Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 8/7/15 - THU 8/13/15

FRIDAY 8/7/15
12-6pm   Franklin Farmers Market at The Town Common
1pm   Family Sing-along with Jamie Barrett at Franklin Public Library
6:30pm   Art Night Uncorked at Franklin Art Center
8-9:50pm   Frozen Friday DJ Public Skate at Pirelli Arena

SATURDAY 8/8/15
1pm   Zentangle Workshop at Franklin Art Center

MONDAY 8/10/15
10:30am   Mike The Hatman at Franklin Public Library
1pm   Drop In Craft at Franklin Public Library

TUESDAY 8/11/15
10:30am   Get Ready For Kindergarten (ages 3-5) at Franklin Public Library
6:30pm   Drawing Superheroes, Manga and Other Heroes at Franklin Public Library (grades 6-12)
7:30pm   Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee Monthly Meeting at the Franklin YMCA, public welcome.

WEDNESDAY 8/12/15
10:30am   Incredible Insects with Kevin Kopczynski at Franklin Public Library
1pm  Stories of the Night Sky with Kevin Kopczynski at Franklin Public Library
6pm   Concerts on The Common: Westwood Swing Band, Children's Program: Storyteller Elaine Kessler
7pm   Franklin Coalition on Opioid Abuse - 2nd Meeting. Guest speaker: Dr. John F. Kelly, the director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service at Mass General Hospital

THURSDAY 8/13/15
10:30am   Story and Craft (ages 3-6) at Franklin Public Library
1pm   Wii Club Franklin Public Library
6-10pm Feast of St. Rocco

For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.

For event details click HERE.

For FPL Summer Programs details click HERE

*If you have any suggestions or events for the calendar, please email Renata@BetterLivingRE.com

Don't forget family movie night is Aug 21

Don't forget family movie night is happening in a couple weeks on Friday, August 21st.  Come meet and interact with your favorite, live toy story characters and watch the Toy Story movie on the Beaver Pond field!!!  The movie will begin at dusk, but come anytime after 6:30 to play with sporting equipment, get hair streaking, enjoy cupcakes, goodies and treats, and of course meet the characters!   The vendor marketplace will be open at 6:30, characters arriving at 7:00, and movie starting at dusk.  We hope to see you there!!!!!!  Movie Night - Beaver Pond - Aug 21 You can follow the event on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1466436143653149/

Finally, a Top 50 that has Franklin Schools

Via the Westwood Patch, the radar reveals:

"Niche.com, a national research group started by Carnegie Mellon University, recently released its 2015 list of school districts with the best teachers throughout the nation, as well as the commonwealth of Massachusetts."

The Top 50 listing for teachers has Franklin in the 14th position for MA.

"Here is a look at the commonwealth’s 50 school districts as ranked by Niche.com

1. Westwood Public Schools
2. Newton Public Schools
3. Lexington Public Schools
4. Northboro-Southboro Regional School District
5. Westford Public Schools
6. Acton-Boxborough Regional School District
7. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School District
8. Masconomet Public Schools
9. Brookline Public Schools
10. Needham Public Schools
11. Braintree Public Schools
12. Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District
13. Shrewsbury Public Schools
14. Franklin Public Schools
15. Cambridge Public Schools"

http://patch.com/massachusetts/westwood/50-school-districts-best-teachers-ma-0

Click through to https://k12.niche.com/ to explore the other listings

Franklin Election: Who are the candidates?

As of Thursday, Aug 6, 2015 the current listing as provided by Town Clerk Debbie Pellegri is as follows:

NAME	ADDRESS	POSITION
W.Kenneth  Norman	18 Daniels St.	Assessor
Philip M. Brunelli	26 James Street	Bd. Of Health
John S. Power	211 Union St.	Constable
Philip M. Brunelli	26 James Street	Constable
Kenneth B. Hiscoe, III	19 Red Gate Lane	School Com.
Trevor A. Clement	9 Secret Garden Ln	School Com.
Vanessa A. Bilello	5 Symphony Dr.	School Com.
Diane M. Padula-O'Neill	102 Pine Street	Town Clerk
Elizabeth F. Simon	6 Monterey Dr.	Town Clerk
Paul J. Cheli	6 Pearly Lane	Town Clerk
Teresa M. Burr	27 Brushwood Hill	Town Clerk
Brett S. Feldman	37 Meadowbrook Rd.	Town Council
Deborah L. Pellegri	181 Pleasant St	Town Council
Glenn F. Jones	172 School St.	Town Council
James D. Schultz, Jr.	21 MacKintosh Street	Town Council
Judith Pond Pfeffer	37 Arlington St.	Town Council
Peter E. Padula	14 Fort Apache Dr.	Town Council
Richard W. Power, Sr.	10 Royal Ct	Town Council
Thomas D. Mercer	14 Mercer Lane	Town Council

These folks have taken out papers to run for the position indicated, they have not yet turned them in to be certified as on the ballot. There is time for that according to the timeline shown below.

Thompson Press building, part of the property proposed to being rezoned for residential

The time line leading to the election is as follows:

"You don't have to go to the North End to have an Italian festival"

On Monday, some of the St. Rocco's army of volunteers completed the task of setting up the food tents on the fairgrounds behind St. Mary’s school on the corner of Pleasant and Queen Streets. The site is caddy corner from St. Mary's Church at 1 Church Square on one side of the Franklin Town Common. 

This year's celebration, hosted by St. Mary's Parish, begins on Aug. 9 with the opening Mass. Carnival rides start on Thursday, Aug. 13; food booths and entertainment will be featured Friday, Aug. 14 through Sunday, Aug. 16. 

"The booths are all up, so that's done. Now we need to get the electricians in there," said Peter Brunelli, one of the St. Rocco's patriarchs who has been involved with the event for many years as a co-chairman of the St. Rocco's Feast Committee.

Continue reading the article here (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150805/NEWS/150808112/1994/NEWS

overall schedule for the Feast of  St Rocco  2015

entertainment schedule for the Feast of St Rocco  2015

food for the Feast of St Rocco  2015

Additional information on the St Rocco Feast can be found on the St Mary's Parish page   http://www.stmarysfranklin.org/93

or on the Facebook page here  https://www.facebook.com/events/1434885293487700/

ASMS 6-7-8th grade supply lists

August Greetings,

Please find attached the recommended Supply Lists for incoming sixth, seventh and eighth grade students. 

Be on the look out for the first edition of Sully's Salutations for the 2015-2016 School Year. 

Enjoy the rest of August!

Warm regards,

Ms. Wittcoff

ASMS Principal

Keller Sullivan school sign

6th

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczYVhvMVMxdVZMWmtLTWRYYjhYczkzdDV6Y2I4/view?usp=sharing

7th

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczaGlSRkdjcDcwQU9kOVdMdDFEVzEtcnFkdFhN/view?usp=sharing

8th

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczNlFmUzlIMXhobnFMS2xNclp3a0VLZTdiSlBN/view?usp=sharing

Additional Enrollment Lottery at BFCCPS for Grades Seven and Eight

Hi Steve,

A limited number of spaces are available for students to join the seventh and eighth grade classes at the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School beginning in September 2015. 

Applications can be completed online and are also available in the front office. All applications must be received by no later than September 3, 2015 at 8 AM. 

Learn more at www.bfccps.org or contact Joanne Basile at jbasile@bfccps.org. Applications have already been posted online and can be found at: http://bfccps.org/about/enrollment/

Benjamin Franklin Charter School

Representative Roy: What's happening in the district - July-August 2015 newsletter

