Showing posts with label economic development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economic development. Show all posts

Saturday, October 11, 2025

A full week of meetings arrive this middle of October

A short work week for some with the holiday Monday (which doesn’t change the trash and recycling pick up schedule) is a week full of meetings.


The School Committee has a policy subcommittee meeting at 6 PM and their full committee session at 7 PM. Their full meeting gets an update on after school clubs (middle and high school) as well as a presentation by the Franklin Food Pantry.


The Town Council has an Economic Development Subcommittee (EDC) meeting at 5:45 and then the full Council meeting at 7 PM. The EDC meeting picks up the discussion on the possible adjustments to the “Friendly 40b” policy. Also up for discussion is the citizen prompted move to consider a separate and more accurate Town 40b calculation. The current State calculation under represents the actual 40b units in the housing inventory.


The full Town Council meeting has a chock full agenda so it will likely be a long session. Swearing in of the Fire Dept recent promotions, a new alcohol license for King St Brick Oven Pizza, appointments of the Franklin 250 Committee, state interest in purchase of the SNETT extension the Town is buying from CSX, and the zoning second readings for residential commercial kitchens, and creation of Crossing Neighborhood District to highlight just a few.

 

Election season is fully underway. 23 candidate interviews have been completed. The videos are publicly available. The last of the audio recordings will be completed on Saturday.  The candidate interviews can be found in the 2025 Election Collection. https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/08/election-collection-2025.html


Per the Town Clerk, the ballots have been received. Mail ballots sent to those who requested them. Ballot testing is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct 15 at 9 AM. Early voting at the Town Clerk’s office begins Friday Oct 17 and runs through Friday, Oct 31. Biennial Election day is Tuesday, Nov 4 from 6 AM to 8 PM with all voting in the FHS gymnasium.


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.




*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 10/10/25, 7:00 PM   ***


Monday, October 13

Town & School buildings closed for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day


Franklin School Committee Policy Subcommittee

Tuesday, October 14 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10142025-1949 


Design Review Meeting - Cancelled

Tuesday, October 14 Time: 7:00 PM


Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, October 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10142025-1948 


Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

Tuesday, October 14 Time: 7:00 PM

No posted agenda for this session


Franklin Q&A

Wednesday, October 15 Time: 11:00 AM

No posted agenda for this information sharing session, to participate remotely contact the Senior Center or use the form -> https://forms.gle/Q3i9SUGXzsDHoBvy7 


Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting

Wednesday, October 15 Time: 5:45 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10152025-1954 


Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, October 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10152025-1953 


Town Council Office Hours

Thursday, October 16 Time: 8:30 AM

No posted agenda for this social gathering


Charles River Pollution Control District

Thursday, October 16 Time: 3:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10162025-1952 


Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, October 16 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/514?fileID=6655 


Council on Aging Meeting

Friday, October 17 Time: 1:30 PM

no posted agenda for this session



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


The Police Station open house and tour generated a disappointing amount of interest. In two of the 3 sessions that I participated in, only a dozen folk attended. All were informed on the lack of sufficient space in the current facility and appreciated the frank discussion by Chief TJ Lynch. Video tours of the individual rooms of the station have been posted to the Police Station Building Committee project page -> https://www.franklinmapoliceproject.com/existing-conditions 


The Planning Board meeting was broadcast by Franklin TV. The video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehDt5Ueh08Y 


Franklin TV live streamed 3 high school sporting events during the week


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, July 12, 2025

The slow season of summertime lingers this week 07/14 - 07/20/25

“Another day in the park

I think it was the Fourth of July”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjylD7esXDo


The slow season of summertime lingers this week. Only 1 ‘major’ meeting and 3 ‘minor’ meetings on tap for the week. 


The Economic Development Subcommittee meeting on Wednesday previews zoning bylaw changes proposed for the Crossing Neighborhood District located at the junction of Union and & Cottage. 


Stop by the Senior Center for breakfast and open conversation with State and Town officials on Thursday morning. A good breakfast at a very good price and usually a good conversation opportunity.


