3 meetings, approx 5 hours distilled to a 30 minute summary in this Quarterbacking session (audio)

FM #1397 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1397 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Thursday, March 6, 2025.  

Our conversation condenses the three recent meetings:

• Police Station Building Cmte Mtg - 02/25/25

• Town Council meeting - 2/26/25

• Town Council meeting - 3/05/25 

We focus on two questions:

• ok, what just happened? 

• What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

Topics for this session

• Police Station Building Committee 2/25/25

Team together and starting work; No site chosen, no design or estimates other than rough ballparks; Site visits planned to see others recently done; Open houses planned to enable the community to see inside; Video also planned to share views/walkthrough, website with info being built; Likely at east 2 years before some firm details, estimates, sometime after a decision on building vote or not

• Town Council meeting 2/26/25

ALS/BLS ambulance fee increase approved

Did get confirmation from the Commonwealth, August 31, Best Western will be closed to the emergency shelter program

• Town Council last night - 3/05/25

Police swearing in, replacement for recent retiree, 

String quartet and proclamation

OPEB update

Good position, funding plan, AAA related impact

FY 2026 budget update

Listening session at Senior Center ¾

Council Chambers, 3/8 & FHS auditorium on 3/12

JBSC recommendation at end of 3/12 session

Town Council to take up 3/19

$3.862 M shortage, no money to be found otherwise raise or cut

Details on Town page, opportunities for discussion, questions as mentioned

Easement for DCR, and commitment on $1M to help with rail trail extension when the federal acquisition process allows

Let’s listen to my conversation with Tom as we recap the three recent meetings

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1397-town-council-quarterbacking-03-06-25/

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Franklin TV video is ready for replay

• Police Stn 02/25/25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWC6PbFTu0s 

• Town Council 02/26/25  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbkmz3G_q6Y 

• Town Council 03/05/25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAHS9BRE4cA&t=100 

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

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"

3 meetings, approx 5 hours distilled to a 30 minute summary in this Quarterbacking session (audio)

Police Station Building Commitee gets an update from the Project team and starts to set dates for site visits (audio)

FM #1389 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1389 in the series. 

This session shares the audio of the Police Station Building Committee (PSBC) meeting on Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025. This is the first meeting of 2025. The full project team, OPM, and architects provided an overview of the process and what next steps were starting. 

Quick recap:

• Discussion on how many 3 or 4 open houses for public to visit the station to see the existing conditions and need for new space

• Discussion on how many site visits to other new police facilities, likely 3 so at least the committee members could try and make at least 2 of the 3

• Presentation on template of project webpage, still in draft, discussion around what to add to it 

• Discussion around the video walk through to be coordinated by Steve Sherlock/Franklin TV. Would enable residents who can’t make the open houses to still see the situation. 

• Discussion on 3 sites, one just rose along Grove St but won’t be considered further as it is too small. Davis Thayer and Parmenter remain currently under evaluation

• Town administrator Jamie Hellen made a clear statement on the deed for the Parmenter property that nothing in it prohibits another use. The requirement at the time was to build a school within 3 years, and that was completed. There were no penalties or clawbacks in the deed in case the conditions weren’t met

• Not likely to meet again as a committee until summer time. The OPM, architects, etc have work to do gathering info and developing the initial concepts before having something for the committee to review and weigh in on 

The recording run about an hour and 10 minutes Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1389-police-station-bldg-cmte-02-25-25/

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Franklin TV video of the meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWC6PbFTu0s 

Meeting agenda ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1601 

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

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"

Police Station Building Committee Agenda for Feb 25 meeting at 7 PM

Police Station Building Commitee gets an update from the Project team and starts to set dates for site visits (video)

The Police Station Building Commitee held it's first meeting of 2025 on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. 

I did watch about half the meeting via the video play. Four members of the project team of CHA and Kaestle Boos Associates were present for the meeting and discussion. They provided updates on the overall timeline, process, discussion around sites visits (dated to be determined), open houses to be scheduled (to enable walk through of the current facility). They presented a draft of the website to be used to share the project status. 

I had met with the Chief and Deputy Chief on Monday to do a walk trhough of the facility and begin planning for a video tour and production of other digital media information.

Franklin TV video for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWC6PbFTu0s

Agenda doc ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1601

Police Station Building Committee Agenda for Feb 25 meeting at 7 PM

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Tuesday, February 25, 2025 ???

