APOLOGIES

I apologize for not getting the events of the last city council up on the blog. I have been having computer trouble. I will be posting that blog soon. Again my apologies

NOVEMBER 2, 2009 CITY COUNCIL MEETING

I am currently working on a blog describing the events at the November 2 City Council meeting. I hope to have it published by Monday of next week.

ANNUAL LEAF PICK UP

Below is taken directly from the city website regarding leaf pick up.

Annual leaf pick-up will begin in the City of Franklin beginning Monday, November 9, 2009. Leaves should be raked to the edge of the road and be free of all other debris. Leaf pick-up will begin on Monday’s garbage route and will take approximately one month to complete the entire City. Bagged leaves that are put at the edge of the right-of-way will also be collected beginning November 9, 2009.


Residents are encouraged to haul their leaves to the Transfer Station where there is a designated area for leaf disposal. By doing this, it saves the Municipal Services Department a great deal of time and enables us to perform other tasks in preparation of the winter season.


Thank you for your cooperation. Any questions, please call Municipal Services at 934-4103.

MORE ON THE COUNCIL MEETING 10/19/09

The City Council voted to hold a public Hearing at the November 2 ,2009 Council meeting to increase the total Keybank lease by $98, 000. The original Keybank lease, for equipment to institute the city’s new recycling program, was approved at the September 8, 2009 council meeting. According to Brian Sullivan, The Municipal Services Director, this would lead to an approximate increase in annual payments of $14,764. However, increase would be offset by revenues collected currently budgeted in the “Demolition” line of the current Fiscal year budget.


My understanding is that the state is implementing a burning ban on un-treated building materials effective January 2011. Franklin currently burns clean construction material, including lumber and pallets at no cost. However, once the states ban takes effect, this material will need to be disposed of along with demolition materials, which are currently hauled by a private entity. Disposal of demolition materials is user based and the revenues collected support expenditures made to operate the program. Sullivan says  combining demolition debris and the clean construction material will increase the number of container hauls from an average of ten to fifteen hauls per month. The increased hauling equates to an annual hauling fee of $29,784 per year.

The proposal is to purchase a larger 68,000 pound Gross Vehicle Weight truck along with larger thirty yard roll off containers giving the city the ability to haul construction/demolition debris, as well as its trash. According to Sullivan, instead of paying a private hauler, the fees collected will be more than enough to cover the increase in the lease payment.

Please plan to attend the public hearing on November 2, 2009, if you would like to know more or have any questions.



The council adjourned and there was a legislative committee which met to take up the issue of a possible ordinance to ban fireworks on the lake. Ward 3’s Councilor Annette Anderozzi suggested that perhaps there are some independent sources of how fireworks may affect water quality. Ward 3 Councilor, Gerry LeBlanc posed the question of how other communities with lakes approach the use of fireworks. Ward 2 Councilor, Glenn Feener said if the city decides on an ordinance regarding fireworks, then he will push for a “No fertilizer zone” on property surrounding the lake, even though the state currently has laws regarding shoreline protection. It appears that more information is needed before any action is taken on a proposed ordinance.



There was also a legislative committee to discuss a proposed ordinance regarding to the recycling program. Stay tuned for this because I believe there will be a public hearing coming up on November 2, 2009, but I will need to confirm.



Thanks

Jeff

CITY COUNCIL MEETING 10/19/09

The City Council met on October 19th in an abbreviated session to several items including to accept the votes from the election on October 6, 2009. There was a recount for the school board race in Ward 2. The recount was held during the public session and the ballots were sealed in a box, since election day. Councilors Leblanc and Rabinowitz observed standing at the table with the counters and Candidate Ryan Fairchild, who requested the new count. Councilor Feener assisted with the recount.
The recount was completed and the results stand that Desiree McLaughlin won the school board seat by one vote. The final count is as follows:
Desiree McLaughlin - 118
Ryan Fairchild         - 117
Lawrence McGrath -  26
Alan Davis              -     1

Don't ever let anyone tell you your vote does not count.

There were some other items covered during the council meeting and I will be more in depth soon.

Recycling

First order of buisness today is some housekeeping. I have made some changes to the "links" to your right. I have created a seperated section just for City links, ( These are links to various official Franklin Websites) You will notice the "Winter Parking Ban"...yes it is that time again. Personally, I would like to see a "Winter Ban" (ba-bump).  Then there is a section which is devoted to links that will take you to various news articles or letters that citizens write. If you see something that might be of intrest and is relevant to Franklin. Let me know. I will post the link.  I also made some minor changes to the page layout. In the future I will be devoting a section for links to other bloggers that may be on intrest.  If there is a blog you for which you would like me add a link send a quick email to forfranklinnh@yahoo.com.
Second, I need you to tell your friends about this blog.  I think it is important for the citizens of Franklin to be involved and want to provide you an opportunity to have your voice heard. Speak up!
 I am currently strategizing a way to get the word out ...but I could use your help.  Send it to a friend that lives in Franklin and then tell them to send it to a friend... You see, this blog is really yours. Make yourself  heard  because if you don't..You will NOT be heard.

