Franklin MAtters Weekly: coffee social

Saturday, May 10, 2025

A very full week of Town and School business meetings is scheduled May 12 through May 16, 2025

A very full week of Town and School business meetings scheduled

Both the Recreation and Planning Board are scheduled to meet on Monday. Housing Authority, Design Review, Friends of the Library, and School Committee and School Policy Subcommittee are scheduled for Tuesday. The Board of Health, Cultural Council and Historical Commission are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. Thursday morning starts with the Town and State official coffee social (8:30AM) at the Senior Center, followed by ribbon cutting for the new van and pavilion also at (10:00AM) the Senior Center. Thursday evening has the regular meeting of the Conservation Commission. Friday, the School Committee has a contract negotiation session to close out the busy week.

Over 200 volunteers, yes, some of your neighbors may be part of this group of non-paid volunteers spending some number of hours willingly to provide oversight for the Town and School operations. As a general rule, we should all be kind to our neighbors and more so to those who volunteer to help make this community work for us.

There may be disagreements on specific items but we are all here because we chose to be. We need to work together to make it a better place. Step away from the vitriol on the social webs and have a civil conversation with your neighbors. Franklin will be a better place for us.

*** The agendas for the week ahead can be found here: (as of 8:00 PM Friday, May 9, 2025)

Recreation Advisory Board Agenda

May 12, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122025-1713

Planning Board Meeting

May 12, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122025-1727

Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

May 13, 2025, 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132025-1733

Design Review Meeting

May 13, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132025-1732

Franklin School Committee Policy Subcommittee Meeting

May 13, 2025, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132025-1737

Franklin School Committee Meeting

May 13, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05132025-1735

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

May 13, 2025, 7:00 PM - 7:45 PM

No agenda posted

Board of Health

May 14, 2025, 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072025-1722

Franklin Cultural Council Meeting

May 14, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05142025-1731

Historical Commission Meeting

May 14, 2025, 6:00 PM

No agenda posted at this time

Coffee Hour with State & Local Officials

May 15, 2025, 8:30 AM

No agenda for this informal gathering

Conservation Commission Meeting

May 15, 2025, 7:00 PM

No agenda posted at this time

SC Negotiations - Franklin School Committee

May 16, 2025, 4:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122025-1713

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

The Town Council met on Wednesday, May 7. The audit is once again “clean” and we also heard of the renewal for our AAA bond rating. This provides significant financial value to the Town. The recap and video can be found
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-hears-of-clean-audit-and.html

The Town Council Quarterbacking session with Council Chair Tom Mercer condensed the almost 3 hour meeting to about 30 minutes can be found
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-quarterbacking-condenses.html

The Zoning Board of Appeals had a contentious but informative session on Thursday. More discussion on the key zoning and building topics, including the 40b topic will be coming. In the meantime, catch up on the meeting here (recap and video)
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/zba-listens-town-administrator-attempts.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

Saturday, March 15, 2025

6 listening sessions leads to a recommendation for the Town Council to review March 19

The last of the 6 scheduled Joint Budget Subcommittee listening sessions was held on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. After continuing to listen for about 2 hours, the subcommitte then spent another hour to discuss and decide to recommend an override in the amount of $3.86 million to be held Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The Town Council is now scheduled to take up this recommendation and decide at their scheduled session, Wednesday,March 19.

"At the final JBSC listening session on March 12th, the Committee voted, 9-1 (with one member absent) to recommend the following:

1) That the Town Council vote to put forth a $3,862,672 override ballot question to the registered voters of the Town of Franklin with the following ballot question language - "Shall the Town of Franklin be allowed to assess an additional $3,862,672 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of the municipal and school operating budgets for which monies from this assessment will be used for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025".

2) That the Town Council vote to place the proposed override ballot question before the residents for a vote at a Special Town Election on Tuesday, June 3, 2025."

As this is the 3rd week of the month, in addition to the schedule of Town meetings outlined below, I conduct 2 Question & Answer sessions. The first, Monday at the Library at 6:30 PM and the second, Wednesday at the Senior Center at 11:00 AM. Both sessions offer a remote option. To get on that mailing listing, please contact me directly or use the form to sign up.

You can also come to the Senior Center Thursday morning to talk with the Town & State officials coffee hour at 8:30 AM.

** For the week of March 17 - March 21 **

Franklin School Committee - Negotiations - Executive Session

Tuesday, March 18th Time: 4:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/School-Committee-35/?#_03182025-1585

Franklin School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting

Tuesday, March 18th Time: 5:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03182025-1610

Franklin Public Schools School Committee Special Meeting (virtual only)

Wednesday, March 19th Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192025-1635

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, March 19th Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192025-1639

Ballot question text -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/proposition-2-override-ballot-question.html

Coffee Hour with State & Local Officials

Thursday, March 20th Time: 8:30 AM

No agenda expected, open session

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, March 20th Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/321?fileID=4200

** Looking back at the week that was March 10 - March 14 **

As mentioned about, the Joint Budget Subcommittee met on Wednesday, March 12 resulted in the overrride recommendation. You can watch, listen, ~~or read~~ the details here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/joint-budget-subcommittee-recommends-to_01637031613.html

The School Committee meeting on March 11 revealed

detailed info on what the redistricting does for busing (smooths out the ride lengths, and potentially reduces 2 buses, while handling an increase in ridership)
the facility plans for acommodations and enhancements due to the redistricting, most of the major items would not be done before September when schools open in the new structure
and finally, assuming the proposed override is successful, the sprts and transportation fees could be reduced

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/franklin-school-committee-get_13.html

Senior Center closure extends 2 days to March 19 -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/senior-center-closure-extends-2-days.html

Chalkboard Chat recaps the March 11 School Committee meeting and the Joint Budget Listening Sessions -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/this-chalkboard-chat-condenses-mtg-of.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