FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Franklin Police Department

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing. 

General Purpose

The mission of the Franklin Police Department is to work collaboratively in partnership with our community to enhance the quality of life in our town, while maintaining order and protecting the people we serve. We will accomplish this mission by providing high quality law enforcement service, doing so with professionalism, honor and integrity.

Core Functions

● Operations Division

○ Our primary function as stated in our Mission Statement is to enhance the quality of life while protecting and serving the Citizens of the Town of Franklin and the general public at large. This responsibility is accomplished by all employees of the department, but mostly through the efforts of the Operations Division who handle a majority of the requests for service the agency receives. This division consists of one Lieutenant, seven (7) Sergeants and thirty-four (34) patrol officers. The main task of the Operations Division is motorized patrol, responding to calls for service, traffic enforcement, parking related issues and performing initial investigations. The FPD

Co-Response Program consisting of three (3) highly trained mental health clinicians is also assigned to the Operations Division.

 

● Specialized Services Division

○ Our Specialized Services Division, led by a Lieutenant, is divided into two separate functions consisting of the Criminal Investigations / Court Unit and the Community Services Unit. The Criminal investigations / Court Unit consists of one sergeant, five (5) investigative officers, and one court officer. Their responsibility is the investigation of all major crimes, narcotics investigations, and follow-up investigations received as a result of initial reports submitted by the Operations Division. Due to the ever-present threat of illegal narcotics, one of the investigators is exclusively tasked with investigating narcotics related activities and one investigator is assigned

full-time in a multi-agency task force with the Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) agency of the Treasury Department. The Court Prosecutor is responsible for all District, Superior and Juvenile court cases making sure they are well prepared and ready for successful prosecution.

● Community Services Unit

○ Our Community Services Unit consisting of one sergeant and one patrol officer is primarily tasked with providing services to the public schools. It is our belief that their presence has been nothing short of a positive experience for students, faculty, the police department and town. Their activities include programs working with our elderly, youth, schools and local businesses.

● Administrative Services Division

○ The Administrative Services Division is responsible for managing all administrative related tasks such as records, information technology, accounting, finance, personnel, scheduling, facilities management, grant management, recruitment & training, firearms licensing, etc. To accomplish these tasks the division consists of one Lieutenant, one administrative patrol officer and two (2) civilian administrative personnel.

Staffing

● One (1) Police Chief

● One (1) Deputy Police Chief

● Three (3) Police Lieutenants

● Nine (9) Police Sergeants

● Forty-two (42) Police Officers

● Two (2) Administrative Civilian Personnel

● Three (3) Mental Health Clinicians

 

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

● Law Enforcement Accreditation

○ On October 26, 2022, the Franklin Police Department was awarded Law Enforcement Accreditation by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC). After five years of hard work and tireless determination by personnel, the department met the 382 standards necessary to obtain accreditation. Achieving accreditation is not an easy task. Of the 351 municipalities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts only 121 have achieved accreditation. Only 11 of the 28 communities in Norfolk County have been awarded accreditation. Accreditation is of paramount importance to the Franklin Police Department and the community we serve. It signifies our unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professional policing, best practices, and accountability. This continuous process ensures that our policies, procedures, and operations are not only effective but also align with the most current and recognized best practices in law enforcement. An accredited agency needs to complete a reaccreditation process every three years. On October 29, 2025, the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC) voted to award Re-Accreditation to the Franklin Police Department for another three-year period.

● Therapy Dog Program

○ In February, 2019, the department established a Therapy Dog Program with the purchase of Ben Franklin (Golden Retriever puppy). Ben immediately won over the hearts of the town residents and people throughout the country due to his continuing antics.

○ To capitalize on the success of the program, increase availability of a therapy dog when needed and to ensure the continuity of the program; the department purchased “Frankie”, a female chocolate Labrador Retriever in February, 2023. Frankie has completed her training program for therapy dogs and friendly find training, so she may be used to locate missing individuals during search and rescue incidents.