This is our regularly monthly newsletter. If you are not yet a subscriber, you can get on our email list by clicking here. View this email in your browser Facebook Twitter Website Email FY16 budget passes, vetoes overridden Last week, I joined my colleagues to take final action on the FY16 budget to enhance support for Massachusetts residents and municipalities, and ensure that local programs, education funding, and economic development initiatives are well funded by the legislature. With this budget the Legislature extended its track record of making responsible and innovative investments that will continue to move Massachusetts forward. Through the FY16 budget, the Legislature advanced its standing as the national leader in education for students of all ages. Recognizing the importance of providing statewide access to full-day kindergarten the Legislature overrode a cut to kindergarten expansion grants, reaffirming its support for funding in the amount of $18.6 million. We also took action to emphasize our ongoing dedication to higher education, restoring cuts to the University of Massachusetts, state universities and community colleges. Recognizing that education and economic development are intrinsically paired, the budget enhances the Legislature's focus on bolstering job opportunities for residents of all skillsets in diverse regions of the Commonwealth. Following action on the Administration's vetoes, the below programs are now funded: MassCAN: $1.7 million to establish widespread, progressive computer science curriculum in public school through a public-private match program; Talent Pipeline: $1.5 million to encourage young innovators to get a head start on their futures by matching stipends for interns at innovation start-ups, and to provide mentoring opportunities for new entrepreneurs; STEM Starter Academy: $4.75 million to promote STEM careers at the Commonwealth's community colleges; Mass Tech Collaborative: $750K for the Mass Tech Collaborative Tech and Innovation Entrepreneurship program to establish entrepreneur and startup mentoring. Travel and tourism, one of the state's largest industries, provides an opportunity for communities to bolster their economies in a way which is unique and appropriate for each region. The Legislature restored $5.17 million in cuts to the Office of Travel and Tourism and $2.37 million to the Massachusetts Cultural Council.     Local Aid is one of the biggest hurtles the Legislature has to overcome each budget season. In that vein, I am happy to report that the Legislature also included hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional local aide for Franklin and Medway as follows: $50,000 to assist the Town of Franklin to construct a park which would include a statue of Horace Mann, the father of public education;  $50,000 to assist the S.A.F.E. Community Coalition to combat the ongoing opioid crisis in the area; $60,000 for Franklin and $60,000 for Medway to purchase and install solar powered school zone lights to address public safety concerns; $44,000 for stormwater management oversight in the town of Medway; $35,000 to improve emergency medical service response in open space locations in the town of Medway; and $200,000 for for affordable housing in Medway. As always, I thank you for he opportunity to serve and I urge you to contact me with any questions about the budget or any other matter. Copyright © 2015 State Rep Jeff Roy, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you either contacted our office or indicated you wanted to keep updated on the 10th Norfolk District and things going on at the State House. Our mailing address is: State Rep Jeff Roy State House Room 527A Boston, MA 02133 Add us to your address book

State Rep Jeff Roy · State House Room 527A · Boston, MA 02133 · USA

The email was shortened to publish here, to view the full email View this email in your browser

In the News: Children Center Open House, state funding restored

Dean College Children’s Center, 144 School St., will host an open house from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 4. 

Parents of children 2-6 years old are invited to bring their child to explore and learn about the school. 

Applications will be accepted for five-day morning, two-day morning and three-day morning preschool programs, and the four-day Pre-K program. Preschool begins on Sept. 14.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150805/NEWS/150808259/1994/NEWS

State Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said restoring the cuts was driven by a desire to help the state's municipalities. 

"In working closely with local officials, I hear, almost on a daily basis, about town needs," she said. 

One key override, Spilka said, would provide $50,000 for the town's new substance abuse coalition. 

"Substance abuse, particularly opioid abuse, is rampant in the state," she said. "I thought it was important."

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150805/NEWS/150808212/1994/NEWS

In the News: rezoning Dean Ave property, fund raising for helmets, host family 'fresh air'

The Town Council Wednesday night discussed rezoning six parcels of land along Dean Avenue to encourage the development of multi-family housing.The land had been zoned for industrial use, said Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting. 

"It's basically the Thompson Press building," he said. "If approved, this would allow for the development of condominiums or apartments."Nutting said the Planning Board recommended the change.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150805/NEWS/150808139/1994/NEWS

After a helmet saved the life of 3-year-old Liam Stoltz last week, he and his family are hoping they can help save the lives of others.Liam escaped serious injury last Thursday morning when a covered trailer he was riding in that was attached to his father’s bicycle was run over by a Jeep Cherokee on Sanford Street in Medway, not far from their Franklin home.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150805/NEWS/150808182/1994/NEWS

For anyone who has ever thought about serving as a host family, the Grahams of Franklin said sharing their home has created a life-long friendship with someone they may not have otherwise crossed paths with. 

