Franklin MAtters Weekly: Design Review

Showing posts with label Design Review. Show all posts

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Early voting and election preparation move to center stage this week

Weather dynamics are upon us. The rains canceled the Farmers Market, caused other events to reschedule, and now the temperature is dropping so bundle up.

Early voting began Saturday and continues each day until Friday, October 30. All the early voting takes place in the Town Clerk’s office. Tabulator testing is scheduled for Monday at 9 AM in the Council Chambers. This is a key step in the preparation by our Town Clerk and her team before each election here in Franklin.

The Board of Assessors, and Housing Authority are scheduled for regular meetings on Monday. The Planning Board will review the traffic study for the Depot Plaza proposal at its session Monday evening.

The Norfolk County Regional Emergency Planning Committee and the 250th Anniversary Celebration Budget Subcommittee are scheduled to meet on Tuesday. The Design Review Commission has a number of items on its virtual only meeting agenda Tuesday evening.

The Finance Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday. They will review the fiscal policies and discuss the potential for some changes for further review by the Town Council. They are also scheduled for a deep dive into the DPW enterprise funds (water, sewer, solid waste, and stormwater).

The Conservation Commission closes out the meeting week with their regular session on Thursday.

Friday is the next to last (or penultimate) Farmers Market for this season on the Town Common. Fairmount Fruit Farm has scheduled 2 Saturdays each month from November through March 2027 for the Winter Farmers Market.

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-1837-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-10-18-26/

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 10/16/26 6:00 PM ***

Board of Assessors Regular Meeting

Monday, October 19th Time: 9:00 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10192026-2565

Tabulator Testing for November 3 Election - Council Chambers Room

Monday, October 19 Time: 9:00 AM

No agenda for this observation period

Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

Monday, October 19 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10192026-2567

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, October 19 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10192026-2564

Norfolk County Regional Emergency Planning Committee Meeting

Tuesday, October 20 Time: 10:30 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10202026-2563

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, October 20 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10202026-2566

250th Anniversary Celebration Budget Subcommittee Meeting

Tuesday, October 20 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10202026-2568

Finance Committee Meeting

Wednesday, October 21 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10212026-2572

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, October 22nd Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10222026-2570

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

There were several video productions by Franklin TV during the past week both broadcast live and pre-recorded for publication via YouTube.

Town & School meetings

The Franklin School Committee met on Tuesday, Oct 13. The video is available here {recap will be available Sunday) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnpWxfXwZgU

The School Committee Policy Subcommittee met before the full Committee meeting on Tuesday. The audio recording should be available soon at Franklin.News.

The Franklin Town Council met on Wednesday, Oct 14 in the first of a 3 part series on the tax rate. The video is available here (recap available Sunday) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBUfX3OGpgM

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) met on Thursday, Oct 15. The video is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSrmcTr7AYs

FHS Sports

The FHS Varsity Volleyball vs Milford Tuesday October 13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT1W8z4UTso

The FHS girls soccer game vs Medfield also on Tuesday Oct 13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXJEtMOohxU

The FHS Football game vs Attleboro on Thursday Oct 15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXFjCqlHya0

The FHS Varsity Field Hockey vs Natick on Saturday, Oct 17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1bCc9oEtvo

All Access Channel

Franklin Union St Cemetery Tour with Dean professor Rob Lawson and Scott Mason https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgAonH4qHxA

Once Upon A Town: Cataldo Block with Joe Landry and Scott Mason

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Yjl_qVPdQ

Second Sunday Speaker Series: History of Hayward Manor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47959PBbmHg

The October 2026 edition of FM Journal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdtTH6U6LNc

Local historian Joe Landry visits the New England Chapel to check out the Rotary Club's 10th annual car show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crRrDkDkHUg

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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, September 12, 2026

Full week of meetings features a packed Town Council agenda & Economic Development session exploring "Permitting 101" (audio)

We are in the middle of September and the week ahead holds a full slate of meetings.

The Ad Hoc Committee for the Town Administrator Evaluation starts to work on Monday morning.

The Planning Board meeting is canceled on Monday evening but they along with members of the Design Review, Conservation Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeal are slated for participation in a “Permitting 101” discussion on Thursday at the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting.

The Horace Mann Legacy Committee continues their work on Monday. The 250th Anniversary Celebration also meets Monday in a virtual session.

Design Review has enough business to continue to hold their session on Tuesday.

