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.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1549-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-10-12-25/

*** 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

• Volleyball on Tuesday, Oct 7 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sZJ3ZtbBpY

• Girls soccer on Weds, Oct 8 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4vjigi3e5k 

• Football game on Fri, Oct 10 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAiKO3k0R90 

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 

Watch out Franklin; with a break for the holiday Monday, here comes the week of January 20 !!!

Looking ahead to the week beginning January 20

Monday, the Martin Luther King Jr holiday shortens the week but not the work. Note, there is no scheduled delay in the pick up of trash/recycling for this week.

School Committee has a total of 3 sessions scheduled, one for negotiation, one Subcommittee for community relations (planning for the Legislative forum Feb 24), and a budget workshop Wednesday to work through the FY 2026 budget

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/school-committee-has-2-meetings-1.html

Town Council meets on Wednesday to discuss a victualers alcohol license for Mirchi, get an update on Maple Hill & Schmidt’s farm, a public hearing on electric signs, and an executive session on contract negotiating strategy

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-for.html

Cultural Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, Conservation Commission meets on Thursday. Agenda for these can be found on the Town calendar https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

Board of Assessors meet on Tuesday at a new date/time. Their meetings are 95% in executive session so not worth the effort to try and attend in person.

Looking back at the week that was

Planning Board met on Monday - video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V5ziNTztWM

School Committee met on Tuesday - recap, audio & video links -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/school-committee-recognizes-fhs_17.html

Finance & Master Plan Update committees both met on Weds

FinCom recap, audio & video links -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/finance-committee-approves-recommended_0799398139.html

Master Plan meeting video -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98wFbUo0ugE

--------------

Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

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

Watch out Franklin; with a break for the holiday Monday, here comes the week of January 20 !!!

Martin and Ben in Franklin

Martin Luther King Day today and a holiday for most. School is out here in Franklin and elsewhere. 

Benjamin Franklin's birthday was celebrated with a party at the Historical Museum on Sunday. A good crowd gathered to hear Vera Meyer's play the glass harmonica, one of Ben's many inventions.

The Town Council meets on Wednesday. Among the items on the agenda:
1 - Treasurer/Collector, Jim Dacey apparently will talk about a section of the Home Rule process
2 - DPW Director, Brutus Cantoreggi will provide an update on the DPW snow plowing process.

In the action items, one key piece is the first part of the capital budget is scheduled for approval.


TOTAL REQUESTED:   $ 1,598,000
PURPOSE:  To transfer/appropriate funds for the 2013 Capital Improvement Plan:

Dept                          Type                             Amount
Fire                          Equipment                       $215,000
Police                       Equipment                       $  92,000
Police                       Vehicles                           $  71,000
Town Technology     Equipment                        $  97,500
School                      Vehicles                           $  63,000
School                      Technology                      $233,000
DPW                        Vehicles & Equipment      $193,500
DPW                    Street/Sidewalk/Drainage     $500,000
Facilities – School      Equipment                       $133,000



If you missed anything from the past week, these links can help you catch up!


Jan 20

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• Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Jan 23, 2012
• Change to Beaver St Recycling Center sitckers
• Friendly Reminder - Curbside collection delayed this week
• Livy's Hope - The Cake Bar

Jan 19

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• Food Pantry: Volunteers needed for Phone-a-thon
• MassBudget: Analyzing the Governor's Proposals on Education, Transportation, and Revenue
• In the News: Lt Gov Murray, head on crash, right to repair, stove rebates

Jan 18

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• Downtown triangle signs
• Andy Puddicombe: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes (video)
• Governor Patrick calls for income tax hike, sales tax cut
• Discover Dean College (video)
• Two hurt in head-on crash on Rte. 140 in Franklin

Jan 17

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• Annual Report 2012: Franklin Library
• Mass Poetry Festival - May 3 - 5, 2013 (video)
• February Programs at the Franklin Library - for children and adults
• In the News: Library, Train station, casino, drug lab

Jan 16

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• In the News: SPED Vans, education spending
• MassDOR: Tax Preparation Video for 2013
• MassBudget: the benefits of Early Ed & Care....and the funding cuts
• Upcoming Event: Solar Anniversary Celebration
• In the news: food collection, Democratic caucus, softball registration
• 2012 FOOTBALL ACCOLADES INCLUDE 4 SIGNED TO DIVISION-1 TEAMS

Jan 15

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• Kaitlyn B. Schlegel
• "What is clear is that we can’t afford the system we have today"
• Massachusetts Bar Association's 28th annual Mock Trial Program
• Franklin Library: Digital Photographs
• iPhone Photography Workshop

Jan 14

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• Talking about the 'edge city'
• Annual Report 2012: Planning Board
• Franklin State Forest

Time to set the tax rate

We come out of the Thanksgiving holiday into a busy week. The School Committee meets on Tuesday. The tax rate hearing is scheduled for the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov 28th. The annual Holiday Stroll takes place on Thursday, Nov 29th beginning at 4:00 PM.

School Committee Meeting
Scheduled on the agenda is recognition for the Girls Soccer Team for their recent State Championship. A presentation on the latest MCAS data, a change in the current school year calendar (the addition of two reduced schedule days for both elementary and secondary students), and a discussion on the proposed Capital Plan for the facilities and technology needs of the School District.

The full agenda for the School Committee meeting including links to several of the key agenda items can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/11/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-nov.html

Town Council Meeting
The tax rate hearing is procedural and based upon math. If the overall Franklin property valuation goes down, the tax rate will go up. It is that simple! Given the recent economic conditions, to see the overall residential property values decline 2% and to see Commercial/Industrial values decline a half percent (.5%), then the tax rate will go up. It is simple math. Even if the automatic 2.5% increase in tax was not included, the tax levy divided into a smaller tax base will raise the rate. Franklin has seen rate increases since the rate bottomed out in 2007. I expect that we'll continue to see something of a rate increase for the foreseeable future.

I have updated my analysis and explanation of the tax rate information and that is summarized here:

Franklin FY2013 TaxRateInfo


The full Town Council agenda will be posted on Monday
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/11/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-nov-28.html


Holiday Stroll
Sponsored by the Franklin Downtown Partnership, start at Dean College for the tree lighting and then visit the other businesses downtown to check out their happenings. A full listing of events is available on the Downtown Partnership page here
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2012/11/more-holiday-stroll-happenings.html



11/25

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• Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda, Nov 27, 2012
• Franklin Public Schools: Capital Plan FY 2014
• Franklin Public Schools: MCAS Report 2012
• Franklin Public Schools: Proposed calendar change
• "You don’t want to see them fail"
• "not counted as part of a formula"

11/24

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• Tickets on sale; "A Christmas Carol Times Two"
• Construction update
• Dressing up for the holidays

11/23

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• Foggy morning
• Turkey Trot Family 5K Fun Run - photo essay
• "It was an amazing experience"

11/22

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• Feed the need 5k
• Giving Tuesday
• "Everyone in town knows him"

11/21

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• Up hill to finish!
• School break
• "help our friends in Franklin"
• "giving back and giving thanks"
• 2012 Annual St John's Christmas Fair - Dec 1

11/20

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• Coles Tavern: Fund Raising for NJ Hurricane Sandy survivors
• MassBudget: Building a Better Future Together
• "This is a very active town"
• Slowing Revenue Growth Derails Automatic Income Tax Cut

11/19

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• Franklin: From Puritan Precinct to 21st Century ‘Edge City’
• "things changed pretty quickly"
• "looking forward to a new legislative session"
• DCR issues ice safety tips