“We have gotten as much if not more out of the program than Audrey has,” said Colleen Graham.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150806/NEWS/150808111/1994/NEWS

Live reporting: Legislation for action through to closing

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 15-48: Voter Approval – Farm Equipment, Farm Animals
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0 (via roll call)

we have not enforced it and would like to get away from it, we'd like to get the vote to NOT do this
it would cause more to collect the tax than it would bring in

Padula - speaking for the proposal, had visited Hoffman Farm and wasn't aware of the CSA program

Dellorco - had stopped down by Akin Bak, they don't have much time to make money

Cerel - I have had comments about the stilted way this is written, it follows the statue itself and thus it is the way it needs to be. We'll just need to educate the community accordingly.


2. Resolution 15-49: Confirmatory Order of Taking – Land at 275 Beaver Street
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0 (via roll call)

formal notice on the land transfer for the new Recreation Dept building/land
land transaction had already been sold, this is to ensure that we really do have a clear title for the future

Dellorco - I am on the Recreation Committee and we have great plans for this property

3. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 15-750: Zoning Map Changes from Industrial to General Residential V District in an Area on or Near Dean Ave – 1st Reading
motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed 8-0

the second hearing would be held in Sep


4. Bylaw Amendment 15-751: Changes to Chapter 181, Wetlands Protection – 1st Reading
motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed 8-0

simplifies the process per the Conservation Commission, sending to the ConCom and DPW only required, all other distribution requirements will be handled internally

5. Resolution 15-50: Ratification Franklin Police Association Contract
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0

substitute page 25 was added, motion needs to include the substitute page
motion made 'as amended"

2% cost of living for 3 years
it is a win-win for all concerned


6. Resolution 15-51: Ratification Franklin Police Sergeants Association Contract
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0

page 18 was amended to correct the same typo referenced in the prior notice
motion was amended

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
meeting every other Tuesday on downtown
low and behold, Main St was closed today without notice to anyone
including those at the meeting yesterday
paving Main St north of Emmons
milling Emmons soon
don't have a permit from the T to do the work on the bridge yet

light poles are being re-positioned
48" required for ADA, 60" was requested to enable cleaning of the sidewalks in the winter

re-using the older granite curbing on High St instead of the new granite

Rec building goal to be out by Nov
get office relocated

if you missed the demo of the portables at Davis Thayer
landscaping and sidewalks are being worked

a resident commented about drainage from the play ground

in about 4 weeks the bells will ring and schools will be open
drive carefully


L. OLD BUSINESS
DelCarte - supposed to start last week, should start the week of the 17th

issuing an RFP for an aquatic study through the Conservation Commission to ensure that if it was stocked, it would be successful. The Conservation Commission will be requested to bring info to the Council

Fire Marshall says there should be space to do so, would need to see the actual fireworks plan
other communities raise 20-25,000 to fund it


M. NEW BUSINESS
Bissanti - thanks for participating, it is on going process
we''ll make sure the notice gets out to you

Pfeffer - the Town Council hasn't seen the RFP's yet, it is still with the EDC

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Pfeffer - letter from Bob Fahey

Pfeffer - I don;t know who takes care of the bridge with the flags

Mercer - taking down the portable, great job to the DPW
thank the Franklin Cultural Festival Committee for the 1st event
there were great things at multiple locations
at the Sculpture park, the Common, the high school, the BLACK BOX
it was a great five days, we learned a lot, some things to do and not to do
looking forward to the future

Feldman -
kudos to the participants in the PMC

Challenge has reached the top level of pricing, the program will end in Sep

Dellorco - Coaltion meeting Weds the 12
couple of support groups already started, we're the fastest that it has ever happen

Chief Howell passed away, heard late this afternoon


P. ADJOURN

motion to adjourn, passed 8-0


Clarification on the Pfeffer comments, the RFP s and decision is still with the EDC

Live reporting: Community Opportunities Grant

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
- Bridge Restaurant Group d/b/a Incontro Restaurant & Lounge – Change of Manager
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Community Opportunities Group-Housing Grant
Paula Stewart, Community Opportunities Group

Franklin, Bellingham, Hopedale
one of two awards by the State, expect to move forward with the work etc.
one is housing rehabilitation program
due to cut backs at Federal level
$894,0000 available for the three towns

