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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 *
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Franklin Cultural Festival is taking an "intermission" for 2023
Request for Determination - Grove Street Well 6 - Conservation Commission - May 18
Request for Determination - Grove Street Well 6 - Conservation
Request for Determination - Grove Street Well 6 - Conservation Commission - May 18 |
Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Thursday, Apr 27, 2023
- wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Thursday
11:00a/2:00p/8:00pm Frank Presents – Frank Falvey Presents
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = Thursday
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = Thursday
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = Thursday
Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) |
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Franklin Cultural District: dance & concerts, listening tour & poetry, Electric Youth & Future Shock as #artshappenhere
Wednesday, April 26
1:00pm - Senior Scribblers (writing group) (Franklin TV Studio - recording session)
7:00pm - Critical Conversations (student voices) (Franklin School District at FHS)
7:00pm - Executive Function Strategies Workshop (Virtual) (Franklin SEPAC)
7:00pm - Library Book Club - "The Plot" (Franklin Public Library)
dance performances |
10:00am - Writer's Quiet Space (Escape Into Fiction)
5:00pm - FHS Softball Boosters Fund Raiser (Pretty is Pink)
6:00pm - Open Mic Night (live music) (67 Degrees Brewery)
7:30pm - Dean Dance Company (Ticketed performance) (Dean College Main Stage)
Friday, April 28
9:00am - Arts & Culture Listening Tour - Session 2 (Franklin Public Library)
6:00pm - Northeast Groove (live music) (67 Degrees Brewery)
7:30pm - Dean Dance Company (Ticketed performance) (Dean College Main Stage)
Saturday, April 29
10:00am - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)
favorite poem project |
12:00pm - Favorite Poem Project (Franklin Public Library)
2:00pm - Dean Dance Company (Ticketed performance) (Dean College Main Stage)
6:00pm - Corner 2 Corner (live music) (67 Degrees Brewery)
7:30pm - Dean Dance Company (Ticketed performance) (Dean College Main Stage)
7:30pm - Electric Youth 2023 (ticketed event) (THE BLACK BOX)
8:00pm - John Gorka (ticketed event, masks required) (Circle of Friends Coffeehouse)
Sunday, April 30
1:00pm - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)
2:00pm - Dean Dance Company (Ticketed performance) (Dean College Main Stage)
If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication: https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6
The Town meeting calendar is found https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26
Franklin Cultural District: Arts are happening here! |
School Committee spends a lot of time on redistricting report (video)
screen grab of redistricting recommendation |
FHS baseball, boys & girls lacrosse teams, girls tennis team, and both boys & girls outdoor track teams post wins on Wednesday
FHS Panthers |
12th Annual FBRTC 5K - Less than 3 Weeks Away: Saturday May 13, 2023
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Open Space and Recreation Plan public hearing - 04/25/23 (#2 in series of 3 hearings) (video)
Instead of the School Committee meeting, Franklinites could have participated in the second public hearing scheduled for the Open Space and Recreation Plan on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at the Senior Center. If you missed the meeting, the video replay is available here thanks to Franklin TV
Video link -> https://www.youtube.com/live/MFMkGHXoj64?feature=share
Agenda & info for this 2nd of three public hearings -> https://www.franklinma.gov/conservation/news/2023-open-space-and-recreation-plan-second-public-hearing-tonight
Additional info on the Open Space and Recreation Plan can be found on their main page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/conservation/pages/2023-open-space-and-recreation-plan-update
Letter to Town Council on Display of Flags on Town Property (agenda item for Council Mtg - 04/26/23)
April 21, 2023
To: Town Council
From: Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator
Re: Display of Flags on Town Property
As requested by a few Councilors and several people in the community, tonight the Council will host a discussion on the idea of allowing flags, banners and/or symbols, including the Pride Flag, to be placed on a Municipal Building flagpole and/or other flag poles in town.
Supporting Materials
I have attached the current flag policy of the Town, a recent Supreme Judicial Court of the United States of America decision on a case recently involving the City of Boston and articles from NPR and the NYT summarizing the issue in that case.
