Wet weekend weather continues ahead of the Town Council meeting and informal Q&A sessions

Another wet weekend to dampen the spirits of the area residents. Wet enough that the Applause Gelato shop has rescheduled their re-opening until April 26 to be timed with the Ladybug Trail Walk which hopefully will bring more Spring-like weather. In the meantime, the moisture is gradually refilling the aquifers so that the State is gradually coming out of drought status so that is good. 

On the Town meeting front, the Town Council meets on Wednesday with a zoning bylaw to permit shared use kitchens, authorization for early voting for the special election June 3, and presentations on the Police Dept Mental Health Clinician work as well as the Town’s Crisis Advocacy Team.

Town and State officials hold their office hours at the Senior Center Thursday morning. Franklin Q&A has 2 sessions this week; at the Library Monday night at 6:30 PM and Wednesday at the Senior Center at 11 AM. All three sessions designated for informal question and answers on Town business.

*** Meeting schedule for the week of April 14 - April 19 

From the Town of Franklin calendar - as of 04/11/25 8 PM

Norfolk County Advisory Board Meeting Notice

Wednesday, April 16  Time: 6:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162025-1657 

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, April 16  Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162025-1682 

Town Council Office Hours

Thursday, April 17  Time: 8:30 AM

No agenda expected for this informal business hour 

Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

Thursday, April 17  Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04172025-1681 

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, April 17  Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/372?fileID=4420 

Council On Aging (COA) Meeting

Friday, April 18  Time: 1:30 PM

no posted agenda at this time

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

The School Committee Policy Subcommittee met on Tuesday to confirm that while Horace was never going away, due to some folks impatience with the process, there may be a Horace Mann Campus proposal for the full School Committee to vote on at their April 29 session. The audio for the meeting is available exclusively from Franklin Matters/Franklin Public Radio  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/school-committee-policy-subcommittee.html 

The full School Committee met also on Tuesday to get detailed updates on the redistricting efforts for the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) expansion as well as the elementary schools. The video is available for replay from Franklin TV.  https://www.youtube.com/live/3rgXaYFUtNA?&t=100

The Chalkboard Chat session with School Committee Chair Dave Callaghan recaps both the Policy Subcommittee meeting and the full School Committee session to condense the four hour combined meetings to about 40 minutes

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/this-chalkboard-chat-condenses-both.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 on posted on the top of the page

• 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

1 more listening session, then a recommendation; School Coommittee to get lowdown on busing

You may fear of missing out (FOMO) but with this Franklin Matters Outlook (FMO), there is no need to fear, we provide the information on the key meetings for the week ahead.

The final listening session (in the series of 6) is scheduled for Wednesday evening, Wednesday, March 12 at the FHS Auditorium. Per Chair Mercer, the listening portion might get shortened to allow the committee to hold their discussion and come up with the recommendation for the Town Council. The Council is scheduled to review this recommendation and decide on March 19.

The School Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 11 is scheduled for an update on the redistricting transportation and busing items. We'll find out how many buses, the possible routes, timing, etc. There is also an update on facility work that would be required for redistricting. Based upon prior discussions, some would be done before September, some would be phased in (due to timing of resources and funding).

The full listing of meetings is shown here (as accurate as of the Town/School webpage on the evening of Friday, March 7, 2025)

Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

Monday, March 10th Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Housing-Authority-12/?#_03102025-1614

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, March 10th Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Planning-Board-23/?#_03102025-1612

Design Review Meeting - Cancelled

Tuesday, March 11th Time: 7:00 PM

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

Tuesday, March 11th Time: 7:00 PM No agenda posted

School Committee 

Tuesday, March 11th Time: 7:00 PM

https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4780/FPSD/5388334/SCAGENDA_3-11-25.pdf

Historical Commission Meeting

Wednesday, March 12th Time: 6:00 PM No agenda posted

Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting

Wednesday, March 12th Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Joint-Budget-Subcommittee-6/?#_03122025-1620

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meetings

Thursday, March 13th Time: 2:00 PM No agenda posted

Cultural District Committee Meeting

Thursday, March 13th Time: 7:00 PM No agenda posted

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting

Thursday, March 13th Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Zoning-Board-of-Appeals-31/?#_03132025-1615

*** Looking back at the week that was (March 3 throgh 8)

4th Listening Session on Tuesday, March 4 at the Senior Center. Watch, listen or read the video replay, audio or transcript of the session:

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/watch-listen-read-joint-budget.html

Town Council meeting on March 5 included a review of the preliminary FY 2026 budget. Deficit now $3.8 up from $3.6M. Video link and two-part audio of the meeting; part 1 for "just" the budget, part 2 for everything else.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/franklin-town-council-gets-update-on-fy_01380946739.html

Town Council Chair Tom Mercer and I recap 3 meetings condensing about 5 hours down to 30 minutes. Police Station Building Cmte, Town Council Feb 26, and Town Council March 5 in this "quarterbacking" session.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/3-meetings-approx-5-hours-distilled-to.html

The 5th Listening Session was held on Saturday March 8. The only one with remote comment participation for which about 10 folks joined the Zoom session.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/5th-joint-budget-listening-session-held.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 on posted on the top of the page

• 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

School break, check. Time to listen, yup !! What's up for the week of Feb 17 - 21

2 public meetings on the Town/School calendar for this week. One of which is directly budget related, that being the Joint Budget Listening Session on Wednesday, Feb 19, 2025. The other being the Conservation Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday, Feb 20.

