Showing posts with label office hours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label office hours. 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, September 13, 2025

Biennial election ballots gets complete, Town Council has a full agenda for the week of Sep 14, 2025

The middle of September is here already. 


The Biennial Election ballot gets close to final this week as all the nomination papers are due Monday, Sep 15. Candidates can still change their mind by Sep 22 to withdraw. After the 22nd, the ballots will get sent out for printing and be back in time for the in person early voting scheduled to begin Oct 17. 


The in person early voting schedule has been posted by the Town Clerk and added to the Community Calendar.


The Town Council agenda is full. Among the key items are: 

  • Some Police Dept personnel are sworn in as back fill for retirees

  • There are zoning bylaws in a couple of categories; a set of six to create the Crossing Neighborhood District, and a couple of others for commercial kitchens in residential areas as long as the unit is on septic (not Town sewer)

  • There is also a presentation on the solicitation permit process by Chief Lynch and Deputy Chief West

  • Town Administrator Jamie Hellen is also scheduled to provide a personnel update; i.e word has it the replacement for Bryan Taberner has been hired


2 additional options for getting your questions answered occur this week. Steve Sherlock holds his Franklin Q&A at the Senior Center, Wednesday, Sep 17 at 11 AM. The Town and Local official also hold their coffee hour at the Senior Center on Thursday at 8:30 AM.


Buckle those seat belts, driving safely now that school is settling into their schedule. The Biennial Election campaign period is about to get real active over the next several weeks.


*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 9/12/25, 9:30 PM


Library Board of Directors Regular meeting

Monday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Library-Board-of-Directors-20/?#_09152025-1904 


Recreation Advisory Board Meeting

Monday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152025-1867 


Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, September 17  Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172025-1911 


Town Council Office Hours

Thursday, September 18 Time: 8:30 AM

no agenda for this open discussion


Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, September 18 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/497?fileID=6384 


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


Franklin TV broadcast two meetings during the week that are available for replay


1 - Planning Board Meeting Monday, September 8


Franklin TV video for replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSttQT8spbE 

The agenda can be found -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09082025-1897  



2 - Franklin School Committee Meeting - Tuesday, September 9


Franklin TV video for replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38uXznSNhM8 

The agenda can be found ->

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09092025-1902


The Franklin TV studio was also busy with school sports broadcasting 4 competitions during the week

FHS girls soccer 9/8/25 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb_52WSHUpw

FHS volleyball 9/8/25 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bVwmEEaQ4U 

FHS boys soccer 9/10/25 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U5xsFYOM3k

FHS football 9/12/25 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5uLubdGr2c 



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, August 16, 2025

A midsummer dream - short meeting schedule and good weather

A midsummer dream; only a few meetings on the calendar and the weather forecast calls for mostly good (not humid) conditions. 


The Board of Assessors meets on Monday. They generally spend most of their total meeting time in executive session as they review the various abatements and exemptions requested.


The Town Council holds office hours at the Senior Center during breakfast beginning at 8:30 AM. Always a good time for discussion in an informal setting.


The Conservation Commission is scheduled to meet on Thursday with a full agenda including 444 East Central St. They also need to vote on their representative to the Community Preservation Committee. 


*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 8/15/25, 8:00 PM


Board of Assessors

Monday, August 18 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08182025-1857 


Town Council Office Hours

Thursday, August 21 Time: 8:30 AM

No agenda for this open discussion


Charles River Pollution Control Meeting

Thursday, August 21 Time: 3:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08212025-1859 


Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, August 21 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/473?fileID=5642 



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


The Finance Committee met on Monday and voted to recommend Model B to the Town Council. We all should spend some time with this meeting for the 5 Year fiscal forecast. There is more discussion here. The Town Council  took up the budget adjustment and also decided on Model B, but spent little or no time discussing the forecast. Franklin TV is working on producing the video of this FinCom meeting. 



The School Committee met on Tuesday to get an update on Summer Learning and the work preparing the schools for implementing redistricting this September. You can watch or listen to the meeting. You can also get the Chalkboard Chat condensed version of the meeting in conversation with Chair Dave Callaghan


The Town Council met on Wednesday with a full and varied agenda. The key decision aside from the Model B mentioned above, was the vote to not accept the private donation to fund the health and wellness nurse for the Senior Center. The good from the decision was the action to find a way to restore the position and to develop a Town policy for such circumstances in the future. The School have a policy the Town does not. 



Other shareworthy news of note:


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