Franklin MAtters Weekly: outlook

Showing posts with label outlook. Show all posts

Saturday, February 7, 2026

More snow, more cold, more budget = winter in New England; Franklin news in less than 5 minutes

More snow, more cold, ah, yes, it is winter in New England.

February also brings a beginning to the FY 2027 budget cycle. And yes, there is more daylight in the forecast so there is hope on that side. Hope not so much on the budget front especially if you were looking for prior cuts to get restored.

Tuesday, Feb 10 the School Committee holds the public hearing on their FY 2027 budget proposal. Of note, the meeting also moves to a 6 PM opening to provide sufficient time for line item review by committee and community.

Per the preview we received at the Jan 27th meeting, they will bring in a level service budget at 2.5%. Which also means cuts made last year don’t come back. Fees at this point, don’t change (up or down).

Wednesday, Feb 11, the Town Council gets the Capital budget and the 5 year fiscal forecast with plenty of info on the seriousness of our budget situation especially given the prior override failures.

Town Administrator Jamie Hellen writes that using one time money to balance this budget “I have provided a model to give everyone time to strategize a game plan for the future without any department cuts or conversations about property tax increases in FY27.”

What that statement doesn’t say is

nothing previously cut gets restored (especially on the School budget, but also across the Town departmental budgets)
AND we will start out the next budget cycle (FY 2028) in the hole (by however much one time funds are used)

The Capital budget proposal is less than normal as $2 million in ‘free cash’ is held aside to help balance the (FY 2027) budget as noted above. And by kicking the can down the road again (using ‘free cash’), digs us a hole for the next budget cycle.

Fasten your seat belt for these budget conversations, they won’t be easy.

There are a number of other regular board and committee meetings scheduled for this week. Some adjusted to avoid the school vacation coming next 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.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1655-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-02-08-26/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 2/06/26, 7:00 PM ***

Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

Monday, February 9 Time: 4:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02092026-2126

Franklin Public Schools Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting

Monday, February 9 Time: 6:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02092026-2123

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, February 9 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02092026-2124

Bi-County Collaborative Meeting

Tuesday, February 10 Time: 2:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02102026-2132

Franklin School Committee

Tuesday, February 10 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02102026-2129

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

Tuesday, February 10 Time: 7:00 PM

No agenda for this session

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, February 11 Time: 6:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02112026-2130

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting

Thursday, February 12 Time: 2:00 PM

No agenda posted at this time

Charles River Pollution Control District Meeting

Thursday, February 12 Time: 4:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02122026-2131

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, February 12 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/553?fileID=7915

Cultural District Committee Meeting

Thursday, February 12 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02122026-2125

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

The School Committee conducted their brief and ‘remote only’ meeting to authorize the transfer of accounting for health care to the Town budget line 910. Franklin.news has the recap and video link

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/02/school-committee-votes-to-move-health.html

The Town Council conducted their shortest session of this new term in part by punting on setting goals and reserving time for a lengthy executive session to review property decisions. Franklin.News has the recap and video link

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/02/town-council-discusses-goals-hears-last.html

On the High School video performance recorded/broadcast by Franklin TV

Girls basketball Tuesday 2/3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Bb55JhQwk&t=846s
Boys basketball on Friday 2/6 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMotZm6amyE
FHS Winter Jazz concert of 1/27 was published - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcMlZhD7DL8

On the Community video front

Joe Landry’s presentation on Industry through the years in Franklin is available - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfEsSvTOq3A
The presentation at the Library on the Tommaso Juglaris’s mural held in October 2025 is now available for viewing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7heZtFtT9GQ

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, January 17, 2026

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” Insights on the week ahead, Jan 18, 2026

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

—“Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” written by Martin Luther King Jr in 1963. The complete letter is a worthy read and you can find the link https://letterfromjail.com/

The week starts with Martin Luther King Day on Monday, while legally designated a holiday it is not fully observed. For example, the MBTA commuter rail runs a ‘normal’ weekday schedule.

Worthy of note is that there is a scheduled virtual only meeting on Sunday evening for the 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee at 5:30 PM.

Tuesday we see the normal schedule for a Design Review meeting. The site (12 Main St) of the former book store is potentially a convenience store and their proposed signage is up for review.

Wednesday is the Town Council meeting with some key items on its agenda.

2 appointments to the Zoning Board of Appeal are up for approval. That action alone may not shut down the vociferous calls for a ‘new’ board from some community members but we’ll see what the Council does.
The Council gets an update on the infrastructure of the Town from DPW Director Brutus Cantoreggi. The dollars for continuing to maintain all our water, sewer, roads, fields, etc. has continued to grow. A plan is needed for funding. “Pay me now, or pay me more later” becomes very real.
The budget timeline for the FY 2027 cycle is presented. The recent capital budget items reviewed by the Finance Committee come before the Council on Feb 11. The official town budget is on schedule to be filed in late March.

Thursday, the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to meet and likely for the first time with their new membership (depending upon the outcome at the Council meeting on Weds).

We’ll close this outlook with a referral back to the MLK quote we opened with: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” . You reading this, are either a close or remote neighbor. Either way, we are faced with some challenges this year.

On the one hand, I am very grateful for what we do have. On the other hand, there is a lot of work and tough conversations to be held to ensure we can maintain the community we all live in and love.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1628-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-01-18-26/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 1/16/26, 6:00 PM ***

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee (remote only)

Sunday, January 18 Time: 5:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01182026-2096

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, January 20 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01202026-2099

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, January 21 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01212026-2101

GATRA Regional Bus Meeting (at Franklin Senior Center)

Thursday, January 22 Time: 2:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01222026-2085

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting (remote only)

Thursday, January 22 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01222026-2093

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

On Monday, the School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee met. On Tuesday, the Policy subcommittee met before the full School Committee meeting. Both audio recordings will be available shortly.

The School Committee recap and video is available for their 4 hour plus session https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/01/school-committee-approves-trip-program.html

SchCmte member Reis Hansen joined me in a recap of the session which is available via video and audio formats https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/01/chalkboard-chat-condenses-4-hour-jan-13.html

The Finance Committee had a lengthy discussion on the ‘economics of development’. Personally, it was not what I expected. The primary reason being “It is complicated.” The first pass on the Capital budget was also reviewed at length and ultimately recommended to the Council for their review and vote.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/01/finance-committee-hears-economics-of.html

The Conservation Commission met on Thursday, the video of their session is available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881gI4sj0kM

On the FHS sports live streaming front