● Police Station Project

○ The Franklin Police Station Committee was formed through a resolution of the Town Council in early 2023. The Franklin Police Station project involves the construction of a new, modern facility to better serve the community and meet the operational needs of the police department. The project aims to improve safety, efficiency, and accessibility for the officers and the public. The current facility is outdated and does not meet the department’s needs in terms of space, technology, or operational efficiency. Upgrading to a new station will enhance public safety services, provide adequate training and workspaces for officers and ensure compliance with modern building and security standards. The Police Station Building Committee has worked with an Owners Project Manager (CHA Consulting) and a design architect (Kaestle Boos Associates) since March, 2025 to create the design of a new facility and locate an appropriate site for the new station. Public tours of the existing facility and a video series of the current station have been completed and are available on the project’s website.

● Two-Way Radio Communication Project

○ With the completion of phase 2 of the two-way radio and communication project two years ago, the department is continuing to work with the Facilities Department and the Franklin Fire Department to modernize our public safety communications system. Phase 3 includes two initiatives, the first is obtaining a simulcast license from the Federal Communications Commission and the purchase and installation of simulcast equipment at several transmission locations. The second is the construction of a radio tower in northern Franklin by a private vendor with the ability for public safety communications equipment installation. We are excited to report that the simulcast system has been completed and after a year in service, is working very well by providing a more enhanced two-way radio system. The construction of the tower in the north end of town is currently underway and we are in the process of obtaining additional licenses and equipment for installation.

● FPD Co-Response Team

○ The Franklin Police Department Co-Response Program was initially launched by a third-party behavioral health agency contracted through the Department of Mental Health in November of 2018. The program began as a regional Jail Diversion Program, partnering the Franklin Police Department and the Medway Police Department. The objective of the program was to provide on-scene crisis de-escalation, immediate support to those in need, and mental health and substance use evaluations. The intended outcome of this initiative was to keep people in the community with appropriate resources and support in place, diverting them from unnecessary arrest or hospitalization.

○ The regional program experienced great success for five years, however the needs of the Franklin police Department and the Town of Franklin grew exponentially. In July 2023, the department pursued continued grant funding through the Department of Mental Health, and launched its own

Co-Response Program independent of a third-party agency (Advocates). The program continues to pair mental health clinicians with police to best suit the needs of the community. In July 2023, a Co-Response Program Manager was hired to lead the program and utilize additional funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to hire additional mental health clinicians. In November 2023, the second clinician was hired and in April 2024 the third clinician joined the department. With three full-time clinicians, we will be able to service the community better by providing additional coverage during evenings and weekends.

○ During calendar year 2025, officers and our program clinicians completed 881 interventions of individuals encountered in a mental health related incident. This represents a significant increase from the 369 interventions completed in 2022 and the 247 completed in 2023. However, we were without the services of a clinician for the first five months (January – May) of 2022 and for the first six months (January – July) in 2023, as we were in the process of hiring clinicians. The last two years have been steady with our three clinicians averaging 858 interventions each year.

○ During 2025, forty-four (44) individuals with behavioral health conditions were diverted from arrest and into treatment. In addition to the benefit of diverting individuals in crisis from arrest, these diversions represent an estimated cost savings of $315,436 to the criminal justice system ($7,169 per arrest event). 142 individuals were diverted from unnecessary hospital admissions to facilitate outpatient treatment recommendations. In addition to receiving care outside of a hospital setting, these emergency department diversions represent an estimated health care cost savings of $310,696 ($2,188 per ED diversion).

Continue reading the information provided by Franklin Police Dept in the PDF of this section -    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qrwiPOoze_41hX3WnGuYKFvUMGEiI0bh/view?usp=drive_link

For the full FY 2027 budget narrative -  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1

The FY 2027 budget information can be found 

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Purchasing Department

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing. 

General Purpose

Procurement for the Town of Franklin is centralized and is responsible for ensuring that services, supplies, equipment and construction related activities are procured in an efficient and cost effective manner.  The mission of Central Services is to proactively review the status of shared copiers and mailing equipment to ensure that the Town/School shared equipment will meet the demands of its users. Central Services budget also covers costs associated with the Town’s permanent record storage/retrieval and postage.

Core Functions

● Procure supplies, services, contractors and consultants following the requirements of Massachusetts procurement laws while providing efficiency and best value to Town Departments and Staff, and ultimately, to the taxpayers.

● Provide guidance and training on procurement steps to management.

● Provide a transparent and open procurement process that demonstrates Franklin’s commitment to providing competitive opportunities that are fair to all bidders.