The Choices
As I have said before, the Council has two choices on this matter:
● Do not allow town flagpoles to be used for the purposes of allowing third party organizations or individuals to essentially lease the flagpole for various purposes; OR
● Allow town flagpoles to be used for the purposes of allowing third party organizations or individuals to essentially lease the flagpole for various purposes.
If the latter is chosen, the Council will need to identify the pole(s) that can be applied for (presumably only the Municipal Building). Staff will need to work with the DPW and Town Attorney on a revised policy.
Furthermore, a permitting process will be required to ensure equity, inclusion and coordination among all citizens or organizations who would want to display a flag, banner or any symbol. I would also anticipate more events being requested at the Municipal Building. Applicants would be from within the Town of Franklin and also from outside the Town of Franklin. Just like on the Town Common with religious symbols, the Town cannot limit the applicant from just Franklin. There will unquestionably be a fee to do so, as this will take a significant amount of staff time to permit, coordinate and actually perform the work.
Staff recommendation
My professional recommendation, along with the Town Attorney and DPW Director, is to NOT allow the town flagpoles to be used for such purposes. If the Council chooses to move forward, we will all fully respect that decision. However, at a minimum, we request all of you to allow the staff an appropriate amount of time to develop a policy, application, fee and further details. A fee would have to also be enacted by the Council. Many details would need to be coordinated. For example, most of the flagpoles come with a purpose already, such as the war memorial on the Town Common, or the Town Administration Building, which traditionally has the US Flag, State Flag and Town Flag. These are the standard 3 flags at Massachusetts Town Halls. Additionally, there is a federal flag code for those who die in the line of duty, or deaths of certain dignitaries among others.
If you do not choose to move forward, we have worked closely with many organizations through the years on alternatives and continue to pledge to do so. Many groups are satisfied with our suggestions.
At the end of the day, this is an all or nothing policy decision. While I fully recognize the fact some groups will want to show unified support for a cause, there are NO restrictions or limitations on who can apply or to what the message is. If allowed, the Town should prepare for messages, flags and banners we all support and from those we do not support.
Everyone has to ask themselves, is this the only, or most effective way, to increase support for a cause? In the end, policies on offering town flagpoles up for lease generally become political or religious messaging, affirmation of constitutional rights, or those for a common cause such as a fundraising effort for a family tragedy or social service cause. Is this what you want for the Municipal Building flagpole and/or other flagpoles? The staff are not convinced this effort would reap the short term rewards that are sought. The long term ramifications are challenging to predict.
Letter to Town Council on Display of Flags on Town Property (agenda item for Council Mtg - 04/26/23) |
The conversation this evening is much more expansive than the LGBTQ community. The debate is whether to allow commercial leasing of public space to members of the public, the pros and cons of that policy and what are the parameters. There are many sub questions that will need to be answered as well.
Shared from the Town Council agenda package -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/town_council_agenda_-_april_26_2023_0.pdf
Memo from Town Administrator -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/8b._flags_0.pdf
Conservation Agent Breeka Li Goodlander helps the Charles River Watershed Association assess culverts
"#DidYouKnow culverts can be climate solutions?
"Yesterday was a blast! We assessed 16 culverts and a minimum of 38 structures in 6 hours in #Natick + #Sherborn," says Breeka Li Goodlander, Conservation Agent of @TOFranklinMA."
Learn more >> https://t.co/J3gN4873m9
Shared from Twitter -> https://t.co/AIdbQh8PqP
Conservation Agent Breeka Li Goodlander helps the Charles River Watershed Association assess culverts |
Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Wednesday, Apr 26, 2023
- wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Wednesday
9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and 6:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio/FPS Voice – Steve Sherlock
Franklin and its local government, services and events (repeats Saturday at 9 AM)
- This slot features my recent conversation with Franklin School Superintendent Lucas Giguere as we talk about redistricting and the school budget challenges https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/04/supt-giguere-discusses-redistricting.html
- Listeners of the show know Kim loves bubbly! In this episode the "bubbly queen" talks about her trip to Champagne France https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/04/wonderful-world-of-wine-episode-235-kim.html
This hour features my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/04/talk-franklin-jamie-i-talk-about-fy24.html
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = WEDNESDAY
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = WEDNESDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = WEDNESDAY
Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) |