5 Things You Missed at Last Night's Selectmen's Meeting
United Way to open a new food pantry, Framingham History Center plans 150th anniversary of the Civil War events and Selectmen approve 40 warrant article for Town Meeting.
1. United Way of Tri-County Plans to Open a Food Pantry
Vice President of Community Resources for the United Way of Tri-County Jen Maseda presented a new resource for Framingham residents to Selectmen meeting: a food pantry.
Maseda introduced the idea of a United Way of Tri-County food pantry, which is scheduled to open in June 2011, after surveying the area and finding, “an increasing need for access to food for families,” she said.
“Many people have a misconception about food pantries,” Maseda added. “People think its skid-row. What you see is rows of minivans not homeless with grocery carts.”
The new food pantry will be located on Pearl Street in the old registry building, according to Maseda. The United Way of Tri-County is leasing the building.
Maseda described people the food pantry would serve as the blue-collar worker or a tradesperson looking for his next job, the food service worker whose restaurant has closed or had her hours cut, and the laid-off office worker who can now go out and focus on getting a new job.
Maseda also said the United Way of Tri-County has studied other food pantry models and “providing food with dignity guides and drives us.”
2. Town Manager Julian Suso told Selectmen employee health insurance for the town is more than 16 percent of the town’s general spending.
He predicts that the percentage could go up to 17 percent by fiscal year 2012.
“About 69 percent of the entire town’s new revenue growth in fiscal year 2012 will go to municipal healthcare insurance,” Suso said. “This is gobbling town revenue which could go towards hiring new teachers, police officers, and firefighters.”
“The quality of our schools and public safety is being compromised,” he added.
Suso suggested the town go to a collective bargaining format with union colleagues, which is currently prohibit under Massachusetts state laws.
Suso also informed the Selectmen about a meeting at the State House he attended on municipal healthcare insurance reform.
“The time for real substantive reform has arrived,” Suso read from the speech he read to legislators.
3. Framingham Remembers: Commemorating the Civil War 150 Years Later
The plans for “Framingham Remembers: Commemorating the Civil War 150 Years Later,” are taking shape, said Framingham History Center’s Executive Director Annie Murphy.
“Framingham has terrific Civil War history,” Murphy said.
Several programs are already in the works starting with a “Memory and Meaning Series,” which begins on March 27.
The four-part series involves exploring the historical, scientific, psychological, and artistic meanings of memory, according to Murphy.
A few additional events planned for the 150th year of the Civil War are:
April 12: Illumination Night on the Centre Commons
June 10-12: A weekend of programming including a lecture on General George Gordon, a Framingham resident who was a soldier in the war and letters transcribed from soldiers to then Selectman C.C. Esty, a relative of now Selectman Ginger Esty.
Sept. 17: Walking tour of General George Gordon’s life around the Common.
The three events above are sponsored by the non-profit Framingham History Center.
The Framingham Public Library and Framingham Reads Together program are also focusing on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Garden in the Woods communications officer Steven Ziglar said his organization will be focusing on medicinal plants, that were used during the Civil War and how the plants are used today.
4. Birch Road Wells Project Update
Framingham Public Works employees informed Selectmen about the process of the Birch Road Wells project. Selectman Chair Dennis Giombetti said the project has stalled.
Public Works Department Executive Director Peter Sellers said Framingham has been “rich in water resources because of the Sudbury River for the past 160 years.”
For those 160 years, Boston “has gained significant economic benefits at the expense of 2.5 square miles of taxable land in Framingham,” he added.
The town currently purchases water for its residents from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and with increasing water rates; this project could save money for the town.
Sellers said Framingham is fourth from the bottom in terms of MWRA water rates for the surrounding 13 towns, and it will remain at a low level.
The $43.4 million appropriated project would pay off the plant construction by the early 2030’s, according to Framingham Department of Public Works’ Director of Planning and Design, Engineering and Transportation Division, Eric Johnson.
Johnson estimated that 3.4 million gallons of water a day could be used by the plant, which he said is a conservative estimate.
About $6.1 million has already been spent since 2005 on receiving permits, the design, and construction of the project, Johnson said.
