School Committee: Budget Subcommittee Meeting Recap - 9/29/20

Recap:

• Given the move from remote to hybrid and that the transportation fee was set for full in person rates, what should the hybrid rate be? Discussion on proposal of 40% less as two days are remote. Should set one rate for district, multiple rates too hard to manage
• Discussion on ECDC date if they were to go fully remote, what should it be? Proposal for a 30% of cost per survey done by the school, full details of the survey not available during meeting
• Future meetings targeted for committee members, if session are needed, they will be held, if not, they will be canceled.

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #scbs0929
https://twitter.com/hashtag/scbs0929?src=hashtag_click

• Real time reporting for the SchComm budget Subcommittee meeting underway #scbs0929 opens with an update on bus transportation contract renewal. Rate reduction to allow for hybrid vs. full in person model?
• Budget discussion around reduction and whether some folks who haven't paid yet should pay full or part based upon developments. #scbs0929 how should this subcommittee handle this? Likely make recommendation for full SchComm (one way or the other)
• SchComm currently only requires 80% coverage of the total busing cost. Discussion on intent of coverage by district vs parents. #scbs0929 possible reduction in standard fee of 40% as 2 days are remote, let's set one rate for the district, multiple rates challenge 2 admin
• recommendations for consideration for full Committee; ECDC tuition collection is next topic. What would happen if we go full remote? Deposit made in Feb 2020, collecting monthly as they open now. If switch to remote, fee reduced to 30% of cost #scbs0929
• Where did the 30% come from? Survey of parents by ECDC principal. What would be other impacts for students with IEPs as well a teacher/staff compensation. Maybe less in revolving account for next year depending. #scbs0929
• No details on context of survey with parents hence not sure of how to interpret. #scbs0929 hard to respond without such context. How to handle the integrated students with their peers as that would change the program. Adjustment of payment only if long term remote.
• Going to the calendars for future meetings. #scbs0929 attempting to meet between the SchComm meetings. Week of 10/19 - Oct 29 at 4:30 PM; Nov 5, 4:30 PM, Nov 17 at 4:30 PM all tentative. Dec 1 and the 15th, 4:30. It has been quiet on the State front
• Motion to adjourn, second, passed 3-0. That's all for tonight folks, catch you next time #scbs0929

Agenda doc for this meeting

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/09/franklin-ma-school-committee-budget.htm 

 

Additional photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter can be found in this album https://photos.app.goo.gl/MmXaoDfNKqtL3e3c8

 

Business Administrator Miriam Goodman updates the Subcommittee

FM #355 - Town of Franklin Health Director Cathleen Liberty - 9/29/20 (audio)

FM #355 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 355 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Franklin’s Health Director Cathleen Liberty. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We covered the following topics in our conversation

• COVID-19 recap
• It’s here, it will be, follow the protocols: facial coverings/masks, social distance, hand hygiene, etc.
• Halloween
• MA DPH and CDC guidance out
• Flu shots
• Important esp now
• Clinic at Senior Center (slots full already) maybe a second one stay tuned...
• EEE
• Low risk so far here

The conversation runs about 35 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Cathleen.  Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HN21x5GK



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Town of Franklin Health Dept page https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department
If you have a question, you can call the Health Dept at (508) 520-4905

The audio of the Health Dept presentation to the Town Council
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/09/fm-350-town-council-mtg-91620-audio.html

The Town Council video of the Health Dept presentation (not yet released for replay but when it is you can find it here)  https://franklintv.vod.castus.tv/vod/?nav=playlists%2Fplaylists%2FTown%20Council.m3u8

Prior recordings
We did record two session back in March 2020, early in the pandemic stages
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/fm-232-franklin-ma-health-director.html
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/fm-224-health-director-cathleen-liberty.html

We also did a recording jointly with Board of Health Chair Bridget Sweet
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/fm-259-board-of-health-c-liberty-b.html

We also did one in May where we talked about questing and insect borne diseases
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/fm-271-franklin-health-director.html


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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" 

Town of Franklin Health Director Cathleen Liberty

Facility Analysis Subcommittee: Long term plan could close 5 school buildings

Recap:

