Franklin Matters

Monday, July 5, 2021

Franklin Annual Report - 2020: Building Inspection Department

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT

The Building Inspection Department is a multi-functional office responsible for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair and occupancy of all residential, commercial, business and industrial uses for both existing and new construction in accordance with the Massachusetts Building Code.

The department is responsible for the administration, interpretation and enforcement of the following codes:

Massachusetts State Building Code - 780CMR
Town of Franklin Code - Zoning – CH 185
Mass. Electrical Code – 527 CMR
Mass. Plumbing & Gas Code – 248 CMR
National Fuel Gas Code – NFPA 54-2002
Sealer of Weights and Measure – G.L. CH 98
Architectural Access Board – 521 CMR

Hours of Operation

The Building Inspection Department’s hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:00a.m.-4:00p.m., Wednesday 8:00a.m.-6:00p.m. and Friday 8:00a.m.- 1:00p.m.
For your convenience, you may visit our website: at www.franklinma.gov this site contains a series of forms easily accessible and available to download. The website provides permit applications, sample plot plans, sign regulations, swimming pool instruction manuals, shed/barn instruction manuals, zoning criteria and other information necessary to process a permit or to simply provide information to the public.

Building Department Staff
Building Commissioner/Zoning Officer: Lloyd Brown
Inspectors:
Inspector of Wires: Bernard Mullaney

Asst Wiring Inspector: James Loughlin

Plumbing/Gas Inspector: Richard Cornetta
Asst Plumb/Gas Inspector: Richard McCormick

Local Building Inspector: Stephen O’Neill

Sealer of Weights & Measurers: Comm. of Mass. /Div. of Standards

Staff Assistants
Judy Demers
Melissa Kiriacopoulos/Zoning Tyler Paslaski

Lloyd Brown, Commissioner of Buildings, is responsible for all construction trade inspectors, municipal maintenance and supervision of all construction, zoning interpretation and determination, pre-planning and review of all subdivisions and proposed construction and improvements and general input for all other municipal departments and construction-related inquiries.

FY 2020 started off with the promise of moving into online permitting and it didn’t disappoint. In short, our permit module Viewpoint was as smooth a transition as you could ask for. Our ZBA clerk Leeanne Kerwin worked with Chrissy Welton and IT to bring a much anticipated tool to the table. Leeanne moved onto a Job in the Town of Dighton and is sorely missed, as she was an outstanding employee.

Barbara Curran also a long time ZBA clerk for us retired at the beginning of the year. Barbara was as good as they get with over 20 years of service to the town. Melissa Kiriacopoulos was hired in January as ZBA clerk and has excelled as permit clerk as has Tyler Paslaski our latest hire.

Continue reading about the Building Inspection Department

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/files/town-franklin-annual-report-2020

Prior Annual Reports can be found online

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports

Franklin Annual Report - 2020: Building Inspection Department

SAFE Radio: Marijuana Regulation (audio)

In this episode, Jim Derrick and Dr. Anne Bergen talk about marijuana use disorder, the high amounts of THC in modern marijuana strains, and the bills being prepared to help regulate THC levels in medical marijuana.

Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/219dcc30-0022-4dec-b14e-e7a8c9fbebd5

Listen to SAFE Radio at 102.9 or wfpr.fm on Tuesdays at 11 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM

Subscribe for other episodes via Google Podcast (or your favorite app)

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vc2FmZS8

Franklin, MA: Past & Present Part 1 (video)

This is a video that highlights images of Franklin's past as compared to pictures that were taken from those same locations today

Video link = https://youtu.be/t_7iyGmbrCU

Sunday, July 4, 2021

4th of July Celebration - Sunday, July 4 - Schedule

Franklin 4th of July Celebration

Sunday, July 4

12-5 pm: Rides and food booths open (WRIST BANDS FROM 12-5PM)

12-1 pm: Michael Rivelis (solo acoustic)

1:30-3 pm: Granite Brass (bringing spirited music to those who served our country)

3:30-4:30 pm: Jamie Barrett (solo acoustic)

Check July 4th Coalition Facebook page for schedule updates

https://www.facebook.com/franklin4th/

Visit the July 4th Coalition page to donate and for other information

https://www.franklin4th.com/

Franklin July 4th Coalition

carnival ride from 2018 4th of July celebration

Franklin Annual Report - 2020: Board of Assessors

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS

Interim Revaluation
The interim revaluation of all real and personal property in the Town of Franklin was completed Fall 2019 in preparation for Actual Fiscal Year 2020 3rd quarter tax bills. Following is a brief review of that achievement.

