- comments on Chestnut St buildings not completed, what can be done
- multiple citizens comments on Flock cameras, being addressed by the Council
- Results of the State Primary are now official as announced by Town Clerk Nancy Danello
- Appointment of James West as Police Chief was approved
- Excess sewer capacity deal with Millis and Medway approved
- Presentation on Town of Franklin properties resulted in a long dicussion ultimately around site of the Police Station. While the Police Station Building Committee was also participating, they did not make a formal presentation, did answer multiple questions. Concensus among COuncil was to review the proposed building to reduce size of building to better fit on the Davis Thayer site. Parmenter would be retained as recreation and potential other Town use. RFP for 275 Beaver St possible
- As the discussion on this Town property topic completed about 10:25 PM, the Council voted to adjourn, they did not need to vote to extend the meeting past their 10 PM self-imposed deadline. Had they attempted another topic, that would have been required
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Town Council approve West as Police Chief, approves excess sewer capacity deal, & goes past 10 PM on Police Station and Town properties discussion (video)
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Town Council to consider Medway & Millis Sewer Capacity Transfer Proposal - 09/02/26
11.
PRESENTATIONS
/ DISCUSSION -
a.
Update on the Sewer Capacity Transfer to Medway & Millis
i. Town
Administrator Memo on Sewer Transfers
●
Data Request: Table 1 - Current Residential & Commercial Flows
●
Data Request: Table 2 - Ongoing, Approved, Anticipated Development
●
Data
Request: Table 3 - 20-year
historic sewer flows
● See Legislation for Action #12a. (Millis)
●
See Legislation for action #12b. (Medway)
●
See Legislation for action #12c. (District Amendment)
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
The Excess Sewer Capacity segment of the July 22, 2026 Town Council meeting (audio)
This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. The Council held this session as scheduled beginning at 6 PM. All 9 members participated in Chambers. The Council voted to extend the meeting 1 hour and fortunately finished before that time.
The full meeting can be viewed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mliO20lR8Cc
The three key sections of presentation & discussion are shared via audio here:
1786 - The FY 25 Audit report presentation and discussion. The recording runs about 25 minutes.
1788 - Excess Sewer Capacity presentation from Charles River, including Medway & Millis representatives as well as the extended discussion to be continued Sept 2. The recording runs about 97 minutes.
c. Charles River Pollution Control District
i. Charles River Pollution Control District Overview Presentation https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10236/11c-i---PRESENTATION-SLIDES---PDF--CRPCD-Town-Council-Meeting-July-22-2026pdf & Website https://www.charlesriverpcd.org/
ii. Town Administrator Memo on Sewer Transfers https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10237/11c-ii---MEMO---Millis-Sewer-Transfer
● See Legislation for Action #12b. (Millis)
● See Legislation for action #12c. (Medway)
● See Legislation for action #12d. (District Amendment)
Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1788-excess-sewer-capcity-segment-at-the-town-council-mtg-07-22-26/
--------------
The full agenda and documents released for this session - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07222026-2421
-------------
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Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Potential Sewer Capacity Transfer to Millis and Medway could provide 1 time revenue and reduce annual expenses for sewer rate users
| Calendar Year | Avg Daily Flow | |
| 2016 | 2.41 | |
| 2017 | 2.56 | |
| 2018 | 3.11 | |
| 2019 | 2.78 | |
| 2020 | 2.60 | |
| 2021 | 2.89 | |
| 2022 | 2.34 | |
| 2023 | 2.62 | |
| 2024 | 2.48 | |
| 2025 | 2.20 | |
| 25.99 | sum of 10 years | |
| 2.599 | avg for 10 years | |
| 3.642 | Capacity | |
| 71.36% | percent utilization on 10 years |
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Franklin, MA: Agenda for Town Council meeting - Weds, July 22 at 6 PM
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Finance Committee hears economics of development as "it's complicated", approves Capital budget requests (video)
- Board of Assessors and Town Staff: The Economics of Development, residential valuations are based upon residential property sales and comparables. Commercial Industrial valuations are more complicated in that there is a revenue factor for how much money the operations is actually making (confidentially reported to the Assessors) along with several other factors. The repeated phrase was "it's complicated"
- We did hear that there is NO issue with water supply or sewer capacity. Police and Fire are understaffed (but managing as best they can for the volume), Schools built extra capacity as part of the redistricting effort. The per pupil amount talked of is not what each net new student would cost. There are existing capacities to handle some number of students without adding a teacher.
- The capital budget first pass was approved after a lengthy discussion. Town policy calls for funding multiple stabilization accounts, this year only the OPEB account was proposed for funding due to the budget shortfall and that it had not been funded last year.
- The OPEB fund resolution passed 8-0-1 (1 absent)
- The first pass at the tier 1 capital requests accounted for $1.8M and was proposed to amend to remove the sprinkler system work required at the Senior Center. The amendment was meant to reserve the additional $750K for the potential budget deficit. The motion to amend after a lengthy discussion failed by a 1-7-1 (1 for, 1 absent, 7 against removal for the item). The vote on the original resolution passed 7-1-1 (7 for, 1 against, 1 absent)
Friday, July 28, 2023
School Committee approves "Comprehensive School Facility Planning" effort (audio)
The School Committee met on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 as scheduled and completed business without student updates (school vacation) or any presentations (summer time) with a brief Executive Session and the total was within an hour. A rare but worthy accomplishment.
- Getting ready to report on the School Committee meeting at 7 PM follow along with the agenda #schcom0726 https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_7-25-23.pdf
- Chair Spencer opens meeting, gets right to the Supt Giguere report on the activity this summer. Administrator pretreat the day after school ended to close and reflect on the past school year. #schcom0725 retreat next week, 3 days, asst and principals together
- Planning and strategic planning key topic, to be held at Dean College; MSAA executive institute for Lucas, Paula & Tina at the Cape recently, how to move from striving to thriving, budget development also a key topic #schcom0725
- Elementary literacy materials arrived, being distributed to the schools, 30 openings currently but a moving # as candidates are in process, HS experience, new teacher orientation, professional development before schools starts, report and dates coming in writing
- Clarification q, 2 asst principals open at this time. No presentations, now discussion action items
- Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Sub Committee - I recommend that the School Committee dissolve the Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Sub Committee as detailed motion to approve, second, passes 7-0
- School Facilities Master Planning Subcommittee - I recommend that the School Committee establish a School Facilities Master Planning Subcommittee as detailed motion to approve, second, Amended to be Comprehensive School Facility Planning Subcmte, passes 7-0; Second vote to pass formation of committee as amended, passes 7-0
- Off-site/retreat working on an overall calendar for meetings and subcommittee meetings to make them as predictable as possible, likely ready in a couple of weeks #schcom0725
- Consent agenda recommended to be approved, moved, second, passes 7-0
- Order for Committee comments, Callaghan advises participating in Joint Budget Subcmte meeting Aug 2
- Motion to executive session, to return to open meeting, second, passes 7-0 via roll call We will hang out for this one, not supposed to be a long session. Stay tuned!
- Ok, about to return to open session
- Called back to order, motion to adjourn, via roll call passes 7-0 That's all for tonight catch you next time!
Friday, February 26, 2021
Town of Franklin: Update on the State of Massachusetts Reopening Process
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