Mayor, council discuss budget

Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard addressed Franklin citizens and councilmembers Thursday night at the regular monthly city council meeting at City Hall.
He presented the proposed 2021-2022 fiscal year budget for Franklin, which he said reflected the changes that have occurred in the city’s revenue stream as a result of the current economy and the impact of COVID-19.
Foulcard reported, “As a backdrop for the currently proposed budget, a review of the 2020-2021 amended budget reveals that the sales tax and other tax revenues are expected to decrease by nine percent.
“Accordingly, the expenditures in the proposed budget are reduced by approximately eight percent to compensate for the loss of revenue.
“The budget proposes to apply our limited resources to the most important needs of the community.”
He went on to say that in response to losses in the Utilities Department, the council has approved an increase in water rates, to result in a profit for that department so it may meet its bond payments.
Conversely, Foulcard reported that the city’s liquid and solid waste facility has completed its plant rehabilitation, which will likely result in a reduction in overall costs for plant operation, “mostly in electrical and water requirements needed to operate the newly designed plant.”
At the public hearing earlier that evening, Ed “Tiger” Verdin, director of marketing for the city, announced the administration’s intention to submit an application for funding under the State of Louisiana Community Development Block Grant HVAC Program. Through which, Broussard Harris and McKerall-O’Niell Community Centers would receive two COVID-19 mitigation/filtration HVAC units per center, as well as ductwork.
The amount of the grant would be $999,379 and would hopefully be available to have the units installed before summer.
The city has not yet begun the application process, but will likely do so within the next month.
Foulcard said at the hearing, “We are just excited to have this opportunity to apply for these funds for the two community centers which are in dire need of brand new air conditioning and ventilation systems, especially in light of the fact that we are dealing with a pandemic.”
Mayor Pro Tempore Lester Levine added, “We are looking to get this grant and get it secured so we can have everything in place for when it really begins to get hot, which is in May. That would be a blessing for both community centers.”
In other news, ordinances were introduced at the council meeting that:
–Amended the operating budget for fiscal year 2020-2021
–Amended the Capital Outlay budget for fiscal year 2020-2021
–Adopted the Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures for fiscal year 2021-2022
–Adopted the Capital Outlay Budget for fiscal years 2021-2026.
Ordinances that were adopted declared movable property no longer in use, be made available for sale by the city and utilization by others; and authorizing the city to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement granting a right of use for driveway purposes over portions of two tracts of land.
Resolutions included:
–Support of an application for the creation of the Franklin Cultural District
–Authorization of signature cards at Patterson State Bank, for Water Revenue Bonds 2021 Sinking Fund
–Adoption of a citizen participation plan relative to the LCDBG Program
–Authorization of submission of application to the state CDBGHVAC Program.