Listen to the first session of the Joint Budget Subcommittee Thursday, April 16, 2026 (audio)

FM #1736 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1736 in the series. 

This session shares the Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting held on Thursday, April 16, 2026. 

The recording runs about 1 hour & 55 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link -  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1736-joint-budget-subcmte-mtg-04-16-26/

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Franklin TV video is available for replay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbKccD9CA3Q 

The agenda for this session

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162026-2252  

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

DPW Update: Friday Trash Will Be Completed Saturday May 2, 2026

Friday Trash Will Be Completed Saturday - 1

Friday Trash Will Be Completed Saturday

Update from Waste Management 6:00pm 5/1/26:

"Due to known delays throughout the week at the disposal facility, we were unable to complete Friday's Trash Collection. We have a plan in place to recover the streets that are still "on the ground" tomorrow (Saturday 5/2/26). 

Friday Trash Will Be Completed Saturday 2

See BLUE on attached maps for affected areas. Thank you for your patience."

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Friday, May 1, 2026 ???

Friday, May 1

10:00am Knitting Group (Franklin Public Library)

1:00pm Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

6:00pm    Jamie Barrett (live music)    Galliford's Restaurant)

For Library events -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times

***  NO  Town Meetings today   ***

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Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

PorchFest Registration Extended Through May 7, 2026 !!!

PorchFest Registration Extended Through May 7, 2026

Good news! Registration for both porch hosts and bands for Franklin PorchFest 2026 has been extended and will now close on May 7.

If you’ve been thinking about hosting a band on your porch or driveway—or if you're a musician looking to perform—this is your final chance to sign up. Don’t miss out!

Register today at Franklin.PorchFest.Info.

PorchFest is a community-wide music festival held in Franklin’s Cultural District, featuring local bands performing on residents’ porches throughout the district. Best of all, the event is completely FREE to attend.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026

• Time: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

• Rain Date: Sunday, June 7, 2026

Performance schedules and maps will be available on the website around June 1.

Bring your friends, explore the neighborhood, and enjoy a full day of live, local music!

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Animal Control Department

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The Animal Control Department is responsible for the protection of domesticated animals in Franklin and the care and control of wildlife as needed. Animal Licensing and enforcement of laws pertaining to the care and treatment of animals are under the jurisdiction of this department.

The Animal Control Department is regionalized with the Town of Bellingham and offers 24/7 coverage.

Residents who are interested in contacting the Animal Control Department are encouraged to visit our website or call (508)-520-4922.

Core Functions

● Animal Control Officers work diligently to provide excellent care to all animals in the Town of Franklin, making every effort to reunite domesticated animals with their owner, and always keeping the safety of animals and residents as their top priority.

● Animal Control Officers Tracey Taddeo and Patrick Kelleher also serve as Inspector of Animals. The Inspector of Animals position is required for all domestic and wildlife bites and has the ability to quarantine residents’ pets.

● The Inspectors of Animals performs barn and kennel inspections and has the authority to grant or deny a kennel license.

Staffing

● One (1) Animal Control Officer

● One (1) Assistant Animal Control Officer

● Four (4) Part-Time Animal Control Officers

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

● The Animal Control Department received and investigated 3,215 calls in FY25, some of which are detailed below:

○ 47 dogs were picked up; 46 of which were claimed and 1 of which were not claimed

○ 9 cats and 7 other unspecified animals were picked up

○ 22 animals were taken to be seen by a veterinarian

○ 583 deceased animals were removed from public spaces

○ 49 animals were humanely euthanized

○ 37 dogs were found off-leash

○ 67 animal bites were reported; all animals were quarantined for 10 days and none were found to be rabid

○ 13 animals were tested for rabies; 0 were found to be rabid

○ 1 dogs were held as evidence in criminal investigations

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

● This is a level-funded budget as presented, but will change if a regional agreement is altered. Bellingham and Franklin will be working on a revised shared services agreement this year, with a longer term goal of adding more communities, if possible, for greater economies of scale. However, this is a long term strategy, not an idea that will be implemented in a year or two.

