Look out Franklin, here comes the week of January 13, 2025

Planning Board meets Monday discussing a proposed sign bylaw change among its agenda items

School Committee meets Tuesday with their capital budget and high school updates among their agenda items

Finance Committee meets on Wednesday for what should be a good session covering the capital budget, opioid settlement funds, and the hold harmless issue with school funding via Chapter 70

Master Plan Update Committee also meets Wednesday reportedly with the Planning Board to finalize the master plan document.

Franklin Q&A sessions are planned for Monday, the 13th at the Library and Wednesday, the 15th at the Senior Center. Both session are hybrid

You can also join Representative Roy and Town Officials for coffee and "office hour" at the Senior Center at 8:30 AM

There are the usual cultural events and activities check out the calendar for details. Ben Book Month continues with activities at the Library and Historical Museum.   https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

*** Looking back over the prior week

The key takeaways were 2 items from the Town Council meeting on January 8

1 - the update on Franklin Ridge Senior housing and likely ground breaking this summer  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LANyOIzMoh71lWdxwZh_jHssfi9B7BIb/view?usp=drive_link

2 - the update that the Town of Franklin sits at 10.86% for 40b. Which is good. Additional details on the approximate 1,000 housing units permitted or in the process, of which about 400 are "Affordable". Yes, capital A "affordable" which is not the same as little a "affordable"  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LA_DOFBow3fTLMXUNUGf-mOpjG6uqAd7/view?usp=drive_link

Audio, video and recap of the meeting -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/town-council-gets-updates-on-franklin_0626938403.html

Visit Franklin Matters for additional details including the daily Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio schedule -> www.franklin.news

Look out Franklin, here comes the week of January 13, 2025

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

Happy New Year Franklin, MA - What's happening this week ?? Dec 30, 2024 to Jan 5, 2025

• No school until Thursday, Jan 2
• very limited Town meetings
• lots of closures for the holiday period
• trash and recycle pickup delays one day from regular schedule for the holiday, etc.

Check out the Noon Year's Eve Party at Franklin Public Library for families and young at heart on Tuesday, Dec 31. Fun things to do and then the balloon drop happens at noon time for yes, noon year's eve.  The Library closes at 2 for the holiday

Take in the Polar Plunge on New Year's Day. 10 AM at Beaver Pond. The weather seems to be forecast to be rather warm for this time of year so it might be a good intro to this event.

Electric Youth 2025 give their debut concert on Friday, Jan 3 at THE BLACK BOX. Tickets are on sale (this usually sells out). https://theblackboxonline.com/

Looking BACK

The last 2 significant meetings were the Town Council on Dec 18 and the Joint Budget Subcommittee on Dec 17.

The Recap (including links to the audio & video for each)  

Town Council on Dec 18

• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/12/town-council-recognizes-youth-football_23.html

Joint Budget Subcommittee on Dec 17

• https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/12/joint-budget-gets-updates-sets_20.html

Check out the meeting archives for other meetings during 2024 (all the way back to 2008)  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/meeting-notes.html

** Check the Community Calendar for updates ->      https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

Happy New Year Franklin, MA - What's happening this week ??

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

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• 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

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• 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

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