This shares my conversation with Franklin resident and artist Sue Sheridan. Sue has long been a supporter of arts in Franklin having served on the Franklin Cultural Council and currently as President of the Franklin Arts Association. 

We worked together on the Cultural District Steering Committee for several years to organize the Cultural Festivals for 2015, 2016, and 2017 to prepare for the Cultural District application. The Cultural District was approved in 2019.

Let’s listen to my conversation with Sue as we talk about arts in Franklin.  Our conversation runs about 43 minutes:

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

Franklin Arts Association -> https://www.franklinart.org/ 

FUSF Art Wall video with Sue https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheArtWallatFUSF/posts/3103169493279957/ 

FUSF Art Wall video with Chris Blue Tabeau  https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheArtWallatFUSF/posts/3028175244112716/ 

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

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 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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge.

Conversation around the following topics: 

Community engagement/discussion this week

• Critical Conversations - social media
• Franklin Newcomers - Jamie & Sara

Budget season

• FY 2023 budget model previewed at Joint Budget Subcommittee
• School budget hearing held 3/22, vote scheduled for April 12 meeting
• FinCom budget hearings over 4 nights May 9-12
• Town Council budget hearings 2 nights May 25-26

Franklin For All  - survey open through April 1

The recording runs about 22 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie as we “Talk Franklin”.

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

Town of Franklin meeting calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar 

Franklin For All survey -> https://mapc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDBzodBPnt8a5Ce  

Franklin For All web page -> https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/franklin-for-all/ 

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

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 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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Franklin Public Schools Superintendent Sara Ahern. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about 

• FY 2023 budget overall/timeline
• Multiple central office and district positions open, hiring in process
• Equity audit - report due approx. May 2022
• Critical conversations - March 24 (will update to include the link to recording when available)
• DECA, cheerleaders, winter sports performance overall, spring starting practices

The recording runs about 39 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Sara

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

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs to be college and career ready

School budget info FY 2023 (and prior available)  https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget 

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

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm). 

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 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"

This shares my conversation with Franklin author Chris Woolf. I met Chris when he did the Second Sunday Speaker Series at the Franklin Historical Museum. He talked of his adventurous trip to Afghanistan and we scheduled to get together at the Franklin studio to explore more of his story.

Links to Chris’s web site, the book link, and he and his wife’s voiceover company are included in the show notes. 

Let’s listen to my conversation with Chris as we follow his life journey from Britain, via Afghanistan, to the US, and ultimately to Franklin.  Our conversation runs about 35 minutes:

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

Chris Woolf   https://chriswoolfbooks.com/ 

The Voice Depot    https://the-voice-depot.com/   (voiceover company)

“Bumbling Through the Hindu Kush - A Memoir of Fear and Kindness in Afghanistan”

https://chriswoolfbooks.com/bumbling-through-the-hindu-kush/ 

Video link to Historical Museum presentation to be added when available from Franklin.TV 

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

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 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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session of the radio show shares the School Committee meeting held Tuesday, March 22, 2022. 

The bulk of the meeting was the official public hearing for the FY 2023 school budget. 

Superintendent Sara Ahern, Asst Supt Lucas Giguere, Business Manager Miriam Goodman were the primary presenters for the overview of the budget. School Committee Chair Denise Spencer then read the budget major lines, recording ‘holds’ along the way which then lead to the question period by the committee and then the public. The budget will come to the Committee at the Apr 12 meeting when they will vote on it.

NEW: A transcript of the recording is available. The transcript is part of a pilot by Franklin Matters using the transcription service provided by Otter.ai https://otter.ai/ 

The meeting opened at 7 PM and ran approx. 2 hours and 35 minutes.

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

Meeting packet folder ->   https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/pages/march-22-2022-school-committee-meeting-packet 

Budget tab (with this proposed budget and prior budgets) ->   https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget

Meeting transcript ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZJGhMT7D0A5kkrWVSB-fvrQgwril-lDX/view?usp=sharing

My notes -> 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18oZq9R2K7-viFx3WMI5-lcDumfgBdpZf/view?usp=sharing 

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

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 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"

This shares my conversation with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. This is one of a series of conversations meant to provide a recap of the prior Council meeting. Akin to one of the many sports post-game analysis broadcasts we are familiar with in New England,  this would be a discussion focused on the Franklin Town Council meeting of March 16, 2022: 

• ok, what just happened? 
• What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

We cover the following key topics

Recognitions/promotions

• Police Department - Sergeant Connor Crosman
• Police Department - Detective Laura Canavan
• New Hire: Police Department - Derek Mackey

Storm water received 1st approval

Capital plan

Preliminary FY23 Budget Model

Our conversation runs about 37 minutes:

Links to the meeting agenda and associated documents released for this meeting are included in the show notes. 

