Franklin First Newsletter Subscription Guide

Good day, It has come to our attention that users are experiencing some difficulty in subscribing to the Franklin First newsletter. We apologize for any confusion and are happy to provide clearer instructions. This Sign Up for Notifications (https://www.franklinma.gov/list.aspx) link leads to the "Notify Me" page on our Town website, wherein users are able to select their desired subscriptions from a broad menu of categories, including: agendas for public meetings, alerts, bid postings, calendar notifications, jobs and news flash announcements. New users will need to create an account and can choose to be notified via email, text, or both. To subscribe to the Franklin First newsletter, select "Franklin First Newsletter & Town Announcements" which is located at the bottom of the menu, listed under the "News Flash" category. By making this selection, subscribers will receive notifications when each new issue of Franklin First is released, and any time an announcement is added to the "News & Highlights" section of the website homepage.   We appreciate the feedback and hope that these instructions clarify the process for subscribing. Please don't hesitate to contact the Town Administration office at (508) 520-4949 with any questions.     Franklin First Newsletter Subscription Guide

Town of Franklin | 355 East Central Street | Franklin, MA 02038 US

2 Listening Sessions, Senior Center closure, Town Council Mtg; lots happening the week or March 3, 2025

If you subscribe to Franklin Matters Weekly, this is the week's outlook you could recive on Sunday morning.

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Yes, there are 2 listening sessions scheduled for this week. The first on Tuesday, March 4 at the Senior Center beginning at 9:30 AM. The second in Council Chambers on Saturday, March 8 at 10:00 AM. This session is the only one enabled for remote participation. 

At the Senior Center on Tuesday, March 4 and then the last one March 12 (FHS Auditorium), you need to be in the room to ask a question or make a comment. All sessions are broadcast and recorded for replay. A transcript is also made available. Oh, and breakfast is free on Tuesday at the Senior Center.

The Senior Center closes at 1 PM on the 4th and is currently scheduled to reopen on St Patrick's Day, March 17. Many events & activities have been rescheduled to other locations during the closure period. The Center is being closed for phase 1 of the repairs to fix the cold weather leak issue. Stay tuned for updates from the Senior Center on any changes to schedule during this time period.

A Community Conversation is scheduled for noon at THE BLACK BOX on Wednesday, March 5.  Michael Bobbitt (Mass Cultural Council) & Emily Devlin (Art Pharmacy) are featured speakers to assist us in exploring how Art Pharmacy—a nationally recognized program—will support substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment & recovery in our community.

Wednesday continues to be busy with both the Board of Health (at 5 PM) and Town Council (7 PM) with scheduled meetings.

The Conservation Commission is scheduled to meet on Thursday, March 6 at 7 PM

The agenda and released documents for each session are linked to in this post (or show notes)

** Town meetings scheduled for the week of March 3 to 9, 2025 **

Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Session at the Senior Center (plus breakfast)

Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 9:30 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03042025-1558 

Community Conversation at THE BLACK BOX

March 5, 2025, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

no agenda at this time

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS

March 5, 2025, 5:00 PM

no agenda at this time

Town Council Meeting

March 5, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03052025-1608 

Conservation Commission Meeting

March 6, 2025, 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/299?fileID=4146 

Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Session - Council Chambers (& remote)

Saturday, March 8, 2025,  10:00 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03082025-1557 

** Looking back at the last week of February, 2025 **

Planning Board meeting on Monday got so heated, the meeting was ended. Shame on our neighbors for misbehaving in such a manner. Video link ->   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZAUfgAGFRk

Police Station Building Committee held its first meeting of 2025 and got an update from the full project team. Plans are underway to schedule open houses at the current station for the community to see the situation on why we need to upgrade. The Committee will also schedule some site visits to recently constructed police stations as examples of what has been done. Recap, audio & video links -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/police-station-building-commitee-gets_0807045574.html

Economic Development Subcommittee met on Wednesday and forwarded an enhancement to enable shared kitchen for operation within commercial zones. The Measure goes to the Council which will refer to the Planning Board for their review before it comes to Council for their deicsion. Recap, audio & video links -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/economic-development-subcmte-recommends.html

The Town Council had a short and busy session Wednesday completing work in less than an hour to enable an executive session on negotiation strategy. All the collective bargaining units are up this year (both Town and School). Recap, audio & video links -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/town-council-effectively-conducts.html

The Town Administrator's Adhoc Review Committee met on Thursday to discuss and get feedback from Town department managers for Jamie Hellen's review. The final version comes for the Town Council to approve at the March 5 meeting. Recap & video link -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/town-administrator-ad-hoc-review.html

Subscribe for the weekly dose of information

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For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events on posted on the top of the page

• Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
• Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

Subscribe for the daily dose of information ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> 

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html

School is back, Town business returns with a full slate of meetings for week of Feb 24, 2025

For those looking for a more condensed version of what's happening here in Franklin, MA. You can check out and/or subscribe to the revived weekly version.

Franklin Matters Weekly

The weekly summary for this week shared from Franklin Matters Weekly

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/2025/02/school-is-back-town-business-returns.html

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Looking ahead, the Town calendar is full of meetings with the school break behind us. Many of them will be live streamed & broadcast.

Monday, we hit the ground running with the Legislative Forum hosted by the School Committee at the FHS Lecture Hall and the regular Planning Board meeting. Both are broadcast, three other meetings are not broadcast.

Tuesday, the Police Station Building Committee gets to work with the project team, architect and others in place. They'll outline the process for community engagement across the project timelone.

Wednesday, the Economic Development Subcmte and the Town Council conduct their business.

February 24, 2025 

6:30 PM - Franklin School Committee Meeting (Legislative Forum @ FHS)

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1582 

7:00 PM - Franklin Agricultural Committee (not broadcast) https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1591

7:00 PM -  Library Board of Directors Meeting (not broadcast)

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Library-Board-of-Directors-20/?#_02242025-1593

7:00 PM - Recreation Advisory Board (not broadcast)

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1535

7:00 PM - Planning Board

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02242025-1594 

February 25, 2025 

4:00 PM

Franklin School Committee (executive session - negotiations) (not broadcast)

7:00 PM

Design Review (not broadcast)

7 PM

Police Station Building Committee

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1601 

February 26, 2025

5:45 PM

Economic Development Subcmte

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-1600

7 PM

Town Council

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-1602

February 27, 2025

7:00 PM

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) - no meeting

*** Looking back at the week that was ***

The most significant meeting of the school break week was the 3rd in the series of 6 Listening Sessions hosted by the Joint Budget Subcmte. This time at the Senior Center. The recording video & audio are available. The transcript is ready so you can Watch, Listen or Read -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/watch-listen-read-joint-budget_01215382675.html

Transcripts were provided for the first 2 listening sessions

#1 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/watch-listen-read-joint-budget.html

#2 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/watch-listen-read-joint-budget_01718995583.html

Laura Doherty, Associate Director of the Franklin Food Pantry shared some insights on The Pantry's straegic plan in this audio session

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/laura-shares-insights-from-pantry.html

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For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars, or visit Franklin Matters where each day, that day's events on posted on the top of the page

• Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
• Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

Subscribe for the daily dose of information ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> 

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html

TV Technology: "Streaming Into Deals and Turmoil"

"After starting 2024 with hopes that the transition to streaming might finally produce a more stable, profitable businesses, the media and entertainment industry ended the year with a painful reality check. Major media companies laid off employees, restructured operations and prepped for a wave of mergers and acquisitions that are likely to produce even more trauma and turmoil in the next two years.

Whether all this is the final spasm of a dying traditional TV industry or the birth pains of a new M&E industry restructured around streaming is open to question.

TV Technology: "Streaming Into Deals and Turmoil"

But there is little doubt that the ongoing transition from the traditional TV business to streaming drove recent decisions by Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery to spin off or split their dying cable networks from their rapidly growing streaming operations. Both companies hope the new structures will position them to sell off assets or craft mega-mergers to make themselves larger, more competitive players in a streaming media-dominated landscape.

And they aren’t alone. Other deals potentially tipped for 2025 involve the sale of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corp., streaming platform Roku, various TV station groups, ad agencies and a variety of other assets in the declining cable network sector."

Shared from -> https://www.tvtechnology.com/features/2024-in-review-streaming-into-deals-and-turmoil?

"Thanks for what you do" goes both ways!

One of your subscribers sent you this message using FeedBlitz's "Contact the Publisher" feature. The message is:

"Hello, I just wanted to reach out and extend my appreciation for all you do summarizing and providing all this information to the town. 

I can only imagine how much work goes into this, but my family and I look forward to these emails and keeping us informed on local happenings and we truly appreciate all you do with this newsletter!"

Thank you, your note is much appreciated. 

I do this because it is needed and no one can come close to the complete coverage I (really "we") provide especially with the close coordination with Franklin TV and Public Radio. 

Our vision is one portal branded in an "umbrella fashion" as Franklin (MA) News (Facebook) (or Franklin.news/) so all who want the info can get it in the media format of their choice. 

You'll be able to 

• Watch (3 cable channels, and 3 YouTube channels)
• Listen to live radio 24x7x365 at 102.9 FM in the local area or from anywhere at wfpr.fm
• Read the digital news from the Town and School meetings reported on

The better informed this community is, the better we will be prepared to appropriately deal with all the challenges life presents.

I really do mean "we". You all deserve kudos as well for sending in comments,  questions, and items of community interest to share. I don't do this alone. The multiple dozens of 'informers' are critical to what you all get to see. 

It is all of us working together to deliver the news.

Thank you

Thanks for what you do, goes both ways!

The week that was in Franklin (photo essay)

Catching up to share photos from the week that was.

Sunday, June 9 was the world premiere of the chamber opera "Mary Anning, Fossil Hunter." You can listen to the interview with Composer Jon Ceander Mitchell and Conductor Luis Viquez here ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/06/jon-and-luis-talk-about-chamber-opera.html

Conductor Luis Viquez leads the chamber group and chorus

cast of Mary Anning performing

Monday, June 10,  more than 100 teachers, students and supporters stood out along RT 140 from Jersey's Mike to Honey Dew to attract attention to the override vote on Tuesday.

supporters along RT 140 - 1

supporters along RT 140 - 2

On Tuesday, June 11 the election held at Franklin High School the largest turnout for an override vote with 45% casting their votes. The No position narrowly won by 236 votes. The only successful override (in 2007) passed because the entire support among Town and School folks were united. There was sufficient discord and misinformation shared to create the result this time.

more teachers at FHS on Tuesday

A bright spot on Tuesday was the brief and fun celebration of the Traveling School of Fish at the Sculpture Park. Artist Amy Adams coordinated the efforts of students at Parmenter to paint fish shaped by students at Tri-County funded by a Cultural District grant. Jamele Adams hosted the festivities at the Sculpture Park.

stop by the Sculpture Park (on Panther Way) to see the display

Jamele (light blue in center) hosted the fun

Wednesday, June 12 began with the Fallen Hero Recognition on the Town Common Veteran Walkway. This one honored Lloyd Ellis who was killed during the fighting after the D-Day landing in France during World War II. Keeping his memory alive helps. 

Fallen Hero Recognition for Lloyd Ellis

The day also saw many conversation on and about the results and other business in Franklin at the monthly Q&A at the Senior Center. The night meeting schedule changed during the day as the Master Plan Update Cmte (which didn't seem ready at their meeting last week) rescheduled their public hearing for June 26 and then again to July 10. The School Committee which had scheduled a meeting on Wednesday also canceled their meeting, keeping their regularly scheduled session for June 18.

Thursday, June 13 also saw more conversation around Cultural events and planning for them as the Cultural District committee included Cultural District partners for their meeting. A good time to walk and enjoy the good weather and clear skies.

night time at the Senior Center flag pole

Friday, June 14, Flag Day. It was grandson sitting day so I missed the recognition event for Sgt Timothy Hayes in the morning but did get out to visit the Farmers Market. Bread, honey, coffee and many conversations in the brief visit before heading back to grandson time. The Farmers Market is a happening place on Friday's and will be more so June 28 and following as Concerts on the Common expands the activities past the market close at 6 PM. Stay tuned for the schedule of events as they happen.

Farmers Market regular vendor listing

Saturday, June 15 had some schedule changes for me as the grandson stayed overnight. Members of the LGBTQ Alliance and supporters planted mini flags on the Town Common. The Rise Up group had a successful info session with State Rep Jeff Roy at the Franklin United Methodist Church. And on the New England sports front, the Red Sox topped the Yankees, and the Revolution won their 3rd game in a row.

LGBTQ Alliance and supporters planted mini flags on the Town Common

There is a full slate of events scheduled for the week ahead. Subscribe for the daily newsletter that gives you all that matters here in Franklin MA. Your source for what you can watch, listen to, or read about Franklin.

The week that was in Franklin (photo essay)

Don't trust Facebook, subscribe for one email a day

Sharing what I posted to Facebook this weekend when they notified me that one of the posts on the override was taken down. Really? Yup.

The post take down notification

"So Facebook, stop and think about some of your automations. As a representative of the Local News organization (Franklin TV & Franklin Public Radio) we abide by our FCC charter in broadcasting TV and radio, and by extension, we observe those guidelines when we use digital news outlets (like yours) to share what we are doing on the TV and Radio channels.

We are also responsive to our audience. If they ask a simple question, we are in a position to provide an accurate and timely response. Such as the current news item which has been brewing in Franklin, MA for some time to increase the size of our revenue pie or bucket, or yes, bottom line, raise our taxes to pay for the services we provide.

As a news organization, we don't take a side (yea, or nay). We see our role to share the accurate and timely info, meeting videos, meeting audio, meeting notes, etc. so that the electorate can make an informed vote when they go to the polls.

Taking down our post to answer the voter & resident questions about the override is NOT helping the situation. Our post shared the collected info for the voters & residents to find the info and make their own decision.

Sorry but as good as AI maybe for specific circumstances, we do need your AI to help with a Franklin, MA question.

So Facebook, stop and think about some of your automations. Consider adding a step in the automation response to challenge a post removal with a text box to allow the individual (me, this case) to provide something more than a check box answer to your automations"

So, the best way to stay informed is to use the original social media tool - Email. Subscribe for one email a day with all the info that is worthy of sharing ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Summary of what is shared in the one email ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/05/watch-listen-read-for-all-news-that.html

Don't trust Facebook, subscribe for one email a day

Franklin Interfaith Council adds subscription option to their webpage

"We’ve been doing quite a bit of maintenance on our website to make it more readable and user friendly.  

One of the major new features is that you can subscribe to get email updates. Check it out! And, subscribe to get the latest news and updates from the Franklin Interfaith Council. "

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the Subscribe option ->  https://franklininterfaith.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/3545117755758225/?mibextid=Nif5oz

Franklin Interfaith Council adds subscription option to their webpage