School vacation ends, busy week ahead

School vacation comes to an end with another wet weekend and major meetings are on the calendar for the week ahead.

Hopefully folks are fully rested and ready to return. The Finance Committee has its 3 budget hearings set for this week. They start Monday with Education covering the Tri-County, Norfolk Aggie and Franklin Public Schools budgets. Tuesday they get into the details on Public Works (water, sewer, roads, storm water, etc.) and Public Safety (police, fire and regional dispatch). They close out the week on Thursday with General Government, health and debt accounts and the vote to recommend for the Town Council. The Town Council will conduct their 2 budget hearings in May (May 21 & MAy 22).

As mentioned earlier, if there are remaining questions on the need for the override special election coming up on June 3, these three meetings are the time to get those lingering questions answered.

As to why the override is back again? Folks should remember that the steps taken to adjust the budget last year after the override failed used $3M of one time funds to balance that budget setting up for this year. We are fortunate that the school redistricting effort did result in significant savings so we are only facing a $3.8M deficit; yes, only .8M more than we knew last June we would face this year. 

As for the remainder of the full week schedule, it is good that Franklin TV did build out the 3rd floor training room as a second broadcast spot (in addition to Council Chambers), as there will be dual live broadcasts on 3 of the 4 nights Monday through Thursday.

• Monday - Finance Committee and Planning Board
• Tuesday - Finance Committee and School Committee
• Wednesday - Town Council
• Thursday - Finance Committee and Conservation Commission

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

Finance Committee Meeting (Council Chambers)

Monday, April 28 Time:7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04282025-1700

Planning Board Meeting (3rd Floor Trng Room)

Monday, April 28 Time:7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04282025-1701 

Massachusetts Strategic Health Group (Medway)

Tuesday, April 29 Time: 1:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04292025-1708 

Finance Committee Meeting (3rd Floor Trng Room)

Tuesday, April 29 Time:7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04292025-1699 

Franklin School Committee Meeting (Council Chambers)

Tuesday, April 29 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04292025-1704 

Cultural District Committee — SUBCOMMITTEE Porchfest Meeting  

Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 6:30pm

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5329/PorchFest-Sub-Committee-Agenda_Meeting_-April-30-2025docx?bidId=  

Town Council Meeting (Council Chambers)

Wednesday, April 30 Time:7:00 PM 

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04302025-1709 

Franklin Housing Authority - Special Meeting of the Board of Commissioners (Remote Mtg)

Thursday, May 1 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05012025-1705 

Conservation Commission Meeting (3rd Floor Trng Room)

Thursday, May 1 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/382?fileID=4477 

Finance Committee Meeting (Council Chambers)

Thursday, May 1 Time: 7:00 PM

No agenda released at this time

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

The meetings during the school break week were generally quiet. I will bring to your attention the following recordings that if you missed as worthy of listening to:

Town Council Chair Tom Mercer and I condense the Council meeting of 4/16/25 to about 30 minutes

FM #1431 - Town Council Quarterbacking - 04/17/25

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/tom-mercer-and-i-condense-3-hour-town.html

Listen to the origin story of BLAST - Bringing Libraries and Schools Together. We talk with Erin O’Leary and Caleigh Keating, the collaborators who start with “Yes” and then figure it out.

FM #1434 - BLAST Fun - 04/17/25

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/caleigh-erin-i-had-blast-talking-about.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

A quiet week to start this month, however April closes with a flurry of meetings

The combination of the school April break, Easter and the budget cycle results in a relatively quiet week as we start April.  

The School Committee has an executive session this week for negotiations and then meets on the 8th and 29th. The Town Council doesn't meet until the 16th and then meets on the 30th.

The Finance Committee has its set of 3 budget hearings scheduled for April 28, 29 and May 1. If anyone has any questions about the line item details on the FY 2026 budget, these three night are the time to do so. Agendas are not yet posted but prior years indicate General government on one night, schools (Franklin, Tri-County, Norfolk Aggie) on one night and the third night covers public safety (Police, Fire & Dispatch) as well as Public Works both operational and enterprise accounts (water, sewer, solid waste, & storm water). 

Parents with school age children should check out the internet safety training & awareness night scheduled for Thursday, April 3 at FHS. It is a free night with childcare and meals provided. Details in the link -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/attnetion-parents-check-out-interent.html

For this week, the meetings and agenda for the scheduled session are included here.