The PDF of this section - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x2jDry01j9f-9gfzMJtTJ2e23QApGP5I/view?usp=drive_link

For the full FY 2027 budget narrative -  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1

The FY 2027 budget information can be found 

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

We sat down with Kevin Harn to hear about the Facilities Dept (audio)

FM #1735 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1735 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with Kevin Harn, Director of Facilities. We had our discussion in person at the Franklin TV Studio on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

 

We talk about 

• The amount of space and equipment managed across Town & schools

• The team structure and scope

• Coordination with all the other departments to deliver support

• Efforts to reduce cost in building maintenance 

The recording runs about 29 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1735-franklin-ma-kevin-harn-facilities-dept-04-28-26/

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Facilities page: https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/193/Facilities-Department 

Projects page - https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/1196/Projects 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

FHS girls & boys tennis and girls lacrosse teams post wins on Thursday

Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Spring sports competition for Franklin High School on Thursday, April 30, 2026

Baseball = Franklin @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to TBD.

Boys Lacrosse = Mansfield, 15 @ Franklin, 8 – Final 

– Mansfield remained perfect on the season and opened up a two-game lead in the Davenport standings with a win over Franklin. The Hornets led 3-1 after one, but scored six goals in the second quarter, extending the cushion to 9-3 at halftime and 12-4 after three. Thomas Donovan had a hand in three-fifths of Mansfield’s goals, scoring six times and setting up three others. Cole Hogencamp had a hat trick of goals and assists and Anthony DiIeso added three scores. Nico Smith scored twice, Andrew DeGirolamo had a goal and two assists, and Tommy Vallett set up a pair of goals. Zane Plante made seven saves in the cage for Mansfield. For Franklin, Quinn Kielty scored a hat trick and had one assist while Charlie Ballarino, Thomas Quinn, Max Lisker, Ben Scaccia and Luke Longo each scored once for the Panthers. Dean Lawless was busy in net and made 18 saves.

Franklin TV video - https://www.youtube.com/live/Y69yUPnzVZA?&t=1015

Girls Lacrosse = Franklin, 12 @ Westwood, 8 – Final 

– Codi Lai was outstanding in net with 11 saves and the entire defensive unit turned in a strong performance as undefeated Franklin picked up its biggest win of the season, knocking off one of the top programs in the state in Westwood for the first time since 2017. The Panthers controlled the first three quarters and built a 12-4 lead before the Wolverines rallied late to close the gap. Clara Blongastainer dominated with 12 draw controls while adding four goals and one assist, and Ruby Risgin and Vera Hansen each finished with three goals and one assist. Morgan Lovell had three draw controls and three ground balls while helping shut down Westwood’s top threats.

Boys Tennis = Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final 

– The second doubles pairing of junior Rushil Partidar and junior Ronan Saidha clinched the match as Franklin swept doubles to earn a 3-2 win on the road at Foxboro. The duo rebounded after dropping the first set to win 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-1 and secure the deciding point. At first doubles, seniors Max Sebell and Romane Celestine handled a 6-3, 6-1 win. Franklin also got a singles win from sophomore Anish Bokil, who earned a 6-2, 6-4 victory at second singles. Foxboro freshman Jacob Dsouza earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, while sophomore Griffin Brown picked up a hard-fought three-set win at third singles.

Girls Tennis = Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final 

– Franklin defended home court with a sweep over visiting Foxboro. Senior Isabelle Simino earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, sophomore Anna Powers added a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second singles, and senior Avalon Thomes secured a 6-2, 6-0 win at third singles. At first doubles, sophomore Genevieve Camire and freshman Alexa Buliung rallied for a 3-6, 7-5, 10-8 win, while senior Arden Meyer paired up with sophomore Julianne Love to pull out a 2-6, 7-6, 10-8 victory at second doubles.