● Proactively maintain status on shared copiers and mailing equipment to ensure that the Town/School shared equipment meets the demands of its users.

 

Staffing

● One (1) Chief Procurement Officer

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

● During the past Fiscal Year, conducted 95 procurements through the use of Invitations for Bids, Requests for Proposals, Cooperative Contracts, Collective Contracts, OSD Statewide Contracts, and Requests for Written Quotes which totaled over $31,000,000 in contracted services and supplies for the Town.

● Publicly auctioned surplus supplies through the Municibid platform totaling over $21,000, which was returned to the General Fund.

● Transitioned maintenance of procurement records to a digital format, thereby, creating a more efficient manner of maintaining records per the Massachusetts Public Records Law guidelines.

● Provided procurement training to personnel who are involved in making purchasing decisions to ensure that they are knowledgeable about processes and procedures under Massachusetts law.

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

● Begin transition from purchased to leased copiers by replacement of the seven (7) oldest copiers which are out of contract and difficult to obtain replacement parts for. Remaining copiers owned by the Town will move to a lease arrangement over the next two years, which will ensure that all departments have copiers that are current and in good working order. Estimated FY27 costs to lease these copiers is $25,705.20, which will be paid from the Central Services Budget.

FY27 Requested Budget Summary

In the past, the Town purchased copiers and would keep them in use until we were no longer able to obtain replacement parts for repair. Moving to a leased copier arrangement will ensure that all Town copiers are current and in good working order. Leased copier costs include all general maintenance and service costs each year of the lease term. The cost also includes replacement toner and staples. If the request for funding to move the seven oldest copiers out of service and replace them with leased copiers is denied, the Town will incur greater costs as the older copiers are out of contract resulting in service charges. In addition, it is extremely difficult to obtain replacement parts for the older copiers which could lead to departments not having a working copier.

The PDF of this section - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ReQjcE90xbIRal6RuGjFl4HMs9hzYeKQ/view?usp=drive_link

For the full FY 2027 budget narrative -  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1

The FY 2027 budget information can be found 

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Facilities Department

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The Facilities Department is responsible for managing the efficient operation and maintenance of Town buildings, preserving the facility and equipment assets of the town, planning and implementing capital improvements, and managing capital construction projects. The department collaborates with all department heads, the Town Administrator and the Superintendent of Schools by establishing appropriate levels of support for building users, fostering continuous improvement in the delivery of services and maintaining ongoing capital planning. The Facilities Department ensures that every Town and School building is safe, functional, compliant, and sustainable - not just today, but well into the future.

Core Functions

● Maintenance Management

○ Preventative Maintenance: Utilizing the Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), Facilities can perform routine/scheduled maintenance on any asset or system identified. Constant cleaning among our facilities is preventative maintenance.

○ Reactive Maintenance: Using the CMMS, our team can triage and prioritize work orders as they enter our queue for service.

○ Building Use: Within the same CMMS, a feature on the system allows streamlined coordination for space rental, custodial requests and payment.

● Financial Management

○ Purchasing/Payment Processing: Having a 1.2 million square footage footprint across town generates a mass quantity of billing. Analyzing payments for proper recordkeeping are essential for proper management of the department.

○ Budget: Developing accurate budgets from past, present and future economic insights.

● Risk Management

○ Our department ensures compliance of various systems, including life safety systems, as well as policies that are operational and functioning. Maintaining compliance with state and federal laws are a top priority.

● Energy Management

○ The Facilities Department is constantly making efforts to reduce energy and our carbon footprint. Maintaining solar endeavors, participating with local/state/federal energy programs, collaborating with outside agencies on energy reduction opportunities and managing our EV chargers are all part of our energy management plan.

● Project Management

○ Capital Planning: Portfolio review of all facilities and strategic planning for major equipment/asset replacement.

○ Capital Projects: Oversight of various projects that vary from one facility to another. Projects both small and large that may need long term planning or quick turn around are managed by the Facilities Department.

