Franklin MAtters Weekly

Saturday, June 6, 2026

PorchFest, budget, Strawberry Stoll, budget ...

PorchFest, budget, Strawberry Stoll, budget… and then we’re done until the tax rate hearing this fall.

Yes, the final stretch on the evolution of the FY 2027 budget. As noted here last week, Town Administrator Jamie Hellen released an updated and ‘final’ version of the budget. The Finance Committee voted to approve it after reviewing and confirming the changes since they had seen the budget in April for their series of 4 budget hearings.

The recommendations they made were incorporated in this version along with updated numbers on new growth, health care (the last piece to the puzzle the Town was waiting for) and to the State funding expected via the Senate budget.

The House and Senate version of the State budget still need conference committee agreement to send it to the Governor for final decision. It is anticipated to not be changed much as this is an election year. The increases to local aid and Chapter 70 are needed here and elsewhere across the Commonwealth.

The School Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday at 7 PM. Their Policy subcommittee is scheduled to meet before that at 6 PM.

The Town Council will get their review and discussion on the updated FY 2027 budget at their session on Wednesday. The reduction in use of Free Cash (an accounting term that is neither ‘free’ nor ‘cash’) should help but some had previously indicated not wanting to use any. How and where they would provide the balance to the budget remains to be seen.

The Strawberry Stroll closes out the week on Friday overlapping in time schedule (4 to 8 PM) with the Farmers Market (2 to 6 PM) at the Town Common also on Friday.

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-1758-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-06-07-26/

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 6/05/26, 10:00 PM ***

Franklin Public School Horace Mann Sub Committee Meeting - Cancelled

Monday, June 8 Time: 7:00 PM

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee Meeting

Monday, June 8 Time: 8:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06082026-2352

Franklin School Committee Policy Subcommittee Meeting

Tuesday, June 9 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06092026-2355

Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, June 9 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06092026-2356

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Board of Trustees Meeting

Tuesday, June 9 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06092026-2349

Charles River Pollution Control District

Wednesday, June 10 Time: 3:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06102026-2350

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, June 10 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06102026-2357

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting

Thursday, June 11 Time: 2:00 PM

No agenda available at this time

Cultural District Committee Meeting

Thursday, June 11 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06112026-2353

Franklin Public Schools Contractual Negotiations Meeting June 11

Thursday, June 11 Time: 4:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06112026-2327

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting - No Meeting

Thursday, June 11 Time: 7:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06112026-2347

Franklin Public Schools Community Relations Sub Committee Meeting

Friday, June 12 Time: 4:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06122026-2344

22nd Annual Strawberry Stroll @ Franklin Historical Museum

Friday, June 12 Time: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

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

Town/ School meetings

Planning Board Monday, June 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrcqCNbm3qU

Board of Health meeting - exclusive audio - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/06/board-of-health-hears-about-new.html

Finance Committee Wednesday, June 3 - https://www.youtube.com/live/FR_5FicbhCM?&t=208

Economic Development Subcommittee Thursday, June 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJsDcLu_-xk

Conservation Commission, Thursday, June 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoD3azLjTNM&t=1s

FHS/ Tri-County live streaming

FHS Softball on June 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui1FCIcIM3Y&t=584s
Middle School 6th Grade Chorus & Orchestra Thursday, June 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR0mdC7goDY
Middle School 7th & 8th Grade Chorus & Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soPfCoLNJpo
Middle School Spring Band 06-04-26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e62I7nS2eI
Franklin High School Class of 2026 Graduation - https://www.youtube.com/live/I771n9tYbSI?&t=671

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

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Spend less than 5 minutes to find out about the final stretch on the FY 2027 budget (audio)

Budget, budget, yes, we are into the final stretch on the FY 2027 budget.

Recall The Town of Franklin started planning internally with department level budget reviews during October/December 2025, the first pass on the capital budget during January 2026, the FY 2027 budget was released in February, the Finance Committee spent 17 plus hours over 4 nights in April, and the Town Council spent 8.5 hours over 2 nights May 20-May 21.

During those sessions, the numbers were evolving slightly. At the State level, the Governor issued her view in January, the House of Representatives in April, the Senate just approved their version in May. The health care costs are now closer to final with the open enrollment of Town and retirees completed during April and the costs associated now available.