The town has also hired a U.S. Geological Survey team to work on groundwater testing and modeling for the project, said Johnson. “The team is creating data and finding out the impact of the project on surrounding areas of the Sudbury River."
5. 2011 Annual Town Meeting Warrant - 40 articles.
After much discussion about the warrant for the 2011 Annual Town Meeting, Selectmen voted to approve of 40 warrant articles.
The selectmen had hesitation on some articles, but all articles were included; and a 40th article was added about the town’s sex offender bylaw.
Selectmen requested that the final printout of the warrant be on their desks for review at the March 22 meeting.
They voted to move the March 29 meeting to March 22 to have time to prepare the warrant, before it goes to print and to Town Meeting members on March 25.
In This article
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United Way of Tri-County
46 Park St, Framingham, MA -
Framingham History Center
16 Vernon St, Framingham, MA -
Framingham Public Library (Main Library)
49 Lexington St, Framingham, MA
dave Hornfischer
9:21 am on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
AMEN..WHAT IS IT THAT SCHOOL SUPPORTERS DON'T GET ABOUT THIS ISSUE? Instead of the usual SOS messages school supporters are sending, we should be working to maximize value for dollars currently spent. Globe editorial today got it right too.
Town Manager Julian Suso told Selectmen employee health insurance for the town is more than 16 percent of the town’s general spending.
He predicts that the percentage could go up to 17 percent by fiscal year 2012.
“About 69 percent of the entire town’s new revenue growth in fiscal year 2012 will go to municipal healthcare insurance,” Suso said. “This is gobbling town revenue which could go towards hiring new teachers, police officers, and firefighters.”
“The quality of our schools and public safety is being compromised,” he added.
Suso suggested the town go to a collective bargaining format with union colleagues, which is currently prohibit under Massachusetts state laws.
Suso also informed the Selectmen about a meeting at the State House he recently attended about the municipal healthcare insurance reform.
“The time for real substantive reform has arrived,” Suso read from the speech he read to legislators.
Brenda Crawshaw
9:30 am on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wait, I am confused....if going to a "collective bargaining format with union colleagues" is prohibited by law, why is it being suggested? Can someone explain that to me?
John Pearson
9:51 am on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Skyrocketing medical insurance premiums are eating up too much of the budget. And the costs are rising faster than we can keep pace with. Mr Suso has got that exactly right. It's happening all across Massachusetts and, I think, all across the country. It's happening in the private sector as well. Companies are shifting the burden to employees. It costs $15,000 to insure a family nowadays. In the short term, municipal employees need to accept that the town can't afford to pay such a high percentage of such expensive medical insurance packages. The town employees need to contribute more and accept less expensive insurance. In the long term, America needs to look at what other countries are doing and find another way to ensure health care for every American.
Ray Salemi
9:59 am on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
This was why healthcare reform at the federal level was treated as a budget issue. The national budget is suffering from the same problem.
I'm worried that all this sturm and drang about collective bargaining could really just be the equivalent of straightening the deck chairs on the Titanic. If healthcare costs are eating up a larger chunk of our economic output, then dickering over union contracts isn't going to help. Whether the employers pay it, the government pays it, or the individuals pay it, the healthcare bill is still going to hurt.
Jim Rizoli
12:15 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Jim Rizoli from CCFIILE.COM said...Did you see me go before the selectmen about the police cover-up of a false 911 call against me. The police are not doing their job and like to "selectively" prosecute who they want to. This is what the courts would call an "obstruction" of justice.
Theymurder people in their own homes and then don't enforce other laws that are violated.
And you folks here sit back and think there are no problems....LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C45xJV3lwKE
John Pearson
12:57 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
It's not always about you Jim .. we're talking about what to do about the cost of health care.
Jim Rizoli
4:38 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Jim Rizoli from CCFIILE.COM. John, thats true! It's not about me... but I was at that selectman's meeting and had something important to say. Isn't it nice to know that what I had to say wasn't even mentioned, and it had to do with police corruption.
Again we live in a fairy tale land where problems don't exist, for some of you posters here.