Staffing

● One (1) Director of Public Facilities

● Three (3) Deputy Directors

● One (1) Facilities Administrator

● One (1) Administrative Assistant

● Three (3) Tradespeople

● Twenty eight (28) Custodians (assigned to the schools)

● Fourteen (14) part-time Custodians (assigned to Town buildings)

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

The Facilities Department has undergone recent staff changes over the last year. The previous Facilities Director, Michael D’Angelo, retired this past year and had been the Director for almost 30 years. He changed Franklin, including the Public Schools, forever by improving all public facilities on a shoestring budget. He left an incredible legacy of some of the most well respected town and school buildings of any city or town in the state. The team collectively prepared his succession in hiring a Deputy.

In addition to Michael’s retirement, the Town Electrician and Plumber retired in FY26. The Town Carpenter plans to retire in 2027. This institutional knowledge will be difficult to replace, however the department has prepared for this transition and has timed itself well with other strategies across the board.

The Facilities Department has played a pivotal role in updating our properties infrastructure over several decades. The town utilizes and maintains our own private fiber network to support telephone, data and video. It extends to every town and school building. Although this fiber network is now reaching its capacity in some areas, it has saved the town $50,000/year since implemented 10+ years ago. The Department also assists in the management of cellular assets and equipment on our publicly-owned or private towers throughout the town to help support public safety communications.

 

● Energy reduction is a major factor in Facilities. Various LED lighting upgrades, EV infrastructure, Solar PPA, transformer replacements, upgrading kitchen equipment and more have all played a part in reducing the Town's energy. Figure A shows a moderate and manageable energy usage since 2016. In an economy where utility rates have escalated tremendously, the Department's efforts in reducing usage have proven beneficial.

● Existing and future property use. Some committees and other stakeholders have generated great discussion and opportunity regarding town property. Franklin has multiple buildings with different needs as the Town has grown. Utilizing these properties to best serve the Town and respective departments will be crucial for maintaining a sustainable budget.

● The renovations to the Franklin Middle School roof drains in 2023 was a huge accomplishment that has prevented any further flooding of the courtyards and/or into the schools.

● The municipal building renovation was a $1.4 million dollar investment for new UV protected windows, a new generator, new boilers, a snow melt system, carpet, paint and furniture. The $1.4 million was made up of borrowed & free cash to support the much needed repairs of the building that was purchased over 20 years ago.

● The 2024 removal of the last standing classroom modular, allowed for that area to finally return as an outdoor recreation site for the ECDC Pond Street School.

● Facilities managed and successfully completed security “pedestrian trap” upgrades in 2024. All schools are equipped with “pedestrian traps” for an additional layer of safety.

● The Facilities Department rolled out a new CMMS platform in 2024. The new platform has saved money as well as lending itself a more user-friendly feel for navigating work orders.

● The Senior Center Pavilion project successfully finished in 2025 for under $100,000, allowing outdoor space availability during extreme heat or rainy weather conditions.

● The Facilities Department supported the redistricting of FPS in 2025 with various classroom repairs, moving services, and building infrastructure upgrades (<$500,000). The redistricting is still in process as we strategically phase in school renovation needs.

● Facilities managed the new Franklin High School visitor bleacher project in 2025. The town used $500,000 in ARPA funds to complete the project.

● Facilities managed the Cupola Renovation project at the Town’s Historical Museum. The town used $63,000 in CPA funds to make the necessary repairs.

● In 2023, a centralized digital record system was implemented to optimize documentation management. As the team continues to use the system, it will return its value exceedingly.

● Facilities continues to work with respective departments, OPM, Designer and police station building committee in hopes to develop a new police station for the Police Department.

● Facilities is also working with respective departments and parties to support the King Street Memorial Park renovation.

● Facilities is excited to commence the much needed repair/replacement of the Senior Center fire protection system. The numerous breaks in the existing system have compromised its integrity. The Senior Center is a much valued asset for the town where the investment will be well received.

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

The $9,463,325 department request is a 5% increase from last year's budget.

FY26 began with numerous unexpected equipment failures across town, including the Senior Center walk-in cooler ($15k), garbage disposal ($5k), Fire Station generator repairs ($6k), Washington Elementary gym divider ($9k), Lincoln Elementary gym unit ($14k), Lincoln Elementary elevator repairs ($18k), FMS sump pump repairs ($15k), Senior Center water heater ($13k), FMS hot water tank ($7k), Washington Elementary boiler repairs ($4k), and widespread sprinkler system component replacements.

