🔨 Is there a double pole in your neighborhood?

The Double Poles of Framingham | Clark Visits Framingham | School Committee Response to Active Shooter Alarm | Exploring Geothermal Technology | CPC Holding Hearing | The Week Ahead

Spring is here! Hope you had a chance to get outside and enjoy the weather. Framingham is emerging from the winter - plenty of events on the schedule, the budget process has begun (we’ll get into that in future issues), and activity on the city front is increasingly busy. 

Have a comment or question? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at mkfeeney@gmail.com

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Is there a double pole in your neighborhood?

Check out this double pole in Pheasant Hill! Not sure how many more brackets they want to install before it falls over.

Double trouble: The Council created an ad-hoc double pole committee to address the large number of double utility poles around the city. The committee is chaired by Councilor Noval Alexander of District 5.

Why the committee?: Verizon and Eversource petitioned the Council to install a jointly owned pole at 490 Franklin Street at the site of the new MassBay building. Representatives from both companies appeared in front of the Council as part of the process.

Council Alexander emerged as the double pole expert on the Council. Already in communication with Eversource, Alexander supplied 123 pole numbers within D5. He took the opportunity of the pole request hearing to ask about the status of removing double poles. 

The public hearing lasted over two Council meetings… with Verizon and Eversource explaining the lengthy process of removing poles. Alexander noted on a list supplied by Verizon that one double pole had been standing for 2,342 days - longer than the 90 days to remove as stated in state law.  

Moving forward: The Council voted unanimously to create the ad hoc committee. Hopefully more information about the committee will be provided soon. Once I see information, I will share. 

Let me ask you… is there a double pole near you? Have you ever reported a pole to a utility or the city? 

Clark Visits Framingham

State Rep. Priscila Sousa, Congresswoman Katherine Clark and Mayor Charlie Sisitsky met today at the MWRTA Office to discuss Downtown Framingham.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark visited Framingham today. Congresswoman Clark was in the city to discuss Downtown Framingham and furthering economic development in the area. 

Supporting local small businesses: Clark was particularly interested in plans for direct assistance of the businesses and the business community in Downtown through micro business grants. 

In attendance was 6th Middlesex State Representative Priscila Sousa, Mayor Charlie Sisitsky and his team, Councilors John Stefanini & Mike Cannon, Downtown Framingham, Inc. Director Reyad Shah, MetroWest Chamber of Commerce Co-Director Towma Rastad and MetroWest Regional Transit Authority’s Jon Fetherston & Jim Nee.

The meeting attendees at the MWRTA office.

School Committee Response to Active Shooter Alarm

Follow up on a report from a few weeks ago… the School Committee took a series of actions to increase accountability, attempt to prevent incidents like the false active shooter alarm, and support those students and staff impacted by the events of February 17.

Five actions were proposed by District 3 Member Jennifer Moshe and District 4 Member Adam Freudberg: 

• Requiring no alarm and associated building maintenance be done during school hours and when students are present. 

• Request a review of the Emergency Response Plan, resubmit it by May 3rd with lessons learned from the incident. 

• Explore long-term mental health supports for those in the building on 2/17/23. FPS developing recommendations regarding methods and funding sources for students and staff for mental health resources and supports for at least five years past their FHS graduation or employment separation

• Fix inconsistent cell and wireless signals at FPS buildings. 

• Pause all future payments to the vendor responsible for supplying the EAGL system in order to review their contract, insurance, and warranty. 

Additionally, upgrades to the public announcement system at FHS and A.L.I.C.E Training (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) for staff and students, expansion of Blackboard Mass Notification System are also on the docket. 

Exploring Geothermal Technology 

First in the Commonwealth: Framingham is partnering with Eversource to build a first-of-its-kind networked geothermal system in Massachusetts. Geothermal Pilot Program that will bring a cost-effective, low-carbon source of heating and cooling for residents, businesses, and municipal facilities.

Where is this pilot program occurring? About 100 customers, which include residences, including the Framingham Housing Authority at the Musterfield, businesses and the fire station on Concord Street, will be able to heat and cool from one underground system.

What is geothermal energy? Geothermal energy is heat from inside the earth. It is renewable energy from both the sun’s rays hitting the earth and absorbed, and from the high temperatures produced deep within the earth’s core that radiate from the surface. 

The networked geothermal system uses wells, piping and pumps to pull the earth's heat out of the ground to warm buildings in winter and pumps heat from buildings back into the ground in summer to cool them.

Why geothermal energy? According to Eversource, geothermal energy reducing the average customer’s carbon emissions by up to 60%, it is low maintenance and cost effective, and more reliable because it provides constant energy supply in all weather conditions. 

Why was Framingham for the pilot program? Framingham was chosen for its mix of buildings and the city's commitment to cut carbon emissions.

Eversource brought geothermal technology to Fuller Middle School a few weeks ago for a STEM event. Middle school girls worked with women engineers on experiments in applying the principles of heat transfer that are important to geothermal technology. 

Channel 5 chief meteorologist Cindy Fitzgibbon was a judge and keynote speaker at the event. 

CPC Holding Hearings

The first round of Community Preservation Act funding is ready for a vote: The CPC is holding a public hearing on the proposed projects for funding. They will also vote on project recommendations and the funding amount. The recommendations are referred to the Council for final approval.

The public hearing is Monday, March 27 at 7:00pm in the Blumer Room of the Memorial Building. 

Projects being considered include: 

• Framingham Accessible Dock at Waushakum Beach

• Universally Accessible Walking Trail with Scenic Viewing Platforms on the Carol Getchell Trail 

• Arlington Street Park Construction 

• Chris Walsh Memorial Trail Design 

• 103 Guild Street (Purchase 11 Acres) 

• Edgell Grove Cemetery Tomb House Emergency Roof Repair 

• Framingham History Center – The Academy – Preservation and Accessibility

• Framingham History Center – Edgell Memorial Library – Preservation and Restoration

• Temple Street Park Improvements 

• Design Study for New Community Garden Sites in Framingham

Learn more about these projects on the CPC website. 

The Week Ahead

•  Tuesday, March 21

  • 6:00 PM Council: Appointments Subcommittee 

  • 7:00 PM Council 

  • 7:00 PM Historic District Commission

  • 7:00 PM Parks and Recreation Commission

•  Wednesday, March 22

  • 2:00 PM Edgell Grove Trustees 

  • 3:00 PM Traffic Commission: Traffic Regulation Subcommittee

  • 4:30 PM School Committee: Policy Subcommittee  

  • 5:30 PM Veterans Council 

  • 7:00 PM Disability Commission 

  • 7:00 PM Sustainability Committee 

  • 7:15 PM Cable Advisory Committee

Have a great week, everyone! Keep your emails coming - I love to hear from you.

-Mary Kate