Joint Budget Subcommittee (Town Council, School Committee, & Finance Committee) —
Thursday, April 16 at 6:00 PM | 3rd Floor Training Room, Municipal Building
Attend in-person, join via Zoom, or stream on Franklin Town Hall TV YouTube.
Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YouTube. Show all posts
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Design Review Committee Meeting 3/31/26 (video)
Town of Franklin (MA): Design Review Mtg held on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 was recorded by Franklin Planning & Community Development via Zoom using the OWL camera.
The video was edited by Steve Sherlock, Franklin Matters/Franklin Public Radio and is now available for viewing on YouTube.
Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0lz4T1babY
Agenda for this session
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Kids Online Safety Caucus Co-Chairs Auchincloss, Houchin on Meta, YouTube verdict
Joint Statement from Bipartisan Kids Online Safety Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Jake Auchincloss and Erin Houchin on the Meta, YouTube Social Media Trial Verdict
"Today is a good day in the overdue effort to hold social media corporations accountable. Meta and YouTube tried to deny, deflect, and delay – but a jury heard the evidence and found them negligent in how they designed their apps for children.
However, Congress must be clear-eyed about the limits of litigation. Going forward, the platforms will change their terms of service language and continue to hide their exploitation of children behind bad-faith Section 230 defenses.
Lawmakers must come together in a bipartisan effort to pass a federal age assurance law that raises the age of Internet adulthood to at least 16 years old and holds apps liable for adhering to it. We have the bills, we're on the committee of jurisdiction, and we're committed to working together to make it happen."
Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and Erin Houchin (R-IN)
Contact:Georgina.Burros@mail.house.gov (Auchincloss)
Parker.Armstrong@mail.house.gov (Houchin)
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Integrated Monitoring Review of Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct an Integrated Monitoring Review of Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School during the week of March 9, 2026.
Each school district, charter school, vocational school, and virtual school undergoes an Integrated Monitoring Review every three years. The areas addressed during an Integrated Monitoring Review are organized into two groups, known as Group A Universal Standards and Group B Universal Standards.
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| DESE |
Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School will be undergoing a Group A monitoring review that focuses on special education student identification and special education eligibility timelines; Individualized Education Program (IEP) development; programming and support services; procedural requirements for suspensions and equal opportunity. For additional information please also see Integrated Monitoring Parent and Family Orientation.
The process includes interviews with district staff and administrators, a review of student records, policies and procedures, and school building visits. The process may also include parent/caregiver, student and teacher focus group meetings to gather additional information. Interpretation will be provided, if needed.
The Department will also send a parent survey, in multiple languages and formats, as needed, to parents /guardians of special education students to gather key information on the special education processes and procedures.
Parents/guardians and other stakeholders may call Charles Agong, Monitoring Review Chairperson, at (781) 338-3753 or Charles.O.Agong@mass.gov to request a telephone interview. If anyone requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the charter school with a report that includes information on further actions that may be required. The public can access the report at https://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/default.html.
Saturday, February 7, 2026
We need to pay attention when the data speaks like this (video)
"Even in schools, it doesn't matter what the size of the screen is...and it doesn't matter who bought it...All of these things are also going to hurt learning, which in turn are going to hurt our kids' cognitive development."
YouTube video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd-_VDYit3U
Full video here: https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/lawmakers-hold-hearing-on-the-impact-of-screen-time-on-kids/671683
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Talkin' TC! New Episode Alert! (video)
Talkin' TC! New Episode Alert!
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| (L-R) Congressman Jake Auchincloss with Kahlil Mateus |
An inspiring, insightful episode you won’t want to miss.
Watch the full conversation at the link below!Video link -> https://youtu.be/lzI3AikHXU8
@repauchincloss
Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fiym9L4aX/
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio) (video)
Bruce Springsteen wrote this song on the weekend, recorded it, and released it on Wednesday: "Streets Of Minneapolis"
Lyric video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWKSoxG1K7w
Updated 1/30/26 with this video link -> https://youtu.be/GDaPdpwA4Iw?si=DRQzEU7u1__aUuQi
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| Streets Of Minneapolis dedication |
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| Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio) |
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Governor Healey Celebrates Completion of NECEC Transmission Line
Today (1/16/26), Governor Maura Healey celebrated the completion of the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line and is now delivering affordable, stable hydropower from Canada to Massachusetts. The NECEC line will provide Massachusetts with nearly 20 percent of its overall electricity, deliver $3.38 billion in total net economic benefits to Massachusetts ratepayers over the life of the contracts, and reduce ratepayer bills by around $50 million each year.