These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges posed by aging equipment and infrastructure. Adequate funding is critical to ensure the Facilities Department can respond promptly to emergencies, maintain safe and functional buildings, and prevent small issues from escalating into costly or disruptive failures. Investing in these emergency repairs now reduces long-term risk and helps preserve the town’s facilities for the community.

Other cost drivers for FY27 include:

● Slight increases in both Electricity and Natural Gas prices. These accounts make up one third of the Facilities Department’s budget. Department amounts requested are aligned closer with previous actuals rather than requests at the beginning of the fiscal year. Combined, these requested line items have 3.36% increases over FY26 to support the anticipated costs.

● The increases in EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, OTHER MONITORING SERVICES and other are to continue supporting the preventative maintenance of major equipment similar to ones described above in this section. Total expenses, the department is requesting a 6.11% increase.

● Although you see a slight dip in “BLDG MAINT SVC-EQUIPMENT” requests, you will see increases in other accounts where specific bills should live for budgeting purposes.

● As society evolves with green energy efforts, costs in removal of waste continue to climb. The disposal services line shows the 33% increase needed to support the demand.

FY27 Requested Budget Summary

FY27 will be a transition year for Facilities. Budgetary restructuring will support more accurate accounting for leadership due to redistricting and sustainability visions. (Example; previously Remington Middle and Jefferson Elementary each had separate accounts although under one roof. Now Washington Elementary will be one combined account).

Future budget restructuring will help navigate the emergency repairs. Pursuing inspection and capital planning features through our CMMS will accommodate preventative measures in which the Department firmly represents as a core essential in Facilities Management. As we stabilize our budget and maintenance cycles, we will pivot toward existing “Smart Building” integration and emerging technologies, utilizing AI. This could assist in staffing opportunities, reduction in reactive maintenance, and drive future planning processes.

The Facilities Department has been one of the most impacted departments over the past five fiscal years with devastating inflation and increased utility costs. The money they have goes less further today. Additionally, the Department suffered huge cuts to their budgets over the past two fiscal years, including $400,000 in FY26, which compounded the issues presented with skyrocketing costs over the past five years.

1 million of the 1.3 million square feet of buildings are schools. Thus the cuts to Facilities significantly affects schools.

The PDF of this section - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vUULoRckPaRSMzdgHgVMWE2eHPlW2tOU/view?usp=drive_link

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 

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

Attention Franklin School & Town Retirees & Staff - FY 2027 Insurance Open Enrollment ends Friday, May 1

🚨 Attention Franklin School & Town Retirees & Staff 🚨

Don’t miss this important deadline!

🗓 Health Insurance Election Due:
Friday, May 1st by midnight

⚠️ Key Details:
• Current coverage ends June 30, 2026
• New coverage will begin July 1, 2026

✅ Make sure you’ve completed your election on time to avoid any gaps in coverage.

📌 More Information:
• Retirees: https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/1007/Retiree-Benefits
• Employees: https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/225/Employee-Benefits

📞 Questions? Contact the Human Resources Office at 508-553-4810

Please share to help spread the word!

Thank you, 

Stacy Castell

DEPUTY DIRECTOR | HUMAN RESOURCES

355 East Central Street

Franklin, Massachusetts 02038-1352

O. 508-553-4841

O. 508-553-4810

F. 508-553-4896

E.scastell@franklinma.gov

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Franklin Agricultural Commission

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The Town Council established the Franklin Agricultural Commission per Special Legislation to promote, develop, and foster agricultural resources in the Town of Franklin. The Commission consists of five Members with three-year terms. Members shall be residents of Franklin and at least two members shall be active farmers, employed in an agriculture-related field, or have experience and knowledge in agricultural practices of business. The Commission is also able to have two Associate Members with 1-year terms.

Staffing

● Five (5) Volunteer Members

○ Includes: One (1) Chair

○ Includes: One (1) Vice Chair

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

● This is a level-funded budget.

● The Commission hopes to continue to provide education and outreach of Franklin arms and supporting the local economy, expand the Franklin Farmer’s Market with the market coordinators, research the potential of becoming a right-to-farm community and expand community garden beds.

