This session shares my conversation with Mitzi Gousie, Programming and Outreach Librarian with the Franklin Public Library. We had our discussion virtually on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

We talk about

• Reviewed the regular open hours, and month ending holiday times
• Open on Sundays
• Closed Monday, Oct 14 for Indigenous People's Day (Columbus Day)
• Book sale weekend September 18 & 19
• Library events for October 2024
• Kiddos, or “littles”
• Teens
• Adults
• Family events

The show notes include links to the Library page and to the calendar of events where registration for some of the events is required/recommended..

The recording runs about 30 minutes, so let’s listen in.

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Mitzi Gousie’s email -> mgousie@minlib.net

Franklin Public Library page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library

Library Calendar of Events -> http://www.eventkeeper.com/mars/xpages/F/FRANKLIN/ekp.cfm

October newsletter -> https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/news/october-2024-franklin-library-news-events

October press release -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/10JGFZKsJgjc-obZrT16bSemdLluIL1NG/view?usp=drive_link

Knitting Conversation ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/09/sue-and-anne-talk-about-yarn-project.html

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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"

This session of the radio show shares the Town of Franklin Board of Health Meeting held on Wednesday, Oct 2, 2024. The meeting was conducted in hybrid format. 2 board members participated; Sweet (chair - virtual) Mu-Chow (present), Harris (absent). Health Dept staff present are heard as they respond to the roll call opening the session.

Quick Recap:

Board of health meeting underway, 2 of the 3 members participating, over 240 responses to the recent survey sent out to check on emergency recovery preparation, more to come as the intern finishes the work

Advertorial in prep to advocate for homelessness in November

Fall health fair was successful, haven't heard full numbers yet, looking forward to the spring health fair

Retail food allergy awareness added sesame, working on a mailing to share the update info. Kerry McKay, new regional health inspector from Metacomet

Alisha reports, 86 positive cases (up from 79 in August) still delivering COVID test kits; COVID rate at 472/100,000 residents

No EEE in Norfolk County, no West Nile, still at moderate risk. Usual prevention tips for mosquitoes

New contact at Central Park terrace ...

Resuming food distribution next month, made contact at the health fair last week Flu clinic distribution 95 vaccines at Senior Center

Children/teens scheduled only a few appointments left Oct 19

No questions comments from any public participation Meeting adjourns at 5:15

The meeting runs about 15 minutes. Let’s listen to the Board of Health meeting Oct 2, 2024.

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The Board of Health agenda can be found ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/10-2-24_-_agenda.pdf

My notes collected in a Twitter thread PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZFMmPFSMgkFKAJwneDv4mgQ5HtG6eYgc/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 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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session shares my conversation with School Committee Chairperson Dave Callaghan and Vice-Chair David McNeill. This is a new episode of our continuing “Chalkboard Chat” series. We had our discussion via the Zoom conference bridge on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

We cover

• Recap of the School Committee meeting of Sep 10
• The long executive session and process improvements
• Redistricting draft alignment of schools expected soon
• Joint Budget Subcommittee process started Sep 11

The recording runs about 33 minutes, so let’s listen in.

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Contact info for Dave Callaghan -> callaghand@franklinps.net

Contact info for David McNeill -> mcneilld@franklinps.net

School Committee Meeting

• Agenda for Sep 10 session -> https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4780/FPSD/4809581/SCAGENDA_9-10-24.pdf
• Meeting packet folder -> (docs released for this meeting, some of them available after the meeting) https://www.franklinps.net/documents/departments/school-committee/meeting-packets/2024---25-meeting-packets/september-10%2C-2024-meeting-packet/701015
• Franklin TV video of Sep 10 session -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQzZjD3f45k
• My notes for the SchCmte Mtg in one PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BKsnE9XEkWJGWXtfDt2V_fNS-FOe84jd/view?usp=drive_link

Joint Budget Subcommittee Mtg

• Agenda for Meeting -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/september_11_2024_joint_budget_subcommittee_meeting_agenda.pdf
• Franklin TV video of Sep 11 meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR7RPb5Q66Q
• My notes for the Joint Budget Mtg in one PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-PKZkOitZwrzJ31d1F4ygeuQzJoFjWGv/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 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...

This session shares the Franklin (MA) Joint Budget Subcmte meeting held on Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024. 11 members participated, 9 in chambers, 2 were remote (Frongillo, Griffith).

Quick recap:

