letter to apply@franklinma.gov. Please put the job title in the subject line of your email.

Water & Sewer Superintendent - Department of Public Works

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/water-sewer-superintendent-jobposting-may2020.pdf

Heavy Motor Equipment Operator - Department of Public Works

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/hmeo-external-posting-may182020.pdf

Firefighter/Paramedics - The Town of Franklin's Fire Department is in the Massachusetts Civil Service system.
- If you are currently a Firefighter/Paramedic in a Civil Service community and are interested in working for Franklin, send a resume and cover letter to apply@franklinma.gov.
- Please note: new hires must have and maintain a paramedic certification and complete an Associate's Degree within 5 years of the date they are hired.

If you do not have a resume, you may send a completed Application for Employment instead.

To receive notifications of all job opportunities in the Town of Franklin, subscribe here (https://www.franklinma.gov/subscribe) .

Shared from https://www.franklinma.gov/human-resources/pages/job-opportunities

Town of Franklin: Job Opportunities = Water-Sewer Superintendent; DPW heavy equip operator; firefighter-paramedic

Downtown Franklin Springing to Life with Flowers

On May 15, downtown Franklin sprung to life with colorful plants added to barrels, planters and window boxes. The Franklin Downtown Partnership (FDP) and the Franklin Garden Club organized the planting of pink, blue and white flowers to beautify the community.

“This year we held a Covid-19 appropriate beautification effort in the downtown area,” said lead organizer Eileen Mason. “We had designated families or residents be responsible for certain locations. Everyone wore masks outside their family units and we maintained the appropriate distancing. We only requested adult volunteers this year in order to keep us all safe.”

Roberta Trahan, vice president of the FDP, said this project is especially meaningful during this time of social distancing.

“The planting of flowers and beautification efforts give us hope that life goes on,” Trahan said. “It is a visual reminder to our community that we will get through this. Seeing the flowers brings some joy and growth into this difficult time in our lives.”

Thank you to the following sponsors provided financial assistance to make the beautification efforts possible:

PLATINUM-Dean Bank, Fenton Financial Group, Glen Meadow Apartments, and Middlesex Savings Bank
GOLD-D.G. Ranieri Real Estate, Eileen Mason of RE/MAX Executive Realty, Kelly’s Landscaping Inc., and The Enclave of Franklin
SILVER-Chestnut Dental Associates, Keefe Insurance, Oteri and Son Funeral Home, and Vet Med Pet Supplies
BRONZE-Berry Insurance and Roche & Roche Law Offices

“Thank you to all who helped pull the beautification effort together this year,” Mason said. “Special thanks to Fairmont Farms for the flowers, the Department of Public Works for helping with watering and mulching and to Melanie Hamblen, owner of Franklin Agway, for donating potting soil and distributing it to all of the containers.”

Special thanks to Vicario Studio for providing these photos.

View More Photos Here

Downtown Franklin Springing to Life with Flowers

New Encore EnHarmonix CD available to order

NEW Encore EnHarmonix Album Available Now! Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios' recording ensemble, the Encore EnHarmonix have released their fourth album, STARS, available now for purchase!

YouTube link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo60wi8LFDs

All proceeds from the sale of this album go directly to The Encore Music Education Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit, 501[c][3] organization dedicated to providing scholarships and financial aid to music students and programs.

To order this seventeen-song movie soundtrack album featuring children ages 8 to 18, please call (508) 533-7700 or email: info@wesupportmusic.org and include the phone number where you can be reached.

Thank you for your support!

School Committee Community Relations Sub Committee Meeting - 5/20/20