Hence, there is an updated FY 2027 budget that the Town Administrator has just released incorporating both the Finance Committee recommendations and the latest numbers.

The Finance Committee gets their view and vote on this budget on Wednesday, June 3, the Town Council gets their chance on Wednesday, June 10.

The following Wednesday, June 17, the Council also gets to close out this phase of the FY 2027 budget cycle with some procedural authorizations (Community Preservation funding, enterprise fund authorizations, etc.) all before the FY 2027 fiscal year opens July 1, 2026.

Bottomline, the Finance Committee essentially validated the budget approach and numbers. While some on the Council may still think there are areas to cut, those have not explicitly been expressed so it will be interesting to see what the ‘final’ moves are by the Finance Committee and the Town Council.

Will some of the key cuts get restored (Deputy Town Administrator, School Resource Offices, library Sunday hours, etc.)? Or will the temporary use of $1.1million in free cash to allow the Council, School Committee and Finance Committee to put the plan together on how to get out of this structural deficit be denied, potentially further deepening the hole we are in.

Will there be any surprises? Stay tuned to find out.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1748-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-05-31-26/

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 5/29/26, 7:00 PM ***

Pride Flag Raising - May 31, at 1 PM

Flavors of Franklin - Restaurant Week - May 31 through June 6

Franklin PorchFest - June 6

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, June 1 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06012026-2341

Recreation Advisory Board

Monday, June 1 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06012026-2306

250th Anniversary Celebration Communications Subcommittee Meeting

Tuesday, June 2 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06022026-2329

Franklin Public Schools Contractual Negotiations Meeting June 3

Wednesday, June 3 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032026-2326

Board of Health Meeting

Wednesday, June 3 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032026-2345

Finance Committee Meeting

Wednesday, June 3 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032026-2346

Franklin Commission on Disability Meeting

Thursday, June 4 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042026-2340

Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, June 4 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042026-2343

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, June 4 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/604?fileID=9231

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

From 5/24 to 5/30/26

Town/ School meetings

School Committee meeting - 5/26/26 recap with audio & video links https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/05/school-committee-recognizes-seal-of_01831220539.html
Town Council Communications Subcommittee meeting 5/28/26 - recap & video link https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/05/communications-subcommittee-listened.html

FHS/ Tri-County live streaming

FHS girls lacrosse vs. Andover 5/26/26 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFJd9oq9bM0
Tri-County graduation 5/28/26 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4SsMY75Qhg
FHS boys lacrosse vs. Newtown North 5/29/26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RlwMD1hP5Q

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

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Your Franklin news in less than 5 minutes for Memorial Day week (audio)

Memorial Day weekend is here. The traditional launch to summer time.

For the careful readers you may have noticed a recent lack of live or real time reporting and meeting recaps. Yes, I was away and unable to spend the time on those items. I’ll have some catching up to do but we’re back in Franklin and appreciative of your reading and sharing.

The Memorial Day events schedule

9:30am Dean College - Memorial Day commemorative event

9:50am Union St Cemetery - Memorial Day commemorative event

10:10am St. Mary’s Cemetery - Memorial Day commemorative event

11:00am Memorial Day Parade Franklin Town Common

12:00pm Memorial Day Ceremony Franklin Town Common

On Tuesday, the School Committee has a regular meeting scheduled including an executive session to discuss bargaining strategy. Also the Budget Subcommittee of the 250th Anniversary Celebration is scheduled to meet.

The Council on Aging and the Cultural Council have meetings scheduled for Wednesday. The Finance Committee meeting originally scheduled for this day was canceled. They get to view the adjusted budget including health care at their June 3 session.

The Communications Subcommittee of the Town Council has a meeting scheduled on Thursday in Council Chambers. There will be no ZBA meeting that evening.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1745-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-05-24-26/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town pages 5/22/26, 8:30 PM ***

Massachusetts Strategic Health Group Meeting

Tuesday, May 26 Time: 1:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05262026-2335

Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, May 26 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05262026-2332

250th Anniversary Celebration Budget Subcommittee Meeting

Tuesday, May 26 Time: 8:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05262026-2330

Council on Aging Board Meeting