“Today, power is flowing to Massachusetts through the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line,” said Governor Healey. “My administration worked closely with the Legislature, the Attorney General, and private partners to ensure the project moved forward and delivered savings. The NECEC line represents our all-of-the-above approach in action – working with regional partners to bring affordable energy into the state that will lower costs and meet our growing demand. We are proud to flip the switch on this line and bring costs down, and we are continuing to work to bring more energy into Massachusetts.”
“Over $3 billion in benefits will flow into Massachusetts thanks to this major transmission line,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “That means lower bills, more jobs, and the power we need to grow our economy. Our administration played an important role in keeping this project on track and affordable. We are glad to see NECEC start operation today.”
The NECEC project will deliver 1,090 megawatts of firm baseload power over a line capable of delivering up to 1,200 megawatts from Québec to New England. This line will serve as one of New England’s largest sources of baseload power, strengthening grid reliability and lowering energy costs for consumers.
The fixed prices in the contracts provide power and clean energy attributes at prices well below the projected costs of buying the same amount on the market, and lock in those prices for the next 20 years.
“The NECEC line proves we can do big things here in Massachusetts,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Transmission is key to unlocking savings for ratepayers and businesses, but it requires partnership. To get this done, many people came together toward a common goal: get more affordable energy into Massachusetts. I want to thank the Legislature for their foresight and direction, state energy officials past and present for pushing this project forward, our Canadian partners and Hydro-Quebec for their continued collaboration, the Attorney General and the utilities for their work in the negotiations, Governor Mills for her support, and Avangrid for executing on this project. We’re going to continue to double down on regional collaboration to bring down costs and get more energy projects built.”
“Building and using this line shows us that Massachusetts ratepayers and our clean energy future benefit from planning, partnerships, and perseverance,” said Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony. “The hydroelectric power flowing into our electric grid will lower long-term electricity costs, provide needed winter reliability, help meet rising electricity demand, and bring billions of dollars in economic benefits for Massachusetts. We’ll build on this success with more regional collaboration, and more affordable, clean power for our homes and businesses.”
In addition to lowering electricity prices, this clean, sustainable hydropower will help meet rising electricity demand, provide needed energy reliability in the winter, and reduce harmful pollution in Massachusetts and the region. During cold temperature periods, New England relies on higher-priced, more carbon-intensive fuels. This leads to expensive and volatile winter energy pricing and regional reliability concerns. The NECEC project will help address these challenges by providing consistent clean energy production during cold temperatures.
“This is an historic day; the New England Clean Energy Connect is now delivering enough renewable energy to power a million homes,” said Hydro-Québec Energy Services U.S. COO Serge Abergel. “We are proud to be your partners. We have all overcome many obstacles to get to today. Now we are not just talking; we are delivering. This is a shining example of our regional partnership, which will continue for the next 20 years and beyond.”
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| https://www.necleanenergyconnect.org/ |
Statements of Support:
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell:
“Today is a beacon of hope for our clean energy future at a time when many of our needed clean energy resources are under threat. After years of collaboration and perseverance, we are thrilled to see this power delivered to Massachusetts residents.”
House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-3rd Norfolk):
“The completion of the NECEC transmission line comes at a critical time for Massachusetts residents. Hydropower from Québec will lower energy costs and improve reliability this winter and beyond, while also helping the Commonwealth to diversify our energy sources and transition to clean and renewable energy. I'm grateful to Governor Healey and her team, as well as my colleagues in the Legislature, for working to make this project a reality."
State Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Middlesex and Norfolk):
“With Donald Trump actively fighting against Massachusetts efforts to bring down our energy costs and push back against climate change, the completion of this transmission line marks a milestone in our collective work to deliver true cost savings for residents. This achievement reflects every lever of government working together toward a shared goal, and I applaud my colleagues in the Senate and the Legislature, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, and our partners in the energy sector for advancing a project that will lower costs, strengthen our energy grid, and further secure a clean energy future for Massachusetts.”