• Chair Tom Mercer opened the session with a review of the committee charge (linked to below), and a round of introductions, as well as explanation of why only 3 members of the School Committee vs. 4 each of Finance Cmte and Town Council. Finance and Council have 9 on the full body, hence 4 is the most to avoid a quorum; Schools have only 7, hence the 3 keeps within the quorum rules
• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen in his opening remarks said this budget situation is not unique to Franklin, Jamie using his time at Mass Municipal Assoc (MMA) to advocate for state funding at local levels esp. for schools, Lt Gov hearing this message not just from Franklin; this is the norm not the exception
• Supt Lucas Giguere in his intro remarks wants us all to learn from last year, getting together and starting early is good, how do we work together to solve this. Redistricting planning is underway, the reorganization is not going to solve the budget issues, it will make us more sustainable... Think about big picture of town and schools together
• Hellen continued to walk the group through the revenue projects as shared in the agenda (link below)
• Budget timeline overview (linked below) Capital budget due Dec 1, Ops budget first pass due Dec 20. They do get refined as the process works along
• Dr Dutch explains revolving account usage for schools, akin to the enterprise funds on the town side; money collected by the specific area is used to pay for the costs incurred by that area. If any excess within, can not be used elsewhere, only within that space. Transportation for transportation, etc.
• Q - on grants and where it might be in the projections as shown? A - we do get grants but they are not shown in this. Grants are special revenue and are not in the operational budgets, there are a couple of exceptions with reoccurring grants for Senior Center, Board of Health
• Q - Will the same level of budget document be shared with the folks? A - yes, last year's docs are posted, this year's will be when available. Go to and click the Budget button to get last year's budget details https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget
• Q - on turnover for school district A - 56 resignations and 8 since the Aug 27 meeting. HR status report for the SchCmte meeting yesterday. The report can be found -> https://coredocs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4780/FPSD/4824938/September_10__2024_HR_Staffing_Report.pdf
• Items not explicitly covered in this first pass of the budget
• Contract negotiations also with all the unions (9 or so) are not factored in (other than the automated 2.5 already in the forecast)
• Savings or cost regarding redistricting
• health care (as mentioned) numbers usually ready in March
• inflation not explicitly covered
• There is no anticipated relief on the expense side. With expense increase coming, modeling to see where we can get to stabilize the budget or we end up cutting additional services and staff. We are already starting at a deficit ($3m) and we need to work together to solve it
• Per Chief Lynch - No one (municipal side) will sign a contract until the teachers are signed. He goes further to clarify the situation that happened 3 years ago when former Supt Ahern approved the 4-4-4

This session shares my conversation with Franklin resident and volunteer Bo Kinney conducted in the Franklin Public Radio Station on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

Bo tells the story of his kidney stone which led to a discovery of prostate cancer and the journey he has been on and how he has dealt with it. This is his “public service announcement” on his lessons learned

The recording runs about 59 minutes, so let’s listen in.

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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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Health Director Cathleen Liberty September 4, 2024. We had our conversation via the Zoom conference bridge.

The recording runs about 36 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Cathleen

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Health Dept page https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department

Metacomet Health page -> https://www.metacometpha.org/

Health Dept Homeless Resource page ->

https://sites.google.com/view/homeless-resources-services/home

Sign up for Health alerts via Regroup -> https://franklintown.regroup.com/signup

The Topic podcast -> https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department/pages/topic-podcast-links

--------------

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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024. 7 members participated, 6 in chambers, 1 was remote (Gallagher).

Quick recap:

• The meeting had an Executive Session to review a grievance and discuss negotiation strategy. While it was anticipated to be short, the session did extend 85 minutes before the meeting resumed in public session. (Note: the executive session 85 minutes of nothing was removed from the audio and replaced with a brief musical piece to indicate the transition)
• The District Improvement Plan was presented and approved (by a 7-0 via roll call vote)
• Redistricting update - proposed district alignment scheduled to be shared via a "Storymap" before the next meeting and then explained fully during the Sep 28 meeting with a vote to approve the alignment of the new schools scheduled for the first October meeting. Email and multiple methods of communication to share the storymap
• The appointment of Rose Turco to represent the Schools to the Franklin TV Board of Directors was approved (by a 7-0 via roll call vote)
• Hiring update filled 57 positions, 4 teacher vacancies, 8 additional resignations (since the August 27 meeting). Mostly from building subs and ESPs. Not usual to have this many early in the school year. Instability of budget is a factor in the leaving and hiring process
• Consent agenda was approved (by a 7-0 via roll call vote)

The recording runs about 1 hour & 45 minutes, so let’s listen in.

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The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQzZjD3f45k Note: the SchCmte enters Executive Session at about 17:50 and return to open session at 1:42:00

The agenda doc ->

https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4780/FPSD/4809590/SCAGENDA_9-10-24.pdf

Meeting packet folder -> https://www.franklinps.net/documents/departments/school-committee/meeting-packets/2024---25-meeting-packets/september-10%2C-2024-meeting-packet/701015

The photo album capturing the slides shared can be found -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/FcT4bkT37XE4sqK28

My notes captured in one PDF can be found -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BKsnE9XEkWJGWXtfDt2V_fNS-FOe84jd/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 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

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Tina Powderly, Executive Director of the Franklin Food Pantry and Liz Miller, Community Coordinator of Spoonfuls.org.

We spend time in this episode talking about September as Hunger Action Month, and how The Pantry partnership with Spoonfuls is helping to drive awareness around food recovery. Food recovery provides healthy, fresh foods for The Pantry clients and removes the recovered food from the landfill environment, a key climate goal. We had our conversation in the new location of the Franklin Food Pantry at Edwin’s.

Listen to our conversation to find

• How The Pantry receives 2 shipment of 1,000 pounds each per week
• How confusion about date labeling adds about 7% to the food waste
• How food waste costs a typical family of about $1,500, yes more than $100/month

The recording runs about 37 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Tina and Liz.

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Participate in the event Thursday, Sept 12, 2024 at the First Universalist Society of Franklin, a joint presentation by The Pantry and Spoonfuls. Free but registration recommended to confirm capacity requirements https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/hungeractionmonth/

For more about Spoonfuls, visit their page https://spoonfuls.org/

Liz Miller’s LinkedIN profile -> https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethmonizmiller/

Tina Powderly’s LinkedIN profile -> https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-tavares-powderly-78a81131/

YouTube video of WGBH segment 10 years ago -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqSBXwnX8Gc

Spoonful’s founder Liz Stanley’s TEDxRVA talk -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O_KDxJV3Ow

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

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 www.franklin.news or www.Franklinmatters.org/

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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for...