Framingham Fast Facts Year Incorporated 1700 Form of Government Selectmen/Town Manager/ Representative Town Meeting Population 64,786 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Population Estimates Registered Voters 36,672 Number of Voting Precincts 18 See precinct map for breakdown Total Area 26.44 sq. miles Land Area 25.12 sq. miles 2008 Tax Rate Residential - $12.53 Commercial - $28.09 FY08 Budget Information School Appropriation - $91,451,886 Municipal Appropriation - $96,491,072 Non-Appropriated Items - $6,761,353 Total General Fund Operating Budget - $194,704,311 The 2008 edition of the Framingham Annual Town Report and Town Meeting Journal was designed and produced by: Scott T. Morelli, Executive Assistant to the Town Manager Cover photography by: Ron J. Rego, Director of Media Services Cover photo: A glimpse of the 2008 Annual Town Meeting from the balcony of Nevins Hall (Memorial Building) TTOOWWNN OOFF FFRRAAMMIINNGGHHAAMM MMAASSSSAACCHHUUSSEETTTTSS Annual Report Year Ending December 31, 2008 Framingham’s Town Seal: In the year 1900, the Framingham Town Seal was redesigned for the Town’s bicentennial to recognize our community’s prominence in education and transportation. The Framingham State Normal School, a free public school and the first of its kind in America, is represented by the structure at the top of the design. Governor Danforth, the founder of Framingham and owner of much of its land, is acknowledged by the words “Danforth’s Farms 1662” on the shield at the center. The wheel on the shield with spokes drawn as tracks radiating in six different directions represents the steam and electric railroads and signifies the Town’s position as a transportation hub. Surrounding the words “Town of Framingham Incorporated 1700” is an illustrative border of straw braid, which honors the prominent role Framingham played in the manufacture of hats and bonnets in the 1800s. I TABLE OF CONTENTS ORGANIZATIONAL CHART V ELECTED & APPOINTED OFFICIALS VI GENERAL GOVERNMENT 1 BOARD OF SELECTMEN 1 TOWN MANAGER 2 TOWN CLERK 4 TOWN COUNSEL 6 HUMAN RESOURCES 17 VETERANS’ SERVICES 19 TECHNOLOGY SERVICES 20 HUMAN SERVICES 22 BUILDING SERVICES 23 MEDIA SERVICES 23 FINANCE 24 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 24 TOWN ACCOUNTANT 25 TREASURER/COLLECTOR 40 BOARD OF ASSESSORS 43 PURCHASING DEPARTMENT 45 RETIREMENT SYSTEM 46 PUBLIC SAFETY & HEALTH 47 POLICE DEPARTMENT 47 ANIMAL CONTROL 54 FRAMINGHAM AUXILIARY POLICE 55 FIRE DEPARTMENT 55 INSPECTIONAL SERVICES 61 DEPARTMENT OF WEIGHTS & MEASURES 63 BOARD OF HEALTH 64 LICENSING 69 PUBLIC WORKS 70 PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 70 ENGINEERING & TRANSPORTATION 70 HIGHWAY MANAGEMENT 72 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 73 WATER & WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT 75 CONSERVATION COMMISSION 76 FLEET, FACILITIES, & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT 78 ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE 79 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS 79 UTILITY ABATEMENT BOARD 80 PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 83 COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 83 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION 88 II AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 88 MULTIPLE HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING GROUP 88 ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 88 PLANNING BOARD 90 METROWEST GROWTH MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 94 METROPOLITAN AREA PLANNING COUNCIL 95 METROWEST REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY 95 FRAMINGHAM HOUSING AUTHORITY 96 RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS 97 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION 97 RECREATION 97 PARKS MAINTENANCE 98 CEMETERY COMMISSION 99 COUNCIL ON AGING/CALLAHAN CENTER 99 LORING ARENA 100 EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES 102 FRAMINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS 102 KEEFE TECHNICAL SCHOOL 114 FRAMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY 119 GENERAL COMMITTEES 122 CABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 122 CAPITAL BUDGET COMMITTEE 122 CELEBRATION COMMITTEE/FLAG DAY 123 CULTURAL COUNCIL 124 CUSHING CHAPEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 124 DISABILITY COMMISSION 124 EDGELL GROVE CEMETERY COMMISSION 125 FINANCE COMMITTEE 125 GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMITTEE 126 GREENER FRAMINGHAM COMMITTEE 127 HISTORICAL COMMISSION 127 HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION 128 HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION 128 REAL PROPERTY COMMITTEE 129 TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE 130 WIND ENERGY CONSERVATION FACILITIES BYLAW COMMITTEE 130 TOWN MEETING 131 TOWN MODERATOR 131 STANDING COMMITTEES 131 STANDING COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SERVICES 131 STANDING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION 132 STANDING COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND ZONING 132 STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY 132 STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS 133 STANDING COMMITTEE ON RULES 133 STANDING COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS 133 TOWN MEETING JOURNAL 135 TOWN