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)

https://hockomocksports.com/thursdays-schedule-scoreboard-04-30-26/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

View in browser Franklin High School Hosts Career Fair for Juniors and Seniors An overhead view as students move throughout the Career Fair at Franklin High School. (Photo Courtesy Franklin Public Schools) FRANKLIN — Juniors and seniors at Franklin High School recently got a firsthand look at potential career paths, when the school hosted a Career Fair in its library during the WIN block. Ten organizations participated in the event, representing a range of fields including trade schools, home service companies and public safety — with the Franklin Police and Fire Departments among those in attendance. Approximately 50 junior and senior students moved through the space engaging directly with community professionals, exploring trades and careers beyond the traditional four-year college track. "I want to thank the Career Fair team for their work in organizing this opportunity for our students," said Superintendent Lucas Giguere. "Events like this give our students direct access to professionals and possibilities they might not otherwise encounter. We're proud to support opportunities that connect Franklin students to their community and their future." Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Dr. Tina Rogers shared that sentiment after spending time at the fair herself. "The conversations happening between students and professionals throughout the fair were exactly what this kind of event is meant to produce," said Dr. Rogers. "We look forward to building on this and creating more opportunities like it for our students." The event was the first career fair the district has hosted in some time and hopes it will become a recurring opportunity for students. Approximately 50 junior and senior students moved through the space engaging directly with community professionals and exploring trades and careers. (Photo Courtesy Franklin Public Schools) A message from Franklin Public Schools John Guilfoil Public Relations, 1 Elm Park, Groveland, MA 01834, United States, (617) 993-0003

Tickets for the Empty Bowls Event, Thursday, May 14 on sale

Tickets for the Empty Bowls Event,
Thursday, May 14 on sale

"Empty Bowls Dinner and Fundraiser is just over two weeks away and we're grateful for our Soup Starter Sponsors who are helping making this year's event a success!

Thank you Grove Street Auto Repair, Advanced European Repair, Franklin Matters Weekly, Marcov's Sharp Gymnastics, QRGA Certified Public Accountants, and the Baur Family for your support!

Tickets for the May 14th event"

Link to tickets - https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/happenings/events/emptybowls-2/

@grovestreetauto
@marcovgymnastics

@franklinmatters.ma

Shared from -  https://www.instagram.com/p/DXuAC4ZDsjF/

Yes, I am proud to be among the sponsors of the Empty Bowl event

Franklin's Cultural highlights feature Horace Mann's birthday at the Historical Museum

"Join @franklinhistoricalmuseum this weekend as we kick off #HoraceMann’s birthday month!"

• Horace Mann's birthday weekend
• Fakes & Forgeries
• LiveArts String Quartet

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DXwwnR2DzcO/

Now Available: Franklin First Newsletter — April 2026

View this in your browser

April 30, 2026 Now Available: Franklin First Newsletter — April 2026 The latest edition of the Franklin First Newsletter (April 2026) is now available! Explore updates, highlights, and important information from Town departments. Stay informed and connected with what’s going on in Franklin. Read: Franklin First Newsletter: April 2026 (PDF) View it on website

Or view the embedded PDF here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z3UP3XpLSTV0maZDwGu1ZhfDNP2DYtjb/view?usp=sharing

Dean College Vocal Ensemble Concert scheduled for Sunday, May 3

Dean College Vocal Ensemble Concert
scheduled for Sunday, May 3

"Don’t forget to visit @dcvocalensemble before they break for the summer season! "

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DXwwKyfD9tI/

Jamie Barrett scheduled to play at Galliford's May 1 from 6 to 9 PM

Jamie Barrett scheduled to play at Galliford's May 1 from 6 to 9 PM

via Jamie Barrett:

Come hang out at Galliford's Restaurant & Tavern for great food, drinks, and live music- I’ll be playing from 6–9 PM! We’d love to see you there 

https://facebook.com/events/s/jamie-barrett-live/1303080101695409/

This show (booked last summer!) is part of a small handful I’ve got lined up, and I’m really looking forward to each one. If you’ve been meaning to catch a set, this is a great time to do it- who knows what’s coming next?