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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 *
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Senate Passes Sweeping Social Equity Cannabis
Senate Passes Sweeping Social Equity Cannabis Bill
The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed S.2801, An Act Relative to Equity in the Cannabis Industry. Through the creation of a new fund that aims to support equity in the cannabis industry and improvements to the local licensing process, the bill levels the industry playing field to help members of communities disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement take part in the Commonwealth's growing cannabis market.
"I'm proud that when the Senate and the Legislature legalized the commercial marijuana industry in 2017, we prioritized the creation of a first-in-the-nation equity program," said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "Unfortunately, many barriers continue to prevent those historically harmed by marijuana prohibition from entering the industry. Today's bill takes important steps to address these by providing resources to support social equity businesses and putting guardrails in place on the Host Community Agreement process. I thank Chair Rodrigues and Senator Chang-Diaz for their work to bring this legislation forward."
"The legislation we passed today builds upon the goals that we have always had for the cannabis industry here in the Commonwealth - protecting consumers, supporting small business, and promoting social equity," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "I want to thank Senate President Spilka for her leadership, along with Senator Chang-Diaz, Senator Cyr, Senator Jehlen and others for advocating to make sure Massachusetts remains a cannabis industry leader. Ultimately, this bill passed by the Senate promotes the continued growth of a competitive and equitable industry here in our state and I hope to see it advance to the Governor's desk very soon."
"Addressing racial justice in our state means getting real about closing our cavernous racial wealth divide," said Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-Boston). "With this bill, Massachusetts will reclaim our leadership role, carving a path to make equity a reality in the cannabis industry. Lowering entry costs and opening up new avenues to capital will put this multi-billion dollar industry within reach for many talented equity entrepreneurs."
"When we passed recreational cannabis legislation five years ago, we sought to ensure the Commonwealth's budding cannabis industry would be equitable, diverse, and have ample avenues of entry for small-scale and Black and Brown-led entrepreneurship," said Assistant Majority Whip Julian Cyr (D-Truro). "Regrettably, the Legislature's intention to build an industry rooted in social justice has not yet been fully realized. Today we are living up to that promise by establishing guardrails on host-community agreements, allowing communities interested in pursuing social consumption sites to do so, and empowering a strong, vibrant, local cannabis industry with a robust cannabis equity fund."
"Limiting the cost of operation is part of promoting social equity and repairing harm to communities harmed by War On Drugs, by lowering one of many barriers to entry with the host community agreement reform in this bill," said Senator Patricia Jehlen (D-Somerville). "I hope this new bill is even clearer in stating the intent of the law and the ability of the CCC to achieve the goals of promoting social equity. High costs of cannabis have helped preserve the illicit market for cannabis and this bill will take significant steps to expand business opportunities and lower costs across the commonwealth."
Social Equity Fund
The bill builds upon existing Massachusetts law, which legalized adult-use cannabis and made a first-in-the-nation commitment to equity in the cannabis industry. A combination of high entry costs and lack of access to capital have kept many would-be entrepreneurs from taking part, resulting in fewer than seven percent of cannabis licenses in Massachusetts going to social equity businesses.
Opening an average cannabis retail shop can require $1 to $1.5 million in liquidity, and the numbers are even higher for manufacturing facilities --at around $3-$5 million. Since federal cannabis laws prevent these businesses from accessing traditional bank loans, lack of capital can pose an insurmountable barrier, leaving many entrepreneurs vulnerable to predatory financial deals and damaging equity partnerships. The social equity fund, created by the legislation, would facilitate new access to capital by making grants and loans, including forgivable and no-interest loans, to equity applicants. The fund has the support of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), whose commissioners voted unanimously to endorse the idea earlier this legislative session. The fund will receive ten percent of annual revenue collected from the marijuana excise tax (an estimated $18 million for FY2023). Massachusetts is poised to join a handful of other states in pioneering this program.
Host Community Agreements
The bill also responds to concerns about the process of negotiating Host Community Agreements (HCAs), which have been identified as a key factor in keeping industry entry costs high. The bill re-affirms that fees in HCAs cannot exceed three percent of a cannabis business' annual gross sales and must be reasonably related to the costs associated with hosting a cannabis business in a city or town.
Other components of the bill include:
- Incentives for municipalities to prioritize equity, through a portion of the marijuana excise tax that is distributed to cities and towns that host social equity marijuana businesses. This is cost-neutral to the consumer.
