Franklin, State House, and Beyond

FRANKLIN WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

10:00am Council on Aging at Senior Center. This is an open meeting and the public is invited to attend. For questions, call 508-520-4945.

10:00 Municipal Affordable Housing Trust. Please click on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81053982894 or call on your phone at 1-929- 205-6099, meeting ID is 81053982894. 1. Municipal Affordable Housing Trust - Open Trustee Position - Update 2. Housing Production Plan Update – Bryan Taberner 3. Housing Update – Maxine Kinhart 4. General Business o New Business o Old Business o Approval of Minutes

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

3:00pm --Charles River Pollution Control District at the District Conference Room, 66 Village St., Medway.

5:00 pm-- Board of Health, Training Room, Join with Google Meet meet.google.com/rxy-snvm-ena

Meeting ID meet.google.com/rxy-snvm-ena

Phone Numbers (US)+1 219-316-1578 PIN: 442 688 496#

New business includes Metacomet Shared Service grant regional inspector report, 27 Winter Street meeting with new owners, Public health nurse update, Worcester State University intern practicum project, Flu Clinic

6:30 PM Finance Committee, 2nd floor, Council Chambers The meetings will also be live-streamed by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast Channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29 of r via zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82699389962, Call-In Phone Number: Call 1-929-205-6099 & enter Meeting ID # 826 9938 9962--Then press # Agenda 1. Call to Order 2. Election of Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Clerk 3. Public Comments 4. Approval of Minutes - 6/16/21 5. Senior and Veterans Tax Workoff Programs: a. Resolution 21-59: Further Amending The Senior Citizen Property Tax Work-Off Abatement Program b. Resolution 21-60: Further Amending The Veterans’ Property Tax Work-Off Abatement Program 6. Human Resources Department & Employee Benefits Presentation: Karen Bratt, Human Resources Director. 7. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Update: Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator 8. Future Agenda Items

Thursday, October 14, 2021

7:00pm – Cultural District Committee (no agenda yet posted, see https://www.franklinma.gov/cultural-district-committee)

BEACON HILL AND BEYOND

Thousands of state employees next week face vaccination deadlines while legislative leaders slow-walk their fall agenda with just over five weeks remaining before the holiday recess.

Legislators appear poised to release redrawn House and Senate district lines, and top Democrats are drafting major spending bills to allocate American Rescue Plan Act funds and the fiscal 2021 state budget surplus. The Senate this week approved and shipped to the House a major voting reform bill, after earlier this fall sending over a sex education bill with hopes that the House will finally tackle that perennial policy proposal. House leaders meantime are eager to see the Senate take up one of its priorities, legalizing sports betting. Gov. Charlie Baker has a student nutrition bill on his desk and his appointees to a new MBTA Board are likely making plans for their first public get-together. The vaccination mandates are designed in part to facilitate the broader return to in-person work settings, as entities move ahead on widely varying schedules in that regard. With COVID-19 still spreading, crowded bars, restaurants and sporting venues are now common, and public schools next week become eligible to lift their mask mandates if they can prove they meet vaccination thresholds. However, many employers remain in remote mode, including the Legislature, where plans to reopen the State House to the public are still unclear and mask-wearing requirements remain in place even with very few people in the building on a regular basis. Another major milestone comes Monday, when Massachusetts will be in the international spotlight for the return of the Boston Marathon. Crowds are expected to fill the race route from Hopkinton to Boston, and there's a possibility that the Boston Red Sox will also host a playoff game on the city's first-ever Marathon Monday in October. The Senate has only a pair of informal sessions on its schedule for next week, indicating major legislative activity appears unlikely in that branch.

Vaccine Mandate Deadlines Near

All executive department employees must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination by Sunday, Oct. 17, under an executive order Gov. Baker issued in August. Employees for whom vaccination is "medically contraindicated or who object to vaccination on the grounds of sincerely-held religious reasons" may be entitled to an exemption from the requirement. For those not exempted managers will first be suspended for five days without pay, with "continued non-compliance" later resulting in termination. Most workers who resign or are fired for failing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine will not be eligible to collect unemployment benefits

State education officials are set Tuesday to weigh in on what is described as a "pioneering high school model"

Cannabis regulators on Thursday revisit their discussion of whether Lawrence, and perhaps other communities, should be designated as areas of disproportionate impact ... The Legislature for years has resisted attempts to beef up seatbelt law enforcement by giving police more power, but the push for a primary enforcement bill continues, picking up again on Wednesday before the Public Safety Committee ... Supporters of President Biden's nomination of Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins to serve as U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts continue their push to put the issue before the full Senate, after the Judiciary Committee deadlocked 11-11 on her nomination ...

