Franklin Town Council sets June 3 for date of Override vote on $3,862,672 to balance FY 2026 budget (audio)

FM #1412  This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1412 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council Meeting of Wednesday, March 19, 2025. 8 of the 9 of the members participated in Council Chambers (1 absent - Dellorco).  

Quick recap:

• after approval of 2 prior meeting minutes, the Council get to the key item and after a brief discussion took two votes; 

• one to approve the amount and ballot question text 

• the second to set the date, Tuesday, June 3, 2025 for the override

• both votes were 8-0-1 (1 absent)

• The School Committee had met earlier that evening and voted unanimously to support the override vote. Chair Dave Callaghan and Vice-Chair David McNeill stood up to make that announcement during the discussion

• Other legislation for action on the minimum item agenda for the evening; 2 items to extend the sewer and water lines to a new residence that had already been approved in the first vote both received the passing vote by the same 8-0-1 vote (1 absent) via roll call

• A resolution accepting gifts to the Veterans services was approved and thanks extended

• Town Administrator's Report

• Jamie acknowledged receipt of a letter from Archbishop Henning commending the work of the Fire Dept on the St Mary's Church fire. He had just recently attended the re-opening masses. The letter will be posted to the Town pages

• The lease for Town use of the Ferrara's parking lot was signed to extend the agreement for 5 years

• The final approvals on the deed and associated documents for the Old South Church were completed and to be handed over to Habitat for Humanity so the docs can be filed with the Registrar of Deeds, and work can begin to renovate the building for a residence

• After a round of Councilor comments, the meeting closed

Let’s listen to the meeting recording which runs about 1 hour and 38 minutes.  Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1412-town-council-mtg-03-19-25/

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

Franklin TV video for replay of meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoNPkBHRLzI 

The agenda doc released for the meeting ->    https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192025-1639 

My full set of notes taken during the meeting (in one PDF) -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TPEkxHcViPCNwOGHmiydPVt1rGW5Xy05/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"

Franklin TV video for replay of meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoNPkBHRLzI

Franklin Town Council sets June 3 for date of Override vote on $3,862,672 to balance FY 2026 budget

The Franklin Town Council met as scheduled on Wednesday, March 19 in Council Chambers. 8 of the 9 members were present and participating, 1 absent (Dellorco - due todeath in family).

Franklin TV video for replay of meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoNPkBHRLzI

The agenda doc released for the meeting ->    https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192025-1639 

Quick recap

• after approval of 2 prior meeting minutes, the Council get to the key item and after a brief discussion took two votes;
• one to approve the amount and ballot question text
• the second to set the date, Tuesday, June 3, 2025 for the override
• both votes were 8-0-1 (1 absent)
• The School Committee had met earlier that evening and voted unanimously to support the override vote. Chair Dave Callaghan and Vice-Chair David McNeill stood up to make that announcement during the discussion
• Other legislation for action on the minimum item agenda for the evening; 2 items to extend the sewer and water lines to a new residence that had already been approved in the first vote both received the passing vote by the same 8-0-1 vote (1 absent) via roll call
• A resolution accepting gifts to the Veterans services was approved and thanks extended
• Town Administrator's Report
• Jamie acknowledged receipt of a letter from Archbishop Henning commending the work of the Fire Dept on the St Mary's Church fire. He had just recently attended the re-opening masses. The letter will be posted to the Town pages
• The lease for Town use of the Ferrara's parking lot was signed to extend the agreement for 5 years
• The final approvals on the deed and associated documents for the Old South Church were completed and to be handed over to Habitat for Humanity so the docs can be filed with the Registrar of Deeds, and work can begin to renovate the building for a residence
• After a round of Councilor comments, the meeting closed

My full set of notes taken during the meeting (in one PDF) -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TPEkxHcViPCNwOGHmiydPVt1rGW5Xy05/view?usp=drive_link

Franklin TV video for replay of meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoNPkBHRLzI

Franklin Town Council gets update on the FY 2026 deficit, primed with a performance by FHS student quartet; 2 part audio

FM #1398-1399  This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1398-1399 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council Meeting of Wednesday, March 5, 2025. All 9 of the members participated in Council Chambers.  