- A requirement that the CCC establish rules and regulations for municipalities to promote full participation in the industry by previously harmed communities.
- Clarifications to the existing law's authorization of social consumption businesses, clearing a path for municipalities to permit on-site cannabis consumption businesses in their city or town via local ordinance as well as local referendum. Currently, many residents, particularly renters and those who live in public housing, do not have a location where they may legally consume cannabis products, even nine years since voters approved medical marijuana and five years since the approval of adult use.
The bill now moves to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for further consideration.
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2801
Franklin Health Department: April is Minority Health Month
April is Minority Health Month. The goal is to eliminate disproportionate preventable illnesses in minority populations.
Learn more: www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov
www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov |
An Act relative to the creation of a women’s rights history trail
The Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday unanimously passed S.2802, An Act relative to the creation of a women’s rights history trail. The legislation celebrates the rich history of the women’s rights movement and contributions women have made across the Commonwealth.
Each year, thousands of tourists visit Boston to walk the Freedom Trail, to learn about the founding of our nation and walk in the history of our founding fathers. This legislation would allow residents and visitors alike to follow a similar trail to learn about the women who have made our Commonwealth, and nation, what it is today. By attracting tourists to women’s rights history trail sites, this bill will also help to stimulate economic activity throughout Massachusetts.
"Women in Massachusetts have played a pivotal role at every step in the Commonwealth’s history, yet their contributions are too often overlooked," said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "The Women's Rights History Trail will serve as a visible monument to the history of women—and the women's rights movement. Understanding this history gives us all a chance to reflect on where we have come from and what it means to leave a legacy that can uplift and inspire future generations. I am glad to see that this trail will give particular attention to the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of the women who have transformed Massachusetts. I would like to thank Senator Lovely and her staff for their work to make this a reality."
“Massachusetts has a rich history of involvement in the women's rights movement,” said Senator Joan B. Lovely (D-Salem), the bill’s lead sponsor. “Women have had a pivotal role in shaping the policies of our Commonwealth, and this bill will ensure that those contributions are known and celebrated. I would like to thank Senate President Spilka for her strong leadership and the work she has done to highlight women’s history, and the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators for their advocacy. The history of these women is our history, and we must continue to advance that history forward.”
This legislation creates a 16-member task force responsible for soliciting public input and conducting research to recommend sites, properties, and attractions for that are historically and thematically associated with the struggle for women's rights and women's suffrage, and that reflect Massachusetts’ geographic and demographic diversity. The Senate bill also requires the inclusion of accomplishments of women veterans in the trail, as well as recommendations for increasing the representation of women in the artwork of the State House. Members of the task force would include representatives from the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Commission on the Status of Women, and the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, among others.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and the Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism will be required to develop a program based on the task force’s recommendations, including educational handbooks, maps, signs, and vacation itineraries connected to the trail. The task force will have until January 1, 2023, to file its report.
With versions of this bill having been engrossed by the House and Senate, An Act relative to the creation of a women’s rights history trail now moves to the House of Representatives for enactment.
Link to the legislation itself -> https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H4555
An Act relative to the creation of a women’s rights history trail |
Friday, April 8, 2022
Franklin's Event Outlook: Apr 8, 2022 to Apr 14, 2022
The Culinary Cabaret returns to THE BLACK BOX in person this year, a key fund raising event while highlighting culinary arts of local businesses along with the talented performers of FPAC. The Library Book sale, Winter Farmers Market are among a full set of events on Saturday. LiveARTS fund raising concert tops Sunday.
If you miss the St Mary's Faith Formation group on Saturday, you can get the replay on Tuesday. Thursday provides a home buying/selling seminar along with the 5th Annual Legislative Forum hosted by the School Committee.
