Showing posts with label FY 2026. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FY 2026. Show all posts

Saturday, August 9, 2025

Deja vu: back to the drawing board to adjust the FY 2026 budget again

And you thought the FY 2026 budget decisions were behind us with the adjustments made at the June 4, 2025 Town Council meeting to line up with the failed override. Yet the assumptions made in the budget for the expected State revenue has now changed and will provide less funding than was budgeted for, hence the adjustment required for $231 thousand odd.


The Finance Committee gets the first crack at this on Monday, August 11. The Town Council then gets to this at their Wednesday, Aug 13 meeting. The key decision will revolve around splitting the deficit equally between Town and School budgets, or having the Town absorb the deficit and reinstate the 3rd ambulance. 


Yes, the 2 voting docs do require some explanation as one accounts for the $231 thousand odd adjustment, the other actually increases the budget by $18 thousand. How these are reconciled requires an explanation at the Finance Cmte and Town Council meetings.


The School Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug 12. We’ll get an update on educational activities during the summer as well as an update on the moving activities for the redistricting for the schools to reopen in September.



*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 8/08/25, 8:00 PM


Finance Committee Meeting

Monday, August 11 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08112025-1822 


Planning Board Meeting - mtg canceled (next session 8/25/25)

Monday, August 11 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08112025-1844 


School Committee

Tuesday, August 12 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08122025-1851 


Design Review

Tuesday, August 12 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08122025-1849 


Town Council

Wednesday, August 13 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132025-1852 


Historical Commission

Wednesday, August 13 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132025-1853


Municipal Affordable Housing Trust - no meeting (next meeting is 9/11/25)

Thursday, August 14 Time: 2:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/466?fileID=5560 


Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - BOT Mtg

Thursday, August 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08142025-1845 


Zoning Board of Appeals ZBA - no meeting (next meeting 8/28/25)

Thursday, August 14 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08142025-1842 



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



The Police Station Building Committee met on Wednesday, August 6 at 5 PM to tour the existing station facility. Additional opportunities for the community will be announced for Sept/Oct time frames. There is also work underway to create a video walk through of the facility for those who might not be able to participate in person. A recap of the tour is found https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/08/police-station-building-committee-tours.html 


The Commission on Disability met on Thursday, August 7 beginning at 4 PM. Mary O'Neill, was taken by surprise with the gathering of more than the Commission members and with the presentations of proclamations by State Rep Jeff Roy and Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. Among the many things Mary is known for it is her inspiration and persistence that produced the "Kindness Matters" signs seen around town. A recap of the meeting including some photos https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/08/mary-oneill-and-randy-jay-surprised.html 


The Conservation Commission met on Thursday, August 7. The Franklin TV video is available for replay on YouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4kHhc-j_KE



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, June 7, 2025

Majority rules: Level service is not worth paying for

With the new world of less than level service approaching July 1, the Town of Franklin will continue to do business and plan for what’s next. The operational budget years for FY 2027 and FY 2028 are not rosy pictures.


The School Committee Budget Subcommittee will preview the adjustments to their budget required by the reduction in revenue authorized by the Town Council. The failed override is expected to reduce school personnel by an additional 12 while keeping fees high (at this year’s levels). “Additional” as they already had reduced by 29 as part of redistricting which will save the community $3.1M. Specific details will be available in the full School Committee meeting later Tuesday evening, June 10.


The Finance Committee on Wednesday, June 11 gets a “deep dive” on the Technology budget and capital plan. As more and more technology is utilized in delivery of services across the Town and schools, this should be insightful.


The Strawberry Stroll comes back on Friday, June 13 with a change or two. It will extend up Main St to School St to include the Library front lawn and make it easier for all to also combine with the Farmers Market at the Town Common; The Market is open from 2 to 6 PM. The stroll opens from 4 to 8 PM.



*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 6/06/25, 7:30 PM

Franklin School Committee - Budget Subcommittee
Tuesday, June 10 Time: 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - Board of Trustees Mtg
Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM

Design Review Meeting
Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM

Franklin School Committee
Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting
Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM - 7:45 PM
No agenda posted for this meeting

Charles River Pollution Control Meeting
Wednesday, June 11 Time: 3:00 PM

Historical Commission Meeting
Wednesday, June 11 Time: 6:00 PM
No agenda posted at this time

Finance Committee Meeting
Wednesday, June 11 Time: 7:00 PM

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meetings
Thursday, June 12 Time: 2:00 PM
No agenda posted at this time

Conservation Commission Meeting
Thursday, June 12 Time: 7:00 PM

Franklin School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee - Strawberry Stroll
Friday, June 13 Time: 4:00 PM


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



With 15,451 registered voters sitting out the special election on June 3, the No’s won the democratic process by a 196 vote margin, effectively saying that the level of services provided by Town and Schools wasn’t worth funding. 


