Marching forward to Spring day by day (audio)

Daylight is continuing to expand each day, now daylight savings has returned, and we have a full week of meetings for the Town of Franklin, MA.

School Committee negotiations are scheduled for Executive sessions on Monday. The Planning board has their regular meeting also on Monday.

The communications subcommittee for the Franklin 250 Celebration, the School Committee and Friends of Franklin Library all have scheduled sessions for Tuesday. The Friends is deliberately more of a social event than a meeting to attract potential members to find out more about what they do and consider joining.

The Norfolk County Commissioners hold a public hearing on Wednesday for their budget. The shared document shows a $2M deficit with no narrative on alternatives for balancing so that in and of itself is an incentive to participate to find out what’s up on the County front.

The Finance Committee gets to review the Town fiscal policies as well as take a deep dive into the grant process and what opportunities those have presented on Wednesday. The Cultural Council is also scheduled for a meeting that night with the recent Wreath of Franklin results and planning for the next one.

The Municipal Housing Affordable Trust is scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon. The agenda will likely be posted Monday for this session. The Conservation Commission has a full and verified set of items on their agenda for Thursday evening.

The Cultural District Committee gets updates on World Cup planning & MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau annual meeting among the several items on the agenda also for Thursday evening.

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-1683-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-03-08-26/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 3/6/26, 7:30 PM   ***

Franklin School Committee Negotiations Sub Committee Meeting

Monday, March 9 Time: 4:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03092026-2162 

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, March 9 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03092026-2171 

250th Franklin Anniversary Communications Subcommittee Meeting

Tuesday, March 10 Time: 5:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03102026-2121 

Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, March 10 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03102026-2175 

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

Tuesday, March 10 Time: 6:00 PM - 7:45 PM

Social event, no agenda posted

Norfolk County Commissioners Public Hearing Notice

Wednesday, March 11 Time: 1:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03112026-2159

Public view budget for Norfolk County - https://cms5.revize.com/revize/norfolkcountyma/FY27%20BUDGET%20PUBLIC%20VIEWING%20COPY%203%205%2026.pdf?t=202603060812320&t=202603060812320 

Finance Committee Meeting

Wednesday, March 11 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03112026-2176

Franklin Cultural Council Meeting

Wednesday, March 11 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03112026-2167

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting

Thursday, March 12 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

No agenda posted at this time

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, March 12 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/571?fileID=8589

Cultural District Committee Meeting

Thursday, March 12 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03122026-2170

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

To recap the Franklin TV. Franklin Public Radio meetings broadcast

• The Board of Health met for their monthly session on Wednesday at 5:00 PM. Exclusive audio and recap of the meeting can be found https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/exclusive-audio-franklin-ma-board-of.html 

• The Town Council met for their first of the month session and managed to stay exactly within their time allocation closing out at 9:59 PM. The recap, and video link can be found. The audio will be ready shortly https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/town-council-authorizes-fire-truck.html 

• The Zoning Board of Appeals met on Thursday evening. The video is available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMbRoIJCjn0 

On the High School front

• The only game broadcast with the end of the playoff run by the FHS girls basketball team vs Bishop Feehan on Tuesday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQDTIhHkSms

On the All Access front

• The most recent Aging Boldfully episode is available via YouTube in addition to being on the cable broadcast schedule https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8zhy3wuZ3c

On the Public Radio/podcast front

• The first episode for 2026 of “Talk Franklin” with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen is available https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/in-this-talk-franklin-episode-jamie-i.html

• The Party for The Pantry is the topic for this audio discussion https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/have-you-got-your-tickets-were-talking.html 

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  

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

• 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