Finance Committee closes out 16+ hours of budget hearings with proposed adjustments (audio)

FM #1728 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1728 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Finance Committee Budget Hearing, the Last of 4 sessions to go over the FY 2027 budget. The meeting was held in Council Chambers with 7 of 9 members present.

Quick recap:

• This session was time well spent by the Committee to review the potential adjustments to the budget and come to a consensus on them. They started with a set of goals and a process to work through the listing of the items for discussion based upon what had occurred over the prior three nights.

• They wanted to minimize use of free cash. The end proposal recommends $1.8M of free cash rather than $2M

• They wanted to move some of the regular recurring 'capital items' to the ops budget where they belong. They took a step in that direction with less than $100K of police gear putting that in the Ops budget. Next cycle those items won't need to come before the Capital budget as a request

• They made a strategic investment in a couple of positions. One already in the budget for a part time clerk in the Assessors office, and additional hybrid inspector/admin help for the Building Commissioner's team. This should help the assessors and inspectors to do the work they need to do while providing some additional administrative help to help the work flow and improve our permit and tax base (both revenue generators)

• They proposed reducing the Facilities expense budget

• They confirmed the need for restoration of the Deputy Town Administrator and the School Resource officers (SROs)

• They will request that the Schools look as possibly using more of their revolving funds to help balance their budget and in turn free up more free cash on the Town side to not be used for the overall budget

• The complete set of the adjustments will be written up, presented by the FinCom to the Town Council and Joint Budget Subcommittee. The line item adjustments will be made and incorporate some other updates for the Town Administrator to issue a revised budget proposal before the Council gets to finalize their vote at the June 10th meeting. It may not be ready for the May 20-21 Council budget hearings, the key item that still might be outstanding before those hearings is the FY 2027 health costs as the annual enrollment completes April 30

Let’s listen in

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1728-finance-cmte-budget-hearing-4-04-09-26/

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Franklin TV video is available for replay - https://www.youtube.com/live/3oIsBHQ73Ts?&t=1170 

The amended agenda doc - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04092026-2222 

My full set of notes in one PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NzSDXoQxk7P0ztXRKjPpcPTPrZgBNE78/view?usp=drive_link 

Dept of Arts, Culture & Creative Economy metrics as referenced by Cory Shea during the budget hearing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zQV7NQTLRSy1UnPKxad0wtW8Q-76YqOc/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!

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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"

2 Part Audio for the Town Council Mtg March 4: authorized fire truck, approved goals, & heard total exp on snow & ice now exceeds $2M (audio)

FM #1684-85 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, numbers 1684-85 in the series. 

This session shares part of the Franklin (MA) Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. The Council held this session as scheduled beginning at 6 PM. All 9 Councilors participated for this 4 hour plus session. 

 

• 1684 - The Opening, and all agenda items except the goals which they saved for last  (approx. 2 hrs. 7 mins)  

• 1685 - Discussion on the goals brings them right up to the 4 hour limit which they managed to stay within  (approx. 1 hour and 55 mins)

  

Audio 1684 - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1684-franklin-ma-town-council-mtg-03-04-26-p1-of-2/

Audio 1685 - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1685-franklin-ma-town-council-mtg-03-04-26-p2-of-2/

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Additional notes on the meeting recap can be found (including link to Franklin TV video) ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/town-council-authorizes-fire-truck.html 

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Engine 3 is the fire truck authorized to be replaced

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"

4 hour Finance Meeting recording in 2 parts for convenience: P1 - economics of development, P2 - capital budget (audio)

FM #1643-44 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1643-44 in the series. 

This session shares the Finance Committee meeting conducted Wednesday, January 14, 2026. 8 members of the Committee participated, 1 absent. 

4 hour Finance Meeting recording in 2 parts for convenience

The recording is in 2 parts:

P1 for the economics of development

P2 for the capital budget

Quick recap -> 

• 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

• Part of the agenda included an update on the abatement process which was not covered and seems to be deferred to a future meeting (TBD)

• 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)

The recording for Part 1 - Economics of development runs just over 2 hours

https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1643-franklin-ma-finance-cmte-mtg-p1-of-2-01-14-26/

The recording for Part 2 - the capital budget runs just under 2 hours

https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1644-franklin-ma-finance-cmte-mtg-p2-of-2-01-14-26/

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Franklin TV video for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaC9XFahY1M 

The agenda and released documents for this meeting -> https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01142026-2089 

My notes collected in one PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qRDOyvDbYn1A5DqogXU-4DpgjpwYvRNH/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. 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"

Town Council effectively conducts business before going to Executive Session on Feb 26, 2025 (audio)

FM #1391  This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1391 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council Meeting of Wednesday, February 26, 2025. 8 of the members participated in Council Chambers, 1 was absent (Dellorco). 

Quick recap:

• Going right to legislation for action

• Bylaw Amendment 25-924: A Bylaw to Amend the Code of the Town of Franklin at Chapter 82, Fees, Municipal Service - Second Reading; Motion to waive reading, passes - Motion to approve, second, vote via roll call passes 8-0-1 (1 absent)

• Resolution 25-05: Free Cash To Stabilization Accounts Transfers Motion to approve, second - Discussion had been part of the capital budget review by FinCom and Capital budget subcmte but not yet set here for approval - Passes 8-0-1 (1 absent)

• Bylaw Amendment 25-925: Amendment to Sewer System Map (Raymond St.) - First Reading - Last parcel on the road to extend this to. Motion to move to second reading, passes 8-0-1 (1 absent) Related to the above

• Bylaw Amendment 25-926: Amendment to Water System Map (Raymond St.) - First Reading - Water to go along with the sewer as noted, motion to move to second reading, passes 8-0-1 (1 absent)

• Resolution 25-11: Cable Funds in Support of PEG Service and Programming per MGL Ch. 44 §53F3/4 -  Motion to waive reading, passes 8-0-1; Motion to approve, second, passes 8-0-1 (1 absent)

• Town Administrator's Report

• March 5 preliminary FY 2026 budget update coming Traditional slide show, and updates

• Mirchi withdrew the alcohol liquor license application

• Did get confirmation from the Commonwealth, August 31, Best Western will be closed to the emergency shelter program; Jamie still gets emails etc. and blame us for the town role which was not our choice, it was totally a state decision and effort, thanks to the residents and organizations for handling this under the circumstances

• Motion to enter executive session, not to return to open meeting

• Motion, second, passes via roll 8-0-1 (1 Absent)

Let’s listen to the meeting recording which runs about 2 hours and 45 minutes.  Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1391-franklin-ma-town-council-mtg-02-26-25/

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My expanded notes -> https://docs.google.com/document/d/10yE_Dj5dIlYdzyYou4cZhh5AD4kJL0JZOGgg0BDuOfA/edit?usp=drive_link 

Franklin TV video is ready for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbkmz3G_q6Y 

The Agenda doc and most materials released for this session ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-1602 

My notes captured during the meeting in one PDF file ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aFS-kA1Xy3rCoN2v-1H8-wbGw6nlI21m/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"

Franklin TV video is ready for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbkmz3G_q6Y