School vacation ends, busy week ahead

School vacation comes to an end with another wet weekend and major meetings are on the calendar for the week ahead.

Hopefully folks are fully rested and ready to return. The Finance Committee has its 3 budget hearings set for this week. They start Monday with Education covering the Tri-County, Norfolk Aggie and Franklin Public Schools budgets. Tuesday they get into the details on Public Works (water, sewer, roads, storm water, etc.) and Public Safety (police, fire and regional dispatch). They close out the week on Thursday with General Government, health and debt accounts and the vote to recommend for the Town Council. The Town Council will conduct their 2 budget hearings in May (May 21 & MAy 22).

As mentioned earlier, if there are remaining questions on the need for the override special election coming up on June 3, these three meetings are the time to get those lingering questions answered.

As to why the override is back again? Folks should remember that the steps taken to adjust the budget last year after the override failed used $3M of one time funds to balance that budget setting up for this year. We are fortunate that the school redistricting effort did result in significant savings so we are only facing a $3.8M deficit; yes, only .8M more than we knew last June we would face this year. 

As for the remainder of the full week schedule, it is good that Franklin TV did build out the 3rd floor training room as a second broadcast spot (in addition to Council Chambers), as there will be dual live broadcasts on 3 of the 4 nights Monday through Thursday.

• Monday - Finance Committee and Planning Board
• Tuesday - Finance Committee and School Committee
• Wednesday - Town Council
• Thursday - Finance Committee and Conservation Commission

*** The agendas for the week ahead can be found here:

Finance Committee Meeting (Council Chambers)

Monday, April 28 Time:7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04282025-1700

Planning Board Meeting (3rd Floor Trng Room)

Monday, April 28 Time:7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04282025-1701 

Massachusetts Strategic Health Group (Medway)

Tuesday, April 29 Time: 1:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04292025-1708 

Finance Committee Meeting (3rd Floor Trng Room)

Tuesday, April 29 Time:7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04292025-1699 

Franklin School Committee Meeting (Council Chambers)

Tuesday, April 29 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04292025-1704 

Cultural District Committee — SUBCOMMITTEE Porchfest Meeting  

Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 6:30pm

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5329/PorchFest-Sub-Committee-Agenda_Meeting_-April-30-2025docx?bidId=  

Town Council Meeting (Council Chambers)

Wednesday, April 30 Time:7:00 PM 

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04302025-1709 

Franklin Housing Authority - Special Meeting of the Board of Commissioners (Remote Mtg)

Thursday, May 1 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05012025-1705 

Conservation Commission Meeting (3rd Floor Trng Room)

Thursday, May 1 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/382?fileID=4477 

Finance Committee Meeting (Council Chambers)

Thursday, May 1 Time: 7:00 PM

No agenda released at this time

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

The meetings during the school break week were generally quiet. I will bring to your attention the following recordings that if you missed as worthy of listening to:

Town Council Chair Tom Mercer and I condense the Council meeting of 4/16/25 to about 30 minutes

FM #1431 - Town Council Quarterbacking - 04/17/25

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/tom-mercer-and-i-condense-3-hour-town.html

Listen to the origin story of BLAST - Bringing Libraries and Schools Together. We talk with Erin O’Leary and Caleigh Keating, the collaborators who start with “Yes” and then figure it out.

FM #1434 - BLAST Fun - 04/17/25

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/caleigh-erin-i-had-blast-talking-about.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

A light meeting week with schools out on break, rest up now for the busy week of April 28

For the week after Easter with schools on break and Patriot’s Day Monday, this a very light week for Town/School meetings. 

However, the week after this break will be a busy one with 3 Finance Committee budget hearings, along with the School Committee & Town Council meetings, Planning Board. and Conservation holding their regularly scheduled meetings.

If anyone has any questions about the line item details on the FY 2026 budget, these three Finance Committee budget hearings (4/28, 4/29, & 5/1) are the time to do so.   

Prior year experience indicates that the General government departments/line items will be on one night, the schools (Franklin, Tri-County, Norfolk Aggie) on one night and the third night covers public safety (Police, Fire & Dispatch) as well as Public Works both operational and enterprise accounts (water, sewer, solid waste, & storm water). Exactly which night will come out when the agendas are posted.

We know through the Schools, that they’ll be on April 28, which of the other two will slot where, we’ll find out when the agendas come out by Friday, April 25. 

*** Meeting schedule for the week of April 21 - April 26  (as of the Town website on Friday evening, 4/18/25)  ***

Franklin Housing Authority - Special Meeting 

Monday, April 21   Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04212025-1691 

Design Review Meeting - Cancelled

Tuesday, April 22 Time: 7:00 PM

no agenda for this cancelled meeting

Zoning Board of Appeals ZBA Meeting

Thursday, April 24 Time: 7:30 PM

No agenda posted at this time

Friends of Franklin Elders (FOFE) Meeting

Friday, April 25 Time: 9:00 AM

No agenda posted at this time

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

The Town Council met on April 16 for 3 hours. Key items covered can be fond in the Franklin Matters recap -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/town-council-starts-with-recognitions.html 

Franklin TV video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9jXhRmTTlI&t=94s 

Town Council Quarterbacking with Chair Tom Mercer condenses the 3 hour meeting to approx. 35 minutes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/tom-mercer-and-i-condense-3-hour-town.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

A quiet week to start this month, however April closes with a flurry of meetings

The combination of the school April break, Easter and the budget cycle results in a relatively quiet week as we start April.  

