About this meeting
- Government Body
- Boma
- Meeting Type
- Boma
- Location
- Franklin, TN
- Meeting Date
- April 14, 2026
Transcript
64 sections
Joey and welcome everybody to the work session for April the 14th, 2026. Let's call the role. Alderman Barnhill present. Alman Blandon is absent. Alderman Caesar present. Alman Peterson here. Alman Burgerer present. Alman Brown present. Alman Pototts. And Vice Mayor Bagot present. And the mayor is here. So, uh, we have item next is, uh, citizen comments. I have no speaker cards there, so we'll go right into item number one, which is resolution 2026-14 to approve a mural at Station Pizzeria. Hi, this is a resolution to approve a mural at 7007 Morris Lane and that is at Station Pizzeria. Um, all upkeep and installation will be the responsibility of the property owner and arts commission recommends it nine to zero unanimously. Any questions? Go ahead, Alin Pots. This is the one that Thank you. It is. Yes. Just to clarify, this is the one item that had been sent back by the board. You had some concerns. I'm sorry. This is not that one. No, this one was originally submitted to building your neighborhood services as a sign. Okay. And so they redid it and came back with a more artistic mural and then it came to public arts commission. Okay. I thought it was the one. Yeah. Is that one still coming through? We are still working through that one. Yep. So I just had a couple of quick questions on this one. I was looking at this and I was seeing the paint and how it was exposed and everything. My long-term concern, and I recognize with the art commission approved this and and they like it, is upkeep and maintenance on the exterior of this building because there's it looked like there was a combination of where the paint was going to be applied to the building and then also to it looked like there are some I beams that had been artistically turned that
they were going to be using as well. And then along the exterior of the building, the there were individualized like four foot by maybe six foot tall murals working their way down the the wall. So could could you speak to that or is that something from the art commission? Yeah, the arts commission did review all of that and they thought that it would be fine and that the upkeep could be done by the property owner. Um there is one I believe that's inside of the building. It's just you can see it from the street, but then there's also on the outside of the building as well. Okay, Burger, do you have a comment? Um, yeah. I I'm not sure what I should comment on because I'm having a hard time with this one. And uh it's on the side of the building there. Part of it on the side and part is inside. Inside and outside, but it's on the side of the building, not the front. Um wasn't the way it was situated. Yeah, it's kind of on the side. Yes, it still faces Morris Lane. It's kind of in there. Slide eight. I think I'll keep my comments myself. I'm not sure I can vote for this one. Okay. Yeah, it's pretty pretty funky. Keep moving along then. Item two is update discussion on the South Clean Water Facility timeline. This is a followup. We had a request from the board to just sort of give you an overview of where we were in terms of process for the planning for the south clean water plant. And so we want to give you an overview. Things are moving along. Again, we're targeting this for around the 2034 2035 time frame for bringing that additional plant and treatment capacity online and would be the first of what could potentially be three 6 million gallon a day components to a
a clean water facility in the southeast part of Franklin. So Michelle's going to take you through that. Okay. Hi there. Okay. So this is as Eric was talking about um this is kind of more of the planning level update and then we'll have a financial update in a couple board meetings to come as we're still working through some of those details. So it's just a little bit of background. Um the initial contract the the initial kind of evaluation contract if you remember was approved in 2020 so height of online meetings. Um so it was with Hazen to kind of perform that at capacity kind of where we were going as a system what some of the treatment options part of that scope was to do the demonstration facility as well um and then came along ARPA uh we received uh 5.6 6 million competitive ARPA grants. So we actually had to apply for it. Um and then so specifically for reuse um so the way kind of ARP ARPA umbrella was they had you know TAC had allocated some money for different kind of resiliency projects. Um we received so 5.6 million was the largest amount of a reuse grant that TAC had given out. So that was pretty exciting. um some of the timeline. So the the the timeline that ARPA started allowed us to it kind of happened in the center of when or it was a handful of months after the Hazen work had started. So we started getting reimbured for all of that work, the construction of the demonstration facility. Um and then you approved an amendment a handful of of Bulma meetings ago to for Hazen to finish up that work which is the last part of that competitive grant work. Um, so that's still uh we're still finishing up that covering. ARPA intends ARPA needs to be done by July of this year. So we're still on track to meet that. Um, so as Eric was talking about the the alternative that you all selected was um the construction of a six MGD facility and that alternative included. So in that six is 2 million gallons of the advanced
treatment and the intention of that is to be able to go to the reservoir to provide a resilient water source. um our tenative plans are our facility would be online by 2034 and that would be capacity until 2049. So we're dealing with some pretty long time frames here. Um there was the resolution of intent that was passed last year to plan, design, construct, and then operate the facility. So just to kind of bring us up to speed with where we are. So, I know you all are working with us on the Seymar on the city hall project, but just to kind of give you some highlights of why we're intending to use Seymar on the plan of this job. So, I know it is the it'll be the largest capital project that we undergo. Um, we can start work on it early much like city hall, right? That's kind of one of the benefits of it. Some of those early, you know, grading and earth work kind of things we can do early. One of the greatest things that we're looking at it is the guaranteed maximum price is is it can be set and then we can work to stay underneath that, right? So, if we're getting to that point, um, you know, we know that we need to pull back a little bit and maybe do some re-evaluation of some options. So, back when we did the other plant on Claude Yates, we did a traditional design bid build, right? Where we put it out for bid and and you got what you got. We didn't, you know, we pulled it back. We tried to pull it back a little bit the second time we bid it, but we were stuck with what we got. This is going to help us, this is going to help us stay within those constraints a little bit better. um everything is in um the way that we're going to approach it is very an open book. So the contractor has to maintain kind of transparency and wants to wants us to build the plant, right? So they're going to do everything they can for us to build the plant because the option is for us to take that off-ramp which is not what they want to do, right? So there is a little bit of benefit and you may already know this from the city hall project, but that's that's kind of what we're shooting for. Um let's see. So there are because the south plant does not fall within our water district, there are a handful of other projects
that we need to do in preparation for that. Um so one of them, you probably saw it as you were driving kind of on 65 north on 65. We had to lay a water line from um the park all the way down to tie into Goose Creek or to Long Lane really. Um so that work has been completed. So we planned that and designed that that needed to be done for the park to be able to go vertical for the structures to be created. Um, so that's already that's already been done. We are doing right now in design there is another water man that's coming from the north side of Matt Catcher down through Oakwood somewhere. We're still working on the exact alignment of that that's going to tie into Lewisburg right there at Ascot Lane. Um, that is that's still in the planning phase construction. We'd like to see if we can start knocking some of that off as well. There's another one that's going to go from the um the west side of 65 to the east side of 65 once we can get the bore underneath the interstate with a park project done. So that's the other that's the third project that has to be done. Um and then there's so we I we have these labeled as realignment projects, right? So we need to also figure out where that flow split is going to occur and start pulling flow south to the south plant as well. that will likely have to be done in in conjunction with the plan being built. We can't do that prior because I can't send Flow South if I don't have a plant there, right? That makes sense. Um, but we might need to send more than just Redwing to that point. So, our intention is just to turn Redwing around, but we might need to go more into the system and pull that down. But also the intent with that is we're doing as much as needed right now, but most of that if that's to occur when we look at development and how that occurs in the system for that to be developerled infrastructure to do some of those um improvements. Okay. So just to revisit some of those flow projections that I know when we passed impact fees there was a large discussion on continually evaluating this. Um our average flow rate has increased
since we began looking at this. So back um in 2020 um it is so we're now at about a 13.34 MGD. So our plant is capacity is 16 MGD. So we're right on track where we think we should be. Um the population is continuing to grow. But what we did is um when we pulled that back into looking at how many houses are in the 2025 planning report, we're still at we come up with a 343 um single family unit equivalent, right? So our basis for impact fee methodology is 350 gallons, right, per single family unit. So we're on track with that. So we're we're this is a calculation that we're continually doing to ensure that we're still within that within those um projections. So we talked about the 2025 development report. The the um so the planning period for that report was from 2015 to 2025. It shows that the housing has increased about um close to 9,000 units, which is a 31% increase. When you pull that over 10 years, it's about a a 3% increase. So in our most recent cost of service study, we had assumed a 3% growth annually. So we're still on track with that. So everything is um meshing out fairly well. So the operations one of the you know the resolution that was um presented that was agreed that was voted upon last January. We had talked about operating it. You know this is this is pretty up in the air right because we're a bit away um but we had we looked at kind of when we intend to bring need to bring operators online when we're going to see that ramping up a little bit. Um, and so we have estimated about three operators per shift, potentially four depending on how the plant gets split up, but I we won't know that obviously until we get further into design. Um, so that's, you know, that's a minimum of 12 operator, I'm sorry, minimum of nine operators, potentially 12. Um, let's see. Um, the we would obviously need
another administrative assistant. We would need a superintendent, an assistant superintendent. Um and then probably an a minimum of two dedicated maintenance staff for the maintenance um that we have. Um the superintendents would be brought online about 6 months prior to kind of get them acclimated to the operator training and what our expectations are as a department. Um we've presented before a lot about our hazard control plan. So un kind of making sure that they understand how we're going to keep our operation safe. Um and then we would bring um the operators and everyone on board about 3 to 6 months. Um let's see. So here's kind of our timeline. Now probably look at the colored kind of Gant chart that we have there. That is a little bit easier to kind of look at as far as when when that's going to happen um logistically throughout the time. So we have um we submitted our permit application la two weeks ago, right? So, we have not received word from TK yet that it's been accepted, but we anticipate that anytime soon. Um, we submitted it a bit ago. T didn't like they wanted some additional water quality monitoring done. So, we performed that over last year's uh dry season, so we had that ready for submitt this time. So, we're we should be in agreement with everything. Um, they have a timeline of 365 days to issue a permit. So, we've anticipated that. Uh, but that has the design starting before that. So during that time, um, we anticipate potentially bringing a SEAR, so the general contractor on board either later this fall or very early next year as we start kind of that process of really, you know, as we get into design. One of the benefits of having a Semar is bringing them on board early so we can start that process of understanding constructibility needs. Um, we got the staffing on there. So we have an initial startup of um mid 2032 but Tekk has
kind of expressed some kind of draft guidance that they would like us to operate for a year to understand kind of the you know our hazard control plan before we actually start sending water to the reservoir. So I so we have our general timeline is showing that as um so for that year we would be sending to the river. So from 2032 to 2033 and then at 2033 we would be actually sending water to the reservoir for treatment. Um let's see. That's all I've got for this one. Is there any questions? Vice Mayor, thank you for this. um very informative and good for the public to see that we're proactively working on sewer and infrastructure issues. Uh even though it doesn't make the news or maybe it will tonight because of this wonderful presentation. Um but one one item was that the in the past presentations we've seen that it it would be either uh the the the water after the whole process it could either go into the river or or directed to the um reservoir. It seems like we're kind of focused on the reservoir which is good. I think that's that's a good thing. Is that is is re you know there was some talk about you know putting it back into the river and increasing the flow and then taking it out and then taking out kind of just touch on that possibly. Yeah. So the amount that we can send to the reservoir is limited by the size of the water plant. Um so while it would be great to send all six MGD to the reservoir, we can't our water plant is not rated for that capacity. So the water plant is rated for two. So that's as much as we could send there and then the rest would be going to the river. Got it. Um now six is obviously not that's not the flow we're going to start up with. So those would
probably be you know proportional out. Um but we would still be sending highly treated flow to the river which would be helping to augment you know during those low flow summer months. Would that would I would we're purchasing water from Harpath Valley at a pretty steady rate I would think. Is that any financial projections on I guess we don't know till we know but I would think it's a lot of money we're spending purchasing water. Would this help in any the utility in any capacity of that expense? Yeah, it would help to offset some of that. So we wouldn't solely be reliable on this. We would need, you know, there are lots of be upgrades that would need to happen, but this would certainly help offset some of that that minimum bill that we are required to get. Yeah. Okay. We don't have those financial projections yet because we're still working on that's really based off of how much water we start up with, right? Which is still kind of in that phase. As long as the long term that's because definitely help offset cost to rateayers. Definitely. Yman, thanks sir. Great presentation. Very excited. Um, yeah, we will be best friends as we're going through this and keeping keeping all of those neighbors well informed as we go through this until 2034. Um, question that I had was back on slide four and it kind of brought up kind of a part A and a part B, but you were talking about um, this was on maybe it's not which I don't I think it's the slide before this one. The slide. Okay. I don't have them numbered. And uh you were just talking about boring and uh the first part that I had is are we currently going to bore so that we can expand with the future in mind regarding the growth of the plant or do we wait to bore until that need is there? No. So there is in the in the park construction now there is a
bore that is planned. Okay. So once that bore is complete right and we and we're able to accept it then that's when that will happen. So it'll be one of the So the bore is a large steel pipe, right? And it'll be one of the lines within that bore. Okay. Yeah. Does it serve both that phase and future phases as we expand? So that would be sufficient to help us over the long haul for not just this phase. Yes. Okay. That's that's where I'm going with that. Thank you, Eric. And that actually kind of takes me to the next piece and this is more of an engineering question uh maybe for Eric is knowing that we've got the the boring piece of it is did we sit down with staff to talk about if we're having to go underneath the interstate right now and it's if it's already there did we already plan for any other utilization of that of that board area? I it's for this specific purpose. It's only for this. Yeah. I do I do believe there's also like fiber that's intended on going through that conduit going through that bore as well. Um I think the reclaim line is intending on going through there too. So there's a couple other utilities that are that we're intending. Okay. Yep. And then the the part B of this is really thinking much further down the road. Um but with the boring that's taking place in Nashville talking about the loop that'll go from downtown Nashville to the airport. Is there any considerations regarding this board line that we're using for our water treatment plant or for the plant itself uh regarding any future boring that might be going down the interstate or uh involving that you know Elon Musk's group? I don't know what they're call what the name of it is right now. It's my understanding that they're boring well below where the utilities are. everything that I Okay. Just want to keep that on our radar if I mean you're saying if someone else were to come in after us and want to bore.