• Where are we? Recall that there was an ask if Davis Thayer could be closed to save money?
• The Facility Analysis Subcommittee was formed and set up their 5 step process. They are still on step 1. A public information session was held in March (before the shutdown). Another public information session will be scheduled for November TBD.
• A demographic analysis was done and handed over to the architects for use in their facility assessment. Oh, the demographic analysis will be redone with the official Oct 1 numbers. It should be interest for that analysis to see how well the forecast turned out. That would be an update sometime in the future to the Subcommittee (no timeline provided).
• The work by the subcommittee stopped during the summer after the first preview of the report was presented June 11. Stopped due to the work required by the District to prepare the re-opening plan for all schools in September. Now that schools are back albeit remote and moving to hybrid, there is time for the committee to resume its work.
• So the architect report gets presented with the data gathered and analyzed. The five options for consideration were presented. Instead of closing one elementary school, the long term report recommendation is to close the three oldest elementary schools, keeping three elementary schools to feed to one central middle school (yes, closing two other middle schools) all feeding to the one high school.
• How about that for generating some conversation?

Screen captures of the presentation deck shown during the meeting are available. https://photos.app.goo.gl/RB1AXrc4abYTPEm56

We all await the copy of the report to be posted to the Schools page so we can read and digest the remainder of it.


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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #scfa0930
https://twitter.com/hashtag/scfa0930?src=hashtag_click

• Ready for the SchComm Facility Analysis meeting to start. #scfa0930
• Meeting bridge just opened  #scfa0930
• Roll call of committee members but no protocol announcements. Stokes (chair) Pfeffer and Scofield present. Still in step 1 of the 5 step process #scfa0930 added COVID related spacing requirements to analysis
• Craig Olson, Kaestle Boos to present report. Report to be shared after meeting; preliminary report was shared in May, this is updated from that #scfa0930
• Data based report, all data pre COVID, #scfa0930 Capturing slides as they are shared, some we'll need to wait for report publication to see, he went to quick only video would have caught
• Adjusted zoom windows for better screen capture #scfa0930
• Individual school analysis for each school in report #scfa0930
• Oak and Keller #scfa0930
• Kennedy and Parmenter #scfa0930
• Jefferson #scfa0930
• Middle schools #scfa0930
• Enrollment projections not unique to Franklin a national issue with some areas)stares affected more than others #scfa0930
• Excess capacity in both elementary and middle School levels #scfa0930
• Key slide of options considered in report
• The various option slides part 1 of 2 #scfa0930
• Option slides part 2 of 2 #scfa0930
• Interesting recommendations to make one middle school, with 3 feeder elementary schools all to the FHS facility #scfa0930
• Now that the data is out the discussion can commence. Some folks won't like, it will take time to understand the implications #scfa0930
• Q on Title 1, student dependent, not school dependent. #scfa0930 redistricting is always an issue not so much for the students but for the parents
• Survey better to do sooner than later, #scfa0930 McKibben working on additional update for his demographics, will include the Oct 1 actual vs his model from last year. COVID is a major variable.
• Community info session to be scheduled on this, date to SchComm not yet set so it would be after Oct, early Nov, being defined via email. #scfa0930
• No recommendations to SchCom at this time, motion to adjourn, second, passed 3-0 via roll call
• That's all for schools for now, soon to be reporting on the listening session at 6:30, catch you there #scfa0930 

 

 

long term plan could close 5 school buildings

FHS golf schedule changes for Thu-Fri

Via HockomockSports.com we share the schedule changes for the FHS golf team

Golf

Attleboro @ Franklin – Postponed to Friday, 10/2 at 3:30. 

Friday’s match at Attleboro has been moved to Thursday, 10/1 at 3:00.

 

 

Results from around the Hockomock League on Wednesday

https://hockomocksports.com/wednesdays-schedule-scoreboard-09-30-20/

 

FHS golf schedule changes for Thu-Fri

 

Franklin Public Schools, MA: Send in your #wednesdaywisdom quotes!

"Send your ideas for FPS #wednesdaywisdom quotes to FPSVoice@Franklinps.net
 

#Wednesdaywisdom  

#Kindness 

#BeKind 

#Kindnessmatters "

https://t.co/2qUo7d6SSX

 

Shared from Twitter:  https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews/status/1311326594921902080?s=03

Franklin Public Schools, MA: Send in your #wednesdaywisdom quotes!

Town of Franklin, MA: Business Drop Box available for Mail in Ballots

"Welcome a newly designed official Town of Franklin Business Drop Box which will also service Mail in Ballots.

This is the only location for an official ballot drop box in Franklin.

Stay tuned here for more election updates through November!"

https://t.co/FGG0E35x71

 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1311378530371018761?s=03

Town of Franklin, MA:  Business Drop Box available for Mail in Ballots

MA FY 20 budget ends $700M in red; Legislature gears up for FY 21 budget in October

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:

"MASSACHUSETTS ENDED 2020 with a nearly $700 million budget gap, Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday, as he filed a proposed closeout budget with the Legislature.

Baker, in his filing letter, wrote that tax collections for the fiscal year that ended July 30, 2020, were $693 million below expectations, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Much of this was due to lower-than-anticipated sales tax revenues, as economic activity ground to a halt from mid-March to mid-May and only gradually rebounded. Deferral of business taxes, lower gaming revenue, and lower gasoline taxes also hurt the state’s bottom line.

But somewhat surprisingly, Baker wrote that income tax collections remained largely steady – likely due to a mix of people moving to remote work and people collecting unemployment benefits, which are taxed. The state also benefited from an influx in federal coronavirus relief money. "

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/massachusetts-ends-fiscal-2020-with-700-million-budget-hole/

From the Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA) we share an article of interest for Franklin:

"After keeping watch on the economy and state finances over the summer, the House and Senate budget committees are gearing up to attempt a full-year spending plan for fiscal 2021, which has been delayed due to uncertainties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the related recession.

So far this fiscal year, state spending has been governed by interim budgets to cover July 1 through the end of October. The state has made monthly payments to cities, towns and school districts, and has deducted assessments, using temporary rules that were updated in September based in part on fiscal 2020 amounts."

Continue reading the article online  https://www.mma.org/legislature-restarts-fy21-state-budget-process/

Senator Becca Rausch: Reflection on recent events - Newsletter - Sep 30, 2020

September 30, 2020

 
Friends,  
 
This is a really difficult moment in our nation’s story. Last night’s so-called debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump demonstrated the severity of this moment, as the current occupant of the White House not only refused to denounce white supremacy but rather directly incited violence from a known neo-fascist hate group, refused to state that he would accept the results of an independent certification of the upcoming election, and would not even engage in a mature, civilized debate.  
 
Against that backdrop, the profound and heartbreaking loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg feels like a wound reopened. Justice Ginsburg’s death would be heartbreaking at any moment, but it is particularly so at this moment. The threat of a majority anti-choice Supreme Court underscores how reproductive rights are still under attack, but this time with potentially devastating national consequences to the health, safety, and civil rights of people who are or might become pregnant.  
 
We must pass the ROE Act here in Massachusetts. If (and more likely, when) Roe v. Wade is overturned, the states will once again govern access to abortion and other aspects of reproductive health care. The abortion laws still on the books in our Commonwealth were enacted in 1974 by anti-choice legislators as an immediate response to Roe v. Wade. The ROE Act (S.1209/H.3320) is a critical step in guaranteeing that anyone, regardless of age, income, or insurance, can access safe, legal abortion here in Massachusetts. Abortion is health care, and as your State Senator, I will do everything I can to pass the bill.
 
For everyone reading this who is angry or fearful for the future to come, know that I see you, I hear you, and I'm right with you. I too am deeply concerned, but I promise you, whatever happens in Washington, I will continue fighting to advance intersectional justice, safeguard our elections from illegal interference and enhance ballot access, promote health care and reproductive freedom, and protect our democracy right here in our Commonwealth. It’s what I was sent to Beacon Hill to do, and I will not let you down, particularly amidst this national political crisis.
 
As always, if you or any of your loved ones in my district have fallen on hard times during this pandemic, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. My office line is 617-722-1555 and my email is becca.rausch@masenate.gov. We are here to help. You can also find robust resources to help you navigate through COVID-19 on my website.
 
Wishing you and your families strength, health, and resilience.   

Yours in service,

Senator Becca Rausch  

 

ROE Act https://prochoicemass.org/issue/expanding-abortion-access/

 

Senator Rausch COVID-19 resources  https://www.beccarauschma.com/coronavirus

 

This newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full contents follow this link:  https://mailchi.mp/7b5531ce69c1/maearlyvoting2020-12880084

 

The next Senator Rausch Virtual Office Hours will be this Friday, October 2,  from 10:00 AM – 11:00 a.m.   Sign up for a 15-minute appointment here.

 

 

Virtual Office Hours will be this Friday, October 2

 

MMA: "EPA considers new regulations on stormwater pollution in Charles River watershed"

From the Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA) we share an article of interest for Franklin: 

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notified stakeholders in the Charles River watershed on Aug. 13 that the agency is evaluating whether to introduce a new permit regulating stormwater runoff from private parties into the watershed.

