Town Manager Gets Raise, More Vacation Time

Framingham Selectmen voted unanimously, based on his exceptional review, to give the Town Manager a raise and more vacation time Tuesday night.

In closed session, Framingham Selectmen voted unanimously to award Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin, who just completed a year with the Town of Framingham, a raise and more vacation time, based on his "exceptional" review. Selectmen Chair Dennis Giombetti announced the negotiated contract and its terms during the Selectmen's Tuesday night meeting. Framingham Selectmen made public Halpin's review earlier this month. Halpin will receive a 2 percent raise and one additional week of vacation. Halpin was hired last year and started as Town Manager last June. He was awarded a 3-year contract with a starting salary of $165,000, that increased to $170,000 after six months. Halpin's contract provided him with four weeks of vacation, starting in …

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5 Things You Need To Know Today: June 4

Busy Tuesday in Framingham: opening of downtown farmer's market, girls lacrosse in semifinals of state tourney and both Framingham Selectmen and School Committee meeting tonight. Review of Superintendent and Town Manager on agendas.

Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation. 1. The #2 seeded Framingham High girls lacrosse team will battle North Andover, seeded #3 in the Division 1 North semi-final game today at 4 p.m. at Wayland High School. Admission is $7 adults and $5 students. Framingham Patch will have a photographer at the game and will have a slide show on Wednesday. Go Flyers! 2. Today is the grand opening of the downtown Framingham Farmer's Market at the Framingham Downtown Common. The market will be open noon to 5:30 p.m. Vendors opening day downtown include Hanson's Farm, Globe Fish (until 4 p.m. only), fresh lemonade from When Life Gives You Lemons, …

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Framingham Selectmen, Danforth Green Reach Agreement

The agreement, if Town Meeting approves, would amend access to the site, convey 88 acres of land to the Town of Framingham and require the developer to make a $1 million payment to the town.

The Framingham Board of Selectmen has reached an agreement with the developer of the Danforth Green multifamily residential development in the Saxonville area to alter the financial terms of a 2003 PUD Access Agreement. The new agreement, announced in a press release, alters the financial payment due the Town under a 2003 agreement between an earlier owner and the Town. In exchange, the current owner, Baystone Development of Weston, agrees to convey ownership of 88 acres of land, which had been part of the development as originally proposed, to the Town. The amended agreement requires the approval of Framingham Town Meeting, which will be asked to vote on the agreement later this month. The proposed amendment will require the developer to …

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Framingham, Ameresco Sign Energy Savings Agreement

The agreement between the Town of Framingham and Framingham-based Ameresco Inc. could save the town hundreds of thousands in energy costs.

The Town of Framingham signed an agreement with a Framingham-based energy services company, taking advantage of a regional contract that could save millions of dollars through energy efficiency and renewable energy investments. The Town fo Framingham signed an agreement with Ameresco, Inc. to audit and assess all town-owned facilities to discover all potential opportunities for energy and water conservation and cost savings, as well as renewable energy generation. Framingham will work with Ameresco to choose specific projects from this comprehensive list of energy efficiency and renewable measures. The town will then enter into an energy savings performance contract with Ameresco for these selected projects.  “As a Massachusetts-based …

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Framingham Swears In 10 New Firefighters

The new firefighters will have local training for two weeks before going out on Framingham Fire Department calls.

The Town of Framingham has 10 new firefighters. They were sworn in Wednesday morning by Town Clerk Valerie Mulvey. Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin stopped by to welcome the new employees. Wednesday was their first day on the job. They were having a training session after the brief swearing in ceremony at the Memorial Building. They will start going on calls for the Framingham Fire Department in two weeks. Later, as scheduling permits, they will get additional training at the Massachusetts Fire Academy in Stow. The town was able to hire the new officers, due to retirements. Applicants came from the civil service exam list. The new firefighters are: Luis M Alvarez, Guilherme M. Barroso, Matthew C. Brown, Brendon J. Dobson, Remy Z. Gassel…

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Framingham Implements New Smart911 Service

Framingham residents asked to create personal profiles on the national 9-1-1 system, so first responders can better serve them in an emergency.

