Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
"The Franklin Girls Track Team finished in third place today at the Division 1 South Championship Track and Field Meet. Katelynn Taylor scored in two events. Katelynn won the shot put breaking the FHS school record. She also broke the FHS school record in the discus .... "
"... Jill Fenerty won the 400 meters, breaking her own person best in that event. Lindsey Morse finished second in the high jump and scored in the triple jump. Ava Fraulo finished 3rd in the high jump. Freshman Lily Deforge placed in two events. " https://twitter.com/FHSSports/status/1406918273359355906
" @Kate22Taylor impressive performance yesterday at Sectionals (1st in Shot Put and 2nd in Discus) earns her spots in both events at States this weekend in Norwell. @tommycassell44 @HockomockSports @FHSSports @MIAA033" https://twitter.com/fhs_throwers/status/1406916989810057218
"The Hockomock League Principals and Athletic Directors are pleased to announce the 31st Annual Hockomock League Scholar Athlete Awards. The twenty-four athletes that are being honored have been selected by the Administration of their respective schools and represent the top student athletes in the Hockomock League based on academics, athletic participation, sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship. They have all successfully balanced a demanding academic schedule along with participation in athletics as well as many extra-curricular activities during their high school career. To be selected for this award represents four years of dedication and commitment, and we are proud of all their accomplishments. We hope that these student-athletes will put all of their experiences over the past four years to good use and that those experiences will help guide them through the challenges ahead.
We congratulate the parents and guardians for your contributions and guidance as you have enabled your child to reach this level of excellence. We are certain that the foundation you have given them will carry them through future endeavors."
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2021 SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:
ATTLEBORO: Diana Blouin and Michael Strachan Jr.
CANTON: Stephanie Trendell and Jack Hernon
FOXBORO: Emma Dahl and Christian Cusack
FRANKLIN: Katelynn Taylor and Colman Flynn
KING PHILIP: Katarina Schneider and Cole Breen
MANSFIELD: Lindsay Devine and Jack Taylor
MILFORD: Eva Parson and Jack Jansons
NORTH ATTLEBORO: Olivia Etienvre and Andrew Faris
OLIVER AMES: Samantha Streton and Matthew Nikiciuk
SHARON: Brynne Aidlin-Perlman and Kiran Chandrasekaran
Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell today reiterated the importance he places on the Registry’s use of social media platforms to communicate directly with the citizens of Norfolk County.
“At the Registry of Deeds,” noted O’Donnell, “we put a priority on communicating with Registry users. Just because our doors close at the end of the business day doesn’t mean the Registry has to stop working for you. For example, our website www.norfolkdeeds.org allows people to look up and view over 13 million scanned images with some 40 million pages of land documents dating back to the Registry’s beginnings in 1793. Additionally, users can access our website to learn about our latest consumer protection programs. I also want people to know that Registry information is accessible not just from workstations and laptops, but also from their smartphones and tablets.”
Register O’Donnell further noted that you can print out an application of the popular Homestead Act. A Homestead provides a homeowner with limited protection against the forced sale of their primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000.
Norfolk County residents can also sign-up on-line for its free Consumer Notification Service. This program will alert a person anytime a land document has been recorded against their name in Norfolk County. Additionally, there is valuable county real estate information that can be researched and tracked. Someone interested in the number of residential and commercial properties sold or the average prices of property sold can find that information.
Besides the Registry website, other forms of social media utilized by the Registry of Deeds include Facebook, facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds and Twitter, twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds. “The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds,” noted the Register, “has utilized Facebook and Twitter to provide information to the general public. By utilizing these platforms, Norfolk County residents can learn more about home ownership and other consumer initiatives like protecting themselves against Deed Scam rip-offs, along with other outreach services, including learning about Registry office hours in their local community.”
The Registry has also filmed multiple public service announcements (PSA’s) which are available on the Registry’s website and YouTube. These PSA’s have touched on a variety of issues such as assistance for residents who have received a Notice to Foreclose Mortgage from a lender.
Concluding, Register O’Donnell stated, “At the Registry of Deeds, we recognize the value of using social media platforms to forward important information to Norfolk County residents. If you have questions related to real property, I urge you to take a look at our social media offerings. As important as these social media offerings are, the Registry of Deeds has a Customer Service Center at 1-781-461-6101 where members of the public can seek assistance.”