The audio is in 2 sections:

Part 1 - the beginning and the ending (1 hour 40 mins)

Part 2 - the FY 2026 preliminary budget review & discussion (2 hours)

Quick recap:

Part 1 - non budget

Part 1 audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1398-town-council-mtg-non-budget-sections-03-05-25/

• Police officer Steven Dejoie sworn in replacing Officer Lawrence who had retired a couple of months ago

• A string quartet of FHS students played a brief piece as part of a recognition of their music achievements which also resulted in a formal proclamation of their accomplishments. Many other students recognized were in the audience as well

• Dan Sherman provided the annual update on the town progress towards funding their OPEB liability. We are in good stead, better off than many other MA communities. We will do better once the Norfolk Retirement liability is paid off (2035ish) and that amount of funding can be shifted to the OPEB liability to advance the payoff schedule

• Approval for easement granted to DCR for access to SNETT extension, also a commitment from them for $1M to help prepare it when the trail does become ours (will take time with Federal process)

• From TA Report - another first in that the Town is first in using opioid funding for the Art Pharmacy program, more to come on this exciting opportunity for health with an economic development aspect for local arts/culture organizations

Part 2 - FY 2026 Budget

Part 2 audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1399-town-council-mtg-fy-2026-prelim-budget-03-05-25/

• FY 2026 - Town Administrator Jamie Hellen walked through the preview of the budget, some updates had been previewed most recently on Tuesday at the Senior Center with the Joint BUdget Listening Session. More was expanded upon here. The documents will be posted to the Town budget page today. We are in a $3.8M deficit and coming up with that (or an amount close to it) is likely the only way to maintain "level service". What we have is what will stay, if we want increases or expansions to such services, we need to get by this one first before considering more. "we need a win" someone said in the course of the discussion

Let’s listen to the meeting recording which runs about 2 hours and 45 minutes. 

Part 1

Part 2

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

Franklin TV video ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAHS9BRE4cA&t=100 

The agenda doc ->

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

The budget preview presentation ->

https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4620/2025-03-05-Budget-Update---Town-Coucil-Version-PDF 

My notes captured during the session

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TELQ8ylitbI6RxGjNDCll4poFZsu2ONg/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"

primed with a performance by FHS student quartet

Economic Development Subcmte recommends adding shared kitchen definition for Council review (audio)

FM #1390 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1390 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 in Council Chambers. All 4 members of the subcommittee participated in Chambers (Hamblen, Sheridan, Frongillo & Chandler).

Quick recap

• The meeting started and then restarted to get to the correct Zoom link so a few minutes were repeated for some on the video recording and net new for others on the proper Zoom link. This audio recording only includes from the restart

• The shared kitchen definition and addition to the use tables for commercial (not residential) zones was discussed, clarified, and then moved to bring to the Town Council by a 4-0 vote

• The naming of the Crossing Neighborhood District and the minor additions was agreed to in concept but after discussion determined that it is an opportunity to do more with than "just renaming". Especially with the Master Plan approved, some of those items can be considered for implementation here

Motion to adjourn, passes 4-0 

The recording of the meeting runs about 58 minutes.   Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1390-economic-development-subcmte-mtg-02-26-25/

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

Franklin TV video is available for replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aC6kDo1DtM&t=408 

The agenda doc ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/economic-development-to-review-proposed.html 

My full set of notes captured during the meeting

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CkUfWVxVbGsGOp9bj8Ew6yDP8BiZDsvy/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"

map displaying the proposed Crossing Neighborhood District changes

Glenn Jones shares lessons learned from the Master Plan process (audio)

FM #1383 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1383 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with the new "former" Chair of the Master Plan Update Committee Glenn Jones. We had our conversation in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio on Monday, February 10, 2025. 

This session focused on the review of the full process and approval of the Master Plan to help guide Franklin for the next 10 years. 

We had talked at the beginning of the process (Feb 2023) and also before the major Open House event at Dean College (March 2024). Links for those are shared below.

The recording runs about 58 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1383-master-plan-recap-w-glenn-jones-02-10-25/

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

Glenn Jones shares lessons learned from the Master Plan

“Final” version of the Master Plan  -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4018/Final-Report 

We met in Feb 2023 to talk about the beginning of the Master Plan effort

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/02/talking-about-master-plan-committee.html 

We also met in March of 2024 talking about the forthcoming Open House at Dean College and gathering resident input 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/03/glenn-jones-talks-about-what-master.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. 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"