Alan Kawadler
5:59 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Could some please explain Mr. Suso's comment about collective bargaining being prohibited by the Commonwealth? Does this mean that the unions tell the Town what they want and the Town just writes the check? What is the process between employees and the Town in determining wages and benefits? When private sector companies get an increase in health insurance they just pass it on to their employees. Why doesn't the Town do that also? It would be nice if those running for selectman comment.
Susan Petroni
6:06 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
@Alan - In the simplest terms - for a complex issue - the town and the schools can not negotiate salaries and health care at the same table. It must be 2 different negotiations; as Framingham was one of only a handful of communities that accepted that aspect of the law.
Presently, both town and school leaders and Town Meeting would like the opportunity to eliminate that law that forbids Framingham from doing all negotiations at the same time.
If the law stays as it -- there is negotiations for salary and other contract issues and then another negotiation for healthcare issues.
Link to article about hearing held yesterday -- http://framingham.patch.com/articles/town-leaders-and-parents-to-testify-at-state-house-today
Kerry Najarian
8:48 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
My question is who thought coalition bargaining was a good idea? Why did Framingham agree to this in the first place? I know times are different today then back in 1993, but at least if have to negotiatiate with the various unions or groups you can at least get some concessions on certain points. Better than tying to get all the town employees to agree to the same contract.
Alan Kawadler
9:20 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Susan. Thank you for the explanation but I'm still confused. Regardless if there are separate negotiations for salary and benefits it seems that the Town still has the ability to negotiate. If the Town exhausts its resources in the salary negotiations how can they provide further concessions to the employee unions in the benefit negotiations. This would never happen in the private sector. You never intentionally give away more then your projected profits unless you have an economic death wish. Based on the Towns unfunded obligations this seems to be one of if not the the key issue in the upcoming elections. It would be nice if the candidates would comment.
Susan Petroni
9:35 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Alan agreed on the private sector. The town, like my family, needs to live within their means and stick to a budget. Only spend what it has available.
Back to the negotiations --- as my husband is a union federal employee I'll use him as an example, with the hopes of not offending any town and school employees. If the federal govt wanted to save money - they could ask the union to pay 5% more in health insurance this year and in subsequent years and in year 4 & 5 of a 5-year contract get 3% and 4% COLA raises, with no raises in years 1-2-3.
With Framingham, again in the simplest terms, the health insurance is negotiated at one table and the rest of the contract, including salaries, step raises, COLA, manning situations, overtime, etc are at another. Hard to do give and take when one item is permanently always off the table during the negotiations.
And most - not all - town and school employees have an 87-13 health insurance split at this time. My family, with the federal plan, has an 80-20 split at the moment. I believe the CFO for the town has projected substantial savings if the town/schools were able to reach an 80-20 split (but do keep in mind that the unions were at one point a 90-10 split and agreed to an 87-13.)
This above is all just numbers and examples, as negotiations are not done in a public forum.
Jim Rizoli
10:08 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Jim Rizoli from CCFIIILE.COM Sue...I mentioned in my interview on the Dave Hutchinson Show this week that we should have a 75-25 split. I haven't heard what the other candidates are saying.
That will save millions of dollars.
Jim Rizoli
11:59 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Jim Rizoli from CCFIILE.COM said...Bottom line is this...If the town doesn't get a handle on this there WILL be layoffs to compensate.
So either come to a reasonable agreement or loose your job.
Why aren't you talking about the 450 million dollar liabilities ( retirees health ins. etc) This alone is going to sink the town, and that doesn't include all the other bills.
Do you understand that our whole budget is a little over 200 million?
Notice that all the others running for Selectmen, except for Nick Sanchez, in even mentioning this. Why is that? Do you think this figure doesn't exist.
Bring Framingham Back
8:43 am on Wednesday, May 4, 2011
United Way of Tri-County Plans to Open a Food Pantry
Savers on Rt 30
United way center on Rt9
salvation army donation cemter in Downtown
SMOC
Does framingham really need another Pantry?
Jim Rizoli
11:46 am on Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Jim Rizoli CCFIILE.COM..... Just more popcorn for the birds!