Town Council Chair Tom Mercer condenses the meeting of August 13, 2025 (audio)

FM #1493 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1493 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Thursday, August 14, 2025. Our conversation condensed the Town Council meeting of August 13, 2025.

We focus on two questions:

• ok, what just happened? 

• What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

Discussion items: 

PROCLAMATIONS / RECOGNITIONS

a. Proclamation: John “Jay Bird” Simons

b. Proclamation: Saumy Jani & Andrew Bairos

APPOINTMENTS

a. Appointments and Reappointments of Town Board and Committee Members

LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

a. Pledge of License of a Section 12 All Alcoholic Beverages Restaurant License: Santa Fe Burrito Grill

Legislation for action

FY26 Budget Update - Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator Model B recommended by FinCom; passed 9-0

Resolution 25-53: Acceptance of Gift to the Town of Franklin to Restore Part-Time Health and Wellness Nurse Position  (Motion to Approve Resolution 25-53 - Majority Vote) failed by 7-2 vote; action to find a way to fund via another method; also to develop a policy for the Town on donations and how to be used

Resolution 25-54: Approval of the Installation of a Sign on Public Property in Recognition of Nello P. Bassignani; passed 9-0

Bylaw Amendment 25-942: A Bylaw to Amend the Code of the Town of Franklin at Chapter 170, Vehicles and Traffic - First Reading  (Motion to Move Bylaw Amendment 25-942 to a Second Reading - Majority Vote) moved to second by 9-0 vote

Resolution 25-55: Acceptance of Gifts - Senior Center ($1,571), Library ($970), Historical Museum ($90) (Motion to Approve Resolution 25-55 - Majority Vote); passed 9-0

TOWN ADMINISTRATORS REPORT

a. Franklin Ridge Senior Housing Complex Update

b. National Grid Smart Meter Announcement

closed with Executive Session on multiple items

The conversation runs about 38 minutes. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1493-town-council-quarterbacking-08-14-25/

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Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E1pOkLizKc 

Agenda doc can be found -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08132025-1852 

My full set of notes in one PDF -> 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UPwTkHaZv3OVhfIpt5HqxFs-k7-sfa5S/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"

Town Council Chair Tom Mercer condenses the meeting of August 13, 2025 (audio)

Franklin Public Radio wfpr.fm schedule for Thursday, August 7, 2025

Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves. 

It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.

Tune in to listen to the following:

Franklin Public Radio wfpr.fm schedule for Thursday

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock

Franklin and its local government, services and events 

• This shares my Town Council Quarterbacking session with Council Chair Tom Mercer -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/4-hour-plus-town-council-meeting-try.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM - first hour

10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 8:00 PM - second hour

Turntable – "Enjoy a fun experience with co-hosts The Vibe and Pauly G sharing personal discussions about a featured rock n roll vinyl record (1st hour) and the best, all music Vibe Playlist (2nd hour)"  

The Turntable Show album hour features the masterful sound production of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon".  

The Vibe Playlist Hour includes wicked Floyd classics both studio and live from "A Momentary Lapse of Reason",  "Wish You Were Here", "The Division Bell",  and "Pulse Live" with David Gilmour's amazing guitar work and vocals, Nick Mason on drums, Roger Waters on bass and vocals, and Richard Wright on the keyboards.

Find the playlist ->  https://tinyurl.com/TurntablePlaylists

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm Schedule for Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio introduced a brand new schedule early in 2025 for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves. 

It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.

Tune in to listen to the following:

 

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm Schedule for Wednesday

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM   Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock 

Franklin and its local government, services and events  (repeats Saturday at 2 PM)  

• This shares my Town Council Quarterbacking session with Council Chair Tom Mercer -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/4-hour-plus-town-council-meeting-try.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM  The Wonderful World of Wine – Mark Lenzi, Kim Simone  All about wine, its culture, lore and finer points.    (repeats Saturday at 1 PM)  

• Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi have a discussion with Mike Veseth ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/the-wonderful-world-of-wine-www-episode.html

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

Tom & I recap the Town Council Mtg of June 18 in this "quarterbacking" session (audio)

FM #1472 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1472 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Friday, June 20, 2025. Our conversation condensed the Town Council meeting of June 18, 2025.

