Saturday, May 9, 2026

The meeting outlook in less than 5 minutes for the week of May 10, 2026 (audio)

May is fully here. That means Town & School meetings galore this week. 


The schedule has filled out like the tree leaves bringing green and other vibrant colors to the landscape.


Much of the agenda items cover the normal business by the various boards and committees. Of particular interest are the joint Town Council and School Committee meeting Tuesday, the regular Town Council meeting on Wednesday,, and the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting on Thursday. 


The joint Council and SchCmte meeting focuses on the selection of a vendor for the strategic plan meant to guide us to an answer for how we will deal with our structural budget issues and maintain some levels of service for the community.


The School Committee separately has an agenda for their own portion of business after the joint discussion is complete.


The Council on Wednesday gets the annual update on the funding requirements and progress made for the Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) as well as votes on the second readings for the zoning changes to the MBTA Compliance code, the Crossing Neighborhood District and an adjustment to the meeting schedule for October.


The Economic Development Subcommittee meets with the UMass Boston folks who are proposed to develop a unified plan for downtown Franklin during the Fall of 2026. As this project would be as part of the UMass Boston graduate level class work and free, an agreement on scope and approval is likely to be received.  The subcommittee is also scheduled for discussion to set their goals and objectives.


If you haven’t had an opportunity to pay attention, this would be a good week to tap in as these meetings can be critical to determining the future for Franklin. And by the way, the budget hearings come up next week on May 20, May 21.

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.




*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town pages 5/08/26, 7:30 PM ***

Housing Authority
Monday, May 11 Time: 4:30 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05112026-2298

Planning Board Meeting
Monday, May 11 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05112026-2301

Norfolk County Regional Emergency Planning Committee Meeting
Tuesday, May 12 Time: 10:30 AM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122026-2292

Franklin School Committee - Policy Subcommittee Meeting
Tuesday, May 12 Time: 6:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122026-2303

Communications Subcommittee Meeting
Tuesday, May 12 Time: 6:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122026-2310 

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting
Tuesday, May 12 Time: 6:00 PM

Franklin School Committee
Tuesday, May 12 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122026-2307

Town Council Meeting (at School Committee)
Tuesday, May 12 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122026-2302
 
Charles River Pollution Control District
Wednesday, May 13 Time: 3:30 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122026-2304

Town Council Meeting
Wednesday, May 13 Time: 6:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132026-2308
 
Cultural District Committee Meeting
Wednesday, May 13 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132026-2299

Town Council Monthly Office Hours
Thursday, May 14 Time: 8:30 AM

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting
Thursday, May 14 Time: 2:00 PM
Agenda not available at this time

Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting
Thursday, May 14 Time: 6:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05142026-2311


*** Looking back at the week that was ***


Town/ School meetings

FHS live streaming 

Podcast episodes released


Check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.

Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx       

Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar      

Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html       

Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html   

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Location: Franklin, MA 02038, USA

Saturday, May 2, 2026

Budget, budget and in May, there is more budget (audio)

Budget, budget and in May, there is more budget before it gets finalized in June


You should recall that April (April 6 - April 9) saw the Finance Committee (FinCom) spend 16+ hours going over the budget with each department. Some of the FinCom members thought that they would be able to avoid using much of the proposed $2M in free cash to balance the budget. 


Alas, they did not. If my notes and math come close, they do propose use of $1.8M.


There is one big number outstanding, in that with May 1 behind us (and health care enrollments complete), the cost for coverage provided by the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) plans will be revealed later this month.  Maybe by the time the Town Council conducts their budget hearings (May 20 & 21), but more likely by the next FinCom meeting, May 27. 


So what will the Council budget hearings reveal? 

Will they agree with the budget as proposed, or make adjustments of their own? 


The FY 2027 budget narrative is being published, one section per day (started April 13) and it may not be completed by the time the Council hearings actually roll around. That is a whole lot of reading material. Many questions that were asked and answered during the FinCom hearings were actually detailed in the FY 2027 budget narrative. 


All this in preparation for the June 10 Town Council meeting and vote to approve whatever will be as the FY 2027 budget. Read to be informed. Follow along with the meetings as the discussions progress.


The listing of the agendas for the meetings scheduled this week are provided below.


For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.


Audio link -  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1738-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-05-03-26/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town pages 5/01/26, 7:30 PM   ***



The FY 2027 budget documents can be found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

250th Anniversary Celebration Budget Subcommittee Meeting

Sunday, May 3 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05032026-2290 


Franklin School Committee Contractual Negotiations Meeting (Executive Session)

Tuesday, May 5 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05052026-2254 


250th Anniversary Celebration Committee - Communications Subcommittee

Tuesday, May 5 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05052026-2278 


Board of Health Meeting

Wednesday, May 6 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05062026-2246 


Franklin Commission on Disability

Thursday, May 7 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2279 


Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - Board of Trustees Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2286 


Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/593?fileID=9052 



*** Looking back at the week that was ***



Town & School meetings



FHS live streaming

 


Radio - Podcast Interviews published this week 




For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.


Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx      

Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar     


Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html      


Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html  


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Location: Franklin, MA 02038, USA

Saturday, April 25, 2026

“Where have all the showers gone?” vs. “Come Monday…”

We’ll start with competing themes for this week: 

“Where have all the showers gone?” vs. “Come Monday…”


Franklin averages 4.5” of rain during April and thus far, we have only 1.6.” So it doesn’t seem like April showers will bring lots of May flowers.


When I retired in 2019, I sent my colleagues a playlist* that started with the Jimmy Buffett tune “Come Monday…”  ‘cuz on that next Monday, I would be elsewhere.


In Franklin, this week of April 26 and following, after Monday which sees 6 meetings, there is only 1 public session and 1 executive session both on Tuesday, for the remainder of the week.


You can start the week with some Jazz at the Historical Museum on Sunday at 3 PM, and also close the week on Saturday celebrating Horace Mann’s birthday also at the Museum from 10 AM to 1 PM.  


You can also close the week by joining Jane's Walk on Saturday. It starts at the TV Studio on Hutchinson St at 10 AM, finishes there about 1.5 miles later (approx. 11:30 AM). In between, conversation on the look and feel of the neighborhoods, and what zoning does or doesn’t do. An informative and casual learning opportunity followed by lunch and networking at the Studio.


The listing of the agendas for the meetings scheduled this week are provided below.


For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.



* Playlist that I sent out to my corporate colleagues upon retirement can be found https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGw_hrlaOY&list=PLL2XKlvMgLAnv_Y2MOsekFSPEpxXeyEn4



*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town pages 4/24/26, 7:00 PM   ***


Music at the Museum: Jazz

Sunday, April 26 Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

At the Historical Museum


Communications Subcommittee Meeting

Monday, April 27 Time: 12:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04272026-2270 


Franklin Agricultural Committee Meeting

Monday, April 27 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04272026-2266 


Franklin School Committee Horace Mann Legacy Sub Committee Meeting

Monday, April 27 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04272026-2263


Library Board of Directors Regular Meeting

Monday, April 27 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04272026-2272 


Planning Board Meeting

Monday, April 27 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04272026-2271 


250th Anniversary Celebration Committee Historical Importance Subcommittee

Monday, April 27 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04272026-2273


Massachusetts Strategic Health Group Meeting

Tuesday, April 28 Time: 1:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04282026-2274 


Franklin School Committee Contractual Negotiations Meeting

Tuesday, April 28 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04282026-2198 


ZBA Meeting-NO MEETING

Thursday, April 30 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04302026-2269 


Happy Birthday Horace Mann!

Saturday, May 2 Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

At the Historical Museum 


*** Looking back at the week that was ***



Town & School meetings



From FHS live streaming



From All Access




For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.


Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx      

Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar     


Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html      


Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html  


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Location: Franklin, MA 02038, USA

Saturday, April 18, 2026

School break, Patriots Day, marathon Monday & a relatively quiet meeting week in Franklin (audio)

School break, Patriots Day, marathon Monday…


And a relatively quiet meeting week in Franklin, MA for April 19 through April 25, 2026.  


Even with the holiday Monday, there is no scheduled delay in the trash and recycling pick up for the week.


The hydrant flushing project continues. The DPW updates their webpage daily to let folks know what streets they will be working on. The work is briefly opening a hydrant to let the water flow for a period. This clears the water (may cause some temporary discoloring) but also confirms the water pressure for fire suppression at that point.


The Board of Assessors, Franklin Housing Authority, and Design Review Committee are all scheduled for regular settings on Tuesday.


The Council on Aging, effectively the oversight board for the Senior Center, is scheduled to meet on Wednesday. 


On Thursday, GATRA conducts one of their virtual feedback sessions via the Senior Center. The Conservation Commission also meets in the evening.


The week closes out with the Annual Ladybug Trail Walk on Saturday, April 25. Multiple events and retail opportunities are being set up. Stay tuned during the week for updates.


For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.


Audio link -   https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1719-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-04-19-26/



*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town pages 4/17/26, 9:00 PM   ***



Board of Assessors Meeting

Tuesday, April 21 Time: 8:30 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04212026-2261 


Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

Tuesday, April 21 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04212026-2259 


Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, April 21 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04212026-2260 


Council on Aging Board Meeting

Wednesday, April 22 Time: 11:00 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04222026-2264 


GATRA Regional Public Meeting

Thursday, April 23 Time: 2:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04232026-2243 


Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, April 23 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/589?fileID=8914 



*** Looking back at the week that was ***



Town & School meetings



From FHS live streaming



From All Access



From Franklin Matters Radio


For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.


Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx      

Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar     


Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html      


Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html 
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Location: Franklin, MA 02038, USA
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