Just so you are not disappointed!

If you think that the Town Council budget hearings will be a place of enlightenment on what drives elements of the town budget, sorry to say, you'll likely be disappointed.

If you think, anyone will find the money to resolve the budget issues, sorry to say, you'll likely be disappointed.

Given what has transpired at previous Town Council budget hearings, I believe that they are mostly a waste of time. Granted the Council does have final say on what and how it is spent. No question. 

It used to be that the Town Council got a presentation from each of the departments so you would know what the individual drivers of the budget are: what is the ambulance call volume, how many people visit the library, how many roads can be re-built or chip sealed this year.... and so forth.


Unfortunately for the past several years, the Town Council budget hearings have been an exercise in time wasting sound bites missing the point of being informative to us the residents and taxpayers.

I hope it changes, I do have hope. Without a preview of the actual agenda (due later Monday), I won't know how much hope there is.

In the meantime, with previous experience as the guide, the clerk of the council will read each line item of the department summary budget (expenses and salaries), one or more councilors may call for a 'hold' on a department live or the whole department.

After completing the reading of the budget, then the discussion turns to the councilors who raised the hold on each item. Those councilors get their questions answered, the councilor gets a sound bite, and then the discussion moves to the next item.

If this proceeding sounds thrilling. It isn't. It is mostly a waste of time.

You and I as taxpayers are much better off with the Finance Committee budget hearings where each department head gets to say their piece, the FinCom gets to ask insightful questions, and we get to find out what really goes on. 

This process does take time. The FinCom budget hearings were spread over four nights. Fortunately, the audio and text notes are already prepared for your listening pleasure and speed reading. 

Insights, yes. Time taking, yes. But worth it, definitely a yes!


Budget Hearing #4 - 6/04/20 (remainder of the department budgets, check agenda for listing;  capital funding discussion and overall budget votes)

• audio =  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/franklin-ma-finance-committee-budget_55.html
• notes =  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/finance-committee-budget-hearing-4.html

Budget hearing #3 - 6/02/20 (all DPW, including the enterprise accounts, water, sewer trash/recycling and the proposed storm water utility)

• audio = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/finance-committee-budget-hearing-3.html
• Notes = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/franklin-ma-finance-committee-budget_6.html

Budget hearing #2 - 5/28/20 (the schools budget, includes Franklin, Tri-County and Norfolk Aggie)

• audio = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/fm-279-finance-committee-budget-hearing.html
• Notes = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/finance-committee-recap-budget-hearing.html

Budget hearing #1 - 5/27/20 (some of the department budgets, check agenda for listing)

• audio = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/fm-280-finance-committee-budget-hearing.html
• Notes = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/finance-committee-recap-budget-hearing.html

Budget process flow chart
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/new_budget_process.pdf

Town of Franklin budget page for FY 2021
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/pages/fy2021-budget-materials

Schools budget page for FY 2021
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget/pages/fy-2021-budget


While reporting on what happens at the budget hearings, I'll be hoping for better information.

Just so you are not disappointed!

Town Council positions on the override - Nov 2019

During the run up to the Town of Franklin local election in November 2019, we shared the interviews with many of the candidates for the Town Council and School Committee.

One of the questions asked the Town Council candidates was:

“The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to consider an override measure. What actions will you take for this? “

Note these answers were provided by the candidates in the run up to the election. This is the historical record of their position at that time. The successful candidate positions are shared here. The full listing is provided in the link below.

*** Town Council answers

• Eamon McCarthy Earls

EE - I think it's a great question. Certainly we've been faced with some very trying times. A lot of it ties back to escalating costs for health care and our overall pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) liabilities which continue to mount and which probably nobody back in 1980 was concerned with or fully cognizant of how much it would cost.

I think it's ultimately a decision that rests with the voters. I would support offering that as an option to the voters to decide. I think it's really important to have that participation in something so critical in our town. I'm sure it will be a hard fought issue. Franklin residents have had debates in the past about budgets and cuts. Questions of overrides came up particularly the late 2000s. So I think really letting each side make their case will be really important.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-eamon.html

• Melanie Hamblen

Audio interview https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/fm-173-this-internet-radio-show-or.html

• Tom Mercer

TM = First, we’ll need to monitor the towns’ budget situation closely throughout the year as the Town Administrator and Superintendent build their budgets. I’d expect that we would have a reasonable number in late January. My guess is the next Town Council and School Committee will have to discuss an override, how much and for what and what the community strategy may be.

At this point, I support and hope a discussion will occur next year on discussing with taxpayers a revenue increase. As the Town Administrator has stated numerous times, the cost of doing business is far exceeding our ability to raise revenue. Construction costs, personnel costs and Heath care costs are increasing at a rate that has put stress on the system relative to service demand. It’s a partial symptom of a good economy for sure. And it’s something we need to really engage a wider audience in the community on. Everyone will need to be involved. As ultimately any override is a decision made by the Community as a whole not the Town Council. It is the Town Council’s job to provide the community with all the facts so they can make an informed decision.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-tom-mercer.html

• Andrew Bissanti

AB = I think ultimately what's going to happen is the council is going to push the override to a ballot and let the people decide. That seems to be rhetoric from the existing council right now. I think it's only fair that way. I want to make a rational decision. How it's going to affect dollars, and the people of Franklin. Whatever the greater good is for Franklin. I don't want to see services to the town and infrastructure suffer. Careful study and examination and reporting will and is being conducted and we will have more facts soon.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-andrew.html

• Robert Dellorco

Audio interview https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/fm-179-franklin-candidate-interview.html

• Matt Kelly

MK = So I'm on the budget subcommittee and I'm probably one of the more vocal people on the budget subcommittee. I know I didn't make any friends with the School Committee when I told them that I didn't necessarily agree with their budget. Councilor Mercer and I are the only two that were on the School Committee prior to being on the Town Council. I wish there was a prerequisite so that everybody would have to do that because I think you learn a lot.

Looking at the budget, I don't think we're ready for an override yet and there's a number of factors for this. I don't see that the budget has all the fluff cut out of it and I don't see any clear projection of numbers. I agree, that our administration is telling the truth when they say that it's getting tight, but I also understand that a lot of people out there are getting tight on their budgets too. We need to look at what our plan is, is it a reduction in our budget, and an override? Who knows right now and now isn’t the time to ask our citizens either. We have to consider what this going to do to our senior population. That has increased tremendously for people in our town. People on fixed incomes, we need to look at what it will do to them as well. There needs to be a conversation with our town’s people before you start talking override.

That's the business side of it. The human aspect is that times are too good for people to believe that we need an override. We're adding firefighters, adding police officers and there's no visible pain. You might see that we need more DPW workers or your road isn't getting done fast enough, but people don't want to vote for things until there's pain, number one. Number two, when the people complain that they're going off to pay for high school parking, then town council comes running to their rescue and says, “oh, no, we're going to give you that money in the budget.” It's not the time for an override. We should be able to say to our citizens, we can't find any money before we say override.

The reality is, I am going to be very, very stingy when it comes to saying we need an override because I'm going to pay for it just like you are.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-matt-kelly.html 


*** School Committee

The School Committee candidates did not get that question. The questions they answered as shown here.

• There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?
• Where do you get your news about Franklin?
• The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?
• While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?
• The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?
• Why should I vote for you?

The Election Collection can be found here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html

All precincts vote on Nov 5, 2019 in one location, Franklin High School

 

Franklin's British Beer Company is closed

Via the Franklin radar we find:

"It looks like yet another location of a small local chain of British pubs has closed down, with the only locations now being found in Southeastern Massachusetts.

According to a source, British Beer Company in Franklin has shut its doors, with a check on the company's website showing that it has indeed been removed from the locations page. The Franklin outlet of the pub joins several others that have closed over the past several years, including Framingham, Danvers, Walpole, Westford, and Worcester, and it appears that both New Hampshire locations in Manchester and Portsmouth have shuttered as well. Outlets in Cedarville, Falmouth, Hyannis, Pembroke, Plymouth, and Sandwich remain in operation, with the closest one to Boston--the Pembroke restaurant--being approximately 30 miles from the city.

