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| BFCCPS PCO announces 3rd Faculty Grant Recipient |
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 *
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
BFCCPS PCO announces 3rd Faculty Grant Recipient
Monday, March 23, 2026
Finance Committee gets a good discussion on policies, and an update on the grant process yielding $112M over 10 years (audio)
FM #1696 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1696 in the series.
This session shares the Finance Committee meeting conducted Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The Committee meeting opened with 6 members present, 2 absent (1 open position reportedly to be filled soon).
Quick recap:
a healthy and engaging discussion on the policies, to be resumed at one of the budget hearings in April before making a recommendation on changes (if any) to the Town Council
Presentation on the grant process and the yield of $112M over 10 years, an average of $10M/year
Future Agenda Items / Next meeting Dates:
a. April 6, 7, 8 & 9, 2026 - Anticipated Finance Committee Budget Hearings
b. May 28, 2026 - FY27 Budget discussion - first look at health care numbers as open enrollment would have closed Apr 30
c. June 3, 2026 - FY27 Budget discussion and vote to recommend budget with changes (if any) for the Town Council to vote on at their June 10 session
The recording runs almost 2 hours, let’s listen
Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1696-franklin-ma-finance-cmte-mtg-03-11-26/--------------
Franklin TV video is available for replay - https://www.youtube.com/live/UZl8H4Koptg?&t=476
Agenda (updated 3/11/26) - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03112026-2189
My notes in one PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oxC1JQgvl3PoNs-2qaHf9vacux3JvsZY/view?usp=drive_link
Photo album of the grant presentation slides shared
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kLdsxaJEHqXjYEzT7
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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!
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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"
Thursday, March 19, 2026
BFCCPS' PCO 2nd Faculty Grant Award Announcement
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| BFCCPS' PCO 2nd Faculty Grant Award Announcement |
Sunday, March 15, 2026
Farmers Market awareness for BFCCPS Capstone Projects via Grant
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| Farmers Market awareness for BFCCPS Capstone Projects via Grant |
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Finance Committee gets a good discussion on policies, and an update on the grant process yielding $112M over 10 years (video)
- a healthy and engaging discussion on the policies, to be resumed at one of the budget hearings in April before making a recommendation on changes (if any) to the Town Council
- Presentation on the grant process and the yield of $112M over 10 years, an average of $10M/year
- Future Agenda Items / Next meeting Dates:
- a. April 6, 7, 8 & 9, 2026 - Anticipated Finance Committee Budget Hearings
- b. May 28, 2026 - FY27 Budget discussion - first look at health care numbers as open enrollment would have closed Apr 30
- c. June 3, 2026 - FY27 Budget discussion and vote to recommend budget with changes (if any) for the Town Council to vote on at their June 10 session
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
FUMC gets $75k grant to build downtown Franklin’s first community-based commissary kitchen
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Agenda for the Franklin Finance Committee Mtg - Weds, March 11, 2026 at 6 PM
- 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.
a. February 25, 2026
a. Review Town Financial Policiesi. 2024-2025 Financial Policies
a. Municipal Grant Process Overviewhttps://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/8636/Municipal-Grant-Process-Overviewb. Historical Grant Data Summaryhttps://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/8637/5b-Historical-Grant-Data---Summary
a. April 6, 7, 8 & 9, 2026 - Anticipated Finance Committee Budget Hearingsb. May 28, 2026 - FY27 Budget discussion TBDc. June 3, 2026 - FY27 Budget discussion TBD
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Franklin gets MassTrails Grant for the SNETT
Saturday, November 1, 2025
Franklin Enhances Municipal Safety Measures with MIIA Grant
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| visit www.emiia.org and www.mma.org |
MIIA is a membership service of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. As a mission-driven, member-led nonprofit, MIIA focuses on providing Massachusetts municipalities and other governmental entities with insurance coverage alternatives, quality risk management, and wellness programs.For over four decades, MIIA has proudly supported its members in their efforts to build stronger communities, foster safer work environments, and implement programs that promote the health and well-being of their employees. For more information, visit www.emiia.org and www.mma.org.
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Town of Franklin Enhances Municipal Safety Measures with MIIA Grant
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Franklin Fire Dept announce receipt of FEMA grant for training
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| Franklin Fire Dept announce receipt of FEMA grant for training |
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Cultural Council Grant Applications open
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| Cultural Council Grant Applications open |
Friday, August 29, 2025
Bi-County Collaborative Awarded More Than $420,000 in State Grants to Strengthen Literacy Instruction Across All Grade Levels
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Bob & I review the COA Letter and reveal the town records on the position funding (audio)
FM #1489 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1489 in the series.
This session shares my conversation with Robert (Bob) Kaufman, member of the Council on Aging which oversees the Senior Center in an advisory capacity. We had our discussion on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio.
We talk about
The circumstances that created the situation
The points of the COA Letter
Rebuttal or alternate explanations for the points of the letter
The point of our conversation was to more fully explain the details around the letter and ensure that we could have a better and civil discussion. While this happened this year, given the financial situation of the town, we will likely see this again. We, the collective "we", need to determine how "we" are going to solve our budget problem.
The recording runs about 59 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1489-coa-letter-robert-kaufman-07-30-25/
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| History of the grants and Friends of Franklin Elders (FOFE) |
COA Letter as discussed -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/franklin-council-on-aging-letter-to.html
History of the grants and Friends of Franklin Elders (FOFE) funding for the cook and nurse from 2010 through 2017 when the Town budget provided the funding https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iOz6F1W9Rq-H67C2jmhthNNPL7GZCyMQ/view?usp=drive_link
To save some from searching, Bob did struggle to recall the name of the last Republican Mayor of Chicago -> a source of the history for “Big Bill” Thompson is available https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hale_Thompson
-------------
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"













