Link to download the Spring 2024 Brochure
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 *
Monday, January 22, 2024
The Spring 2024 brochure is ready for Franklin Recreation classes & programs
Link to download the Spring 2024 Brochure
Friday, December 15, 2023
5th, 6th & 7th graders, sign up for the Franklin Recreation 3x3 basketball tournament - Dec 29
- Date: December 29th, 2023
- Location: Annie Sullivan Middle School
- Grades: 5th-7th
- Format: Co-ed 3v3
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Franklin Recreation schedules annual Pizza Party with Santa - Friday, Dec 8
"Don't forget to join us next Friday as Santa pays a visit to the Rec Department for a Pizza Party!!!
We will have crafts, bounce house, face painting and of course pizza!
Register online at franklinma.myrec.com"
Franklin Recreation schedules annual Pizza Party with Santa - Friday, Dec 8 |
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Franklin Recreation: Winter Brochure 2023-2024 available, registrations opens Nov 1
Friday, September 29, 2023
Town Council Quarterbacking session catches up to the Sep 20 meeting and provides a recap (audio)
FM #1068 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1068 in the series.
This shares my conversation with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. This is one of a series of conversations meant to provide a recap of the prior Council meeting. Akin to one of the many sports post-game analysis broadcasts we are familiar with in New England, this would be a discussion focused on the Franklin Town Council meeting of September 20, 2023:
ok, what just happened?
What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?
We cover the following key topics
Three appointments to individual committees were unanimously approved. a. Council on Aging - Collette Ferguson b. Finance Committee - Heather Sanscoucy c. Municipal Affordable Housing Trust - Kimberly Mu-Chow
Franklin Elks Riders presented a donation of $1k, the Franklin Elks Bingo donated $10k to the Town of Franklin veterans services
Council goals review, a long list of accomplishments, a list to be proud of
The funds previously allocated for purchase of a new ambulance were authorized to be paid to the vendor to hold the contract and avoid a price increase - Resolution 23-54: Ambulance Transfer & Appropriation
The Council discussed and approved placement of the debt exclusion to fund the Franklin portion of the Tri-County RVTHS new building. The question language approved was as follows:
"Shall the Town of Franklin be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay the Town’s allocable share of the bonds issued by the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District to pay costs of designing constructing and equipping a new high school to be located at 147 Pond Street, in Franklin, including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto?"
The Open Space & Recreation Plan developed over the course of 15 months, muti[;e meetings and 3 public hearings was approved by the Council. IT will be submitted to the State and assuming their acceptance will also be part of the Master Plan Update now underway
Town Administrators report provided updates on the migrant housing situation, the demolition delay report and a report on decommissioning a section of Spring Street.
Our conversation runs about 35 minutes. Let’s listen to this session of Town Council Quarterbacking recorded Sep 20, 2023. Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1068-town-council-quarterbacking-09-28-23
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The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/bF13Dgn_6qs
Town Council agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/town_council_agenda_-_sept_20_2023.pdf
My full set of notes captured via Twitter during the meeting are collected in a single PDF for easier reading -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1khvMQCoANrW3vZxzRHMYP1pPlrpfAfP4/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
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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Friday, September 22, 2023
Davis Thayer Reuse Cmte sets 2 dates for open house to walk through; Fri Oct 20, & Sat, Oct 21
The Davis Thayer Reuse Advisory Committee met as scheduled on Tuesday, Sep 19, 2023. The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/b6POeFNCeYs?si=vSbWKaVhzb2OzTZZ
- Recreation could use the space, would likely not need all of it. Concerned about the expense of renovation for the facility. Are outgrowing their Beaver St location and could use more space. Possible to combine with some arts and recreation usage
- Police not really interested in building or location (land). Per their initial and unofficial planning, the land is short of what they estimate (only 3.8 via 5 acres), and as has been revealed the building would require significant structural renovation to be used for a station. Much discussion and insights revealed around the comparison of police & fire use of their facilities. Police Building committee on their path to do a Request for a Proposal (RFP) for an Owner Project Manager (OPM), get an architect and start confirming the requirements, etc. Per state building process, the OPM is critical and really "owns' the process of determining the outcomes (coordinating with the Town and committee of course).
- Housing uses were briefly touched upon. While arts & cultural uses were mentioned, no one spoke to this during the session.
- Much discussion around the clean out to prepare for the open house/walk through and insistence of some to make some of the stuff (i.e. mostly junk) available for "the community" to go and pick if they want. Still to be worked out. The dates for the walk through were set as Friday, Oct 20 from 2 to 5 PM and Saturday, Oct 21 from 10 to 2 PM
Monday, September 18, 2023
Davis Thayer Reuse Advisory Subcommittee - Agenda for Sep 19, 2023 meeting at 7 PM
a. Arts and recreation centerb. Police stationc. Various housing options
Friday, September 15, 2023
Hey kids, paint a portrait of Ben Franklin, yes, the 4 legged one: for K-5 students, Sep 26
Join us for a fun art workshop on September 26th. Spend your day with a fun art workshop. We will be painting portrait's of Franklin Police Department one and only Ben Franklin.Register online at franklinma.myrec.com
Paint a portrait of Ben, yes, the 4 legged one: for K-5 students, Sep 26 |
Monday, July 31, 2023
Good Deeds: Norfolk County Destination Locations
Good Deeds: Norfolk County Destination Locations |
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Franklin Recreation: Fall 2023 Brochure
275 Beaver Street, Franklin, MA. 02038 • (508) 613-1666 • http://franklinma.myrec.com/ Our Fall Brochure is officially live! Check out all the exciting programs we will be offering this Fall. Registration for all these programs will open on August 1st. If you have any questions about any programs or classes please let us know. We hope to see you this Fall! |
Saturday, June 24, 2023
Comment process for the draft Open Space & Recreation Plan discussed in public hearing #3 - 06/20/23 (audio)
FM #1017 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1017 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the third and final Public Hearing held to gather input on the Town of Franklin Open Space & Recreation Plan (OSRP).
The hearing covered some of the details around the process:
The draft has been issued for comment
Comments are open through July 12
Additional detail on the survey results are being formatted to add to the draft. This won't change the goals or objectives, just provide the additional supporting evidence for such.
The conversation runs about 70 minutes. Let’s listen to the OSRP Public Hearing #3 Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1017-open-space-recreation-plan-public-hearing-3-06-20-23
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Conservation page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/conservation
The draft plan can be found online -> https://www.franklinma.gov/system/files/uploads/2023_osrp_draft_for_comment_0.pdf
Comments on the plan can be submitted ->
https://forms.gle/SJZKH43xj6JkAVPX8
The summary of the plan -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/06/2023-open-space-recreation-plan-summary.html
The goals & objectives -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/06/2023-open-space-and-recreation-plan.html
The public hearing video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/wbA8tRvhO6M
My notes captured via Twitter and found in one PDF ->
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MYo-a8rFxsoyCa8XVnbVnfSRmwMeVSqy/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
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"
Open Space & Recreation Plan - Summary |
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Open Space & Recreation Plan public hearing #3 video available for replay
- The draft has been issued for comment
- Comments are open through July 12
- Additional detail on the survey results are being formatted to add to the draft. This won't change the goals or objectives, just provide the additional supporting evidence for such.
Monday, June 19, 2023
Open Space & Recreation Plan - Public Hearing #3 - June 20, 2023 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
1. GENERAL BUSINESS1.1 Public Hearing 3: Town staff will present a draft of the 2023 OSRP and will be seeking feedback from the community.