• 35,000 per unit to rehab, owned and/or occupied by low income
• supplemental fuel assistance, will provide some additional resources after the basic coverage expires

can assist folks not previously covered by fuel assistance program

Nutting - we'll do more public outreach as things get ready

we're happy that the three towns collaborated and we were able to put it in

Stewart - there will be a lottery for the housing rehab program, applications will be posted to the town webpage

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Bissanti - three proposals were received, one was asked for a resubmittal to take out the retail space
the point about only the two people in the room, there have been some flip remarks about that and we understand we are not going to get 35,000

Live reporting: Public Hearing - Dean Ave rezoning, Election Presentation

F. HEARINGS
– Zoning Bylaw Amendment 15-750: Zoning Map Changes from Industrial to General Residential V District in an Area on or Near Dean Ave. – 7:10 PM

Pfeffer - read explanation letter (as noted in released agenda documents)

Nutting - this is a follow up from the 2013 Master Plan
it would for apartments or condos, the theory would be that it would be ideal for commuters

Q - on whether the land revenue would decrease with the change to residential from commercial industrial?

A - it is complicated, but not really. The revenue is embedded in the tax levy. The delta could be spread amongst the other tax payers. Realistically, the land is underutilized so it would like generate more 'new growth'


H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS 
Town Clerk – Election Process
Debbie Pellegri
nomination papers available as of Monday and through Sep 14th
last day to submit paper is Sep 16

100 signatures for Council, 50 for all other positions
can sign for multiple people on that position

Note: the timeline is available on the Town Clerks webpage
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/Nov.%203,%202015%20Town%20Election%20News.pdf

If someone signs but is not registered to vote, the signature won't be counted

2 - for Assessors2 - Board of Health2 - Constables3 - Planning Board9 - Town Council7 - School Committee1 - for Town Clerk

2016 will be a busy year as it will lead to the Presidential election in Nov 2016

signs can go up anytime, size does matter - 'temporary signs'

Live reporting: Town Council - Aug 5, 2015

Present: Feldman, Padula, Mercer, Kelly, Vallee, Pfeffer, Bissanti, Dellorco
Absent: Williams


A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
July 8, 2015
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
– This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Ken Norman - Board of Directors, Franklin TV
invite to potential candidates to have info session before the camera to be packaged for broadcast

Call for appointment: 508 541 4118

Gail Irwin - 3 RFP's received, and talk about going back out for a hotel RFP
you are not listening to the constituents
those who do attend are made to feel unimportant and that not approriate

Sandy Verhagen
this is 'ideal' commercial land'
while it has potential, it is land and the residents have expressed their displeasure
the traffic is a problem, the State grade is a F
the paid information did prove that the study confirms the traffic intersection is bad
forest land and proximity to wet lands
to think it is commercial shows a lack of due diligence
we have completely spoken out against this
the solar panels are good but not ideal on the revenue
we did also get a proposal for condos, it would be less impactful
it would bring in revenue, as compromise
hope that you will maybe think about those views
the town can grow for progress or grow for growth

Stephanie Pazniokas
speaking also for the Pond St residents
for the record and for future meetings
there are comments that if we are not all, then the comments do not count
for this record and for any future meetings
I agree that is not ideal for commercial for a hotel
having looked at all three proposals, my husband did bring the info back home
while we were not in favor of a commercial, we are willing to compromise
we are all trying to work in toward the common good of franklin
everything past the Kindcare is residential, to put anything else there is detrimental

John Pazniokas
I want to talk about the Pond St traffic
well, I don't really, I do want to talk about the eye roll you all just did
when presentations were made for the proposals
it was mentioned during the conversations last week, there was no concern about traffic
if we need to pack each meeting, while not practical we'll do so
we're being spoken down to each time
I want to go on record I am not in agreement with everything goes down
we don't all represent just one person


E. APPOINTMENTS
none

Addressing an Epidemic: Addiction, Stigma, and Recovery - August 12

Sponsored by S.A.F.E. (Support for Addicts and Families by Empowerment), the Community Coalition recently formed in Franklin, this event will feature a talk by Dr. John Kelly, the director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service at Mass General Hospital. 