The ZBA meeting scheduled for Thursday has been rescheduled for July 31.


If you have other Town of Franklin questions, you can also take advantage of the Franklin Q&A session on Wednesday morning either remotely or in person at the Franklin Senior Center. Open to all in Franklin, you bring your questions, I’ll provide the answers either then or via follow up.



*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 7/11/25, 8:00 PM



OPEB Board of Trustees Meeting

Tuesday, July 15 Time: 11:00 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07152025-1813 


Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting

Wednesday, July 16 Time: 5:45 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07162025-1818 

(Note: due to equipment trouble in the Council Chamber studio, the meeting might be broadcast from the 3rd Floor Training Room.)


Coffee Hour with State & Local Officials

Thursday, July 17 Time: 8:30 AM

No agenda for this open session


Zoning Board of Appeals ZBA Meeting

Thursday, July 17 Time: 7:30 PM -> rescheduled to July 31, 2025

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07172025-1811 


Council on Aging Meeting

Friday, July 18 Time: 1:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06202025-1790 




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



The only meeting broadcast or recorded by Franklin TV was the 

Conservation Commission - July 10, 2025

Franklin TV video -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuhuJNjwcrk 


The Memorial Day breakfast was published to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04CztHlxZKE


The Memorial Day parade and ceremonies was published to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79er1B_Cpd0


And from the archives of Franklin TV, the video of Poetry Day at the Senior Center held Oct 25, 2017 was published to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4LPTfBJ_vk



—------------

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


Saturday, March 22, 2025

With the override amount & date set, how do we grow smartly?

With the key budget item decided (amount and date for override vote), the meetings this week can get us into some of the other Town business arenas. 

The hot topics from the 2 question and answer sessions I held this week were focused primarily around the affordable housing issue we (and Mass overall) faces. Our zoning bylaws, as currently structured, need to be btter understood to see how we got into this situation, and more important, what we need to do to address it. That opportunity sets us up for the week ahead.

How do we grow smartly to increase revenue without increasing the costs of operations for Town and Schools? 

Two development proposals are on the dockets this week; one is close to a decision, one is just getting started. How does the redistricting affect the middle school program of studies offered?
  • The Planning Board meeting, on Monday, continues it review of the proposed Autumn Hill development for Summer St 
  • The School Committee meeting, on Tuesday, gets into the next level of detail on redistricting for high school and middle school schedules and course offerings
  • The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, on Thursday, starts its review of the proposal for redevloping the Stobbart's property

In addition to understanding Franklin's Master Plan, there is a group of concerned residents who are educating themselves in order to advocate for smart growth. Smart growth is one measure we can use to help to ensure appropriate revenue increases to mitigate further budget issues. 

Find out more about Building Equitable Neighborhoods for Franklin (BEN 4 Franklin) on the web page where you can join the mailing list and join our monthly meetings to help with this effort.  https://ben4franklin.org/


*** For the week of March 24 - March 28 (as of Town site on Friday, 3/21 evening) ***


Library Board of Directors Meeting

Monday, March 24th Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Library-Board-of-Directors-20/?#_03242025-1646 


Planning Board Meeting

Monday, March 24th  Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/331?fileID=4217 


Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, March 25th Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/344?fileID=4249 


Franklin School Committee

Tuesday, March 25th  Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03252025-1651 


Zoning Board of Appeals, ZBA Meeting

Thursday, March 27th  Time: 7:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03272025-1619 


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

The Town Council took up the recommendation from the Joint Budget Subcommittee and did approve an override special election for June 3, 2025 for the amount of $3,862,672 to support both Town and School operational expenses. Now the work to get it passed can begin.

The Watch Listen Read series for the 6 Joint Budget Listening Sessions is complete


Town Council Chair Tom Mercer and I recap the March 19 Council meeting and override decision -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/franklin-town-council-sets-june-3-for_22.html

The audio & video links forthe March 19 meeting can be found -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/franklin-town-council-sets-june-3-for_0620382669.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


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