Franklin Residents: Beaver St Recycling Center - Open Hours Changed for Winter

This information is specific to the Beaver Street Recycling Center, located at 445 Beaver Street.

Hours of Operation:

• Tuesday 12-3 (April through November only)
• Friday & Saturday 8-3
• Sunday 9-1

 
Please remember that cash is not accepted at the recycling center; payments may be made by check, credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard and Discover). 

*Due to Covid restrictions, the Recycling Center is currently only accepting credit card payments.
 
For additional information, please visit our Additional Resources page (https://www.franklinma.gov/recycling-solid-waste/pages/resources).
 
Bulk Items NOT accepted at the Recycling Center include: indoor furniture, tables, chairs, sofas, carpet, broken/soiled mattresses, and foam mattresses. These items can be picked up alongside your curbside service. Call Waste Management @ (800) 972 - 4545 to schedule.

 

Shared from Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/931498886934582/posts/3653176918100085/

and the Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/recycling-solid-waste/pages/recycling-center

Beaver St Recycling Center - Open Hours Changed for Winter

Franklin Police: "fill-a-cruiser" toy drive - Nov 27

Franklin Police (@franklinpolice) tweeted at 11:15 AM on Thu, Nov 19, 2020:

 Franklin Police: "fill a cruiser" toy drive 

Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/xBipFTurhm

@OakStElementary shares news on a $5K award from Staples for @mrs_perro

"Congratulations to Mrs. Perro! Thanks to our parent community she was a WINNER in the @StaplesStores #ThankATeacher campaign, and Oak Street was awarded $5,000 worth of Staples supplies.  

Thank Staples Thank you @AngelaKinsey and HUGE Thank you to @mrs_perro!" 

https://t.co/7kXSVUW8c6

@OakStElementary shares news on a $5K award from Staples for @mrs_perro

View this email in your browser  https://mailchi.mp/art/new_10m_covid_relief-546250?e=b386273bd4 New $10M Grant Program Provides State Cultural Organizations COVID Relief   Mass Cultural Council to Administer Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Program in Partnership with Baker-Polito Administration's Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development  BOSTON – The Mass Cultural Council, in partnership with the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development, has launched the Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Grant Program, which offers grant assistance to Massachusetts nonprofit cultural organizations negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This new $10 million initiative is part of the Baker-Polito Administration's Economic Recovery Plan. Of the $10 million, $2 million will be dedicated to supporting small cultural nonprofits, in alignment with the FY20 COVID supplemental budget.   "The Commonwealth's cultural institutions are a vital component of our identify and this grant program arrives at a crucial time for those organizations that have suffered significantly as a result of the pandemic," said Governor Charlie Baker. "I'm pleased we can target these resources toward these necessary institutions as we continue working to ensure they survive and thrive long into the future."    Cultural organizations have suffered staggering economic loss in recent months because of the COVID-19 public health crisis with a reported $484 million in lost revenue and more than 30,000 cultural jobs impacted. The Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Grant Program will efficiently distribute funds to organizations that urgently need them. The deadline to apply for funding is Friday, December 11, 2020; grant awards will be distributed early in calendar year 2021. "We are so pleased with this collaboration with the Baker-Polito Administration," said David T. Slatery, Acting Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. "Our cultural sector has been financially devastated by the pandemic. This vital new program will provide urgently needed relief to cultural organizations across the Commonwealth. We know that the cultural sector must be completely restored for the Commonwealth's economy to fully recovery."   "The cultural sector has a strong history of enriching the lives of Massachusetts residents through an approach that promotes education, inclusion, and diversity," said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. "Recognizing the importance of this sector's mission, this grant program will allow us to focus our support for these organizations and institutions so they can continue to play a significant role in our daily lives." Since March, 898 cultural organizations have responded to Mass Cultural Council's four COVID economic impact surveys. These organizations collectively identify more than $116.8 million in COVID-related capital improvements and non-capital recovery strategies necessary to reopen and safely reengage with the public. Sixty-two percent of these organizations have made the difficult decision to layoff or furlough employees or reduce their wages and/or hours – choices that have impacted 30,616 cultural employees statewide.   "I'm grateful to the Mass Cultural Council for their collaborative efforts to support this vital sector," said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. "Not only are these institutions vital to our culture and history, they also generate commerce in key areas across the Commonwealth, they attract visitors from out of state, and the industry employs a large workforce with skillsets that are unique and specialized." The Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Grant Program will grant cultural organizations up to $100,000, or three months of supported operating expenses. On an extremely limited basis, Mass Cultural Council and EOHED reserve the right to award a small number grants worth up to $500,000 for organizations experiencing extraordinary losses. An organization must demonstrate extraordinary need and show that they face remarkable challenges that threaten its viability for this higher award amount to be considered. Program guidelines, eligibility requirements, and the grant application for the Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Grant Program are available online (https://massculturalcouncil.org/organizations/cultural-organization-economic-recovery-program/). out the Mass Cultural Council Mass Cultural Council is an independent state agency that promotes excellence, inclusion, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and sciences, fosters a rich cultural life for all Massachusetts residents, and contributes to the vitality of our communities and economy. The Council pursues this mission through a wide range of grants, initiatives, and advocacy for artists, communities, organizations, and schools.

MBTA: Franklin Line notice - shuttle bus -through December 20

On weekends through Dec 20, buses replace service on the Franklin Line at Forge Park through Walpole to allow for double-track extension work. They will operate on a normal train schedule. Trains will operate between Norwood Central and S. Station

The shuttle buses will operate on the normal weekend train schedule and will be ADA accessible, though bikes will not be allowed on board. Trains may experience delays of up to 20 minutes due to the shuttle busing, please allow for additional travel time.

Visit mbta.com/FRKwork and mbta.com/FRKdoubletrack for more details.

Last Updated: Nov 20 2020 12:15 PM

If you want to take the train to Boston, drive to Walpole (park there) and avoid the shuttle.

MBTA: Franklin Line notice - shuttle bus -through December 20

"House, Senate budgets contain plenty of policy proposals"

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

"So much for a “narrow” budget.

When the House and Senate Ways and Means committees released their fiscal 2021 budget proposals, both were relatively narrow with few policy initiatives. Chairs Aaron Michlewitz and Michael Rodrigues both stressed the need to adopt the budget on a quick time frame, with the state’s temporary budget expiring at the end of November and the fiscal year already five months in. House Speaker Robert DeLeo said at a Massachusetts Association of Health Plans conference that the budget “is not an appropriate place for major policy reform.”

But through the amendment process, lawmakers have now adopted numerous significant policy proposals. Whether a conference committee will be able to resolve differences quickly remains to be seen. Gov. Charlie Baker has line item veto power over the budget, so policy proposals could also die on his desk – although Democrats, with a veto-proof majority in both bodies, could override him.

The most obvious example is a provision expanding abortion access, which was passed in similar forms by the House and Senate. Senate Republican Leader Bruce Tarr objected to having a major policy proposal taken up in a lame duck budget session, as did Baker – though the governor did not say whether he would veto it."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/house-senate-budgets-contain-plenty-of-policy-proposals-2/

 

 

Franklin's weekend Nov 21-22, 2020

A relatively quiet weekend to enjoy. Be safe, be social at a distance (and masked!)

Saturday, November 21
9:00am - Help decorate downtown Franklin
10:00am - Winter Farmers Market

Sunday, November 22
1:00pm - Historical Museum (open and free admission)

Find the full calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6
 

Community Calendar

 

Town Council Budget Subcommittee - meeting recap - Nov 18, 2020

Quick recap:

•  "incredibly good news" on FY 2021 budget compared to what had been feared in June 2020
• Added back $75K to both Town Clerk and Recreation budgets based upon requirements and changes due to the pandemic
• Adjusted new growth number back upwards and then recommended to set aside $850K in the Budget Stabilization account. This had been emptied by withdrawals to balance the recent budgets
  

 

Budget Subcommittee agenda and supporting documents: https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/budget_subcommittee_agenda.pdf

Photos captured during the meeting and shared with the Twitter thread can be found online https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ksn5Q4qwUrcJ3Eq36

----
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  #bsc1118
https://twitter.com/hashtag/bsc1118?src=hashtag_click

