Franklin Matters

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, May 7, 2026 ???

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Thursday, May 7

3:00pm Back to Life: Youth Theater Project (SAFE Coalition)

6:00pm Annual Memorial Porketta (Franklin Rod & Gun Club)

For Library events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times

*** Town Meetings today ***

For Library events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times

*** Town Meetings today ***

Franklin Commission on Disability

Thursday, May 7 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2279

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - Board of Trustees Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2286

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/593?fileID=9052

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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

You can help Stamp Out Hunger by filling your bag with these items !!

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:58:00 +0000

via the Franklin Food Pantry:

"This Saturday, May 9, is the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive! 

We need your help to fight food insecurity:
1. Fill a bag non-perishable donations (suggestions listed below)
2. Place it by your mailbox before your mail delivery on Saturday
3. Your letter carrier will pick up  your donation during mail delivery, or may come back later in the day

Don't let the forecast dampen your generous spirit! If it looks like rain, just pop your donations into a plastic bag to keep everything dry.


What We Need Most:
Shampoo & Conditioner
Body Wash & Bar Soap
Shaving Cream & Lotion
Feminine Hygiene Products
Laundry Detergent
Household Cleaning Supplies
Cereal 
Pasta 
Ketchup 
Relish
Pickles
Jelly/Jam
Cake Mix
Brownie Mix
Hot Chocolate Mix (8-count boxes)"
The Postal Carriers likely delivered a paper bag wrapped up with a flyer to use Saturday

Help Stamp Out Hunger by filling your bag with these items !!

Passport to the World Tasting Series –Free Wine Tasting @ Little Shop of Oils - Friday, May 8

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:55:00 +0000

Looking for a free wine tasting in Franklin, MA? Join us at The Little Shop of Olive Oils for our Passport to the World Tasting Series, a relaxed evening of fantastic wines, delicious food pairings, and gourmet goodies.

Bring your Mom, daughters, friends, and family and enjoy a welcoming tasting experience featuring hand-selected wines paired with food and specialty products from the shop. This is a wonderful way to discover new flavors, gather with people you love, and enjoy a memorable evening in downtown Franklin.

Event Details

Little Shop of Olive Oils

· Event: Passport to the World Tasting Series –Free Wine Tasting

· Date: Friday, May 8

· Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

· Location: The Little Shop of Olive Oils, Franklin, MA

Admission: Free

· What to Expect

· Free wine tasting featuring fantastic wines

· Food paired with gourmet goodies

· A fun outing for Moms, daughters, friends, and family

· A casual walk-in event with no pressure and no cost to attend

· Why You’ll Love This Free Wine Tasting in Franklin, MA

The Passport to the World Tasting Series is designed to bring people together over great flavor. Whether you are searching for things to do in Franklin, MA, planning a girls’ night out, looking for a mother-daughter outing, or simply want to enjoy a unique local food and wine experience, this event offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

At The Little Shop of Olive Oils, guests can explore delicious pairings, discover gourmet products, and enjoy an easy evening out with free parking, no reservations, no RSVP, and no entry fee.

Good to Know

· Free Wine

· No Parking

· No Entrance Fee

· No RSVP

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Franklin Health Department

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:50:00 +0000

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The Franklin Health Department is required by state, local laws and regulations to perform many critical duties related to the protection of public health. These duties cover a wide range of public health control and prevention activities, including: disease surveillance; the promotion of sanitary conditions in housing, recreational facilities, and food establishments; elimination of nuisances; the protection of the environment; and numerous other responsibilities and core functions.

Core Functions

● The Health Department conducts bi-annual inspections of 120 food service establishments and 18 retail food establishments (convenience stores) yearly. Each establishment receives a routine inspection and a follow up re-inspection subsequent to the original inspection. Not included in this number are complaint related inspections, and suspect food-borne illness investigations. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires all health departments to submit comprehensive inspection reports and illness worksheets for all suspect cases. The Health Department staff also must inspect and permit mobile food trucks and other seasonal and temporary food events throughout the year.

● In 2025, the health department permitted 23 retail stores and three adult smoke shops. The Board of Health amended the 2023 Sales Regulation restricting the sale of tobacco and vape products to incorporate these minimum standards required pursuant to Massachusetts state law and regulations into the current board of regulations.

● The Health Department is required to review all engineered plans for proposed septic system installations, upgrades and repairs to be in compliance with State Regulations. The Health Department has contracted with a septic consultant to review and approve all engineered plans and to monitor the progress of these installations by conducting a series of site inspections. The permitting process for septic installers continues to be done through the Health Department.

● The Health Department enforces the State Sanitary Code, Minimum Standards of Fitness and Human Habitation and is mandated to investigate all complaints of unsanitary or substandard living conditions of dwellings. The health department participates in the Franklin Crisis Action Team and works with the Senior Center staff, Police, Fire, Veterans departments to share information and strategize on new and existing residential cases to protect the public’s health and prevent harm.

● The Health Department has the responsibility for investigating all reports of public health nuisances, including, but not limited to, refuse, noxious odors, overgrown vegetation and stagnant water.

● In addition to the above-mentioned primary responsibilities, the following is a list of additional departmental functions:

○ Permitting and inspection of public pools and spas
○ Permitting and inspection of recreational camps
○ Permitting and inspection of tanning establishment
○ Permitting and inspection of mobile food trucks
○ Permitting and inspection of body art facilities
○ Permitting and inspection of bodyworks facilities
○ Processing renewal applications yearly
○ Processing plan reviews for all establishments as submitted

● All public swimming pools and spas receive both annual and regularly scheduled inspections by the Health Department. Improper sanitation and maintenance of public pools and spas has resulted in serious disease outbreaks and injuries. Presently, the town has six year round pools, four hot tubs and ﬁfteen seasonal pools that require inspections. Recreational camps for children require an intensive review process by local Health Departments prior to issuance of a permit to operate. All campers’ immunization records must be reviewed thoroughly for required vaccinations by the public health nurse. The facility also requires a detailed inspection for compliance with all state regulations. Most recently the Health Department permitted 8 recreational camps for children.

Stafﬁng

● One (1) Director of Public Health

● One (1) Health Agent

● One (1) Public Health Nurse

● One (1) Regional Health Agent

The Permitting Specialists in the Building Department and the Department of Planning and Community Development provide administrative support to the Health Department. The Health Department pays a portion of their salaries.

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

● Organize and implement a Women’s health expo including a mammogram van.

● Build additional community web resources for community education

● Continue to partner with the ﬁre department to offer residents and schools public health trainings (stop the bleed, hands only CPR, Narcan and other educational trainings)

● Continue to post educational podcasts

● Start a ﬁrst aid class for the community

● Organize and hold a ﬂu clinic for adults and children

● Organize and hold a fall health fair

● Assess the community’s public health nursing needs and initiate programs and interventions

● Continue to be engaged in the shared service grant community events with Wrentham and Norfolk

● The Public Health nurse organized and held a ﬂu clinic at the Senior Center and vaccinated 90 adults

● The Public Health nurse organized and held a ﬂu clinic at the Senior Center and vaccinated 50 children.

● Conduct annual inspections of recreational camps by auditing medical related records and procedures mandated by the state

● Organized and held a fall and spring health fair held at the library

● Organized and held a Health Brain Expo at the Senior Center

● The Public health nurse continues to partner with the senior center, the ﬁre department and housing authority to give the community health educational

trainings. She also continues being engaged in a shared service grant with Wrentham and Norfolk enabling the health department to have a regional health agent and a shared coordinator on site, assisting with ﬂu clinics and other community educational events

● Partner with the library to have self blood pressure station and blood pressure kits from the American Red Cross being the ﬁrst library in Mass to have this program and blood pressure kits in the Library of Things

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

● Staff anticipate the potential to lose state grant funding to support the Metacomet Public Health Alliance. As a result, some small costs will be coming on the budget, most of which are legally mandated costs, such as food inspection. The budget impact is $69,030. Over the past four years of this grant, the town saw some savings, but also increased administrative time to manage.

● The Public Health Excellence grant that funds the Public Health nurse RN salary is not sustainable in the near future from the state and a plan for funding this position needs to be in place in lue of grant funding being defunded therefore, the Public Health nurse, RN to be fully funded through the health department budget.

● The Public Health Excellence grants funds a Regional Health Agent to conduct food establishment inspections 14 hours per week. This grant ﬁlled position is also not sustainable in the near future and a plan for the health department to fully fund a Food Consultant will be needed in lue of grant funding to conduct biannual food establishment and grocery store inspections for the health department.

FY27 Requested Budget Summary

The scope of duties mandated by Massachusetts General Laws and DPH regulations for local health departments inherently requires the skills of a Registered Nurse, making a public health nurse essential for fulﬁlling legal obligations and providing core community health services to the municipality.

The Food Consultant is to replace the Regional Health Agent to inspect food establishments and supermarkets bi-annually to meet the Mass.gov 105 CMR 590.000 (State Sanitary Code Chapter 11) that sets the minimum sanitation standards for food establishments, covering personnel, facility requirements, food handling, and permits. Along with the M.G.L. Chapter 94, Section 184D: General Laws related to inspecting food stores for compliance and handling violations.

The PDF of this section -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15JlMDo6LgHTldZFIRlrOY5nkp3n9ok5I/view?usp=drive_link

For the full FY 2027 budget narrative - https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1

The FY 2027 budget information can be found

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

Franklin Board of Health votes to prohibit "Synthetically Derived Cannabinoids, Synthetically Derived Kratom and Unregulated Novel Intoxicating Products"

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:45:00 +0000

FM #1742 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1742 in the series.

The Franklin, MA Board of Health met on Wednesday< May 6, 2026 at 5 PM as scheduled. All three members were present in the 3rd floor training room with the full representation of the Health Department members. A number of folks were in the room as well as joining remotely via the Google Meet connection.

Quick recap:

Board approved by 3-0 the prior meeting minutes
Opened the public hearing, heard from a number of folks for and against the proposed regulation
Closed the public hearing
Discussion amongst the Board resulted in an extension of the original proposal to include natural as it was present in energy drinks available to youth.
Motion to amend the proposal, second, passes 3-0
Vote on the motion to approve the regulation as amended, passes 3-0
Notification to be mailed to current vendors

The recording runs about 56 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1742-franklin-ma-board-of-health-mtg-05-06-26/

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Agenda doc - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05062026-2246

Proposed regulations doc (doesn't contain the amended version)

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9031/Kratom-Draft-Regulations

My notes in one PDF - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WP1tqQMiUsvAdEqI6jBFwNFCgBy06jBw/view?usp=drive_link

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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"

FHS girls & boys lacrosse top Attleboro on Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:40:00 +0000

Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Spring sports competition for Franklin High School on Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Boys Lacrosse = Attleboro, 7 @ Franklin, 14 – Final

– Senior Quinn Kielty stayed red hot, following up his seven-goal performance and double-overtime winner against North Attleboro with six goals and one assist to lead Franklin to a win at home over Attleboro. Thomas Quinn added two goals and one assist, Charlie Ballarino scored twice, and Ryder Hanchett had one goal and two assists. Max Lisker, Ben Scaccia, and Cole McEniry each added a goal for the Panthers.

Franklin TV video - https://www.youtube.com/live/e_rZwZwr_Cw?

Girls Lacrosse = Franklin, 19 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)

https://hockomocksports.com/wednesdays-schedule-scoreboard-05-06-26/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

Franklin Fire & Police members received the EMS Service/Organization Of The Year Award

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:38:00 +0000

Franklin Fire & Police members received the
EMS Service/Organization Of The Year Award

Via Franklin Fire Dept:

Last night (05/05/26) members from Group 4 along with members of the Franklin Police Department were on hand to receive the EMS Service/Organization Of The Year Award from the Central Mass EMS Corporation for both departments.

This great teamwork was critical for baby Gianna who suffered a life threatening medical emergency last year. We are extremely proud of both departments and the health of baby Gianna.

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/18nNVFP61r/

The incident last year was recapped here

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/09/officer-dave-gove-and-officer-amanda.html

Franklin Small Business Spotlight: Woodstock Building Associates

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:35:00 +0000

Franklin Small Business Spotlight:
Woodstock Building Associates

Happy National Small Business Week!

The Town of Franklin is proud to introduce our Small Business Spotlight Series, highlighting the local businesses that help our community thrive.

Franklin Small Business Spotlight: Woodstock Building Associates

Serving Franklin for the past eight years, Woodstock Building Associates is a residential design-build company specializing in additions, renovations, decks, and new home construction.

Why they chose Franklin:

“It is a beautiful town with great people and schools. The housing stock is a bit older, and with growing families, many homes could use an update or expansion.”

Why supporting small businesses matters:

“It helps the local economy, and for people like me who live and work in the same town, we are true believers in making a great product and experience for our clients.”

Follow along as we continue to highlight the local businesses that make Franklin a great place to live and work.

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/1AiG2YMHGk/

The DPW is hiring students 18+ for summer help

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:30:00 +0000

The DPW is hiring students 18+ for summer help
Via the Town of Franklin DPW

"We're hiring for the summer! 

To apply, please visit our website: https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9205/Summer-DPW-Posting-2026-04-22?

#townoffranklin"

Annual Tri‑County Tee‑Off Golf Tournament - Can you help sponsor ???

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:25:00 +0000

THANK YOU TO OUR HOLE SPONSOR: FRANKLIN MATTERS!

Annual Tri‑County Tee‑Off Golf Tournament
Can you help sponsor ???

A huge shoutout to Franklin Matters for supporting our Annual Tri‑County Tee‑Off Golf Tournament as a proud Hole Sponsor! Your generosity helps make this event possible and directly supports opportunities for our students and school community.

We truly appreciate your continued partnership and commitment to uplifting local programs. Thanks for helping us make this year’s tournament a success — we couldn’t do it without supporters like you!

Ready to play?
Interested in sponsoring?

You can do it all right here:
https://www.tri-county.us/o/tri-county-vocational-tech/page/golf-tournament

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DXwo5gIjoku/

Senior Olympics start May 18

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:20:00 +0000

Senior Olympics start May 18

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DYAW0QqlppM/

Congratulations, Caleigh Keating !!! You are in great company...

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:15:00 +0000

"The Massachusetts Commission on Status of Women (MCSW) is deeply honored to announce the full list of the Class of 2026 Commonwealth Heroines and their nominating legislators.

Norfolk County Heroines

Each year, elected officials are encouraged to submit one woman from their constituency as a means of recognizing their invaluable efforts and extraordinary acts of service, who are making a big difference in their communities but not necessarily making the news.

This year, the Class of 2026 Commonwealth Heroines is composed of a historic 147 women from across the state, the largest class awarded to date by the MCSW. These women are leaders in industry, business, nonprofit, advocacy, and more, and their work truly makes a difference in our local communities all across the state.

Join us in extending our warmest congratulations to the Class of 2026! #CH26"

The full State listing

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/1NQdBbGZFY/

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Zoom Meeting Tonight, May 7th, at 7-9 PM

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:05:00 +0000

Hi all!

Our 350 Mass Franklin Node meeting will be held Tonight, May 7th, from 7-9 p.m.

WE ARE MEETING IN PERSON AT FUSF (262 Chestnut St, Franklin). For those who can only attend online (in person preferred), here's a link:

Meeting Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274 Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

Our meeting's focus will be on Node Tabling:

Debrief

Debrief how using the dollhouse worked at the Franklin Fairmount Fruit Farm: what worked, what to improve

Schedule of next tabling events

Energize Franklin 6/12 Franklin Strawberry Stroll
(350 Mass 6/14 Mendon Area Farm Showcase - Maybe)
350 Mass 6/19 Franklin Farmers Market
350 Mass 6/27 Attleboro Farmers Market
350 Mass 7/11 Attleboro Farmers Market

Potential additional 350 Mass tabling opportunities

Save Money with Clean Heat Petition Share this link far and wide with everyone you know!

Meetings with State Senators and Reps:

Senator Becca Rausch May 13: Steve, Ted, and Mark. Do we want to try to meet with her staff another time in May?
Senator Feeney in May?
Rep. Jeff Roy in June before the Conference Committee starts?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Centers:

Node conversation

Thank you, and hoping to see you in-person Tonight, May 7th, from 7-9 PM!

With gratitude,

Carolyn, Rand and Steve

508-335-0848 Carolyn cell

One attachment:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1moV9WiZkz_F6Njg_eCOrMNcVt694JurZhfpjIxZZHRs/edit?usp=gmail

MBTA schedule change: effective May 25-30 for the Franklin/Foxboro Line

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:05:00 +0000

On Monday, May 25th, the Spring/Summer 2026 schedule will go into effect on the Franklin/Foxboro Line. Visit MBTA.com/CR for more information.

From June 8 through July 12 an adjusted systemwide Spring/Summer
schedule will be in effect to accommodate Boston Stadium Train Service for World Cup matches.

On match days, World Cup Match Day schedules will be in effect impacting the Franklin/Foxboro Line:

Haiti vs Scotland | 6/13 @ 9 PM

IRQ/BOL/SUR vs Norway | 6/16 @ 6 PM

Scotland vs Morocco | 6/19 @ 6 PM

England vs Ghana | 6/23 @ 4 PM

Norway vs France | 6/26 @ 3 PM

TBD Round of 32 | 6/29 @ 4:30 PM

TBD Quarterfinal | 7/9 @ 4 PM

Learn more: https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/media/route_pdfs/batch_7859/2026-05-25-cr-franklin-foxboro-line-spring-summer-schedule.pdf

Last Updated: May 05 2026 06:33 PM

Franklin Public Radio wfpr.fm schedule for Thursday, May 7, 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 08:55:00 +0000

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:

Franklin Public Radio wfpr.fm schedule for Thursday

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM - Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock covering Franklin, its local government, services, and events (Repeats Saturday at 3:00 PM)

This hour features my conversation with Kevin Harn, Director of Facilities for the Town of Franklin https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/05/we-sat-down-with-kevin-harn-to-hear.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM - first hour

10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 8:00 PM - second hour

Turntable – "Enjoy a fun experience with co-hosts The Vibe and Pauly G sharing personal discussions about a featured rock n roll vinyl record (1st hour) and the best, all music Vibe Playlist (2nd hour)"

The Turntable Show features the Allman Brothers "Brothers and Sisters" Album and Playlist hours. "Brothers and Sisters" was a major success, rising to number #1, resulting in the band becoming one the most popular American southern rock / live jam bands. "Ramblin' Man", a Dicky Betts' written song, received broad radio play and rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is their 4th studio album and the first following the death of group leader Duane Allman in 1971.
Enjoy southern rock Allman Brothers style including a 13 minute live recording of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" on the Playlist. Turn up the Turntable Show!

Find the playlist -> https://tinyurl.com/TurntablePlaylists

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf

Franklin TV schedule for Thursday, May 7, 2026 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Thu, 07 May 2026 08:50:00 +0000

Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = THURSDAY

9:30 am Second Sunday Speaker Series: Stephen Puleo

11:33 am Cooking Thyme: Ice Cream

12:03 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Tai Salad

12:35 pm Cooking with Linda: Pesto Pasta

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Meat-Lovers Pt. 1

2:00 pm New England Candlepins Summer 2023 Show 1

3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 5

3:30 pm Aging Boldfully: Anne Bergen

4:30 pm Veterans' Call: Dave Hencke

5:30 pm The Black Box: Newsies

7:00 pm Frank Presents: Djuna Perkins

8:00 pm Vera Meyer: Glass Armonica

9:00 pm Circle of Friends: Cheryl Wheeler

Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = THURSDAY

8:00 am Middle School Winter Music: 2025: Band

9:30 am Rec Basketball: 6th - 8th Grade Girls Championship 2025

12:00 pm FHS Concert Hour 02-26-26

2:00 pm FHS Theater Company: Lord of the Flies

3:00 pm WinningWaysEp1_033126

4:00 pm FHS Varsity Softball v Milford 04-28-26

9:00 pm Franklin Footlighters: Footloose

Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = THURSDAY

8:00 am Conservation Commission 04-23-26

2:00 pm Conservation Commission 04-23-26

7:00 pm Conservation Commission CHAMBERS 860 0418 1699

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 ???

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Wednesday, May 6

10:00am Veterans Coffee Social (Franklin Senior Center)

5:30pm Bluegrass & Country Jam Circle (Franklin Senior Center)

6:30pm Bingo night (Kings Brick Oven Pizza & Pub)

6:30pm Franklin Art Association Monthly Meeting (Franklin Senior Center)

6:30pm Franklin Elks Bingo Night (Franklin Elks Lodge #2136)

7:00pm Smarty Pants Trivia (Raillery Public House)

For Library events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times

*** Town Meetings today ***

Board of Health Meeting

Wednesday, May 6 Time: 5:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05062026-2246

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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

2026 Memorial Day observances for the Town of Franklin

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:55:00 +0000

The Town of Franklin invites residents, veterans, families and visitors to come together in remembrance and gratitude during the community’s 2026 Memorial Day observances. A series of events will honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

The Memorial Day Breakfast will take place on Friday, May 22, from 9 to 11 AM, at the Franklin Senior Center and offers an opportunity for the veteran community to gather ahead of Memorial Day. Reservations are required and must be made by Friday, May 8, by calling the Veterans’ Services Office at 508-613-1315.

On Memorial Day, the community is invited to attend a series of commemorative events, beginning with ceremonies at Dean College at 9:30 AM, Union Street Cemetery at 9:50 AM, and St. Mary’s Cemetery at 10:10 AM, prior to the start of the parade.

Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony — May 25, 2026

The Memorial Day Parade is scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2026, at 11 AM, beginning at Horace Mann Middle School and proceeding along Oak Street, Daniel McCahill Street, Union Street, West Central Street, Emmons Street and Main Street, ending at the Franklin Town Common.

View the parade route: Memorial Day 2026 Parade Route

Download a PDF copy - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L7xl3qkGgSuR-9vLd2wpdOCqsiBUPdRq/view?usp=sharing

The Memorial Day Ceremony will be held at 12 PM at the World War I Memorial on the Town Common immediately following the parade. The ceremony will honor Franklin veterans who have passed since last Memorial Day, as well as the Town’s 45 fallen heroes who died in service to the nation.

In the event of inclement weather, updates and cancellation notices will be posted on the Town’s Veterans’ Services webpage (https://www.franklinma.gov/335/Veterans-Services).

Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who served. The Town of Franklin encourages all to take part in these observances and join in honoring the legacy of our nation’s heroes.

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Department of Public Works

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:50:00 +0000

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The Department of Public Works is responsible for meeting the public infrastructure needs of the Town. We design, build, and maintain infrastructure including roads, sidewalks, bridges, parking lots, parks and ﬁelds, drainage systems, trafﬁc lighting, street lighting and all town signs.

The DPW also maintains the Town’s ﬂeet of vehicles and equipment and runs the Town’s Recycling Center. We manage all water, sewer, solid waste and stormwater infrastructure and programs, although these areas are budgeted through our enterprise funds. We manage all areas with the highest standards of customer service and most efﬁcient use of Town resources possible.

The assigned areas of responsibility are the following seven budget areas; Highway-General Maintenance (422-40), Grounds and Parks (422-41), Snow and Ice Removal, (422-42), Central Motors (422-43), Recycling Center (422-46), Administration & Engineering (422-49), and Street Lights (424).

Core Functions

Overall Department of Public Works Functions

● Customer Service

○ Continually improve procedures to meet Town standards for customer service. Proactively anticipate customer needs. Explore increased use of technology on an ongoing basis.

● Management and Administration

○ Continuously evaluate means and methods of service delivery and, where applicable, implement best practices. Lead in technology implementation for Public Works.

● Infrastructure Planning

○ Participate in general growth planning and lead in planning to meet future infrastructure needs resulting from Town growth. Monitor water system master plan to reﬂect the impact of improvements initiated to date. Evaluate the need for sewer/stormwater infrastructure improvements reﬂective of recent DEP policies.

● Infrastructure Design and Construction

○ Ensure public infrastructure design and construction, whether by public or private parties, meets Town and professional standards, and results in cost effective projects and minimizes environmental and neighborhood impacts.

● Public Infrastructure Maintenance

○ Proactively maintain all DPW-assigned public infrastructure assets and support equipment to meet service requirements.

● Emergency Response

○ As ﬁrst responders we must be in a position to respond to major and minor emergencies to restore and maintain services.

Director of Public Works

● Develop and maintain relationships with State and Federal agencies for permitting and regulatory compliance.

● Long range infrastructure and asset management planning.

● Resource development, including improving efﬁciency, acquiring grants, development of support facilities, coordination of divisions, etc.

● Annual planning, budgeting, setting goals, and program evaluation.

● EPA MS4 Stormwater implementation.

● Evaluate all new technologies: GPS, Watersmart, ArcGIS, Fleetio Software, Brightly, etc. throughout the organization to improve efﬁciency and reduce costs.

● Continue to work with other communities to share resources.

Administration Division

● Administration of water, sewer, sprinkler, hydrant, cross-connection, backﬂow, solid waste & recycling, and stormwater billing.

● Customer Service: Counter and telephone intake, public notiﬁcations, etc.

● Permit processing (water, sewer, street excavation, public way access, drain layers licenses, etc.)

● DPW-wide ﬁnancial management: budgeting, payroll, AP/AR, purchasing, etc.

● Support to operating divisions

Engineering and Construction Division (Includes GIS)

● Manage the design and construction of Capital Improvement projects while coordinating with operating divisions.

● Provide technical review of private development site plans and subdivisions for the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, and Board of Appeals.

● Provide construction inspection for municipal capital projects and work in the public right of way.

● Manage street excavation and ensure all by-laws are followed.

● Maintain ofﬁcial Town records and maps.

● GIS (Geographic Information System) - Constantly updating and maintaining numerous spatial databases to meet the needs of departments, boards, committees, professionals and citizens, while also expanding the information available in a simple and economical approach.

Highway and Grounds Division

● Road Maintenance

○ Pavement reclamation, asphalt overlays, chip seal, crack seal, infrared heat treatment, and patching.

● Sidewalks

○ Repair existing sidewalks and add new sidewalks where needed.

Parks and Tree Division

● Grounds, Parks & Trees

○ Plant trees, maintain public shade trees, cut grass at ball ﬁelds, buildings, and cemetery and cut, prune, and trim shrubs and maintain landscaping around schools, municipal buildings and the Town Common, as well as landscaped areas within the public right-of-way.

Central Motors Division

● Central Motors

○ Maintenance of approximately 170 Town vehicles, including DPW (84), Facilities, Inspection and Board of Health (11), Animal Control (2), Police (35), School (16), and Fire (22). Central Motors also maintains trailers (42) as well as equipment such as weed wackers, lawn mowers, chain saws, snow blowers, snow plows and sanders.

Snow and Ice Division

● Snow Operations

○ Snow Removal and Sanding Operations of Roadways, Schools, and Public Buildings.

Recycling Division

● Beaver Street Recycling Center

○ Operation of a Recycling Center 3.5 days a week that provides excellent customer service and meets all DEP regulations.

Street Lighting Division

● Street Lighting

○ Repair and maintain street lights throughout town.

Stafﬁng

The Department of Public Works has 57.3 full-time equivalents (FTEs) split across multiple budgets. The total stafﬁng includes:

● Management & Administration: 12 full-time

● Engineering/GIS Staff: 4 full-time

● Administrative Support: 3 full-time, 1 part-time

● Highway Division Laborers: 8 full-time

● Grounds Division Laborers: 6 full-time

● Water Division Laborers: 11 full-time

● Sewer Division Laborers: 5 full-time

● Stormwater Division Laborers: 3 full-time

● Central Motors Laborers: 3 full-time

● Recycling Center Staff: 4 part-time

● Seasonal/Summer Help: 15 full-time (May-Aug., not included in total FTE’s)

The salary costs for the Director, Managers and Administrative Staff are shared between the DPW General Fund and the various Enterprise funds. The DPW General Fund pays for 22.65 FTEs.

● Management & Administration: 2.9

● Engineering/GIS Staff: 0.25

● Administrative Support: 0.7

● Highway Division Laborers: 8.0

● Grounds Division Laborers: 6.0

● Central Motors Laborers: 3.0

● Recycling Center Staff: 1.8

● Seasonal/Summer Help: 8.0 (May-Aug., not included in total FTE’s)

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

● Provide exceptional and expedient customer service to every person who contacts the Public Works Department.

● Continue to develop and implement plans and oversight of all Public Works projects that meet safety concerns while ensuring protection of staff and residents.

● Maintain the Town’s assets, such as ﬁelds, Town Common and other public ways in the community with the most cost effective use of resources whether public or private.

● Continue to work on the stormwater challenge and funding of the requirements of the MS4 permit. Public Works continues to proactively work on this issue with the installation of rain gardens, improved road design and many other projects that help manage this costly endeavor going forward.

● Maintain excellence in snow and ice removal operations.

● Execute several miles of new water and roadway projects.

● Implement, evaluate and fund to the extent possible the Town’s 5-year Pavement Management Plan. The Town has $40 million in backlogged road work, and millions more required to maintain our parking lots and sidewalks.

● For the 2025 construction season (Spring FY26 through Fall FY26), DPW completed the following road preservation projects by investing approximately $1.9 million dollars from a combination of funding sources including Chapter 90 ($1.2 million) and the DPW operating budget ($700k for FY25 & FY26)

○ Asphalt Paving Overlay Project

■ Pond St. - from Eldon Drive to Partridge St.
■ Washington St. and King St. - from Jefferson Rd. to I-495
■ Grove St. - from Beaver St. to the Mine Brook Bridge

○ Rubber Chip Seal Surfacing Project

■ Charles River Drive neighborhood
■ Wampanoag Drive and Concetta Way neighborhood
■ Julie Dawn Dr. and Denise Dr. neighborhood
■ Spring St. and Dom Lea Circle neighborhood

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

The following is a list of recommended restored services for Public Works that have been very unpopular with many residents. However, with the winter draining the entire snow and ice budget, as well as the entire Snow and Ice Stabilization Fund, my revised FY27 budget in May and June will likely reﬂect a recommendation to reallocate these restorations into the snow and ice budget to prepare for next winter.

● Highway Department - $105,000 Increase

○ Police Details - $1,000
○ Electricity for Trafﬁc Signals - $5,000
○ Sidewalk and Guardrail Maintenance - $50,000
○ Sign and Post Maintenance - $5,000
○ Street Line Painting and Vegetation Management. - $40,000
○ Tools - $4,000

● Grounds Department - $90,000 Increase

○ Tree Trimming & Removal - $40,000
○ Field Maintenance - $5,000
○ Contracted Services Schools - $35,000
○ Municipal Grounds Supplies - $5,000
○ Supplies for School Grounds - $5,000

● Grounds Department - $41,000 Increase

○ Seasonal/Summer Help - $41,000

● Snow and Ice Removal - Level Funded

● Central Motors Department - $14,500 Increase

○ Communications Equip./Radios - ($10,000)
○ Uniform Rental - $1,000
○ Automotive Parts - $16,000
○ Vehicle Tires/ Lubricants - $5,000
○ Misc. Equipment - $1,000
○ Safety Training Classes - $1,500

● Recycle Center Department - $9,000 Increase

○ Rigid Plastic Disposal/Removal - $4,000
○ Mattress Disposal/Removal - $5,000

● Administration/ Engineering Department - Level Funded

● Street Lighting Department - $20,000 Increase

○ Electricity Costs - $15,000
○ Repair of Street Lights - $5,000

As long as this section is, there is more including charts and tables in the PDF version https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vhO77vli_L4X_tabourXqVF7Ee6a4S5Y/view?usp=drive_link

For the full FY 2027 budget narrative - https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1

The FY 2027 budget information can be found

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

You can listen to the poetry & conversation from the Favorite Poem Reading 04//18/26 (audio)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:45:00 +0000

FM #1741 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1741 in the series.

This session shares the Favorite Poem Reading facilitated by Steve Sherlock at the Franklin Public Library on Saturday, April 18, 2026. April is National Poetry Month and this ‘poetry and conversation” was a good way to celebrate poetry.

The consensus of the group was to do this more frequently rather than wait until next April rolls around. Stay tuned. The next one may be in August or September.

The list of the readers and poems or poets read is found in the show notes

The recording runs about 50 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1741-favorite-poem-reading-04-18-26/

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

Marc Cohen read one by Robert Frost “To Earthward”

To Earthward by Robert Frost - Poems | Academy of American Poets https://share.google/vLq8c8OjHGob31lmx

Stephen Karunakaran read a few short selections from “THE KURAL: Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural” in Tamil and English https://thomaspruiksma.com/books/tiruvalluvars-tirukkural/

Faith Flaherty talked about and read a couple of versions of “How can I keep from singing”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Can_I_Keep_from_Singing%3F

Ken Ojukwu read a version of “The Man in the Glass”

https://allpoetry.com/The-Man-in-the-Glass

Steve Sherlock read (and provided a sample taste of watermelon pickle)

“Reflections on a gift of watermelon pickle received from a friend called Felicity”

https://oklahoma.agclassroom.org/resources/food/songs/reflections/

Jayson Joyce read Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things”

https://onbeing.org/poetry/the-peace-of-wild-things/

Faith also read Shel Silverstein “I can not go to school today”

https://poets.org/poem/sick

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

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

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"

FHS girls tennis tops Mansfield on Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:40:00 +0000

Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Spring sports competition for Franklin High School on Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Baseball = Mansfield, 9 @ Franklin, 5 – Final

Softball = Mansfield, 4 @ Franklin, 3 – Final

Boys Tennis = Franklin, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final

Girls Tennis = Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final

Boys Outdoor Track = Franklin @ Taunton, 3:45

Girls Outdoor Track = Franklin @ Taunton, 3:45

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)

https://hockomocksports.com/tuesdays-schedule-scoreboard-05-05-26/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

FHS Boys Lacrosse fund raiser at Jimbo's Diner - Saturday, May 9

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:35:00 +0000

FHS Boys Lacrosse fund raiser at
Jimbo's Diner - Saturday, May 9

via FHS Boys Lacrosse Boosters

"This Saturday come out to celebrate the mom in your life while supporting your FHS Boys Lacrosse Program!

Jimbo’s NY Diner is generously donating a portion of the proceeds from sales on Saturday 5/9 to help support our program and players!

You won’t want to miss this... breakfast, brunch, or lunch we hope to see you at the diner this Saturday! Jimbos NY Diner"

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/19VczUTgBr/

Norfolk Aggie AG Mech Club Spring Car Show - May 16

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Norfolk Aggie AG Mech Club Spring Car Show - May 16

via Norfolk County Agricultural High School

"Don't miss it! Same day as the Aggie Expo!!!"

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/1CL34BksNC/

United Regional Chamber of Commerce 39th Annual Golf Classic scheduled for Monday, June 8

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:25:00 +0000

Hello Everyone:

I hope this message finds you well. Golf season is here, and I’m excited to share details about a great upcoming event. Please dust off your clubs and join us in early June for a day of golf, networking, prizes, food, drinks, and fun alongside fellow local businesses and professionals.

Our 39th Annual URCC Golf Classic, which will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026, at New England Country Club.

The event will feature a shotgun scramble start at 8:30 AM, with check‑in beginning at 7:30 AM. Following the tournament, please join us under the tent for food, drinks, prizes, and raffles. I’m reaching out in hopes that you will join us—either individually or by putting together a team—for a great day in support of the Chamber.

We are currently seeking both golfers and sponsors. Sponsorship opportunities provide excellent visibility for you and your company while supporting a fantastic community event. Please use the link below to learn more about sponsorship options, register as a golfer, or sign up a team:

Web link for event details, sponsorship opportunities, and registration:
URCC 39th Annual Golf Tournament

United Regional Chamber of Commerce 39th Annual Golf Classic scheduled for Monday, June 8

Event Details

Cost: $220 per golfer
Includes: 18 holes of golf, cart, buffet dinner, and prizes
Weather: Rain or shine (event will only be rescheduled if the course cancels)

Day‑of‑Event Contests & Activities

Putting Contest
$10,000 Hole‑in‑One
Closest to the Pin
Longest Drive
Whack‑a‑Duck
Par‑3 Poker

We hope you can join us for this memorable event. I look forward to seeing you on the course.

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce proudly serves the following 16 towns and communities:
Attleboro, Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxborough, Franklin, Mansfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, Norton, North Attleboro, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Wrentham.

Thank you,

Jack

Jack Lank, IOM

President & CEO

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce

715 E. Washington Street

North Attleboro, MA 02760

Phone: 508-316-0861

www.unitedregionalchamber.org

We’re not just a Chamber of Commerce; We’re a Chamber of Connections

Let us Connect You!

You Are Invited To The LGBTQ Alliance May Monthly Meeting!

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:20:00 +0000

If you would like to join us for bowling please RSVP to franklinlgbtqalliance@gmail.com

When: May 7th at 6:30pm

What: Join us for a bowling night at PINZ! Bowling will cost $15 per person (including shoes). We hope you'll join us!

Where: 110 South Main St in Milford, MA

If the cost is a challenge for you, please email franklinlgbtqalliance@gmail.com and we can offer financial assistance

If you are not on the LGBTQ email list, sign up to receive future emails with this form.