Sunday, Senator Karen Spilka will be "On The Record." Sharman Sacchetti and Ed Harding ask Senate President Spilka about how and when the Legislature will start doling out American Rescue Plan Act monies, and what the timeline is for redistricting this fall. Spilka also talks about mental health legislative priorities and the Senate's election reform bill. Democratic political analyst Mary Anne Marsh and Republican political analyst Rob Gray join for the roundtable discussion. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)

Criminal procedure matters are the focus at a virtual Joint Committee on the Judiciary hearing.
Fifty-eight bills are on the agenda, ranging across topics from juveniles in the justice system to law enforcement exposure to fentanyl. Legislation from House Minority Leader Brad Jones (H 1682) would allow law enforcement agencies and court officers to release individuals in custody to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in cases where the person has been convicted of a certain felony and has an active removal or deportation warrant. Cooperation between federal immigration authorities and state and local officials has been the subject of intense debate on Beacon Hill, where legislation limiting those interactions has failed to advance. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

P-TECH SCHOOLS FORUM: Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education hosts a virtual event, "P-TECH: From Classroom to Career to a Stronger Economy." The alliance describes P-TECH as "a pioneering high school model that stands out as an effective strategy" to achieve goals such as promoting more equitable access to economic opportunities and fostering a diverse, skilled workforce pipeline. More than 150 P-TECH high schools are operating in 10 states, according to MBAE, which says the event will explore how to bring the model to Massachusetts. The event, hosted by Kara Miller of the Innovation Hub from WGBH and PRX, will feature opening remarks and a presentation from MBAE executive director Ed Lambert, comments on experiences in other states from IBM U.S. corporate social responsibility leader Steven Pearson, and a panel discussion with Kameelah Benjamin-Fuller of PTC, Aisha Francis of the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Dallas Independent School District superintendent Michael Hinojosa, and Kendalle O'Connell of MassBio. Board of Higher Education Chair Chris Gabrieli and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Chair Katherine Craven will discuss the Massachusetts landscape. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Registration)

HOUSE AND SENATE: Coming off the long weekend, both branches plan light sessions. House is informal and Senate meets without a calendar. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., House and Senate chambers)

FUTURE OF WORK COMMISSION: The impact of the "new economy" on economic security will be the focus at the Future of Work Commission's fourth meeting. Members will convene in Plymouth Town Hall, where they will hear from Bridgewater State University President Fred Clark, former Senate President Therese Murray, EMPatch President and CEO Elisabeth Babcock, and a workforce training panel. Rep. Cutler and Sen. Lesser chair the commission. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Great Hall, Plymouth Town Hall, 26 Court St., Plymouth | Livestream)

FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Financial Services holds a virtual hearing to consider testimony on 42 health insurance-related bills. A pair of proposals from Rep. Balser and Sen. Friedman (H 1040 / S 672) would require insurers to cover emergency psychiatric services. Another bill (H 3786) would call for health care facilities to provide patients released after an opioid overdose with naloxone or a similar drug to reverse a potential future overdose. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

HOUSING COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Housing convenes a virtual hearing on 35 bills concerning manufactured housing, the Department of Housing and Community Development and other miscellaneous topics. Legislation on the agenda includes proposals that would create a statewide right to counsel program (H 1436 / S 874) to ensure residents in eviction proceedings have legal representation. The vast majority of tenants facing eviction for failing to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic have no attorneys, according to state data. Other bills would offer tenants the first right of refusal when a building owner lists a property for sale (H 1426 / S 890), create a task force to study rate parity and equity in homeless shelters (H 1447) and codify the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (H 1428). (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

RYAN AT GRANDPARENTS WORKSHOP: Middlesex DA Ryan speaks at a Grandparents Raising Children Workshop on Internet Safety, hosted by the Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. (Tuesday, 7 p.m., More Information)

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021

PUBLIC HEALTH COUNCIL: Public Health Council meets remotely. After an update from Acting Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke, the council is slated to hear an overview of proposed regulatory amendments to 105 CMR 172, Implementation of MGL c.111, section 111c, regulating the reporting of infectious diseases dangerous to the public. The draft regulations are expected to be posted online Wednesday, and the relevant section of state law deals with the reporting and standardized trip forms for first responders who experience unprotected exposures "capable of transmitting an infectious disease" while transporting a person or deceased person to a health care facility. The agenda also features an informational presentation on health care-associated infections in 2020 and new results and updates from the COVID-19 community impact survey. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Agenda and Access Info)

HOUSE DEMS CAUCUS: House Democrats meet privately in a caucus. (Wednesday, 10 a.m.)