Y they'd have to go around us or under us, right? Yeah. Okay. And then the last question that I've got since you brought the timeline up uh and this was on your uh your Gant chart there at the end. Um, so I've received feedback from different neighbors or neighborhoods I should say in HOAs that are on that east side of 65 and in that Berry Farms area when we're looking at um irrigation and potable water uh and the pressure that they're actually experiencing right now. So I wanted to see if you could maybe speak to that, speak to high level what the plan is because as we go through these phases uh we will experience more droughts I'm sure and I want to know or they want I want them to know as well what our highle plan is and then when it happens we'll be able to provide them with a deeper deeper dive into it. Yeah. So the way that um I mean obviously the design we've not finalized the design. The way that the reclaim is pulled off at our current plant is that the reclaim is pulled off before anything goes to the river. I anticipate that being the same thing now. There are times in our plan on Claude Yates where we have nothing going to the river because it is during the summer it is all being pulled off for reclaim. Right. So that could essentially be the same thing here. you know, during it's typically like the 6:00 to 9ish in the time in the morning when everyone's filling their ponds and irrigating their golf courses and stuff. Um, so it would having having the plan right there would boost the pressure, right? Boost it even more, but it would also provide a capac you know more capacity for them to use. Y right. So it would only it would you know this plan could definitely benefit them when once we get to that point. Yeah. and and I recognize that. What I'm getting to is before that happens, I want to make sure that there's a plan as you just made reference between 6:00 to 9 that maybe there's a recommended schedule for the east side of Franklin to do their irrigation or to do to
have those water usages. They have one time frame and we'll say the west side is also using it at at a different time. So, we looked at that. We looked at that back in back before we had built the reclaim pump station. I think what some of the problem is and I can certainly go back and investigate this with my team right now is that we are bypassing the reclaim because the reclaim goes in that Hobos I'm sorry the Hobos break right now is that same reclaim line. So what we essentially have is we are adding some some head losses as we bypass that pipe. So we have a pipe on the ground that's connected from one end to the other so we can continually provide reclaimed water. Right? There's a little bit of additional head loss that happens through that through that pipe. It's a much it's a little bit of a larger pipe and it's working off a pressure from the system. So, let me um we've re-energized that kind of at the request of Berry Farms. Um I can I can go back and definitely look and um and make sure that that's the same pressures um that we were providing before, but I have a feeling that's probably contributing to those losses. Okay, good. Yeah, I' I'd appreciate that. Thank you. Okay, Graham. Yeah, enjoy your time with Michelle. I always I always have. So I'm happy to share. Um quick question. I saw a note in there that in about 9 years we would we would um deplete this capacity. So in this timeline about when would that trigger a conversation for us? I think one of the things we've learned is we just waited too long on some of these conversations. Maybe I mean we were smart to get some land and we were smart to forward think here but rates and everything else. We just waited a little bit too long on some things. So in the capacity, if we're 9 years out from exhausting the capacity that all this is going to add, at what point in this Gant chart is there a trigger to thinking about expanding in the next phase again because that would fall somewhere in the back end of this of
this development here. So what I'll I'll start and you can chime in here too. Uh the general planning context looking at development patterns and and what our experience has been is this new plant and six MGD would get us around 15 years of capacity from when we open the 9-year I think is between when we did this plan this this planning and we had you act on the resolution but we've got 15 years or so from when we fully go operational on this plant in terms of projected capacity and the development patterns we've seen over the last three decades probably would be fair. So that that that's how we extrapolated that out and looked at. So when you look at these three phases of each six uh MGD each, you've got about 45 to 50 years of capacity available at this site with three different phases. Right. So part of that part of that planning process initially was, you know, if we went with an 8MGB plant, right, that would be great and that would give us more capacity, but it's also more expensive right now, right? So the debt service would be a bit larger. And it was kind of a I think it was kind of like a give and play a little bit with what would be, you know, a 2MGD plant would be much cheaper, but not but we'd be building one and then we go in the next one, right? So that would not be any fun for anyone either. I think one of the things we looked at too was the bottom line total capacity because if you did eight you'd be doing eight and eight and you'd pretty much be done. We looked at this doing three sixes got us a little more capacity over the long haul and a little bit more flexibility about when to do phases cuz it's great to say you know but we may not always grow the same pace we've been growing at for the last 30 years that that world may change. So we have the ability to adapt with three smaller uh phase slightly smaller phases that also max out the capacity that we can get at this site. That was the thinking
uh when we went through this and thought about the various options. Okay. Okay. Does that Okay. Yep. Alman Barnhill, then I'll get all of them further. Yes. You mentioned that you were going to, let's see, treat 6 million gallons. 2 million of it would go back into the water treatment plant reservoir. Now, and you also said that that might help somewhere along the way in reducing some of the usage on the Harper Valley Utility District water that they furnish. How would that do that? So it would um because the water that we purchase is just for our water district, right? Which is just one of the four. Um it would help to lower that demand. So the the demand that we have to purchase because we would have a consistent supply of water. So right now we only purchase water from Harpath Valley when we can't pull from the river, which you know happens late August, September, October. It's kind of now into November still. So instead of having to purchase 10 million gallons from Harpath from Harpath Valley during that time, we would only potentially need to purchase eight. So you would plan on running the weight the water treatment plant then add its capacity of 2 million gallons per day. Well, the capacity is actually higher than that. Yeah. There's three treatment trains that would take us up to about 3.9. Is that right? 3.9. Close to Yeah, close to three. Okay. Um so right now we don't run it that high because we're limited by the amount of water we can pull from the river. So, we've never run we've never run it that high because we've not had a need to, right? But it's our plant is rated to go that high. So, so what if so what if you pump more than 2 million gallons from the from the treated water into the reservoir? What can you run through or go through at the water treatment plant? How much per day can you treat? 3 million gallons. I I
think each train is 1.3 million gallons a day. And then the the other question is is not necessarily how much water is used in the city of Franklin, but how much is used uh with the the residents who are on the Franklin water system? How much what what do we how many mill how many millions of gallons per day? I don't I'm not interested in HB&Ts. I'm not sure particularly Milster, Malry Valley, any of those. they pull off what do we need per day to furnish water to our residents. So it can it our our the amount of water that we that we furnish. So what we purchase versus what we make can sometimes vary our daily demand can sometimes vary between six and 10, right? It can go, you know, 10 during those dry months when we don't have enough, right? So if we could now it during those during the wet months right when our demand is lower we can furnish a a good portion of our water not all of it but we can furnish it because we can pull enough from the river during those dry months we don't we can't pull anything from the river so we end up purchasing a lot more from Harpet Valley than we typically do. Does that make sense? Yeah. So, so, so the other question not necessarily related last month, last year we had conserved water. The year before that we had conserved water. The year before that, I don't remember whether we did or did not. But we should been able to, if we're doing what we're saying we're doing, we should be able then to eliminate that those peaks and valleys of conserve water. Don't use it this way, don't use it that way. Is that is that a fair statement? So, it's a it's a let's say it could help. It's it's a Yeah, it's a fair statement. I would be careful to say that it
prevents it in any situation because be careful. Yeah. So I it would certainly help because there are times we cannot treat. We can't withdraw and we've gotten to a point where we're unable to use our treatment capacity and we're wholly reliant on Harpath Valley water. Correct. So this would lessen that those times and create a longer runway for us to produce water and buy less uh from HBUD. Perfect. Yes. Agreed. So I I I mean I'm hoping it would it would reduce those times because as Eric was saying, we don't have a consistent water supply, right? So this would help us with that. More consistent water. A more consistent. Yeah. There's also some unintended benefits of this water is going to be a lot cleaner than water we pull from the river. Yeah. What what Absolutely. And that's that's the purpose of this is this this water will be cleaner than the water that we're pumping out of the river right now. Right. Yes. Cuz upstream there could be a dairy farm somewhere. Somewhere. Yeah, upstream. In College Grove. Probably in College Grove. You finished there with I'm finished. Yeah. Thanks for enlightening us on the dairy farm. It's there. Holdenburg. Um yeah, I think I've got most of my questions answered. Um, so the site that we would build down there would be to uh 15 years uh 2049. Mhm. So will we take a look at possibly um looking forward to what happens after 2049 when we're forward thinking because you know we've sort of drugg our feet a bit on where we should be right now. But um you know not I mean we've done good planning but still we really did leave
this go for a while. So I think we're because that can't be expanded then anymore that that's limited this this the plant we're talking about now 18. Um well no we're so we're as Eric was mentioned we're looking at three three phases. So a six a 12 and an 18. Yeah. So if I mean if we go beyond 18 is that what you're Yeah. at at I am not meant to be here. You are. Hey, you're literally talking 60 plus 60 to 70 years. Well, after after 49, I'm talking the first phase. The first phase one of three. That's where that gets us. Yes. So, I misunderstood that. Yeah. So, so if we're I mean my I'm glad I asked. My chart didn't go to 2049 cuz then the graph gets so small. I thought No, that's not what you said. Okay. But if you think I mean if you so 2049 right probably eight 8-ish years before that we would need to start planning for the plan. So we would need to start the design process. We would need to start expansion. Yes. Right. So got it. Yeah. I thought I heard that. Yeah. So it's not 2049 and then start planning. It's you know backing up from that and then the next phase being online at 2049 if we're still going the path that we are. Sure. Yeah sense. Thank you. Alderman Caesar and then I'll get Alderman Peterson. In fact, I'm going to ask to let Alderman Peterson go because she always fusses at me if I she moved closer to you. And you are a rookie there. Happy to let barely a rookie now. No, no. I I was just thinking what percentage of the population of the city of Franklin has city of Franklin water. So we is that 30%. Something I was going to It's around 30. It's around 30%. I'm not sure of
the exact percentage. Yeah. Okay. City water. The city water. Yes. Yeah. 3% of our population. Yes. My calculations say 20, but I may be wrong. I'm not a math major like Alderman Peterson. 33 right now. Alman Caesar. Thank you, Mayor. Alderman Barnhill got really close to the question I was asking and I thought he was going to hit it, but maybe maybe just one more question about the six million gallons that we can process a day, the 2 million that our current water plant can facilitate kind of processing and turn around and then you've got this $4 million or 4 million 4 million gallon amount that has to go back into the river. When we started looking at this, did we consider opportunities to look at an additional reservoir or other areas where we could store some of this water to enhance our overall capacity? And maybe you did. I I don't I wasn't privy to those discussions to enhance the the water that we that we treat again to distribute. Well, I suppose if the if the treatment plant can can produce $6 million of or 6 million gallons of treatable water today um in the future, you can only process two to get it water potable. Right. The other four has to go back to the river. Correct. Right. Is there a way because we only have 2 million gallon reservoir? Right. So, you can only send 2 million into the reservoir or am it's aund 115 million gallon reservoir. Well, there we go. That's the That's the math I was looking for. So, okay, if we have $15 million reservoir or $15 million gallon reservoir, you can tell I talk about money a lot. Um, is there a way that we can do something else with that 4 million gallons rather than put it back into the river without disrupting what our environmental concerns uh regulate,
our environmental agencies regulate? I mean what we what we're not considering now is I mean if if if if the board wanted us to improve you know to increase capacity at the water plant that would also be an option too. This is that's not part of this. Um there's some cost limiting factors to that. So right now the limiting your governor there's that $2 million 2 million gallons. It's really the capacity treatment capacity at your drinking water plant. Yeah. And how that relates. So it's not about a reservoir to hold it. It's Yeah. And so what we did when we did that plant upgrade, we did look at capacity. It is three treat what? Three treatment trains at that plant of 1.3 million gallons each. We typically operate two at a time and cycle through the three, but we have the ability to run all three if we wanted to. Uh so you have up to about 3.9 million gallons of capacity. So you can do it that way. We did have some broad discussions years ago when we were doing some of the integrated planning that it just didn't seem cost-effective to to add more treatment capacity there. You certainly could revisit that, but that has ramifications across the whole system. You really have to dig in on that, but given the size of what we produce and the capacity at the time, that was what made sense. This this does change that math a little bit. It largely allows us to keep the the the system going and that reservoir at a higher level more consistently which will help with what what Michelle was describing. I suppose that's the root of the question, right? Rather than just wasting the water into the river, if we could retain it because the the reservoir is the 170 million gallons so that it gives us 3 weeks or whatever, we have some runway with the with water. Um, and if there's an opportunity for us to preserve some of that water rather than putting it back into the river, even that would be something I'd want us
to think about. There there are some benefits to putting it in the river as well. Correct. In terms of Yeah. So, yeah, there's a lot of um it's not a total waste in that way. There is some benefit in terms of flow, right? Yeah. So, we um I also I also didn't fail to mention is that we're not going to give up our A- wrap. So, our A-rap allows us to withdraw water from the res from the river. Yeah. So, we would still have that in the case of, you know, when I talk about a hazard control plan, right? That's ensuring that the water that we send to the reservoir is safe, right? Is of is of our standards. And if that were to not be the case, then we would pull water from, you know, the the harpath if we needed to. So, that would that would be our plan B essentially. Um, but I mean, it's not something we haven't thought about. It's just expanding the water plant was not in the cards right now. The other thing to mention too is that the um we plan to divert the 2 MGD to solely go through advanced treatment. So the entire 6 MGD will not be going through advanced treatment. Um there will only be the two that will be going that's intended to go to the reservoir. If we were to put the entire 6 MGD through the advanced treatment, it is costly. That's that's another critical point. I assume they both came out at the same level and one takes a right. looked at that and it was I mean it was it's it's costly and then really there is no regulatory requirements for us to be advanced to treating to purified standards to send water to the river right now. You know there may be someday and that could be something someone else you know we may think about in the future but at this point in time there's not. Thank you. Okay. Go ahead. But it's being built. I think what for us the decision point here or things we want to make is that in the future if we have water issues we we could expand. We have six at our water treatment we have six million gallons a day that we could you know shift over if
we can't. So is that fair to say that like we're building this so that I guess I don't understand how the when you say we're redirecting flows like in the future is it a big deal to redirect all 6 million through the advanced treatment and then go I mean is that a big retrofit I mean with pumps you can do anything right I mean but is that a big retrofit to make to the water plant it will be large so I mean so there are some there's some concrete there's some large concrete issues some hydraulic restrictions at the water it's designed And is that part of like the expansion? I think what you we see water issues all over the country where in Harpath Valley is great until it's not and something happens. So I don't know. It's probably a design. Y'all think can think through that and you probably will, but I think we'd want the possibility at some point in the future if we needed to retrofit this. So 6 million was advanced treated and did need to go to the reservoir that we would not have to redesign the whole plant or have some big major. You see what I'm saying? Yeah. So it's the I will say the the older part of the water plant right now is the hydraulic restrictions, right? Those basins were not built, you know, you've all been at the water plant. Those basins were not built to treat 6 MD of water. So we would need to expand those. We would need to do, you know, some of that piping. It would be it would be a large, you know, it would be it would be an effort. I'm talking about the new plant. Oh, the new plant. I'm talking about designing the new plant where 4 million is not going through advanced treatment. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It'll be it'll be in a it'll be in a mod I say modular in a sense of it can be expanded if we need to. Okay. Okay. I'm sorry I misunderstood. No, I should. Thank you. I had a question about the U water reclamation facility. bio bioolids um would need to uh have some modifications. Have we got enough capacity there? No, there is enough capacity. So the existing solid structure was
built to or all of the all of the the existing solids facility at the north plant, we're calling it the north plant was built to accommodate two plants, but we don't have a way to get solids from the outside of that facility into that facility. And so that's what we talk about. So whether it be um through a conveyor, you know, like we we've talked about having dump trucks go from the south plant to the north plant at night, right? So they're not dealing with traffic, they're not dealing with odor concerns and and then how would they physically get from the outside of the plant to inside the plant. That's what the upgrades we're talking about would need to happen. Got so conveyor belt, you know, dump truck, whatever it would be. Uh and my last comment would be uh the little deja vu of uh whenever we upgraded the water treatment plant. That was a long arduous process. It'd be worth going back to watch it if it's on tape. Yeah. Yeah. There was a lot of struggles with that and so I'm glad we did because we have two sources which to your point uh is really good. Most communities don't have to. So, I mean, right now with having Harpath Valley and the river, you know, we've got two sources, which is not what most communities do. So, we're in a really good spot. I mean, that was seen in 2010, right? We were able to continue producing water when Harpath Valley wasn't. Ready to keep rolling, please? Cuz I think you're up next again. Resolution 2026. Hear me. Hear me more. A resolution authorizing providing for the financing and engineering design of clean water facility project including authorizing the execution of application contractual agreements other necessary documents and made certain represent uh for u amount of $17,69,000 and acceptance of $5,800,000 of principal forgiveness. Yeah. Okay. So,
um, this is the SRF loan. Actually, I'm gonna Dylan prepared this and he is much better. Um, so this is for the pre-esign of the new clean water facility, right? Let me interrupt you a second. I've been pointed out I need to uh comment that there will be a public hearing on April 28th regarding this. So, now go ahead. Okay. Um so in 2024 we submitted an interest um you know an application to get on their prior to get on SRS priority ranking list for the design of this facility. Right. Um we received word of that. We also received word that we received grant monies for um emerging contaminants um for removal of emerging contaminants. We didn't know how much it was at the time. We've since learned that it's the that's the 5.8 million of um principal forgiveness. Um, so SRF ranked us on the priority ranking list. They are just now getting around to giving us the load. So we have um we have this is we have to have a public hearing in order to take on that debt contract or to take on that contract um to authorize that money. Um this 17.6 million was included in the most recent cost of service study because we knew that we were we this would be coming at some point in time. Um the so we've got in here the emerging contaminants. it'll be as principal forgiveness, which is essentially just like a grant. So, it reduces that um amount to 11 six. Is that what it is? Um and then we'll go to this next one. So, on the 28th, we'll have the public hearing and you will be authorizing a resolution um with these loan terms in it. So, an interest rate of 2.35%. So, design loans have a repayment period of 5 years. So, not the typical 30 years that we see for construction that we have. um principal forgiveness of the 5.8 million. Um the security is the full faith and credit
of the city of Franklin. Dispersement method is um so we have to we pay upfront and then we get reimbursed by Tekk um afterwards. And then we talked about the debt coverage was included in the 2025 impact cost of service study that was done by Hazen with Fernando came and presented all those times. Um so March or April 28th um we recommend that you acknowledge resolution 2026 29 authorizing the loan to proceed. The public meeting will be held at the um voting meeting um the consideration the consideration of the authorizing resolution and then the deadline to return all the documents is shortly after that on May 12th. So this is everything that's in the resolution. Um, I've already said this multiple times. Dylan is very thorough. We need to let you all know about this. Does anyone have any questions? I I want to clarify the term acknowledgement is mean is is used here, but you would pass it. You have to vote on it. Yes. I'm sorry. You're not acknowledging you are today. You're acknowledging that it's coming. Yes. I'm sorry. Misspoke about that. 5.8 million forgiveness and 2.3 sounds really good. ready to go on to f any questions on that. Are you ready to go to number four, which is uh Fourth of July fireworks display at the park at Harllanddale? So, uh I I wanted to bring this forward for uh some direction from the board. Uh we have our traditional fireworks display at the park at Harllanddale Farm. Uh that cost of that display has risen over the years to now to where it is at $50,000 to do the 20-minute display that we do. Uh that is right at my administrative authority. There had been some desire to enhance our 250th celebration. And so we did ask the
fireworks uh folks to um consider uh what that would look like, what that would cost us. And the proposal that we received back is an additional $20,000 would get us 10 more minutes of display and larger shells throughout the display. So you would have you'd go from 20 minutes to 30 minutes and you would have uh larger shells sort of dispersed throughout that that 30 minute show. So uh that is above my administrative authority. uh wanted to get board direction if you're comfortable where we are today with the 20 minute show or you want to enhance it to the the larger show that would would take me a little bit past my authority and we would work through getting that approval. Uh that that's really the the the straightforward ask. Uh we are doing a number of things just as a quick side note to enhance what we're doing in community events around the 250th. Uh so uh we have had a uh a mural that's out with the uh the working with Franklin tomorrow that'll be at the um the Arbor Day celebration this weekend. So that'll be available for folks to participate there. There are uh mosaic tiles that people can paint that would be part of that that mosaic. We're adding some different things to various events throughout. Um, Touch a Truck I think could have some exciting elements too that that are enhanced this year as we're just trying to make uh our country's 250th birthday a little more special with some of our community events. And this is one of those examples. Uh we'll have shortly launched a um communitywide calendar with the Convention and Visitors Bureau that has not only city events but some other community events that that are enhanced and centered around uh the the celebration of our our country's birthday. So, uh, this specific question though is does the board want us to enhance this? Uh, we can we can, uh, make that part of our additional capacity in the budget to accommodate it, uh, if the
board so chooses. And just looking for that direction from you tonight. Yes. Question. Uh, is all all of that all those funds both of those funds 50 and the 20 come strictly from the city or do we have any partnerships with that? The fireworks display is a city funded event. Have we ever asked about We are exploring some other sponsorship opportunities, but we don't have that at this point. We've got to commit. Could we've got to commit to this? Sure. No, I I would say let's but there are some other events we are looking at some sponsorships, but I'd say let's go ahead and commit and not opposed to you uh putting out the ask to some corporate partners and saying they would like to sponsor with that. Uh I think we should ask. Doesn't hurt to ask. And I know you're looking at other sponsorships for other things. Exactly. So, but we're having those discussions. I think it would also be prudent for us to also put that out there. So, if somebody wanted to partner and put in 10,000 Mhm. 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, who knows? So, I think we should make sure we're asking for that. We will put that on the table with some of these opportunities, too. We just need to let them know. Okay. Item five is resolution 2026-18 rescending resolution resolution rescending resolution 2022-84 resolution granting authority to city administrator and adopting a new resolution granting new authorities to the city administrator over 75 it's 70 so this is uh actually if we do this uh I could do number four actually within this but there are two specific elements that we are asking for your consideration on related to previously granted authority to the city administrator. Uh we update this from time to time and there are two specific elements we wanted to to uh add to this consideration. One is to clarify the authority uh for uh city administrator to
exercise the acquisition of property related to rightaway and easements on projects. There's some specific language Sean I can describe that we wanted to clarify that um you have a general authority that's been granted currently up to $50,000 and we wanted a clarification that that could also be applied to the acquisition of rightaway and easements for pro for um capital projects. So th this is a further clarification for that component. And then the uh the second point that we ask for your consideration is if you would consider increasing that authority from the 50,000 that it's at today up to 75,000. So those are two specific elements. Everything else would remain the same. You provide authority for us to enter into those contracts on your behalf. Uh as you see on this uh 7:00 meeting, I report all those actions that I take on your behalf to you. uh and we would continue that practice. But we use it for grant applications, we use it for entering into various contracts uh so that we can keep things moving on on lower dollar amounts. Uh one of the things I always emphasize to you because I have the authority doesn't mean I always use it. There are times I bring things to you that are well within the granted authority because I know you may want to weigh in on it or we may want your feedback on it before we do it. So just because you've granted it does not mean I I always use it or we always use it. Uh there are times we bring it to you because we know it's something you may want to be involved in or we want your guidance on. So uh this would be two very specific changes. Uh I would absolutely say we need to do the rightway and easement piece that helps us streamline some things and wanted to put on the table the option to increase the the the dollar amount at the same time if you would if you so choose. So that's it. pretty straightforward. Uh, glad to answer any questions. Sean has looked at this as well. So, any questions come back? I'm getting some
nods on this side. And I see a question from Alderman Pototts. All right. Thank you, sir. Uh, Eric, just for everybody's public awareness, uh, I believe within the past four years, give or take, that we actually voted to make that last increase. Is that accurate? And we moved it from what to what? I think 2022 was the last update of this. Uh and I I know we had moved from 25,000 to 50,000. Um I believe it was in 2022, but there are times we have updated and restated this. So it it was uh at a minimum that that far back. Uh and I think the amount before that had been 25,000. So one of the things we look at is what comes through and you know how many items. We're trying to make sure we streamline your process, but also want the accountability. That's why we report it. And uh again, we we bring things to you that we know may be of interest uh even when it's within authority, too. All right. Thank you, sir. Vice Mayor, I think um inherently this warrants, you know, some discussion, not not because we don't trust you, but just simply because you may not always be the city administrator or, you know, you always this is just prudent. No, absolutely. I'd like to know like what, you know, if we're what the threshold or how how many uh that we saw over the 50 that would have been within the 50 to 75 to get to get an idea of like, you know, is this what what are we what has caused the problem that is and not saying that there was a problem, but like what are we what would have been avoided? So, how many items are we talking about? like over the last year like just kind of curious um again we we raised it by 25,000 it was 25 to 50. Mhm. I'd be willing to even go higher on some specifically for just the easement purchases. So,
um, if we would delineate between specifically for those, cuz I know those can be numerous and a lot of them possibly under 100,000, let's say, for the easements, uh, for capital projects if that would make things easier. I think that that kind of thing. The other thing I've just I have no reason to be concerned other than uh but you know we want to make sure that things are progress but like how many $49,000 contracts we or for you know and I know that there's some reasonable reasons why we you probably target for under 50 so it can be a streamlined process but um multiple you know, invoices or different contracts that you all have to keep something under 50. Um, yeah, if this would alleviate some of even that kind of behind the scenes stuff that, you know, is probably reasonable. Um, but, you know, I guess just more justification at the end of the day is what establishing the issue. I have no problem with it. Um, but I think maybe just a little more than just like um, you know, kind of I guess why 75 why not 100? Yeah, it was it was an exological increment and and we're glad to provide more background for that for you as well. Uh, on easements, uh, one of the things that might help with that too is, you know, it's only on your approved projects. We're not doing anything outside of what's already been approved. Um, so that may be something and it's not like we negotiate them. It's not like we negotiate them. So I don't even know. I mean, and when we bring projects before you, a lot of times you'll see that language that already has given Eric the authority to do it and me the authorization to condemn if needed and that doesn't put a number on it. What we've said in those is if if it's a project and an easement or
rideway is needed, Eric already has the authority. And those can be massively big. This is the oneoffs where it might not be necessarily like on your radar. And for example, the one that kind of brought this to our attention this time was in hard bargain. It's hard bargain, right? That um they they're asking for a um transit stop, but in order to do that, we have to take a little bit of property, but you guys own all the property and only really you can decide what happens to it unless you give the city administrator authority. And that one isn't part of like a an actual major CIP project. So we it just makes sense that we could just do it. Yeah. The big that's a good point. The big projects you sort of provide that authority as we're doing it on the front end. Um yeah and and there was a kind of a technicality regardless of dollar amount that we need to clean up on those that give us some flexibility. So, um, we could just do that piece and look give you a little more detail on the on the on the dollar amounts. We'd have to look at how giving you the the the specifics that you're looking for. I'm not I don't have I don't know that off the top of my head. One thing to just make sure you know too, this is a cumulative amount. So, we don't do a series of contracts that are under 50 and and chain them together. They're cumulative. So once we hit that 50,000, we come to you. All right. Even though I might have done a previous authorization, we don't layer another one on that goes under that dollar amount. It is cumulative. That's good enough. Thank you. That's an important accountability. Very important. Thank you, Alvin Burgerer. I I'm with Patrick on that. Why don't we look at maybe can you put the stipulation in there if it's easements that we give you up to the authority of 100,000 for easements? Um, and just
add that layer in there. So that and then if you want to stay at 75 and we think 75 is reasonable, uh, maybe some of us think that $100,000 is reasonable. I don't know. I have to see what the other board members think. But I think we ought to put something in there to at least give you $100,000 on the easements cuz you say these are projects we've already approved and you know, we need to move forward. We don't need to be waiting a week or two or three or four to come back to the board. And as Shauna pointed on bigger projects, you've already pretty much granted that. So that's not an issue there. It's these other kind of So I'd be with that. Everybody good? Yep. We'll provide some additional followup. Thanks. We'll go to item six, which is ordinance 2025-54, an ordinance to reszone 22.60 60 acres to revise the hillside Hillrest overlay district boundaries for the property located south of Macatcher Memorial Parkway east of Franklin Road at 354 Franklin Road establishing a public hearing on May the 12th. I do have a public speaker. Go ahead, Joey. And then we'll ask Drake Reer if he wants to say anything after that. All right. Thank you. Uh this is a resoning request specific to the his Hillrest hillside uh overlay district uh for the property that you see on the screen there. It's a very large parcel that touches both Franklin Road uh and Machatcher Parkway. Um so this is to match the conservation line that was um amended uh back this past September. Um the conservation line is is associated with the conservation um design concept in Envision Franklin. Um, so it's really more of a recommendation tool, but the actual HHO line is what protects the property. Um, so the applicant is requesting to uh revise the HHO line to match the uh conservation line as you see on the screen there. It's the darker green on the screen on the map there that follows along. Um,
and that does give more buffer and protection to the residential lots uh on Ash Drive. There is no um change to the base zoning district at this time. time. There is no development associated with this request. This is purely changing or altering the U hillside Hillrest overlay to match the conservation line. So staff recommends approval as did planning commission. Hello, Mayor Ford. Thank you for your time. My name is Drake Reer. I'm a landscape architect and land planner at Gamble Design Collaborative here on behalf of uh Cumberland and Western Resources who's the owner of the property. Joey spoke to most of the things, but there was a couple things I wanted to to clarify and just talk through the process. A lot of y'all are aware of this ongoing process. The Envision Franklin um amendment kept the rural reserve, changed the conservation. That line was a collaborative effort with staff, multiple on-site meetings with current planning, the long range planning, historic. Um, so it has been a uh a long process, but one where we were dodging ticks and driving across the site to try to figure out where this where this line uh makes sense and better conforms to the zoning ordinance. um we see this as a um as a way to um refine the line to better align with the zoning ordinance and based on that September 2025 Envision Franklin update as well. So happy to answer any questions you may have on that. Seeing none, we'll keep moving. Well, I'm sorry, Alman Pots, I did have a question and this was specific to and I Uh, I have this map pulled up on my computer, but it
was actually a different map that I I had more concern with, and it was specific to where the um, Macatcher and I believe it's at Moors Lane, no, Cool Springs Boulevard, dead end right there. And the concern that I have is uh and I think it's labeled as uh update two. Um and I'm sorry I'm speaking to this but the change in allowing or making this modification. The concern that I have is by making this modification, it would allow for some type of structure or building or uh commercial business to be built right there at the base of this hillside overlay as it dead ends from Cool Springs Boulevard in a Mac Hatcher. And it would be really tight in that area. And I just want to ask as you represent uh the the developer for the proposed development. Um is that the plan or is there any discussion for that right now? Well, I I just want to clarify it will remain a state residential. That is the zoning. We're not asking for that. So the zoning is a state residential. The Envision Franklin did not change as rural rural reserve. My apologies. Both of those do not allow commercial. So, as of now, our plan is to work through the HHO. We don't have a plan in mind. We want to make sure we know what we're drawing to. And that's been our concern the whole time is we want to make sure that the HHO makes sense based on Envision Franklin. We know our boundaries and then bring before you a plan. But there's no intention right now. We don't there's no intention for commercial. It is staying state residential and then rural reserve at this time. So anything any other changes would have to come before this board and more
so vision Franklin before planning commission before that could be changed in any way. That line specifically follows the steep slopes as you come into there. So we walked on staff. We walked out with staff and as we drove through there you really notice how those 14% or greater slopes tend to pick up. So that line was based on the existing tree canopy kind of where it's hidden from Mac Hatcher and then where that 14% slopes start as you go up the go up the hill. I've been on site as well. So and that max is a two and a half stories for rural reserve and for uh estate residential for the existing policies that are on site and those are residential policies. Okay. Thank you. Hold on, Peters. I was just going to say maybe we could also see uh right after the map the next thing there shows resoning lines. Uh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. And Peterson that was the map I was actually trying to make reference to as well. Okay. Let me Are you through there? Alman Peterson, you have Yes. I just wanted to Okay, pull that up, Vice Mayor. And then I'll get Alderman Brown. So, when did we see this last? Um, do we we we joint conceptual? Do you recall joint conceptual? Uh, it would have only been a joint conceptual, I think. So, and we'll have to look at attendance for that meeting at Bulma, but um I would I would say that we probably didn't have a lot of because of the nature of those meetings, we it's just a lot of discussion that happens between planning commission envision Franklin as
a planning commission document and so they have um have have changed this and zoning ordinances are is a is a board man document and they work collaboratively collaboratively together. I'd say I think what I'm my only concern I have no problem with that line. I think what I'm I'm continually I think we've we've seen this piece of property come the last three or four years with various ideas and and have heard on the back, you know, background different ideas and it and it just is beginning to feel like something's going on with this and we don't know what we're we're we're asking to be change this which is an odd request by the way by itself. I mean, just to be it's it's abnormal. Um, usually this would happen with the the master zoning ordinance update. Uh, I'm not sure why that wasn't done before um in this January 1st update. Probably because Envision Franklin wasn't updated by then. So, I guess I just it leaves me with more questions. Again, I have no problem with this, but the only thing is it changes it to base zoning. So you know we changed this and then you know by right zoning um you know things can can happen and and that's fine but we didn't really get a we didn't get a vote in that envision Franklin change nor did we discuss it together other than that joint conceptual and there just a lot that's happening there's a lot of potential with this property positive for the community and and we just continue to get kind of like little pieces of changes. And I think maybe the point of this is I'm more curious about what the intent of the property owner is for this. I think there's a lot of great intent and I think you've got a board that's willing to work with the property on this on whatever the intent is,
but we're kind of getting peacemeal and and I don't know at some point that cause more questions like are we doing something that we might not want to to happen if in the future we don't know what's going to we don't know what's happening. It continues to be there's no real plan for this yet. We have gone through an envision Franklin change. We've gone through a zoning ordinance request. So there's clearly something and that's okay. I want the the property owner to work with the city on on something um that is like tangible. Um Village Green was out there at one point. I was not opposed to that. Um but there's you know so anyway that those are my comments. I I have no problem with this but can I clarify on on that? Is that okay to respond to that? Go ahead. Um, we did bring forth a plan last time. I think a lot of what happened is that the plan was discussed, which as board of alderman does, that's that's y'all's purview and trying to make sure that what's on this site is something you want. What I think gets lost is the HHO. And so, we wanted to pull them apart because there is a merit to changing this HHO to better align with the zoning ordinance regardless of whatever plans on here. The zoning ordinance has three criteria for why an HHO is established. Viewshed analysis, steep slopes, um, contour lines. This site, it's a, it's a GIS document. Staff can't go to every site. Our client paid for a detailed analysis, not knowing what was going to happen. Detail analysis, multiple on-site surveys. These lines that you see are not arbitrary to a design. They are related to certain items on the property. The straight line that comes through is a tree line that staff says, "This is the area we can see. We don't want anything to go past that." So, we drew a line there. We surveyed this line, too. This is not an approximation. This is a surveyed line. The straight line along the bottom that goes along Ash Drive, that's an historic wall that was there that we we put the survey
points along that wall. We drew that wall based on recommendations from staff, brought that area into conservation, would bring that area into HHO where it currently is now. That area along uh Mac Hatcher is based on tree canopy and also along steep slopes. So we don't have a plan. We don't know if anything will fit there. We're not sure. We don't want to draw a plan until we know what the new HHO line. And we feel like this HHO line has a merit to be changed based on how the zoning ordinance has written the determination of that that boundaries. Thank you. That's good. And this is recommended by staff as well from that kind of objective review not related to but more aligning with this the the standards. Yeah. I got Alderman Brown next and then Alderman Burgerer and then Alman Peterson. Yep. Yes, sir. Um I'll I'll be a little bit more direct in my comments but consistent. Um with what I've said before. Um I I don't have an issue with the the lines. Um, I understand why we would change those, but I will say anything that would land, any structure that would land in that area there off of Cool Springs is a non-starter for me. Um, and I I'll say this, we've just we have in the last two years invested so much money in this area. We have bought land. We have fought for land here. We have um worked to get to Roper's Knob. We have I mean, there's so much effort. We've protected this gateway. This this is just too important of an area right here. I feel like we're just I mean scrappily fighting to save this area. And I've said not only have I said any structure on this entrance way here at Cool Springs and and um and Mac Hatcher's non-starter, but I've consistently said whatever's going to go in there off of Franklin Road had better be pretty spectacular and pretty light um given all that
we're doing there. And I still would love to see, quite frankly, I would love to see the owner of that property recognize what the city is trying to do to save that gateway and participate in that. Um, there's plenty of other places to do things. I I would love to see something better happen there, quite frankly. Um, so I don't really have an issue with the lines. I just would love to there just needs to be recognition that it's going to be a really hard road to hoe at least here in this ward with that area to do anything too heavy and certainly anything off of that macatrical springs. See you at Alderman Burgers next. Yeah, I was just going to say I don't think you can plan until you know what you've got, right? I think that was smart. I mean, I don't have a problem with these lines. I think you should do this. I I And then you'll know exactly what you have and what you can work with, but with all them brown, too. It's really important what goes there. And I don't I I I think uh you know, something better needs to happen there. We don't have anything right now. We don't know. And but I think your comment is saying whatever goes there better be good and stellar. and and and I think your group from the history of your group that's working with us, this is what you give us each time. I mean, you hear us and I think uh I'm not really worried about it. I think you'll bring something pretty stellar that fits that area. And like you said, um, Alderman Brown, that off of, uh, Franklin Pike, Franklin Road there, you have to be careful how this seems coming into the gateway because we've done all this work and we've bought this property next to it and all this. So, think what happens as you come down Franklin Road is going to be really important as you plan. And I would just say, you know, as you all go back to the drawing board and look at this. I mean, I'm going to sport this.
I don't see why why you shouldn't do this, but um I think we're all just saying and make sure that what you do bring us in the future is that you're hearing us and and I think asking, you know, upfront and talking to people on this board and and especially um the alderman that represents this area is really important. Okay. Alderman Peterson. Uh ju just to say something specifically. If you're looking on this uh down toward the bottom and on the left side, you know, there's this orange line uh there that that uh changed some things. And um it it's it's the proposed HH line. But the other thing is, if you notice, there's some little pieces there that come off of really Ash Drive, which is the which is the street right down below it, you know, and so the people that live on Ash Drive want to see nothing right next to them. And so, uh, re redrawing that HHO line there really, uh, will protect the people that live on on Ash on Ash Lane and they, they really, they want to be protected and they really appreciate it. All of Caesar, good comments, good discussion here, I guess, for me. And I think Drake, you almost got there. the the blue line, the heavy blue line is a line that is drawn currently utilizing GIS or analysis without physically being on the property. Right? So, it's less about us actually going and moving a line that is set in stone and is perfect and it's more about us potentially considering perfecting
that line with boots on the ground, eyes on the ground to see the the way the land really looks when you're standing on the land. Is that fair for us to say staff support that as well? I have less concerns about us correcting this line to reflect what actually is there on the ground. I do share some of the some of the comments that others have made about making sure that that we don't build a skyscraper at Cool Springs and uh and Mac Hatcher, but that we get a plan and start working towards bringing that plan together to activate that corner of our community. Um in a way that's intentional, not not quickly, but intentional and and and that ex that appreciates Roper Knob. I've heard so much about Roper Knob. How many of the folks in this room have ever been to Rover's Knob or ever actually physically walked on it? Right. And and we're the minority, right? Um but it would be exceptional now that we own land kind of in this area to see it come together so that just the people in this room aren't the ones visiting Roper Knob. Thank you, mayor. All right, we need to move along because we got another item that's going to take a little time. Thank you. Thank you. Uh item seven is uh resolution 2026-12. Resolution amending the middle 8 PUB subdivision to extend the vesting rights for the property located east of Franklin Road south of Liberty Pike located at 2090 Liberty Pike. Established public hearing May the 12th, 2026. Any questions about that? Oh, go ahead, Joey. I'm sorry. Yes, thank you. So, this is a request to extend the vesting period for middle 8 PD subdivision for a further 3 years um to allow the applicant to secure any necessary permits and cons commence site preparation. Uh just as a reminder, uh this plan was approved by the board man in August of 2023. It includes 275 residential units in a variety of housing types, uh which equates to 38.191 units per acre and
3,000 square ft of non-residential space uh for a site that is comprised of 7.2 acres. There is one modification standard that was approved for uh to modify the minimum parking standards. Um, a site plan for the property has been approved, but they have not yet pulled any permits or have not prepared the site any for any grading or anything. Um, so in general, the um plan that was approved still uh complies with the current ordinance. Um, but any if this were to expire, a new plan would have to be brought forth and that would include um new agreements uh with parkland as well as new reviews from planning commission and historic zoning commission. Um so we are recommending approval should uh the board man alderman determine the continuation of vested rights is in the best interest of the community and planning commission did so as well. Thank you. Item eight is uh knowledge of progress report on resolution 2025-44 resolution adopting a plan of services for the annexation of 1288 Lewisburg Pike by the city of Franklin, Tennessee, established public hearing for May the 12th, 2026. Um I'll keep this brief. Uh this is a state required progress report uh for any plan of services that's part of an annexation. This is 1288 Lewisburg Pike, the Gateway Church campus. Um, and to cut right to it, we're we're fine. Um, we write them to where uh the it's really the developer and the property owner, they have to um get the utilities to the site, work with the city on that. They are currently working with the city to extend sanitary sewer. Otherwise, we have met all the other um points of the plan of services. And thank you, Joey. Number nine is sanitation environmental services cost of service presentation. So this is an element of our our budget preparation that we wanted to share with
you and get some feedback as we're working to get the a proposed recommended budget to you uh by early May. Uh this is an update on where we are with our our uh rates for our sanitation, curbside trash, and recycling services. Uh a very very valuable service as we all know. We've especially seen that in the last several weeks. Uh but um what I think you'll see is a 5-year outlook that is largely uh inflationary in nature, which is significant given that we have seen uh significant increases in uh the tip fees that we experience at the landfill. So we've been able to integrate that into a plan uh that uh and and with some options for you to give us some feedback on tonight. So, our office of budget and performance and our sanitation environmental services group will be providing that to you uh here soon in just a second. I'm so sorry. Just in case. Oh, did okay. So, it's likely will be passed by the 20th. So, they'll be back. Okay, good. Thank you. All right, looks like we've got there. Good evening, board of mayor and alderman. Uh, my name is Skyhart. I currently serve as your management fellow for the city of Franklin. Um, and I'm joined tonight by Mark and Nate um to bring you some updates on our um SCEs cost of service study that you first saw in 2024. Um, so that was a little bit ago for so a little overview first. Um uh in 2024, Bulma passed new sanitation rates that took effect in January of 2025 and January of 2026. These rates allowed the sanitation fund to become self- sustaining and no longer require supplemental transfers from the general fund each year. Um so now staff have revisited this
uh cost of service study to evaluate the necessary rates to keep the fund self-sustaining past FY26. Um, expenditures are expected to increase in FY2027 due to increases in MSW disposal contracts that Nate will touch on shortly. Um, so revisiting these rates now is helping to ensure that the fund uh remains self- sustaining despite these changes. And we'll dig a little bit deeper into what this means for our residential rates and our commercial tipping fees. Um, but first I'm going to turn it over to Nate Ridley to give you a little bit of an internal department update. All right. Good evening everyone. Um just to give you a little history um and give you some of our accomplishments for FY 2025. Uh we've collected over 2.2 million um stops or collection points. We're looking at over 74,000 transferred tons to MSW to the landfill. We're also looking at over 2,800 tons of residential recycling to Marshall County, one of our former vendors. And then total tons of yard waste, not brush, but just regular yard waste and over 14 tons. And then we've delivered over 400 uh new MSW or trash containers. And then we've also delivered over 500 um containers for recycling bins. Uh we've also successfully um implemented the glass repo uh glass recycling program and the cardboard drop off site. So, we have a site at um 417 Century Court and then we have sites that are located all over the city of Franklin that they're they're catching on pretty good. So, we're doing pretty good with that. The stats Nate shared with us just recently, uh we saw 19 ton what was it 19 tons of cardboard drop off so far this year and a little over four tons of glass uh so far this year. So, they've been well received and that momentum is building
to give people an outlet for glass and then for larger quantities of cardboard and and that glass number does not include the 30 yard container that we have. We haven't got it serviced yet. So, we're looking to get that serviced pretty soon, but we're doing pretty good with that and those are revenue generating for us as well. Okay. All right. Just to give you a little history of how we got here. Um, just looking at the bycount contract. Um, in regards to the bycounty contract, it will be increasing from our current rate of $20.23 to $29.50 for the second term of the agreement that will be effective July 1, 2026. Um, this is an important detail that we want you guys to consider. Um, also on our landfill contract front, we're in the best possible scenario. Our contract is set to expire June 30th, 2032, which gives us six more years under the current terms. And then we're also looking at an option with an option to extend for an additional 5 years. So you're looking at um this provides us the best solid foundation for a long-term planning where we're in the best possible spot with our landfilling. Number two, regarding um our recycling contract with Marshall County, it expired November 2025. Um we're currently we went through a bid process. We have a vendor that we with waste management that we're working with. We're under um contract with them almost. Um one thing I want you to note in this our contract with Marshall County was $45 a ton. Um if we had to renew with them, they were asking $65 a ton. In this what we're looking at is with Marsh with Waste Management, we're looking at 433 uh $4369 a ton. So currently right now we're on a month-to-month contract with Waste Management until we get the final deal done with them. Um we're paying $50 a ton. Um thirdly
on this, what I want you to look at is the MBI contract. It is working very well for us. This couldn't get any better for us. So certainly we are paying um we're we're currently paying 28 um72 per ton for our hauling with the additional compaction rate of $111. Um and that's very good. One more thing we want to do before I turn it back over is our landfill rates. Right now we're looking at the Cedarfield landfill rate which is MS which which is which is CND at $17 a ton. We're looking at Waste Connections landfill rates at $421 and 21 cents a ton. And then waste management in Camden, we're looking at $34.99. So our landfill rates are pretty good and our hauling rates are pretty good. So we're still within competitive um with the region. All right. Uh we'll now move into some of our suggested changes for the upcoming years. Um, so first taking a look at our commercial tipping fees. Um, for context, rates on commercial tipping fees have typically raised $5 every 2 years. Um, but this proposed new increase structure you see on the right would raise the rates $5 next year to $70 a ton. Um, and then $2.50 each year after that through 2031. Um, so these rates allow us to remain competitive with um the transfer stations in the area while maximizing our revenue streams that are outside of just increases to residential rates. So, we want to make sure that we're looking at both both of those avenues equally. Um, the proposed changes here result in $2.8 million in additional revenues um in the next year, 5 years. Um, also before we move on from this slide, I just want to note that everything you'll see moving forward does have this potential um, increases for commercial tipping fees baked into it. Um, so moving forward, we'll be talking about
residential rates with um, these commercial rates you see here baked in. So this slide shows um, a detailed revenue breakdown since 2023 and then uh, out to projected 2031. um again with those propos proposed commercial rates but residential rates staying at our current uh rate of $33 per month. So the only growth you're going to see in that green column for residential revenues is any um increase in the customer base. Um that's just estimated based off of our typical annual customer growth. Um and so you'll see something to highlight here. Um that increase in residential revenue that we saw between 2024 and 2025 when the first rate increase went into account. um and then more gradual increases um that we're expecting moving forward. And then looking at the other side of the coin, expenditures, um you'll see again 2023 to projected 2031 here. Um in personnel, you're going to see gradual um growth for inflation at 5% for salaries, um and 7 and a half for benefits. And then on the operations side, you're going to see um those inflationary increases as well as the specific contract changes that Nate just mentioned um that are baked into these amounts. Um so those have been accounted for specifically. And then in the capital column, everything up to 2027 um is what we have spent in the fund. And then the projected 27 to 2031 capital numbers come um in working with our fleet manager Kim Hammond um on replacement structures um for all of the fleet within SCES. So you're seeing a range of amount from 1.37 million to about 1.6 million in 2031 um to keep replacing all of our equipment as they reach their life cycle um end in SCES. So then we put those last two slides together and you can see the outcome of the fund here
um were residential rates to stay at that $33 a month. Um so you can see the general fund transfers that we had in 2023 and 2024 and then those drop off in 2025 um following the rate increases um and then hopefully remaining um off in 2027. But you'll see a deficit start to creep in. And so about half a million dollar deficit in 2027 there. So with that background information, we're going to move into um five potential options for residential rates. Again, um all of these residential rates are do have those commercial tipping fees baked in with them. Um so, and this is by no means all of the combinations that are possible in the fund. Um so we'd love to hear from y'all on different combinations or things you you would like to look into. First, option one shows what you saw on that summary slide again. So, no residential changes. The residential rate stays at $33 per month, and you're seeing um general fund transfers needed in 2027 beginning at that $520,000 number um and then creeping up as you get towards 2031. Option two looks at um minimizing the transfers needed by increasing the residential rate $1.50 per year moving forward. Um, this option, going back to that capital conversation we just had, includes the full equipment replacement rates varying from about 1.4 million in 2027, um, up to that 1.6 million in 2031. Um, so you can see here that the general fund transfers needed don't completely go away, but they are minimized in this option. Um, and you're ending at about $40.50 in 2031. In option three, you're also seeing that same rate structure of a $1.50 per year increase, but we've put in a little bit of a caveat on the capital. Um, so this showcases a $1 million capital equipment cap. Um, and we've kind of worked
with Nate and and Mark and Kim and making sure that that would be feasible um for our fleet, knowing that it would slightly increase the age um of the fleet. Um, but they feel that is feasible. And so I'll kind of turn to them if they want to make any comments on that aspect. Um, actually with with half of this cap, it it'll let you know what you're going to be spending each year. We know we're going to be spending a million dollars each year, not to go over a million dollars each year. And it's actually going to streamline what we're going to be asking for. We're just going to be looking at the equipment that actually needs to be replaced. And we've been doing a pretty good job of taking care of our equipment and extending the life of the equipment. This is just a little bit more to streamline what we're doing and then actually to help us keep the rates down. But, um, having a million dollar cap is is very good for us moving forward, I believe. So, similar to option two, you see, um, the ending rate in 2031 here as $40.50. Options four and five um, move away from that $1.50 50 c increment and into just the full dollar amounts necessary um to get as close to break even as possible. So historically we have kept uh sanitation rates at those even dollar amounts. Um so that just showcases here what that would look like. Um so it's not a consistent amount each year, not a dollar every year or $2 every year, but varies based on um what is needed um in expenditures and revenues. So you'll see um we're breaking even or having a surplus in every year except 2029. and there's just a $7,000 deficit there. Um, in this uh option, the rates in 2031 would end at $41 a month. Um, and then of course this option also includes that full equipment cost breakdown of the 1.3 to 1.6 million per year. And then I think you can see the trend here. This is that full dollar increase
option with the $1 million capital cap that we were discussing discussing in option three. Um, so this allows us to break even in um, all years um, and includes that $1 million cap. Ending rates in 2031 sitting at $40 per month. Um, a little caveat I wanted to note here. You might be wondering, well, 2031 um, a 30 $322,000 surplus. Why can't we make the rate um, just $39 and still break even? Um, so the opportunity cost of $1 of sanitation rates is a little bit over $350,000 a year. Um, so if you were to lower that number down to $39 a month, um, you'd probably be sitting at about a 50 25 to $50,000 deficit in the fund that year. Um, so that's just something to keep in mind as we move into discussion. Um, with that, we would note that city staff recommends that the Bulma move forward with um, exploring an increase in sanitation rates via option five in 2027. Um, I'll turn to Mark and Eric to talk a little bit more about their thoughts um, moving forward and we can move into discussion. I think uh, Sky and Nate did a really good job of laying this out for you where we are. These are largely inflationary. It's how you want to lay it out over time. Uh option five is the recommendation I would I would offer to as your city administrator. Uh we did some we've been doing some budget work as you might imagine getting ready to to get you a budget in early May. And uh if we don't take these actions we are putting more strain on an already pretty tight general fund. And so especially as you look three and four and five years out uh I would strongly recommend that we look at doing this is this is the cost of doing business. We we've made the hard decisions to get this to a point where it's truly a self-supporting fund and we want to continue that so that that those those rates reflect the cost of delivering the
service and um and doesn't put additional strain on your general fund which which has it competing for dollars for public safety and parks and other services that we we really value and want to make sure we have capacity to support in the general fund. It it's got to come from somewhere. Uh we've made the policy decision over a lot of years to really make this a uh a self-sufficient fund. Uh when I when I came on board many years ago now, uh we were subsidizing this to the tune of almost $4.5 million a year of general fund dollars. So we've now worked it to the point that it it is paying its way and I want to see us continue to do that. Um that's consistent with what the board's direction has been over those many years. So, um, glad to answer questions. Mark, anything you want to add? All right. So, glad to answer any other questions you have. And as Sky said, there are other variations we can do, but this gives you a good sense of what it takes to meet the obligations and and keep the the fund whole. Uh, I will echo what Nate said. We've done a little bit of digging and looking at this and feel that that million dollar cap is a pretty reasonable number to work from and and sets a sets a mark for the the team to to know what they have but also live within those means and helps us keep those rates uh from from going higher. So that's where we are. And just a clarifying question that might come up um all of these options do build in um effective rates of January 1st which is where um sanitation rates currently um operate under. And clearly a dollar to $2 is in that inflationary range, especially when you look at what we're seeing on the tip fee. I I I applaud the the team for keeping those costs in good control. I might add a little more color to what Eric just said that in 2007, every single dollar of the property tax went to subsidize solid waste. My recollection was around 5 million. And uh for us to be now
we've worked really hard to get this where we're not taking general fund money and subsidizing it. And I applaud all the actions of the board, this board, past boards for finally getting to this point where we can uh make it operate like a an enterprise fund. So kudos to staff and I love five. They also do such a good job. You know, you never hear anybody complaining about getting their garbage picked up. Alman Pototts, then I've got Vice Mayor, and then Alderman Brown. Thank you, sir. I do have a question. As we're looking at all the different options here, um I I'm looking like a a 1:2 ratio as far as what residential is playing versus what commercial is paying. I I'm just thinking about and I I need you as the subject matter experts to just weigh in on this and how do we get um you know roughly double the amount for commercial compared to what residential is paying and uh if we could just start with that. I'm I'm very interested. Right now at at uh Williamson County um for MSW they're charging $75 a ton. Um for CN D they're charging $40 a ton and then yard waste is $40 a ton. So the the the services are fundamentally different. The commercial fee is coming through our transfer station going across the scale and then we through our hauler take it up to the landfill. The residential service is the the the trucks that go through the neighborhoods and do the individual curbside service. So they're kind of different animals there and we are trying to maximize what we think the market will bear on the commercial side. So we try to be about as aggressive as we can be. It is it is a convenient service for those
folks. Uh and so we see that it's valuable. It's a little bit of trying to gauge the elasticity of that of that rate. So, we're trying to put as much on the bone as we can or get as much off the bone, however we want to say that, uh, to make sure that we're trying to to to lessen the impact on our on our residents by getting maximizing what we get from the commercial. And that's where my question there lies is how does how do we compare to other municipalities uh, here within Williamson County and or like similar size uh, municipalities within the state? Right now, we're we're very just for commercial. Yeah, just for commercial, we're very competitive. Um, I gave you some of the landfill rates that we had. They're similar to transfer station rates. Also, um, with, like I said before, with Whimsy County, you're looking at $75 a ton for MSW. And then when I say CND, it's construction and demolition uh, debris that you're bringing in. And then the yard waste is 40. So, like we said, we're trying to get a good even balance to where we're keeping our customers and they'll still keep coming back to us. We're not pricing ourselves out of the market which will make everything lopsided because with our transfer station supplementing our residents we want to kind of keep a good balance of that but also keep our customers and then make it a gradual increase just to you know what I'm saying stay within inflation within the market. I I would just challenge us to really look at the growth of commercial that that's occurring along 65 from uh the north part of our municipal border all the way to the south and trying to increase those funds as much as possible before you hit that tipping point because I really do think that more of this burden should be carried on the commercial piece than rather on the residential. We we hear you. We are in the same mindset. We try to maximize it. Nate will tell you the first question that Mark and I ask is can it go up? Can we can we push it more sooner, quicker, and we're trying to gauge what
what the market will bear. We're fairly unique uh in that we have this transfer station. There's not a lot of other options. So, we want to maximize that and it's fairly convenient for a lot of these these haulers. So, we we recognize that we have a a good product, if you will, a good service that's available on the on the commercial side, too. Um, but you know, most of our other neighboring municipalities aren't in this business. If I can, if I can add to what you're saying, hand that off to the private side and those rates go where they go and the services are not nearly as extensive. Actually, the the surrounding counties, the surrounding areas are coming to Franklin to see how we do it because nobody else can do it like we do it. So, they're coming to us and say, "How do y'all do this?" So, it's kind of hard to compare, but you have people coming in and say, "We like what you guys are doing." Um, within the past two years, we've had several different people from McMinnville, from um, Kingsport, from East and West Tennessee coming to us to say, "How do you do this? What do we need to do?" Um, and in constant contact with different municipalities of how we do our business here. So, we're top of the line. A lot of people call us outside of Franklin, they call it the Cadillac service. So, this is what, you know, I'm saying, we we have a very good service here and we are in a unique. We have a transfer station. we are able to we have a recycling program. We're able to pick up our own garbage and not be able to we don't have to uh contract it out. So, we're in a good spot. Um but we we could definitely look at the market and and make sure we stay within the market and stay competitive. Also, sir, so I I'll end with this. I know we're in a great spot, but I'm going to challenge us even harder because right now if we've got, you know, call it 75,000 people uh passing through Franklin and using our commercial businesses that uh that that that's an opportunity right there over the over the coming years. Yes, sir. I think I the vice mayor next and then I'll ground. This looks like mostly driven by capital
like capital needs like the the changes. I mean, not mostly. Maybe the rates. Well, we got pretty good locked in rates though on our on our landfill. So, really Well, they just went up pretty significantly. That's part of They were planned by contract. It wasn't not um we would we they I think they're a little higher than we expected when we did this for you a couple years ago. I thought they were locked in. Uh they were for that time period, but then they can go up at this stage, right? They may want to cuz I thought we locked them in for X number of years. Well, we had locked it in, but they increased with inflation using the CPI chart, CPI index. This number was outside, but this number was outside of the index. And this is the second term of the contract. And that in that it increases to that number. Okay. It says in the contract, it says equal to or whatever the gate rate is. And the gate rate is higher than what the actual number is in the contract. So, so this new number does go past a standard inflationary calculation. We had that in the previous term and now they get a chance to sort of ratchet it up essentially to their broader rate. We had a kind of a preferred uh rate going before this. The rate we had with by county u a handful of years ago was ridiculously low. Um and they couldn't maintain operations that way. That's how we ended into these contract negotiations to begin with. Ramp up to what kind of the market would bear what they can actually operate under. Um, and that's kind of where we that's second terms. We did sort of work that rate in exchange for years of capacity out. That's what Nate referred to. You've got you got 11 years. You got another 11 years of capacity, which quite frankly in this business, capacity and rate are equally important. We want to manage rate as best we can, but securing capacity over the long haul is really really important. So trying
to understand like what's driving I mean the rate the the disposal rate our contracts is a big deal part of that but the capital is what I was in the slide what um number seven and replacement because we're capping some capital yes what have we been spending on capital for this department regularly is a million dollars more than normal or is that less than normal we're usually in the in the range of either 1.4 four or 1.7 million sometimes. I I believe one time it was close to 2 million because those are expensive trucks. It is. Yes, sir. Yeah, it it's been a it's been fairly inconsistent and and before we got to where we were more self-sufficient, that was one of the big things is to level out that capital investment, have that be more consistent. uh the the swing in whether we met costs and revenues or whether we needed a general fund subsidy largely was driven by how much capital we were so I guess that's where I'm trying when I look at these options I'm trying to determine if a $1 million cap is like a good thing or a bad I mean that's going to set us back on capital or That's a good question. I think it's probably sounds like it's going to set us back. Actually, when you look at it, we we've gotten to a point with our capital where we're good with our fleet and management. Um, there was some some good years. You guys were very good to us and we got everything that we needed. Our oldest vehicle is our 2029 side loader that's actually on the road. So, 2019. What? What? 2019. Yeah, 20 2019. My bad. I got so many. Yeah, I'm running. So, that will be true at some point. Yes. So what we're looking at now is we have good viable backup trucks to put on the road and then you're also looking at two 18 to 24 months in getting a vehicle on the road and if we can pinpoint the vehicles that we need at that time staying under a million dollars will
