Finance Committee meeting is THE meeting to be on Wednesday, Dec 13

If you really want to know Franklin, then Wednesday night at 7 PM, the Finance Committee meeting is THE meeting to watch, listen to (or catch on replay), or read about after.

With all due respect to the Master Plan Update Committee meeting also about the same time (they start at 6:30), they are early in their process so the more important of the two (in my view) is the Finance Committee "Bill Dowd deep dive" on Facilities.

The agenda doc provides plenty of information about the facilities department and about the recent history of how grants have been able to augment the Town and School budgets with about 2M each per year. (Yes, the data does show an increase since 2020 but most of that is the Federal ARPA, ESSAR funding, and not likely to continue at that rate).

For your reading pleasure in advance of the meeting:

5. The Bill Dowd “Deep Dive” Series

a. Public Property & Building, aka “the Facilities Department”

i. FY24 Public Property & Buildings Budget  

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/fy24_public_property_buildings_budget.pdf

ii. List of Town Owned Buildings  

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/list_of_town_owned_buildings_0.pdf

iii. December 2020 Kaestle Boos study on school facilities current conditions  

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/franklin_comprehensive_facilities_assessment_-_final_updated_12.1.2020_1.pdf

iv. Franklin School Department Redistricting Analysis 

https://www.franklinps.net/district/redistricting-analysis

v. Comprehensive School Facilities Planning Subcommittee  

https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/pages/subcommittees-and-liaisons

vi. 10-year Capital Facilities Plan  

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/5a._vi_-_facilities_capital_improvement_plan_fy23.12.07.23.xlsx_-_10_year_plan.pdf

b. Grants discussion

i. Ten-year municipal grants history  

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/5b._i_-_grant_reporting_project_for_fincom_-_town.pdf

ii. Ten-year school grants history  

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/5b._ii_-_grant_reporting_project_for_fincom_-_school.pdf

The agenda doc includes supporting materials and covers 38 pages (also includes remote participation info)   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/dec_13_2023_fin_com_agenda.pdf

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda for meeting Dec 13, 2023