Showing posts with label Design Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Design Review. Show all posts

Saturday, March 14, 2026

Major meeting this week: Joint Session of SchCmte & Town Council on Chapter 70 (audio)

The snow has mostly gone but the drought is still here


Yes, all that snow simply stayed above the frozen ground and the aquifer will take time to absorb. Hopefully, April showers will bring some periods of steady rain.


In the meantime, the Franklin Housing Authority meets on Monday. The School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee is also scheduled to meet.


Design Review is scheduled to review an update to another Camford Property development along West Central St.


The major meeting of the week occurs Wednesday with a joint meeting of the School Committee and Town Council. The Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) will provide an update on Chapter 70 and hold harmless. This should be a most view (if not must participate) session.


The Council and School Committee will also discuss the potential for a strategic planning initiative. We have a set of plans (Master Plan, Housing Production Plan, Open Space & Recreation Plan) but need to get to the next level of detail on what is the priority for implementation and how it is going to be funded. The structural deficit is the major problem facing Franklin and needs to be solved.


The Board of Health added a session on Wednesday at 5 PM to discuss prohibiting the sale of mind altering products. 


The School Committee has an open office hours session scheduled for Thursday evening at the Lincoln Elementary school.


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-1687-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-03-15-26/



*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 3/13/26, 6:00 PM   ***



Franklin Housing Authority

Monday, March 16 Time: 4:30 PM 

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03162026-2186 


Franklin School Committee - Community Relations Subcommittee

Monday, March 16 Time: 6:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03162026-2181 


Pole Petition Hearing

Tuesday, March 17 Time: 12:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03172026-2178 


Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, March 17 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03172026-2190 


Board of Health Meeting

Wednesday, March 18 Time: 5:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03182026-2191 


Franklin Public School Committee Special Meeting

Wednesday, March 18 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03182026-2182 


Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, March 18 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03182026-2193 


Franklin School Committee Meeting

Thursday, March 19 Time: 5:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192026-2161 


ZBA Meeting- no meeting

Thursday, March 19


Charles River Pollution Control Meeting

Friday, March 20 Time: 3:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03202026-2192 



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


To recap the Franklin TV. Franklin Public Radio meetings that were broadcast



On the High School front, it was a quiet week as the playoff runs were complete and the new Spring season hasn’t started.


On the All Access front a new episode of Aging Boldfully is up on YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y3e4ShaBXo 


On the Public Radio/podcast front, audio exclusive for the Commission on Disability meeting March 5 is available - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/exclusive-audio-of-franklin-commission.html 


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, January 17, 2026

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” Insights on the week ahead, Jan 18, 2026

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” 


—“Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” written by Martin Luther King Jr in 1963. The complete letter is a worthy read and you can find the link https://letterfromjail.com/ 


The week starts with Martin Luther King Day on Monday, while legally designated a holiday it is not fully observed. For example, the MBTA commuter rail runs a ‘normal’ weekday schedule.


Worthy of note is that there is a scheduled virtual only meeting on Sunday evening for the 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee at 5:30 PM.


Tuesday we see the normal schedule for a Design Review meeting. The site (12 Main St) of the former book store is potentially a convenience store and their proposed signage is up for review.


Wednesday is the Town Council meeting with some key items on its agenda. 

  • 2 appointments to the Zoning Board of Appeal are up for approval. That action alone may not shut down the vociferous calls for a ‘new’ board from some community members but we’ll see what the Council does.
  • The Council gets an update on the infrastructure of the Town from DPW Director Brutus Cantoreggi. The dollars for continuing to maintain all our water, sewer, roads, fields, etc. has continued to grow. A plan is needed for funding. “Pay me now, or pay me more later” becomes very real.
  • The budget timeline for the FY 2027 cycle is presented. The recent capital budget items reviewed by the Finance Committee come before the Council on Feb 11. The official town budget is on schedule to be filed in late March.

Thursday, the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to meet and likely for the first time with their new membership (depending upon the outcome at the Council meeting on Weds).


We’ll close this outlook with a referral back to the MLK quote we opened with: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” . You reading this, are either a close or remote neighbor. Either way, we are faced with some challenges this year.


On the one hand, I am very grateful for what we do have. On the other hand, there is a lot of work and tough conversations to be held to ensure we can maintain the community we all live in and love.


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 page 1/16/26, 6:00 PM   ***



250th Anniversary Celebration Committee (remote only)

Sunday, January 18 Time: 5:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01182026-2096 


Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, January 20 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01202026-2099 


Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, January 21 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01212026-2101 


GATRA Regional Bus Meeting (at Franklin Senior Center)

Thursday, January 22 Time: 2:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01222026-2085 


Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting  (remote only)

Thursday, January 22 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01222026-2093 



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


On Monday, the School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee met. On Tuesday, the Policy subcommittee met before the full School Committee meeting. Both audio recordings will be available shortly. 


The School Committee recap and video is available for their 4 hour plus session  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/01/school-committee-approves-trip-program.html 


SchCmte member Reis Hansen joined me in a recap of the session which is available via video and audio formats https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/01/chalkboard-chat-condenses-4-hour-jan-13.html 



The Finance Committee had a lengthy discussion on the ‘economics of development’. Personally, it was not what I expected. The primary reason being “It is complicated.” The first pass on the Capital budget was also reviewed at length and ultimately recommended to the Council for their review and vote.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/01/finance-committee-hears-economics-of.html 

The Conservation Commission met on Thursday, the video of their session is available  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881gI4sj0kM 


On the FHS sports live streaming front



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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