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Saturday, June 7, 2025
Patriots Hall of Fame: One Month Until Family Field Day! - July 6
Protect yourself from phishing scams
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Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Saturday, June 7, 2025
Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves.
It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.
Tune in to listen to the following:
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| Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Saturday |
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
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| Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Saturday |
Friday, June 6, 2025
What's happening in Franklin, MA: Friday, June 6, 2025 ???
Friday, June 6
9:00am Kennedy Concert (John F. Kennedy Memorial School)
12:15pm Horace Mann Middle School Student Poetry Reading (Franklin Senior Center)
12:30pm Annual Tee-Off for Tri-County Golf Tournament (Wentworth Hills Country Club)
1:00pm Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)
2:00pm Farmers Market (Franklin Town Common)
3:00pm Joe Marino (live music) (Franklin Town Common)
5:00pm FHS Graduation (Franklin High School) Note time changed to potentially get ahead/away from storms
7:30pm FPAC: Little Women (THE BLACK BOX)
For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->
** NO Town Meetings today **
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| What's happening today in Franklin? |
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
The School district calendar is found https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar
What vendors and activities are at the Farmer's Market today - June 6, 2025 ??
We are glad you asked.
Thanks to the good folks operating the Franklin Farmer's Market, we have the answers to share.
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| What vendors and activities are at the Farmer's Market today - June 6, 2025 ?? |
For additional info, you can also check the Farmers Market page -> https://www.franklinfarmersmarketma.com/
Official Override Results: The NO's take it by 196 votes
The official results of the override special election are now available. Minor changes to the counts but not to the overall percent turnout. That remains at 40%
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| Official Override Results: The NO's take it by 196 votes |
Yes = 5107 5542
No = 5303 5778
Blank = 4 5
Total = 10,414 11,325
Margin = 196 236
Percent turnout 40% 45%
Total registered voters = 25,865
You can find the override / debt exclusion history here (all results from official Town of Franklin documents)
Voices of Franklin: Jane Callaway-Tripp "Where do we go from here?"
Franklin residents have spoken—twice. The second attempt at passing an override has failed, leaving our town facing significant financial cuts. The question now is not what happened, but where do we go from here?
Do we take the opportunity to bridge the divide, listening and learning from one another? Or do we succumb to finger-pointing, playing the blame game between YES and NO voters?
Less than 24 hours after the results were announced, frustration spilled onto social media. Comments emerged—“I hope you're happy! You caused over $4 million in cuts!” “You hurt our children. I hope you're proud.” Even at the polls, tensions ran high. One voter walked by and told opponents they should be embarrassed. At last night’s council meeting, department heads outlined the necessary cuts—yet even as that happened, YES voters took to Facebook, claiming that town officials were "reaming NO voters.”
Cuts were inevitable. Franklin’s financial challenges are not new, nor are they the fault of those who voted against the override. Some decisions, however, raise questions. For example, the town has stressed the need for more revenue—yet one of the cuts includes removing the third ambulance, a service that actually generates income. If revenue is the concern, why eliminate a funding source? That decision feels less like fiscal responsibility and more like a statement—one that many, YES and NO voters alike, perceive as a punishment.
Blaming voters—on either side—oversimplifies a complex issue. YES voters argue that NO voters caused harm to services. But had the override passed, struggling families would have faced rising costs, possibly forcing them out of Franklin altogether. Does that mean YES voters would have been responsible for that hardship? The truth is, this was a lose-lose vote, with consequences no matter the outcome.
Franklin’s financial struggles stem from more than inflation alone. Past decisions have played a role, and while some missteps are irreversible, acknowledging them is vital. Respect must remain at the core of this conversation—disagreeing does not mean dishonoring the dedication of town leaders or the sacrifices of residents.
At this moment, we as a town have a choice. We can cling to division—YES vs. NO, red vs. blue, town vs. schools—or we can rise above it. We can reject name-calling and vote-shaming, choosing instead to work together toward solutions.
