City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good morning, everyone, or maybe good afternoon at this point, but good to see everyone here this morning. And at this time, we will call the city of Franklin City Commission to order, and we will open up the meeting with a prayer with Commissioner Powell this morning.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of life. Thank you for blessing us each and every day. I pray for all the ones that are under the sound of my voice and in the presence. I pray, Lord, for the ones that's lost loved ones that's been servile the last couple of weeks. Pray for the sick, the shut-in. I pray for world peace. I pray for our leaders at all levels of government. I pray, Lord, now that you would come into this meeting, guide our hearts and minds, and we make decisions that are pleasing in your sight and for the citizens of Franklin. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Thank you, Commissioner Powell. We will move on to hear the public, and I don't believe we have anyone registered. Is there anyone here that has any comments? Now we'll move on to the approval of minutes and the approval of minutes will be the July 27th, 2026 regular meeting. And I'm assuming everyone's had an opportunity to look over those. Are there any questions or comments?

Make a motion with approval.

We have a motion by Commissioner Powell to approve. Second. Second by Commissioner McQuarrie. Are there any further comments or questions? If not, we'll have a roll call vote. Kathy, please.

Mr. Stewart? Yes.

Mr. McCrary? Yes. Mayor Dixon? Yes. Mr. Bush? No. Mr. Powell?

Yes.

We will move on to recognitions. And under recognitions will be the introduction of new employees, Scott Klein and Kate Vaughn. And Darryl Mallory is going to come and introduce those to us and speak to that.

Darryl, take off. Good afternoon, everyone. So I want to introduce you to our new employees, Scott Klein and Cade Bone. Scott is a Simpson County native. He's a 2008 graduate of Frank Simpson High School. Scott and his wife Amber have two kids, Marley and Daxton. He comes already with a CDL license, and in his free time, Scott loves to hunt. Cade is a Simpson County native. He's a 2024 graduate of Franklin Simpson High. Cade has one kid, Waylon. He knows how to operate trucks, tractors, and other equipment. In his free time, Cade loves to work on engines and do mechanical work. Please help me welcome Scott and Cade.

Thank you. Welcome abroad, guys. We're glad to have you, and we hope you're long-time employees. Thank you. Okay, moving on under recognitions will be the introduction and swearing in of Officer Debbie Steele and Major Chief Thompson is going to speak to that.

He's got a new title.

Thank you, Mayor. I'm honored and it's my pleasure to be able to be up here in front of y'all today and get to introduce you to one of our newest officers. Some of you, it's going to be a reintroduction to Debbie Steele. Debbie actually began her career here at the Franklin Police Department where she served 10 years. She left and now she's coming back with us with approximately 18 years of law enforcement. Some of that includes patrol, supervision. She's also a firearms instructor as well as a defensive tactics instructor. There's several other things she's certified in, but those are just to name a few. With that, Debbie has had the honors of receiving multiple awards throughout her career. She's had five governor's awards. She's had a chief's accommodation, a sheriff's accommodation, and a Purple Heart. I'm sure there's several more. I'm not going to bore you with all of it. Debbie is married to her wife. Her wife is here, Tori, if you'd like to wave everybody. Welcome to the Franklin City and Police Department family. They have four children and one grandchild. We are excited to welcome Debbie back to the Franklin Police Department. And at this time, I would like to ask our city attorney, Amanda East, to administrate her the oath of office.

Do you solemnly swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution and that you will faithfully execute the best of your ability, the office of police officer for the city of Franklin, Kentucky, according to law, and you further solve the square, this is the adoption of this present constitution, and you have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this state or out of it, nor have you accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have you accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons. to swear to say I love you. And if you further solemnly swear or infer that you will endeavor to the best of your ability to detect and prosecute all the evildoers and others violating the laws against me, if you do so swear, please get to our house by saying I do.

Congratulations on this decision. Special thanks. Okay, moving on under community services. I don't believe we have any. Under general government, we have discussion or possible action regarding a street closing request for the 63rd Annual Car and Craft Show. And Amy Ellis is here to speak to that if she would like. And that's on page 17. And this is an annual closure that we have done for a long, long time. So we're excited. So, Amy, take off.

So the 63rd annual Franklin Car and Craft Show will be Saturday, September the 19th. Traditionally, we hold the cruise in the night before on Friday night. So you have the details of the street closures in your packet, but essentially we'll close it on Friday afternoon about 4, and then the streets will open back up on Saturday. The event is over at 3. We asked to keep it closed until 4, but as soon as everybody's cleared out and it's safe, we start to open those streets. And it's the same streets we've always closed.

You have heard the proposed motion. Do I have a motion to that effect? So we have a motion by Commissioner Stewart and a second by Commissioner Bush. Any further comments, questions? If not, all in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposition? And that motion carries. And thank you, Amy.

Thank you. Thank you to your city employees that help us with those street closings. Appreciate it.

Thank you. Okay, moving on. Under general government will be discussion or possible action regarding approval of an additional surplus property item. And Trent Coffey is going to speak to that. And...

Well, thank you. As you all know, on July 13th, I came before you all to approve a surplus list of, I believe it was 19 or 20 vehicles at that time. But since then, we forgot a few other vehicles. One was a 2021 Dodge Charger. And there is six more. Other than that one, there's six more police department vehicles that need to go on the surplus list due to I believe they were thinking about trading them in and doing a swap, but through the paperwork, the money we were gonna get and all the time, it's not worth it, so we're just gonna put them in the surplus list. So the proposed motion is a motion and a second declaring that the vehicles presented at the surplus property of the city of Franklin authorized to sell this property and the mayor to sign any and all documents related to the surplus sale property.

Okay, you've heard the proposed motion. So we have a motion by Commissioner Powell. Second by Commissioner Bush.

I don't have a question. I guess. Oh, this is 2021. Obviously, I know we rotate. Is this what we'll take it out? Any further questions? Can I say one thing, Kathy? And I don't know. There was two memos.

that we put. Do I need to say anything for both lists or?

OK. OK. We have a motion and a second. Any further comments or questions? Roll call vote, Kathy, please.

Commissioner Powell?

Yes.

Commissioner Bush? Yes. Mayor Nixon? Yes. Commissioner Frayer?

Thank you, Kathy. Okay, that takes care of general government. We'll move on to public safety. Nothing there. Under utilities, we have discussion or possible action regarding local limits, reevaluation, and approval of contract with Strand Associates, and Trent's gonna speak to us for that also.

Yes, Mayor. The Kentucky Division of Water is requiring the City of Franklin's wastewater treatment plant and pretreatment program to reevaluate its local limits. Federal regulation requires a written technical evaluation of the need to revise local limits following permit issuance and reissuance. In addition, local limit reevaluation is a required condition of the City of Franklin's KPDS permit. I would like to recommend contracting with Strand Associates Incorporated to prepare the local limits reevaluation for the Kentucky Division of Water Requirements in the amount of $25,000.

This is the local limits on the actual what we're discharging?

No, it's the industries. OK. What they actually would, I think we have 13 permitted industries around town, so it's what they can send to us.

OK. And so it controls that?

Yeah, it's zinc. Mostly it's the metals that they can send us. It's the amount they can send us. And then if they don't, we surcharge them or notice a violation, things like that.

And how do we test that?

How we test that? They send it off to labs. And they send it to us monthly, their report.

Their report?

They are required monthly to sample and send us a report. Then we, twice yearly, go out and sample ourself and send that off to an external lab and get the results.

Has there been any variation?

In the local limits over the years?

No, I mean like in our testing and their testing.

No, not necessarily. There's occasionally a little bit, but nothing major or anything like that.

I'll make that motion.

OK. We have a motion by Commissioner Bush. Second. Second by Commissioner McQuarrie. Are there any further comments or questions?

Kathy, would you do a roll call?

Sure.

Commissioner Stewart? Yes. Commissioner McQuarrie? Yes. Mayor Nixon? Yes. Commissioner Bush? Yes.

Commissioner Powell?

Yes. And that motion passes. Thank you. Thank you, Kathy. Moving on to ordinances. Trent, thank you. Thank you. I believe we have any today. Okay, and from here, we will move on to executive session. And under executive session will be land acquisition. And that's deliberations on the future acquisition or sale of real property by a public agency where publicity would be likely to affect the value of a specific piece of property to be acquired for public use or sold by a public agency under KRS 618101.8101F. Sorry, that's KRS 61810, 61.8101 B. And personnel discussions are, and also personnel discussions or hearings which might lead to the appointment, discipline, or dismissal of an individual employee or member under KRS 61.8101 F. And I will need a motion to go into executive session.

I'll make that motion.

We have a motion by Commissioner Bush.

Second.

Second by Commissioner Powell. All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposition? And we now move into the second session. I will need a motion to come out of executive session.

I'll make that motion.

Or second. OK. I think I heard Commissioner Bush first, second by Commissioner McQuarrie. All in favor, aye. Aye. And that motion carries. And we now move back into regular session. And at this point, I believe we have a couple of motions to come before the floor. And Carol, would you like to?

I'll make that motion.

We have a motion by Commissioner Bush.

Second.

Second by Commissioner Powell. All in favor, aye. Aye. Is there any opposition? And that motion carries. And I believe we will move on to city reports. But before we do, I believe Amanda has a motion to bring before the floor. And then after that, she can give a city attorney report if she so chooses. okay we have a motion by commissioner stewart Second by Commissioner McQuarrie, and that is to cancel the August 17th meeting, a special call meeting next Monday. All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposition? And that motion carries also. So, okay, we'll move on to city manager report.

a lot of people and it went off really well. She's hoping to have those by this Friday. So what that means is when the packets go out for the next meeting, it will have our memos and what information we do have, but it won't have the rate calculation. So as soon as we get those from the PBA and get that done, we will get them emailed out to you.

That's all I have. OK. Thank you, Carol. From there, we will move on to commission reports. Commissioner Stewart?

Mayor, I don't have anything to report, but I do have something I want to address. I want to clear up something that I was asked a question from a couple of citizens in regards to the road project that we have coming up. And I just want to make it clear how Obviously, there was two projects that got approved for road funding. In this upcoming year, we know that the state is funding for and for industrial parking. And let's be clear with something, with that property out there that's been zoned, heavy energy. That property has been targeted for heavy industry. The problem that we were going to ever face with developing that particular property out there was is how were we going to get to it? That was going to be a problem. And we caught a break when the Kroger's came in and the state decided to fund the money for the road. And yes, like every road that's within the city, once it is developed and it meets our specs, we will maintain that road. Is that correct, Daryl? Yes, sir. Just like any other road, nothing any different.

Nothing any different. Nothing.

one year after that we'll take it over now one thing i want to reiterate on is franklin came in number one for capital economic development i think The state identified and recognized that as well. And Kroger is going to spend nearly $500 million. The state can solve it if they would make this contribution to help build this road. And so this process is not unlike anything else that's taken place in this community. I think it's very favorable. that we do see tax dollars that go out of our state, out of our county and our city to the state, that they are reimbursing us of our tax dollars to help complete this process. And I just want to make that clear. There's no, I mean, if you find any discrepancies with it, I would like for you to present that to me. I really would, because this is nothing unlike anything that's ever done before. Yes, it is a private developer, developing the land, but obviously we will benefit from it, and the state is gonna make a contribution that's gonna come through us. It's not gonna impact our tax dollars in this community under no circumstances. I just wanna make that clear. So that's all. If there's any other questions that arises from this, I hope that the commission can be addressed with this and the concerns of that kind. So that's all I have, Mayor.

Thank you, Commissioner Stewart. Commissioner McQuarrie? I'm sorry. I would just like to say that we have had two or three deaths in our community. Jerry Goodrum was a really, really great citizen, just Franklin and Simpson County. And along with him and some more people that have passed away recently, we just want to remember the deaths and the people that have contributed to our community over the years. We just want to remember them and their families at this point in time. And that's all I have. Commissioner Bush?

Hey, Darrell. After that one-year period, if it gets a pothole, do we have to fix it? Yes, sir. Do we have to spend our money to fix it? Yes, sir. That's all I have.

So if it fails within that first year, they are repaired?

Yep.

Any of those that we take over, move in at the same time? Yep. Throughout the whole city? We have a motion by Commissioner Powell to adjourn and a second by Commissioner Bush.

All in favor, aye. Aye. And we now stand adjourned.