Franklin, MA: Town Council - agenda for Meeting August 13, 2025

Franklin Town Council

Agenda & Meeting Packet

August 13, 2025  6:00 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building

2nd floor, Council Chambers 

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR

a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 9 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others

b. Chair to identify members participating remotely

c. Upcoming Town Sponsored Community Events

2. CITIZEN COMMENTS

a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to three minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. In compliance with G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 20 et seq, the Open Meeting Law, the Council cannot engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Council may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter. Nothing herein shall prevent the Town Administrator from correcting a misstatement of fact

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - None Scheduled

4. PROCLAMATIONS / RECOGNITIONS

Franklin, MA: Town Council - agenda for Meeting August 13, 2025

a. Proclamation: John “Jay Bird” Simons

b. Proclamation: Saumy Jani & Andrew Bairos

5. APPOINTMENTS

a. Appointments and Reappointments of Town Board and Committee Members

i. See “Committee Appointments” in packet for member names  

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6509/5a-Appointments

6. PUBLIC HEARINGS - 7:00 PM - None Scheduled

7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

a. Pledge of License of a Section 12 All Alcoholic Beverages Restaurant License: Santa Fe Burrito Grill, LLC, Located at 28 West Central Street, Franklin, MA, 02038  https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/6510/7a---LICENSE-TRANSACTION---Santa-Fe-Burrito-Grill

8. PRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSION -

a. FY26 Budget Update - Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6513/8a-Budget-Presentation---Fin-Com-Materials

9. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

a. Resolution 25-52: FY26 Budget Amendment (Motion to Approve Resolution 25-52 - Majority Vote)   https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6514/9a-LINK-ONLY---NOT-FOR-PDF-PACKET---Budget-Presentation---Fin-Com-Materials-1

b. Resolution 25-53: Acceptance of Gift to the Town of Franklin to Restore Part-Time Health and Wellness Nurse Position  (Motion to Approve Resolution 25-53 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6512/9b-25-53---Donation-for-Senior-Center-Nurse-Salary

c. Resolution 25-54: Approval of the Installation of a Sign on Public Property in Recognition of Nello P. Bassignani (Motion to Approve Resolution 25-54 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6518/9c-25-54---Approval-of-Naming-of-Public-Property-in-Recognition-of-Nello-P-Bassignani

d. Bylaw Amendment 25-942: A Bylaw to Amend the Code of the Town of Franklin at Chapter 170, Vehicles and Traffic - First Reading  (Motion to Move Bylaw Amendment 25-942 to a Second Reading - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6520/9d---25-942---Lewis-Street-Parking-Restrictions

e. Resolution 25-55: Acceptance of Gifts - Senior Center ($1,571), Library ($970), Historical Museum ($90) (Motion to Approve Resolution 25-55 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6517/9e-25-56--Gift-Acceptance---Sr-Ctr-Library

10. TOWN ADMINISTRATORS REPORT

a. Franklin Ridge Senior Housing Complex Update

b. National Grid Smart Meter Announcement

11. SUBCOMMITTEE & AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Capital Budget Subcommittee

b. Economic Development Subcommittee

c. Joint Budget Subcommittee

d. Police Station Building Committee

e. GATRA Advisory Board

12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

13. COUNCIL COMMENTS

14. EXECUTIVE SESSION

a. To review and approve minutes from Town Council Executive Sessions. 

b. Exemption #3: Collective Bargaining (The Franklin Police Association) - To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares. 

c. Exemption #6: Considering the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Public Body: CSX Land. 

d. Exemption #6: Considering the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Public Body: Other Property. 

e. Exemption #2: Contract negotiations with non-union personnel: Town Administrator.

15. ADJOURN

Note: Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes

Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting 

Agenda doc also contains remote participation info

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132025-1852 

Bob & I review the COA Letter and reveal the town records on the position funding (audio)

FM #1489 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1489 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with Robert (Bob) Kaufman, member of the Council on Aging which oversees the Senior Center in an advisory capacity. We had our discussion on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio.

 

We talk about 

• The circumstances that created the situation

• The points of the COA Letter

• Rebuttal or alternate explanations for the points of the letter

The point of our conversation was to more fully explain the details around the letter and ensure that we could have a better and civil discussion. While this happened this year, given the financial situation of the town, we will likely see this again. We, the collective "we", need to determine how "we" are going to solve our budget problem.

The recording runs about 59 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1489-coa-letter-robert-kaufman-07-30-25/

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History of the grants and Friends of Franklin Elders (FOFE)

Robert’s email -> bobkaufman@msn.com 

COA Letter as discussed -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/franklin-council-on-aging-letter-to.html 

History of the grants and Friends of Franklin Elders (FOFE) funding for the cook and nurse from 2010 through 2017 when the Town budget provided the funding https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iOz6F1W9Rq-H67C2jmhthNNPL7GZCyMQ/view?usp=drive_link 

To save some from searching, Bob did struggle to recall the name of the last Republican Mayor of Chicago -> a source of the history for “Big Bill” Thompson is available https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hale_Thompson 

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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. 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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