The PDF of this section - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v-Ma8h1alSWMfEpvSpKIGx2xxReMhb8k/view?usp=drive_link

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 

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

Town of Franklin Celebrates National Small Business Week 2026 with Launch of New Spotlight Series

April 23, 2026 Franklin Celebrates National Small Business Week 2026 with Launch of New Spotlight Series The Town of Franklin is celebrating National Small Business Week, May 3–9, 2026, with the launch of the Franklin Small Business Spotlight Series, an ongoing initiative designed to highlight and support the local businesses that make our community thrive. Beginning this May, businesses will have the opportunity to be featured each month across Town platforms, including the Franklin First monthly newsletter, the Economic Development page on the Town's website, and the Town’s official social media channels. The series spotlights local businesses by sharing who they are, why they chose Franklin as the place to grow their business, and their perspective on the importance of supporting small businesses. Interested in being featured? Franklin small businesses are invited to complete the online form to be considered: Small Business Spotlight Form  Small businesses play an important role in Franklin’s local economy, and this effort is one way the Town is working to highlight their presence and contributions. View it on website

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD)

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD)'s mission is to plan and implement comprehensive policies and initiatives that work to fulfill the community development and land use-related goals of the Town and its residents. DPCD works to administer and implement the goals identified in Franklin's 2025 Master Plan. The Department works in all areas of planning and community development, and is responsible for traditional land-use related activities such as updating the Town’s plans, and amending and creating zoning bylaws.

Core Functions

● Provides helpful and timely customer service to both internal stakeholders and the general public who call for a variety of questions and public records requests.

● Support of Town Boards, Commissions, and Committees: Provide staff support to several boards, commissions and committees, including the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Design Review Commission, Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, and the Technical Review Committee.

● Provides project guidance and information to applicants, prospective applicants, abutters and other interested parties.

● Works closely with the Zoning Board of Appeals and Conservation Commission on related projects.

● Produces zoning bylaw amendments in response to community needs, particularly those identified in the Town's Master Plan, and to state and federal requirements.

● In recent years DPCD has worked on dozens of projects in all areas of planning and community development, including comprehensive planning, downtown revitalization, economic development, open space preservation, wetlands protection, natural hazard mitigation, brownfields redevelopment, historic preservation, affordable housing, transit oriented development, and sustainable development including the use of smart growth and low impact development concepts.

Staffing

● One (1) Director of Planning and Community Development
● One (1) Town Planner
● One (1) Permitting Specialist

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

FY26 Accomplishments

● Created a new zoning district for the Crossing Neighborhood District and amended related bylaws.

● Amended a Zoning Bylaw to add a definition for Residential Commercial Kitchens and related regulations.

● Submitted Zoning Bylaw amendments related to MBTA Communities compliance as well as a general cleanup.

● Received a Determination of Conditional Compliance from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for the Town's efforts towards complying with the MBTA Communities Act.

● Reapplied for Housing Choice Community Designation

● Applied for and awarded a $250,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for demolition and abatement at 21 Grove Street.

● Submitted grant applications for assistance with updating Town's Hazard Mitigation Plan.

● Affordable housing: coordinated the resale of four affordable units. Established a new process for resale opportunities, including new forms and a clearer timeline to reduce confusion among applicants.

● Affordable housing: Assisted with ownership transfer of Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Funds (MAHTF) parcel for the Franklin Ridge Senior Housing project.

● Affordable housing: Will be conducting an information session at the Franklin Senior Center to introduce new processes and explain differences in types of affordable housing and how they're administered.

● Design Review Commission: Bylaw and Guidelines review and potential updates. Submitting Community OneStop for Growth grant application for help in producing these updates.

FY27 Initiatives

● Spearhead the implementation of the 2025 Master Plan.
● Draft bylaw amendments related to Wireless Communications Services District to bring in line with federal requirements.
● Create a consolidated local permit application for certain clean energy projects as required by 225 CMR 29.00.
● Oversee next phase of demolition, abatement and remediation efforts of brownfields site at former Nu-Style property, 21 Grove Street.
● Draft a new Hazard Mitigation Plan and submit for approval.
● Amend and develop Zoning Bylaw to encourage growth that will benefit the Town.
● Work to implement the goals and strategies identified in the Master Plan including but not limited to:

○ Work to revitalize Franklin’s Downtown core and adjacent neighborhoods.
○ Expand and enhance the downtown and neighborhoods by prioritizing them for housing development and investments in neighborhood character that include improving infrastructure, amenities, community engagement, and quality of life for residents.
○ Provide guidelines on Franklin character and develop a more clearly defined review process
○ Provide quality arts and cultural resources as a vital part of the creativity and growth of our community.
○ Work to obtain the funding and other resources necessary to implement open space and recreation goals, objectives and actions identified in Plan.