No single person has all the answers. But one truth is clear: if Franklin continues to fight itself, we will never heal. We will never find lasting solutions. And we will watch our town falter.
Kindness does not belong only to those who share our views. It belongs to everyone. It is the foundation upon which Franklin must rebuild—not in spite of disagreement, but through it.
The future of Franklin depends on it.
Jane Callaway-Tripp
Franklin Voter
If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html
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| Voices of Franklin: Jane Callaway-Tripp "Where do we go from here?" |
Tom Mercer & I condense the 4 hour Council meeting to about 20 minutes (audio)
FM #1462 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1462 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Thursday, June 5, 2025. Our conversation condensed the Town Council meeting of June 4, 2025 and the closeout of the FY 2025 budget approval in light of the failed override June 3, 2025.
We focus on two questions:
ok, what just happened?
What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?
Discussion items:
FY 2026 Budget adjusted for Option B and approved
Thanks to all involved for their efforts and collaboration through the Joint Budget process and in resolving the required cuts
What’s next, another Joint Budget series starts in the fall
The next couple of budget years are going to be equally tough, we need to work together to figure this out
THis weekend brings the Farmers Market opening, FHS Class of 2025 graduation, PorchFest returns on Saturday, there is a lot happening
The conversation runs about 25 minutes
Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1462-town-council-quarterbacking-06-05-25/
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Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/_f72Yd8VXz0?&t=316
The agenda doc was updated Wednesday afternoon to add the Option B and Options A & B comparisons for the discussion on the budget cuts.
Option A & B Comparison -> https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5883/FY26-Control-Sheet-and-Voting-Doc-COMPARISON
Option B -> https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5882/FY26-Control-Sheet-and-Voting-Doc-OPTION-B
Full agenda -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1769
My full set of notes as written during the meeting
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1718wLXj_U_hdqq82Jb1rVrgeomNdeHaO/view?usp=drive_link
The 3 slides Jamie talked to in his explanation of Option B
https://photos.app.goo.gl/oxfbkEcNhB5mpjHB8
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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
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!
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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
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| Tom Mercer & I condense the 4 hour Council meeting to about 20 minutes (audio) |
FHS Graduation Ceremony Livestream scheduled to begin at 5 PM, June 6, 2025
Use link to view the FHS Graduation Ceremony Livestream -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHkoraIICto
Note: time was changed to move up and away from potential storms
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| FHS Graduation Ceremony Livestream scheduled to begin at 6 PM, June 6, 2025 |
FHS Baseball tops Xaverian to advance to Round of 8 in Playoffs
Via Twitter, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Spring sports playoff results for Franklin High School on Thursday, June 5, 2025
Baseball = Division 1
#12 Franklin, 5 @ #5 Xaverian, 3 – Final
- Franklin moves on to face King Philip at 10 AM on Saturday, June 7 at KP
Boston Globe coverage -> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/05/sports/miaa-baseball-tournament-roundup-june-5/
How to access the Globe articles via the Franklin Library with your library card
For other results around the Hockomock League (subscription is required)
https://hockomocksports.com/thursdays-schedule-scoreboard-06-05-25/
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| FHS Baseball tops Xaverian to advance to Round of 8 in Playoffs |
Tri-County Class of 2025 Graduation - June 5, 2025 (video)
Senior Class 2025 page -> https://www.tri-county.us/o/tri-county-vocational-tech/page/seniors-2025
Video link -> https://www.youtube.com/live/M-VKJmzZee4?&t=494
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| Tri-County Class of 2025 Graduation - June 5, 2025 (video) |
Horace Mann MS student poetry reading at the Franklin Senior Center, June 6 at 12:15 PM
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| Horace Mann MS student poetry reading at the Franklin Senior Center, June 6 at 12:15 PM |
Event starts at 12:15 at the Franklin Senior Center.
Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EHqYZWU1G/
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