Mayor Jack Horton introduced the Town of Franklin’s new human resources director, Nicole Bradley, at the May 2 Town Council meeting.
Bradley graduated from Western Carolina University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Originally from Kannapolis, she has lived in Franklin for 20 years. She worked for Entegra Bank for 18 years in regulatory compliance ensuring that policies and procedures were followed not only locally, but in accordance with federal regulations. She most recently worked for Nantahala Bank in mortgage lending.
She has handled confidential information throughout her career and worked with benefit enrollment and wellness activities.
“I am thrilled to join the Town of Franklin team,” Bradley said. “I am looking forward to working with the town’s leaders and employees. Franklin is a wonderful town, and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Bradley is married to Matt and they have two sons, Brock and Brice. Her first day on the job was April 25. She replaces Travis Tallent who resigned in February to take a job in Greenville.
Town Budget
Town Manager Amie Owens presented the copy of the town budget; copies are available for review at the clerk’s office at Town Hall and on the town website franklinnc.com. The public hearing on the budget will be held during the Town Council meeting on Monday, June 6.
The 2022-23 budget includes a three-cent tax increase, setting the property tax rate at 35 cents per $100 valuation.
The General Fund is budgeted at $4,275,542, a 2.2% increase over last year. An allocation of $175,633 from the fund balance will be needed to balance the budget.
The proposed Water/Sewer Fund budget is $4,845,978 and will require a $1,026,478 fund balance allocation to balance the budget. Capital improvement projects include $1,172,000 for distribution and collection line replacement and improvements to pump stations. Of that amount, $572,000 will be covered with American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The Fire Department’s budget is set at $1,169,196. The Fire Department is requesting that the fire district tax be increased to .070 per $100 of valuation. The Board of County Commissioners must approve the fire tax increase. If approved, the Fire Department will not need a fund balance allocation to balance its budget.
Closed Session
Following the open portion of the meeting, the council went into closed session under NC General Statute 143.318.11(a)(5) to discuss the acquisition of real property by purchase, option, exchange or lease. Two pieces of property were on the agenda: a piece adjacent to the Greenway and the Angel Medical Center to be vacated upon completion of the new hospital.
Returning into open session at 8:13 p.m., Council member David Culpepper made a motion to proceed with an application to the Dogwood Trust for a grant for a feasibility study for the Angel Medical Center property, for an undisclosed project. The town will use $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the required match. The motion was seconded by Council member Stacy Guffey and approved unanimously.
Skatepark update
The council approved a grant from the Southwestern Commission that will reimburse the town up to $50,000 for paving of First Street and the parking lot for the new skatepark to be built at Sunnyside Park (the old Whitmire property) off Highlands Road.
“This gives us another positive toward the skatepark,” said Owens.
SK828 representative Tim Shaw updated the council on fundraising activities and said the group will host an event featuring live music at Lazy Hiker on May 13.
Approved agenda items
The following items were approved during the meeting:
• The rezoning request for a 4.25-acre piece of property on Mary B Lane from R-1 (residential) to C-2 (commercial). Owner Aaron Driver plans to construct a building for his landscaping business that would be used for storage and as a meeting place for employees.
• A $23,430.20 grant from Fire House Subs for the Fire Department to purchase 32 new pagers. Fire Chief Ben Ormond said the grant did not require any matching funds. When Council Member Rita Salain thanked him for applying for the grant, he replied, “We’re trying to find all we can ma’am.”
• A new five-year contract with UniFirst to provide employee uniforms and rug service. Owens said the contract with the new provider resulted in a $6,000 savings for the town.
• The appointment of Rhonda Tallent to the ABC Board; she will replace retiring member Sissy Patillo. The vote for Tallent was unanimous. Other names on the ballot for the position included Bill Duffell and Rocky Patillo.
• The appointment of Debbie Tallent to the town planning board as an ETJ (extra-territorial jurisdiction) representative.
Upcoming meetings and public hearings
• The next regular Town Council meeting will be Monday, June 6 at 6 p.m. That meeting will include a public hearing on a zoning request for 1.4 acres at 3011 Georgia Road (Fast Food Mart), which was approved for annexation into the city on April 4.
• The town will hold a called meeting on Monday, May 9 at 6 p.m. as a budget work session.
Meetings are held in the board room on the lower level of Town Hall on Main Street.
• Town offices will be closed Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.