By Judith Dorato O’Gara

There will be three more Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Sessions in March, and Franklin residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about what is going into the evolving document that encompasses the town budget. At the February 12th Listening Session, Jamie Hellen presented a preliminary FY26 budget model that illustrated a structural budget deficit of $3,637,787 million, not a final number, but one that is closer what a final budget deficit might look like for this year. Updated figures to this preliminary model would take place at Town Council meetings on March 5th and March 19th. The Town expects to file a budget in mid-April (either April 11th or April 18th) . 

Some of the factors influencing the updated figures include:

• State aid figures are not as robust as the Town expected, but Governor Healey’s FY26 budget proposal will give Franklin an increase of $272,024 over previous Town budget models. 

• Local receipts, or revenue generated or processed by municipal staff, have increased by $1 million over previous budget models. 

• New Growth has been slightly lowered due to a stagnant business climate. 

• Employee health care costs are expected to increase. 

Hellen’s memo broke down cost increase requests of department budgets that exceed $1,000,000 (which he called the Big Six), including:

• Police Department: increase of $213,200

• Fire Department: increase of $253,820

• DPW: increase of $261,000

• Public Property & Buildings (Facilities): increase of $551,000 (does not include or reflect savings achieved though Parmenter/Kennedy redistricting, as logistics still need to be worked out

• Franklin Public Library: increase of $63,810

• Account 300 Franklin Public Schools: increase of $2,929,810, assuming “level service.” 

In his memo, Hellen noted the General Government encompasses 35 additional town departments, boards and committees with an aggregate increase of $1.6 million, and the model assumes some increase in personnel line items for the COLA for all union and nonunion municipal and school staff as well as one additional municipal staff for Board of Assessors. The memo further discusses anticipated cost increases and encourages residents to review the DPW’s Infrastructure report up on the town website.

Lucas Giguere, Superintendent of Franklin Public Schools, confirmed the School Committee’s approval of $80,395,33 million on February 11th, a 3.78% increase from last year, structured around balancing rising costs and allocating resources. (The district currently has 4,589 students and employs over 1,200.) He noted FPS will save costs unifying three middle schools under one roof, having two elementary complexes and repurposing the empty middle school complexes in part to expand an early childhood program that has outgrown its space, as well as faculty and staff restructuring to optimize resources.

Attendees to the February 12th meeting raised questions about administrative support, public safety, and education for the town’s children, with many advocating for restoration of theatre classes, more diverse language offerings and fewer teacher cuts, as well as frustration about misinformation shared on social media and other channels, the need to present facts in a way the community clearly understands, the rising costs of housing and utility costs as well as that anticipated costs in future years, such as the Tri-County school rebuild and the state’s Chapter 70 “Hold Harmless” expectations for Franklin.

The Town encourages the public to attend the following upcoming Joint Budget Subcommittee Listening Sessions:

Session 4: Mar 4, Franklin Senior Center, Common Grounds Cafe, 10 Daniel McCahill, 9:30 am (coffee and light refreshments provided) 

Session 5: Mar 8, Franklin Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 355 East Central, 10:00am (Virtual and in-person participation options) 

Session 6: Mar 12, Franklin High School Auditorium, 7 p.m.

To see all of the budget documents in more detail, click the center “Town Budget,” button at the bottom of the Town’s home page, www.franklinma.gov, or go directly to https://www.franklinma.gov/168/Town-Budgets , then hit the link for Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Materials .