Now todays thought. As you may be aware, the Franklin City Council approved a recycling program. I would like to solicit questions from you regarding this program. Any thoughts? ideas?
I am planning on doing some more research on this, but here is what I know so far. The cost for the trucks will be 850K over the next seven years. I think the plan is to haul the recycling to Maine. I had attended the meeting when they approved this item, but honestly it was a couple of months ago and my memory is getting ..well lets just say....What was it we were talking about? :) ...and I don't remember hearing any real bottom line figures on what this would cost the city per year. I did hear alot of figures being offered, but I am not sure it was broken down to a yearly cost.
Now having said that: I know that recycling is good for the enviorment, that it is the responsible thing to do for our planet.  Personally, I am for all cities and towns to have some kind of recycling program....although, I guess I am am not sure that the program Franklin has adopted is the best. (don';t get me wrong--I am for recycling- but are we going to be able to afford the program chosen?) So, I would like to hear more about  how our leaders feel this might effect us in the next budget cycle...and cyles thereafter.. Perhaps a little bit more in depth info on the program. I am hoping one of the Councilors I invited to blog here will chime in. I think Jay Bowers in the Chairman of the Recycling committee. Perhaps he can give us some info?
Ofcourse, if you would like to offer a comment or question regarding the program, that is cool too!

Thanks
Jeff

Construction Continues

Well, construction on the blog is coming along. I have linked to a couple of different Franklin Official sites. They are under "important links" on the right column. The City Official site links are in all Capital Letters. You will also see several links to the Concord Monitor and the Laconia Citizen with letters and articles concerning Franklin. I have tried to title these links to include the subject matter of the article or letter. If you think there is an article or letter from any publication that would make a good link, please let me know. My email address is forfranklinnh@yahoo.com.  I will continue to make this site better and more informative and I would like your input. Let me know.
I am hoping to blog more in depth about City Council meetings in the future and I am planning on approaching City officials to invite them to posts Blogs about any Franklin subject matter that they would like...so stay tuned! My hopes are that this blog will be a free flow of information, ideas and perhaps debate about Franklin for Franklin. The aim is to present all sides of every issue. If it concerns Franklin, then it belongs here. If you would like to post a comment, please do so...but remember, be respectful of dissenting opinons and differing ideas. Disagreement is fine...just respectfully do so...If you would like to post a blog, let me know...I am open to ANYONE willing to share thier views. Please tell  your friends about this blog...because it is important that we all stay informed about our hometown.

Thanks
Jeff

OTHER ITEMS FROM OCTOBER 5TH COUNCIL MEETING

I wanted to quickly cover some other items from the last City Council meeting. I hope to be more in depth in the future.

The Council passed a couplel supplemental appropriations;
1) 61, 322. for the purchase of two pick up trucks and capital fire equipment for the Fire Department.

2) 25, 476. for the purchase of two Stryker Power Cots for the Fire Department. These were funded by donations to the Dept in thier memorium fund.

The Council approved the Police Chief's contract. Couniclor Feener was concerned about the cost of the chief utilizing a city car for his commute. Feener voted no on the contract, after his motion to take that cluase out was not seconded.  The contract passed 8 yes. 1 no vote.

The city council consered a public hearing for a supplemental appropriation in the amount of 31, 860.82 for a new phone system for the Middle School. They also considered the scheduling of a public hearing on ordinance 02-10, Chapter 257, Solid Waste Ordinance. This has to do with the new recylcing program, Franklin adopted.

Finally the City council denied a request from the Laconia Citizen to release non-public documents under the right to know.  I apologize but I don't have anymore info on this except to say that the documents the Laconia Citizen wants has to do with the a sex offender ordinance and also with the tax cap issue.

There is a link on your right, which will take you to the Agenda for 10/5/2009

City Council meetings are held the first Monday of every month at 7pm, at the Franklin City Hall.

If anyone would like to add to my brief synopsis, please do so, by posting a comment. hover your mouse over where it tells the number of comments and click. If you click the envelope...you will get a form to email your friends with the comment.  You can also contact me at forfranklinnh@yahoo.com.

I am looking to have citizens posts blogs about any subject they would like. I would ask that if you would like your blog to be consider, email me at the above address, with the text.

Thanks
Jeff

PS. Check out the links to stories on the Opera House, and some letters printed in previous editions of the Concord Monitor and Laconia Citizen.

TWIN RIVERS WORKCAMP

At the October 5th City Council Meeting, Lynn Stanley from Casey Family Services addressed the Mayor and Council regarding the Twin Rivers Work Camp to be held July 5th through the 9th of 2010. The work is made up of Teen and adult leaders from across the country that will spend one week in the Franklin area performing hands-on home repair projects for residents who cannot do the work themselves because of income, age, and/or disability.  Both the labor and materials will be free to qualifying households. If you or you know someone who could use some help doing home repair projects, please get an application. I have some here, just email me at forfranklinnh@yahoo.com or contact Kathy Burk at Casey Family Services. Toll free 1-800-417-7375.

If you click on the title of this blog "Twin Rivers Workcamp" it will take you directly to the Casey Family services website.