1:00pm - Book Sale
7:00pm - Culinary Cabaret
Saturday, April 9
9:00am - Book Sale
9:00am - First responder event
9:30am - St Mary's Women's Faith Formation
10:00am - Winter Farmers Market
10:00am - Historical Museum (always free)
1:00pm - Bag Sale
7:00pm - Wrestling Match Fundraiser for OIL FOR VETS Program
Sunday, April 10
1:00pm - Historical Museum (always free)
3:00pm - LiveARTS 3rd Annual Fund Raising Concert
Tuesday, April 12
7:00pm - St Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group
Thursday, April 14
6:00pm - Home Selling (and Buying) Seminar with Industry Experts
6:30pm - 5th Annual Legislative Forum
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
2022 HockomockSports Boys Basketball Awards recognize: Digiorgio, Vinson, O'Leary, Harvey, and Coach Neely
Henry Digiorgio – Franklin – Guard
After getting a taste of varsity basketball a year ago, Franklin sophomore Henry Digiorgio looked like a veteran for the Panthers this year. He was a handful on the offensive end with his ability to pull up from range plus the ability to take defenders on one-on-one and attack the basket. He was one of the best rebounding guards in the league this season. He had a team-high 16.1 points per game to go along with 6.1 rebounds while shooting 41% from three-point range and 85% from the free-throw line. “Hank made huge strides from his freshman to sophomore year going from a role player off the bench to a go-to scorer and one of our best rebounders,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “He also showed a huge amount of toughness coming back from a difficult injury and competing hard in the state tournament. I am really excited to see the next step in his development.”
Sean Vinson – Franklin – Forward
Franklin senior Sean Vinson had a breakout year for the Panthers and emerged as one of the top players in the Hockomock League. Despite playing few minutes prior to this season, Vinson was an impact player from the first tipoff of the season to the last second of the playoff game. He hurt defenses with his shooting, played solid defense night in and night out, and was a leader both on and off the court for Franklin. He finished the year with 12.6 points per game and hit on 38.5% of his three-point attempts. He was third on the team with 5.2 rebounds per game. “Sean has been one of the best leaders we have ever had at Franklin,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “Right from the start of the year, he did all he could to help his teammates feel comfortable and thrive. He really gave us a huge lift on both ends of the floor, whether it was timely buckets or giving a great effort on defense.”
Franklin sophomore Henry Digiorgio has been named the HockomockSports.com Boys Basketball Underclassman of the Year for the 2021-2022 season, the 10th year the award has been given out.Digiorgio got his feet wet during last year’s COVID-shortened season, getting minutes as a freshman, and showed little flashes of what was to come. This year, Digiorgio was a part of the starting lineup and took over as the go-to scorer for the Panthers. He showed off his range with his three-point shooting and he attacked defenses with great confidence, finishing strong at the rim.“Hank made huge strides from his freshman to sophomore year going from a role player off the bench to a go-to scorer and one of our best rebounders,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “He also showed a huge amount of toughness coming back from a difficult injury and competing hard in the state tournament. I am really excited to see the next step in his development.
HockomockSports.com Boys Basketball Underclassman of the Year for the 2021-2022 season |
All Underclassmen Team
Franklin sophomore Henry Digiorgio had a great season for the Panthers this year. He had a team-high 16.1 points per game to go along with 6.1 rebounds while shooting 41% from three-point range and 85% from the free-throw line. He earned HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year honors (see above) for his achievements this season. “Hank made huge strides from his freshman to sophomore year going from a role player off the bench to a go-to scorer and one of our best rebounders,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “He also showed a huge amount of toughness coming back from a difficult injury and competing hard in the state tournament. I am really excited to see the next step in his development.”
Sean O'Leary, Franklin
There were a lot of new faces for the Panthers this season, and Franklin sophomore Sean O’Leary seized that opportunity and emerged as one of the better players in the Hockomock League. A versatile player, O’Leary can play multiple positions on the offensive end and can be a real mismatch for opposing defenses. He finished the year with 11.3 points per game to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, shooting at a 36% clip from three-point range. “Sean was at the center of so many big plays for us this season,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “I am most impressed with his character and versatility. He has some of the best inside moves I have seen in a long time, can take opponents outside and knock down threes, and is one of the best help defenders on our team, leading our team in charges as well.”
Franklin junior Ben Harvey emerged as the top defensive option on the Panthers, who were once again on the of the best defensive teams in the Hockomock League. The Panthers had a host of good defensive players but Harvey’s versatility and willingness to commit to the defensive end made him stand out. He could match up with the physicality of the big men, and he was quick enough to keep up with speedy guards. He averaged 4.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. “A great leader and one of the toughest competitors I have ever coached,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “Beef is always ready to take on any challenge and do anything our team needs night to night to get the win. He does all of the little things that teammates and coaches respect that don’t always stand out in the newspaper the next day but are essential to what we do as a team.”
Franklin head coach CJ Neely has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Boys Basketball Coach of the Year for the 2021-2022 season. It’s the first time Neely has been honored with this award.
