Tis the season to wrap things up… literally

Many meetings this week are the last of the calendar year with the Christmas and New Year’s holidays coming over the next 2 weeks. Some subcommittees are active this week, especially as the 250th Celebration planning gets underway.

The Town Council meeting Wednesday (6 PM) has a potpourri of an agenda. Recognitions, alcohol license renewals, snow update, Town Charter change process presentation, among others in a full agenda.

Town officials hold their office hours at the Senior Center Thursday morning (8:30 AM). There is a ZBA meeting Thursday evening but the 444 East Central project will be the topic for their meeting on Tuesday the 23rd.

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-1606-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-12-14-25/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 12/12/25, 8:00 PM   ***

Franklin Public Schools Community Relations Sub Committee Meeting

Monday, December 15 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12152025-2050 

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee

Monday, December 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12152025-2061 

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, December 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12152025-2056 

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee

Tuesday, December 16 Time: 5:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12162025-2060 

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, December 16 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12162025-2059 

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, December 17 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12172025-2062 

Town Council Office Hours

Thursday, December 18 Time: 8:30 AM

ZBA Meeting

Thursday, December 18 Time: 7:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12182025-2055 

FOFE Meeting

Friday, December 19 Time: 9:30 AM

Council on Aging Meeting

Friday, December 19 Time: 1:30 PM

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

The Franklin School Committee met for their only December session on Tuesday, December 9. The Volleyball team was recognized, the capital budget request was reviewed and approved, Student Services presented on all that they do. The recap, video and audio links are available https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/12/school-committee-recognizes_030419169.html 

The Finance Committee finally got their ‘deep dive’ into Technology. It took multiple reschedules but it happened. It is highly recommended spending the time to watch the video replay. To fully & properly fund technology for the required licenses, hardware, software and staffing to keep it all running would be an additional $1.5M per year. Food for thought and consideration https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/12/finance-committee-gets-answer-on-how.html 

 

The Conservation Commission met on Thursday. The video replay is available

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

On the Schools channel:

• the FHS Concert Band and Wind Ensemble concert was broadcast and is available for replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqY8ICpCF5w
• the FHS Concert Band concert Dec 11 was broadcast and is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqY8ICpCF5w

On the All Access channel:

• the next in the series of Aging Boldfully shows hosted by Susan Rohrbach is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHBjudkBsFk

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 

The winds of change have landed in Franklin

The winds of change have landed in Franklin.

Tuesday, November 4 dawned sunny but windy, and those winds may have been the portent of the change that the community saw when the Town of Franklin Biennial Election results were available just after 9 PM.

Only 2 of the Town Council incumbents were re-elected, joining 7 new members. Diane Daddario won the write-in vote for the Board of Health with a convincing margin. 1 of the School Committee incumbents did not return as 3 new members will be joining the committee. 

The first Town Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov 12 with a 6 PM starting time. The meeting will open with organizational votes so it will be interesting to see who ends up as Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk for this new team.

The agenda is mainly an orientation to Council operations, open meeting law, Conflict of Interest, Ethics, and other matters that for the prior Councils with less change were covered but not likely in the depth anticipated for this session with so many newbies. 

Other Town meetings this week are scheduled around the Veterans Day holiday Tuesday. 

The Housing Authority meets on Monday. The Historical Commission and Friends of the Franklin Public Library are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. 

The Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, the Charles River Pollution Control District, the BFCCPS and the Conservation Commission are all scheduled to meet on Thursday. The agendas for all the meetings this week are listed below.

