Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts

Friday, April 10, 2026

Catching UP: Town Council Quarterbacking - April 1 session (audio)

FM #1711 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1711 in the series. 


This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Councilor Max Morrongiello. We had our conversation in person at the Franklin TV & Radio Studios on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Our conversation condensed the Town Council meeting of Wednesday, April 1, 2026.


We focus on two questions:

  • ok, what just happened? 

  • What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

We cover the following key topics

  • Multiple citizen comments; topics covered = Bellingham battery storage, PorchFest, Quatro Eroi celebration events, & School Committee update

  • Councilor comments

  • Recognition of Chloe Bowser, her essay was one of 12 selected for the commissioning of the new submarine USS Massachusetts 

  • 3 public hearings opened together for the MBTA zoning bylaw changes required to bring us to full compliance. Of note, to come into compliance while we did tweak our zoning to fit the requirements, we actually reduced the density that was already permitted for that area. All three proposals after clarification questions were answered moved to a second reading (likely April 15)

  • 1 public hearing on the technical changes to the current Crossing Neighborhood District. There were multiple items underway and as the zoning changed were being updated to the town code discrepancy were noted; some sections of a table were left out, some had been updated incorrectly. The changes were approved to move to second reading (also likely for April 15)

  • Water & sewer extension approved for an area of Union St (actually to allow the new 5 residence development approved for part of the blueberry farm land) to update the water infrastructure to enable the extension. Funding to be provided by the developer

  • Council entered into Executive Session for bargaining not to return to open meeting


The conversation runs about 15 minutes. Let’s listen in

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1711-town-council-quarterbacking-april-1-session-04-02-26/



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The Franklin TV video is available for replay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N84cGZK_Ua4 


The agenda doc - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04012026-2229  


My full set of notes in one PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jwviXzblwRVMwA3wkzuZcJlRE3tyZmsI/view?usp=drive_link 


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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!

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


You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"


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.


Agenda for this session


Thursday, April 2, 2026

Town Council moves 4 zoning bylaw changes to 2nd reading and entered into Executive Session before 9 PM (video)

The Franklin (MA) Town Council meet in Council Chambers as scheduled on Wednesday, April 1. 8 members participated, 7 in Chambers, 1 remotely, hence all votes were recorded via roll call.

The Franklin TV video is available for replay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N84cGZK_Ua4





Quick recap:
  • Multiple citizen comments; topics covered = Bellingham battery storage, PorchFest, Quatro Eroi celebration events, & School Committee update
  • Councilor comments
  • Recognition of Chloe Bowser, her essay was one of 12 selected for the commissioning of the new submarine USS Massachusetts
  • 3 public hearings opened together for the MBTA zoning bylaw changes required to bring us to full compliance. Of note, to come into compliance while we did tweak our zoning to fit the requirements, we actually reduced the density that was already permitted for that area. All three proposals after clarification questions were answered moved to a second reading (likely April 15)
  • 1 public hearing on the technical changes to the current Crossing Neighborhood District. There were multiple items underway and as the zoning changed were being updated to the town code discrepancy were noted; some sections of a table were left out, some had been updated incorrectly. The changes were approved to move to second reading (also likely for April 15)
  • water & sewer extension approved for an area of Union St (actually to allow the new 5 residence development approved for part of the blueberry farm land) to update the water infrastructure to enable the extension. Funding to be provided by the developer
  • Council entered into Executive Session for bargaining not to return to open meeting


Sunday, March 29, 2026

The Infrastructure of Trust: How Local Civic Hubs Are Rebuilding Democracy Across Rural America - Ford Foundation

"Across rural America, democracy is upheld from the community level up—and when organizers lack infrastructure and support, the effects are wide-ranging. In towns where Main Streets have gone dark, grocery stores have closed, and residents are moving away, communities need spaces and structures that allow people to come together, work through differences, and solve shared problems.

The Trust for Civic Life, a Ford grantee, invests in local efforts that help people connect and create their community’s future together, strengthening civic life and democracy for all residents. The organization’s grantmaking model is built around the core belief: that national problems are solved in local communities. Central to that is a structure the Trust calls “Civic Hubs”: locally based, locally led organizations that create the culture and conditions for people to discuss the decisions that affect them most and act together toward meaningful change. Here, Charlie Brown, executive director of the Trust for Civic Life, discusses their approach and the lessons they’ve learned from communities across the Heartland."

Continue reading about "civic hubs"

Saturday, March 21, 2026

School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee meeting audio for March 16, 2026 session (audio)

FM #1691 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1691 in the series. 


