City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, I could be your I could be your manager. Okay. Good evening everyone. It is May 18th, 2026 at 6 pm and it's time to call the city council meeting to order. Miss Jones, roll call, please. Mr. Austin, present. Mr. Ms. McInness here. Miss Nally, here. Miss Price, Mr. Prine here. Mr. Taylor here. Mayor, you have a qu. Thank you, ma'am. Would everybody please bow your head?

Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance and wisdom as we gather for this meeting. Help us to make decisions that serve the best interests of our community. Strengthen our city and reflect fairness and compassion and integrity. Please best bless our public safety, our elected officials, city staff, residents, and all who call this community home. May our decisions may our decisions be respectful, our intentions sincere, and our work focused on the community's good. Amen. Please stand for the pledge. I alian to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right. Thank you all for attending tonight. Um, is there any announcements or public comment that does not pertain to the agenda? Hearing none, we will close that portion and go on to the consent agenda. Move to approve the meeting minutes from the May 4th city council meeting as presented. Second. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor by saying I. I. Okay. There isn't any old business. We'll go right into new business. Move to read new business by title only. Second. Okay. We have a motion in a second to read by title only. All those in favor by saying I. I.

Okay. Thank you. We'll go right into Item number one, which we are going to uh postpone, uh recognize the firefighters for their mtorious action at Compass Park fire. Um they are out on a fire, another fire tonight, so they won't be able to be here. And hopefully we can uh

um praise and thank the the uh firefighters uh for the job they did on the city's biggest fire that we've had. maybe outside of the college fire. Both of them were pretty huge and and I think our team did a great job at Compass Park. So, we'll try to recognize that the next meeting. Okay. Thank you. So, that gets us to the next item. Presentation of Franklin Heritage Incorporated annual preservation awards with a complimenting sideshow. Franklin Heritage Rob Shields. All right, welcome everybody to uh the annual awards program. Uh this is something we've been doing for over 20 years and sometimes we have eight participants, sometimes we have um 12 or 15, but all of those folks have improved their properties, their houses, and um and that's just a a lot of things that should be awarded. I mean, you should be rewarded for your work in trying to make Franklin better. And so as the thunder rolls in, um we're going to we're going to start out uh on that on that next slide. And um this was a a pretty easy choice. Best new construction in existing historic area. Uh Franklin Parks and Recreation Active Adult Center. I went over there uh the other day and it's it's it's just a really pleasant atmosphere. And then I just learned that the bricks that are popping out or facing out were from the

old building. I didn't know that. That that takes some thinking and planning and stuff. So, um this award goes to uh you know the entire parks department. These guys are always working their butts off. There's always more land that gets turned into parks and and uh it's about time that they get recognized because uh um they just do a great job. So I need about 16 representatives up here from the parks department. Now the bonus on this is that the mayor will hold one side of it as well.

I think come up here. Yeah. So

two Thank you guys. All right. Next up is best adaptive reuse of an existing historic structure. Uh and and the winner of that is Johnson County Golf Cards. uh they took a building that was uh let's not just say the most desirable but uh and and and they turned it into something that is fun and that is going to serve um we had a different opinion on it. Um uh but I I can see carts every single day. And um the other day I saw one that was it was like a it was like a a cute little car and and I thought, "Okay, maybe it's time to actually get one." So, um, so anyway, uh, Johnson County Golf Carts, if you guys want to come up here,

cool colors out front. No, I'm stick with my white one. It's all I need. Yeah, I don't know if I'm get one or not.

Just a time. I used to, but chasing the daughter. All right. This this next one is best renovation project of an existing historic structure. And as I understand this, this was a printing house at one point in time. And so, um, the Hesman's have done a really nice job with this with this project and then it it's really helped on on Madison Street. Um, just bringing back some more of the charm and everything there. So, are Charles and Kimberly here?

I don't see them. Nope,

they are not. Okay. Well, we'll we will get that to them. You can applaud for them anyway. This is one of my favorite uh things to do because you you get to reward people who had no idea that that they were going to be awarded anything. and uh you go up and knock on their door and um if the uh dog doesn't bite you um that's a good sign. So here he is. best new addition to an existing historic structure. And and what has been done here in a in a very nice way is is the way they have worked in not only the stairs uh but the access uh on a a ramp in the back and but you couldn't tell that it's there and and that's uh that's pretty great. So um is uh Suzanne here? Yeah.

Well, So, did I tell you that the entire artcraft is completely full of women and maybe two men? uh tonight with the Katherine Center author event and the rain the storms did not bother them a bit and they are a tough group so watch out. Um this one is for Bud and Bloom uh florist and and the there are many reasons for this. Um, this was a um in the in the 1960s was a a pretty uh cool design and you know very midcentury. Um, and Franklin Heritage actually had their offices here when uh um uh Fred owned the building. And so I I remember uh working there and and thinking this is pretty darn cool. And now it's even cooler. So, can we bring our friends up from Butt in Bloom? Or we could just buy flowers sometime and that'd be okay. You know, I I guess I don't blame anybody. This is probably the the worst night to have come out for this kind of thing. Um, but by golly, we're

doing it anyway. Uh, the next one is the uh uh the criminal defense team and what they did with shrubbery landscaping um redoing windows and doors and and um and and restoring them, not just uh replacing them. Um, they have made a a really nice mark right in downtown here and and I was really really proud of what they what they did. So, uh, yeah, let's let's give them a round of applause as they make their way here.

I've always thought you're a natural beauty. lawyer. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

Great job. He asked me if he could keep the award. I'm like, where do you work?

I I don't know. Ouch. Yeah, that took the crowd down a few notches. Um, a lot of you over there, criminal defense. Okay. Um, the next one up is 150 Breen Ridge Street. And then this is Brian and Rebecca Carr. And I just happened to be trotting by. Oh, I don't know because I live right over there. And um, this one's always been very cute. And then I found out that the people that live there are even cuter. So, let's uh yeah, let's give them some applause as they make their way up to accept their award. Okay. And our final award of the night goes to the uh the Public Arts Advisory Commission of Franklin and Discover downtown Franklin. Uh that photo right there will tell you a lot uh about Franklin. And I think when people come into uh to visit, go to an author event or bingo or whatever the heck, um they can take a look at that and see that same image that goes all the way down Main Street uh from Colonel V all the way to the the blade sign. they get an understanding of of what it is that has

um that was Franklin's history and is now being um uh reworked and uh revitalized. And so um the the arts have really um added to this downtown and uh we couldn't be happier uh giving them this award. So, who's coming up?

Shouldn't be shy. Well, well, again, thank you uh for for coming to the uh uh this annual event. We hope to uh keep uh doing more of this. And so again, thank you to everybody who uh who did all of that hard work.

Rob, thanks Rob. Good job. Cool. All right. Thank you all. We'll go on to item number three. And item number three is to reappoint to the Johnson County Opioid Advisory Board Jennifer Price and Todd Shook, City Attorney Ling Gray.

Thank you, Mayor. Um Tiffany Costley uh reached out to me last week. Uh believe it or not, it has been a year since we've actually appointed our opioid advisory board for purposes of um those in the public. You'll remember we have collaborated uh with the other county entities as well as some of the other uh municipalities and pulled our opioid money together since there are restricted funds and uh as a result of us doing that we have two appointments from this council uh to that board that meets a recorder. Um I have reached out and and talked with Jennifer Price. She is one of your appointments. She's down there and I believe that you wish to continue and I did not speak with Todd's but since he's not here I think it's only appropriate you appoint him because if he was here then he could volunteer seriousnesses I have not talked with him but I believe he's enjoyed doing that as well. So we need to reappoint. So I may report to the county your appointments.

I move to reappoint Jennifer Price and Todd Shook. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second to reappoint to the county opioid advisory board. All those in favor by saying I. I. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it, Jennifer.

Yep. I can give you just a very brief update. Um Yep. So, we um had a meeting last week. Um so, we have a so we have two funds um unrestricted and restricted. We never know when money is going to come in, right? So, it's just as kind of a surprise to us. approximately 3 million um combined between the unrestricted and the restricted. And then we are going to be putting um notice out and we did talk um I made a suggestion that we kind of put out more um not just the newspaper but just other organizations, the chamber, other people that can maybe get the word out with the the um opportunity that we have there. So, probably Juneish I think is what we're shooting for and but that'll be coming up and hopefully we'll get more people that

So, you're saying in June the applications are going maybe will be due in June and then you guys and then um well they'll like 1 of June and then the end of June. So, we'll about a month um time frame for them to apply and okay get their applications in and then um they'll do presentations. Right now we're scheduled for June. I think that some of these days might change so I don't want to but yeah so okay um the uh individuals or the um organizations that do apply can come and do their give their presentation to for their cause and what they're going to what they want to do with the money. So um and it's open to the public. It's a it'll be in the commissioner's office.

Yeah. And and if I recall from speaking with Tiffany, um one of your suggestions was that they then come back and and say how they've given the grant, what it's done, get the statistics, so there is some um measure of Yeah. Um there have been I know for one for sure um asked for an extension as they were trying to get their feet underneath the underneath of them and I think it was the Riley because that's specific to just Johnson County

parents. So, you know, there Riley's in Indianapolis, so they um vet out to make sure that the parents that are that come in that are at least the mom or the dad are Johnson County residents. So, they did ask for an extension. Um we do have um I know at least one that did not use the funds yet and so that money potentially will be put back into our pool and then they would just have to reapply.

All right. Thank you for the update, Jennifer. Appreciate it. Okay, that gets us to the next item which is request approval of budgetary resolution 26-03 amending budgetary resolution 26-01 authorizing a transfer from LRS and MVH restricted. Okay. What what this one is, we have already if if you remember couple meetings ago, um we had put out to have our match for um our community crossing grants and we had gotten that from the MVH restricted and from MVH. For the last 10 years, we have used NVA MVH to match the funds. Well, this year talking with Jan and her team in the clerk treasures office because it seems like that um the funds for MVH is not coming in like it was in the past. And with the gas tax, we just thought the money there's money there, but it's going to be real tight at the end of the year. So, we thought it would be best to take it out of the LRS and let that build up in the MVH and see where we're at at the end of the year with that. We don't see it's going to be a problem, but if we go and use the money out of the MVH, it could be a problem. So when people ask is the gas tax making a difference of it is making a difference and we're starting to see that a little bit. So that's what this one is. We're just taking it from the LRS where we have plenty of dollars in that fund to be able to take care of our paving project. So any other questions for me or Jan or Jan, do you want to add to that? Any of that?

No, that was perfect. Okay, thank you. And we can do this tonight. So move to approve resolution 26-0 or 01. 03. Yeah. Second. Okay. We have a a motion and a second uh to approve resolution 260-3. All those in favor by saying I. I. Any opposed by saying I. Thank you. By hearing none, we will go on to the 2026 economic development fees grant award. Community development specialist Dana Monson.

Yes. Good evening. Um, every year, as you know, um, when the companies pay taxes, those companies that have abatements with us and who have voluntarily chosen to do so will pay 2% or 5% of their savings. is 2% for real property, 5% for personal property um of their savings for that year. Those volunteered funds go into a special uh a special fund, a special program that the economic development commission uses. They take these funds and they are able to grant them to any nonprofit working specifically in the area of community development and spec or e economic development and specifically within the city limits of Johnson County. So for this year um those fees came out to be $108,000. Um 108 just actually I don't have the exact 108 260275 there it was. Um so you can see that's pretty substantial. Um this is the highest amount that we have ever collected and received. Um, I do think that in a few years we'll start to see that come down because these companies right now are in their highest levels of abatement and thus they're receiving the largest amount of savings. So they're paying the most into this fund. But for now, for probably the next couple of years, we kind of have that number to look at. Um so the EDC did put out a call for repo for proposals from um our local nonprofits again specifically working in an area of economic development within the city limits of Franklin. They received um grants from a a grant request from the Franklin Chamber um for $38,262.75 for US31 marketing campaign. um brave the barrels with with um uh bury the barrel and the orange barrels. You can see they're going to be doing um a lot

of different promotions, things, marketing things to really encourage people to um brave the barrels to continue to shop on US 31. Um we know that they're going through kind of a tough time right now with restrictions on traffic and things like that. So, this is a program earmarked specifically to help them through that area. um when West Jefferson Street was in under construction um did kind of a very similar project to really help promote those downtown businesses and it was very effective. Franklin Heritage applied for $25,000 to go towards a new sound system for the stage last year. Um they were able to do some live acts between February and May or this past year, excuse me. And u those were very wellreceived. They had a lot of people coming in. Um, unfortunately what they found out was that the equipment they have is not adequate for live productions that they really needed to have things fixed correctly and have the right amounts. Um, and by the way that they ended up having to do it was rent it. That's a pretty high rental cost. Whereas if they can purchase it and have it, they can continue to do even more of these programs. Um, it was a great way to get people out on a week night in the in the city eating dinner going to see the puppy dogs on uh the puppy puppy what was it called? Puppy Pals.