The Town of Framingham became the second community in Massachusetts to implement  Smart911, a national public safety service. Framingham town officials held a press conference Tuesday to detail how this service gives citizens the opportunity to be proactive about their family’s safety by providing vital details to 9-1-1 prior to an emergency, enabling responders to act more quickly and precisely during a crisis. “We take great pride in providing the best possible public safety services to our residents, businesses and visitors in Framingham,” said Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin. “By embracing this new technology that has already proven successful all across the country, we are giving citizens the power to engage and communicate with …

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Cheryl Tully Stoll

10:23 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Chief Carl, Ed Burman and team are to be commended for taking a proactive attitude towards emergency response. As more and more children are developing severe food allergies and our baby boomers age, this type of information being rapidly available could mean the difference between life and death or recovery vs. permanent disability. Great work folks.   more ›

Town of Framingham to Host Pakistani Government Officials

The Town of Framingham has partnered with the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Institute for Training and Development to host a group of Pakistani officials between April 29 and May 9.

The Town of Framingham has partnered with the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Institute for Training and Development to host a trio of Pakistani officials between April 29 and May 9. The three Pakistani officials are Robin Haider Bokhari, Zareen Zafar and Nusrat Iqbal. “We are excited about this opportunity to show the Pakistani government managers how town government is organized and to share some actionable ideas and practices that they could implement in Pakistan,” said Framingham  Town Manager Bob Halpin. The project goal for the Pakistani participants is to develop new professional skills, relationships and gain valuable insight into the infrastructure of Town government. The United States-Pakistan Professional Partnership…

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5 Things You Need To Know Today: April 24

Public invited to meet Republican senate candidate Gabriel Gomez this morning, 17 Framingham Police, including 10 SWAT members participated in last week's manhunt, free children's karate class today and Panache Coffee receives entertainment license.

Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation. 1. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez will in Framingham this morning.  The former U.S. Navy Pilot and Navy SEAL, Gomez will start his morning at CJ's Northside Grill at 8:40 a.m. The public is invited to stop by and meet him and ask questions. A first generation American and the son of Columbian immigrants, his next stop will be at Pueblito Paisa Colombia Restaurant in downtown Framingham at 66 Hollis St. at 9:45 a.m. A graduate of Harvard Business School and endorsed by former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, Gomez last stop in Framingham will be a meet and greet with local …

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Residents: General Chemical Cleanup Plan Doesn't Address Safety, Lacks Details

Framingham residents and town leaders expressed serious concerns about General Chemical's clean-up efforts presented at a public involvement plan, hosted by the Massachusetts DEP Thursday night.

Neighbors of General Chemical said they are worried about children playing in the wetlands behind the property and in a nearby drainage ditch near a condo complex during a public involvement meeting Thursday night, held by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) on the ongoing assessment and cleanup plan for the closed disposal site on Leland St. Residents want signs placed on the wetlands, at the drainage ditch and also on two homes General Chemical purchased, now abandoned, to warn people of the potential health and safety risks. "Jack & I have been all through the wetlands," said Rodene Lamkin, MassDEP's project manager for the General Chemical site. "I don't see how kids are going through that dense area." …

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5 Things You Need To Know Today: March 19 (Storm Central Edition)

Delayed openings at town building, trash collection update, schools closed and cancellations and postponed events all featured in today's storm central edition of our 5 Things column.

Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation. 1. There is NO school for Framingham public school students, as well as Marian High, McAuliffe Charter and St. Bridget School students. As Framingham Public Schools are cancelled, so are all activities at the schools for students. On Monday afternoon, Framingham public schools announced a two-hour delayed opening for Tuesday, but by 11 p.m. had abandoned that idea for the sixth snow day of the year. Framingham High principal Michael Welch said the 2-hour delayed opening would have been a first for the district in more than 20 years. Many believe it would have been the first-ever for the public …

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Susan Petroni

5:07 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

National Weather Service says Framingham got 8.4 inches of snow as of 4:55 p.m.   more ›