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 *
Monday, April 24, 2023
Franklin Dog Park clean up scheduled for April 29 at 9:30 AM
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Earth Day at DelCarte on Sunday, April 23 from 9 AM to 1PM
Earth Day at DelCarte on Sunday, April 23 from 9 AM to 1 PM
![]() |
Earth Day at DelCarte on Sunday, April 23 from 9 AM to 1PM |
Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/conservation/news/earth-day-delcarte-sunday-april-23-9am-1pm
Friday, March 24, 2023
Mark your calendar to help with Earth Day cleanup at Beaver Pond - April 22, 2023
For over 20 years the Town of Franklin has conducted this event in an effort to educate the public on recycling, beautification and general clean up. Help us clean our local parks, roads, schools and town greenery!
Meet at Beaver Pond parking lot on Saturday, April 22, 9:00 AM where we will distribute trash bags, gloves and maps with clean up sites.
Free tree saplings will be distributed.
Register today: https://tinyurl.com/28jjfztx
Sunday, March 19, 2023
FHS Throwers worked to prepare for practice
"FHS Throwers project! Getting ready for Monday! @FHSSports @FHS_girlsXC @FHSPanthersTF" https://t.co/Ae1sBTh6Cp
FHS Throwers worked to prepare for practice |
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Notice from the DPW: Fall Curbside Yard Waste Collection Scheduled for Week of December 5, 2022.
Fall curbside yard waste collection will now run the week of December 5, 2022.
Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/notice-dpw-fall-curbside-yard-waste-collection-scheduled-week-december-5th-2022
![]() |
Notice from the DPW: Fall Curbside Yard Waste Collection Scheduled for Week of December 5, 2022. |
Monday, May 16, 2022
Get ready for Saturday, May 21 - Recycling event at Beaver Pond, Earth Day Clean up at DelCarte
Saturday May 14 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Chilson Beach (Beaver Pond)
![]() |
Get ready for Saturday, May 21 - Recycling event at Beaver Pond |
Monday, April 18, 2022
Register to help Franklin clean up for Earth Day - Apr 23
The annual community clean up activities are scheduled for Saturday, Apr 23, 2022. For over 20 years, the Town of Franklin has conducted this event in an effort to educate the public on recycling, beautification, and general clean up of the town.
Earth Day is celebrated on Friday, April 22nd throughout the United States. Franklin will host their own Earth Day on Saturday April 23 this year!Keep Franklin looking beautiful by helping us clean our local parks, roads, schools, and town greenery!
Earth Day is a great opportunity for High School Students to earn their volunteer hours!
You can pre-register at: https://franklinma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29880
![]() |
Register to help Franklin clean up for Earth Day - Apr 23 |
Friday, April 8, 2022
"Massachusetts residents should not settle for less than healthy rivers and harbors"
"The cleanup of Boston Harbor is incomplete
Largely unknown to the public, raw sewage is still dumped into the Mystic and Charles rivers, which empty directly into the harbor."
"The cleanup of Boston Harbor is considered one of the great environmental success stories of our time — and deservedly so. It has helped transform the quality of life in the metro Boston area as residents and businesses live, work, and play near the newly cleaned up harbor and the rivers that feed into it.
But sadly, and largely unknown to the public, raw sewage is still dumped into the Mystic and Charles rivers that empty right into the harbor. Depending on the volume of rainfall and snowmelt, up to 500 million gallons of sewage mixed with storm water are discharged into the harbor via the two rivers every year.
These discharges flow from old underground pipe networks known as combined sewer systems, engineering relics that were designed to collect rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater in the same pipe leading to a treatment plant. But during periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt, the wastewater volume can exceed the pipe’s capacity, causing a combined sewer overflow, or CSO, that dumps the polluted contents directly into the rivers."
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/04/02/opinion/cleanup-boston-harbor-is-incomplete/
- The Charles River Watershed Association is working on river clean up as well. Visit the Storymap "A River Interrupted" here -> https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/62917edcb76c4e10868cbb7a79638282
- The Town of Franklin (ToF) is also involved and recently passed the storm water utility fee (starting in Jan 2023) to help fund that effort and relieve pressure from the operating budget. For more about storm water visit the ToF page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/stormwater-division
Sunday, April 3, 2022
Franklin Community Garden Updates
Just a reminder: Opening day at the Franklin Community Garden is April 23. Volunteers are needed to help: put out hoses and sprayers, fill one of the flower boxes with soil, put down some clover and move the picnic benches to their proper location. Come and meet your fellow gardeners! Amend your soil, plant some seeds, put up some cages and plan out your garden! Hoping for a sunny day!
May 14 is a seed and seedling exchange from 11-1. This is a time change from a previous email. White Barn Farm in Wrentham is having their plant sale that same morning staring at 9. We like to be there to get the best selection. If you go and purchase some plants and then discover you have too many then you can exchange for something else at our exchange from 11-1. Sometimes plants come packed in 6's or 8's and you only want 3 or 4. Great time to exchange!