Tuesday, February 25 

2:00pm Rainbow Cafe (Franklin Senior Center)

7:00pm Musical Bingo (Raillery Public House)

Library events (follow link for details)

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=24&showPastEvents=false

**  Town Meetings today   **

4:00 PM - Franklin School Committee (executive session - negotiations)

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1583

7:00 PM - Design Review (remote only)

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1597

7 PM - Police Station Building Committee (broadcast & Zoom)

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1601 

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Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37&showPastEvents=false

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

Police Station Building Committee Agenda for Feb 25 meeting at 7 PM

Police Station Building Committee

Agenda & Meeting Packet

February 25, 2025 = 7:00 PM

Agenda:

1. Introduction of CHA and Kaestle Boos Associates Team

a. The project team will do introductions

2. Launch the project website

a. The project team will walk through the new project specific website

3. Presentation and discussion on the site evaluation process and preliminary timeline

a. The project team will give a presentation on the project timeline, process, community outreach, open houses and site evaluation process.

4. Adjourn

Agenda doc also contains remote participation info ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1601

Police Station Building Committee Agenda for Feb 25 meeting at 7 PM

Police Station Building Cmte selects KBA for architectural services on new police station (video)

The Police Station Building Committee met on Thursday evening for a long session to interview 3 firms and chose one to be the architect for the project.

The three firms had been pre-selected from a number of response to the RFQ. Each would have time (est. 30 mins) to present their team and reasons to be selected and answer questions for another 15 mins.

There would be approx. 15 minutes between each of the three firms. There was also time at the end of the three presentations for the Committee to compare notes and select KBA as the firm for the architectural services for the new police station.

Franklin TV video of the session -> https://www.youtube.com/live/z6BCi2B6NAs?si=GsT8HY6d4kNPi0vb&t=517

Agenda document ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/2024-11-14_police_station_building_committee_agenda.pdf

The three firms presented in order per the agenda doc

• 6:15 - 7:15: Interview #1: Kaestle Boos Associates  https://www.franklinma.gov/police-station-building-committee/files/kaestle-boos-associates-designer-proposal

• 7:15 - 8:15: Interview #2: Tecton Architects https://www.franklinma.gov/joint-budget-subcommittee/files/tecton-architects-designer-proposal

• 8:15 - 9:15: Interview #3: Context Architecture https://www.franklinma.gov/joint-budget-subcommittee/files/context-architecture

My notes for the portion of the meeting attended ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b0LKNBS5u3mAjTPJ7a5LWB_4CweL04Yx/view?usp=drive_link

Context Architecture presenting in hybrid

Police Station Building Comte gets project overview from OPM Joe Sullivan (audio)

FM #1303 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1303 in the series. 

This session shares the audio of the Police Station Building Committee (PSBC) meeting on Wednesday, Oct 30, 2024. All 10 members were present. This is the start of the real work on the station. The Owner Project Manager (OPM), Joseph (Joe) Sullivan is in place and leading the effort per Mass General Law for projects of this size.

Quick recap:

• Committee voted to approve minutes of 3 prior meetings (1 as amended to correct attendance status of one person)

• Joe provided an overview of the project steps

• 7 architects submitted to the RFQ from which 3 firms were selected for interviews at the next meeting Nov 14 (a long session, 30min presentations, 15 Q&A, 15 mins briefing between sessions, and then after the scoring, it will take 2-3 weeks to settle the contract. Once contracted, then evaluation begins, what today's needs are, and then layer in flexibility for future requirements

• Site selection will be a key component, usually requires 4-6 acres to allow for security and proper public access, includes traffic studies to determine proper fit 

• Conceptual design, lay the building on the site to see how it works 

• Committee vote on key steps along the way, no Taj Mahal, just what you need Min of 3 cost estimates 

• Preliminary budget after conceptual design, let committee feel comfortable with the design and the associated costs. Design contingency is used for those next level details beyond the overall building structure costs, i.e. sprinkler, technology, outfitting the building, etc. 

Additional items of the recap can be found -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/11/police-station-building-comte-gets.html 

The recording run about 58 minutes Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1303-police-station-blg-cmte-10-30-24/

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Franklin TV video of the meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/live/EriYvnsyTO0?si=0TSXC0OswbrnnCT6&t=195 

Meeting agenda ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/2024-10-30_police_station_building_committee_packet.pdf 

My notes in on PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ri3wYEfziwIAA31Ch4AVfCZAszny_kV7/view?usp=drive_link 

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

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"

Police Station Building Committee - Agenda for meeting Oct 30 at 5:30 PM