Annual Health Fair scheduled for October, 1 2025 at the Franklin Public Library

Annual Health Fair scheduled for October, 1 2025
at the Franklin Public Library

Local Vendors, Prizes, Giveaways, Activities for Kids, Face Painting, Health Screenings, Refreshments, And Much More!!

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Franklin Public Library 118 Main Street, Franklin, MA

Download the flyer as a reminder or to share

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lyEnEWRzbIgFesvoY8rpm6krdKI3Ecp4/view?usp=drive_link

Free flu vaccine clinic for adults scheduled for Sep 25 at the Franklin Senior Center

Free flu vaccine clinic for adults scheduled
for Sep 25 at the Franklin Senior Center

The Franklin Health Department is hosting a flu vaccine clinic for adults at the Franklin Senior Center on September 25 from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM. 

More to come on the flu clinic for children.. that will be held in October. 

Thank you for helping ensure we have a safe flu season!  

Sign up link: -> https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/franklin?site=franklin-flu-clinic

Download the flyer as a reminder or to share -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M3hviMjvTwOtX8Qu6mdLWU_1boon8kWo/view?usp=drive_link

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 ??

Library & Senior Center events

Wednesday, September 10

1pm Writer's Group (Franklin Senior Center)

3pm FREE "Stop the Bleed" class (Franklin Fire Department) 

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->        

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

**  Town Meetings today   **

Historical Commission Meeting

Wednesday, September 10 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09102025-1906

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What's happening in Franklin, MA

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

Town of Franklin, MA: flu clinic scheduled for children Oct 8, 2025; sign up today !!!

Town of Franklin, MA: flu clinic scheduled
for children Oct 8, 2025; sign up today !!!

The Franklin Health Department will be hosting a flu vaccine clinic for children 18 and under on October 8th from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM at the Franklin Senior Center. 

All flu shots are free! (no insurance required).


Sign Up Here: https://t.co/AI8AGZgsND 

Download the flyer as a reminder or to share ->    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qP5FVAT0W83CPtzb3XQvfCZJdx5M0YV8/view?usp=drive_link

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, September 3, 2025 ??

Wednesday, September 3

10:00am Veterans Coffee Social (Franklin Senior Center)

Library & Senior Center events

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->        

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

** Town Meetings today   **

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING

Wednesday, September 3 Time: 5:00 PM CANCELLED

Agenda doc removed, meeting marked as canceled (discovered when getting ready to participate in meeting)

Historical Commission

Wednesday, September 3 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09032025-1889 

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, September 3 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09032025-1891 

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What's happening in Franklin, MA

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

Board of Health Agenda for meeting Sep 3, 2025 at 5 PM

BOARD OF HEALTH AGENDA

September 3, 2025

The Board of Health will be conducting the Board of Health meeting on Google meet at 5:00 PM or in person in the Training room on the 3rd floor

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

May 19, 2025

June 4, 2025

July 23, 2025

NEW BUSINESS

● Prohibiting sale of Kratom products and Nitrate “Poppers” discussion

● Tobacco regulation amendment discussion

● 2026 Tobacco Control Agent discussion

● Metacomet Baby Shower update

● Metacomet shared service grant regional health agent report

● Metacomet shared service grant public health nurse report

CITIZENS COMMENTARY

ADJOURNMENT

Agenda doc also provides remote participation info ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09032025-1882

Board of Health Agenda for meeting Sep 3, 2025 at 5 PM

Register Today !! Flu Clinic at Franklin Senior Center - Sep 25

Register Today !! Flu Clinic at Franklin Senior Center - Sep 25

Save the Date!

Register today!! 

The Franklin Health Department is hosting a flu vaccine clinic for adults at the Franklin Senior Center on September 25th from 9:30 am -12:30 pm.

Sign up Here:

https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/franklin?site=franklin-flu-clinic

Shared from ->   https://www.facebook.com/share/175Q6RgHm1/

What "one" question would have for a candidate in the Town of Franklin Biennial Election Nov 4, 2025 ???

As the ballot gets closer to being finalized, we can take review the questions we have used in previous elections (link for 2023 & 2021 provided below) and see if there are any updates required.

You can make multiple question entries to ask your "one" question for each role. For example, the question for a Town Council candidate would likely differ from a Planning Board candidate. 

You can help with this effort by submitting your "one" question for each candidate role with a 3 step process. 

• Enter your email (required for validation of the question)
• Select the candidate role for your question
• Enter your question

The final set of questions will be published after the analysis is complete.

Link to question survey -> https://forms.gle/aoVd8bRz1ULwkCnq8

Questions being gathered for use by Franklin Matters/Franklin Public Radio candidate interviews for the Town of Franklin 2025 Biennial Election.

Questions used for the 2023 Biennial Election ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OdCjTIczcePZDciQuW8HZSfF34LAnCVh/view?usp=drive_link

Questions used for the 2021 Biennial Election ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GkFh21gYukaMheQL-P4C0T_EEaItvcAu/view

What "one" question would have for a candidate?

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing as of Aug 12, 2025

Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted an updated report as of August 12, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors and Planning Board at this point.

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board

5 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

14 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

Only the Board of Health remains without a candidate for the one open position at this time. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download -> (corrected the link; had been last Friday's and not Tuesday 8/12)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15wgK6INBCpHNSE_v6oGnEP-86KqJCQud/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display:

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing - Aug 8, 2025

Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted an updated report as of August 8, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, and Planning Board at this point.