Neely guided a young and inexperienced group to a terrific season, posting a 21-4 record with the second-best offense in the league (64.3 points per game) and second-best defense (48.8 points allowed per game) in the Hockomock. Coming into the season, Neely had to replace his entire starting lineup last season and a total of 123 career points among all returners. He started three sophomores, a junior, and one senior and battled through a difficult schedule. Franklin’s only losses came to Kelley-Rex division champs Taunton (the Panthers were the only Hock team to beat the Tigers this season), twice to rival Mansfield (who reached the D2 Elite 8), and Catholic Memorial (D1 Elite Eight) in overtime.
Franklin head coach CJ Neely |
Economic Development Subcommittee meeting runs out of time to review the details MAPC shared - 04/06/22 (audio)
FM #768 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 768 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 in the Council Chambers.
MAPC presented a summary of the survey results which were quickly cobbled together as the survey had closed April 1. They also presented three scenarios for dealing with the MBTA community initiative and the meeting ran out of time to fully explore these ideas. (Town Council was scheduled to begin at 7 PM).
Copies of the presentation documents will be shared when available. The MAPC web page still touts completing the survey by April 1.
The recording of the meeting runs about an hour and 15 minutes.
Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-768-economic-development-subcmte-mtg-04-06-22
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Meeting agenda doc ->
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/2022-04-06_edc_agenda_2.pdf
My notes captured via Twitter during the portion of the meeting I attended (approx. 10-15 mins late due to coverage of the Board of Health meeting upstairs)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jMCegUZ6abWjrXrR-FSS81XrXRIq1D1y/view?usp=sharing
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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/ or www.franklin.news/
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"
1 of the slides shared during the meeting; copy of presentation to be shared when available |
FHS girls and boys lacrosse with wins vs. Milford on Thursday
Via HockomockSports.com and Twitter, we share the results of the FHS spring sports action on Thursday:
Ladies. Love the overall improvement today. 16-0 W over Milford. Tone set by @JennaSimone2 and Fiona on the draw. @streeseman with back to back shutouts. @ellagriffinnn_ and @aorourke0 with amazing hustle and energy all game. Early practice tmw so bring the energy!!21-1 win over Milford.. another total team effort!
Panther News: Friday, April 8, 2022 (video)
Panther News: Friday, April 8, 2022, a half-day scheduled for teachers professional development. Video link -> https://youtu.be/EdczYQe3Rbs
Great summary of the MBTA community zoning initiative
While we wait patiently for MAPC to share the documents the showed at the Economic Development Committee meeting on Wednesday, April 6, we can also review this thread from Clark Ziegler, Executive Director of the MA Housing Partnership (https://www.mhp.net/about-us/staff). A great summary of the MBTA community zoning initiative.
Link to the Twitter thread (PDF) -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5DKbp_E_YA7peYacj5SDS24PPuuhcpP/view?usp=sharing
Embedded PDF doc to read
photo of one of the pages of the presentation shared on Weds evening |
Additional slides from the portion of the meeting I was able to attend. Had been late to this session as I was covering the Board of Health meeting upstairs in the Municipal Bldg. https://photos.app.goo.gl/pLeLHhi3GZ6UtSyP8
Note 1 - Communication is best facilitated when the audience is prepared to discuss the topic at hand. Audience preparation is critical to a worthy and productive dialog. Sharing information in advance of the meeting (especially when the info is loaded with details) is much more productive than teasing the audience and forcing a delay in interaction or dealing with speculation about the intent of the data. Note 2 - the audio recording of the meeting will be available along with the transcript so that those who did participate can return to review details, and those who were unable to do so at the time, can also hear what was covered.
Solutions Summer Adventure 2022 - July 25-29 Jurassic Party
"Solutions Summer Adventure 2022 - Week 3: July 25-29 Jurassic Party! For more information and to register, click here: https://tinyurl.com/9weyu5ej"
Solutions Summer Adventure 2022 - July 25-29 Jurassic Party |
Board of Health hears and acts on building safety and poultry violations
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the Franklin (MA) Board of Health meeting held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 in the 3rd floor training room at the Municipal Building with a remote meeting option.
The recording of the meeting runs about 44 minutes.
Meeting agenda doc ->
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/events/boh_agenda_04062022_0.pdf
My notes captured via Twitter during the meeting
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z84lGQhj1ZuT4ABlQBiSKLxveTomCWFV/view?usp=sharing
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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