Police Station Building Committee agenda for meeting Weds, August 27 at 6 PM

Police Station Building Committee

Agenda & Meeting Packet

August 27, 2025 at 6:00 PM

Agenda:

1. Approval of Minutes

a. October 30, 2024

b. November 14, 2024

c. February 25, 2025

d. August 6, 2025

2. Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) Presentation CHA and KBA

a. Project Website Launch

b. Engagement: Open House Dates and Time Announcements

Police Station Building Committee agenda

i. Saturday, September 13th, 2025 at 1:00 PM

ii. Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025 at 6:00 PM

iii. Sunday, October 5th, 2025 at 6:00 PM

c. Programming Study Process

d. Site Selection Analysis, Process and Evaluation

e. Preliminary Sample Designs & Construction Budgets

3. Discussion: Next steps and Committee meeting dates

4. Adjourn

The agenda doc also contains remote participation info

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08272025-1881

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 

Franklin Council on Aging letter to Franklin Town Council RE: Private Donation

Date: July 11, 2025

To: Franklin Town Council

From: Franklin Council on Aging Board

RE: Private Donation

Dear Members of the Town Council,

The Franklin Council on Aging respectfully recommends that the Town Council not accept the recent private donation made to the Senior Center, which is restricted to funding the salary of a part-time nurse.

While we appreciate the generosity and intent behind this contribution, accepting such a donation raises several significant concerns:

1. Equity and Fairness: Allowing private funds to direct staffing decisions opens the door to unequal treatment and the risk that individuals with financial resources could exert disproportionate influence over municipal human resource decisions in the future.

2. Policy Consistency: Accepting this donation would create inconsistency across town governance. The Town of Franklin School Committee has an established policy prohibiting private donations from being used to fund salaries (e.g., supplanting):

Donations of Non-Budgeted Funds 

The Franklin School Committee gratefully accepts donations made by Booster Groups, Parent Communication Councils (PCCs), other private entities and Educational Foundations to support the Franklin Public School System. In an effort to ensure equity, consistency and compliance with Massachusetts General Law, any donated funds shall not supplant the operational budget voted by the School Committee. (This would include payment of salaries, instructional stipends, operating cost of buildings and curriculum programming or other recurrent budgetary items.)

3. Operational Integrity: Staffing decisions at the Senior Center should remain under the purview of its management, who are best positioned to assess and deploy resources in service of our constituents.

4. Respect for Voter Decision: In June 2025, Franklin voters chose not to pass a Proposition 2½ override, with the understanding that such a decision would necessitate reductions in staffing and services across the Town of Franklin. Accepting private funds to restore positions contradicts the democratic will expressed through that vote.

Accepting this donation could set a troubling precedent that undermines transparent governance, community equity, and proper management authority. We urge the Town Council to consider the broader implications and decline the offer.

Thank you for your attention and continued support of the Franklin Senior Center and its mission.

Sincerely,

Below Signed Members, Franklin Council on Aging 

10 Daniel McCahill Street

Franklin, MA 02038

Carolyn O'Brien, Chair

Phyllis Malcom, Vice Chair

Faith Flaherty, Secretary

Elizabeth Sawver

Kimberly Mu-Chow

Tina Powderly

Copy of the original signed letter ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LwnxHzW_MLw4tev6E6Ot8IYAPK98qVcn/view?usp=drive_link

Franklin School Cmte policy on non-budgeted funds (as referenced above) ->   https://www.franklinps.net/page/kcd-donations-of-non-budgeted-funds

Franklin Council on Aging letter to Franklin Town Council RE: Private Donation

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)

NY Times: "A New Era of Hunger Has Begun"

By Tracy Kidder:

NY Times: "A New Era of Hunger Has Begun"

"Parts of Easthampton, an old mill town in western Massachusetts, look like relics of industrial New England — the old workers’ rowhouses, for instance. In other parts, it seems like a place in renaissance, with converted factory buildings spruced up and reinhabited by art galleries, restaurants, shops. Pedestrians fill the sidewalks on Friday and Saturday nights, especially during monthly art walk evenings. But on Monday mornings, when the downtown feels shuttered, another sort of crowd, one in search of food, not art and entertainment, gathers on a side street outside a 19th-century brick building. A sign out front identifies it as the Easthampton Community Center and Food Pantry.

The center distributes free groceries on Mondays and Wednesdays, but Monday is usually busier, because many people it serves have run out of food by then. By 9 a.m. on a Monday in June, a line of people with shopping bags extended from the sidewalk across the parking lot to the first of the food stations alongside the old building. There, clients are greeted by volunteers with friendly faces and helpful voices, offering milk and eggs, a selection of breads and pastries, frozen meat, fruit and vegetables. Inside, another team of volunteers assembles bags of canned and packaged food, some for adults, others for children."

