Dems in Disorder
False Alarm at FHS | Dems in Disorder | Local Reps File Bills | Trails Group Started | Week Ahead
Welcome to the final day of February and the beginning of March. Today’s snow appears to be a non-event. Guess March is coming in like a lamb and not a lion. It is a snow day for students. Have fun sledding, kids!
First time reading?
Have a comment or question? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at mkfeeney@gmail.com
You know what isn’t acting like a lamb? Framingham. Let’s dig in…
False Alarm at FHS
The last day before February vacation… at 10:17am the active shooter alarm went off in Framingham High School. Chaos and panic ensued with students and faculty running out of the building or barricading themselves in different parts of the school.
27 minutes went by before students and faculty knew it was a false alarm. The FHS community received notification by 10:48am. Before that, at 10:33am FPD posted it was a false alarm on Facebook. Reports state the school administration knew it was a false alarm within minutes of it going off.
What happened? The EAGL Gunshot Detection System was installed using a state grant back in 2019. It was never tested or introduced to the students and facility. The EAGL System was due to be tested over February vacation, and in anticipation, requested the FPS Safety Department to change the batteries in 2 of 9 units. Changing the second unit set off the alarm. Until that Friday, everyone assumed the system was inactive.
Breakdown in communications: School and district administration were not informed of maintenance. False alarm showed other cracks in the communications system: “All clear” message couldn’t be heard in certain areas of the school due to the outdated PA system, and local media and other schools knew it was a false alarm before students and teachers in and around the building.
What’s next? FHS had a delayed start yesterday. FPS is providing counseling support for students, and is focused on the first week back as a return to routine. School Committee meets in Executive Session, followed by a regular open meeting tomorrow night to discuss the Superintendent’s findings and how he will address what happened.
Dems in Disorder
Sunday night disarray: The Framingham Democratic Committee are divided over whether Michael Hugo should remain FDC chair in the wake of his comments about special education funding and children with disabilities during a recent debate about abortion in a Council meeting.
Framingham in the media: Hugo’s comments have gained the attention of Boston, national and international press. Local disability advocates and leaders have called for his resignation.
Actions taken by FDC: Members voted unanimously to disavow his comments after the Executive Board issued a statement. However, a motion to call for a future meeting to discuss recalling the chair failed 11-16-1.
Rollcall:
Voted against the motion: Mike Hugo, Beverly Hugo, Tracey Bryant, Tom Mahoney, Margareth Shepard, Lori Bornstein, Cindy Rubin, Doug Lawrence, Barbara Fontes, Chris Lorant, Barbara LeDuc, Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley, Larry Stoodt, Mel Warshaw, Parwez Wahid, and Chris Broyles.
Voted for the motion: Phil Ottaviani, Priscila Sousa, Adam Steiner, Adam Freudberg, Cheryl Tully Stoll, Norma Shulman, John Stefanini, Audrey Hall, Pat Dunne, Kathy McCarthy, and Mary Kate Feeney.
Abstained: David Magnani
Absent from meeting: Executive Board members Cesar Stewart-Morales and former Mayor Yvonne Spicer, and Rep. Jack Lewis, Jeanne Bullock, Kurt Fusaris, Jim Hansen, Shahid A. Khan, Ohad Klopman, Caraline Levy, Amanda Northrop, and Jim Stockless.
What’s next: Hugo apologized for his comments. But he stated he will not step down as chair.
Tonight disability activists and supporters gather in front of the Memorial Building at 6:30pm before the Council meeting to show their love and support for the disability community.
(Full disclosure: I am an elected full member of the FDC.)
What Bills Our State Reps Filed this Session
The lowdown: The new legislative session for the 93th General Court began at the beginning of January. Our local state representatives filed bills for this new session by the January 20 deadline.
After bills are filed, each representative can also co-sponsor other legislation submitted by other members of the legislature.
The list: Here is a sample of bills submitted by our local reps. I picked four bills from each.
Representative Jack Patrick Lewis, 7th Middlesex
HD. 220 An Act relative to youth voter engagement: Allows a pre-registered 17 year old to vote in a primary if they are 18 by the general election.
