This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Dr. Carolyn Kuehnel and Dr. Cindy Ballou. We had our conversation in their office in downtown Franklin on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

Dr Carolyn Kuehnel is the owner of Kuehnel Psychological Services, PLLC.

In the course of our discussion we covered

• Their individual road to this role
• The services they provide
• Supporting parents and families
• The need for a community approach
• The dangers of screen time

The recording runs about 59 minutes so let’s listen to my conversation with Carolyn and Cindy.

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Kuehnel Psychological Services https://kuehnelpsych.com/

The Wait Until 8th organization website -> https://www.waituntil8th.org/

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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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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!

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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 shares the Finance Committee meeting conducted Wednesday, December 12, 2025. All 9 members of the Committee participated, 8 in Council Chambers, with 1 remote; hence a roll call for required votes.

Quick recap:

• Technology Director Tim Rapoza was the key presenter and outlined the technology requirements for licenses, hardware, and software which enable the Town and Schools to deliver the services they do
• Key question: How much it would take to fully fund Technology for the hardware, software, licenses and personnel to support Town and School needs. Answer = add $1.5M/year to the existing budget

The recording runs just about 2 and ½ hours, let’s listen

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Franklin TV video link -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeAQEXjI0D8

Agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12102025-2039

The presentation doc https://franklintechnology2025.my.canva.site/

Pictures of the slides presented are captured in one album -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/ThWM9bemHaA48xk69

My notes can be found in one PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/10VfXGVVfuS1pge0RwuA3VxKgYAoZKuCx/view?usp=drive_link

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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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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 session of the radio show shares my recorded conversation with local author J.M. Celi. We had our conversation via Zoom to record the video & audio on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

Our conversation lets you find out more about Jamie and his third independently published work “The Unlife of Lisa Cooper: Vengeance."

This is the second in the planned series of the vampire, Siobhan McSweeny or Lisa Cooper.

We talk about Jamie’s writing process, the road through multiple reviews and edits to publication. He has some other works out for possible publication. He is working on the outline for the 3rd in the Lisa series. There may be other works covering specific decade time periods in Boston.

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

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J.M. Celi’s author web site -> https://www.jmceli.com/

“The Unlife of Lisa Cooper: Conviction", “The Vampires of 1863” and “The Unlife of Lisa Cooper: Vengeance" can be found in most bookstores.

Prior audio recordings

• Vampires of 1863 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/07/talking-boston-vampires-and-writing.html
• Unlife of Lisa Cooper - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/11/author-jm-celi-wrote-book-he-couldnt.html

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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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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 episode combines the Franklin Public Radio news briefing spots for the week of December 14, 2025.

• The outlook for the week ahead Dec 14 through Dec 20, 2025
• The look back at the week that was Dec 7 through Dec 13, 2025

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The text and links referenced can be found at Franklin Matters Weekly

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/2025/12/tis-season-to-wrap-things-up-literally.html

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

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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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 session shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. All 7 members of the committee were present.

Quick recap:

• FHS Volleyball team recognized for D1 State Championship for first time
• Student Services presentation
• Link to slides included below
• Capital budget presentation
• Link to slides included below
• Franklin (MA) School enrollment
• Yes, total of Franklin MA and shown where they end up FPS, or elsewhere
• Numbers mentioned during recent Town Council meeting shown to be in error with these statistics
• Link to the 2 page document included below
• Citizen Comments
• Steve Sherlock stepped up to talk about
• “Hold harmless” is akin to OPEB, Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) was for years an unfunded mandate that drove every budget discussion until the Town realized that the funding requirement for the Norfolk County Retirement would be fulfilled shortly (now slipped to approx 2035) but then once complete, those funds could be shifted to pay down the OPEB liability. The Town has a plan to fund OPEB. The School can not come up with a plan to fund hold harmless without Town help. There needs to be a plan as part of whatever financial plan the Town puts together.
• While the Town (and correctly so) touts clean audits, that wasn’t always the case. The current revolving funds policy to maintain a year's worth arose as a result of an audit issue revealed during 2007. Part of the resolution was (1) the hiring of Miriam Goodman in March 2008 and (2) the intro of the policy to keep one year's worth of funds in the revolving accounts
• Audio of student services available https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/12/insights-into-student-services-how-in.html
• Community calendar reminder, this week only Weds doesn't have a booster club, youth sports or otherwise a fundraising effort by eating at one of Franklin’s restaurants. Let me know of your fundraising efforts and they can get published on the Community Calendar
• Action: To submit a community or cultural event, please use this form: https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar
• entered into Executive Session not to return to open meeting

The recording runs about 3 hours and 45 minutes

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Additional links to key documents for this session

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/12/school-committee-recognizes.html

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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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or

This episode shares the voice message left from the Franklin Senior Center robocall touting the Winter Wonderland on Thursday, Dec 11, 2025.

“The Franklin Senior Center is hosting our 4th annual Winter Wonderland Community Event next week!

It's on Thursday, December 11 from 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM. Come one, come all! The entire community is invited, we hope to see you there!

This is open to all ages.

This is a completely free event but be sure to bring a little extra money for the large scale raffle put together by our Friends of Franklin Elders Inc. - FOFE”

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The text and links referenced can be found at Franklin Matters https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/12/you-are-invited-to-winter-wonderland-at.html

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

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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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 episode combines the Franklin Public Radio news briefing spots for the week of December 7, 2025.

• The outlook for the week ahead Dec 7 through Dec 13, 2025
• The look back at the week that was Nov 30 through Dec 6, 2025

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The text and links referenced can be found at Franklin Matters Weekly

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/2025/12/tax-rate-hearing-closes-out-fy-2026.html

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

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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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 session shares my conversation with the ownership team for the Body Fit Training fitness studio here in Franklin. We had our discussion in the studio after the sessions were completed for Saturday, November 29, 2025.

We started with a round of introductions and their role in the development (in order of introduction)

• KP (Kerry) Peterson
• Bethany Gerry
• Tom Gerry
• Patrick Murphy

Our conversation covers

• The path to opening, idea, research, decision…
• Open 4 months now, membership continues to grow
• Science based approach to training, progressive 8-10 week planned sessions
• BFT proprietary technology used to inform the training (heart rate monitor, eVolt scan)
• Coaches and members make this a “happy place”
• Want to participate? sign up for a free session to check it out

The recording runs about 40 minutes, so let’s listen in.

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BFT Franklin -> https://www.bodyfittraining.com/location/franklin-village

Sign up for first lesson -> link to sign up for a free session

Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/bft_franklinvillage/

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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
• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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"