Franklin MAtters Weekly

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Week ending - Apr 22, 2012

The school Spring break has come and gone. I trust if you went away (or stayed around) that your time off was restful and rewarding. If you did go away, what happened while you were away? The detailed listing of each days post can be found below. How would I summarize the events?

Let's work back from Earth Day. If you celebrated by helping out on either Sunday or Saturday, you did good.

The MA House of Representatives submitted their budget proposal for FY 2013. This follows the Governor's budget released in January and precedes the Senate version expected sometime in May. If there are still differences among the three budgets, there is a conference session to work out the differences before the Governor signs the full budget by Jun 30.

Why are we watching the budget so closely? Approx 30% of the Franklin revenue for our local budget comes from MA. That dollar amount is critical to our decision process. The House for example has announced an increase in the amounts allocated for local aid (compared to the Governor's budget). This is good news for Franklin assuming the dollars hold up through the remainder of the cycle.

The Finance Committee has been holding their budget hearings working their way through each of the Franklin department budgets. Apparently they have only the School Budget to review and that is coming up this Wednesday (Apr 25). I have not had a chance to review the video archive for those hearings some of which should be available on the Franklin website.

Franklin meetings via video on demand:
http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewCalendar.aspx?siteSKU=L7qhQ46xin%2fr3Z0jcDVCNw%3d%3d

The School Budget is up for review at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Apr 24. It may be an oversight but the agenda (as published) doesn't list an action item for the School Committee to approve the budget before it goes forward. Not a critical matters, the agenda can be adjusted to add the approval easily.

This weekly summary is my public service effort for Franklin and I can always use your help. How can you help, you ask? If you have an interest in writing about something that matters in Franklin, please let me know.

If you like this, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don't like this, please tell me.

This feedback loop is important. Thank you for listening.

Apr 22

Apr 21

Apr 20

Apr 19

Apr 18

In the News - Victorian secrets, SWAT Team, Art

Teachers as Individuals (1946)

Apr 17

Apr 16

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Week ending - Apr 8, 2012

This week the buds went to bloom. Colors appeared all around us. The capital budget was approved by the Town Council on Wednesday. The operational budget cycle is beginning. The School Committee meeting this Tuesday is scheduled to get its first look at the school budget.

What will the budget look like? Stay tuned here to find out.

Apr 8

Apr 7

Apr 6

Apr 5

"adopted lower trash fees"

In the News - Fire Dept, marathon

Apr 4

Apr 3

Apr 2

Franklin Cultural Council - Grant winners for 2012

In the News - gun sales, A Cut Above, pastel arts, cross walk

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Week ending - Apr 1, 2012

The big event of the past week; voters approved the new high school by a 4-1 margin and almost 50% turnout. Both impressive numbers. Historically Franklin turns out to vote in excess of 90% for the major elections every four years, turns out around 40% for money votes (overrides and debt exclusions), and only about 20% to elect our local officials (Town Council, School Committee, etc.). One could argue that the money in advertising associated with the major campaigns has an effect. Without a local TV station, such ad money is really a waste for a local campaign. But at least when the money is on the table (i.e for an override or debt exclusion), the Franklin voters will come to the polls.

What is up for this coming week?

The Town Council votes to allocate money for the capital budget. Regular readers should be aware that Franklin doesn't have a line item in our budget for a capital plan. What is used is the 'free cash' generated annually. Free cash is 'extra' money from the prior year budget that is a result of two things. One, more income than forecasted or less spending than budgeted for. The 'free cash' is a good source for the capital budget as it is one time money, already available. Using 'free cash' to pay for operational expenses just digs the budget further into the hole for next time.

Follow the link in the Town Council agenda document to review the capital items for this year.

Also worthy of noting, the template design for both the website and Facebook pages has changed. Forced by the Facebook change to implement their timeline format, I choose to spring clean the website as well. I hope the fresh look is welcoming. The content is still here. The intent behind it won't change other than for an improvement.

As a reminder to all readers, the Voices of Franklin is something that can be used for any topic pertaining to the business of Franklin. It doesn't have to be reserved for special elections. If you have something to say about something that matters to Franklin, say it respectfully and it can be published here. This can be as easy as composing an email to send to a special email address. It will sit in draft mode until published usually the next day. Detail information on the process can be found here.

Apr 1

Mar 31

Mar 30

Mar 29

Mar 28

Mar 27

Mar 26

Monday, March 19, 2012

Week ending - Mar 18, 2012

The weather is almost summer like, never mind that this should be "spring". Let's at least enjoy it while it lasts. There is one more week before Franklin goes to the field house at the high school to cast their ballot on the debt exclusion question. Should we build a new high school paying only 47 cents on the dollar (given the state reimbursement of almost 60%)? That is the one question before us. Renovation is not an option. The ballot question is not worded like that. The state mandated language is as follows:

Resolution 12 - 07

Shall the Town of Franklin be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition two-and-one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to construct a new high school, to be located at 218 Oak Street, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto?

This does read like giving Franklin a 'blank check'. However, it does not. There is a binding resolution already in place with greater details on what the Town Council can do with the taxes and how much Franklin taxpayers will pay.

Resolution 12-05

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED that the Town Council of the Town of Franklin: appropriates the sum of one hundred four million, six hundred forty-nine thousand, eight hundred seventy-six dollars ($104,649,876) for the construction of a new Franklin High School to be located at 218 Oak Street, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto which school facility shall have an anticipated useful life as an educational facility for the instruction of school children for at least 50 years, said sum to be expended under the direction of the School Building Committee, and to meet said appropriation the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Town Administrator is authorized to borrow said sum under M.G.L. Chapter 44, or any other enabling authority; that the Town of Franklin acknowledges that the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (“MSBA”) grant program is a non-entitlement, discretionary program based on need, as determined by the MSBA, and any project costs the Town of Franklin incurs in excess of any grant approved by and received from the MSBA shall be the sole responsibility of the Town of Franklin; provided further that any grant that the Town of Franklin may receive from the MSBA for the Project shall not exceed the lesser of (1) fifty-nine point fifty-two hundredths percent ( 59.52%) of eligible, approved project costs, as determined by the MSBA, or (2) the total maximum grant amount determined by the MSBA; provided that any appropriation hereunder shall be subject to and contingent upon an affirmative vote of the Town to exempt the amounts required for the payment of interest and principal on said borrowing from the limitations on taxes imposed by M.G.L. 59, Section 21C (Proposition 2½); and that the amount of borrowing authorized pursuant to this vote shall be reduced by any grant amount set forth in the Project Funding Agreement that may be executed between the Town of Franklin and the MSBA.

This is much more explicit and would have been good to put on the ballot but such as it is.

As you prepare for the decision on how you will cast your ballot, feel free to ask a question. Many should already have been answered. If your question has not been answered, or answered to your satisfaction, then ask it! The discussion on the Facebook page for Franklin Matters has been extensive and respectful. Let's continue to keep it that way. After all, when the vote is done, no matter the result, we are all neighbors and will need to live with the result and each other.

Mar 18