*** For the week of March 31 - April 5

(as of the Town web site on Friday evening, 3/28/25)  ***

Franklin Agricultural Committee Meeting

Monday, March 31st Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03312025-1640 

Franklin School Committee

Tuesday, April 1st Time: 4:00 PM

Contractual Negotiations - Executive Session

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04012025-1586 

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS

Wednesday, April 2   Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04022025-1656 

Conservation Commission

Thursday, April 3 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/350?fileID=4297 

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

The Planning Board met on Monday and decided not to approve the Autumn Hill Senior Housing proposed for Summer St by a 1 (for) 4 (against) vote. You can view the video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsXZejak9qA

The School Committee met on Tuesday and in a long session started by recognizing the boys basketball team for the State Championship & the cheerleaders for their National Championship. They got a lengthy update on course selections and trends from FHS. They also got a lengthy and valuable update on the middle school schedule as the 3 schools plan to come together as one in September. Recap & video link is available here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/school-committee-recognizes-boys.html

The Zoning Board of Appeals opened the process on the proposed 40b to redevelop the Stobbarts property. Unless the committee decides to act on a "safe harbor" declaration in the next week or so, the plans will continue to be reviewed during the process with the next session scheduled for May 8. The video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DzpL7GqyE

In addition to the meetings, I had the wonderful opportunity to talk with 3 key members of the Franklin High School Theatre Co. The audio is available here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/listen-to-how-fhstc-performance-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

School is back, Town business returns with a full slate of meetings for week of Feb 24, 2025

Looking ahead, the Town calendar is full of meetings with the school break behind us. Many of them will be live streamed & broadcast.

Monday, we hit the ground running with the Legislative Forum hosted by the School Committee at the FHS Lecture Hall and the regular Planning Board meeting. Both are broadcast, three other meetings are not broadcast.

Tuesday, the Police Station Building Committee gets to work with the project team, architect and others in place. They'll outline the process for community engagement across the project timelone.

Wednesday, the Economic Development Subcmte and the Town Council conduct their business.

February 24, 2025 

6:30 PM - Franklin School Committee Meeting (Legislative Forum @ FHS)

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1582 

7:00 PM - Franklin Agricultural Committee (not broadcast) https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1591

7:00 PM -  Library Board of Directors Meeting (not broadcast)

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Library-Board-of-Directors-20/?#_02242025-1593

7:00 PM - Recreation Advisory Board (not broadcast)

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1535

7:00 PM - Planning Board

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1594 

 

February 25, 2025 

4:00 PM

Franklin School Committee (executive session - negotiations) (not broadcast)

7:00 PM

Design Review (not broadcast)

7 PM

Police Station Building Committee

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1601 

February 26, 2025

5:45 PM

Economic Development Subcmte

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-1600

7 PM

Town Council

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-1602

February 27, 2025

7:00 PM

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) - no meeting

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

The most significant meeting of the school break week was the 3rd in the series of 6 Listening Sessions hosted by the Joint Budget Subcmte. This time at the Senior Center. The recording video & audio are available. The transcript is ready so you can Watch, Listen or Read -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/watch-listen-read-joint-budget_01215382675.html

Transcripts were provided for the first 2 listening sessions

#1 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/watch-listen-read-joint-budget.html

#2 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/watch-listen-read-joint-budget_01718995583.html

Laura Doherty, Associate Director of the Franklin Food Pantry shared some insights on The Pantry's straegic plan in this audio session

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/laura-shares-insights-from-pantry.html

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For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars, or visit Franklin Matters 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

Franklin MAtters Weekly resumes after a long hiatus

Yes, dear neighbor, back in the early days of my reporting journey I had experimented with a weekly summary. At the time, the effort for the gain was more than I could afford time wise so it stopped.

Spin forward to the present day, my reporting and audio 'machine' is well oiled, having retired from the corporate payday (in 2019), I have the time for a resumption of the weekly summary.

As you may be aware, Franklin TV, Radio, and Franklin Matters conducted a survey of how and where folks get their news. The results closed out at the end of December 2024. The results were sobering but not unsurprising given the current circumstances of news and social media.

Inside the data, there seems to be a glimmer of hope in that rather than the daily dose of what's happening, some folks may be interested in a weekly version.

So here we go. 

You can join us to subscribe to both the daily and weekly, or just one or the other, or NOT, and continue to visit the regular page or come to the weekly page to see what is happening.

Your Choice

We are here to "amplify the public good." 

Our ears (and inbox) is also open for feedback, questions, suggestions. You can email me at sgsherlock @ franklinmatters dot org

Franklin MAtters Weekly resumes after a long hiatus

Martin and Ben in Franklin

Martin Luther King Day today and a holiday for most. School is out here in Franklin and elsewhere. 

