OPINION: Our Misguided Town Council

....Doesn’t Care What You Think

Last Wednesday
night, we really got a chance to see the character of the Franklin
Town Council. I’ve always complained that this council—at least
the majority—represents their own opinions rather than the people
of Franklin, and this past week it was on full display for all the
town to witness.

The topic was one
you’d think would be fairly simple. The Town Administrator, hearing
the outcry of so many residents, asked the Council to vote on a
simple change in policy. That policy change would tell developers
that we are no longer accepting large, friendly 40B rental projects.
We would still accept friendly 40Bs—but only those that allow for
home ownership.

Not a big ask,
given the number of unrented apartments we currently have in town,
and with another large apartment complex already being built on Grove
Street. But for this Town Council, that was apparently a hill too
far.

Councilor
Dellorco explained how these 40B projects aren’t really about
affordable housing, and both Councilor Chandler and Cormier-Leger
shared how, during the recent override process, they heard over and
over from constituents that they would not vote for the override
because they were so upset with all the building—specifically
calling out the giant project on the former Stobbart Nursery property with its 264 rental apartments.

But those
arguments were countered with the playbook that comes straight from
the State House: “Thou shalt build more rental properties.” To
Councilor Frongillo, even though Franklin is well above the 10%
affordable housing threshold required by the state, we still aren’t
anywhere close to having enough apartments.

In a brief
moment of honesty, Councilor Hamlin said that “she needs to vote
with the residents rather than her own opinion,” but in the end,
she didn’t heed her own advice. Maybe she just couldn’t bear to
see Councilor Frongillo disappointed.

At the end of the
day, they decided to table the vote—even after being told it was a
“slap in the face” to the residents. How does it feel to be
slapped?

In a few months,
we will have another election. I think they will hear you then.

--Gene Grella, Franklin Resident