This session shares the Franklin, MA School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee meeting held on Monday, March 16, 2026. 


The meeting agenda had placed the session in the 3rd floor conf room so I was there. Subcommittee Chair Al Charles, member Nadia Mausolf and Operations Director Colin Boisvert were remote. Member Stephen Karunakaran was caught in another meeting and didn’t make it. Future meetings are intended to be virtual unless otherwise noted. 


The agenda topics:


● Website Usage Metrics

● Quarterly Community Engagement Update

● Senior Center Visit / Monthly Q&A Session

● Strawberry Stroll Planning

● Newsletter Planning


The recording runs about 44 minutes, so let’s listen to the Community Relations Subcommittee meeting of March 16, 2026.


Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1691-schcmte-community-relations-subcmte-mtg-03-16-26/


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School Committee Subcommittee assignments

https://www.franklinps.net/o/fpsd/page/subcommittees-and-liaisons 


Subcommittee agenda

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03162026-2181 



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

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 www.franklin.news or  Franklinmatters.org/


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"


Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Councilor Morrongiello provides some quarterbacking insights to the March 4, 2026 meeting (audio)

FM #1689 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1689 in the series. 


This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Councilor Max Morrongiello. We had our conversation in person at the Franklin TV & Radio Studios on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Our conversation condensed the Town Council meeting of Wednesday, March 4, 2026.


We focus on two questions:

  • ok, what just happened? 

  • What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

We cover the following key topics

  • Snow and Ice total at $2.1M which doesn't include the $65K from last night's double coat of salt to counter the ice. This amount will eat into the operations budget as it has already wiped out the snow/Ice stabilization amount

  • Ad-hoc subcommittee with 3 Council members will report back with community input on potential charter changes was approved by 9-0 vote

  • Appropriating Funds by Borrowing to Pay Costs of Purchasing a Fire Truck for the Fire Department was approved by 9-0 vote.

  • $20,000 from special fund for paid parking fees was authorized to pay for the system (2 years worth) and some repairs to one of the kiosks by a 9-0 vote

  • 2 zoning bylaws (Zoning Bylaw Amendment 26-948 & Zoning Bylaw Amendment 26-949) were approved to refer to the Planning Board. They will conduct their public hearing and send them back as is, or with comments for adjustments. The Council will then hold their public hearing (possibly in April) before voting on the measures. The new Planning Director Morena Zelaya made the presentation for her first appearance before the Council

  • Then they got to the goals discussion. After a lengthy discussion with some tweaks, some cuts, but mostly approval of the goals as presented the Council was able to move to accept the goals as revised at approx. 9:58, approved to waive the reading, voted to approved, and then with seconds to spare, voted to adjourn before 10:00 PM

  • Max shared his goals tracking to provide details on the survey and feedback received vs. how that played into the set of goals agreed to by the full Council 


The conversation runs about 34 minutes. Let’s listen in

Audio link -  
https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1689-town-council-quarterbacking-with-councilor-morrongiello-03-11-26/


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Add link to goals survey tracking

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/town-councilor-morrongiello-resident.html

The Franklin TV video is available for replay  https://youtu.be/3jkYtB5_Y3g?&t=136 


The agenda (and released documents) can be found  https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03042026-2166 


The thread of my notes captured via Blusky can be found in PDF format - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ONzSiMKofgqw1riOlBPJyqB-Hopo3bcs/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 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!

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


You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"


Sunday, March 8, 2026

2026 Reach Out Breakfast Impact Video: Shawna's Story (video)

I had the privilege to participate in the Hockomock YMCA "Reach Out Breakfast" on Friday morning. The video of Shawna's Story is shareworthy.
"Watch the moving story of Shawna and her children, shared at our March 6th Campaign Breakfast.  
Through life’s most difficult moments, our Y is here to provide an immediate safety net for individuals and families in need. None of this support is possible without the generosity of the many people and organizations who give to our annual Reach Out Campaign. Thank you for helping us be there when it matters most.  


Friday, February 13, 2026

Community Relations Subcommittee - 2/09/26 meeting recording (exclusive audio)

The Community Relations subcommittee of the Franklin School Committee met on Monday, February 9, 2026 via remotely only.  Participating were Al Charles, Chair, Nadia Mausolf, Stephen Karunakaran, and Colin Boisvert, Operations Director. Yours truly participated and shares this recording.

The agenda topics:

Finalize Mission Statement
JGPR Overview
Website Usage Metrics
Quarterly Community Engagement Update
Newsletter Planning

Link to agenda doc