Let’s listen to Tom and I in this Town Council Quarterbacking session

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

Town Council Agenda document -> 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/03/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-march.html  

Recording & Transcript -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/03/town-council-hears-about-storm-water.html 

My notes for the meeting -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HKbbsQfgbgIjPbUx7DbMGikfrXo2iI68/view?usp=sharing 

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

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 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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with several members of the Economic Development “Plus” Committee to talk about the Franklin For All process. We recorded this via the Zoom conference bridge Mar 15, 2022.  

• Chair, Melanie Hamblen, Town Council 
• Beth Wierling, member of the Planning Board
• Cobi Frongillo, member of the Town Council
• Bruce Hunchard, chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals

The recording runs about 38 minutes, so let’s listen to the conversation about the Franklin For All project and process. 

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

Respond to the survey by April 1 => https://mapc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDBzodBPnt8a5Ce  

Franklin For All Forum - March 7, 2022

• Transcript =>  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WEsjmEFESie06Bx4bAOSxhMbhpY45gsL/view?usp=sharing
• Audio recording => https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-748-franklin-for-all-forum-03-07-22
• Video recording =>  https://youtu.be/9fewoumulN4 

Franklin For All project page ->  https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/franklin-for-all/ 

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

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 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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. We recorded this via the Zoom conference bridge Mar 15, 2022. 

This is part 5 of a series on Marking Sense of Climate.

Ted helps me “make sense of climate” and we hope this helps with your understanding as well.

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session

The recording runs about 49 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Ted McIntyre as he helps me “make sense of climate.”

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

Links that are our talking points for this episode

Transit system electrification https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/03/state-news-roundup-health-care-costs.html

NY Times article on induction cookers -> https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-portable-induction-cooktop/

DOER Stretch goals (deadline extended to March 18 to submit input)

●     Link to read the details ->  https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stretch-energy-code-development-2022

●     Email to provide feedback -> [email protected]

●     WBUR’s explainer ->  https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/03/17/massachusetts-energy-environmental-building-code-proposal-explainer

Good first step wind bill, but Baker objects over fees… https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/03/02/opinion/offshore-wind-is-future-massachusetts/?event=event12

https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/regional/2022/03/04/mass-house-offshore-wind-bill-faces-headwinds-baker/9373537002/

Municipal Light Plants (MLP) and the Peabody Peaker

●       New studies find cheaper to 'buy from market'

●      Hunger strikers oppose construction https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/dining/induction-cooking.html

Ukraine…

1.      Debate No-fly zone etc….

2.      Hundreds of millions to Russia every day for gas.

daily payment to Russia for EU gas https://www.voanews.com/a/despite-sanctions-europe-continues-to-bankroll-russia-for-gas-oil/6465223.html

McKibben’s piece on “heat pumps for peace” https://billmckibben.substack.com/p/heat-pumps-for-peace-and-freedom?s=r

If you have a question to raise, you can use this form ->

This session shares part of the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. 

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: members of the Town Council and Town Administration personnel were in the Council Chambers, some members of the public participated in person, some via the Zoom conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

The recording runs about two hours and thirty minutes (2:30 )

The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda. Let’s listen to the Town Council meeting of March 16, 2022

NEW: A transcript of the recording is available. The transcript is part of a pilot by Franklin Matters using the transcription service provided by Otter.ai https://otter.ai/ 

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

Agenda document ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/03/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-march.html 

My notes from the meeting  ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HKbbsQfgbgIjPbUx7DbMGikfrXo2iI68/view?usp=sharing 

Meeting transcript ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YLEsQa-LOO7-erEyhrykMhilZUNpTMaI/view?usp=sharing

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

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.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"

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge.

• Conversation around the following topics: 
• Vaccine clinic for kids 3/16
• Hotel has resumed construction
• Franklin For All
• Finance Committee
• Joint Budget Subcommittee
• Storm water fee comes back to the Town Council 

The recording runs about 40 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie as we “Talk Franklin”.

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

Town Council meeting 3/16/2022 agenda -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/march_16_2022_town_council_agenda.pdf 

Franklin For All survey -> https://mapc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDBzodBPnt8a5Ce  

Franklin For All web page -> https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/franklin-for-all/ 

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

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 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 your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"