The School Committee has an executive session this week for negotiations and then meets on the 8th and 29th. The Town Council doesn't meet until the 16th and then meets on the 30th.

The Finance Committee has its set of 3 budget hearings scheduled for April 28, 29 and May 1. If anyone has any questions about the line item details on the FY 2026 budget, these three night are the time to do so. Agendas are not yet posted but prior years indicate General government on one night, schools (Franklin, Tri-County, Norfolk Aggie) on one night and the third night covers public safety (Police, Fire & Dispatch) as well as Public Works both operational and enterprise accounts (water, sewer, solid waste, & storm water). 

Parents with school age children should check out the internet safety training & awareness night scheduled for Thursday, April 3 at FHS. It is a free night with childcare and meals provided. Details in the link -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/attnetion-parents-check-out-interent.html

For this week, the meetings and agenda for the scheduled session are included here.

*** For the week of March 31 - April 5

(as of the Town web site on Friday evening, 3/28/25)  ***

Franklin Agricultural Committee Meeting

Monday, March 31st Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03312025-1640 

Franklin School Committee

Tuesday, April 1st Time: 4:00 PM

Contractual Negotiations - Executive Session

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04012025-1586 

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS

Wednesday, April 2   Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04022025-1656 

Conservation Commission

Thursday, April 3 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/350?fileID=4297 

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

The Planning Board met on Monday and decided not to approve the Autumn Hill Senior Housing proposed for Summer St by a 1 (for) 4 (against) vote. You can view the video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsXZejak9qA

The School Committee met on Tuesday and in a long session started by recognizing the boys basketball team for the State Championship & the cheerleaders for their National Championship. They got a lengthy update on course selections and trends from FHS. They also got a lengthy and valuable update on the middle school schedule as the 3 schools plan to come together as one in September. Recap & video link is available here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/school-committee-recognizes-boys.html

The Zoning Board of Appeals opened the process on the proposed 40b to redevelop the Stobbarts property. Unless the committee decides to act on a "safe harbor" declaration in the next week or so, the plans will continue to be reviewed during the process with the next session scheduled for May 8. The video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DzpL7GqyE

In addition to the meetings, I had the wonderful opportunity to talk with 3 key members of the Franklin High School Theatre Co. The audio is available here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/listen-to-how-fhstc-performance-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

• 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

Look out Franklin, here comes the week of January 13, 2025

Planning Board meets Monday discussing a proposed sign bylaw change among its agenda items

School Committee meets Tuesday with their capital budget and high school updates among their agenda items

Finance Committee meets on Wednesday for what should be a good session covering the capital budget, opioid settlement funds, and the hold harmless issue with school funding via Chapter 70

Master Plan Update Committee also meets Wednesday reportedly with the Planning Board to finalize the master plan document.

Franklin Q&A sessions are planned for Monday, the 13th at the Library and Wednesday, the 15th at the Senior Center. Both session are hybrid

You can also join Representative Roy and Town Officials for coffee and "office hour" at the Senior Center at 8:30 AM

There are the usual cultural events and activities check out the calendar for details. Ben Book Month continues with activities at the Library and Historical Museum.   https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

*** Looking back over the prior week

The key takeaways were 2 items from the Town Council meeting on January 8

1 - the update on Franklin Ridge Senior housing and likely ground breaking this summer  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LANyOIzMoh71lWdxwZh_jHssfi9B7BIb/view?usp=drive_link

2 - the update that the Town of Franklin sits at 10.86% for 40b. Which is good. Additional details on the approximate 1,000 housing units permitted or in the process, of which about 400 are "Affordable". Yes, capital A "affordable" which is not the same as little a "affordable"  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LA_DOFBow3fTLMXUNUGf-mOpjG6uqAd7/view?usp=drive_link

Audio, video and recap of the meeting -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/town-council-gets-updates-on-franklin_0626938403.html

Visit Franklin Matters for additional details including the daily Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio schedule -> www.franklin.news

Look out Franklin, here comes the week of January 13, 2025

FM #57 Week Ending 2/7/10

This internet radio show or podcast is number 57 in the series for Franklin Matters.

Let's take about ten minutes to keep current with what matters in Franklin, MA as the week ends February 7, 2010

In this session I’ll cover the Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, Feb 2, and the Town Council meeting on Weds, Feb 3.

Time: 8 minutes, 52 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes:
This internet radio show or podcast is number 57 in the series for Franklin Matters.

Let's take about ten minutes to keep current with what matters in Franklin, MA as the week ends February 7, 2010

In this session I’ll cover the Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, Feb 2, and the Town Council meeting on Weds, Feb 3.