Agenda for First Meeting of the newly elected Franklin (MA) Town Council - Nov 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM

Franklin Town Council 

Agenda & Meeting Packet 

November 12, 2025 6:00 PM 

Meeting will be held at the Franklin Municipal Building

355 East Central Street - 2nd Floor, Council Chambers

Link to the agenda doc PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1knfNyfDKUUgHkLWqCG1S0DTaLVItwT8L/view?usp=sharing

 

Agenda for First Meeting of the newly elected Franklin (MA)
Town Council - Nov 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM

Town Council Meeting - Feb 2, 2022 - audio recording in 3 parts

FM #718-719-720 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 718-719-720 in the series. 

This session shares part of the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. 

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: members of the Town Council and Town Administration personnel, the Police retirement and promotion individuals, along with their guest and family members were in the Council Chambers, some members of the public participated in person, some via the Zoom conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

I’ve split the just almost three hour meeting ( 2:48 actual meeting time - excludes recess) into three (3) logical segments:

• First - covers the opening, citizen comments and the recognition of Pricilla Cornetta; and the promotions of three Police Dept individuals (~51 mins) 2 minute recess called (which actually lasted in 6 minutes) https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-718-town-council-meeting-02-02-22-p1-of-3

• Second - covers the Old South Meeting house discussion and subcommittee report (EDC Plus) (~ 42 minutes)  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-719-town-council-meeting-02-02-22-p2-of-3

• Third - covers the Legislation for Action, Council Comments and the public meeting closes with the Council entering Executive Session not to return to open meeting (~ 1:14 ) https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-720-town-council-meeting-02-02-22-p3-of-3

The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda. Let’s listen to this segment of the Town Council meeting of Feb 2, 2022

Part 1 ->

Part 2 ->

Part 3 ->

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Town Council Agenda document ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/town_council_meeting_agenda_2-2-22_2.pdf

My notes for the meeting ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/recap-town-council-discusses-old-south.html

 

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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

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

 

For additional information, please visit www.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 Meeting - Feb 2, 2022 - audio recording in 3 parts

Recap: Town Council discusses Old South Meeting House, formalizes Joint Budget Committee among key items

Quick recap:

• The Council meeting began with a number of citizen comments about the student behavior and parking issues in the neighborhood around Dean College
• Recognition of Priscilla Cornetta, founder of Friends of Franklin, along with three promotions within the Franklin Police Dept
• Two alcohol license transactions were approved
• Discussion on the Old South Meeting House results in steps to be taken to put out an RFP to see if someone would buy it from the Town
• Approval of the Town Council procedures with some technical updates to bring into alignment with Mass general law and some to put into writing what actually had been the process, along with some minor modifications to bring enable better meeting management
• Formalization of the Joint Budget Committee composed of representatives from the Town Council, School Committee and Finance Committee with an "'advisory" role. This should help with sharing the details on cost drivers among the key groups and community in developing the budget

My Town Council meeting notes taken via Twitter and captured along with the photos shared from the meeting in one PDF document

The audio recording will be available in a day or so.

View the notes via the embedded document (below) or via this link ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MtKjMop-hOxx9-WcdZt9Lwy3bTmNl8I9/view?usp=sharing

Photos captured during the meetings (sone shared via Twitter, some not shared) can be found in one album ->  https://photos.app.goo.gl/jWU9Ht8xtBRdFa2T8

 

Recognition of Priscilla Cornetta, founder of Friends of Franklin

Recap: Procedure review completed; Town Administrator review previewed

Quick Recap:

• In back to back meetings on Wednesday, two subcommittees of the Town Council completed discussion on their tasks
• First, the Procedural Review picked up from their Dec meeting to complete review of the current document and make mostly minor and/or technical revisions. One key component is to expand the remote participation up to "no more than 4". Pre-pandemic only one councilor was allowed to participate via phone remotely. Now, with Zoom in place, the limit can be raised to 4. Still need to maintain a physical quorum in the room
• This is also pending further review depending upon what the State House does with the Open Meeting Law requirements with the current pandemic exceptions expiring in April (or June?)
• The procedure doc changes as drafted by the subcommittee will be reviewed at a meeting Feb 2, before the full council session at 7, and scheduled for full discussion with the Council
• Second, the Ad Hoc Town Administrator Review subcommittee met to review the performance and accomplishments of Jamie Hellen
• Jamie insisted that his review is a reflection of the overall town personnel in providing service to the community. When pressed if he had any plans to leave, he said no. Paraphrasing - I don't take things for granted, it has been most rewarding here, we are rooted in MA, if I had my druthers, I'd stay here. I am still young. #tctar0126 I'd be more than honored to serve here at your discretion.
• The full review write up is currently planned to be brought to the Town Council for the Feb 16 meeting for their full discussion and approval

The combined Twitter thread for the two meetings is located here (below).  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MBd3ieaUnIBVv8rrJ9zV_Bo2e8FBhJK9/view?usp=sharing

The audio recording of the TA review meeting will be available in a couple of days.

