FM #1466 - Franklin (MA) Town Council Mtg - 06/04/25

This session shares the Town Council Meeting of Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The FY 2026 second budget hearing continued from May 22, was reopened to make the adjustments due to the failed override June 3, 2025. All 9 Council members participated in the Council Chambers. 

Quick recap:

• After the 5 minutes late start, the public hearing on the FY 2026 budget was resumed from the May 22 session.
• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen walked through the recap and explained the Option A & B using 3 slides (see below) as well as the Option A & B voting docs (linked below)
• Chief Lynch, Chief McLaughlin, Supt Giguere, and Library Director Oti spoke of the cut impacts to their operations but approved of them as necessary due to the failed override
• Supt Giguere confirmed the full details of their cuts would be reviewed with the School Cmte at their meeting June 10. Of the projected 10-15 personnel, he confirmed likely 12 FTE positions,  some teachers, some retirees not being backfilled and other personnel across the district as well as the fees would need to remain as they are this year
• The public then had an opportunity to comment or question the cuts as proposed. Those in Chambers went first before those on Zoom, and all were covered before the Councilors had their turn.
• The vote finally came to approve the cuts as proposed:
• 2 personnel from Police Dept (currently open slots not to be backfilled as had been planned)
• 2 personnel from Fire Dept (currently 1 open position not backfilled, and the last hired will also be leaving)
• This does take the 3rd ambulance offline increasing response times and creates a lose of revenue (for the ambulance runs if required to hospital)
• 1 admin position for Town Administrators office
• 1 from Planning & Community Development
• 1 from Board of Assessors
• the part-time nurse at the Senior Center
• DPW cuts their summer intern program (unspecified number of positions for summer help)
• Library Sunday hours (during the winter, there are open during the summer)
• additional expenses were reduced to bring to the total required (see Option B for details)
• Personnel cuts by my tally = 8 Town side, 12 school side, plus expenses (PS - this tally was confirmed with our Town Administrator Jamie Hellen via email) 
• The meeting then went through the long series of votes to approve the final budget, the salary for the Town Clerk, the Community Preservation Act budget before closing just after 11 PM

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

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 

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

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"