Data Collection
Eighteen years have now passed since we installed the real estate valuation and assessment administration software developed by Patriot Properties, Inc. Because our start-up data was from a different form of valuation system and most of our data had not been refreshed in nearly ten years, it was necessary to complete a town- wide data recollection program prior to finalizing the FY 2005 valuations. Patriot Properties was hired for this task. Over the past 15 years, our appraisal staff has performed the on-going property exterior measuring and interior inspecting for all real estate classes. Such reviews are done for the Department of Revenue (DOR) required cyclical program, as well as for building permitted changes, pre-appraisal, abatement and sales verifications.

Field Review
In addition to individual property on-site review, field reviews are required periodically to check for obvious data accuracy and consistency. This drive-by review provides another level of assurance that when valuation schedules are applied, the results will be “Fair and Equitable”.

Commercial/Industrial/Apartment Valuations

Annually there are analyses of sales data as well as income & expense market data. The Board contracted Patriot to work with our Director to establish an income approach to value for each property. All requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue were met through final approval of the FY 2020 valuations.

Sales Analysis
The majority of the sales analysis was completed by September 2019, and the interpretation of sales continued through the next two stages of valuation. The town-wide program resulted in a valuation system that was applied uniformly throughout the town, while reflecting all the adjustments warranted individually and by neighborhood, to result in “Full and Fair Cash Values” as per Massachusetts General Law.

Value Generation
A system of valuation was established based on valid property sales and where applicable the income approach to value. These schedules
concluded from the market were then uniformly applied to all taxable and exempt real property.

Final Value Review
Final reviews were completed in preparation for the DOR review. These include studies of various computer- generated reports to check for value consistency, final field checks required, and for DOR documentation and its analyses.

DOR Review & Final Approval
Any on-site and statistical reviews by the DOR took place from April to September 2019. The appraisal staff provided files, generated property records, answered questions and addressed any concerns. At the conclusion of the DOR review, we were granted approval authorizing public disclosure.

Public Disclosure
The DOR approved valuations were available for disclosure to the property owners. While the administrative staff provided property record cards and general data reviews, the appraisers conducted informal hearings on valuations.

Personal Property
Business assets and those of utilities are reviewed for valuation as taxable Personal Property. For nineteen fiscal years we have engaged the specialized services of Real Estate Research Consultants (RRC) in the discovery and valuation of these accounts. These services have served us well, resulting in DOR approval and consistently defendable valuations. Also, considerable new growth has been certified annually. Additionally, the RRC Personal Property Software installed in our office has benefited us. The personal property valuation formulas are very straightforward, and the administrative capabilities have met our needs.

Classification Hearing & Tax Commitment
Following some discussion and a few presentations relative to single versus split tax rates, the Council approved a single tax rate at $14.51 per $1,000 of taxable value as calculated by the Board for all property classes. The tax commitment and mailing were timely for an actual 3rd quarter tax bill.

Abatement Reviews
Upon mailing of the tax bills and on or before the due date of the first actual bill, property owners have an opportunity to file an Abatement Application on the basis of overvaluation or misclassification. 60 abatements applications were filed of 11,681 taxable accounts, or just over 1/2 of 1%. Generally those with merit were resolved through our conducting a complete on-site exterior measuring and interior inspection. Usually a valuation discrepancy is the result of a data error or as a result of an inspection appointment not being arranged and thus the property data having been “estimated”.

Continue reading about the Board of Assessors