• Chair Matt Kelly opens meeting reading protocol statement and connection info #bsc1118
• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen provides update on FY 2021, "incredibly good news". 2 minor adjustments for budget to Town Clerk and Recreation budget lines. Also recommending putting $850K into budget stabilization fund #bsc1118
• Major change in calculation comes from adjusted new growth over what had been the forecast at the beginning of the pandemic. Effectively, building for the most part has continued hence the growth adjustment #bsc1118 hotel/motel revenue down and no surprise there
• Revenue sheet talked to by Jamie #bsc1118
• Additional sheets with COVID federal funding accounted for which all dries up 12/31/20. #bsc1118 Federal action may happen but not willing to bet on it. Q on CARES act what happens in Jan, can still apply for FEMA reimbursement. At some point that will also run dry
• Looking at run rate, we could need $1M to $1.5 M in the capital funding that we don't propose using until we know more. #bsc1118 global supply is getting tough, supplies are getting hard to come by. After winter with snow/ice behind us, we could look at capital
• Otherwise we have the funding set aside to prepare for some contingency. Health insurance also a positive move and credit to the Human Resources dept and insurance group. Unemployment insurance is one area over budget #bsc1118 anticipating to level out over the year
• Schools did have layoffs, town did some furloughs, likely to be able to bring the Library folks in Jan 2021. Q on maintenance contracts requiring extension in lieu of the capital budget on hold. No issues raised from department heads at this time. #bsc1118
• Would still like to see equipment requests for capital rather than wait. #bsc1118 Kelly - we need to thank the town folks for asking the hard questions; making the adjustments. "We got $200k less than last year and Wayland gets more. I don't think they are fighting hard enough"
• #bsc1118 thanks for keeping folks in Franklin out of an override once again. Memo coming to outline a budget calendar, we will get the full plan on capital requests. Will have likely in Jan, three votes in recommendations.
• #bsc1118 motion to add $75k for recreation budget; motion to add $75k for town clerk budget; motion for setting $853k to budget stabilization fund; all three motions passed - possible vote 3-0 for sure, Kelly, Hamblen, Mercer, didn't see anyone else (Note: Pellegri is listed as a member, was at Town Council meeting after but did not speak or was shown via the broadcast for this meeting)
• Motion to adjourn, passed (same 3-0) vote. Catch you shortly at Town Council meeting at 7. #bsc1118

 

sheet showing the two additions of $75 and the set aside of $850K

Finance Committee meeting recap - Nov 17, 2020

Quick Recap:

• The Finance Committee gets an update on the Beaver St interceptor, effectively a shorter and concise review of what the Town Council received at their Oct 21, 2020 meeting.
• The finance options are expected to be ready in January 2021. It is likely that the sewer rate payers will absorb the cost of the project as it is user based. A better understanding of how much is due in January.
• The balance of the meeting was discussion on topics for future meetings.
  

The Oct 21, 2020 Town Council meeting segment with the Beaver St interceptor presentation and discussion  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/fm-372-town-council-mtg-102120-part-2.html

The Finance Committee posted agenda including the interceptor project presentation document  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/11/franklin-ma-finance-committee-agenda_14.html

Photos of the meeting shared via Twitter can be found in one album

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fHPczB9FKC5P67U16

----
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  #fincom1117
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Fincom1117&src=typeahead_click

• #fincom1117 meeting starts on time
• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen also remote for this meeting #fincom1117
• Jamie provides an overview of the presentation and introduces Brutus who will get into the details. Finance plan desired for Town Council discussion on Jan 2021 #fincom1117
• Interceptor over 100 years old, did well but is in need of repair/ replacement before something major happens. Couldn't have been built in a worse spot. I&I has overtime taken 1m gallons of flow out of the pipe. #fincom1117
• Interesting slide depicts the flow high to low, all gravity fed. Also the brown on top shows how deep the pipe is, and an indication of the trouble to repair (i.e. access to it) #fincom1117
• #fincom1117 three options/alternatives for work: attempting to do pro/con analysis for the options to develop a weighed average
• Catching up to this meeting status, distracted by hearing about the #schcomm1117 workshop that was canceled and I did not find out about. Brutus did finish his overview, stay tuned for the real finance details sometime in Jan 2021. Now on discussion of future topics
• Mention of SchComm budget workshop now scheduled for December 1. #schcomm1117 #fincom1117
• #fincom1117 question for future SchComm update can cover; what are steps and lanes? also how are we keeping the three small schools when we have lost about 1200 students over the years? buildings are expensive, principals are also?
• "This is must see TV" the tax rate hearing may generate interest. #fincom1117 discussion on getting interest, this is where it happens. Motion to adjourn, seconded, passed So that will be all for tonight folks. One full meeting and one partial wait for, catch you next time

key slide shows the gravity flow of the sewerage along with the depth of the service access points

Panther News Friday, November 20, 2020

Panther News Friday, November 20, 2020

Video link = https://youtu.be/3sAXSd7BsJo

Thanksgiving Food And Wine, What To Serve With The Bird 2020 (audio)

The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) = Episode 138
Topic:  Thanksgiving Food And Wine, What To Serve With The Bird 2020

Released by:  The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW)

Audio link: https://soundcloud.com/user-492543397/episode-138thanksgiving-food-and-wine-what-to-serve-with-the-bird-2020

You can listen to The Wonderful World of Wine on wfpr.fm with Mark Lenzi, Kim Simone. All about wine, its culture, lore and finer points

• Wednesday's at 10:00 AM / 1:00 PM / 7:00 PM     Saturday's - 1:00 PM
  

 

The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) · Episode 138-Thanksgiving Food And Wine, What To Serve With The Bird 2020

Winter Farmers Market - Nov 21

Our first Winter Farmers Market begins this Saturday! Mark those calendars from 10 AM - 2 PM.

Who is as excited as we are?

Take a peak at some of our amazing (and more) vendors that will be here this weekend. Make sure to come on down!

• 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕞𝕒𝕕𝕖 𝕓𝕪 𝕙𝕓𝕜
• Eric's Sharper Edge
• Boston Sword & Tuna
• Medway Community Farm
• Simply Simple Farm
• Pangea Cuisines...and so many more! 

 

Find updates at the Fairmount Farm Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/fairmountfruitfarm/  

Winter Farmers Market - Nov 21

"Red communities double; Lawrence cases keep rising"; Franklin rising too

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

"THE NUMBER of communities considered high risk for COVID-19 doubled again this week, while the number of deaths statewide continued to creep upward at a much slower pace.

Three weeks ago the Baker administration revised the metrics it uses to determine a high-risk community, which caused the number to drop from 121 to 16. Since then, the number of high-risk, or red, communities has started rising again, going from 16 three weeks ago to 31 a week ago to 62 on Thursday.

Lawrence, where state and local officials have been trying for weeks to rein in the disease, continued to slip out of control. The municipality reported a whopping 108.1 cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks and a positive test rate (positive tests divided by total tests) of 13.01 percent. Last week, Lawrence was at 82.6 cases per 100,000 people with a positive test rate of 11.78 percent."

Continue reading the article online  https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/red-communities-double-lawrence-cases-keep-rising/

The Franklin case numbers continue to climb rapidly. The Town chart updated as of 11/18/20 shows 104, the State chart updated 11/19/20 shows 116.  https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-public-health-report-november-19-2020/download

The Franklin chart   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/covid-19_case_counts_17.pdf

The Franklin COVID-19 case numbers continue to climb rapidly

 

Commonwealth Magazine: "In-person learning now considered ‘high risk’ by CDC"; "Parents frustrated"

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

"THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL for Disease Control and Prevention quietly removed controversial guidelines from its website promoting in-person learning in schools, and instead is now listing it as “high risk.”

The disputed guidance was composed of documents written by political appointees outside of the agency. One of the documents stated that children appear to be at lower risk for contracting COVID-19 compared to adults and that children are unlikely to be major spreaders of the virus, according to The Hill. The CDC removed the guidance from its website without public announcement some time in late October.

“Some of the prior content was outdated and as new scientific information has emerged the site has been updated to reflect current knowledge about COVID-19 and schools,” a spokesperson told the news outlet.

Now the website says “the body of evidence is growing that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and contrary to early reports might play a role in transmission,” and lists in-person learning as high risk."

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/in-person-learning-now-considered-high-risk-by-cdc-2/

The CDC page with school guidance  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html

Reports from American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association released this week:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/11/17/covid-19-over-1-million-kids-infected-study/6324129002/

 

Parents frustrated, concerned with pandemic school year, poll finds

"THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Massachusetts K-12 students are either learning remotely from home or in a hybrid model that mixes in-person and at-home instruction, and most parents have a dim view of how the school year upended by the coronavirus pandemic is affecting their children.

Those are among the findings from a new poll of Massachusetts parents, who offer particularly negative reviews of hybrid learning. Meanwhile, pandemic “pods,” in which families share childcare and remote learning supervision, are not that common, despite the flurry of national and local attention they’ve received, according to the survey conducted by the MassINC Polling Group.

Overall, more than half of Massachusetts parents (52 percent) think the school year that’s been completely reshaped by the pandemic is having a negative impact on their child’s academic learning. Similar numbers of parents say the school year is having negative effects on their child’s mental health, social and behavioral skills, and opportunities for friendship. "

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/parents-frustrated-concerned-with-pandemic-school-year-poll-shows/

 

Help Raise Some Dough for ALS at Franklin's HoneyDew

Purchase The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter Donut @ Participating Honey Dew Donuts Locations

100% of Proceeds Raised Go Directly to The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter

• 213 East Central St, Franklin
• 405 West Central St, Franklin 

Download your copy of the flyer as a reminder:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FkDPVXgmWVkfzkrt74FZ5kSMHaXYBPoq/view?usp=sharing

   

 Help Raise Some Dough for ALS at HoneyDew