Franklin (MA) Matters

This session of the radio show shares a new format for "Talk Franklin'' with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Deputy Administrator Amy Frigulietti. This episode features a conversation on the 2024 elections with Town Clerk Nancy Danello. We recorded our discussion in person in the 3rd floor Training Room on Thursday, January 25, 2024.Topics for this sessionQuick news highlights Franklin Ridge received $8.5M funding Town Council goals set for next 2 years Jamie elected as Vice-President of Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA)Elections for 2024 Presidential Primary - March 5 State Primary - September 3 Presidential Election  - November 5Quick outlook Council Meeting - Jan 31 Finance Mtg - Feb 6 Council Mtg - Feb 28 Joint Budget Cmte - March 6The recording runs about 47 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie, Amy & Nancy on Thursday, January 25, 2024--------------Town Administrator page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/administratorTalk Franklin podcast page -> https://anchor.fm/letstalkfrank

This session of the radio show shares the Police Station Building Cmte Meeting held on Wednesday, January 24, 2023.4Quick recap:Police Station Bldg Cmte meeting underway. M D'Angelo provides an overview of the Owner Project Manager (OPM). The request for proposal (RFP) for the OPM is the doc before the group to review and discuss tonight.The OPM really runs the project and is required by Mass Genl Law for projects of this size. The OPM responsibility list is more than a page of single spaced bullet itemsSubmittals from the firms are usually interesting but the interview is key to determine who is most qualified to do the work. Example given of a firm that had done 1 specific project, another had done a few, the last one had more than 20. That experience can be keyThe initial response is a non price proposal, first you want qualifications, then you can work on a price. FHS OPM was the 3rd choice actually and did a good job ultimately.Chair Mercer reminds group to get to find out the team of individuals that th

This session of the radio show shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Jan 23, 2024. The meeting was held in the Council Chambers. All 7 members of the Committee were present in Chambers. The meeting started slightly late as the Budget subcommittee meeting prior to this ran late holding up 3 members.Quick recap:FHS student update, Panther Pride night Feb 12; Jan 29 jazz concert at FHS. Course selection underway by class. Tutoring for Spanish offered. Boys and girls playing basketball vs Mansfield; Boys indoor track take KellyRex champ for first time, Sarah Dumas player of week Superintendent Report, thanks to students and families for patience and safety during this winter period, safety utmost. Inclement weather process shared previously, PR firm touting various aspects of the program to share the goodness. Also on schools web pageNewcomers update, 69 students total; 14 high school, 15 middle, balance at elementary; Interfaith group helping with after school program, library helpi

This session shares the Franklin, MA School Committee Budget Subcommittee meeting held on Tuesday, Jan 23, 2024. The meeting was conducted in the 3rd floor training room. Chair Dave McNeill opened the meeting. School Committee members Dr Paul Griffith and KP Sompally participated. Superintendent Lucas Giguere and Business Manager Dr Bob Dutch, Asst Business Administrator Janaina Vasconcelos-Melotti also participated. Quick recapSubcommittee meeting starts a few minutes late. Supt Giguere provides an overview of the capital budget process and then expands upon the preview we're about to see. There is a budget workshop on Friday with the school principals, another update planned for February. Dr Dutch walks through the details of the budget development process. Key slide provides a preliminary look at the various budget scenarios. Lots to digest within this slide. More info coming as the budget workshop (mentioned earlier) and further work through Feb leading to the view at the Feb 13 School Comm

This session of the radio show shares my recorded conversation with Franklin School Committee Chair Dave Callaghan and Vice Chair Dave McNeill. We had our conversation virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. The School Committee had their regular meeting and two subcommittee meetings before that on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. We take one meeting at a time to provide a recap. The recording runs about 43 minutes so let’s listen to my “chalkboard chat” with School Committee Chair Dave Callaghan and Vice Chair Dave McNeill.--------------Contact info for Dave Callaghan  callaghand@franklinps.net Contact info for Dave McNeill -> mcneilld@franklinps.netSchool Committee page => https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee 1/16/24 meeting Agenda doc  ->  https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/1-9-24-agenda Meeting packet folder ->  https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/january-9-2024-school-committee-meeting-

