Franklin MAtters Weekly: June 2026

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.

*** 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