FM #1196 - Finance Cmte - Budget Hearing #1 of 3 - 05/06/24

This session of the radio show shares the Franklin, MA Finance Committee budget hearing, the first of 3 sessions conducted on Monday, May 6, 2024.  The 2nd session is scheduled for May 8, the 3rd and final session scheduled for May 15, 2024. Then the Town Council does their budget hearing over 2 nights, May 22 & May 23.

Quick recap:

• minutes of the April meeting moved to May 15 meeting for approval
• discussion on the override and pledge doc, led to approval by 8-0-1 (1 absent, Grace)  vote via roll call
• Committee then proceeded line by line through the departments, some questions raised, answered, some departments not questioned (Recreation for example touted as a 'net zero,' everything they are allocated for they return in fees raised)
• discussion on net school spending, how some budget expenses are on the Town side, some on the school side, all does get rolled up into net school spending annually by DESE with reporting from Town and School. The FY 2023 net school spending report coincidentally I had downloaded in answer to a question last week. The link is provided below 

The conversation runs about 2 and a quarter hours. Let’s listen to the first of 3 budget hearings.

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

The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gUpsku8VOg 

The agenda doc ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/fin_com_agenda_may_6.pdf 

Follow along with the budget voting doc ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/fy25_ta_budget_book_v2.pdf 

My notes captured in one PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xUBq2dVYhvNtq8VA3dREQESDo3U4awWM/view?usp=drive_link 

The net school spending report for Franklin (so yes this does include charter school students) ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-flBF-M1oNTIzcOTMjc7CDmYR9QEkWt2/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

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit www.franklin.news/ or  www.Franklinmatters.org/ 

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"