We focus on two questions:

• ok, what just happened? 

• What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

Discussion items: 

• Fire Chief McLaughlin reads his statement announcing his retirement on or before Oct 1, 2025. 

• Electric Youth made their annual 'bon voyage' appearance to perform an a cappella number fittingly "Time of my Life" from the Dirty Dancing movie

• Appointment to the Council on Aging: Elizabeth Sawyer, approved

• Appointment to the Disability Commission: Cheryl Fisher, approved

• Motion made and approved to create the Franklin 250 Celebration Committee

• La Cantina was approved for their Farmers Market license

• The Community Survey results were released and explained. Results can be compared with over 500 communities. Good response rate, among the best at 20%, effectively a better representation of the sense of the community with the random sample selection. Paid via Federal grant money as a pilot program. No definitive timeline for a next survey. Likely a discussion later this year on what the results can be used for

• Resolution 25-39: FY25 Budget Transfers. Balancing the books better before they close out June 30. Out of $150m budget balancing on $40k is amazing

• Council enters Executive Session shortly after to discuss contract negotiation.  They returned approx. 15 minutes later to approve 7 motions certifying the contract with Town side bargaining units. All received the same 2.5% COLA that the School teachers agreed to, for a 3 year term

The conversation runs about 30 minutes

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1472-town-council-quarterbacking-06-18-25/

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The Franklin TV video is available for replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/live/RpRNbG1tXVw?&t=188 

Agenda doc ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06182025-1788 

Community Survey results

Report ->  https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/5956/8a-Polco-Survey-Final-Report 

Presentation doc ->   https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5945/Polco---The-NCS-Presentation-Franklin-MA-2025

Tom & I recap the Town Council Mtg of June 1
8 in this "quarterbacking" session (audio)

Town presentation doc by Town Administrator Jamie Hellen ->   https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5946/Town-of-Franklin---The-NCSPresentation

All the details in the survey are posted on one Town page ->   https://franklinma.gov/974/National-Community-Survey

My complete set of notes captured during the meeting

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bUOaCgv7a1pv5MHGIqweTwmKy2MkAEjW/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. 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"

Tom Mercer & I condense the 4 hour Council meeting to about 20 minutes (audio)

FM #1462 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1462 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Thursday, June 5, 2025. Our conversation condensed the Town Council meeting of June 4, 2025 and the closeout of the FY 2025 budget approval in light of the failed override June 3, 2025.

We focus on two questions:

• ok, what just happened? 

• What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

Discussion items: 

• FY 2026 Budget adjusted for Option B and approved

• Thanks to all involved for their efforts and collaboration through the Joint Budget process and in resolving the required cuts

• What’s next, another Joint Budget series starts in the fall

• The next couple of budget years are going to be equally tough, we need to work together to figure this out

• THis weekend brings the Farmers Market opening, FHS Class of 2025 graduation, PorchFest returns on Saturday, there is a lot happening

The conversation runs about 25 minutes

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1462-town-council-quarterbacking-06-05-25/

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Franklin TV video is available for replay ->   https://www.youtube.com/live/_f72Yd8VXz0?&t=316 

The agenda doc was updated Wednesday afternoon to add the Option B and Options A & B comparisons for the discussion on the budget cuts.

Option A & B Comparison ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5883/FY26-Control-Sheet-and-Voting-Doc-COMPARISON 

Option B -> https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5882/FY26-Control-Sheet-and-Voting-Doc-OPTION-B 

Full agenda -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1769 

My full set of notes as written during the meeting

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1718wLXj_U_hdqq82Jb1rVrgeomNdeHaO/view?usp=drive_link 

The 3 slides Jamie talked to in his explanation of Option B

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oxfbkEcNhB5mpjHB8 

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

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"

Tom Mercer & I condense the 4 hour Council meeting to about 20 minutes (audio)