Senator Spilka Visited Franklin, Partnership

Senator Spilka Visits Franklin, Talks Downtown Progress

State Senator Karen Spilka visited the Franklin Downtown Partnership office recently, viewing the progress being made on the Downtown Roadway and Streetscape Improvement Project and discussing the FDP’s work on a number of downtown initiatives.

Franklin Downtown Partnership Executive Director Lisa Piana and Planning and Community Development Director Bryan Taberner reviewed the Streetscape construction project’s progress to date. They also shared plans for new development and improvements to the downtown such as the new retail building, park, and Horace Mann statue at the corner of Emmons and West Central streets.

They also discussed the Downtown Branding Initiative that the Planning Department is working on in collaboration with the Partnership, Dean College and the Cultural District Committee.

Planning Director Bryan Taberner discusses the roadway
improvement plan with Senate StaffDennis Giombetti,
Senator Karen Spilka and FDP Executive Director LisaPiana.

“All of these projects and initiatives continue to focus on showcasing what an inviting place downtown Franklin is to work, live and socialize in. Senator Spilka has been a part of the improvement process all along, and we appreciate all she does for her district,” says Piana.  

Senator Spilka also met with Franklin Fire Chief Gary McCarraher and discussed various topics and toured the fire house. The chief expects response times to improve once fire trucks and ambulances can make left-hand turns out of the station when West Central Street is open to two-way traffic.

Senator Spilka speaks with Franklin
Fire Captain Gary McCarraher 

The senator joined local businesses owners, town administrators and members of the Franklin substance abuse prevention group the SAFE Coalition for lunch, where the main topic of conversation was the state’s opiate crisis. Stephen Spiewakowski, a founding board member of the coalition, drew on extensive experience as a probation officer and discussed the area’s most pressing needs, including expanded insurance coverage of treatment options for addicts.

(L to R) Jeff Nutting, SAFE Coalition representative Stephan
Spiewakowski, Bryan Taberner, resident Alex Pizzi and
Senator Spilka discuss ideas over lunch. 

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a non-profit, 501©3 organization made up of business owners, residents and community leaders whose mission is to revitalize downtown Franklin. The Partnership is involved in streetscape and design efforts, greenspace and sculpture projects. Go to the www.franklindowntownpartnership.org to learn more.

Click here to download and print this press release.

Calling All Food Elves and Business Participants

GET READY for the "12 Days of Donating" campaign!

The Franklin Food Elves and the Downtown Partnership will once again launch the “12 Days of Donating” food drive to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry at the annual Holiday Stroll on Thursday, December 3, at the 4 p.m. tree-lighting ceremony.

The Food Elves are looking for businesses to place red donation bins at their location. If you would like to pledge $200 to the pantry and collect food donations please let the Partnership and Food Elves know by Thursday, November 19.  

The Food Elves will drop off bins and pick up all donations for the pantry. You just need to write a check for $200 made out to the Franklin Food Pantry. The Elves will do the rest.

 

The charitable community service group’s goal each year is to collect 1,200 pounds of food and $1,200 in 12 days to benefit the Food Pantry. The campaign will run from December 1 through December 12.  If the Food Elves r

each their goal and collect 1,200 pounds of food, participating businesses will each pledge $200.

 

Last year 90 elves, together with Partnership businesses, collected more than three tons of food donations to support the Franklin Food Pantry. The organization hopes to increase business participation this year again.

If you are interested in participating in the Food Elves’ campaign please contact the Partnership at downtown.Franklin@yahoo.com. 

Volunteers can contact the Food Elves directly at Franklinfoodelves@yahoo.com. 

For more information about the Franklin Food Pantry and what items are needed, please go to their website, www.franklinfoodpantry.org/.

Downtown Streetscape Project Update #17

The latest from the Town Administrator's office:

A nearly completed Main Street in mid November with period lighting and improved sidewalks and crosswalks.

November 16, 2015

Downtown Project Update #17

The major construction of the downtown is finished for this construction year. They anticipate coming back in the spring (April?) and being finished by the end of July. The construction next year will include finishing up the curbing and paving East Central Street from the RR Bridge to Ruggles Street, redoing the RR Bridge to accommodate two-way traffic and full depth reconstruction on Main Street from the RR Bridge to Emmons Street. The traffic on the bridge will be much smaller once the project is complete.