There is 

1 candidate for 2 spots on the Planning Board

5 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

13 candidate for 9 spots on the Town Council

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

Board of Assessors and Board of Health no action yet.

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YqLUACG02mAmtQf4sEFcj92tqt-xUi3d/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display:

Annual Report of the Town of Franklin Board of Health - FY 2024

With the Biennial Election coming up November 4, 2025, the nomination papers are available beginning Aug 4, 2025 for candidates to take, obtain the appropriate number of signatures to get on the ballot. 

We are sharing the section of the Annual Report for the Town of Franklin 2024 to help explain what each role entails. The Board of Health doesn't actually have a 'report' so we include the Health Dept report as this is the activity the Board provides oversight for.

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Mission Statement

The Franklin Health Department is charged with protecting the public health and well being of the community, in accordance with federal, state and local laws and regulations. The duties of the health department cover a wide range of public health control and prevention activities, including: disease surveillance; the promotion of sanitary conditions in housing, recreational facilities, and food establishments; elimination of nuisances; the protection of the environment; and numerous other responsibilities.

Board of Health

The three-member elected Board of Health is the policy making arm for the health department. The board members assist in the drafting of public health bylaws and regulations. The board also presides over administrative hearings concerning health department licensed and permitted activities. The board members are utilized for consultation on issues relative to public health as well.

• Chair, Bridget Sweet 
• Vice Chair, Jeff Harris 
• Member, Kim Mu-Chow

Staff

The current Health Department staff is as follows:

• Cathleen Liberty, Director of Public Health Ginny McNeil, Health Agent
• Alisha Deptula, Public Health Nurse
• Cassia Monterio, Regional Shared Coordinator

Community Resources Provided

The Health Department continues to hold fall and spring health fairs at the library to provide health resources to the community.

The public health nurse spent countless hours attending to the occupants at the EA Emergency Shelter providing nursing and other services. A coalition of key stakeholders was created to provide community resources to the occupants at the EA Emergency Shelter and a dashboard was created to provide information regarding the EA Emergency Shelter to the community.

 

An interactive website has been created to offer the community updated information on opioid misuse data that can be found on the health department website.

The public health nurse and the fire department continue to offer hands only CPR training for the community.

Communicable Disease

As mandated by the State Department of Public Health, local health departments must report, investigate and track all communicable disease occurrences in their jurisdictions. The public health nurse investigates communicable diseases that occur in the Town of Franklin.

The following depicts the reportable illness activity from July 1, 2023 through July 1, 2024 in number of confirmed cases:

Calicivirus/Norovirus     1

Campylobacteriosis         4

Giardiasis                         1

Group A streptococcus 2

Group B streptococcus 2

Haemophilus influenzae 1

Hepatitis B                 1

Hepatitis C                 4

Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis 1

Influenza                         309

Legionellosis                 1

Novel Coronavirus         568

Pertussis                         8

Salmonellosis                 3

Tuberculosis                 19

Vibrio sp.                     1

 

Hours of Operation

The Franklin Health Department office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 8:00AM to 4:00PM, Wednesday from 8:00AM to 6:00 PM and Friday from 8:00AM to 1:00PM.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Board of Health members and the Town Administrator for giving me the opportunity to serve as the Director of Public Health for the Town of Franklin and for their continued support.

Respectfully submitted,

Cathleen Liberty, 

Director of Public Health

You can download as reference the Health Department section in the Annual report -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-CKuwS8WkBMPGKlKJMDFvmMdJBZQfXtP/view?usp=drive_link

or dig into the full annual report here ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JGxfeanVhITZ9jSTGf6tgDMtVlI000Ju/view?usp=drive_link

Annual Report of the Town of Franklin Board of Health - FY 2024

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing - Aug 7, 2025

Town Clerk Nancy Danello released an updated report as of August 7, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, and Planning Board at this point.

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

Board of Assessors and Board of Health no action yet.

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VSTb1kW35DmG-m6B3YqqimllmmIyNF_V/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display:

Franklin Town Clerk walks us through the timeline for the Biennial Election Nov 4, 2025 (audio)

FM #1488 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1488 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with Town Clerk Nancy Danello and Deputy Town Clerk Dyan Fitzgerald about the 2025 Biennial Election to be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.  

Our conversation covers:

• Candidate nomination papers available as of August 4 during office hours in Clerk’s Office

• Appointment requested

• Candidate nomination papers due back by Sept 15

• Withdrawal if needed, completed by Sep 22

• Last day to register to vote is October 25

• Early voting schedule to be published later

• Office closed on Tuesday November 4 to run the election at Franklin High School gymnasium

• November 4 election voting hours from 6 AM to 8 PM

• Unofficial results expected around 9 PM

• 

  Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers

  November election 

• for a 2 year term of office for the Town Council and School Committee. 

• For a 4 year term: Town Clerk, Planning Board, Board of Assessor, Board of Health

 

Our conversation recording runs about 25 minutes, so let’s listen in 

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1488-town-clerk-on-the-biennial-election-2025-07-31-25/

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Town Clerk page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/333/Town-Clerk-Elections-Division

November election timeline ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6245/Important-dates-to-remember- 

Seats up for election in November ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6240/Seats-Available 

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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"