This session of the radio show shares the Town Council meeting held in Council Chambers on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. All 9 members  of the Council participated in the Council Chambers. Quick recap:Proclamation: FISH of Franklin, the group was recognized for over 50 years of service providing rides to medical appointments for free by volunteers.Discussion: Franklin Food Pantry Update - Tina Powderly, Executive Director, provided an update on the operations with the new building, meeting increasing needs, and the generosity of the community in support of their workDiscussion: Homelessness Report - Amy Frigulietti, Deputy Town Administrator and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), highlighted work to coordinate better the response by Town departments for the needs of individuals in some crisis. Caught the ears/eyes of some councilors due to the different definitions of homeless among Federal and State agenciesResolution 24-05: Termination of the Massachusetts Statewide Opioid Settlement Stabilization Fun

This session of the radio show shares the output of The Climate Minute podcast episode hosted by Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. We met to record in the Franklin TV & Public Radio studio on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.  The topic thread we talked of as we continued this making sense of climate discussion went Something like this:Climate Leader CommunityState pilot to allow gas bans in 10 communities Path dependence Critical junctureBehavioral changes underlying energy revolution/overshoot/planetary managementNeed for new behavior nowEnd of world? Viewpoints matter.This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  The conversation runs about 54 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted

This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Friday, January 17, 2023.  ok, what just happened? What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?Topics for this sessiona. Resolution 24-05: Termination of the Massachusetts Statewide Opioid Settlement Stabilization Fund, as well as Dedication of Revenues Thereto, as Authorized by G.L. Chapter 77 of the Acts of 2023 (Motion to Approve Resolution 24-05 - Majority Vote)PROCLAMATIONS / RECOGNITIONSa. Proclamation: FISH of FranklinPRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSIONa. Discussion: Franklin Food Pantry Update - Tina Powderly, Executive Director b. Discussion: Homelessness Report - Amy Frigulietti, Deputy Town Administrator and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)The recording runs about 28 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Tom on Thursday, January 18, 2024--------------Town Council agenda for Jan 17, 2024 meeting ->https://

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with the founders of the forthcoming Children’s Museum of Franklin; Meg Hagen and Erin Gallagher. Meg and Erin fill us in on their Franklin story, the idea for the museum, starting as a pop up or mobile museum for now to help build interest and community excitement.There are opportunities to help volunteer and contribute in other ways as well as financially. The show notes contain links to their web page with their pop up schedule and contact and contribution forms.Let’s listen to my conversation with Meg and Erin--------------Children’s Museum of Franklin -> https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/ Events -> https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/events --------------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 he

This session of the radio show shares the Finance Committee meeting held on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. 8 Finance Committee members participated; 6 in Chambers (Chair Conley, Riley, Corbosiero, Nagel, Batchelor, Grace ), 2 participated remotely (Keophannga & Hamilton) 1 absent (Sansoucy)Quick recap:Discussion on the scope and intent of the deep dive series. Feb 7 next meeting, Mar 6 joint budget subcmte, then really into budget season for FY 2025 with hearings in May, June for Council.This is the first capital budget without a holding of the 'free cash' for snow and ice removal. 4.5M is total free cash.Consideration for a 'land acquisition fund' possibly to be establishedTechnology at the high school is now 10 years old, can't replace them all at once, chipping away at it to stagger the replacements over time.Survey to address on quality of life issues, scientific generated survey randomly generated, whole variety of metrics. Often folks are happy but need to divide where there are so

