Talk Franklin starts with a summer concert recap, then budget & other Town business, before taking time to recoup (audio)

FM #1591 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1591 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen in the Municipal Building on Monday, November 25, 2025.  

Key topics

• Picked up with summer concert

• New Council, new School Committee, learning curve

• Tax rate hearing Dec 3

• Finance Committee Dec 10

• Council meeting Dec 17, a potpourri 

• January 2026 and the budget cycle brings hard choices to be made

• Cultural events this week and first couple of week of December

• Spend with with family & friends this weekend

The recording runs about  46 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1591-talk-franklin-11-24-25/

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

Talk Franklin starts with a summer concert recap,
then budget & other Town business,
before taking time to recoup (audio)

Town of Franklin page ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/ 

Franklin Public Schools page ->  https://www.franklinps.net/ 

Town budget page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/168/Town-Budgets 

School budget page -> https://www.franklinps.net/o/fpsd/page/school-district-budget 

Community calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar 

BTW - Official results of the Override election in 2024 was a difference of 236 votes. The difference narrowed to 196 in the Override vote of 2025.

• 2024 -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/06/official-certified-results-franklin-ma.html 
• 2025 -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/official-override-results-nos-take-it.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"

Franklin School Committee: Budget Subcmte got an update on the FY 2027 budget process (audio)

FM #1558= This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1558 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee Budget Subcmte Meeting held on Tuesday, Oct 28, 2025. All 3 members participated in person in the 3rd Floor Training Room. Supt Lucas Giguere, Dr Tina Rogers, Paula Marano, and Jana Melotti participated. 

Quick recap:

• The meeting provided an overview of the budget process

• Timeline, budget drivers, fixed costs, etc.

The recording runs about 51 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link ->  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1558-school-cmte-budget-subcmte-mtg-10-28-25/

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

Budget Subcmte got an update on
the FY 2027 budget process (audio)

School Committee Budget Subcmte agenda -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10282025-1965 

Photos of the slides presented for the discussion (when the slides themselves are available, we’ll update accordingly).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TKsNq1tYdhGC11Jv8

My notes for the full session are captured in one PDF file ->   

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kTIpIZc47reYuvaaLK2tF8mW-G-WdtW2/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"

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 ???

Tuesday, October 28   

• Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser  (order online for pickup Nov 25)

8:00am In Person Early Voting (Town Clerk's Office) 

12:00pm Community Closet (Franklin United Methodist Church)

Library & Senior Center events

2:30pm Rainbow Cafe (Franklin Senior Center)

4:00pm Pumpkin Patch (St John's Episcopal Church)

7:00pm Understanding Antisemitism in 2025 - A Panel Discussion (Franklin High School)

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/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**   Town Meetings today   **

Hennep Community Outreach Meeting Notice

Tuesday, October 28 Time: 5:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10282025-1946 

Franklin School Committee Budget Sub Committee Meeting

Tuesday, October 28 Time: 6:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10282025-1965 

Design Review Meeting

Tuesday, October 28 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10282025-1976 

Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, October 28 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10282025-1977 

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

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

Finance Committee has gets a fiscal discussion but runs out of time to get into the Technology deep dive (audio)

FM #1555 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1555 in the series. 

This session shares the Finance Committee meeting conducted Wednesday, October 22, 2025. The Committee opened with 3 new members getting sworn in. The Committee also formally organized itself with votes to select George Conley as Chair, Natalie Riley as Vice-Chair and Lauren Nagel as Clerk

Quick recap:

• The agenda could not be completed in the time allotted before the Town Council meeting at 7:00 PM. The planned 'deep dive' on Technology was the major item as it will be rescheduled to their Nov 5 meeting.

• During Citizen Comments, M Minnechelli spoke on the economics of development proposals, i.e. 444 E Central, and the need for some body, perhaps FinCom to weigh in to help clarify the numbers that are being mentioned which are conflicting and perhaps erroneous. 

• The Town Administrator advised not weighing in on the specifics of 444 East Central as the public hearing is underway. However an understanding of the overall economics of development would be a good topic for a future meeting

• Much of the discussion revolved around the fiscal issues currently being faced not just by Franklin but by most communities in the State. The "perfect storm" report by the MMA was referenced. The work underway at the State level to take a new look at local contributions for Chap 70 could affect our "hold harmless" situation. The Federal cuts will affect Mass revenues, and some of that will also affect our State funding.

The MMA "perfect storm" report -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/19iUBj6jDGQuWo8XDCfhwefqnK9WlALK1/view?usp=drive_link 

The Town Administrator memo of Aug 7 was refreshed as many appear to have not read it, or understood the implications -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UnddsW97syeHkkVjNOgRlOkKgHgOGiS0/view?usp=drive_link 

The recording runs just about 68 minutes, let’s listen

Audio link ->   https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1555-franklin-ma-finance-cmte-mtg-10-22-25/

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

Franklin TV broadcast is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMhCNMRndj0 

The agenda doc ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10222025-1961 

My notes in one PDF file -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/11PCj1OfVixPiPgZ8jrk5-HD7VjH3vuEu/view?usp=drive_link 

Explore the MMA’s new report,
"A Perfect Storm: Cities and Towns Face
Historic Fiscal Pressures", to understand why

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

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"