A letter from the EPA’s New England Region stated that the agency is considering whether “a new program is needed to control stormwater pollution from certain commercial, industrial and institutional sources in the Charles River watershed at sites that are not currently covered by any existing federal or state stormwater permit.”

With a new permit, the EPA would be operating under its “residual designation authority,” a provision under the Clean Water Act that allows the agency, under certain conditions, to require permits for stormwater discharges that are not otherwise regulated."

Continue reading the article online

https://www.mma.org/epa-considers-new-regulations-on-stormwater-pollution-in-charles-river-watershed/

 

The Town of Franklin is already working towards a stormwater utility fee to help address the issue of stormwater runoff to the Charles River. 

 

Visit the Stormwater Division page for more info  https://www.franklinma.gov/stormwater-division

 

Check out your impervious coverage area

9th Annual Franklin Turkey Trot - Sponsors sign up now

This year The Franklin Food Pantry is holding its 9th Annual Franklin Turkey Trot 5K as a virtual race. The turkey trot will still officially run on Thanksgiving morning, November 26th, but each runner can run or walk their own personal 5K when it is most convenient for them. Once runners have finished the race, they can post a picture on social media sharing that they completed their run and use the hashtag #turkeytrot2020. All proceeds from this event go directly to the Franklin Food Pantry to provide quality healthy food to hungry families in our local community. In 2019, the over 1000 entrants, donors and sponsors raised almost $21,000!   

 

Funds received from sponsorships are used to purchase t-shirts for the first 100 registered race participants. Any additional money from sponsorships will go directly to support the Franklin Food Pantry.  We are excited to offer different sponsorship levels to meet your needs. Please go to http://weblink.donorperfect.com/TurkeyTrotSponsorship2020  to sign up today. Please make checks out to Franklin Food Pantry.

Presenting Sponsor $750

• Listed as a Presenting level sponsor on website (www.franklinturkeytrot.org) with logo and link 

• Listed as a Presenting level sponsor on website (www.franklinfoodpantry.org) with logo and link

• 6 :15 second spots on myfm 101.3 for two weeks prior to the event

• Featured thank you in Franklin Food Pantry newsletter

• Promotional materials in race pack

• Top billing of company logo on back of race t-shirt

• Included in all press releases

• 4 complimentary race entries and 4 race t-shirts

Gold Level Sponsor $500

• Listed as a Gold level sponsor on website (www.franklinturkeytrot.org) with logo and link

• Listed as a Gold level sponsor on website (www.franklinfoodpantry.org) with logo and link

• 6 :15 second spots on mfm 101.3 for two weeks prior to the event

• Promotional materials in race pack

• Included in all press releases

• Company logo on back of race t-shirt

• 2 complimentary race entries and 2 race t-shirts

Silver Level Sponsor $250

• Listed as a Silver level sponsor on website (www.franklinturkeytrot.org)

• Listed as a  Silver level sponsor on website (www.franklinfoodpantry.org) with logo and link

• Included in all press releases

• Company name on back of race t-shirt

• 1complimentary race entry and 1 race t-shirt

We sincerely thank you in advance for your generous support. If you have any questions please email Krystal Whitmore at franklinturkeytrot@gmail.com or Kim Cooper at kcooper@franklinfoodpantry.org. 

 

With gratitude,

Krystal Whitmore     Kim Cooper

Race Chair Donor Relations Manager

www.franklinturkeytrot.com www.franklinfoodpantry.org   

9th Annual Franklin Turkey Trot

Applications accepted October 1 - November 16

View this email in your browser FRANKLIN CULTURAL COUNCIL SEEKS FUNDING PROPOSALS The Franklin Cultural Council (FCC) has set a November 16th deadline for organizations, schools, and individuals to apply for grants that support cultural activities in the community. This funding encourages individuals, groups and not-for-profit organizations to bring to the community unique programming that centers around the arts, humanities, history or interpretive sciences for children, adults or intergenerational groups.    In 2019, the FCC gave out a record number of 38 grants. Previously funded projects include: programs/field trips for five of Franklin's schools (public and charter), Adaptive Dance for Adults with (dis) Abilities, LiveArts, Franklin Performing Arts Company Shakespeare on the Common, Southeastern MA Community Concert Band, and the Franklin Art Association, to name a few.   According to Kaye Kelly and Lillian Gould, FCC Co-chairs, these grants can support a variety of artistic projects and activities in Franklin or that benefit Franklin residents, including exhibits, festivals, field trips, short-term artist residencies or workshops, lectures, and performances in schools, the library, the senior center, or for the community at large.   While the focus of the proposals should remain similar to past years—community-oriented arts, humanities, and science programs—this year the FCC is encouraging new applicants to apply. All grant applications are due by Monday, November 16th.  Proposals that are past the deadline will not be considered. Log on to https://www.mass-culture.org/Franklin for grant guidelines and to apply. The online application opens October 1.   The Franklin Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community. Copyright © 2020 Franklin Cultural Council, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Franklin Cultural Council 355 East Central Street Franklin, Ma 02038

