From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.
General Purpose
The primary functions of this Commission are to educate about disability, advocate for persons with disabilities, and act as a resource for those who may require disability-related services or have concerns.
Staffing
● There are currently Seven (7) Volunteer Members which will increase to nine (9) Volunteer Members
○ Includes: One (1) Chair
○ Includes: One (1) Vice Chair
○ Includes: One (1) Clerk
Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments
● Hosting a Disability Expo for several years to provide the public with disability-related resources and services
● Advocating for important accessibility improvements and ADA compliance in the Town of Franklin, including the successful new Dean MBTA Station accessible platform
● Connecting numerous Franklin residents to much-needed disability-related resources
● Completing a “Disability-Related Services” public document and publishing it on the COD website to help guide residents to needed resources
● Developing an "Accessibility In Franklin” public document to help residents easily look up locations and events in town to determine how accessible they are for their own personal needs
● Attending town events such as the Senior Expo, and planning to attend town events such as the Strawberry Stroll, to spread awareness and education about disability and how the COD can help residents
● Establishing a consistent process for reporting, recording, and monitoring revenue received from handicap parking violations, in accordance with Chapter 40, Section 22G
● Creating an Accessibility Working Group to connect the COD with the Town Department Heads
● Supporting the municipal staff in achieving Title II digital compliance
● Advocating for and working with the Town Council and Town Administrator on accessibility goals within the town goals
FY27 Requested Budget Highlights
● This is a level-funded budget, which was just created two years ago.
The PDF of this section -
For the full FY 2027 budget narrative - https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1
The complete set of FY 2027 budget information can be found
