Yes, budget, budget, budget continues this week beginning Feb 3, 2025

Still more budget as the School Committee schedules their annual public hearing on the Superintendent’s Recommended budget for FY 2026 on Tuesday, Feb 4. The details of this new budget built from the ground up due to the reorganization should be interesting to see. Significant savings will be realized with the redistricting. Enough that some cuts from last year may be reduced along with some fee modification. Both are dependent upon successful passage of an override this year. Town Council will address that possibility at a March meeting and set an amount.

On Wednesday, among the items on the Town Council agenda is a presentation on fire call volume and proposed ambulance rate change. The fire call volume has been increasing and at some point the Town will need to fully fund the 3rd ambulance. Creativity to date enables a 3rd ambulance unit for about 40 hours during some daytime hours. Putting it on full time would require additional personnel (about 6 according to my notes).

The Capital Budget, funded from ‘free cash’, is up for approval at this session as well as a victualer’s all alcohol license for Mirchi.

Town meetings

Franklin Public Schools Contractual Negotiations (executive session)

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 - 4:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02042025-1537

Franklin School Committee Meeting

February 4, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4780/FPSD/5247243/SCAGENDA_2-4-25_Budget_Open_Hearing.pdf

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING

February 5, 2025, 5:00 PM

https://franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02052025-1543

Master Plan Committee

February 5, 2025, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

https://franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02052025-1544

Town Council Meeting

February 5, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02052025-1546

Conservation Commission Meeting

February 6, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/257?fileID=3158

Looking back at the week that was

School Committee Chair Dave Callaghan and ViceChair David McNeill held the first of  “State of the Schools” session at the Franklin TV Studio on Monday. More of these are coming, there are no dates published at this time.  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/listen-in-to-state-o-schools.html 

School Committee got a presentation on Middle School Math Curriculum changes to bring in the program into compliance with State standards as well as their review of the Superintendent’s Recommended budget on Tuesday

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/3-options-to-listen-to-school-cmte-mtg.html 

The Capital Budget Subcmte spent 3 hours reviewing the capital plan which the Finance Committee had previously reviewed and recommended.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/capital-budget-subcmte-reviews-capital.html

The first of 6 Joint Budget Listening Sessions was held at the Elks Lodge on Thursday.  Less than 50 were in the audience that did ask a bunch of questions, and get answers, so there was a lot of listening being done.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/joint-budget-subcmte-listening-session.html 

Yes, budget, budget, budget continues this week beginning Feb 3, 2025

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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

Budget, budget, budget - oh, and the 'Master Plan' are key topics for the week beginning January 27

Looking ahead to the week beginning January 27, 2025

Yes, the FY 2026 budget and "Master Plan" takes center stage this week. 

Monday begins with a couple of key sessions: 

• School Committee Chair Dave Callaghan amd Vice Chair David McNeill hold a "State of the Schools" session at the Franklin TV studio at 7 PM. https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/reminder-state-of-franklin-schools-jan.html
• The Master Plan Update committee mets at 6:00 PM to finalize their doc and presentation of the "Master Plan" to the Planning Board meeting at 7 PM the same night.  https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01272025-1476

The School District brings the "Superintendent Recommended Budget" forward at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan 28.  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-for_01254023424.html

The Town Council Capital Budget subcommittee gets their view on the capital budget approved last week by the Finance Committee  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/franklin-ma-capital-budget-subcommittee.html

The first of six Listening Sessions begins Thursday, January 30 at the Elks Lodge. https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/all-of-us-are-worthy-of-welcome-video.html

Note: only the March 8 session at the Council Chambers is scheduled to enable remote participation. All six sessions will be broadcast to Comcast, Verizon, & YouTube. 

ONLY, the March 8 session will include Zoom to enable a question or comment. If you want to ask a question, make a comment, or suggestion, you need to be there for the other 5 sessions.

https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

Looking back at the week that was 

(January 20 - 26, 2025)

The Town of Franklin updated its webpage (breaking all prior links). If you set up an account, you can enable more notifications for specific topics (i.e meeting agendas, etc.) than previously. I did so and they are working well.

The School Committe and the Town Council both met at the same time on Wednesday, Jan 22. While Chris broadcast and recorded the Council meeting, I was upstairs in the training room recording the audio for the School's budget workshop. 

School Committee budget workshop recap & audio (exclusive) ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/school-committee-gets-preview-in.html

Town Council Quarterbacking session condenses the meeting ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/tom-mercer-condenses-jan-22-2025-town.html

Town Council video & audio links ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/town-council-meeting-of-jan-22-2025.html

Budget, budget, budget - oh, and the 'Master Plan' are key topics for the week beginning January 27

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

For all the meetings and cultural eventss, 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

Watch out Franklin; with a break for the holiday Monday, here comes the week of January 20 !!!

Looking ahead to the week beginning January 20

Monday, the Martin Luther King Jr holiday shortens the week but not the work. Note, there is no scheduled delay in the pick up of trash/recycling for this week.

School Committee has a total of 3 sessions scheduled, one for negotiation, one Subcommittee for community relations (planning for the Legislative forum Feb 24), and a budget workshop Wednesday to work through the FY 2026 budget

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/school-committee-has-2-meetings-1.html

Town Council meets on Wednesday to discuss a victualers alcohol license for Mirchi, get an update on Maple Hill & Schmidt’s farm, a public hearing on electric signs, and an executive session on contract negotiating strategy

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-for.html

Cultural Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, Conservation Commission meets on Thursday. Agenda for these can be found on the Town calendar https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

Board of Assessors meet on Tuesday at a new date/time. Their meetings are 95% in executive session so not worth the effort to try and attend in person.

Looking back at the week that was

Planning Board met on Monday - video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V5ziNTztWM

School Committee met on Tuesday - recap, audio & video links -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/school-committee-recognizes-fhs_17.html

Finance & Master Plan Update committees both met on Weds

FinCom recap, audio & video links -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/01/finance-committee-approves-recommended_0799398139.html

Master Plan meeting video -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98wFbUo0ugE

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Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

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

Watch out Franklin; with a break for the holiday Monday, here comes the week of January 20 !!!

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