Yes, there is also a Town official breakfast/coffee hour at the Senior Center Thursday morning at 8:30 AM. Good breakfast at a great price and the opportunity to talk about Franklin with the Town officials gathered there.

Oh, and a slight personal plug, there is a Franklin Q&A session also scheduled for the Senior Center (or remotely) on Wednesday, Feb 19 at 11:00 AM. A quick recap of what has happened in the past month, and then we discuss your questions. If I don't have the answers, I get them. We finish by noon so you can grab a decent lunch at the Senior Center cafeteria (yes, at a great price).

Franklin Q&A

11:00 AM at the Senior Center (or via remote)

Get on the email list for remote access info ->    https://forms.gle/Nh8RxkMtG1J1DGwj9

Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting (3rd session of 6 scheduled)

Wednesday, February 19, 2025   7:00 PM at the Senior Center

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02192025-1559 

Town officials Office hours

8:30 AM at the Senior Center 

Conservation Commission Meeting

February 20, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02202025-1589

Looking back at the week that was

Tuesday, Feb 11 = Franklin School Committee hears concerns from teachers before vote to approve FY 2026 budget (audio)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/franklin-school-committee-hears_01287051187.html

Wed, Feb 12 = 2nd Joint Budget Listening Sessions gets more questions & answers (video)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/2nd-joint-budget-listening-sessions.html

Jamie leads the group on 5 hot topics in this "Talk Franklin" episode (audio)  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/jamie-leads-group-on-5-hot-topics-in.html

Glenn Jones shares lessons learned from the Master Plan process (audio)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/glenn-jones-shares-lessons-learned-from.html

This Chalkboard Chat session condenses the School Cmte Mtg of Feb 11 (audio)  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/this-chalkboard-chat-condenses-school.html

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For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars, or visit Franklin Matters where each day, that day's events on posted on the top of the page

• 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

Budget, budget, budget - oh, and the 'Master Plan' are key topics for the week beginning January 27

Looking ahead to the week beginning January 27, 2025

Yes, the FY 2026 budget and "Master Plan" takes center stage this week. 

Monday begins with a couple of key sessions: 

• School Committee Chair Dave Callaghan amd Vice Chair David McNeill hold a "State of the Schools" session at the Franklin TV studio at 7 PM. https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/reminder-state-of-franklin-schools-jan.html
• The Master Plan Update committee mets at 6:00 PM to finalize their doc and presentation of the "Master Plan" to the Planning Board meeting at 7 PM the same night.  https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01272025-1476

The School District brings the "Superintendent Recommended Budget" forward at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan 28.  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-for_01254023424.html

The Town Council Capital Budget subcommittee gets their view on the capital budget approved last week by the Finance Committee  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/franklin-ma-capital-budget-subcommittee.html

The first of six Listening Sessions begins Thursday, January 30 at the Elks Lodge. https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/all-of-us-are-worthy-of-welcome-video.html

Note: only the March 8 session at the Council Chambers is scheduled to enable remote participation. All six sessions will be broadcast to Comcast, Verizon, & YouTube. 

ONLY, the March 8 session will include Zoom to enable a question or comment. If you want to ask a question, make a comment, or suggestion, you need to be there for the other 5 sessions.

https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

Looking back at the week that was 

(January 20 - 26, 2025)

The Town of Franklin updated its webpage (breaking all prior links). If you set up an account, you can enable more notifications for specific topics (i.e meeting agendas, etc.) than previously. I did so and they are working well.

The School Committe and the Town Council both met at the same time on Wednesday, Jan 22. While Chris broadcast and recorded the Council meeting, I was upstairs in the training room recording the audio for the School's budget workshop. 

School Committee budget workshop recap & audio (exclusive) ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/school-committee-gets-preview-in.html

Town Council Quarterbacking session condenses the meeting ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/tom-mercer-condenses-jan-22-2025-town.html

Town Council video & audio links ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/town-council-meeting-of-jan-22-2025.html

Budget, budget, budget - oh, and the 'Master Plan' are key topics for the week beginning January 27

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For all the meetings and cultural eventss, check out the calendars, or visit Franklin Matters where each day, that day's events on posted on the top of the page

• 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