Gift article link -> https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/opinion/america-safety-net.html?unlocked_article_code=1.WU8.7Ufx.sJO5TyPQMr2k&smid=url-share

Frankie shares the memories on last day of School Resource Officer

Today was a hard day, especially for Dad.

Today was his last day as an SRO for the Town of Franklin. Due to recent budget cuts he and I, along with Officer Ayer and Ben Franklin have been taken out of the schools and reassigned to the patrol division. After 8 years of supporting the students, staff and families of FPS as an SRO, we got to see students graduate from 8th grade this week that Dad welcomed into the FPS system on their very first day of Kindergarten.

He had been there almost every day of their school career to welcome them, listen to them and make them feel safe 💙 we spoke with a mom of 2 middle schoolers who thanked us for giving her the reassurance everyday that her kids would be safe while at school!

Frankie shares the memories on
last day of School Resource Officer

She then told Dad she is from NewTown CT. It brought Dad to tears to hear this💙💙. The students that came up to Dad and I today to thank us, hug us and cry with us was overwhelming.

To hear students and staff/administration talk about us during their speeches was amazing. Thank you to all the students/staff/parents that came up to us, gave me a pat, a hug or shook Dads hand, hugged him and cried with him, we THANK YOU for all of your support over the years and we look forward to seeing you about the town.

You can view additional photos here -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DLD8BmgP7IB/

Town Council follows through approving the forecasted $3.8M budget cuts resulting from failed override (audio)

FM #1466  This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1466 in the series. 

This session shares the Town Council Meeting of Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The FY 2026 second budget hearing continued from May 22, was reopened to make the adjustments due to the failed override June 3, 2025. All 9 Council members participated in the Council Chambers. 

Quick recap:

• After the 5 minutes late start, the public hearing on the FY 2026 budget was resumed from the May 22 session.

• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen walked through the recap and explained the Option A & B using 3 slides (see below) as well as the Option A & B voting docs (linked below)

• Chief Lynch, Chief McLaughlin, Supt Giguere, and Library Director Oti spoke of the cut impacts to their operations but approved of them as necessary due to the failed override

• Supt Giguere confirmed the full details of their cuts would be reviewed with the School Cmte at their meeting June 10. Of the projected 10-15 personnel, he confirmed likely 12 FTE positions,  some teachers, some retirees not being backfilled and other personnel across the district as well as the fees would need to remain as they are this year

• The public then had an opportunity to comment or question the cuts as proposed. Those in Chambers went first before those on Zoom, and all were covered before the Councilors had their turn.

• The vote finally came to approve the cuts as proposed:

• 2 personnel from Police Dept (currently open slots not to be backfilled as had been planned)

• 2 personnel from Fire Dept (currently 1 open position not backfilled, and the last hired will also be leaving)

• This does take the 3rd ambulance offline increasing response times and creates a lose of revenue (for the ambulance runs if required to hospital)

• 1 admin position for Town Administrator's office

• 1 from Planning & Community Development

• 1 from Board of Assessors

• the part-time nurse at the Senior Center

• DPW cuts their summer intern program (unspecified number of positions for summer help)

• Library Sunday hours (during the winter, there are open during the summer)

• additional expenses were reduced to bring to the total required (see Option B for details)

• Personnel cuts by my tally = 8 Town side, 12 school side, plus expenses (PS - this tally was confirmed with our Town Administrator Jamie Hellen via email) 

• The meeting then went through the long series of votes to approve the final budget, the salary for the Town Clerk, the Community Preservation Act budget before closing just after 11 PM

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1466-franklin-ma-town-council-mtg-06-04-25/

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Franklin TV video is available for replay ->   https://www.youtube.com/live/_f72Yd8VXz0?&t=316 

The agenda doc was updated Wednesday afternoon to add the Option B and Options A & B comparisons for the discussion on the budget cuts.

Option A & B Comparison ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5883/FY26-Control-Sheet-and-Voting-Doc-COMPARISON 

Option B -> https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5882/FY26-Control-Sheet-and-Voting-Doc-OPTION-B 

Full agenda -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1769

My full set of notes as written during the meeting

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1718wLXj_U_hdqq82Jb1rVrgeomNdeHaO/view?usp=drive_link 

The 3 slides Jamie talked to in his explanation of Option B

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oxfbkEcNhB5mpjHB8 

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

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"