This session of the radio show shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Jan 9, 2024. The meeting was held in the Council Chambers. Due to a Verizon internet outage at the Franklin TV Studio, the meeting was recorded for broadcast later and available via Zoom.Quick recap:Internet out at TV studio, meeting via Zoom but not through to cable, it is being locally recorded for broadcast later, Audio recording also being made, Owl camera out to use for this meeting and Zoom sessionSkipped ahead to Superintendent report, will come back to the FHS student update assuming they connect successfullyFacility planning underway, subcmte met last week. 3 piece process: (1) demographics, (2) educational adequacy and how to support it, (3) age and use of the space in the schools; More info coming as the presentation is scheduled for completion later this school yearWorkshop on executive function, 90 mins for adults only, sign up through Lifelong Learning (link to be shared later)Regards to the weather, pl

This session shares the Franklin, MA School Committee MASC Workshop held on Tuesday, Jan 9, 2024. The meeting was conducted in the 3rd floor training room. Chair Dave Callaghan opened the meeting. All of the School Committee members were present along with Superintendent Lucas Giguere. Chair Callaghan introduces Tracy Novick, the MASC Field Director responsible for Franklin.  Quick recap:Discussion on the evidence required to make the assessment is critical, this is not a one and done thing. The goals and accomplishments are intertwined with everything happening during the yearHow are the standards rated, all equal, or should one be ranked higher than the others? Not normal but possible. Goals within 3 areas, professional practice, district improvement, student LearningEvaluation can be complex as superintendent is evaluated as the lead of the district and yet many others are the ones working and providing the outcomes for which Superintendent Giguere is reviewedSupt Giguere steps in to share h

This session shares the Franklin, MA School Committee Budget SubCommittee meeting held on Tuesday, Jan 9, 2024. The meeting was conducted in the 3rd floor training room. Remote participation was enabled for this session that no one took advantage of. Chair Dave McNeill opened the meeting. School Committee members Dr Paul Griffith and KP Sompally participated. Superintendent Lucas Giguere and Business Manager Dr Bob Dutch also participated.Quick recapReady to live report on the FPS budget subcmte mtg about to begin, a short one before a workshop and then the full regular School committee meeting, so a busy night. Follow along with the agenda doc https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/1-9-24_agenda-budgetsubcom.pdf  Supt Giguere provides an overview of the capital budget process for this new group, Dr Dutch to walk through the details of the requests. This is preliminary to the FinCom meeting Weds night, and then to Town Council capital budget subcmte before final Town Coun

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with FIRST Alarm Robotics held in the Franklin TV & radio studio Jan 4, 2024. Steve Dunbar, Business Manager and Pallavi Naravane, one of the group’s mentors.Our conversation touched on the following:So what is 4H Alarm Robotics 2079 all about?How did you get involved and what is your current role?How many members do you have and where are they from?What the team has done over the past year.What else can you tell us that could get folks to check out 4H Alarm Robotics?Where can they get more information?The conversation runs about 30 minutes so let’s listen and find out about Alarm Robotics.--------------4H Alarm Robotics 2079 on the internet->Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/AlarmRobotics2079/ Web page https://www.alarmrobotics.com/ Team page at FIRST Robotics -> https://frc-events.firstinspires.org/team/2079FIRST Robotics Competitions -> https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc Town Council meeting in 2019 when the lea

This session shares the Franklin, MA School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee meeting held on Monday, January 8, 2024. The meeting was conducted in the 3rd floor training room.Chair Al Charles opened the meeting, Superintendent Lucas Giguere, and Subcmte members Erin Gallagher and Ruthann O’Sullivan participated. The show notes contain a link to the agenda and to my notes.The recording runs about 50 minutes, so let’s listen to the Community Relations Subcommittee meeting of January 8, 2024.--------------Subcommittee agendahttps://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/fps_community_relations_sub_committee_agenda.pdf My notes in this ThreadReader PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1czXmmWSu6G1nyzNCnV0gnRo3TcaOQx30/view?usp=drive_link --------------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

This session of the radio show shares my recorded conversation with Molly Dee. Molly is one of the artists who were selected for the Franklin Cultural District Artsy Box Project. The Artsy Box Project is now fully visible in and around downtown Franklin.This is the second of a 2 part series. This is my conversation with Molly Dee. She is the artist who did the utility box at the corner near the former Davis Thayer School. It was good to talk with Molly. She surprised me with an answer to a simple question. The show notes contain links to the photos showing the before, in process, and finished works.I hope you learn something about their art and appreciate a little more about the role of art in Franklin.Let’s listen to my conversation with Molly--------------For more about Molly Dee  https://www.mollydee.com/ Photo album  https://photos.app.goo.gl/jsb9UJfHbzpA13qp6   Franklin Cultural District -> https://www.franklinma.gov/cultural-district-committee The first part is

This session of the radio show shares the Town Council meeting held in Council Chambers on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. All 9 members  of the Council participated in the Council Chambers. Quick recap:Approved a New Section 12 Restaurant Common Victualer All Alcohol License and Approval of Lisa Ann Truax as the Manager - L Truax King Street Cafe Inc. d/b/a King Street Cafe, Located at 390 King Street Reviewed, took community input, and discussed adjustments to the work plan for the next 2 years. These Council "goals" are a mix of projects not completed in prior years (Historical Museum cupola), place holders for work coming (Objectives TBD from the Master Plan), and wordsmithing to better provide opportunity to accomplish the "aggressive" plan put forward by Town Administration Community input could be summarized in 3 areas: affordable housing, addressing climate change, and finding a workable solution even if a flag policy can't be foundAgreed to an increase for the ambulance rates. This is

This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Friday, January 5, 2023.  • ok, what just happened? • What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?Topics for this session7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONSa. New Section 12 Restaurant Common Victualer All Alcohol License and Approval of Lisa Ann Truax as the Manager - L Truax King Street Cafe Inc. d/b/a King Street Cafe, Located at 390 King Street  8. PRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSIONa. Discussion: 2024-2025 Town Council & Town Administration Work Plan  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/8a._24-01_tc_and_ta_goals.pdf b. Resolution 24-01: Adoption of 2024-2025 Town Council and Town Administration Work Plan (Motion to Approve Resolution 24-01 - Majority Vote)  9. LEGISLATION FOR ACTIONa. Bylaw Amendment 24-904: A Bylaw to Amend the Code of the Town of Franklin at Chapter 82,

This session of the radio show shares the FPS Comprehensive Facilities Planning Subcommittee meeting held on Jan 3, 2024. The meeting was held in the 3rd floor training room. Participating in the room: D Callaghan, A Charles, Supt. Giguere, Dr. Dutch, Dr. Rogers, Mike D’Angelo. Participating remotely: E GallagherQuick recap:District did issue an RFP with pricing separately, once qualifications were confirmed, Fran Locker & Assoc selected for visioning and planning aspects to work with Kaestle Boos report as baselineD’Angelo provides info on building work around the Town, all the schools built; Across the three complexes, Remington Jefferson roof needs to be placed; fire alarm system, heating/cooling systems all need to be replaced (except interior air handlers); Similar story for the other two complexes, eventuallyBuilt out a ten year projection for the facilities across the district with details on the items for replacement, etc. McKibben demographics updated with 2020 census info, presentation comi

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Franklin School Superintendent Lucas Giguere, Dr Tina Rogers, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning; Eric Stark, Director of Curriculum STEM; and Dr Tim Frazier, Director of Curriculum ELA & SS. We had our conversation in person at FPS Central Offices on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. At a high level our topics were:Instructional designEmphasis on professional learningUniversal design for learningCapturing & analyzing the Data MCAS just one data point, use of summative & formative Curriculum review programThe recording runs about 38 minutes so let’s listen to our conversation on teaching and learning in the Franklin School District.--------------Superintendent’s page ->  https://www.franklinps.net/district/superintendent Teaching & Learning page -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/office-teaching-and-learning Teaching & Learning update to School Committee as referenced ->https