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.
Register O'Donnell Promotes Registry of Deeds' Social Media
"In November, an independent team of academics and public-health experts who called themselves the Covid Rapid Response Working Group gathered on Zoom to puzzle over what had by then become the pandemic’s most vexing challenge: how to make all schools safe for full-time, in-person learning as quickly as possible. Schools had not proved to be a hotbed of coronavirus transmission, but beyond that the research was complicated, and communities were divided about how to balance the risks. Some people wanted a full reopening, immediately, no exceptions. Others were terrified to return at all.
So far, there was no national plan for how to move forward. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was advising everyone to wear masks and remain six feet apart at all times. But that guidance was a significant impediment to any full-bore reopening, because most schools could not maintain that kind of distance and still accommodate all their students and teachers. It also left many questions unanswered: How did masks and distancing and other strategies like opening windows fit together? Which were essential? Could some measures be skipped if others were followed faithfully?"
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Danielle Allen, head of the Safra Center at Harvard, led Covid Rapid Response Working Group. You may recall that she also recently declared she would be running for MA Governor.
"When smothering heat and humidity overtake the cool of spring, a familiar quest for relief begins, usually a trek to the basement or attic to dig out the window unit that’s been dormant all winter, or flipping on the central air. It brings welcome, sometimes lifesaving cool.
It is also a growing contributor to the already perilous climate problem. And in New England’s heat wave early this month — five days of 90 degree-plus heat, the longest June heat wave in nearly a century — peak electricity demand from air conditioning put 36 million extra pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere."
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1. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others. b. Chair to identify Council Members participating remotely
2. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
None Scheduled
4. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS a. Police Department Recognition: Patrol Officer David Mellor b. Fire & Police Department Recognition: Winter Street Incident
5. APPOINTMENTS a. Annual Reappointments
6. HEARINGS - 7:10pm None Scheduled
7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
S&J Restaurant, LLC d/b/a Sierra’s Brick Oven Pizza & Pub, New Common Victualer All Alcohol License and Approval of Manager, located at 648 Old West Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038.
Proof Restaurant, LLC d/b/a Proof, New Common Victualer All Alcohol License and Approval of Manager, located at 862 West Central Street, 2nd Floor, Franklin, MA 02038.
8. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS Open Meeting Law (OML) Complaint from Patrick Higgins: Failure to approve Town Council meeting minutes in a timely manner.
9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS a. Capital Budget Subcommittee b. Budget Subcommittee c. Economic Development Subcommittee
10. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION 10a. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION Resolution 21-33: Expenditure - Recreation Department Expenses, Fletcher Fund (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-33 - Majority Vote) 10b. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION Resolution 21-34: Appropriation - Franklin Downtown Zoning and Marketing Capital Account (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-34 - Majority Vote) 10c. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION Resolution 21-35: FY21 Appropriation Transfers (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-35 - Majority Vote) 10d. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION Resolution 21-36: Gift acceptance - Police, $100 (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-36 - Majority Vote) 10e. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION Resolution 21-37: Termination of the Veteran’s Services Agreement (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-37 Majority Vote) 10f. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION Resolution 21-26: Gift Acceptance - Historical Museum, $100 (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-26 - Majority Vote) 10g. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION Zoning Bylaw Amendment 21-874: Amendment to CH. 185 Section 21 Parking, Loading, and Driveway Requirements - Referral to the Planning Board (Motion to Refer Bylaw Amendment 21-874 to the Planning Board - Majority Vote)
11. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
13. COUNCIL COMMENTS
14. EXECUTIVE SESSION a. Exception #2: Contract negotiations with non-union personnel, namely: Town Administrator b. Exception #3: Strategy with respect to collective bargaining: all eight Town unions
15. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION a. Ratify collective bargaining agreements relative to Juneteenth holiday, subject to Executive Session outcome.
Legislation for action: Resolution 21-38: Ratify collective bargaining agreements relative to Juneteenth holiday (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-38 Majority Vote) b. Vote on approving Administrator contract, subject to Executive Session outcome Legislation for action: Resolution 21-39: Approval of Town Administrator’s Contract (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-39 Majority Vote)
ADJOURN
Note:
Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes
Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting
