Where is the 5 year plan?

I am concerned about the future of Franklin.

All the town departments from the DPW, to the library, through to the schools all have a 4, 5 or 6 year plan for what they anticipate they would need in the future. These plans were referenced during the capital budget discussions at the Finance Committee meeting on Monday (4/30/07). All these departments were applauded by the Finance Committee for coming up with such substantial detail to support their individual plans.

The Finance Committee made its recommendations on the budget to the Town Council. The Town Council chose to change the recommendations.

Hence, the residents of Franklin do not have an option to vote for a level service budget. We only get to inflict pain and suffering upon the entire town in order to pass the first override. And there will be additional overrides. How many is hard to say. No one has an answer for this question.

Yet, if the planning is done at the department level, worked through with the Town Administrator, gets discussed and “blessed” by the Finance Committee, and then the Town Council decides to do something different. Where is the problem?

When will the Town Council come up with and tell the Franklin voters what the 3, 4 or 5 year plan is?