Signage By-Law Discussion at FDP General Meeting

Franklin Building Commissioner Gus Brown and Design Review Commission Chairman Mark Fitzgerald attended last Thursday's FDP general meeting, and Fitzgerald gave a presentation about By-Law 185-20, also known as the signage by-law. 

In the presentation, Fitzgerald outlined who the volunteer review commission members are, what the DRC's goals are, signs that work and those that don't, creativity, and the regulations themselves. He also took questions from meeting attendees. 

Fitzgerald made a point of saying the DRC is "pro business" and wants to work with business owners on the look and functionality of signage. The commission meets every other Tuesday at 7 p.m. in room 205 of the Municipal Building. More information about the DRC and the by-law is found at  http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Planning/design.

The Milford Daily News printed a story about that portion of the meeting:

Franklin:  Panel talks about attractive signs
By Mike Gleason/Daily News Staff

Posted Nov. 7, 2015 at 10:27 AM

Updated Nov 7, 2015 at 11:38 AM 

FRANKLIN - The Franklin Downtown Partnership had its designs on signs during its Thursday morning meeting with Design Review Commission members.

During a slideshow talk, Commission Chairman Mark Fitzgerald said he thinks his group's mission is to work with businesses to keep the town's look pleasant.

"We don't want to be the sign police," he said. "We are business-friendly - we want to see business in town."

Fitzgerald said the commission's role is to make recommendations and provide a forum to talk about aesthetics outside of the regulation-oriented Planning Board setting.

"You can come before us and talk about colors and palettes," he said. "What do we like to see? Signs that are compliant with the bylaw and are clear and concise."

You can read the full story here:  http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151107/NEWS/151106686/1994/NEWS

Downtown Streetscape Project Update #16

Please remember to visit your downtown businesses, banks and restaurants during construction. While construction is inconvenient, it is also hard on the bottom lines of our town's businesses.

The latest from the Town Administrator's office:

November 6, 2015

Downtown Project Update # 16

MASS DOT was unable to pave Thursday night. Their plan is to finish West Central Street and Summer Street on Monday during the day. They will keep one lane of traffic open on West Central Street so they will not need to detour traffic.

If anyone has a question, please feel free to reach out to the DPW Director, Brutus Cantoreggi or Town Engineer, Michael Maglio at 508-553-5500 or Jeffrey Nutting, Town Administrator at 508-520-4949. 

Want to Support our Upcoming Holiday Stroll? Here's How!

The holidays will be here before you know it, and we are busy planning the Holiday Stroll! The event will be Thursday, December 3, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Please contact us soon if you would like to sponsor this fun event. Sponsorships start at just $100. We would like to list your business in the newspapers, promotional materials, posters and flyers so don't delay! 

If you would like to participate in the event, please contact event co-chairs Gregg Chalk, gchalk@dean.edu, or Roberta Trahan, roberta_icu1@verizon.net.

Click to see a list of Sponsorship Opportunities.

Click to download and print a Sponsorship Registration Form.

Participate in our Holiday Stroll!

Join the Franklin Downtown Partnership

and participate in the 7^th annual Holiday Stroll!

This year’s event will be held on Thursday, December 3, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in downtown Franklin.

Dozens of local businesses and organizations participated last year and ran special promotions or provided entertainment and refreshments for the more than 1,000 Franklin area residents who “strolled” through downtown.

It's time to think about how your business/organization will participate in this year’s event.  Please send us the following information by Thursday, November 12, 2015:

Name of business/organization:

Contact person:

Best number to reach contact person:

Contact person’s e-mail:

What your business/organization would like to do (i.e. special promotion/special event):

We look forward to your participation!

Gregg Chalk, Event Co-Chair, gchalk@dean.edu

Roberta Trahan, Event Co-Chair, roberta_icu1@verizon.net

Update on MWVB Marketing Opportunities - New Deadlines

The Metro West Visitors Bureau is teaming up with the FDP to offer you some exciting opportunities. We told you about these last week (click here to see the original info). and now there are some new deadlines. Please take the time to read the information below if you have not done so in the past.

Guide to MetroWest ad sheet 

Exciting Marketing Opportunities

Advertise in the Guide to MetroWest 2016

DEADLINE to reserve space extended until November 6^th – RSVP ASAP! 