 

Town Administrator Jamie Hellen updating the Council at a recent meeting

Town Council Rules of Procedure Review Committee Meeting - Jan 26, 2022

Town Council Rules of Procedure Review Committee Meeting

Agenda & Meeting Packet = January 26, 2022 - 5:30 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building
3rd Floor, Training Room, Rm 326
355 East Central Street

A NOTE TO RESIDENTS: All citizens are welcome to attend public board and committee
meetings in person.

Agenda

1. Review draft Rules of Procedures Manual of the Franklin Town Council. 

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/town_council_rules_of_procedure_manual_review_mtg_agenda_-_jan_26_2022.pdf 

Town Council Rules of Procedure Review Committee Meeting - Jan 26, 2022

FM #680 - Town Council Procedures Review - 12/15/21 (audio)

Quick Recap:

• A review of the procedures doc began with this session. Coordination on aspects of this to help with better consistency between School and Town meetings will be done aside with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Attorney Mark Cerel and Superintendent Sara Ahern
• No major changes foreseen at this time, better consistency in procedure and language being worked. Not all of the doc was addressed in this session. No date yet set for the next meeting
• And yes, you do hear my contribution to this session. As I do attend multiple meetings across the Town and School functions, I do see opportunity for improvements. While this is focused on Town Council meetings, it can have ripple effects to the others, especially to the Town Council subcommittee meetings

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter while I attended the meeting in the 3rd Floor Training Room. 

 

The Twitter hashtag #tcpr1215  can be found online The thread begins with

https://twitter.com/FranklinMatters/status/1471253969351675914   

• getting ready for the Town Council procedures review committee meeting to begin at 6 PM agenda doc (including procedure doc) -> https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/december_15_rules_of_procedure_review_committee_meeting_agenda_0.pdf…  #tcpr1215
• the recording will be available later. May not be as active tweeting what's up during this to keep track of the discussion. This wont the only meeting on this topic; action already assigned for the 'preamble' to be coordinated with Schools to bring consistency #tcpr1215
• the consistency would help residents as they approach this Council or any meeting to have as similar a process as possible; expectations once set, can then be better managed and followed #tcpr1215
• Finding terminology inconsistencies and the discussion around which term to use is good, and helpful #tcpr1215 removing 'not' from one phrase is an option, removing 'only' is a better option in sec 18
• looking to define "Councilor Comments" better than it is (which is not well) currently... #tcpr1215
• motion to adjourn, and move to the formal Council meeting #tcpr1215

FM #680 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 680 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Franklin, MA Town Council Procedures Review Subcommittee meeting held on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

The budget workshop was conducted in the third floor training room of the Municipal Building. Three Town Councilors (Chair Tom Mercer, Councilors Debbie Pellegri, and Glenn Jones) were present along with the Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Town Attorney Mark Cerel and Admin Assistant Alecia Alleyne. 

The recording of the public meeting runs about 53 minutes. 

Links to the meeting agenda and associated documents released for this meeting are included in the show notes. The link to my notes taken during the meeting is also provided.

Let’s listen to this session of the Town Council Procedures Review Subcommittee meeting Dec 15, 2021 

*** Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-680-town-council-procedures-review-12-15-21

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Meeting agenda doc ->  https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/december_15_rules_of_procedure_review_committee_meeting_agenda_0.pdf 

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

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

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"

FM #680 - Town Council Procedures Review - 12/15/21

Franklin, MA: Town Council Rules of Procedure Review Committee Meeting Agenda - Dec 15 - 6 PM

Town Council Rules of Procedure Review Committee 

Meeting Agenda - December 15 

3rd Floor Training Room - 6:00 PM

Agenda

1. Review Procedures Manual of The Franklin Town Council dated May 9, 2018

Agenda doc ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/december_15_rules_of_procedure_review_committee_meeting_agenda_0.pdf 

Procedures Manual (to be reviewed)   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/procedures_manual_.pdf

Town Council Rules of Procedure Review Committee Meeting Agenda - Dec 15 - 6 PM