Franklin MAtters Weekly: budget hearing

Once Upon a Town - the post office https://youtu.be/AZC1MJfGS7k
Aging Boldfully; Positive Psychology with Dr Anne Bergen https://youtu.be/75i6Y7HQ2iU.
Aging Boldfully; Fyzical with Chris Corrente & Winslow Woodacre https://youtu.be/fv31YKPkT9w

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

Saturday, May 2, 2026

Budget, budget and in May, there is more budget (audio)

Budget, budget and in May, there is more budget before it gets finalized in June

You should recall that April (April 6 - April 9) saw the Finance Committee (FinCom) spend 16+ hours going over the budget with each department. Some of the FinCom members thought that they would be able to avoid using much of the proposed $2M in free cash to balance the budget.

Alas, they did not. If my notes and math come close, they do propose use of $1.8M.

There is one big number outstanding, in that with May 1 behind us (and health care enrollments complete), the cost for coverage provided by the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) plans will be revealed later this month. Maybe by the time the Town Council conducts their budget hearings (May 20 & 21), but more likely by the next FinCom meeting, May 27.

So what will the Council budget hearings reveal?

Will they agree with the budget as proposed, or make adjustments of their own?

The FY 2027 budget narrative is being published, one section per day (started April 13) and it may not be completed by the time the Council hearings actually roll around. That is a whole lot of reading material. Many questions that were asked and answered during the FinCom hearings were actually detailed in the FY 2027 budget narrative.

All this in preparation for the June 10 Town Council meeting and vote to approve whatever will be as the FY 2027 budget. Read to be informed. Follow along with the meetings as the discussions progress.

The listing of the agendas for the meetings scheduled this week are provided below.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1738-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-05-03-26/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town pages 5/01/26, 7:30 PM ***

The FY 2027 budget documents can be found https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

250th Anniversary Celebration Budget Subcommittee Meeting

Sunday, May 3 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05032026-2290

Franklin School Committee Contractual Negotiations Meeting (Executive Session)

Tuesday, May 5 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05052026-2254

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee - Communications Subcommittee

Tuesday, May 5 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05052026-2278

Board of Health Meeting

Wednesday, May 6 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05062026-2246

Franklin Commission on Disability

Thursday, May 7 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2279

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - Board of Trustees Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2286

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/593?fileID=9052

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

Town & School meetings

The Town Council Communications Subcommittee met at noon on Monday, April 27. The recap and video link can be found https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/04/town-councils-communication-subcmte.html
The Planning Board met at 7 PM also on Monday, April 27. The video can be found https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrsNen5JHwY

FHS live streaming

FHS girls varsity lacrosse vs. Stoughton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWiduiFPVCk
FHS Softball vs. Milford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyTvQzw9mew&t=1496s
FHS boys lacrosse vs. Mansfield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y69yUPnzVZA&t=1015s

Radio - Podcast Interviews published this week

FM #1730 - Testimonials at SAFE Gala - 04/17/26 https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1730-testimonials-at-safe-gala-04-17-26
FM #1731 - A Dance with the Cosmos - Interview with author Marc D Cohen- 04/24/26 https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1731-a-dance-with-the-cosmos-04-24-26
FM #1733 - Franklin Public Library May 2026 Highlights - 04/21/26 https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1733-franklin-public-library-may-2026-highlights-04-21-26
FM #1735 - Franklin (MA) Kevin Harn - Facilities Dept - 04/28/26 https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1735-franklin-ma-kevin-harn-facilities-dept-04-28-26

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, April 4, 2026

Budget, budget, budget

Yes, it is that time. The FY 2027 budget documents were released at the end of March. The Finance Committee is scheduled for their line by line departmental reviews this week over 4 consecutive nights

Monday General Government
Tuesday Schools
Wednesday Public Safety and Department of Public Works
Thursday, if necessary

It is worthy of note that at the end of the Finance Committee hearings this week, they will not vote on a recommended budget. The open enrollment period for the employees and retirees to move to the GIC plans runs April 1 to April 30. The costs associated with such a move (anticipated to be less than maintaining the current process) won’t be available until mid-May.

The Finance Committee also has sessions scheduled for May 28 and June 3. At one of those, it is likely for the budget recommendation vote to occur. The Town Council conducts their budget hearings May 20 & 21 and is scheduled for their vote on the budget at their June 10 meeting.

The time to ask questions about the budget of any particular department or operation or service the Town provides is BEST done during these budget hearings. The department leadership is present to answer your questions, provide the details on the how and why they do what they do.

Aside from the budget, there are a bunch of other Town & School meetings this week. The Planning Board meets on Monday (in the 3rd floor training room).

On Tuesday, the OPEB Trust committee meets as well as the Communications Subcommittee for the Franklin 250th Celebration.

On Wednesday, the School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee meets virtually

On Thursday, Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, Cultural District Committee, Conservation Commission and the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Board of Trustees are also scheduled as well as a Pole Petition hearing for a new utility pole on Oak St.

The agendas for these individual meetings are provided below.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1706-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-04-05-26/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town pages 4/03/26, 7:30 PM ***

Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Hearing

Monday, April 6 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04062026-2219

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, April 6 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04062026-2231

OPEB Trust Committee Meeting

Tuesday, April 7 Time: 11:00 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04072026-2235