State Representative Mark Cusack, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (D-5th Norfolk):
“This infusion of clean and affordable hydropower onto the Massachusetts grid is a milestone to celebrate. After nearly a decade of work and regional collaboration, the NECEC transmission line will reduce emissions and stabilize electricity prices, supporting affordability and reliability for the residents and businesses of the Commonwealth."
State Senator Michael Barrett (D-Middlesex):
"Massachusetts is fighting for its clean energy agenda and gaining ground, President Trump's opposition notwithstanding. We should take hope from this. There is more work to do but breakthroughs are happening."
State Representative Jeffrey N. Roy, former Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy (D-10th Norfolk):
“Bringing Canadian hydropower into Massachusetts is a major milestone that strengthens our energy reliability, advances our clean energy goals, and—most importantly—delivers a robust new source of power to consumers at a reasonable and predictable price. This long-anticipated moment is the culmination of nearly a decade of careful planning, legislating, and implementation, carried forward despite significant legal, political, and logistical obstacles. I had the opportunity to see the source of this power firsthand when I visited the St. James Bay hydropower facilities—an engineering marvel—in Quebec last March, and it is deeply gratifying to see that work come to fruition.”
State Representative House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-20th Middlesex):
“Diversification of our energy portfolio is crucial to ensuring the consistent delivery of reliable services to Massachusetts ratepayers. The completion of the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line significantly increases the capacity of our existing power grid and provides the Commonwealth with an additional resource that will be critical to meeting the needs of the state’s utility customers moving forward.”
René Sylvestre, Québec Delegate to New England:
“The completion of the New England Clean Energy Connect today marks an important milestone in our shared energy future. It is through regional collaboration and subnational cooperation that this vision becomes a reality. The Québec and New England relationship is built on robust trade and integrated economies as well as shared culture and values. Today, we celebrate our partnership in creating a more sustainable, resilient grid.”
Michael P. Monahan, International Vice-President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW):
“I applaud the Governor for recognizing the need for an all-of-the-above energy strategy. This new line brings in clean, firm power to meet our growing needs and reliably power our economy. Its construction provided thousands of good-paying jobs with benefits, to IBEW members. New England union workers are building our energy future. More savings and cleaner energy are flowing into Massachusetts thanks to the hard work of our brothers and sisters in Maine and the collaboration between utilities and governments on both sides of the border. It shows what can be done when we prioritize affordability, jobs, and reliable power."
video link to Press Conference -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=657ELpoqfdc
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Samantha Piette talks about floral arrangements, pop ups, workshops & Valentine's Day (Video & audio)
FM #1626 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1626 in the series.
We sat with Samantha Piette, entrepreneur creating Piette Petal Co, an artisanal florist operating on the internet and in pop up shops for now.
We talked about her road to floral arrangements, the build up to Valentine’s Day and all that she offers. We recorded this virtually via Zoom on Monday, December 29, 2025.
The recording runs about 22 minutes
Video link -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbQHeCVhhvI
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Piette Petal Co can be found -> https://piettepetalco.com/
Follow Samantha on Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/piette.petal.co.floral/
Taco Tuesdays at Maya Mexican Cocina (from spring to fall) -> https://mayamexicancocina.com/
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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"
Friday, January 2, 2026
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Incident Report on Town Council (Dec 3) & ZBA (Dec 4) meetings
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| Incident Report on Town Council (Dec 3) & ZBA (Dec 4) meetings |
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** The Dec 3, 2025 Town Council meeting issue:
Franklin TV equipment in Council Chambers took a power surge during the storm Tuesday night causing the loss of some critical equipment. Studio personnel worked Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Friday’s work seems to have brought the systems back to operational status. Additional testing will be done before the meetings next week
Action:
The Town Council Dec 3, 2025 meeting needs to be reconstructed from the Zoom recording and Council Chamber recording. This will take time but will be shared once ready.
Processing underway by Franklin TV
The studio equipment is Franklin TV responsibility; the studio location in Council Chambers is powered by the Town. Power management from the Town is optimal. A few years ago backup power was revised to distribute to 'mission critical' service points throughout the building in an emergency. It's referenced as red-socketing. You see red wall sockets in hospitals and anywhere that power must be maintained under all conditions. It answers the question: If power goes away, what points must we maintain? It divides the building into "must do, like to do". The Franklin TV control room is included. The implementation was smartly accomplished. The issue that arose in this case was a failure in the Franklin TV UPS - (uninterruptible power supply) the one thing that should have protected the system.