The address for British Beer Company in Franklin was 280 Franklin Village Drive, Franklin, MA, 02038. The website for the chain can be found at https://www.britishbeer.com/"

https://bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com/2020/06/british-beer-company-in-franklin-has.html

The ribbon cutting in 2011 for British Beer Co

The ribbon cutting photo comes from the archives on Aug 5, 2011
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/08/remember-when-august-5-2011.html

Summer Commuter Rail schedules - June 22

Summer Commuter Rail schedules go into effect on Monday, June 22. They are now available on the MBTA website at mbta.com/cr.

For those who utilize the MBTA Commuter Rail application, please make sure to update the schedule in your application prior to travel on June 22.

Affected routes:

• Newburyport/Rockport Line
• Haverhill Line
• Lowell Line
• Fitchburg Line
• Framingham/Worcester Line
• Needham Line
• Franklin Line
• Fairmount Line
• Providence/Stoughton Line
• Middleborough/Lakeville Line
• Kingston/Plymouth Line
• Greenbush Line

Last Updated: Jun 09 2020 05:12 PM

 

the platform at Franklin/Forge Park

"some quite frankly won’t be coming back"

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

"Some local child care providers are daunted by the state’s reopening guidelines, saying that while they understand the need to be safe during the pandemic, the new regulations will limit their ability to serve families.

At least one center operator said she can’t envision reopening under the new rules, which were announced by the state earlier this month.

“No one’s going to be able to do it – there’s no way,” said Ann Latino, director of Miss Betty’s Step in Time Daycare Center in Worcester, who added the regulations for older students, who cannot be in groups larger than 10 and must remain with the same staff members each day, is particularly challenging. “That means no floaters – (staff) won’t even be able to go to the bathroom.”

Like schools and colleges, child care centers and preschools in Massachusetts had to shut down to most families in mid-March, when the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the state. The only exceptions were children of emergency workers, who were still allowed to attend specially licensed centers."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200614/central-mass-child-care-providers-say-reopening-guidelines-hard-to-meet-especially-for-preschool-set

FM #300 - Talk Franklin with Jamie Hellen, Anne Marie Tracey 6/12/20 (audio)

FM #300 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 300 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Marketing and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about
Re-opening

• Recreation summer brochure
• Restaurants outdoor dining

FY 2021 Budget

• Town Council schedule 6/17-18
• Senior coffee hour Rep Roy and Town administration - 6/18

Capital budget

• capital vs. operation

Economic development

• inclusionary zoning

Graduation parade

And close with some cultural comments about Gary Clark Jr, blues guitarist and a new album just released by Norah Jones

The recording runs about 48 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie

Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/Hyyy3D27



--------------

Recreation Summer Brochure
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/summer_brochure_2.pdf

FY 2021 budget info
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/pages/fy2021-budget-materials

Town Council meeting info for 6/17-6/18 as discussed is not yet available, will be shared as soon as it is

Gary Clark Jr https://www.garyclarkjr.com/ or  https://www.youtube.com/user/garyclarkjr

Norah Jones new album
https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Me-Up-Off-Floor/dp/B085HJ889S

or her web page  https://www.norahjones.com/

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

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!
------------------

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

new basketball hoops installed at Fletcher Field

Pantherbook: "What Will Fall Sports Look like Next Year?"

Sharing this article with an FHS student view on what fall sports might look like

"With Massachusetts beginning their staged reopening, many kids are wondering what their sports seasons will be like next year. Many questions are up in the air like, ¨Will we have to wear masks? Or will there even BE a season?¨ Pantherbook reached out to try and help ease your concerns.

Freshman Cameron Sawyer played soccer for FHS this year, and is looking to play again next year. According to Cameron, FHS soccer is beginning their captain’s practices but will limit the group to 10 people and have no contact practices. This helps to fit social distancing guidelines and helps prepare athletes for a possible season.

Cross Country runner Katie Barrow is working on the summer training program her coaches distributed via Google Classroom. There are three options for runners and each includes a very descriptive schedule for the summer."

Continue reading the article online
https://franklinpanthers.us/sports/2020/06/12/what-will-fall-sports-look-like-next-year/

Pantherbook: "What Will Fall Sports Look like Next Year?"