Over the next few weeks, there will be general clean-up of the area, temporary hot top in areas that are gravel, removal of all the equipment at 150 Emmons Street and elsewhere, temporary striping and crosswalks, and installation of the period lighting, etc.

Please be reminded that there is a two-hour parking limit on East Central Street where the parking meters were removed.

Attention: The crosswalk on West Central Street that is used by Dean College has been relocated closer to the intersection on Emmons and West Central Street. When the new lights are activated next year, there will be a push to walk light but in the meanwhile, there are temporary stop signs at the intersection of Emmons and West Central. Please stop and look to make sure there are no pedestrians in the crosswalk prior to turning right from Emmons to West Central.

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.

Holiday Stroll Sponsorships Still Available

We are looking for a few more sponsors for this year's Holiday Stroll. We would like to include your business in the press release so let us know soon if you are interested.

We hope you will consider sponsoring this year's HOLIDAY STROLL. The Partnership is able to offer these events because of support from our local businesses!

The Stroll will be held on Thursday, December 3, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Click here to see the list of sponsorship levels. Email the FDP office at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com by November 16 if you would like to be a sponsor so we can make sure we list you on all of the flyers, PR and promotional materials. 

If you are interested in having a booth please make sure you e-mail one of the event co-chairs so they save a space for you.  The deadline is November 13th.

Gregg Chalk, Event Co-chair

gchalk@dean.edu

Roberta Trahan, Event Co-chair

Roberta_icu1@verizon.net

Downtown Business Lights Challenge

Downtown Business Members -- are You Ready to take the Challenge?

What if EVERYONE put up Holiday Lights this season in the downtown?  What if Every business had lights in the window or on the building?

Wow...that would really get people talking and let people know that DOWNTOWN FRANKLIN is a fun place to be!

If you need help hanging your lights, e-mail the FDP office (downtown.franklin@yahoo.com) and we will send a crew out to assist you.  You buy the lights and the timer and e-mail us when you are ready.

Let's light up the Downtown this season and get ready for the Holiday Stroll on December 3rd!! 

Jane's Frames did it!

The Cake Bar put up their lights!

Dean Bank....they were ahead of all of us!

Come on, get your lights up. You have time -- it is only November!

Networking Luncheon Friday, November 20

Please join us for our upcoming Networking Luncheon

Friday, November 20, at 1 p.m. 

Dean College Smith Dining Center 

This luncheon is a great opportunity to talk about your business and grow relationships with other professionals in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying a delicious lunch. It is an ideal way for new businesses to get the word out about their ventures and make new connections. 

The FDP holds these networking luncheons every 3rd Friday of the month. Networking Committee Co-Chairs Gary Donelan and Matt Lechter are looking in to after-hours events at local businesses, and are actively looking for speaker ideas. Please contact them with topics that you feel are instrumental to your business success.

Gary Donelan, gary.donelan@middlesexbank.com

Matt Lechter, mlechter@dean.edu

Happy Veteran's Day!

Signage By-Law 185-20 Presentation Slides

Chairman Mark Fitzgerald has shared the slides from the Design Review Commission Signage By-Law presentation he made at the November 5 general meeting. Click here to see the Powerpoint file. 

To see more about the presentation at the meeting and the Milford Daily News story, click here. The DRC meets every other Tuesday at the Municipal Building room 205 at 7 p.m. Find more information on the Town of Franklin website, http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Planning/design.

Member Announcements: Franklin Ford, Local Bands to play THE BLACK BOX

Franklin Ford

Test drive a new Ford vehicle on November 15 and help raise money to transport veterans to VA medical facilities in Massachusetts. 

Franklin Ford and the Ford Motor Company will donate $20 to the DAV (up to $6,000) for each participant who test drives a car or truck on Sunday, November 15, from Noon to 4 p.m. Franklin Ford will also offer special pricing for DAV members and all veterans. 

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THE BLACK BOX

Two local bands will perform at THE BLACK BOX on Friday, November 13, beginning at 8 p.m. The Chick Magnets, including Franklin Ford owner Barry Madden, and Ben Gardener's Boat, featuring State Rep. Jeff Roy, will perform, as part of the theater's Local Artist Series. 

Tickets are available at www.theblackboxonline.com.

Screen shot from THE BLACK BOX Facebook events page.