This popular guide to the region provides visitors and residents alike with hundreds of opportunities for shopping, dining, lodging, cultural and recreational activities, and services packed into a colorful publication that people will refer to all year long!  In this inaugural addition as an annual publication, the Guide will be enhanced with a wider format, a coupon section for advertisers, opportunities for category specific advertorials and a tie in with tile advertising on our new website beginning January 2016. Click here for pricing and more details! If you have any updates or changes to your member listing, please also send those to us by November 6^th. 

MORE MetroWest Rack Cards - New marketing services and products – We’re ready to roll out our latest marketing initiative, the MORE MetroWest rack card series, with each focused on a different area of interest from rainy day activities for kids to gardens, museums, summertime fun, history, culinary delights, great fall events, shopping, etc. 15K of these cards will be distributed at businesses across MetroWest and beyond.  We can include 4-6 businesses on each rack card. We’ll take care of all the design, production and distribution, and you reap the benefits of a great, low-cost marketing outlet for your business or service. Click here for pricing and details.

                                                                                                                                                                                

MORE Valuable Opportunities through the Mass Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT)!

Free Workshop - Focus on The United Kingdom – Join our colleagues from MOTT for this free workshop on Tuesday, December 1, at the State Transportation Building (10 Park Plaza, Suite 4510, Boston). Doors open at 9:00 a.m. With 183,000 travelers in 2014, the United Kingdom remains the #1 overseas travel market to Massachusetts. Save the date for an informative and interactive seminar on latest UK travel trends, airline service, and marketing tactics for the Massachusetts travel industry. Speakers and agenda to be announced. Space is limited so reserve your seat now!

Are you a Green business in MetroWest – Let us know! MOTT’s new online program, MA GREEN, promotes Massachusetts as a green travel destination. MA GREEN provides hotels, attractions, restaurants, and retail establishments the opportunity to share information about their environmental practices with visitors. And it provides resources to help tourism businesses develop or expand green programs. The program recognizes five national certification programs: LEED, Energy Star, Green Seal, Green Key, and Certified Green Restaurant. In addition all hotels, attractions, restaurants, and retail establishments that have a web page dedicated to their environmental practices are eligible for a link from their listing onmassvacation.com.  To see the MA GREEN visitor content, click on the MA GREEN logo on massvacation.com’s home page or go to http://www.massvacation.com/ma-green/ .  Send your content to Alyssa MacPherson at alyssa@metrowestvisitors.org and we’ll share it with MOTT!

Holidays Galore – MOTT is creating a separate landing page on its website for each annual  holiday including Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, February Vacation, St. Patrick’s Day, April Vacation, Patriot’s Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, 4^th of July, Labor Day, Halloween, Veteran’s Day Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve/Day. These pages, which will be used to feature events from the regions, will be updated as early as possible to give visitors a chance to plan ahead.  If you have holiday events to share, please email details such as organization/business name, date and url, to me at michele@metrowestvisitors.org. 

Calling all Culinary Events: Food, Fairs & Festivals – Opportunities though MOTT! – MOTT is on the hunt for all of your foodie fun and events for their Culinary Tourism Calendars located at Foodie Calendar. If you have any scheduled events from now through April 2016 which you would like to promote, please email the info, in this order, 'what, when, where, admission, more info (with url)' to alyssa@metrowestvisitors.org. Also, if you have any (royalty-free) food and culinary event images, please send them along. (Note: the culinary calendars are specifically designed to promote culinary events, not standard restaurant menus.)

Are you Blogging? – Are you blogging about your business, products or services?  We hope you will share that content with us!  MOTT is seeking content for their blog, MA Finds (http://www.massvacation.com/blog/).  Please send posts of no more than 200 words to me at michele@metrowestvisitors.org and we will share with our friends at MOTT. 

Many thanks for your partnership and support. 

Happy fall!

Michele

Dean College Winter Intercession Classes Offered to Public

The Dean Leadership Institute and the School of Continuing Studies have set their Winter Intersession classes. Choose from non-credit, 1-week, 2-week or 4-week credit courses in business, general studies, and other interesting subjects. Choose from in-classroom or online instruction. 

More information can be found on the School of Continuing Studies website, dean.edu/scs, or call 508-541-1941. 

