County Manager Warren Cabe presented a “State of the County” report for the Eggs and Issues business forum presented by the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Cabe highlighted the 2025-26 county budget and ongoing and future county projects.
The county’s $64,817,964 budget is based on a property tax rate of 27 cents per $100 valuation. The rate was the lowest in the state last year, a fact Cabe said he is proud of and always draws the interest of businesses. Debt service payments are expected to fall, projecting a downward curve over the next 20 years from $9.5 million to $3.36 million. Cabe said this decrease will allow the county to steadily add more projects.
The county employs 692 people, split between 434 full-time, 124 part-time and 134 seasonal workers. Eight positions were added in the 2025-26 year, divided between the Department of Social Services, the Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Medical Services. This body of employees allows the county to serve as an economic driver, Cabe said, with those employees spending money within the county. Cabe stressed that taxpayer funds do not simply disappear but are re-invested in the county through staff salaries and county services.
Cabe also outlined ongoing county projects with rough costs for each project.
- The new Franklin High School and stadium, $123,417,828 ($140 million with fees and other expenditures). Cabe pointed out the project is within budget and on schedule. In showing off blueprints of the school, he said the way the classroom space is designed would allow the school system to continue to invest in Career and Technical Education.
- The renovation and expansion of Highlands School, $10 million.
- Repairs at the Macon County Public Library, $500,000.
- Renovations at the Macon County Airport office, $100,000.
- The new tennis courts at Macon County Recreation Park, $410,000.
- Renovations to the clock tower, $22,500.
- The Nantahala Library and Community Center, $88,000.
- A roof replacement for the Nantahala EMS base, $65,000.
- Repairs and renovations of the recycling building, $61,000.
- The development of a burn building for fire training at Southwestern Community College, $2.6 million.
Future projects with estimated costs include:
- Repairs and upgrades at Macon Early College, $500,000.
- Construction at the old National Guard armory to add more SCC classroom space, $1.5 million.
- Phases 1A and 1B of construction at the Recreation Park to add pickleball courts and other facilities, $1.5 million.
- Adding parking to the Greenway, $40,000.
- Roof repair at the Macon County Public Library, $100,000.
- Roof repair at the Macon County Airport, $100,000.
- Phase 2 of building cell three at the landfill, $7.5 million.
Cabe said he was looking into multiple options for waste management to determine the most cost-effective way of dealing with trash in the future, but for now phase one of the cell’s construction has been completed.
Unknown is the cost of adding much-needed office space for county services.
Cabe said the county has been struggling to recruit new employees due to a collection of factors, including stagnant pay and a lack of available, affordable housing. The county has not been keeping up with its pay scale, with Cabe estimating the county was about 15 years behind in that scale.
The county will be conducting an internal salary and benefit study this fiscal year to help identify which salary and benefits plans for county employees are doing well and where they need to be improved.