The UPS is effective and necessary, but not absolutely guaranteed. Franklin TV to replace the UPS
** Thursday’s Dec 4, 2025 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting issues:
The Thursday Zoning Board of Appeals meeting had less of a technical glitch and more of a resource issue to manage the meeting. The technical glitch occurred prior to the meeting start and the check to resolve was not completed before the meeting started. The meeting was recorded, and immediately upon conclusion, made available to YouTube.
All meetings scheduled for broadcast start on Zoom.
The Town manages the meeting or webinar format, setting time, permissions, and managing the attendees (admitting, muting/unmuting, etc.).
One of the key steps is for the Town to permission the Franklin TV account to record the meeting. This recording is then fed through the Franklin TV network to feed the Comcast and Verizon cable subscribers as well as to YouTube.
The technical glitch on Thursday was an update to the YouTube feed controller. Comcast and Verizon broadcast feeds were handled properly. The YouTube feed was fixed immediately after the meeting ended and the meeting was public at that time.
The management glitch was in Town administration of the meeting. A new person was at the controls and unaware of the lack of the feed to YouTube. Once made aware, then the general public were added to the session (beginning approx. 7:00 PM).
Action:
Franklin TV to confirm feed configurations are proper and operational before next week's meetings.
As noted in the Town Council issue, Franklin TV will be conducting additional testing to confirm both the Chamber studio and feed configurations are operational
There needs to be a backchannel for those conducting the meeting to communicate other than through the open meeting, especially when the open meeting itself is an issue. The backchannel process needs to be defined, process and communications confirmed to better manage future meeting issues. (Note: this backchannel is much more important for Remotely Only meetings, generally, folks are together in the Council Chambers or 3rd floor training room and can address the issues and determine a communication plan if needed)
Town Administrator Jamie Hellen acknowledges and will coordinate appropriate parties
Monday, December 8, 2025
USA Facts video series - well worth binging !! (video)
The 6 part series by Steve Ballmer and USAFacts is worth binging. Each episode is between 6 and 10 minutes.
- What is Poverty? Ep 1 of Just the Facts: Do you Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsUeoe2GJdk
- What is Medicaid and How Many Americans Use It? Ep 2 of Just the Facts: Do you Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd93Z-resrE
- What is Subsidized Housing? | Episode 3 of Just the Facts: Do you Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfhwCPLCkpw
- How Do SNAP Benefits Impact Food Insecurity? | Episode 4 of Just the Facts: Do You Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snHiT4f_wa4
- How Does the Government Help Low-Income Students? | Episode 5 of Just the Facts: Do You Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti6Motk5Dhc
- What Cash Assistance does the Government provide? | Episode 6 of Just the Facts: Do You Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYmUfktljQE
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| USA Facts video series - well worth binging !! |
It is recommended to start with episode 1
You can also go directly to the USAFacts page and try their interactive version which is still in beta test. https://usafacts.org/just-the-facts/
Why share these? The terminology and principles also apply here in Franklin.
Affordable being a key term. In the discussions I have at the Senior Center (and elsewhere), I always qualify "affordable" as Capital A - that defined by the Federal and State process, or little "a" - the affordable that can be covered by what is in our wallet or income reach.
Monday, November 3, 2025
Town Council Candidate Summaries (photo album)
The folks at One Franklin took the dozen video interviews I conducted with the help of the Town Council candidates, and summarized them in a cool 5 slides per candidate layout.
You can view the full set of pictures/slides here ->
or scroll through the photo album here ->
The complete set of 25 candidate interviews (including the 12 summarized here) can be found in one YouTube playlist -> bit.ly/2025-ElectionCollection
Thursday, September 18, 2025
"Progressive reforms often include concessions such as hold harmless clauses for political feasibility" (video)
Tracy O'Connell Novick (@TracyNovick) posted Mon, Sep 15, 2025:
"Progressive reforms often include concessions such as hold harmless clauses for political feasibility, which can limit their potential equalizing effects."Shared from -> https://t.co/PMOzfQoyKK
#amreading
You can also go directly to the article Tracy references -> https://www.aera.net/Newsroom/Slow-Progress-School-Finance-Reforms-and-Racial-Disparities-in-Funding
Video brief from article co-author -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDz2cse0WnU
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