If you are planning to start your plants from seeds you should have already started your pepper plants, eggplants, and tomatoes indoors. If you are interested in a growing snap peas, then you now can plant the seeds right in your garden bed. If you are interested in growing greens (lettuce, arugula, kale, shard, etc.) and or root crops (carrots and radishes) you can plant those in your garden beds. If you have a row cover, then you can cover them. If not, some straw or hay will protect them a bit. At the end in the month you can start from seed indoors: squashes and flowers can be started indoors also (like zinnias and marigolds)!
See you on April 23rd!
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Conservation Commission schedules clean up for DelCarte on Saturday, Oct 16
"A reminder the clean up of DelCarte is scheduled for this Saturday from 9:00 AM thru Noon.
Refreshments, gloves, trash bags, masks (if needed) plus credits for clubs and schools …. Community Service 3 hours.
We look forward to seeing folks there."
Franklin Conservation Commission
![]() |
clean up for DelCarte on Saturday, Oct 16 |
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Franklin Dog Park clean up - May 22
![]() |
Franklin dog park at Dacey Field |
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Join in the town-wide cleanup on Earth Day - Saturday, Apr 24
Employees of the Franklin Recreation Department and Franklin Public Works will be on site at Beaver Pond to distribute trash bags and gloves along with maps of the sites we recommend for clean up.
Community service letters will be given to students that need hours for school.
100 tee shirts to the first 100 volunteers. DPW will have 100 dogwood saplings as well
Saturday, April 17, 2021
Recap - Economic Development SubComm Meeting - Apr 14, 2021
Quick Recap:
- A couple of agenda items from meeting Apr 7 not covered in time allotted, so this session was added also in a meeting slot before the Town Council meeting. Discussion was healthy and in the time allotted
- Grants submitted for a variety of work desired, what can or should get done with or without grant discussed
- NuStyle back in discussion as the prior agreement to sell ultimately fell through; who will buy (and how) is best case scenario as the Town would spend more than a private party would to clean up the 'brown field' and we don't have the money to start the clean up with
----
As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
The Twitter hashtag can be found online #edc0414
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23edc0414&src=typed_query
Photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter can be found in one album
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VYYiLMPgyGuf7xtx5
- Economic development subcommittee meeting underway, real time reporting commences #edc0414 Jones, Bissanti in Chambers; Hamblen, Frongillo remote.
- Community planning grant opportunity, state has been changing grant process overtime, expression of interest applied earlier; MassWorks grant submitted for Grove St/Washington intersection among other items. #edc0414
- State hasn't provided guidance yet on the downtown project before making any zoning changes to avoid missing out on incentives #edc0414 we need to take a comprehensive approach to zoning, hoping for MAPC to help us with this.
- "Incremental changes don't scare me, if they can be beneficial, then we should consider it. Having alignment in the long term approach is great". #edc0414 did mention the Beaver St interceptor, in case, down the road, there may be a grant for something like that
- #edc0414 June 2 is a deadline for certain grants, other grants are due later this year (Sep). Top complete streets possible projects in Jun $1.9M year to date, $10m over past years. Shared listing of a current report from treasurer.
- #edc0414 how does zoning tie to grant money? Best to get a 3rd party assessment of zoning to bring about proposals to gain better consensus. MAPC has specialist that can do this and help us. Can cover the multiple issues (complete streets, affordable housing, parking, etc.)
- There are a lot of options to incentivize development, someone coming in could help us with all of that. #edc0414 moving to agenda item 2; NuStyle property highlighted on map
- Did have a deal with an adjacent landowner with conditions, summer/fall of 2019 visited owner to confirm conditions, it didn't work out and deal fell through. #edc0414 was on list of things to do for 2020 and then COVID-19 hit. So we have time for a discussion on this
- Did apply through EPA for grants on clean up, once you start, you're in it. Where did this fit in the finance ladder? #edc0414 if you can see past the clean up, it good land and heck of a location. Is a liability, not increasing but not reducing either. Needs $s and imagination
- NuStyle was put on as an issue that is a long term problem to be addressed. #edc0414 need to assess contamination on property and adjacent, and confirm costs to remediate. Land use study may help to provide a set of options
- "let's just get rid of it" Jones #edc0414 "it is a waste of a property that could be worth something" "giving it or selling doesn't absolve us of responsibility" for the location, likely upwards of $1.5M per Bissanti Hellen - There is specialized stuff in this arena
- A private entity could redo the site cheaper than the Town could. #edc0414 a delicate issue. Motion to adjourn, second, passes 4-0 via roll call Another pause between meetings, Town Council up at 7
![]() |
Recap - Economic Development SubComm Meeting - Apr 14, 2021 |
FBRTC - Spring Trial Cleanup - April 17 is Cancelled
Thursday, April 23, 2020
“We’re used to it so we don’t think much of it"
"As most work places shut their doors, employees adjust to working from home and consumers get used to once-weekly shopping trips with face coverings and gloves, one South Shore business is working overtime to make sure airplanes, grocery stores and other essential spaces are still safe for the public: Clean Harbors.