Benjamin Franklin's birthday was celebrated with a party at the Historical Museum on Sunday. A good crowd gathered to hear Vera Meyer's play the glass harmonica, one of Ben's many inventions.

The Town Council meets on Wednesday. Among the items on the agenda:
1 - Treasurer/Collector, Jim Dacey apparently will talk about a section of the Home Rule process
2 - DPW Director, Brutus Cantoreggi will provide an update on the DPW snow plowing process.

In the action items, one key piece is the first part of the capital budget is scheduled for approval.


TOTAL REQUESTED:   $ 1,598,000
PURPOSE:  To transfer/appropriate funds for the 2013 Capital Improvement Plan:

Dept                          Type                             Amount
Fire                          Equipment                       $215,000
Police                       Equipment                       $  92,000
Police                       Vehicles                           $  71,000
Town Technology     Equipment                        $  97,500
School                      Vehicles                           $  63,000
School                      Technology                      $233,000
DPW                        Vehicles & Equipment      $193,500
DPW                    Street/Sidewalk/Drainage     $500,000
Facilities – School      Equipment                       $133,000



If you missed anything from the past week, these links can help you catch up!


Jan 20

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• Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Jan 23, 2012
• Change to Beaver St Recycling Center sitckers
• Friendly Reminder - Curbside collection delayed this week
• Livy's Hope - The Cake Bar

Jan 19

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• Food Pantry: Volunteers needed for Phone-a-thon
• MassBudget: Analyzing the Governor's Proposals on Education, Transportation, and Revenue
• In the News: Lt Gov Murray, head on crash, right to repair, stove rebates

Jan 18

---

• Downtown triangle signs
• Andy Puddicombe: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes (video)
• Governor Patrick calls for income tax hike, sales tax cut
• Discover Dean College (video)
• Two hurt in head-on crash on Rte. 140 in Franklin

Jan 17

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• Annual Report 2012: Franklin Library
• Mass Poetry Festival - May 3 - 5, 2013 (video)
• February Programs at the Franklin Library - for children and adults
• In the News: Library, Train station, casino, drug lab

Jan 16

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• In the News: SPED Vans, education spending
• MassDOR: Tax Preparation Video for 2013
• MassBudget: the benefits of Early Ed & Care....and the funding cuts
• Upcoming Event: Solar Anniversary Celebration
• In the news: food collection, Democratic caucus, softball registration
• 2012 FOOTBALL ACCOLADES INCLUDE 4 SIGNED TO DIVISION-1 TEAMS

Jan 15

---

• Kaitlyn B. Schlegel
• "What is clear is that we can’t afford the system we have today"
• Massachusetts Bar Association's 28th annual Mock Trial Program
• Franklin Library: Digital Photographs
• iPhone Photography Workshop

Jan 14

---

• Talking about the 'edge city'
• Annual Report 2012: Planning Board
• Franklin State Forest

New England winter weather changes

Chilson Beach in winter

 This week the snow is gone, the ice is melting.

Ice fishing on Beaver Pond

Last week, the snow still provided a cover and ice fishing at Beaver Pond was a viable activity.

As many of you may recall, the Parmenter School Tour was scheduled for Thursday Jan 10th. Prior school tours have had minimal attendance by the general public. As we approach this weeks tour, I checked the school websites, newsletters, etc. and offered the following to the School Committee and Central Office.

• The Parmenter PCC has no notification on its webpage or weekly update.
• The Parmenter School newsletter has no notification of this event
• The Parmenter School sign has no mention of the event.
• The School Committee blog last update was for the overall tour schedule as published in Sep 2012.
• The Schools website has no mention of the event (this one or past, or future tours).

Not one to just raise an issue without providing some solutions, I also offered some suggestions on what could be done to help spread the word.

• Could there be an update on the School Committee blog?
• Could there be an update on the community event calendar with the cable channels?
• Could there be a press release touting the tour and showing off the only school installation of solar panels, or even of the rain gardens in the front, or of the modulars removed from the property?
• Could some one use a couple of minutes of the Citizens Comments at the beginning of the Town Council meeting on Wednesday to spread the word?
• Could some one think of some other way to help spread the word about this free yet valuable opportunity to meet with School Administration, School Committee and local school principals?

Note: The Parmenter sign was updated to tout the tour. The one set of parents that did show up for the tour heard about it via a ConnectED notification sent to all the school families that chose to register. But what about the non-school families? Were they notified in some way? Unless they heard about the tour via Franklin Matters, or perhaps the school sign and chose not to attend, they may not have known.

