Franklin Matters: finance committee

Showing posts with label finance committee. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Talk Franklin starts with a summer concert recap, then budget & other Town business, before taking time to recoup (audio)

FM #1591 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1591 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen in the Municipal Building on Monday, November 25, 2025.

Key topics

Picked up with summer concert
New Council, new School Committee, learning curve

Tax rate hearing Dec 3
Finance Committee Dec 10
Council meeting Dec 17, a potpourri

January 2026 and the budget cycle brings hard choices to be made
Cultural events this week and first couple of week of December
Spend with with family & friends this weekend

The recording runs about 46 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1591-talk-franklin-11-24-25/

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Talk Franklin starts with a summer concert recap,
then budget & other Town business,
before taking time to recoup (audio)

Town of Franklin page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/

Franklin Public Schools page -> https://www.franklinps.net/

Town budget page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/168/Town-Budgets

School budget page -> https://www.franklinps.net/o/fpsd/page/school-district-budget

Community calendar https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

BTW - Official results of the Override election in 2024 was a difference of 236 votes. The difference narrowed to 196 in the Override vote of 2025.

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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!

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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"

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 ???

Wednesday, November 5

10:00am Free Haircuts for Veterans (Franklin Senior Center)

10:00am Veterans Coffee Social (Franklin Senior Center)

For additional details on Library events -> https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

** Town Meetings today **

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS

Wednesday, November 5 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11052025-1990

CANCELED Finance Committee Meeting

per source: lack of quorum for this session, 2 were already to be missing, 2 noted they would miss this afternoon, leaving only 5. Really wanted all of them to participate in the Technology discussion.

Wednesday, November 5 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11052025-1992

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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 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-calendar

Sunday, November 2, 2025

Agenda for Finance Committee Meeting on Weds, Nov 5 at 7 PM

Finance Committee

Agenda & Meeting Packet

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 = 7:00 PM

Franklin Municipal Building

355 East Central Street, 2nd Floor Council Chambers

Agenda

1. Call to Order

2. Public Comments

- 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 Finance Committee cannot engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Finance Committee may ask town staff to review the matter. Nothing herein shall prevent the town staff from correcting a misstatement of fact.

3. Approval of Minutes

a. October 22, 2025

4. The Bill Dowd “Deep Dive Series”

a. Technology Capital Presentation - Tim Rapoza, Technology Director

5. Future Agenda Items / Next meeting Date:

a. December 10, 2025 - Economics of Development

6. Finance Committee Member Comments

7. Adjourn

Agenda doc contains remote participation info ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aN0UXMmHpFCRHUO6lrYv5bvtG3Utzt5K/view?usp=drive_link

Agenda for Finance Committee Meeting on Weds, Nov 5 at 7 PM

Monday, October 27, 2025

Finance Committee has gets a fiscal discussion but runs out of time to get into the Technology deep dive (audio)

FM #1555 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1555 in the series.

This session shares the Finance Committee meeting conducted Wednesday, October 22, 2025. The Committee opened with 3 new members getting sworn in. The Committee also formally organized itself with votes to select George Conley as Chair, Natalie Riley as Vice-Chair and Lauren Nagel as Clerk

Quick recap:

The agenda could not be completed in the time allotted before the Town Council meeting at 7:00 PM. The planned 'deep dive' on Technology was the major item as it will be rescheduled to their Nov 5 meeting.
During Citizen Comments, M Minnechelli spoke on the economics of development proposals, i.e. 444 E Central, and the need for some body, perhaps FinCom to weigh in to help clarify the numbers that are being mentioned which are conflicting and perhaps erroneous.
The Town Administrator advised not weighing in on the specifics of 444 East Central as the public hearing is underway. However an understanding of the overall economics of development would be a good topic for a future meeting
Much of the discussion revolved around the fiscal issues currently being faced not just by Franklin but by most communities in the State. The "perfect storm" report by the MMA was referenced. The work underway at the State level to take a new look at local contributions for Chap 70 could affect our "hold harmless" situation. The Federal cuts will affect Mass revenues, and some of that will also affect our State funding.

The MMA "perfect storm" report -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/19iUBj6jDGQuWo8XDCfhwefqnK9WlALK1/view?usp=drive_link

The Town Administrator memo of Aug 7 was refreshed as many appear to have not read it, or understood the implications -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UnddsW97syeHkkVjNOgRlOkKgHgOGiS0/view?usp=drive_link

The recording runs just about 68 minutes, let’s listen

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1555-franklin-ma-finance-cmte-mtg-10-22-25/

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Franklin TV broadcast is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMhCNMRndj0

The agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10222025-1961

My notes in one PDF file -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/11PCj1OfVixPiPgZ8jrk5-HD7VjH3vuEu/view?usp=drive_link

Explore the MMA’s new report,
"A Perfect Storm: Cities and Towns Face
Historic Fiscal Pressures", to understand why

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

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

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"

Friday, October 24, 2025

Finance Committee has gets a fiscal discussion but runs out of time to get into the Technology deep dive (video)

The Finance Committee (FinCom) met on Wednesday beginning at 5:30 PM. 8 of the 9 members of the Finance Committee were present, 3 new members were sworn in officially.

Franklin TV broadcast is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMhCNMRndj0

The agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10222025-1961

My notes in one PDF file -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/11PCj1OfVixPiPgZ8jrk5-HD7VjH3vuEu/view?usp=drive_link

Quick recap:

The agenda could not be completed in the time allotted before the Town Council meeting at 7:00 PM. The planned 'deep dive' on Technology was the major item as it will be rescheduled to their Nov 5 meeting.
During Citizen Comments, M Minnechelli spoke on the economics of development proposals, i.e. 444 E Central, and the need for some body, perhaps FinCom to weigh in to help clarify the numbers that are being mentioned which are conflicting and perhaps erroneous.

Town Administrator advised not weighing in on the specifics of 444 East Central as the public hearing is underway. However an understanding of the overall economics of development would be a good topic for a future meeting

Much of the discussion revolved around the fiscal issues currently being faced not just by Franklin but by most communities in the State. The "perfect storm" report by the MMA was referenced. The work underway at the State level to take a new look at local contributions for Chap 70 could affect our "hold harmless" situation. The Federal cuts will affect Mass revenues, and some of that will also affect our State funding.

Explore the MMA’s new report,
"A Perfect Storm: Cities and Towns Face
Historic Fiscal Pressures", to understand why

The MMA "perfect storm" report -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/19iUBj6jDGQuWo8XDCfhwefqnK9WlALK1/view?usp=drive_link

The agenda doc is rich with links to important financial materials.