City charges forth in derelict structures abatement

Franklin City Council held its first condemnation hearings of 2020 on Wednesday during their regular meeting.
The first properties ordered to be demolished were the Happy Acres Trailer Park on Ninth Street and a duplex on West Ibert Street.
The addresses are as follows:
—501 ½ Ninth St., Lots 1-A, 1-B, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 26 and 27.
—1501 West Ibert St.
—1503 West Ibert St.
Other properties ordered to be demolished were:
—1309 Percy St.
—1018 Barrow St.
—413 Martin Luther King Blvd.
—424 Sixth St.
—505 Augustine Maze St.
The property at 1036 Cayce St. was also ordered to be demolished but was given a 60-day grace period due to the attendance to the hearings of the owner’s daughter, and the consideration of her having already made plans to have it demolished privately next month.
Finally, the property at 1504 Main St. was not ordered to be demolished, but was tabled to be brought up at the next hearings pending further efforts toward communication with the owner of the property.
In other news, it was approved for Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement with American Cemetery Consultants to look into possibly having a mausoleum built at Perpetual Park Cemetery.
Also, Franklin Bicentennial Committee Co-Chairs Diane Wiltz and Ed “Tiger” Verdin announced a bicentennial fundraiser to be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Franklin Recreation Center where $10 Louisiana shrimp and catfish dinners will be sold to benefit this year’s bicentennial celebrations to take place monthly throughout the year.
In his executive report, Foulcard thanked participants and facilitators of the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration, which he lauded as a great success.
Three ordinances were adopted.
The first established water rates to be assessed as a monthly charge to all residents and customers receiving water services from the City.
The income from these monthly rate assessments is to be utilized for construction, renovation, and operation of the city’s water system.
The second ordinance to be adopted amended the City Code for the assessment of fees and charges within the city for the collection of solid and/or bulky waste, garbage and trash material.
The third ordinance increased the monthly rate to all commercial and residential customers throughout the city to $5 per month for streetlight services.
Approved resolutions included support for an application for grant funding of the Bayou Beaux Summer Arts Program, support for the application for a grant to fund the Summer Dance Program, and the authorization of use of Caffery Park for the Franklin Youth Baseball and Softball Program from Feb. 1 through Aug. 1 of this year.
Before gaveling adjournment, Foulcard reminded attendees that the Franklin city-wide clean-up has been cancelled through next month.