Franklin City Council approves $21.66M budget, fills Ward 1 vacancy

FRANKLIN — The city council approved the Franklin 2025-26 budget of $21.66 million during a workshop meeting Wednesday evening, in a 8-1 vote. Also at the meeting, unexpectedly, the council appointed Bruce Marshall to fill a vacant seat in Ward 1.

Councilor Delaney Carrier of Ward 1 was the sole dissenting vote for the budget.

“For the most part, it’s a continuation of years previous,” Acting City Manager Scott Clarenbach said during the meeting at the Elks Lodge. “There were no huge structural changes.”

Some changes to the budget include removing a police detective position at a savings of $140,000. The position had not been filled for a couple of years. The city also added a part-time human resources position, with an hourly wage of $41.30-$55.54. Seven other requested positions were also not funded, but a firefighter position, which costs the city $120,000, was added.

To help for the new firefighter position, the Franklin Business and Industrial Development Corporation, which promotes economic development, lost an allocation of $50,000. Neil Cannon, a consultant for the city helping with grants, is also losing his pay, roughly $45,000. Fire Chief Mike Foss also made adjustments to his department budget to help fund the new firefighter position.

Marshall's appointment

During the meeting, Marshall was sworn in by City Clerk Michelle Stanyan. He fills a vacancy left by Ted Starkweather, who resigned earlier this month.

The vote to appoint Marshall required a simply majority vote, 5-3. Councilors Timothy Johnston (Ward 1), Tom Boyce and Glen Feener of Ward 2, and Ed Prive and Al Warner of Ward 3 voted in favor of the appointment.

Feener nominated Marshall, although the item was not on the agenda. Clarenbach said he received two other applications, but did not bring them as he didn’t expect a vote. He read the two applicants into the minutes: Benjamin Forge and Cecile Cormier. Councilor Leigh Webb of Ward 3 nominated Cormier last minute, but Marshall had already received the necessary number of votes.

Carrier said he received an application from former City Councilor George Dzujna, and Dzujna intended to submit the application to City Hall on Thursday morning. Carrier's nomination of Dzujna was not successful.

Carrier was surprised to see councilors were ready to vote without considering the other candidates. He speculated there was an effort to appoint Marshall before other applications were seen.

“I don’t think that’s the right way to run our city government,” Carrier said.

Boyce did not know a vote was coming, but said he saw two applicants on his desk when he arrived at the meeting: Marshall and Dzujna. He simply thought Marshall was the better candidate.

“Their names were put forth, they were nominated, and the vote was taken.”

The Franklin City Charter does not have any specific procedure for filling a vacancy, except the council is responsible for the appointment.

Marshall was excited for appointment. In the months he has as an interim councilor, he hopes to start city budget discussions for next year early, and update the rules of conduct for council members.

“I'm hopeful I can help the city get things turned around, and maybe end up with a better budget next year, that serves the city better than they've served them so far,” he said.

Marshall ran for city council last October, but was defeated by Carrier by 30 votes.

The municipal election is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7.

Budget discussion

Prive disagreed with funding for new municipal service vehicles totaling over $300,000, including a roller that costs $43,278. He insisted city staff focus on repairing these vehicles instead, or buying something used. He would use that money for schools.

Boyce supported the vehicle purchases.

“Just to be clear, the two trucks they want to replace, one is like 22 or 23 years old, and the other one is like 13 or 14 years old,” Boyce said. “You cannot blame the current municipal services department for these vehicles that are down there.”

Warner made a motion to direct the city manager to prevent municipal services staff from taking city vehicles home after work. The motion passed after Mayor Desiree McLaughlin broke a 4-4 tie.

Despite voting in favor of the budget, Councilor Susan Hallett-Cook (Ward 2) expressed disapproval. She said the tax cap is creating a strain on the city, and said the tax cap must be reassessed every five years. That has not been done since it was created 30 years ago.

“We cannot continue to function as a city with a tiny, itty bitty, little bucket of money, and keep trying to spread it out through everything else,” Hallett-Cook said.

McLaughlin said residents are already struggling to pay their taxes, and the voters put the tax cap on the city.

“If you don't like it, put it on the ballot and let the voters decide again,” she said.

Webb gave kudos to the city staff who helped put the budget together in time to get it passed. He also gave some advice.

“You get what you pay for. But more importantly, you don't get what you don't pay,” he said.