It will be followed by a panel discussion and questions from the audience.

Addressing an Epidemic: Addiction, Stigma, and Recovery - August 12

Wednesday, August 12 at 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Franklin High School Auditorium, 218 Oak St

You can follow the event on Facebook here
https://www.facebook.com/events/466145200232846/

Franklin Downtown Partnership: Mark your calendar for upcoming FDP events!

Mark your calendars!

Franklin Downtown Partnership

Networking Luncheon

Friday, August 14th, 1:00

Dean College-Dining Center

General Meeting

Thursday, September 3rd, 8:30 a.m.

Dean College Campus Center-Golder Room

Franklin Downtown Partnership

Fundraiser Dinner

Tuesday, November 10th

Congressman Joe Kennedy-Guest Speaker

Reserve a table for your business.

More details to come!

Winter Beautification Day

Sunday, November 22nd

Volunteers Needed

Holiday Stroll

Thursday, December 3rd

Sponsors Needed

For additional info on the Franklin Downtown Partnership visit their website
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/

"Drug Addiction: What parents need to know"

Patricia Byrne is the creator of the blog Heroin. Stop the Silence. Speak the Truth. She has three children including her son, age 29, who is a recovering

Patricia Byrne

heroin addict. 

We have already shared a couple of her writings here. She has written a new post "Drug Addiction: What parents need to know" on another site called "Grown and Flown"

It will be a site you'll want to check out and consider subscribing to. A small window will pop up while you read the article asking you to consider subscribing to receive email updates.

drug paraphernalia 

"When my oldest was about a week old I remember looking down into his beautiful eyes and being struck by an overwhelming sense of fear. Icy terror washed over me as I realized the full weight of my responsibility for this tiny human. How was I going to do this right? What was I going to do wrong? I knew I’d do something wrong, would it scar him for life? I was the one who would have to teach him to navigate a world I was not sure I fully understood myself. 

We are parents. We have all had this moment, and the fear stays with us……forever. These tiny beings may grow taller than us, they may move across the country and have tiny beings of their own someday – but they will always remain our innocent, irreplaceable miracles, and we will always be their parents."

Continue reading Patricia's article here
http://grownandflown.com/drug-addiction-what-parents-need-to-know/ 

Hockmock YMCA: Events at the Y

Hello, 

I wanted to share with you some upcoming events at the YMCA in Franklin 

Hockomock YMCA

Thursday, August 6th 6:00-8:00pm  

- Summer Sizzler: An outdoor cookout for the whole family with games, the pool, bounce house, face painting, ropes course and much more. $5/adult or $15/family 

Saturday, August 15th: 9:00-1:00pm - Community Yard Sale

Senator Spilka: Busy Week in the Senate

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Dear Friend, I am pleased to report that last week, the Massachusetts Senate took action on two of my top priority bills and reaffirmed our commitment to lifting all families in the state's Fiscal Year 2016 budget. We passed my resolution encouraging gender diversity on boards of Massachusetts companies; We passed the Innovative Communities bill to connect startups and municipalities; and We took final action on the state budget, restoring funds for critical programs and services. Budget Update Last week, the Legislature took final action on the Fiscal Year 2016 budget, overriding Governor Baker vetoes to enhance support for Massachusetts residents and communities. This final budget reflects a modest spending increase over last year that is within revenue projections. We restored funding to critical programs and services, especially in areas related to education, homelessness, substance abuse and our innovation economy. This is a balanced budget that covers expected costs for the coming year and makes strategic investments to lift families across the Commonwealth. Read more about the veto overrides here. Thank you to my colleagues in the legislature and all advocates and constituents for making your voices heard on these important issues. As always, if you would like additional information or have any concerns or comments, please call my office at (617) 722-1640 or email me at Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov. Warm Regards, Senator Karen E. Spilka 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk Office of State Senator Karen E. Spilka Room 212, State House Boston, Massachusetts  02133 Phone: (617) 722-1640 - Fax: (617) 722-1077 http://www.karenspilka.com

Forward this email Senator Karen E. Spilka | Massachusetts State House, Room 212 | Boston | MA | 02133

To view the full email text, follow this link --> Click here