City council urges upkeep of sidewalks and other areas

Franklin City Council held their regular monthly meeting Tuesday at City Hall in Franklin.
Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard’s executive report was unusually short with only one item. He asked the city to keep the family of homicide victim Chiquita Lumpkin in their prayers, as well as the first responders who initially responded to the Sept. 2 crime scene.
Departmental reports were delivered from Public Works Director Jeremy Smith and Police Chief Morris Beverly.
At the request of Councilman Lester Levine, Smith read aloud the city’s ordinance pertaining to the responsibility of property owners to maintain sidewalks, right of way, ditches and/or neutral grounds abutting their property.
If the property owner fails to comply with the terms of the ordinance, Smith said, “A letter will be sent to the person and they will have ten days to comply or we will come cut it or remove it, whatever the case may be.” Subsequent to the city employees bringing the abutting grounds into compliance, the property owner will be charged $250 per hour for the maintenance work, as well as a $50 administration fee.
In Beverly’s report, he lauded the community for interacting with law enforcement to bring down August’s crime rate, as well as he explained the reason for the police department’s new program for removing abandoned vehicles on city right of ways, saying, “We are trying to stop the element of illegal activities in the city. Normally they (criminals) may use these vehicles to hide items they may steal or drugs or to conduct illegal activities. So, we want to clean that up in the city of Franklin.”
In other news, Alfreida Edwards, co-chair of Franklin’s National Night Out 2019, announced that NNO will be held Oct. 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Franklin’s courthouse square.
She added, “National Night Out is an annual event designed to strengthen our community by encouraging neighborhoods to engage in stronger relationships with each other and with their local law enforcement agencies and partners.”
As she left the podium to return to her seat, Edwards was halted and thanked by the mayor for all she and the NNO committee have done to bring the community of Franklin together.
Following Edwards, Diane Wiltz, Franklin Merchants Association, notified the mayor, council, “and TV audience,” that Franklin’s 21st Annual Harvest Moon Festival will take place Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Franklin.
She said this year’s festival will include a petting zoo called Schoolhouse Safari, as well as previous years’ standbys: 5K run/walk, arts and crafts, commercial vendors, children’s train ride, “Mutt Strutt” costume contest, live music and car show and parade.
After Wiltz, Ed “Tiger” Verdin with Fit Fun & Fabulous Serving St. Mary Parish addressed the mayor and council to inform them that FF&F 2019 will take place Oct. 2, 3 and 5.
Verdin said the kick-off party will take place Oct. 2 at Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts.
The health fair and luncheons will take place Oct. 3 at the Lamp Post and on Main Street in downtown Franklin, and the evening events, including the Walk for Christ, a dodgeball tournament, and a glow in the dark bike-a-thon will take place Oct. 5 at the courthouse square.
A resolution was approved to lift the open container law for the day of the Harvest Moon Festival, and a proclamation was recognized that the week of Sept. 29 through Oct. 5 is declared Homecoming Week 2019 for Franklin High School.
The announcements included:
—A financial aid seminar (FAFSA and TOPS) will be held Sept. 25 at Broussard-Harris Recreation Center at 6 p.m.
—Bayou to Main Marketplace will take place at the Center Theatre space, Oct. 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
—Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2019 Fall Ramble will take place around 13 selected sites throughout Franklin, Baldwin and Charenton on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
—Tour du Teche will be at Parc sur la Teche, Oct. 5 from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.
—Tour du Teche opening ceremony will be at Parc sur la Teche Oct. 6 at 7 a.m.
—Franklin city-wide clean-up will be on Oct. 12 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Brown Shopping Center’s parking lot.
—Franklin Career Fair Prep will be held at South Louisiana Community College Franklin Campus on Oct 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
—Haunted house will take place at Broussard-Harris Recreation Center Oct 25-31 at 6 p.m.
—Boo on the Bayou will be held Oct. 31 on Teche Drive from 6 to 8 p.m.