Click here to download a registration form.

Downtown Streetscape Project Update #14

The latest from the Town Administrator's office:

November 2, 2015

Downtown Project Update # 14

We are scheduled to pave Emmons and West Central Street Wednesday night. Start time will be 7:00 p.m. with a finishing time of 5:00 a.m. The finishing time may be a little later so we can finish Summer Street, but we will be out of the school’s way for the start of their day. If anything changes and we have to push it back to Thursday, we will let you know but we should be all set Wednesday night.

If anyone has a question, please feel free to reach out to the DPW Director, Brutus Cantoreggi or Town Engineer, Michael Maglio at 508-553-5500 or Jeffrey Nutting, Town Administrator at 508-520-4949. 

Vote Tuesday, November 3

VOTE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3

There is an important town election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3. All districts will vote at the Franklin High School from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Candidates are vying for positions as Assessor, Board of Health, Constable, Planning Board, School Committee, Town Clerk and Town Council. There is also a ballot question asking whether or not to impose an excise tax on agricultural businesses  (please read that question carefully). 

Steve Sherlock has put together a comprehensive Franklin Voter Quick Reference Card for Nov. 3 on Franklin Matters. 

Steve also has posted his Election Collection on Franklin Matters, which has links to all of his interviews with candidates as well as links to the Milford Daily News profiles. 

Please take the time to carefully read through this information and be informed about the candidates up for election Tuesday.

Member Announcements: Turkey Trot, Help Wanted at Alumni, New Hope Gourmet Guys Fundraiser

Food Pantry Turkey Trot Press Release

The entire Kilburn family of Franklin was among the almost 400 individuals who participated in last year’s Turkey Trot. They will be trotting again this year in support of the Franklin Food Pantry. Pictured, left to right, are Molly, Chris, Maddy, Bridget, Tom, Nate, and family friend Niamh O’Sullivan of Cumberland, RI.

Turkey Trot in Franklin on Thanksgiving to Benefit Franklin Food Pantry

FRANKLIN, Ma. – It’s a worthwhile price to pay when you register for the annual Turkey Trot Family 5K Fun Run and Walk to be held Thanksgiving morning. The registration fee of $20, or 20 nonperishable food items, will go directly to the Franklin Food Pantry, keeping donations local to help those in need during this holiday season. 

Sponsored by Feed the Need, the event begins and ends at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS Church) at 91 Jordan Road in Franklin. The race, open to runners and walkers of all ages, is a great opportunity for the entire family to get out and exercise together before their traditional Thanksgiving feast. And, there’s the added benefit of helping to relieve hunger in the community.

“We are inspired by the great turnout for the Franklin race,” said Erin Lynch, executive director for the Franklin Food Pantry. “Thanksgiving is a time for everyone to truly appreciate what they have, but also an occasion to think of others who are struggling to put food on their tables. The Turkey Trot rallies our community to give back and help protect others from the threat of hunger. We are grateful to Feed the Need for spearheading the race and raising awareness about our own need in Franklin.”

The November 26 race will begin at 8 a.m. To participate in the Turkey Trot, you can pre-register online at www.feedtheneed.org; or sign up the day of the race from 7 – 8 a.m., or 7 – 9 p.m. the night before, at the LDS Church. The first 100 race participants to register Wednesday night will receive race t-shirts. For those interested in making food donations instead of the $20 registration fee, the Pantry is in most need of tuna, canned fruit, and health and hygiene products such as deodorant.

For more information, call 508-520-9864.

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Help Wanted

Alumni Restaurant is looking for a part-time motivated individual for a dishwasher position, nights and weekends. Must be clean and an organized hard worker. Responsibilities include cleaning dishes, glassware, utensils and other cooking equipment using dishwasher and by hand, maintaining the kitchen in an orderly and sanitary condition and other related cleaning maintenance duties. The right candidate will be a positive team player with a flexible schedule. Opportunity for growth is available. Interested? Contact Andrea Savioli, Restaurant Manager/Function Coordinator, 508-528-8804.

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New Hope Inc.'s Gourmet Guys Fundraiser

New Hope, Inc. invites you to their Gourmet Guys fundraiser on Friday, November 20! New Hope's website, www.new-hope.org, has ticket information.