Jamie and Lucas close out FY 2025, look to the summer, and what's next (audio)

FM #1478 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1478 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and School Superintendent Lucas Giguere in the Municipal Building on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.  

Key topics

• After the FY 2026 budget discussion, what’s next

• Town business

• School’s redistricting

• Survey and engagement

• Music playlists, concerts, & time away

The recording runs about  55 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie & Lucas.  Audio link -> https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/letstalkfranklin/episodes/Talk-Franklin---A-Podcast-from-the-Town-Administrators-Office-e35jgvq/a-ac26nek

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Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/ 

Franklin Public Schools page ->  https://www.franklinps.net/ 

Community calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar 

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

Jamie and Lucas close out FY 2025, look to the summer, and what's next (audio)

2024 Year in Review with Jamie & Amy in this "Talk Franklin" episode (audio)

FM #1339 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1339 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Deputy Administrator Amy Frigulietti in the Municipal Building on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.  

Our discussion was essentially a review of the 2024 calendar year. While the failed override was significant, Jamie & Amy wanted to highlight some of the other key accomplishments.

Key topics

• Franklin Crisis Action Team (FCAT)

• Community survey

• Community engagement & civil discourse

• Many of the accomplishments are also listed in the mid year summary doc in the Council agenda for 12/18/24

The recording runs about 57 minutes. Let’s listen to this conversation closing out 2024 Audio link -> https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/letstalkfranklin/episodes/Talk-Franklin--A-Podcast-from-the-Town-Administrators-Office---December-17--2024-e2sg36l/a-abmi7dh

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Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/ 

Community calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar 

Mid-year review (adoption of 2025 goals) https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/9a._resolution_24-78_tc_goals.pdf 

Homeless resources page -> https://sites.google.com/view/homeless-resources-services/home 

Healthcare & Resources link -> https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7a79d8f9979f4709ad5b7311c91c8258

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

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!

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

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

2024 Year in Review with Jamie & Amy in this "Talk Franklin" episode (audio)

Jamie & Lucas talk town and school topics leading to the Joint Budget work starting Weds 9/11(audio)

FM #1275 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1275 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and School Superintendent Lucas Giguere. We had our conversation in the Town Administrator's office on Monday, September 9, 2023.  

September brings

• Renovation to Town offices, process improvements

• School re-opening

• Redistricting planning

• Joint Budget Subcommittee starts Sep 11 to work on budget for FY 2026

• More engaged now, need to bring them along the discussion on wish list items, what do we really need, and then prioritize accordingly

The recording runs about 50 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Lucas. Audio link -> https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letstalkfranklin/episodes/Talk-Franklin--A-Podcast-from-the-Town-Administrators-Office---September-9--2024-e2o7to1/a-abh5u11

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Joint Budget Subcommittee agenda for 9/11 meeting

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/09/agenda-for-joint-budget-subcommittee.html

New design of Franklin Schools web site -> https://www.franklinps.net/ 

It also comes with an app for Apple and Android phones (not tablets)

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

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

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"

Jamie & Lucas talk town and school topics leading to the Joint Budget work starting Weds 9/11(audio)

Many Override questions answered at Franklin Senior Center on Wednesday (audio)

FM #1227 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1227 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Override Q&A session conducted at the Franklin Senior Center on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. Town Administrator Jamie Hellen was joined by School Superintendent Lucas Giguere and School Business Administrator Dr Bob Dutch to provide an override and answer many questions. 

Town Clerk Nancy Danello provided an update that as of that afternoon, 3700 ballots had been cast for the early voting on the June 11 Special Election. She was also there to answer questions on the election process but none were raised.

Many of the questions were asked by skeptics in the group. It seemed apparent that some myths were dispelled, yet despite the info, some seemingly were not changing their minds.  

The conversation runs just less than 2 hours. Let’s listen to the Q&A session on June 5. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1227-franklin-senior-center-override-qna-06-05-24

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Override Info page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/webforms/fy25-override-information 

FY 2025 Town budget page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/webforms/fy-25-budget-materials 

Citizen Discounts and Exemptions info page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/citizen-discounts-exemptions 

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

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

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

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

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" 

Many Override questions answered at Franklin Senior Center on Wednesday (audio)

Voices of Franklin: Dear Franklin Town Council & School Committee, "Please, vote to put the override on the ballot in June"

Dear Franklin Town Council & School Committee, Mr. Helen and Superintendent Giguere, 

I am writing to you this evening to urge you all to vote to put the override on the ballot this June.  Anyone who claims this has been a rushed process has simply not been paying attention.  I take particular umbrage at the residents who have lived here far longer than I have who are claiming this override process has been rushed.  As someone who only moved here in late 2021, and, again, has a toddler and an infant at home, I should be the resident who has no idea of the financial straits Franklin is in.  And yet I am aware.  The idea that this override process has been rushed is simply absurd.  A simple Google search will pull up the former Superintendent of Schools comments from 2008 - 16 years ago - about the financial crunch facing the Franklin Schools.  

Former Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote, "taxes are the price we pay to live in a civilized society."  That's the ballgame - taxes are the price we pay to enjoy all the benefits of civilization.  At the local level, that means our water and sewer systems work, our roads are paved, we have police and fire departments, we have good schools, and all of those services must be funded adequately.

I believe reasonable people can disagree.  I also believe that reasonable people, when looking at the financial data provided, will happily shell out more money in property taxes in order to continue to fund our local government properly, because the alternative is horrifying.  

Let me be clear - I want to live in a town where our local services are properly funded.  If that means I pay more in property taxes to do so, then I will do so happily.  I want the Franklin Police Department to be fully funded (and I want them to get the new police station they need when the time comes for that).  I want the Fire Department to be fully funded.  I want the DPW to be fully funded. I want the Library to be fully funded.  I want the Facilities Department to be fully funded, and yes, I want to make damn sure the schools are fully funded as well.  And I know that nothing in life comes free, so I (and many more people in town) are willing to pay that cost, to ensure that our local services remain the best they can be.  

I know Franklin does have people on fixed incomes, and this will be difficult for them.  This includes my own aunt and uncle living here as well.  I have all the sympathy in the world for people on fixed incomes during these times of crazy inflation. I can only hope that they understand this override is absolutely necessary and their sense of civic duty and pride in the town of Franklin motivates them to vote in favor of it, despite the additional hardship such an override will represent.

However, I believe a lot of the opposition to the override comes from people who are currently in the workforce, people who have seen the property values of their homes skyrocket in recent years, and simply buy into the narrative that government is the problem and that taxes are a form of theft.  Please, ignore those people, as they do not represent the majority of voters here in Franklin.  Please, vote to put the override on the ballot in June.  Thank you all for your service - I know that you all get a lot of flak in your positions as government leaders.  Keep your heads up, ignore the negativity, and please do the right thing and put the override to the ballot in June.  I look forward to seeing the joint Town Council/School Committee meeting this Wednesday at FHS.

Respectfully,

Ben Liberto

23 Southgate Rd.  

Voices of Franklin: Dear Franklin Town Council & School Committee, "Please, vote to put the override on the ballot in June"

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html