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The Franklin Police Department wants all survivors of domestic, and sexual violence to know that there are resources available to help. We made this short video to talk about it, and suggest the following links if you or someone you know needs assistance. New Hope, Inc. and the National Domestic Violence Hotline are valuable sources of information. 

As always, in an emergency please call 911

Shared from https://www.franklinma.gov/police-department/news/october-national-domestic-violence-awareness-month

Video link = https://youtu.be/rtU3Y4pNwoU

 

 

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The Franklin Town Clerks office is seeking election workers

"The Town Clerks office is seeking election workers for the upcoming elections.  If you are interested, please send an email to: smerullo@franklinma.gov

 
You will be sent a questionnaire and HR packet. 

Thank you! 

 

#elections #voters "  https://t.co/Oyam4z7O6w

 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1310976475970109440?s=03

The Franklin Town Clerks office is seeking election workers

Franklin Senior Center: Connection Newsletter for October 2020

CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

Your Monthly Franklin Senior Center Newsletter

 

To Receive This Newsletter Monthly or Other Town Notifications, Please Click Here

https://www.franklinma.gov/subscribe

To Read the October issue: https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/october_connection.pdf

 

Franklin Senior Center:  Connection Newsletter for October 2020

Commonwealth Magazine: Change to community approach for reopening for COVID-19

From CommonWealth Magazine we share 2 articles of interest for Franklin:

"THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION on Tuesday went all-in on its community-by-community approach to COVID-19, allowing lower-risk municipalities to move forward with reopening plans while putting cities and towns considered high risk on hold.

Since community-by-community COVID-19 data were broken out in August, the Baker administration has used the information to target testing and other resources where they are needed most. Now the governor is giving communities considered lower risk the green light to reopen businesses more quickly than communities considered high risk.

The shift in approach was accompanied by a change in nomenclature. The governor initially broke communities down based on their positive cases per 100,000 people over the previous two weeks. Those communities with more than 8 cases per 100,000 were considered high-risk, those with between 4 and 8 cases moderate risk, and those lower than 4 cases per 100,000 or fewer than 5 cases overall were considered low-risk. On a color-coded map, the four groupings were red for high risk, yellow for moderate risk, and green and gray for low risk.

On Tuesday, the governor and his top aides lumped all the yellow, green, and gray communities in the same low-risk category. "

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/baker-all-in-on-covid-19-community-approach/

 

 

"GOV. CHARLIE BAKER will allow more indoor performance and entertainment spaces to open on Monday, but only in communities deemed low-risk for transmission of COVID-19. His decision to continue with the state’s phased reopening comes as some epidemiologists are worried about signs of a potential new coronavirus spike.

Baker, at a State House press conference on Tuesday, said he believes the biggest risk comes from people gathering informally. With cooler weather coming, his goal is to allow people to gather indoors in as low-risk way as possible. “The unsupervised, the unorganized, the familiar being familiar is really where the greatest risk is,” Baker said. “If people are going to go inside, I’d much rather they go inside in an organized, supervised way with rules than in an unorganized, unsupervised ways with no rules.”

The new rules, which go into effect Monday, will let indoor performance venues open at 50 percent of capacity, with a maximum of 250 people, excluding performers. Large venues such as arenas, stadiums, and exhibition halls are not covered by the new rules; they will not be allowed to reopen until the final phase of the state’s reopening plan, which is predicated on having a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19.

Outdoor performance venues will be allowed to increase to 50 percent of capacity, also with a maximum of 250 people, up from 25 percent and 50 people now."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/government/despite-infection-concerns-baker-reopens-more-venues/

Gov Baker's press conf: https://youtu.be/dB_IobtBGO8