Puppy Pals. Yes. So, um they're able to continue to do that. So, this will be a huge chunk of that grant that they are working to get uh to complete. Discover downtown Franklin applied for $20,000 for a billboard and marketing campaign for downtown Franklin to continue to really promote our businesses, promote what we have um to folks traveling, getting them to stop in for a day as they're coming here for other business, getting them to come back. So, that's what their portion was. And finally, um the public art advisory commission applied for $25,000 for the final vignette piece for the veterans walk. So they are putting in a very large, very beautiful um stylized flag that will go adjacent to um Eric Luger's side, that side that has been finished. It will be back black lit in red and yellow or yeah, red and blue, excuse me. Um, and one of the cool things about it is that each one of the there's going to be six different flags, smaller flags on the bottom that are going to show the history of the flag. So, the very first flag, the what the flag looked like in 1823 when the city was incorporated and then as changes were made so that you can kind of see the evolution of the flag. This is also a nod to the 250th um celebration, the cesquisentennial of the of America. So those are the requests and um the EDC did recommend that uh these for approval. Uh Mr. Taylor as your representative. Mr. Taylor, do you have anything to add to this?

Say the other thing I know Ros and him were really going to do the tote bags and gift certificates and just try to really get those out there so that way gift certificates to all the businesses downtown to try to bring people downtown with some of that money going in. And you know, and it even helps with the finances a little bit if they go in and buy $500 worth of gift certificates from some local restaurant or shop or whatever it happens to be. And then hopefully spend a little bit more. It'll be the business is on 31 that they'll be purchasing. So, and then the um and then on the flag and stuff. They were still trying to get some more money. Festival Country is trying to get some more money to be able to do that project. If they that doesn't work, they're going to come back to us for another project.

So, we were given about half the money, I believe. Correct. I think that's about it. I think you covered everything else. Yeah. Council have any questions for Dana? I mean, this is pretty good stuff. We have businesses that save money on tax abatements, give the money back to help smaller businesses that doesn't get or smaller in our community. So, it's a good deal. With that being said, we can act on this tonight. Move to approve. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. All those in favor by saying I. I. Any opposed? Okay, hearing none, we will go on to the next one. Thank you, Dana.

We'll go on to next. Yearly tax abatement compliance reports for approval. Community development specialist Dana Monson.

Yes, this is one last uh compliance form that we had that brought in. Um, this company did file on time, so therefore we do not have to do the waiver of non-compliance. um they were just not able to get it in time for us to be heard um prior to the May 15th. I've already talked to the county and they said it has been filed prior to May 15th. We have it stamped timestamped and dated so we don't have to go through the waiver non u waiver of non-compliance because it is going to be considered in compliance um which is what the um EDC found when they reviewed this at their last meeting um and voted to recommend this for approval. U Mr. Mr. Taylor, I don't know if you have anything to add for G&H wire.

Yeah, said we just we did bring them bring them back in and uh because you know there's been um the employment and the numbers are not where we had you know hoped that they would be. Um they're new um board of directors came in and spoke with this and they've got a kind of a three-year plan in place right now. So, um, our vote was to kind of give them give them the one year here to see what it what it looks like next year and then hopefully, you know, that plan that they're working on to kind of revamp everything, um, is going well and then can move forward from there. So, reading it into the record, it is C 202610 G&H 2112. Move to approve.

Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. All those in favor by saying I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. Thank you, Dana. Is that it for compliances or we have more? Um, we will have one more that's going to have to come back because they did not file on time. So, it will have the waiver. They contacted me on Friday and said, "When is this due?" Well, last month. So, yeah. So, I will be back um probably in June with one more. Sure. Hope they're not a frequent flyer. They're not.

Hey, Dana, just hang on just a second. While you're there, I just want to tell the council um we confirmed with Jan's office today we did get the $750,000 ready to grant. And I just want to say this to Dana while she's there. You guys don't know the work that Dana put into this working with Central Indiana Regional Development Authority to try to get the funds um from the IEDC. But we were the first in our region for Ready Two. We were the first project completed and the first uh community to be paid out. So, thank you Dana for your hard work. You're welcome.

So, now it looks like there isn't any other business. We'll go with council members comments. Uh Josh quiet tonight. No comments. No comments. Okay. And I just want to say that I attended the National Day of Prayer about a week and a half ago. Uh Kenny was there, made some nice remarks, and so it was just a a really nice event. And I know Brian's not here, but it was it was a great Yeah, it was hour. Yeah. Yeah. Big big turnout. No, just a piggy back on what you said. It was a great day. There was a lot of preachers from all over town that were here. U big turnout. Uh Brian, of course, did an excellent job and and uh yeah, it was a very very nice day. Sean,

nothing tonight, sir. Irene, no, nothing for me. Thank you, Jennifer. Only thing I was going to say is we don't have the mayor's youth council here, but I was just going to congratulate the mayor's youth council seniors that are graduating. So, thank you. That's it. Jan, nothing. Thank you. Anything to add to Lynn? No, sir. I have nothing but thank all of you for attending tonight. Make a motion to second. All those in favor? I