STEP THERAPY DISCUSSION: Supporters of legislation limiting a health insurance policy known as "step therapy" host a virtual event to urge the bill's passage. The practice, which opponents also call "fail first," involves requiring patients to start with lower-cost medication alternatives before an insurer will cover the cost of what a doctor prescribed. Speakers will include Reps. Roy and Decker, Sen. Cyr, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Government Relations Director Marc Hymovitz, and several medical experts. The Senate last year unanimously approved legislation regulating the practice, but it did not emerge for a vote in the House, and supporters are hopeful to advance the legislation (H 1311 / S 756), which went before the Health Care Financing Committee at a July hearing, this session. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Registration)

GAMING AGENDA: Mass. Gaming Commission meets to select the topics it will discuss at future business meetings planned for Oct. 21, Oct. 26 and Nov. 4. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., More Info)

TRANSITION COACHING AND COLLEGE: Boston Foundation and Success Boston host a virtual event to provide an update from Abt Associates about how transition coaching impacts college success among Boston Public Schools graduates. The report will focus on the class of 2013 through the class of 2016. After presentation of the report, the event will feature a panel discussion between Boston Private Industry Council Postsecondary Team Manager Annabelle Cataloni, University of Massachusetts Boston Vice Provost for Academic Support Services Liya Escalera and Success Boston alumna and Boston University graduate Karina Nova, moderated by The Boston Foundation Director of Education to Career Antoniya Marinova. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Register)

HOUSE: House plans to hold an informal session. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security holds a hearing on legislation related to transportation, including a trio of bills to establish primary seatbelt enforcement (H 2515/H 2543/S 1591). Massachusetts law currently requires seatbelt use, but it is a secondary enforcement law, so police can only cite motorists for not wearing a seatbelt when they have already stopped the vehicle for another traffic violation. Gov. Baker earlier this year proposed allowing police to pull over and cite people for not wearing their seatbelts as part of a larger bill, but the idea was knocked by civil rights and transportation advocates. The committee will also hear testimony on bills dealing with seatbelts on school buses (H 2425/S 1569/S 1572/S 1632) and police pursuits (H 2541/H 2514/S 1631). (Wednesday, 11 a.m., More Info)

MUNICIPAL FINANCE OVERSIGHT: Auditor Bump chairs a virtual meeting of the Municipal Finance Oversight Board, which will be asked to consider a request from Brookline for $11 million in judgment bonds to pay the settlement in the matter of Alston v. Town of Brookline, a lawsuit brought by a former firefighter who was fired after complaining of a racist work environment. The board will also hear a request from Hardwick for the authority to borrow for sewer improvements. The agenda also includes an item described only as "long-range fiscal stability." (Wednesday, 11 a.m., More Info)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: Governor's Council holds formal assembly and could vote on confirmation of District Court nominee SallyAnn Janulevicus. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

INTERNET AND CYBERSECURITY COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity holds a virtual public hearing on bills related to data use, data privacy, the internet and broadband access. The committee co-chairs, Sen. Finegold and Rep. Campbell, have legislation (S 50) that would define and regulate data brokers. Sen. Creem proposes in S 46 to create a Massachusetts Information Privacy Act that would establish a commission on information privacy with authority to adopt regulations pertaining to individual privacy rights and regulate how businesses can use the data they collect. House Minority Leader Jones has a bill (H 123) that would call on the committee to create a task force "to report on electronic communications and the feasibility of tracking sex offender internet use." He also offers H 124 to launch a task force investigation "relative to the economic and regulatory impacts of fifth generation (5G) cellular mobile communications." (Wednesday, 1 p.m., More Info)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL - DISTRICT COURT: Governor's Council interviews former Suffolk County prosecutor Zachary Hillman for a seat on the District Court bench. Hillman currently works for the District Court as general counsel in the administrative office. Gov. Baker nominated him in September to fill the vacancy left by Judge Maurice Flynn, who retired last year as first justice in the Somerville courthouse. Councilor Devaney presides over the hearing. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., Council Chamber | Livestream)

OFFSHORE WIND CONFERENCE - DAY ONE: Gov. Baker and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland are expected to speak as the American Clean Power Association begins its Offshore WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition in Boston. Haaland, whose secretariat earlier this year gave the Massachusetts-committed Vineyard Wind I project the green light to move ahead as the nation's first utility-scale offshore wind development, is scheduled to offer keynote remarks at 2:30 p.m. and Baker is listed as speaking during the same welcome/introductory session that begins at 2 p.m. Other day one speakers include Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Theoharides and Vineyard Wind CEO Pedersen. More Info (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Omni Boston Seaport Hotel, 450 Summer St., Boston)