be greatly beneficial to us because we our fleet is in good shape right now. Um so that is good. So I'm trying to because which option you know kind of matters if a million dollar cuz what's going to happen in 2030 plus one plus is happen is is just looking around at the counties around us and what the hair on fire that they are they're in. It's going to it's coming for us. Now we're going to try to prevent it as and and hedge it as much as possible. Make no mistake it's coming for us for this board. And so, um, what I don't want to do is, you know, with that in mind, and all that's going to go to the rateayer. Um, so I want to make sure that we're, um, what, whichever we choose is really anticipating, you know, anticipating that horizon cuz it's and and what can we do? Does this position us better? Which positions us best for that that thing that is going to happen? Yeah. So, one of the one of the things that we do probably every two to three years, we're going to relook at this. Um, we think that at this point in time, a million-doll cap on capital is a viable way to approach it. Um, this is in chats with or talks with Kim Hammond, the fleet manager, um, Nate, his team. Um, and based on what we have, uh, as far parts of the fleet right now, we feel like we're in good shape. We think um you know, as Nate mentioned earlier, they take really good care of the equipment. Um if we see a a decline where we're we're having trucks off the road more than we need them, then that's something that we need need to monitor very closely. We just don't want our equipment lining up and being out of shape and also our Yeah. our fees doubling because there's nowhere else to send in the trash. And I think that's kind of my biggest concern is long term
is That's right. keeping the fleet good. do what you need to do to keep the fleet good because when that day of reckoning happens, excuse me, um it's just not going to be pretty. No, I understand. Understand. I think I would add a quick note to yours before I recognize Alderman Brown is that really our big challenge is more diversion from the landfill. That's ultimately what we need to be doing is more recycling. So that's a message to the to our citizens. Participate in recycling, which we do have good participation. Yeah, we have an over 60% participation in the curb side and then what the SCES team has done with these drop off sites helps us with glass which we can't collect curbside and then the larger quantities of of cardboard. So, we're giving we're providing some more outlets and and those um initial uh performance numbers I think are are better than we expected. So, that I I think you'll see those built. Yeah. and we're going to continue to look at options to make sure we keep the rates down. Yes, hold brown. Um I agree this needs to be self- sustaining. I I agree. I've never heard service bragged on more than your own and and you guys do a great job and and uh we want to keep that service high. Um I agree we need to stay ahead of this so we don't have to keep catching up. We need to we need to continue to keep looking at it. But I will also say what I said two years ago. I continue to be concerned about our fixed income seniors. I really wish as a city we would come up with a policy we keep we we did property tax increases, water increases, trash increases. Um you know I I just I think younger families, families like my own um we should carry a little more weight and our fixed income seniors um I wish we had a policy to give them a break. We we just hit them hard the last few years and I think we ought to be looking at that and uh it may not seem like it much for a few bucks a year
but it does matter and um I wish we would I wish we would be looking at that. We we do that. Do you want to describe that? We provide a discount for people that are on the property tax the tax relief programs. They do receive this benefit for sanitation. For sanitation. The full amount. The full amount. Yes. On sanitation. On sanitation. Yes. And we we we've been doing that for for some time. The the the seniors that qualify for the tax program also receive this service. That's a really small number. That's not we have we a buck a bag anymore. Yes. Yes. Still have that. Mhm. How how but they don't get they still have to pay their monthly fee. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. That's for additional additional capacity. You know, may I speak? I'm sorry. It's Alman B. Yeah, go ahead. Alman B. Sorry. Sorry about that. Um, you know, I'm not interested in like putting a cap on people who are 65 and above. I mean, how about older adults? I mean, I just have a constituent that couldn't he wanted to recycle, but he couldn't recycle. And um you know $75 just for the can was pushing it for him right now. And uh so we were able we were able to do something to get that. I mean outside the city we were able to provide that uh for him in a way. Um but I was brought to my attention. But, you know, there's senior citizens who are 75, 80 years old and, you know, some of them would like to be able to make sure they recycle and they'd like to also, but they're, you know, sometimes they don't even have a bag a week. They've got maybe a one bag in there. I mean, we don't only have one bag. We recycle all the time. But um I I would think that we could
take a look around the country and see if there's anything anyone's doing or if not come up up with something ourselves and and maybe just up it to the people who are over 80 or or not just on fixed income. I mean you know and if we have wealthy people who are over 80 and they want to pay the full fee fine let them pay a full fee. Ask them if they'll continue to do that. I mean, we don't have to make that. Um, I I just think we had to look at it something Caesar. Thanks, Mayor. I'm familiar with the rebate program or the tax deferral or the fee deferral program for senior citizens or people that are on a fixed income. How many people do we know participate in that annually, monthly? um it's an annual eligibility that the this the county trustee determines for us. I believe last year it was around was it 220? I think it was 2 or 300. I just wanted to highlight that point because while it is there, it's it's misleading to say that it's well used by the the numbers of people who maybe could. So perhaps we could do a better job communicating that this is available for those who live on a on a fixed income. And I think mayor said something really important about diversion. I'm somebody that really supports and appreciates the fact that you have a gr a glass recycling place and you have a place that's relatively close to my house that I can take the cardboard that doesn't fit in my bin. And this would be um maybe one point on that. If there's something that limits us from a little bit larger recycling bin, I may be the only one, but I find myself jumping up and down on that blue bin. I'm afraid it's going to jump over with me in it. and and I know that other communities have an equal size recycling and waste bin. And if diversion is is a opportunity for us to save money, let's make it and as long as the the bin's not four times more, if you go up a step, then like let's let's think about that. And then the final piece,
I share concerns of Alderman Brown that but I would extend it beyond just the senior citizen population because there's young people that live in town homes that I probably quadruple on a weekly basis their monthly output of trash. They're not putting curbs or they're not putting bushes and shrubs on the street. They're not, you know, trying to feed four kids in a house that seem to eat through all the cardboard boxes and just leave waste around. And I I I don't I don't want to get into just to be really clear, Nate, you weren't here in in the conversation a few years ago, but one of the things I was really interested in is could we come up with a way that folks that tend to live in a house where there's fewer people could pay a different rate. Um, and I think if you live in a 4 or 5,000t house, it's not definite, but it's likely that you're going to be disposing of more than if you live in a house that's under 2500 ft². And I know I'm I'm seeing Eric's face going, "Holy cow, how do we implement that?" We we've researched that. Yeah. And maybe the cost increase when you do that, but I I got to believe in the spirit of fairness and applying, if we're trying to get to a fee for service, I'm getting a heck of a deal at I'm getting a heck of a deal at $50 a month. And there's people that are in a neighborhood across the street from me that I feel like are subsidizing my trash. And I don't think that's fair. And so I'd love for us to find a way to to find a middle ground and use diversion as a way to support that. Thank you, Mayor. The challenge with that is so much of this cost is fixed. If if you have one bag of trash or eight bags of trash, most of that cost is the same cuz it's the truck, it's the container, it's the people that are driving the truck. So, I I get what you're saying and it's logical, but the reality is that increment and we did a bunch of research cuz you said the same thing 3 years ago and and it's not wrong, but it's the reality is that margin is pretty small within
that that that volume piece that it just doesn't it doesn't make a lot of sense. And I it's the sentiment is great. It's wonderful, but the reality is so much of these costs are already baked in. And we have a responsibility to sign the cost if you want to make this self-sufficient. And that's that's what we're doing here. Uh the the path for seniors is one that is is need-based. Uh they've they've got to qualify based on income. Uh so I think that provides somewhat of an of a of an opportunity there. Um, we will certainly promote that more and uh we want to do everything we can for diversion in these other elements as well. But I I just don't want to I I I don't want to hold out a ton of promise. It cost you $40 to show up at my house, right? I understand. Most of that number is is baked in regardless of the the quantity you give us. Even though tip fees matter, it's it's so much of it's already baked in. Alderman Barnhill changed your mind. Yeah, I changed my mind. We we answered the questions cuz I was going to say that the fixed cost on this is the largest portion of the cost that's going into this. But also would I I would say this kind of on the other side. We just got to be having explain to us why this is the Cadillac of SCES and therefore if you got the Cadillac it cost you more to have that. So if you don't want if you don't want a $40 fee then maybe it needs to be a Chevrolet instead of a Cadillac. I don't know. But uh if you going to you pay for what you got and I don't think we're having any complaints much on the service. Mhm. So, I'm looking and I do think because I went because I was I went through the
uh self the portion of it when we were pulling for the from the general fund and I didn't remember exactly the numbers that we had on it, but I know we were subsidizing the sanitation department with several several several million dollars and u and and the discussion at that particular time, I still remember one or two of the alderman saying, "We want to leave it like it is their comment was this. Your residential rate is not tax deductible. Property tax at that particular time was an itemized item on income tax. So they were looking to be able to keep it on that. I didn't think that was a necessarily a particularly great great argument. So I I would much rather have it where we can see it self self sustaining than it is to have it buried into the property tax rate that we've got. So for those who don't want $40 here, you can have several cents on the other side. And I that's not where I want to be. Okay. Uh item 10 is uh ordinance 2026-05 to amend the Franklin Municipal Code Title 24 special assessment district to add chapter 5 establishing policies and procedures relating to consideration of petitions for the creation of real estate infrastructure development districts. This is a pretty straightforward shift. Uh this is really the mechanics of how we do it. We've been drafting it as a resolution and statement of board policy. Uh, and kind of reviewing this with Shauna, the decision or the the recommendation was made that it would be cleaner, clearer to make it an ordinance. That way, it's easier to find and easier to track than a resolution passed by
the board in 2026. You know, this would just be uh more baked into your ordinance is a cleaner, clearer way to do it. We are pretty confident that you'll be able to act on the 28th because things are moving through uh the state legislature. I think the Senate took action today. No, they a while back, but the U House voted at their uh calendar rules today and it goes to calendar tomorrow. So then it would probably from there if it passes go straight to the House. Um Senate passed a few weeks ago. So we knew that but we just haven't been before you to tell you that. But we're very close. So we expect you had deferred it to the 28th for action. We will replace the resolution with this ordinance and then you can act. We also will have on the work session as a first kind of run through the Armistad proposal for an ID. So you'll have a chance to talk about that and staff give you a review as well and the applicant there and so you'll be able to test drive it on the 28th as well. Alman Brown, my only question because I think it probably is right. My only question is we we've said we don't we don't want to be handing this out to everybody. You know, we want to be very specific. It it's got to really meet some criteria. There's times we're going to use it. There's times we're definitely not. Does it it it felt like having it be a resolution made it more flexible. Having it be an ordinance feels like it's going to be it it it's a lot more rigor. It's going to require more modifications. Is it going to lock us in more, I guess, is my only exact same language. It's just put in an ordinance, not a resolution. And that's that's so we can find it. So you have the same ability to tweak it like you would the resolution. We just have had enough experience over the years that sometimes resolutions get sort of lost in the shuffle when you put it in the ordinance. It is memorialized and it's there for you. So there's really no more effort for you to tweak it or learn from it or change it. So it's
really just a a better form. Okay, we're jarred. All right. 10 minutes. He's cutting us all.
This transcript was automatically generated from the official public meeting video and is presented unedited. It reflects remarks made on the public record by elected officials, staff, and public commenters. Transcript accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.