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To the Editor:
Re.: His Salary
Because of my own background, I can say that I know a bit about the complexity of running a municipal government in a town like Franklin. Today, the job is a great deal more challenging, and we in Franklin are fortunate to enjoy the services of an exceptional man of real aptitude and talent as a City/Town Administrator. I am aware of what Jamie Hellen is paid as Franklin Town Administrator, and judging by what he invests of himself in this job in this municipality, in terms of time and effort, he is a bargain. I am aware of what other local administrators are paid in other towns and municipalities in their respective positions of chief executive officer. Most of them might possibly be bargains, but I believe that few can match Jamie Hellen’s intrinsic professional quality. In this life, you tend to get what you pay for.
I have known every Town Administrator, going back to the most excellent J. Maynard Austin who was our very first Town Administrator. Maynard, as he liked to be called, was a thoroughgoing professional in every respect. As a reward for his hard work, fairness, and integrity in the execution of his duties, Maynard Austin was literally run out of town by a former high ranking town employee who got himself elected to high office for that very purpose. In spite of the fact that Maynard J. Austin was a great civic leader, he paid a heavy price for his intrinsic integrity, but that was what things were like back then fifty-odd years ago.
People in Franklin Government in those days tended to be both power- hungry and rather vindictive from time-to-time. Nobody is more happy than I that the culture of the place has substantially changed since those “So-Called- Good-Old-Days.” Since the 1970’s government had tended to have become much more professional, and nobody today is more professional in the execution of his duties than Jamie Hellen, or indeed works harder. In my own local political career, I was at various times Chairman of: The Finance Committee, Planning Board, Board of Selectman, Franklin Town/City Council, The Franklin Federal Bicentennial Commission/ Vice-Chairman of the Franklin Board of Assessors, and more boards and commissions than I have room to list here.
I have written four histories of this community, one of which won a national award. I have lived in Franklin, Massachusetts for more than 81 years. I taught school here for 34 years. I have earned a B.A. and M.A. degrees in History. I ran an Antique Business here for almost 60 years and an appraisal business for even longer than that which is still on-going, and I have written more than six books and 2,500 articles and monographs over the last sixty-some years. My engaging in writing is still an on-going activity.
I have been a keen observer as well as a participant of life in this community. I have been intimately involved in its cultural life as: President of The Franklin Historical Society and lasting over the next quarter century beginning in 1984, long-time-chairman of The Franklin and Dean Junior College Community Concert Association, donor of two galleries to The Franklin Historical Museum, and Chairman of the Annual Franklin-Clean-up –Committee many years ago. Most of all, I am proud of the fact that I personally enrolled hundreds of young people as they turned eighteen as voters in this town as assistant registrar of voters at Franklin High School during my tenure there.
I can tell you from the perspective of my long tenure in this Franklin Community, which I have deeply loved for so many years and that I have seen and know so intimately, that I have known of no public personality who has served Franklin so well as Jamie Hellen. In terms of hours and commitment nobody has worked for this community more than he does, and I know just how long it takes, if you are an effective professional educator with multiple preparations as well as serving as a public official. In that regard of great service to the Franklin Community, Jamie Hellen is an absolute phenomenon. His value to the Franklin Community is beyond any mere financial consideration at which he is fiscally compensated. Franklin is getting excellent value for the money at which the estimable Mr. Hellen is compensated in his role of Municipal Leader of this community. I hope that we shall have and enjoy the benefit of his tireless leadership for a very long time in the foreseeable future.
Yours truly,
James C. Johnston Jr.
Long Serving Public Official Emeritus
October 10, 2025
