Agenda for the Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting - Wedsneday, Oct 7, 2026

Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting

(Members of the Town Council, School Committee, and Finance Committee)

Agenda & Meeting Packet

October 7, 2026, 6:00 PM

Franklin Municipal Building: Council Chambers

355 East Central Street, 2nd Floor

Agenda

1. Call the Meeting to Order

2. Approval of Minutes

a. August 13, 2026

3. Vote on Joint Budget Subcommittee Goals

4. Discussion of Franklin Finances 101 Educational Video Series

5. Kitchen Table Discussion: FY27 Financial Baseline

6. Revenue Ideation - Initial list of revenues to research

7. Future Agenda Items/Next Meeting Date

a. Revenue Ideation follow up

b. Massachusetts Municipal Association A Perfect Storm and Navigating the Storm reports

8. Adjournment

Agenda document contains remote participation info

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/11250/2026-10-07-JBSC-agenda-packet

Joint Budget Subcmte in healthy discussion seems to coalesce on 3 goals (audio)

FM #1810 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1810 in the series. 

This session shares the Joint Budget Subcmte Meeting held on Thursday, August 13, 2026. 

• TA Jamie Hellen provides a budget update  https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10586/3a-MEMO---FY27-Update-and-Five-Year-Forecast- 

• Five year forecast more accurate based on the process  https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10582/03b-1-Five-Year-Fiscal-Forecast---Control-Summary-Forecast 

• Discussion on goals   https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10588/04-JBSC-2026-27-Goals 

• Consensus developed around three goals;, in my kitchen English wording - 

• (1) education/awareness of the Town finances 

• (2) alignment on the structural deficit for 3 years 

• (3) potential solutions or strategy to resolve such deficit in that time. 

• Additional wordsmithing being done by the committee for review at next session, no date available for next session

The recording runs about 2 hours & 15 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1810-joint-budget-subcmte-mtg-08-13-26/

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Franklin TV video is available for replay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PITPcwF6Lg 

The agenda for this session

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132026-2445   

My notes captured during the session

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UzwDKCfD_wh4wmgQdqZDH101egZACz-j/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"

Joint Budget Subcmte in healthy discussion seems to coalesce on 3 goals (video)

The Joint Budget Subcommittee met as scheduled on Thursday, August 14. 10 of the 11 members were present in Chambers for the session (Grella absent).

Franklin TV video is available for replay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PITPcwF6Lg

Meeting agenda - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132026-2445 

Quick recap

• TA Jamie Hellen provides a budget update https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10586/3a-MEMO---FY27-Update-and-Five-Year-Forecast-
• five year forecast more accurate based on the process https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10582/03b-1-Five-Year-Fiscal-Forecast---Control-Summary-Forecast
• Discussion on goals   https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10588/04-JBSC-2026-27-Goals
• Consensus developed around three goals;, in my kitchen english wording - (1) education/awareness of the Town finances (2) alignment on the structural deficit for 3 years (3) potential solutions or strategy to resolve such deficit in that time. Additional wordsmithing being done by the committee for review at next session, no date available for next session

My notes captured during the session

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UzwDKCfD_wh4wmgQdqZDH101egZACz-j/view?usp=drive_link

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, August 13, 2026 ???

Thursday, August 13

Franklin Lions Clothing Drive active through Aug 22   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/07/the-franklin-lions-conducting-clothing.html

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/DocumentCenter/View/9890

***   Town Meetings today ***

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting

Thursday, August 13 Time: 2:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132026-2453

Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, August 13 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132026-2445 

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, August 13 Time: 7:00 PM (3rd Fl Trng, updated 8/10)

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132026-2452

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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

This Chalkboard Chat catches us up on 4 meetings in about 40 minutes (video or audio)

FM #1750 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1750 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with School Committee Chair Paul Griffith.  We had our discussion via Zoom on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. We condense and get into the explanations behind the key items from four recent meetings:

Our conversation covered the following topics:

• Joint Budget Subcommittee meeting - April 16

• Joint Town Council & School Cmte meeting May 12

• School budget discussion at budget hearing #1 - Wednesday, May 20

• School Committee meeting - May 26

Our conversation runs about 43 minutes. Let’s listen

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8PqOzGMMeg

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1750-chalkboard-chat-05-27-26/

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

School Committee page (with contact info) - https://www.franklinps.net/o/fpsd/page/school-committee 

School Committee subcommittee assignments - 

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

The Franklin TV video is available for replay - 

• Joint Budget - April 16 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbKccD9CA3Q 

• Joint Town Council & School Cmte meeting - May 12  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsQHXSy8xEI 

• Budget hearing #1 - May 20  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=womMM5S5euI 

• School Cmte meeting - May 26  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=womMM5S5euI 

  

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

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"

 

Listen to the first session of the Joint Budget Subcommittee Thursday, April 16, 2026 (audio)

FM #1736 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1736 in the series. 

This session shares the Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting held on Thursday, April 16, 2026. 

The recording runs about 1 hour & 55 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link -  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1736-joint-budget-subcmte-mtg-04-16-26/

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

Franklin TV video is available for replay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbKccD9CA3Q 

The agenda for this session

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162026-2252  

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

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"

Watch the first session of the Joint Budget Subcommittee Thursday, April 16 (video)

The Joint Budget Subcommittee met in its new term for the first time on Thursday evening.

Franklin TV video is available for replay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbKccD9CA3Q

Joint Budget Subcommittee - Thursday, April 16 at 6 PM

Joint Budget Subcommittee (Town Council, School Committee, & Finance Committee) — 

Thursday, April 16 at 6:00 PM | 3rd Floor Training Room, Municipal Building

Attend in-person, join via Zoom, or stream on Franklin Town Hall TV YouTube.

Meeting agenda - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162026-2252 

This Chalkboard Chat recaps the School Committee meeting of March 10, 2026 (video & audio)

FM #1690 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1690 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with School Committee Chair Paul Griffith.  We had our discussion via Zoom on Thursday, March 12, 2026. We condense and get into the explanations behind the key items from the recent School Committee meeting March 10, 2026.

Our conversation covered the following topics:

• Recognition of Chloe Bowser, essay contest winner (1 of 12) for the USS Massachusetts commissioning ceremony March 28, 2026

• Food Services presentation 

• Joint Budget subcommittee April 16

• Combined Town Council & School Committee meeting March 18

• A presentation/discussion by Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) on Chapter 70 and hold harmless

Our conversation runs about 38 minutes. Let’s listen

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n5r5NlMmfI

Audio link -  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1690-chalkboard-chat-03-12-26/

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

School Committee page (with contact info) - https://www.franklinps.net/o/fpsd/page/school-committee 

School Committee subcommittee assignments - 

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

The Franklin TV video is available for replay - https://www.youtube.com/live/CBHC618gXFE?&t=230 

The agenda can be found - https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03102026-2175  

My notes via Bluesky thread in one PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZdhJ_TR0vgcoX-NAP_06FKpj1LndhMW/view?usp=drive_link 

The March 10, 2026 meeting recap and video can be found  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/03/school-committee-gets-insights-recipes.html  

 

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

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"