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture holds a hearing to accept testimony on bills dealing with environmental justice, air quality and water quality. Rep. Livingstone offers H 4090 to provide grants to Gateway Cities and Boston for replacement of lead water distribution pipes, Rep. Barrett has a bill (H 852) to establish time limits for idling trains, and bills from Rep. Ehrlich and Sen. Lovely (H 906/S 580) would require the removal of lead service lines and the installation of lead-certified filters or water filling stations at schools. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., More Info)

BETTER BUS FEEDBACK - ASHMONT: MBTA staff talk to bus riders at Ashmont Station to solicit feedback ahead of an Oct. 27 virtual meeting, where officials will present the "approach and principles" for the Bus Network Redesign project. (Wednesday, 2:30 p.m., Ashmont Station, Dorchester Avenue and Ashmont Street, Boston)

IMMIGRATION ISSUES FORUM: Everett Police Department and EVAPorate Violence host an online discussion with Middlesex DA Ryan about immigration law. Those interested in participating can call Deborah Fallon at 617-394-2431. (Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.)

ASSOC. FOR MENTAL HEALTH: Gov. Baker receives, along with Health and Human Services Secretary Sudders, Senate President Spilka and House Speaker Mariano, the "Partners in Progress Award" from the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other awards go to drugmakers Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer, Sen. Cyr, and Rep. Decker. The event is held in a hybrid fashion, with in-person festivities starting at 6 p.m. and a virtual program at 7:45 p.m. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., More Info)

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021

OFFSHORE WIND CONFERENCE -- DAY TWO: U.S. Sen. Markey is the keynote speaker for the second day of the American Clean Power Association's Offshore WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition in Boston. Sessions focus on the offshore wind supply chain, the outlook for project financing, port infrastructure development and environmental justice issues. Markey will be interviewed at 10:35 a.m. More Info (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., Omni Boston Seaport Hotel, 450 Summer St., Boston)

HEALTH CONNECTOR BOARD: Massachusetts Health Connector Board meets virtually in a meeting that will be livestreamed on YouTube. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Livestream)

CANNABIS COMMISSION: Cannabis Control Commission meets and is expected to return to the discussion started last month about its list of disproportionately-impacted areas and whether Lawrence should be added. Lawrence was not designated as an area of disproportionate impact when the CCC first made the list in 2018 "due to limited data" and a March 2021 study that remains under CCC review similarly left Lawrence off its list for the same reason, Commissioner Nurys Camargo said last month as she pressed to make the Merrimack Valley city the 30th municipality on the list. Being on the list would benefit Lawrence and its residents by making more residents eligible for the CCC's Social Equity Program and by opening up new opportunities for city nonprofits to benefit from donations from marijuana companies. The CCC voted last month to table the discussion until October and to ask Lawrence officials to provide the CCC with some of the data that was not captured in earlier reports in the meantime. (Thursday, 10 a.m., More Info TBA)

MTF ARPA ROUNDTABLE: The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation hosts the third in a series of virtual forums on the American Rescue Plan and its implications for Massachusetts. The forum, according to the foundation, will examine what an inclusive and equitable recovery might look like for Massachusetts and review policies and practices pursued in other parts of the country. Prabal Chakrabarti, executive vice president and community affairs officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and Christina Plerhoples Stacy, a principal research associate with the Urban Institute will deliver presentations, followed by a discussion moderated by Kevin Rasch, chief business diversity officer at Point32Health. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Registration)

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: Transportation Committee holds a hearing on bills related to bicycles and pedestrians, mainly focusing on road safety. Several of the bills also address motorized/electric scooters, including one from House Chair Rep. Straus. A Rep. Garry bill would create a local-option law against jaywalking (H 3470), and a Rep. Peisch bill would change the $20 fines bike riders face for traffic violations to an equal fine that motor vehicle drivers incur for the same violation. The agenda also includes bridge naming bills for Lawrence, Orleans and Haverhill. (Thursday, 10 a.m., More Info)

HOUSE: House has pencilled in a potential full formal session on Thursday's schedule. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)

SENATE: Senate plans to meet without a calendar. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)

SUMMER LEARNING REVIEW: Boston education officials host a virtual event to review the impact of 2021 summer learning and release a new report about skill-building. Speakers will include Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, Boston After School & Beyond Executive Director Chris Smith, YMCA of Greater Boston President and CEO James Morton, and other leaders from summer learning programs. (Thursday, 12 p.m., Registration)

