LETTER: Credit to the Latter Day Saviors of the Franklin Common

Above, a 1978 story from the Franklin Sentinel.

To the Editor:

Nice article from Jayson Joyce about the Common. However, there is one (perhaps a couple) of others who played a very significant role in making it what it is today. 

I’m  going to reconstruct this from memory as best I can, hopefully I get the salient issues accurately.
During the 70s and 80s the Common was lightly used and marginally maintained, in actuality it left much to be desired. Then, a local businessman, Richard (Dick) Esterly took it upon himself to plant some flowers and provide some landscaping and maintenance.

As I recall, he did this work on his own and at his own expense, and  did it for a period of years. Over time people recognized his work and effort, appreciated it and his commitment, and the “Common guy” developed a following. 

As time passed Dick ran, and was elected, to the Town Council, primarily from his Common popularity, and once on the Council, as he continued his Common work, he also began a campaign to see funding and proper care become a regular part of the DPW budget. I believe he then had the support and participation of the Franklin Garden Club and several public spirited citizens,along with his Council colleagues, in making care for the Common a priority. The lighting and bandstand renovation, witht he late Jack Daddario, among others, participating and contributing to make it the showplace it is today. 

I believe Dick was a veteran and had a relationship with, and support, of the VFW. I recall getting phone calls from Dick on occasion when there was a need for police response or presence as well as numerous calls from then Town Clerk, Deborah Pellegri, (later Couincilor) a true Common champion and major player, as events became popular and Common use exploded.

I’m sure I’m missing other’s who played important roles toward today’s Common’s popularity and magnificence and I encourage reader’s to correct or add to my letter.  DPW employees and directors, Town Administrators, local civic and community groups, Councils, many more than I include. But, most importantly, in my view, it all became a reality by one man who took it upon himself to fix what he saw as broken and dug in. (pun intended).

Lastly, I want to thank you, Mr. Earls, for providing this forum that allows so many in our community to learn and share about so much and so many who contribute daily, and in the past.

Best regards, 

Larry

Lawrence Benedetto, former Chief of Police

[Ed. Note: We know of someone who grew up near the Common in the 1970s and speaks of the absence of grass and the ubiquity of broken beer bottles and cigarette butts, not to mention open drinking and drug use. Walking past the Common was "running the gauntlet"....On the other hand, inventive children turned monuments into forts and meeting places and marked out playing fields in the dirt for softball and other activities. The transition to our modern common was, our witness confirms, marked by the seeming omnipresence of Dick Esterly, who was always, mowing, planting, trimming and cleaning-- stubbornly putting in the sweat equity himself until the rest of the town got the message.]