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

● DPCD is requesting a small increase of $1,000 in our consulting services budget line in anticipation of necessary work related to the Nu-Style brownfields site and to potential Design Review Commission bylaw and guidelines updates.

● DPCD is also requesting a small increase of $500 for its Meetings & Conferences budget line in anticipation of increased attendance at meetings and conferences by the new Director.

FY27 Requested Budget Summary

The Department of Planning and Community Development has an outsized impact on how Franklin grows and develops. With a staff of just three we provide staffing and support to numerous standing and ad hoc committees and boards, we provide accurate information and assistance to numerous residents and stakeholders, including on matters that may not be entirely under the department's purview. We handle affordable housing resale opportunities in house, something a great number of communities find too cumbersome to do themselves and ask the State or other regional entity to handle.

The DPCD Director consistently works with the Downtown Partnership, sits on the GATRA board and on the 495/MetroWest Board of Directors.

The Town Planner sits on MAPC's SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (SWAP) and on its Council, to which the Director is also the alternate. This requested budget is already

$26,000 less than the FY26 revised budget and further cuts will have a great impact on our ability to serve residents, promote Franklin, and to help Franklin grow in a way that best incorporates the needs of the community.

The DPCD has historically struggled to maintain a full and complete staff, notably a full time position was reduced from the budget in FY26 as part of the override failure.

The PDF of this section - 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZR8U4rEDXfITCrIZ2JEcIm8wJxAkIW6x/view?usp=drive_link

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 
https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is a Town board that conducts public hearings for variances, special permits and comprehensive permits.

Core Functions

● Schedules public hearings for the property owners in Franklin to decide a device that appeals our Zoning Bylaws

Staffing

● Three (3) Elected Volunteer Board Members.

● Two (2) Elected Volunteer Associate Members.

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

● The ZBA has handled all the public hearings and will continue to do so.

● There are several new members that have been appointed in recent months.

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

● The ZBA’s budget has been reduced due to the elimination of the requirement to publish legal notices in the newspaper.

The PDF of this section - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LdMDYaGRPeyxhYunlbnC8VlbIklL2jlV/view?usp=drive_link

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 

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

Town of Franklin Designated as a 2026 Housing Choice Community

TOWN OF FRANKLIN | 355 E. Central St, Franklin, MA 02038 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 21, 2026 Media Contact: Elizabeth Kalaijian Communications Director Town of Franklin (508) 553-4886 ekalaijian@franklinma.gov   Town of Franklin Designated as a 2026 Housing Choice Community FRANKLIN, Mass. — The Town of Franklin has been designated as a 2026 Housing Choice Community by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, recognizing the Town’s ongoing efforts to support housing growth and expand access to housing opportunities. On Monday, April 13, the Town was recognized by the Healey-Driscoll Administration, along with 28 other communities, for taking concrete steps to support housing production. This designation reflects Franklin’s commitment to planning for sustainable growth and meeting the evolving housing needs of its residents. As a Housing Choice Community, Franklin is eligible to apply for the Commonwealth’s Housing Choice Grant Program. The designation also provides additional consideration in several state funding opportunities, including the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, Seaport Economic Council Grant Program, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Complete Streets Funding Program, MassDOT Capital Projects Program, and the LAND and PARC Grant Programs. The Housing Choice Initiative encourages municipalities to adopt best practices and policies that promote responsible housing development, support economic growth and increase access to opportunity across the state. “This designation reflects Franklin’s proactive approach to supporting housing opportunities that serve residents at all stages of life,” said Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. “We appreciate the Commonwealth’s recognition and look forward to continuing our work to advance thoughtful and sustainable development in our community.” Visit the Town of Franklin website for news and community updates: News and Announcements —Stay informed and connected with the Town of Franklin— Town of Franklin | 355 E Central St, | Franklin, MA 02038 US