The choice is with the School Committee and Central Office. They all do an awful lot of good work and could do a better job of sharing information about the work they do. I do my part on here on Franklin Matters and the Facebook page, but I wish they would do a little better in the communication area. A little bit of work can go a long way!

If you think the School Committee and Central Office can do a better job of communicating, then you should let them know.  Email addresses for the School Committee can be found here
http://franklinschool.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinCom_About/members



Jan 13

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• Franklin musician Christie Leigh aims for big time
• Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - Jan 15, 2013
• Franklin Public Schools: Proposed Calendar 2013-2014
• Franklin Library: Krafty Mondays

Jan 12

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• Franklin road conditions: from worst to first!
• In the News: Hamilton Storage, Ben's birthday
• New law requires national background check for teachers

Jan 11

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• Annual Report 2012: Planning & Community Development
• Public Forum: Core Values, Beliefs about Learning
• Update: Hamilton Storage Technologies
• MassBudget: Budget Preview. FY14 deficit = $1.2 billion
• In the News: Shaw's, new album, isolation

Jan 10

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• Parmenter School Tour
• Franklin accomplishments in 2012
• Town Council - 01/09/13
• Voices of Franklin: Boston Globe Headline Misleads Public in Dookhan Case
• Franklin's Dookhan pleads not guilty to five counts of obstruction of justice
• Live reporting - closing
• Live reporting - Legislation
• Live reporting - medical marijuana zoning
• Live reporting - Town Council - Jan 9, 2013

Jan 9

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• Annual Report 2012: Council on Aging
• Finance Committee - 01/08/13
• Franklin Library: Hobbit Party
• Use it with caution!
• Live reporting - prep for budget FY 2014
• Live reporting: Finance Committee - Jan 8, 2013

Jan 8

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• Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda - Jan 8, 2013
• Annual Report 2012: Design Review Commission
• Rail Trail Committee - Agenda - Jan 8, 2013
• DEAN COLLEGE CHILDREN’S CENTER “PARENT SEMINAR: KINDERGARTEN, HERE I COME”
• In the News: CD release, i495/RT 9, glass harmonica
• Another #1 for Franklin

Jan 7

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• Franklin, MA: Planning Board - Agenda - Jan 7, 2013
• Annual Report 2012: Charles River Pollution Control District
• “The local media has been restrained and responsible"

Turning the page to the new year

I trust you and your family had a pleasant time with family and friends over the holidays. Now that we are well rested, it is time to get back to work.

Christmas trees get picked up this week. Leave them on the curb for your normal trash pick up day.

Christmas tree ready for pick up

The Planning Board meets on Monday. Among the agenda items are review of the plans for

• Stop and Shop gas station
• Franklin TV
• Hoffman Farm
• Robin's Nest Childrens Center

The Finance Committee meets on Tuesday to discuss the Capital Budget and start discussion on the FY 2014 Operational Budget.

The Town Council meets on Wednesday. The proposed changes to the site review plan process that were before the Council look like they will indeed be removed for now while the subcommittee discussed in their last meeting in December takes some time to adjust the changes to make them more agreeable.

You can tour the Parmenter School on Thursday evening. Outside the school, you can see solar panels and rain gardens. What can you see inside? Come along and find out. It is free. It just takes about an hour of your time. You gain access to the facility tour lead by the Central Office School Administration, the Parmenter Principal and members of the School Committee.

Learn more about the history and many stories of Franklin at the Historical Museum next Sunday. Eamon Earls will be there to sign and talk about his new book about Franklin.


Jan 6

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Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Jan 9, 2013

School Tour: Parmenter

Jan 5

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• "It’s a humbling honor"
• The Olivia Act
• Historical Museum: Happy Birthday Ben!
• Sunrise Montessori School Open House

Jan 4

---

• Annual Report 2012: Conservation Commission
• Guru Bar & Grill Hold Ribbon Cutting
• Historical Museum - Book Signing - Jan 13
• In the News: Legislator pay cut, Tri-Country preschool

Jan 3

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• Annual Report 2012: Recreation
• Franklin Downtown Partnership: General Meeting Thursday
• 2013 Christmas Tree pick up
• In the News: storm water, wood stoves, Housing Authority
• DeBaggis: Heeding the beacons of progress

Jan 2

---

• Add your entry!
• Annual Report 2012: Human Resources
• MassBudget: What's the State of Working Massachusetts, this New Year
• When are the Christmas Tree pickups for Franklin?

Jan 1

---

• What should the #1 goal for Franklin be?
• Annual Report 2012: Housing Authority
• Just Label It
• Franklin Library: new year, new program schedule

Dec 31

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Annual Report 2012: Health Department

"The $10.5 million effort will begin in 2016"