Hoops & Homework Program Debuts

The brainchild of Town Meeting member Herb Chasan, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the new free after school program at the Framingham Housing Authority on Pusan Road.

This week, children who live at the Framingham Housing Authority apartments on Pusan Road, and soon children at Pelham Apartments and Cochituate Cooperative Homes will have a free, 5-day a week after school programming. A ribbon cutting ceremony, with officials and community leaders, was held last week to mark the grand opening of the Hoops & Homework program, the branchild of Town Meeting member Herb Chasan. Town Meeting approved spending $81,000 for the program which is being run by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council, the organization to submit a bid to operate the program. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, officials, including Selectmen Chair Dennis Giombetti, praised Chasan for his idea and his determination to make it a reality for…

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Letter to the Editor

Chasan Endorses Colten and Ortiz for Planning Board

Chasan: "Send a message that Framingham values the jobs and tax revenue that businesses provide to our community. "

To properly fund our schools, public safety, etc., Framingham needs responsible growth and the tax revenue that comes with it.   Framingham’s current leadership talks a good game but the votes and policies of the town have driven long time businesses out of town and prevented new businesses from investing in our town.   Neighboring communities have departments and staff that welcome, attract, recruit, and work diligently to retain companies, while here companies leave town due to overburdening regulations.   There are 2 seats in the April 9th election, where we have an opportunity to elect new members to the Planning Board that will help to encourage businesses to invest in and remain in Framingham.   We all live here and want Framingham …

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SMOC Only Bidder for Hoops & Homework Program

Today, Jan. 7 the Hoops & Homework Advisory Committee will meet to decide if SMOC will get the contract.

The South Middlesex Opportunity Council was the only bidder for the Town of Framingham's proposed Hoops & Homework program. And today, Jan. 7 the Hoops & Homework Advisory Committee will meet to decide if SMOC should get the 6-month contract. Special Town Meeting in October approved the program, which would provide after-school services for children living in Precinct 17. Town Meeting agreed to spend up to $81,000. Precinct 4 Town Meeting member Herb Chasan submitted the request for the program to Special Town Meeting and the Town of Framingham. SMOC was the lone bidder for the 6-month contract for January to June 2013. The bid did not list a cost. The program is expected to run after school until 6 p.m., weekdays, including the Thursday …

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Surprised Few Residents Attended Tax Hearing

Chasan: "I told them that the residential tax payers needed a break, but the commercial certainly did not need a break since they got a big break last year. "

Tuesday night there was a tax rate hearing at the Selectmen’s meeting. I made a presentation requesting that the split between the commercial and the residential property taxes remain at 1.75 where it has been since 2008.  If this was done, it would have meant a $13 decrease in residential property taxes. I told the Selectmen that the commercial sector in town has been doing very well going back to 2005 (backed up by graphs and data)  The vacancy rates have been very low and the commercial rents have been very good and very steady since 2005 (all backed up by graphs and data). I told them that the residential tax payers needed a break, but the commercial certainly did not need a break since they got a big break last year.   It turned out …

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UPDATED: Homeowner Tax Bills to Rise as Selectmen Seek Business Boost

The average bill will increase less than $9 for 2013, while shifting less of the tax burden to commercial and industrial properties will move that tax rate below $40.

A divided Framingham Board of Selectmen voted to approve a split tax rate for 2013 that results in a modest increase in residential tax bills and shifts less of the tax burden onto commercial property owners than in past years.  By a vote of 3 to 2, Selectmen approved a 2013 residential tax rate of $17.84 per thousand dollars of valuation and a commercial rate of $39.98. The average single family home, valued at $324,152, will see a tax bill of $5,782.87, an increase of $8.92.  If a full shift of 1.75 percent had been approved, as in past years, the average single family home tax bill would have dropped by just under $14. Instead, Selectmen adopted a 1.74 percent shift.  Selectman Jason Smith called the smaller shift "an investment in …

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Time to Settle the Teachers' Contract

Chasan: "There seems to be no need to drag contract negotiations out any longer than necessary… Fix it, Please."

I attended the Framingham School Committee meeting and looked very carefully at the agenda for an announcement that the teachers' contract had been settled, but alas it was not there. So I asked the School Committee to please get it done.  Please settle this contract.  It needs to be addressed. I feel that it is not fair to the kids, or to the parents or to the Superintendent Dr. Scott. He has so much on his plate without this hot potato which was tossed to him when he arrived here just a few months ago.   Obviously, we are counting on the teachers to do an excellent job. Today, it’s a different world than 30 years ago when I taught school. There is much more stress, more pressure, and the MCAS. No one needs the extra stress of the …

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: How To Spend the Additional $1.7 Million in State Aid

Chasan: Town Meeting should approve $30,000 for veterans, money for additional Sunday library hours and give schools 60% of Chapter 70 funding.

Town Meeting will be discussing Article 14 (budget adjustment) tonight, Oct. 23. Please attend this very important Town Meeting.   The State of Massachusetts short changed Framingham $10 million over the past 5 years resulting in over 100 staff layoffs   After the State budget closed in July 2012, Framingham was given an additional $1.7 million in Education Chapter 70 funds. The message was let’s start more rebuilding and restore more of the cuts that were made over the past 5 years. Our new school superintendent has made a list for rebuilding for $2.2 million, especially needed because Framingham is in the bottom 20% of the State due to low MCAS scores, and the critical needs related to unanticipated enrollment, and need for elementary …

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Beaver Street Has 'Our House'

Keith: Mr. Chasan had made a passing reference to this program in a previous article, but his Hoops for Homework is modeled after the already existing, successful program “Our House.”

The Waverly and Beaver Streets area as referred to by Mr. Chasan in a previous letter, may have the highest poverty level in town. They also have something truly unique, “Our House," Pelham Apartments Recreation and Computer Center. It has operated successfully for 18 years. The Recreation Center provides a place for children to go for homework help, and recreation. The Center also provides computers for the use of adults during the day when children are at school. This recreation center is funded jointly by Corcoran Management, Framingham Housing, and Framingham Police. The Center provides services to anyone that is need. Additionally, partnering with all agencies within the MetroWest area, they can provide quality customer services. It …

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Beaver Street Neighborhood 'Crying Out for Attention'

Chasan: "Mixing tutoring with supervised play is better for exercise and academics."

The area of Framingham between Waverly and Beaver streets is the highest poverty section of town. In one year alone, the poverty level index in our schools went up over 7% - from 33% to 40.5%.  That neighborhood has had its share of shootings and crime recently. This area is crying out for our attention.  It affects the property values of the whole town.   There were shooting deaths of three women in Dorchester last weekend and in response the Boston NAACP called for a “unified strategy” to attack the root causes of violence, such as “poverty, unemployment, broken families, and untreated mental health conditions.”   One possible way to address the problems in this area in Framingham is to start a new program called Hoops and Homework.  …

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2 Hoops & Homework Programs Proposed for Struggling Neighborhood

Special Town Meeting in October will be asked to spend money to build basketball courts and set up computer centers for a neighborhood in need of help.

Framingham is a very diverse community, with million dollar homes in one precinct and low-income housing in another. More than 40% of all Framingham Public School students qualify for free or reduced lunch. There are reports of teens using drugs, teens in trouble with the police and many kids lacking parental supervision and support due to financial and other circumstances. Precinct 4 Town Meeting Member Herb Chasan wants Town Meeting members to spend money to help kids and families in an area of town, that far too often makes the news for shootings and other crimes. Calling his program "Hoops & Homework," he would like to see Special Town Meeting spend money to create one program at Cochituate Homes on Interfaith Terrace and a second …

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