The Town Council has a full agenda with recognition of a number of Town employee retirements, legislative updates from Senator Rausch and Rep Jeff Roy, presentations from the Franklin Food Pantry, SAFE Coalition, and the 250th Anniversary Celebration

The Council holds office hours Thursday morning at the Senior Center

The 250th Events Subcommittee is scheduled to continue their work on Thursday as well as the Economic Development meeting mentioned above.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1820-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-09-13-26/

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 9/11/26 9:00 PM ***

Town Administrator Evaluation Ad Hoc Committee Meeting

Monday, September 14 Time: 9:30 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2498

FPS - Horace Mann Legacy Subcommittee

Monday, September 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2500

Planning Board Meeting-Cancelled

Monday, September 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2493

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee

Monday, September 14 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09142026-2501

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Finance Committee Meeting

Tuesday, September 15 Time: 12:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152026-2510

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152026-2499

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, September 16 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09162026-2512

Town Council Monthly Office Hours

Thursday, September 17 Time: 8:30 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2506

EDC Meeting (with Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission & Design Review Commission)

Thursday, September 17 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2504

DR - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2496

PB - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2503

ZBA - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2484

250th Anniversary Celebration Events Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, September 17 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172026-2511

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

Town/ School meetings

On Tuesday, the School Committee Policy Subcmte met. The recap and exclusive audio can be found https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/schcmte-policy-subcommittee-tackles.html
Also on Tuesday, the School Committee got insights into the District Improvement Plan for this school year and provided feedback. The meeting recap and video https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/school-committee-gets-insights-on.html
The Conservation Commission met on Thursday. Franklin TV video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v0hjRy54lg

FHS Sports broadcasts

FHS girls varsity soccer game on Tuesday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8HrEx4uEyk
FHS football game on Thursday shared via coverage by Wachusetts High School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D63b_TI3WA
FHS girls volleyball match vs Bishop Feehan on Friday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AipFJCMPv8

All Access programming

The Second Sunday Speaker Series in August features Scott Mason sharing the Franklin connection to the bombing of Nagaski, Japan in World War II. The video is available for replay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtNLXDSr-Q
An episode of Once Upon a Town, filmed with an audience at Franklin TV Studios was published to YouTube. Watch to find out about the history of the race track that used to be on the land where Shaw’s and the HOrace Mann Plaza is today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwWnZ06S0dw

Franklin Matters

Town Council Quarterbacking with Councilor Max Morrongiello recapping the Council’s Sep 2 meeting is available https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/town-council-quarterbacking-with-town.html
The audio recording of the 25th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Services is available https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/franklin-fire-dept-25th-anniversary-911.html

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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, August 15, 2026

A relatively quiet week ahead, let's enjoy it while it lasts

A less busy meeting week down from 14 meetings to only 5 on the calendar.

Like the humidity that seems to have gone for now, we can enjoy the lack thereof and the less busy week while they last.

The Cultural Council meets on Monday and among other things starts to discuss priorities for the next grant cycle, how would the funding be allocated?

The Design Review Commission is scheduled to meet virtually on Tuesday. Recall the hot item on the calendar was the Depot Plaza proposal which is being withdrawn and resubmitted to better align with the Planning Board timeline.

The Town Council holds their monthly office hours at the Senior Center on Thursday morning. Recall they expanded this option with a session at the Library, Saturday, August 15. They plan to add other locations and days/time of day to try and meet folks.

The 250th Celebration Events subcommittee meets on Thursday. The Horace Mann Legacy Subcommittee has a meeting scheduled for Friday afternoon to allow for participation of as many members of the committee as possible at the Farmers Market table. Stop by and find out what they are planning!

On Wednesday, the monthly Conversation and Q&A I conduct at the Senior Center comes around at 11:00 AM. You can participate in person, or remotely, I provide an update on what has happened the past month and take your questions on what is on your mind.

Also of note: 2 Fallen Hero recognitions are scheduled for 9 AM on the 20th and 22th This approx. 5 minute program will include the placing of a Memorial Wreath for the day, the playing of Taps, a salute from those present, and a reading of whatever history may be available for that veteran. This is a way of keeping the memory of that veteran alive.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1799-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-08-16-26/

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 8/14/26 7:30 PM ***

Franklin Cultural Council

Monday, August 17 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08172026-2456

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, August 18 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08182026-2461

Town Council Monthly Office Hours

Thursday, August 20 Time: 8:30 AM

No agenda for this informal discussion

250th Anniversary Celebration Events Subcommittee Meeting