OPINION: Where are we Franklin?

By Gene Grella, a long-time resident

Where are we Franklin?

I always thought of Franklin as a community I aligned with philosophically. If I asked my fellow Franklin residents what kind of town they wanted to live in, we would be 95% in agreement.

• We are a town and not a city
• We are a great place to own a home and raise a family
• Great schools and parks and recreational activities
• A responsive government who seeks the best for its residents
• A community that looks to keep taxes low and run an efficient, cost-conscious government

But last night [Wednesday night--ed], I witnessed residents who went in front of the Town Council on two separate issues and with very thoughtful and well-reasoned arguments only to have their arguments rejected by the Council with little or no explanation for their votes.

I was interested in the Stobbart's Nurseries project and I honestly believe that I could have brought 300 residents to the meeting and it wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference. The Council, long ago had made up their minds on this and even though so many residents disagree with them, they don't seem at all concerned.

So, maybe those 5 who voted to approve these projects really represent the majority of Franklin residents and I'm in the minority now. That is one plausible explanation.

Maybe most Franklin residents want us to keep building 4 or 5 story apartment buildings to grow our town with apartments to fill up our schools and draw on the town services like water and sewer that the property tax payers need to fund. Maybe its the gas station off 495 over residential neighborhood and public safety.[The council approved rezoning a King St. Parcel to allow that. --ed]

Maybe most Franklin residents believe that Franklin should be a city and that we should do all we can to solve the Massachusetts housing crisis by building here first. Afterall, increased traffic is just a part of life in Massachusetts.

So where are we? Because if you don't agree with this vision, we need to do something about it and some people reading this need to get involved in Town government.

Government of the people, by the people, for the people.

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Editorial Note: Steve Sherlock, the inveterate chronicler of the Town Council, notes that the council did vote 5-4 to move the King Street rezoning measure to a second reading but it will take 6 votes to formally approve it when the next vote is taken. Another reader noted that with regard to the Stobbart's property, the project still must go to multiple boards such as Conservation before it can proceed.