Town Leadership
The Franklin Town Administrator’s Office
The Town Administrator
Jamie Hellen
When a street goes unplowed or a new development rises along Route 140, the person with the most operational control over the result is appointed, not elected. Jamie Hellen is the Town Administrator, hired by the nine elected members of the Town Council to run the town day to day, and they can let him go if they lose faith in him. He is the chief executive: he hires and supervises the department heads, builds and presents the annual budget, and turns the council’s votes into plowed streets, staffed schools, and repaired water mains. Hellen knows Franklin from the inside. He joined the town in 2015 as its first Deputy Town Administrator and was promoted to the top job in 2019. Because Franklin hands the daily machinery to an appointed manager, the plan to fix a problem usually crosses his desk first, then goes to the council for the money.
| Role | Town Administrator (chief executive) |
|---|---|
| In office | Since 2019 |
| Selection | Appointed by the Town Council under contract, not elected |
| Office | Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central Street, 3rd Floor, Franklin, MA 02038 |
| Phone | 508-520-4949 |
| Website | franklinma.gov |
What the Town Administrator Does
- Runs the departments. Police, fire, public works, health, recreation, and the rest report up to the Town Administrator, who hires and supervises most of their leaders.
- Builds the budget. Each year the Administrator proposes how the town will spend its money, then defends that plan before the Town Council, which holds the final vote.
- Answers to the council. The Administrator serves at the pleasure of the nine elected councilors and carries out the policies they set.
- Turns votes into action. When the council decides something, the Administrator’s office finds the money, assigns the department, and puts it on a calendar.
Town Administrator vs. Superintendent
Franklin has two chief executives. The Town Administrator runs everything except the schools, and is hired by the elected Town Council. The Superintendent runs the schools, and is hired by the elected School Committee. Two different bosses, two different budgets, both answering to people you can vote for.
Contact & Engage
- Municipal Building: 355 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038. Main line 508-520-4900.
- Town Administrator’s Office: 508-520-4949, 3rd Floor.
- Report a problem: service requests like potholes and missed pickups go through the town’s online service request form at franklinma.gov.
- Show up: the Town Council meets the first and third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 pm, and the public is welcome.
Want to weigh in on a town decision? Learn how to contact your officials so they actually hear you.