“As it hit hot spots, so did we,” Clean Harbors Senior Vice President Chuck Geer said. “Our movements really did mimic the COVID-19 spread and our responses have spiked almost simultaneously with the virus cases.”
Clean Harbors is one of the nation’s leaders in decontamination, and has been for decades. The Norwell-based business has responded after major events such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Gulf Oil Spill, as well as the swine flu spread and H1N1 scare, but as is true for most businesses, a pandemic is new territory.
“It’s completely new to us, America hasn’t seen a true pandemic like this and neither have we,” Geer said Tuesday. “But really, there are a lot of similarities between this kind of clean up and any type of infectious waste. . . The chemicals we use to destroy the virus may change up, but really it’s the same principal.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200422/massachusetts-company-clean-harbors-leads-decontamination-response-nationwide-during-coronavirus-pandemic
![]() |
https://www.cleanharbors.com/ |
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
See Earth Day 2020 map here
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/2020_earth_day.pdf
When:
- Thursday, April 23, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Saturday, April 25, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where:
- Pick up bags and gloves at Franklin Recreation Department at 275 Beaver Street in the parking lot.
We ask all volunteers to practice social distancing and wear protective masks and gloves when picking up bags and collecting trash.
Please only take 2 per family to ensure we have enough for all participants.
Once bags are filled with trash, we ask that you tie them up and leave on the side of the curb in a visible location.
DPW workers will be picking up bags on Monday, April 27.
Let's help clean up Franklin safely and responsibly. For more information or to contact us, please email: franklinrecreation@franklinma.gov
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pvG-VZZfAbBa5GJOWLwb3-SItQEMg2Ng/view?usp=sharing
![]() |
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day |
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Earth day clean up at DelCarte - April 25 - Canceled
The Conservation Commission fully understands the current situation with COVID-19 and the effect it is having on all in Franklin and around the world.
We will not place any resident at risk for the sake of any event.
We hope to celebrate Earth Day next year and will make best efforts in the meantime to keep DelCarte one of the Town's Crown Jewels.
We wish you all good health.
William Batchelor
Chairman
Conservation Commission
Shared from the Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/2566887723581238/
![]() |
the floating walkway at DelCarte recently |
Sunday, March 8, 2020
"We really want to make sure people do not panic, wash their hands and do the simple things they can do”
"Although nobody in the community has been reported ill with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, the town is looking to allay any concerns -- and take preventative action -- by wiping its municipal spaces clean.Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
Town Administrator Jamie Hellen said Franklin has engaged the services of an independent vendor to sanitize the town’s public buildings over this weekend as a precaution.
From the municipal building to the senior center and library, to public spaces of the police and fire departments, officials want to ensure that residents feel confident when they need to stop in at town buildings amidst concerns about COVID-19.
“It feels like a step to take when you can say we have a new baseline,” Hellen said."
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200307/franklin-to-sanitize-public-buildings-over-weekend
The audio of the recent Board of Health meeting can be found here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/fm-216-board-of-health-meeting-march-4.html
Coronavirus Information Portal
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/attention-franklin-coronavirus.html
![]() |
"We really want to make sure people do not panic, wash their hands and do the simple things they can do” |
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Franklin Public Library Closed Monday, December 16 Through Wednesday, December 18
The Franklin Public Library will be closed on Monday, December 16 through Wednesday, December 18, 2019 for the cleaning of its brick hallways on the first floor.
All fines will be waived on materials returned during that week. Items on the hold shelf will be made available for pickup for an additional three days. Museum passes reserved for those dates may be picked up by Sunday, December 15.
For more information, please contact Library Director Felicia Oti at 508-520-4941 or foti@franklinma.gov
You might be asking "Why close now?"
This period is actually a slower period. Folks are busy preparing for the holidays. Once on school break, the Library will be a busy place so they want to get the work done now.
Why close the Library to clean the floors?
Two of the entrances have brick walkways. Even if they shut both those doors, that would only leave one door open. Not good for safety sake. As part of the cleaning process they also need ventilation and while the library has windows, they don't open. So the doors, fans, and tubes need to be used to ventilate and it would be nosier and inconvenient.
![]() |
cleaning of its brick hallways |
![]() |
cleaning of its brick hallways 2 |
Friday, April 26, 2019
Earth Day - Beaver Pond - Sat, Apr 27 - 9 AM
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd throughout the United States. Franklin will host our own Earth Day on Saturday April 27th at Beaver Pond from 9:00 AM - Noon.
We'll start at 9 AM with bagels and coffee and assigning clean up locations to all the volunteers. We have some kid friendly locations that are at parks and playgrounds. We also have some adult friendly locations along the edge of streets (Washington/Grove) that could really use a clean up. Not sure who litters anymore? But, we'll do our best to pick it all up.
We will hand out trash bags and gloves to all the volunteers and ask that they leave them curbside for our DPW to pick up after the event.
At 12:00 PM, we'll ask everyone to return back to Beaver Pond for a volunteer appreciation pizza lunch. We'll hand out community service certificates to all the HS kids that need them. Lets all pitch in to clean up Franklin!
![]() |
Earth Day - Beaver Pond - Sat, Apr 27 - 9 AM |