MEETING ATTENDANCE 136 MARCH 18, 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING 141 APRIL 29, 2008 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 143 III APRIL 30, 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING 192 JUNE 24, 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING #1 196 JUNE 24, 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING #2 205 OCTOBER 28, 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING 206 DECEMBER 18, 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING 219 IV V ELECTED TOWN OFFICIALS As of 12/31/08 Town Clerk Regional Vocational School Valerie Mulvey 2011 Committee Nelson H. Goldin 2009 Moderator Argentina Arias 2009 Edward Noonan 2009 Esther A.H. Hopkins 2009 John M. Kahn 2010 Board of Selectmen Larry Cooper 2010 Jason A. Smith 2009 Linda B. Fobes 2010 A. Ginger Esty 2010 A. J. Mulvey 2011 Charles J. Sisitsky 2010 Michael M. Rossi 2011 Dennis L. Giombetti 2011 Laurie Lee 2011 Planning Board R. Kathy Vassar (Associate Member) 2009 School Committee -Appointed by Board of Selectmen Andrew Limeri 2009 Thomas F. Mahoney 2009 Beverly K. Hugo 2009 Carol J. Spack 2009 Diane M. Throop 2010 Susan P. Bernstein 2010 Adam S. Blumer 2010 Andrea Carr-Evans 2010 David F. Miles 2011 Christine A. Long 2011 Michael J. Bower 2011 Philip A. Dinsky 2011 Housing Authority Edward F. Convery 2009 Library Trustees Robert L. Merusi 2011 Janet L. Harrington 2009 Stephen P. Starr 2012 Ann G. Arvedon 2009 Phyllis A. May 2013 Sheila Burke Fair 2009 Nancy Coville Wallace 2009 Edgell Grove Cemetery Trustees Ruth S. Winett 2010 John J. Silva 2009 Ann Dickson 2010 Kathleen Griffith 2010 Elizabeth F. Fideler 2010 Stanton T. Fitts 2011 Robert M. Dodd 2010 Barbara W. Ford 2012 Arthur M. Finstein 2011 William F. Welch 2013 Samuel L. Klaidman 2011 Danielle G. Barney 2011 State Legislators Jo-Anne Thompson 2011 Senator Karen Spilka (D) Representative Tom Sannicandro (D) Representative Pam Richardson (D) VI SENIOR MANAGERIAL APPOINTMENTS As of 12/31/08 Community & Economic Town Manager Development Director Julian M. Suso 2009 Alison Steinfeld 2011 Police Chief Town Engineer Steven B. Carl 2010 William Sedewitz 2011 Fire Chief Parks & Recreation Director Albert Ordway (Interim)* Indefinite Robert Merusi Indefinite *Gary Daugherty was appointed Fire Chief in Dec. 2008 and assumed these duties in Jan. 2009 Public Health Director Ethan Mascoop Indefinite Town Counsel Christopher J. Petrini 2010 Veterans Benefits & Services Director Peter Harvell 2011 Chief Financial Officer Mary Ellen Kelley 2011 Conservation Administrator Heather Marusa 2011 Technology Services Director Timothy Goddard (Interim) Indefinite Elder Services/Callahan Senior Center Director Town Accountant Mary Parcher 2006 Richard G. Howarth, Jr. 2009 Public Works Director Treasurer/Tax Collector Peter Sellers 2011 Stephen W. Price 2011 Town Owned Buildings Director Chief Assessor James W. Egan 2009 Dan Dargon 2011 Human Services Policy & Program Human Resources Director Coordinator Sandra M. Charton 2010 Alexis J. Silver Indefinite Chief Procurement Officer School Superintendent Timothy D. Goddard 2009 Eugene H. Thayer (Interim) Indefinite Building Commissioner/Inspectional Planning Board Administrator Services Director Jay Grande 2011 Michael F. Foley 2010 Library Director Mark J. Contois Indefinite VII OFFICIALS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN As of 12/31/08 Agricultural Advisory Commission Conservation Commission Charles Hanson 2009 Judith Perry 2009 Thomas Hanson 2009 William G. Merriam 2009 George Harrington 2010 Steven W. Orr 2010 Dudley Stephan 2010 Pam Helinek 2010 Nicola Cataldo 2011 Vacant 2011 Kathy Huckins (Alternate) 2011 Kevin D. O’Neill 2011 Richard Lerner (Alternate) 2011 Robert McArthur 2011 David Robertson (Alternate) 2011 Constables Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Paul Nardizzi 2009 Committee Joanne Shulman 2009 Timothy Lee 2010 Sean McCarthy 2009 Steven Zallen 2010 Marjorie Goldin 2009 Thomas Branham 2010 Allen Auerr 2009 Richard Whalen 2010 Henry Ohrenberger 2010 William Hanson Indefinite Philip Robinson 2010 Edward Kross Indefinite Nelson Goldin 2010 Willian Pickett, Jr. 2010 Cable Advisory Committee Elizabeth Fuller 2011 William Peter Barnes 2009 Armand Tavarez 2011 Samuel Klaidman 2009 Annabel Z. Dodd 2009 Cultural Council Kathleen McCarthy 2009 James Rizoli 2009 Russell G. Ohanian 2009 Sarah K. Donato 2009 5 vacancies 2009 Cemetery Commission 6 vacancies 2010 Barry Bograd 2009 Joel Winett 2011 Kevin Salvi 2010 Ellen Bellantoni 2011 Robert Brown 2011 P. Nandi Varris 2011 Joel A. Feingold 2011 Community Development Committee Cindy Camuso 2011 Cynthia Laurora 2009 Mary-Ann Stadtler-Chester 2011 Beverly C. Good 2009 3 vacancies 2011 Robert Schecter 2009 Patricia Woodward 2009 Cushing Chapel Board of Trustees Ellen Bellantoni 2009 Karolyne U. White 2008 Karolyne White 2009 M. Elizabeth Gavin 2009 Michael Devlin 2009 Nicholas Paganella 2009 Roger Small 2009 Anne M. Mozdiez 2009 Pablo Maia 2009 Elizabeth Sleczkowski 2009 Jo-Anne Thompson 2009 Cynthia Laurora 2009 Anne Arvedon 2009 James W. Egan 2010 VIII Vacant 2011 Vacant 2011 Stanton T. Fitts 2010 Vacant 2011 John Speranza 2011 Karolyne U. White 2011 Fence Viewer Edward T. Levay, Jr. 2010 Vacant Disability Commission Board of Health Debra Freed 2009 Nelson H. Goldin 2009 Keith M. Marable, Sr.