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
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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 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