MCOFU VACCINE HEARING: U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Hillman will preside over a hearing on the motion filed by the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union seeking a preliminary injunction to block Gov. Baker from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for executive branch employees. The deadline for correction officers is Sunday, Oct. 17 to show proof of vaccination, but the union has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Baker's vaccine policy. The State Police Association of Massachusetts lost a similar lawsuit in state Superior Court. Hillman was appointed to the federal bench in 2012 by President Obama, and sits in the Worcester division of the district court. The hearing will be conducted via video conference. (Thursday, 3:15 p.m., Registration)

Friday, Oct. 15, 2021

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE: Public Health Committee holds a hearing on 66 bills mostly related to professional licensure and scope of practice. Bills address continuing education for chiropractors, CPR recertifications, team-based health care, the board of registration in naturopathy, liability protection for disaster volunteers, out-of-state physician consultations, licensure compacts with other states, the practice of acupuncture and licensure of recovery coaches. A Rep. Decker bill (H 2262) would task the Deaprtment of Public Health with creating "an assessment tool to quantify the health impacts and costs of emissions associated with grid electricity and delivered fuels, and the benefits of energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy in the Commonwealth," and a bill from Rep. Day (H 2256) would prohibit health care professionals form participating "in torture or abusive treatment of prisoners." (Friday, 10 a.m., More Info)

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE: Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities holds a hearing on 17 bills, including financial literacy bills from Treasurer Goldberg (H 40) and Rep. Hunt (H 231) and legislation from Rep. Pignatelli and Sen. Rausch (H 264, S 142) that would establish a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness. Other bills on the agenda also address youth and family homelessness. (Friday, 10 a.m., More Info)

EMERGENCY BROADCAST STUDIO: iHeartMedia Boston and the Federal Emergency Management Agency unveil an "all-hazards upgrade" to the emergency studio at WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Boston's transmitter in Hull that serves as a National Public Warning System Primary Entry Point station. The organizations said the modernization effort increases its "resiliency to continue broadcasting under all conditions, including natural disasters and acts of terrorism." The studio is one of 77 such broadcast positions in the country and the 13th to work with FEMA to increase sheltering capabilities, expand broadcast capacity and install sustainable power generation for all types of hazardous events. U.S. Sen. Markey, state Sen. O'Connor and Rep. Meschino are expected to speak. (Friday, 11 a.m., 45 Newport Rd., Hull)

STRUCTURAL RACISM IN PROBATION: Commission on Structural Racism in the Massachusetts Probation Service meets virtually. (Friday, 1 p.m., More Info)

GAMING REVENUES: Mass. Gaming Commission is due to report September gaming revenues at Plainridge Park Casino, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor. Gaming revenues in August took a small step backward from the highs of July, with the three gaming centers generating about $92 million in August compared to $95.74 million in July. (Friday)

SCHOOL MASK OPT-OUTS: The state's mask mandate for public schools is set to remain in place through at least Nov. 1, but individual schools can lift the mask requirement for vaccinated students and staff as of Friday if they first submit an attestation form to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education demonstrating a COVID-19 vaccination rate of 80 percent or higher. Unvaccinated individuals in the school would still need to wear masks indoors. With COVID-19 shots still not available for youth younger than 12, elementary schools will be unable to meet the 80 percent threshold required to lift the universal mask mandate. DESE guidance leaves it to schools to determine how to collect proof of vaccination, suggesting options that could include signed attestation forms completed by the individual or a parent/guardian, a COVID-19 vaccine record card or digital picture of the card, or a printout from the Massachusetts Immunization Information System. "Whether or not a school or district avails themselves of the 80 percent vaccination off ramp is a local decision to be made by school and district leaders in consultation with local health officials," the guidance says. (Friday)

Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021

HOUSING ASSISTANCE WORKSHOP: With hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency rental assistance still available to Bay Staters, the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and Metro Housing|Boston host an in-person workshop to assist property owners and tenants apply for aid. The state has so far distributed more than $270 million in emergency housing assistance to more than 40,000 unique households facing strain during the COVID-19 pandemic, and both policymakers and housing advocates have been working to get more dollars out the door to tenants facing the risk of eviction or landlords who lost rental income. Landlords who own up to 20 units can apply directly for rental aid on behalf of eligible residents. Attendees must contact Elyse Libeskind at (617) 224-9303 by Wednesday, Oct. 13 to register. All participants must wear masks. (Saturday, 10 a.m., The Community Room, 1411 Tremont St., Boston)

Primary Reporting by State House News Services with additional reporting by Franklin Observer