For all the cultural events and meetings, 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-1577-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-11-09-25/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 11/07/25, 8:30 PM   ***

Housing Authority

Monday, November 10 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11102025-1994 

Veterans Day - Town offices and Schools closed

Tuesday, November 11

Historical Commission Meeting

Wednesday, November 12 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11122025-1999 

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, November 12 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11122025-2001 

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

Wednesday, November 12 Time: 7:00 PM

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meetings

Thursday, November 13 Time: 2:00 PM

not available at this time

Charles River Pollution Control Meeting

Thursday, November 13 Time: 3:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11132025-2000 

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Meeting

Thursday, November 13 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11132025-1995 

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, November 13 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/528?fileID=6820  

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

The Franklin Public Schools Horace Mann Legacy Subcommittee met on Monday, Nov 3 at 6 PM. Exclusive audio of that meeting is expected to be available by Monday, Nov 10

The Planning Board met on Monday, Nov 3. Franklin TV broadcast the meeting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgAto6ygY8M

The Biennial Election was conducted on Tuesday, Nov 4. The official results were posted by Town Clerk after noon on Wednesday, Nov 5.  6387 voters, 24.4% of the 26,136 registered total cast ballots. Detailed results are available -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/11/town-of-franklin-official-results-of.html 

The Board of Health met on Wednesday, Nov 5 at 5 PM. Exclusive audio of that meeting is expected to be available by Monday, Nov 10. 

The Finance Committee was also scheduled to meet Wednesday but it was canceled late in the afternoon due to lack of a quorum. The Technology ‘deep dive’ will need to be rescheduled yet again, likely for the next meeting in December.

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) met briefly on Thursday, Nov 6. They approved the first accessory dwelling unit requiring a variance. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wc7bTwqVFg

With the MIAA playoffs underway, there was only One live steamed FHS high school sports this week. 

The boys soccer team fell to Framingham in OT by a 2-1 score. The video is available   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qNsIesLrv4

A shareworthy presentation by Joe Landy to the Senior Center on “Then & Now” is available on YouTube ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7EkZIrEeq4 

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 

"A misunderstanding once But now we look it in the eye”

“There was a distance between you and I

A misunderstanding once

But now we look it in the eye”   *1

Oh, how I wish that were the case.  

Most problems are within our realm to correct. The problem resolution needs to start with a clear definition of the problem to be solved, a civil discussion around the proper, accurate data involved, and then the pros and cons of the choices to let the greater good prevail.

This first week of August 2025 has a light schedule of meetings. The Housing Authority has a special meeting to review a plan for the trees on their property. The Board of Health is scheduled to meet but they may not as there is not a published agenda at this time.

The Police Station Building Committee gets together on Wednesday to tour the existing facility. The public is welcome and there will be specific dates and times in September/October for the community to participate in a tour.  Work is also underway on a video tour for those who may not be able to go in person.

The Conservation Commission has the first of its 2 scheduled August meetings on Thursday to close out this week of Town meetings.

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 8/1/25, 8:00 PM

Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

Wednesday, August 6 Time: 4:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08062025-1840 

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS Canceled (removed from calendar)

Wednesday, August 6 Time: 5:00 PM

no agenda at this time

Police Station Building Committee Meeting

Wednesday, August 6 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08062025-1801 

Franklin Commission on Persons with Disabilities Meeting

Thursday, August 7 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08072025-1843

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, August 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/459?fileID=5437 

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

The Planning Board met on Monday, July 28, 2025. The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/esjFezYI2ls 

The Zoning Board of Appeals met on Thursday, July 31, 2025. The Franklin TV video is available for replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aomZAxoWXRw

Town Council Quarterbacking with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer was published recapping the almost 5 hour meeting of July 23, 2025 -> 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/4-hour-plus-town-council-meeting-try.html

Franklin artist Amy Adams revealed her ‘wind phone’ in Natick on Sunday, the video of her remarks is available -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXkf_qo7Tiw& 

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  

*1 Video link to the song & lyrics quoted in the opening:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3sMjm9Eloo and the lyrics -> 

https://genius.com/Tom-cochrane-life-is-a-highway-lyrics

The playlist of all the music used in the intro of these weekly summaries can be found ->  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL2XKlvMgLAldgEtfDZo2UM9-W9pjc2qK