Franklin MAtters Weekly: Thanksgiving leaves, the countdown to Christmas & year end arrives

Hopefully you and most Franklin folks enjoyed the holiday week. It went by quickly. The Turkey Trot set a record with the largest registrations and the FHS football team lost to KP. No significant Town meetings happened last week with the short holiday week.

However, this first week of December has a couple of key meetings. The Town Council gets to set the tax rate, approving a drop in the rate from $11.62/$1000 to $11.42/$1000. This is due to the continued significant rise in assessed real estate valuations. The average residential single family property assessment has increased from $679,400 to $731,400.

The charts will be updated to show the inverse relationship between the tax rate and property valuations. When they go up, as they have for the past many years, the rate goes down. When the valuation decreased (think recession 2008), the rate increased.

The Council also gets the inside scoop on the revenue forecast for the next 5 years. This was shared in August 2025 and with the new Council on board, is intended to bring them up to speed with this info so they can understand what room for decisions they may have.

For those who thought that the Council vote to rescind their approval of the 444 East Central project would suddenly end the project, sorry that didn’t happen. They should note that the ZBA did close the public hearing at their Nov 20 meeting. The ZBA also recommended for their attorney to draft the summary letter as ‘for approval’. Don’t get too alarmed, logically it makes more sense for a “No” vote against the recommendation to approve than it does for a “Yes” for to deny.

The ZBA will review and discuss the ‘draft’ letter at their remote only session this Thursday, Dec 4. Their next session (Dec 18) should have the formal vote on the decision and on the variances requested. The Conservation Commission also meets remote only on Thursday, and will continue to work on the 444 East Central project.

The decision on the 444 East Central project is on schedule to be filed with the appropriate authorities by year end. At which time, appeals may start. When those will end is open to speculation.

The HO scale train town exhibit of Franklin circa 1932 gets expanded to include the Mill Store and Franklin Paint with the official opening scheduled for Saturday, Dec 6. It is scheduled for display through January 2026.

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-1594-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-11-30-25/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 11/28/25, 8:30 PM ***

Planning Board Meeting - meeting Cancelled

Monday, December 1 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12012025-2016

Massachusetts Strategic Health Group

Tuesday, December 2 Time: 1:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12022025-2023

Franklin Cultural Council

Tuesday, December 2 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12022025-2027

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS