Franklin Schools close out for the summer, June 18, District prepares for September 2025

School closes out this week with half days as Franklin prepares for redistricting starting in September. The last day to register for bus transportation is Friday, June 20. Any requests after Friday can not be guaranteed a bus seat for September.

A small slate of meetings are scheduled for this shortened week with Town and School facilities closed Thursday for Juneteenth. 

The Planning Board meets on Monday and the Town Council on Wednesday. The Council agenda includes ratification of multiple union contracts. The School Committee approved their teacher contract in their last session June 10. 

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars 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 6/13/25, 10:30 PM

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, June 16, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Planning-Board-23/?#_06162025-1786

Brownfields Cleanup Plan Review for 21 Grove Street

Tuesday, June 17 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Legal-Notices-29/?#_06172025-1770

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, June 18 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Town-Council-4/?#_06182025-1788

Town officials office hours  canceled

June 19 all Town, schools closed for Juneteenth Holiday

ZBA Meeting canceled

Thursday, June 19th https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Zoning-Board-of-Appeals-31/?#_06192025-1745 

Council on Aging Meeting

Friday, June 20th. Time: 1:30 PM

No agenda posted

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

State Representative Jeff Roy hosted an appreciation event on Monday, June 9 to recognize the collaboration to bring a single family home back into the Franklin Housing Authority (FHA) inventory. It has been stuck in a legal limbo for about 20 years and finally got unstuck, renovated, and is now occupied by a Franklin family.  The audio and video of the event can be found  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/audio-recording-of-fha-appreciation.html

The Franklin School Committee reluctantly approved their revised budget to account for the reduced allocation from the Town per the failed override. In addition to the 29 personnel cuts due to redistricting (saving the Town $3.1M annually), the District reduced an additional 12 personnel along with multiple sets of expenses to account for $2M less in revenue. This results in only a 1% increase over the prior year school budget the lowest annual increase since 2013. The recap and recording of the meeting -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/school-committee-reluctantly-approves.html

The Finance Committee held its shortest meeting on Wednesday. It struggled to gain quorum, then when it did achieve that, determined to postpone the Technology topic for presentation/discussion in the fall. 3 new members are scheduled to be appointed in July and they would benefit from such information. The very brief audio officially recording the short meeting  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/finance-committee-reschedules-their.html 

—------------

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars 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

Majority rules: Level service is not worth paying for

With the new world of less than level service approaching July 1, the Town of Franklin will continue to do business and plan for what’s next. The operational budget years for FY 2027 and FY 2028 are not rosy pictures.

The School Committee Budget Subcommittee will preview the adjustments to their budget required by the reduction in revenue authorized by the Town Council. The failed override is expected to reduce school personnel by an additional 12 while keeping fees high (at this year’s levels). “Additional” as they already had reduced by 29 as part of redistricting which will save the community $3.1M. Specific details will be available in the full School Committee meeting later Tuesday evening, June 10.

The Finance Committee on Wednesday, June 11 gets a “deep dive” on the Technology budget and capital plan. As more and more technology is utilized in delivery of services across the Town and schools, this should be insightful.

The Strawberry Stroll comes back on Friday, June 13 with a change or two. It will extend up Main St to School St to include the Library front lawn and make it easier for all to also combine with the Farmers Market at the Town Common; The Market is open from 2 to 6 PM. The stroll opens from 4 to 8 PM.

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 6/06/25, 7:30 PM

Franklin School Committee - Budget Subcommittee

Tuesday, June 10 Time: 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06102025-1779

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - Board of Trustees Mtg

Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06102025-1775

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/417?fileID=5006

Franklin School Committee

Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06102025-1780

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

Tuesday, June 10 Time: 7:00 PM - 7:45 PM

No agenda posted for this meeting

Charles River Pollution Control Meeting

Wednesday, June 11 Time: 3:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06112025-1778

Historical Commission Meeting

Wednesday, June 11 Time: 6:00 PM

No agenda posted at this time

Finance Committee Meeting

Wednesday, June 11 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06112025-1781

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meetings

Thursday, June 12 Time: 2:00 PM

No agenda posted at this time

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, June 12 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/418?fileID=5134

Franklin School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee - Strawberry Stroll

Friday, June 13 Time: 4:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06132025-1767

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

With 15,451 registered voters sitting out the special election on June 3, the No’s won the democratic process by a 196 vote margin, effectively saying that the level of services provided by Town and Schools wasn’t worth funding. 

In addition to the 29 personnel the Schools cut in the redistricting effort, another dozen will go out the door effective July 1 to join 8 from the Town side of the operational budget. Road conditions will worsen, sidewalks won’t get fixed, class sizes will increase, and school fees will remain high, etc. 

The official override results can be found 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/official-override-results-nos-take-it.html 

The unofficial results announced Tuesday evening

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/unofficial-override-results-nos-take-it.html

The Town Council quarterbacking session with Council Chair Tom Mercer condenses the 4 hour Council session as they made the required reductions to the budget following the override results

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/tom-mercer-i-condense-4-hour-council.html 

The override and debt exclusion history of Franklin voters was updated with these results

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkwjbnXDBhczdDVWaFU0N2ZsTEE2TUVuWHk5NURvQWc#gid=0 

Tri-County Regional Voc Tech Class of 2025 graduation was held June 5

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/tri-county-class-of-2025-graduation.html 

Franklin High School’s Class of 2025 graduation was held June 6

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/fhs-class-of-2025-graduation-ceremony.html 

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

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars 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 to 3 to 2 to 1, finally

One can pick and choose when it started, there are a number of key points along this budget journey for the Town of Franklin. Go back to the first successful override in 2007. Or to the failed overrides in 2008 and 2010. 

To the failed dedicated override for road repairs for $1M that folks chose not to accept in 2014.  Yes, even after hearing that the Town needed to confirm that money for the override would be spent for a specific item, the voters chose not to fund needed road repairs.  

Whether you call it the “fiscal cliff” or the “structural deficit”, it really comes down to a math problem. More money required to fund existing services than is scheduled to come in due to the 2 ½ override restrictions. You can try to ignore it but inflation is the major driver. Councilor Jones calculated the inflation impact of Prop 2 ½ since 1983 during the override discussions in the run up to the June 2024 failed attempt.

It is so much easier to blame someone else for the problem. That avoids the harsh reality of the situation our community faces. It seems there are a number of relatives of Rodney Dangerfield (“I get no respect”) who live here. They attempt to dominate or divert the conversation from facing reality. It gets a chuckle, laughed off, and the tragedy remains in front of us.

So the Town took on a massive effort with 

• 6 Joint Budget Listening Sessions 

• 3 Finance Committee budget hearings

• 2 Town Council budget hearings

In the run up to the special election Tuesday, June 3 at Franklin High School gymnasium from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Of the 25,865 registered Franklin voters, 2431 ballots have been cast by early and absentee voters (through 5/30/25 close of business) for this election per Town Clerk Nancy Danello. 

The questions that remain?

1. How many of the remaining voters will turn out on Tuesday? 

2. Will they be Rodney’s relatives? Or will they fund the current services our community needs? 

When will we get an answer?

• We’ll find out by about 9 PM Tuesday evening.

 

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 5/30/25, 11:00 PM

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, June 2 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06022025-1763 

Massachusetts Strategic Health Group

Tuesday, June 3 Time: 1:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032025-1766 

School Committee Superintendent's Evaluation Sub Committee

Tuesday, June 3 Time: 5:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032025-1726 

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS

Wednesday, June 4 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1765 

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, June 4 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1769 

Cultural District Committee June Meeting

Thursday, June 5 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5813/CDC-Agenda_Meeting_june_2025docx?bidId= 

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting

Thursday, June 5 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06052025-1744 

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

Election prep resources:

• Joint Budget Listening Session “Watch, Listen, or Read” info  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/joint-budget-listening-sessions-fy-2026.html  

• Finance Committee Budget Hearing “Watch, Listen, or Read” info  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/finance-committee-fy-2026-budget.html

• Town Council budget hearings “Watch or Listen” info  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-fy-2026-budget-hearing-1-2.html 

The More Perfect Union radio show has resumed with an episode on the Special Election June 3

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/more-perfect-union-wfpr-98-june-3rd.html 

The most recent Town Council Quarterbacking session summarizes the Council budget hearings and the all alcohol license transactions they approved in the May 22 meeting

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/tom-mercer-i-condense-2-budget-hearings.html 

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

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars 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

Memorial Day weekend, a time for reflection

Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kick off for summer time. Really a time of reflection to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today. We have all the more reason to reflect given the current administration's challenge to our Constitutional freedoms that are working their way through the courts. 

There is a revised parade route for Franklin this year. The VFW, American Legion, and other veterans organizations have made these changes to hopefully enable more veterans to participate. 

• The parade will start from the Horace Mann middle school complex. A more spacious gathering point for those marching. 

• A slightly shorter route that also avoids the last hill up to the Common. 

• The three stops for recognitions at Dean and the 2 cemeteries will be done before the parade to avoid the stop start and waiting during the parade of previous years.

The parade will begin at 11:00 AM, come out Oak St, to Union, to RT 140, to Emmons, to Main St, and back to the Town Common. You can watch the parade twice from the Common. 

At noon, the recognition ceremony for all veterans who passed during the prior year will be held among the veterans memorials on the Town Common.  Albert Johnson who passed during World War I will also be recognized. His ‘killed in action’ date during the war is not known so this day is fitting for his recognition. The other 44 individuals who have pillars along the Veterans Walkway have known dates and ceremonies are conducted throughout the year on those dates.

With the holiday on Monday, the shorter week contains less town and school meetings. In person voting for the special election for the FY 2026 budget override continues through Friday May 30. All other voting in person will be conducted at the high school on Tuesday June 3.

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

from the Town page, as of 8:00 PM Friday, May 23 ***

Massachusetts Strategic Health Group Meeting

Tuesday, May 27 Time: 1:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05272025-1759 

Design Review Meeting (Virtual Mtg)

Tuesday, May 27 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/405?fileID=4909 

Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, May 27 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05272025-1761 

Franklin School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, May 29 Time: 4:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05292025-1760 

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, May 29 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/407?fileID=4912 

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

The Town Council conducted their 2 public hearings on the FY 2026 budget on Wednesday and Thursday as scheduled. The first night went 4 hours as all the questions and comments raised were answered. The second night saw the brief hearing continued to June 4. The results of the vote June 3 will be known and that will enable the Council to make their votes on the budget either 

• As proposed, if the override passes

• Or with significant cuts, if the override fails

Thursday’s agenda also included some alcohol license approvals.

• A modification to management and ownership of The Shed

• A transfer of licenses between DeVitas and Big Y. After a somewhat contentious discussion, the Council did approve the transfers by a 5-1-3 vote (5 for, 1 against (Cormier-Leger) with 3 absent (Chandler, Pellegri, and Dellorco). Dellorco had been present, left during the public hearing and did not return to the meeting.

Additional info on these meetings can be found with the Franklin.News meeting recaps here

Weds -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-spends-4-hours-reviewing.html 

Thurs -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-expresses-frustration-with.html 

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

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars 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