What is the Town Council?

Town+Councillor+Glen+Jones+has+campaign+signs+in+local+yards.+Credit%3A+Aislinn+Lavery

Town Councillor Glen Jones has campaign signs in local yards. Credit: Aislinn Lavery

Aislinn Lavery, Writer

We’ve all seen the campaign signs scattered around local yards, promoting candidates for positions such as Councilor or Clerk. But still, lots of FHS students don’t know a lot- or anything- about the Town Council or how to get involved in our local legislature. 

The Town Council has several major tasks. Firstly, they oversee and hire the Town Administrator, who is in charge of Franklin’s daily operation. Secondly, they approve both one time expenses, and Franklin’s annual budget, for projects such as senior care, school budgets, road projects, and recreational spaces. 

When asked what recent initiative he is most proud of during his time on the Town Council,  Councillor Cobi Frongillo says, “ I think number one though would have to be that purchase of the Maple Hill property. It was a fantastic opportunity to prioritize open space and recreation.”

Franklin uses a Council/Manager structure for its form of government. Instead of electing a Mayor, the town elects council members, who then hire a manager to run daily operations. 

Although we may not be old enough yet to vote in town elections, there are still several ways for students to get involved with the Town Council. 

Firstly, any Franklin resident, including students, may speak at a council meeting on any topic they would wish. This is a great time to raise issues that you believe the council should consider.

Students can also raise issues by contacting town officials such as Councillors. Recently a group of students successfully convinced the Council to pass plastic bag legislation in Franklin. 

Students can also join a Town Councillor’s campaign, especially with election season approaching.

“Connecting with voters takes a lot of time and manpower. Students can help candidates they like by completing a variety of tasks including sign-holding, door-knocking, literature-dropping, and more.” says Cobi Frongillo, whose campaign can be joined here.  

Finally, students can join a committee, such as the Cultural Council or Disability Commission, if they are passionate about specific issues. Anybody interested can apply at this link

It’s important to remember that change starts small, with our own town and government!

More information on the Town Council, including its members and meeting schedule, can be found here.