HD. 1224 An Act expanding after-death care options: Legalize the use of environmentally-friendly burial alternatives to cremation and casket burial.
HD. 2214 An Act promoting the proper disposal of miniatures: Inclusion of miniature beverage containers in the bottle law.
HD.2241 An Act to Let Kids Play: Regulating retail department stores from dividing the display of toys into sections by gender.
To read the entire list of bills submitted, please visit Rep. Lewis’ website.
Representative Priscila Sousa, 6th Middlesex
HD.3948 An Act increasing efficiency and sustainability of student transportation: Addresses the regulatory barriers that limit collaboration between school districts and local Regional Transportation Authorities regarding using public transportation for students.
HD.3898 An Act requiring hospital to maintain services: Allows the state to get involved sooner if there are issues with a hospital.
HD.4030 An Act relative to public preschool facilities: Permits the use of Massachusetts School Building Authority funds to be used to build pre-schools in addition to elementary schools.
HD.3956 An Act requiring a mental health wellness examination for all school children: Expands mental health wellness examinations to school aged children.
To read the rest of the bills submitted, please read Rep. Sousa’s press release.
Representative Danielle Gregoire, 4th Middlesex
HD. 960 An Act to promote low-income access to solar: Ensuring equity and accessibility for renters and low income electric customers in solar incentive programs.
HD. 830 An Act to improve Alzheimer's’ and dementia care in senior care options programs: Requiring MassHealth to provide Dementia Care Coordination to seniors diagnosed with Alzheimers and dementia.
HD. 3903 An Act relative to determining capacity and invoking the health care proxy: Adds nurse practitioners to health care proxy law.
HD. 821 An Act relative to campaign finance reform: Reduces the maximum an individual can donate in a calendar year to the political committees of any one political party to one thousand dollars.
To read the rest of the bills submitted, please visit Rep. Gregoire’s website.
Representative Kate Donaghue, 19th Worcester
HD. 605 An Act removing barriers to behavioral health services: Expands mental health coverage for state employees and retirees.
HD. 3447 An Act relative to the Massachusetts State College Building Authority: Allows state universities to access supplemental funds from the state’s college building authority from prior funding authorizations.
HD. 3449 An Act relative to councils on aging: Allows directors of advisory councils on aging to make staffing decisions in an effort to better serve the needs of municipalities in which they provide services.
HD. 1692 An Act relative to the establishment of and payments into an opioid stewardship fund: Creates a co-pay assistance program to supplement the cost of naloxone.
To read the rest of the bills submitted, please visit Rep. Donaghue’s release.
New! Friends of Framingham Trails to Meet Saturday
Shameless promotion here: I am thrilled to announce the formation of a group to help support and promote our amazing growing trails network in Framingham.
Join Ron Chick, Leora Mallach, and I at our first meeting on Saturday, March 4 at the McAuliffe Branch Library (746 Water Street).
The meeting takes place at 10:00am.
We’re looking for more people to join us and getting involved by:
Spreading awareness about current trails and future plans
Advocating for trails to local and state representatives and partners
Organizing walking/biking/hiking meet-ups throughout the year
Stewardship and cleaning
Learn more about the group, and come share your ideas and enthusiasm! All are welcome.
After the meeting, we will take a brief tour of the future site of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail next to the library.
The Week Ahead
Includes links to meeting agendas
Tuesday, February 28
6:00 PM: Council: Appointments Subcommittee
7:00 PM: Community Preservation Committee
7:00 PM: Council Regular Meeting
7:00 PM: Traffic Commission
Wednesday, March 1
4:30 PM: School Committee: Finance & Operations Subcommittee
5:30 PM: School Committee - Executive Session
7:00 PM: School Committee - Regular Meeting
7:00 PM: Conservation Commission
Friday, March 3
10:00 AM: MWRTA Advisory Board
That is it for this week! Thank you for reading. Please forward The Ham’er to someone who wants to know what is going on in Framingham. Spread the word!