In addition to the 29 personnel the Schools cut in the redistricting effort, another dozen will go out the door effective July 1 to join 8 from the Town side of the operational budget. Road conditions will worsen, sidewalks won’t get fixed, class sizes will increase, and school fees will remain high, etc. 


The official override results can be found 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/official-override-results-nos-take-it.html 


The unofficial results announced Tuesday evening

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/unofficial-override-results-nos-take-it.html


The Town Council quarterbacking session with Council Chair Tom Mercer condenses the 4 hour Council session as they made the required reductions to the budget following the override results

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/tom-mercer-i-condense-4-hour-council.html 


The override and debt exclusion history of Franklin voters was updated with these results

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkwjbnXDBhczdDVWaFU0N2ZsTEE2TUVuWHk5NURvQWc#gid=0 


Tri-County Regional Voc Tech Class of 2025 graduation was held June 5

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/tri-county-class-of-2025-graduation.html 


Franklin High School’s Class of 2025 graduation was held June 6

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/fhs-class-of-2025-graduation-ceremony.html 


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For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars 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, May 31, 2025

6 to 3 to 2 to 1, finally

One can pick and choose when it started, there are a number of key points along this budget journey for the Town of Franklin. Go back to the first successful override in 2007. Or to the failed overrides in 2008 and 2010. 


To the failed dedicated override for road repairs for $1M that folks chose not to accept in 2014.  Yes, even after hearing that the Town needed to confirm that money for the override would be spent for a specific item, the voters chose not to fund needed road repairs.  


Whether you call it the “fiscal cliff” or the “structural deficit”, it really comes down to a math problem. More money required to fund existing services than is scheduled to come in due to the 2 ½ override restrictions. You can try to ignore it but inflation is the major driver. Councilor Jones calculated the inflation impact of Prop 2 ½ since 1983 during the override discussions in the run up to the June 2024 failed attempt.


It is so much easier to blame someone else for the problem. That avoids the harsh reality of the situation our community faces. It seems there are a number of relatives of Rodney Dangerfield (“I get no respect”) who live here. They attempt to dominate or divert the conversation from facing reality. It gets a chuckle, laughed off, and the tragedy remains in front of us.


So the Town took on a massive effort with 

  • 6 Joint Budget Listening Sessions 

  • 3 Finance Committee budget hearings

  • 2 Town Council budget hearings

In the run up to the special election Tuesday, June 3 at Franklin High School gymnasium from 6 AM to 8 PM.


Of the 25,865 registered Franklin voters, 2431 ballots have been cast by early and absentee voters (through 5/30/25 close of business) for this election per Town Clerk Nancy Danello. 


The questions that remain?

  1. How many of the remaining voters will turn out on Tuesday? 

  2. Will they be Rodney’s relatives? Or will they fund the current services our community needs? 


When will we get an answer?

  • We’ll find out by about 9 PM Tuesday evening.

 



*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 5/30/25, 11:00 PM


Planning Board Meeting

Monday, June 2 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06022025-1763 


Massachusetts Strategic Health Group

Tuesday, June 3 Time: 1:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032025-1766 


School Committee Superintendent's Evaluation Sub Committee

Tuesday, June 3 Time: 5:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032025-1726 


BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS

Wednesday, June 4 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1765 


Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, June 4 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1769 


Cultural District Committee June Meeting

Thursday, June 5 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5813/CDC-Agenda_Meeting_june_2025docx?bidId= 


Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting

Thursday, June 5 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06052025-1744 



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



Election prep resources:



The More Perfect Union radio show has resumed with an episode on the Special Election June 3

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/more-perfect-union-wfpr-98-june-3rd.html 


The most recent Town Council Quarterbacking session summarizes the Council budget hearings and the all alcohol license transactions they approved in the May 22 meeting

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/tom-mercer-i-condense-2-budget-hearings.html 



--------------


For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars 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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