Franklin MAtters Weekly

Saturday, September 27, 2025

A summer day in September? Yup, it can happen (audio)

A summer day in September?

Yup, it can happen, and it brought out the crowds to the Annual Harvest Festival in downtown Franklin, on Saturday, Sep 27. From the triangle to School St, Main St was chockfull of families, vendors, organizations, sprinkled with games and live music. It was clear a good time was had by all!

This week brings the formal transition from September to October.

The Pumpkin Patch opens Sunday the 28th at St John’s
Franklin Cultural Council and Agricultural Committee are scheduled to meet on Monday, Sep 29
Franklin Housing Authority and Franklin School Committee meet on Tuesday, Sep 30
The Board of Health meets on Wednesday, Oct 1
The Franklin Commission on Disability and Conservation Commission are scheduled to meet on Thursday, Oct 2
The Farmers Market returns to the Town Common on Friday with only a few more times remaining before closing down for the season
The Fire Dept holds an Open House on Saturday, Oct 4 to close out the week

No matter the weather, we are also into our biennial election season. Let’s keep the conversations going in a civil and respectful manner.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1516-franklin-matters-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-09-28-to-10-04-2025/

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 9/36/25, 7:30 PM

Franklin Cultural Council Meeting

Monday, September 29 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09292025-1930

Franklin Agricultural Committee Meeting

Monday, September 29 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09292025-1926

Franklin Housing Authority Meeting

Tuesday, September 30 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09302025-1932

Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, September 30 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09302025-1934

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10012025-1917

Franklin Commission of Disability

Thursday, October 2, 2025 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10022025-1931

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, October 2, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/506?fileID=6550

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

The Planning Board met on Monday, Sep 22. The Franklin TV video can be found -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrUCN7h3ohU

The 2nd of the 3 opportunities to tour the current Police Station and view the existing conditions was poorly attended on Tuesday, Sep 23. One more is currently scheduled for Sunday, Oct 5 at 6:00 PM

The Town Council held an Executive Session on Wednesday. We are likely to find out what it entails at a future meeting. This session was a hold over from the one at the end of their Sep 17 meeting which apparently ran out of time to complete the required business.

The Zoning Board of Appeals met on Thursday, Sep 25. The Franklin TV video can be found -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbZgtnLczFc

On the sports front:

Franklin TV broadcast the FHS boys soccer game on Sep 25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy4L94gJnpc

And the FHS volleyball game on Sep 26 -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quKasBaj3jM

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

A summer day in September? Yup, it can happen

Saturday, September 20, 2025

What's the outlook this week? Not enough rain, not enough revenue!

Ironic that the first day it rains in a while, the State announcement on moving to a new level of drought status arrives.

Yes, the outlook for Franklin includes a dry period continuation and potential for a further restriction in outdoor water use as the next couple of months roll towards us. Fortunately, the major growing season is behind us so there should be minimal impact.

On the budget front another shortfall of approx. $271,000 was revealed for the new growth number. How does that happen? There is a quarterly review of incomes and expenses as each budget year progresses. The work of the Board of Assessors showed the shortfall in new growth which may force a further reduction in the current year budget before the tax rate hearing arrives at the end of November, early December.

What does this new reduction mean? The recent trend in new growth coming in lower than previous years is a major concern. New growth is a reflection of the economic development (new housing and commercial buildings, or enhancements, renovations to existing buildings), the downward trend means that the future budget discussions will be that much more important.

The Town needs to seriously consider how to fund necessary services. If it can’t be done with new growth (the downward trend), and we don’t pass an override (only 1 was ever successful), then the definition of ‘necessary’ services will need to be redefined.

The Planning Board is scheduled to meet on Monday with some development proposals on its agenda. The second of the series of tours for the community to view the existing conditions of the Police Station is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:00 PM. The Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA) continues their one meeting a month routine with a session on Thursday.

The Harvest Festival closes out the week on Saturday, Sep 27. Main St will be closed from the triangle through to the Library (at School St) and filled with booths for fun, information, and hopefully very civil conversations on all that is happening in and around Franklin.

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 9/19/25, 7:30 PM

Franklin Housing Authority

Monday, September 22 Time: 4:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09222025-1914

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, September 22 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09222025-1913

Police Station Open House

Tuesday, September 23 Time: 6:00 PM

No agenda needed for Open House

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, September 23 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09232025-1916

Town Council - Executive Session Only (added 9/22/25 AM)

Wednesday, September 24 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09242025-1921

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting

Thursday, September 25 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09252025-1892

Franklin School Committee - Comm. Relations Sub Committee

Saturday, September 27 Time: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09272025-1915

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

The Town Council met on Wednesday, Sep 17. The video and recap is available for replay. The Town Council Quarterbacking session with Council Chair Tom Mercer will be available this weekend at Franklin.News

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/09/town-council-welcomed-2-new-police.html

The Conservation Commission met on Thursday. The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ7geg28FlA

The big event of the week was the ribbon cutting on Wednesday and opening Thursday of the Children's Museum -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/09/childrens-museum-of-franklin-ribbon.html

Franklin High School sports were covered with 4 live streamed broadcasts during the past week.

Volleyball match on Monday -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL9yaax5idw
Boys soccer on Tuesday -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk2IKFBsN-w
Girls soccer on Thursday -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmYnyB5hIpA
Football game away at Brockton on Friday -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyPvQ7krFqA

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

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Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1515-fm-weekly-outlook-lookback-combo-09-21-25/

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Biennial election ballots gets complete, Town Council has a full agenda for the week of Sep 14, 2025

The middle of September is here already.

The Biennial Election ballot gets close to final this week as all the nomination papers are due Monday, Sep 15. Candidates can still change their mind by Sep 22 to withdraw. After the 22nd, the ballots will get sent out for printing and be back in time for the in person early voting scheduled to begin Oct 17.

The in person early voting schedule has been posted by the Town Clerk and added to the Community Calendar.

The Town Council agenda is full. Among the key items are:

Some Police Dept personnel are sworn in as back fill for retirees
There are zoning bylaws in a couple of categories; a set of six to create the Crossing Neighborhood District, and a couple of others for commercial kitchens in residential areas as long as the unit is on septic (not Town sewer)
There is also a presentation on the solicitation permit process by Chief Lynch and Deputy Chief West
Town Administrator Jamie Hellen is also scheduled to provide a personnel update; i.e word has it the replacement for Bryan Taberner has been hired

2 additional options for getting your questions answered occur this week. Steve Sherlock holds his Franklin Q&A at the Senior Center, Wednesday, Sep 17 at 11 AM. The Town and Local official also hold their coffee hour at the Senior Center on Thursday at 8:30 AM.

Buckle those seat belts, driving safely now that school is settling into their schedule. The Biennial Election campaign period is about to get real active over the next several weeks.

*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 9/12/25, 9:30 PM

Library Board of Directors Regular meeting

Monday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Library-Board-of-Directors-20/?#_09152025-1904

Recreation Advisory Board Meeting

Monday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152025-1867

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, September 17 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172025-1911

Town Council Office Hours

Thursday, September 18 Time: 8:30 AM