Local

Town Council sets 33-cent tax rate

Town Council sets 33-cent tax rate

Town Council sets 33-cent tax rate

Mia Overton
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
The Franklin Town Council held a special called meeting on June 15 and unanimously approved its $11,080,577 budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Board of Commissioners Chair Paul Higdon and Commissioner Josh Young discuss the county’s 2023-24 budget during a special called meeting on June 19.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Board of Commissioners Chair Paul Higdon and Commissioner Josh Young discuss the county’s 2023-24 budget during a special called meeting on June 19.

County passes budget, pay raises

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
It took two meetings, four votes, and several angry shouts from county employees in the audience, but by a 4-1 margin, the Macon County Board of Commissioners passed a $63,754,537 budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - County Commissioners Danny Antoine, Paul Higdon and Josh Young talk with County Manager Derek Roland about the budget during the June 13 board meeting. The board recessed the meeting and will reconvene on June 19.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - County Commissioners Danny Antoine, Paul Higdon and Josh Young talk with County Manager Derek Roland about the budget during the June 13 board meeting. The board recessed the meeting and will reconvene on June 19.

Commissioners vote 3-2 against budget

Thomas Sherrill
Thursday, June 15, 2023
By a 3-2 margin, the Macon County Board of Commissioners voted against the proposed 2023-24 fiscal year budget during their meeting on Tuesday, June 13, necessitating a continuation of the meeting on Monday, June 19, for a new vote.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Brent Martin, executive director of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, cuts the ribbon for the new kiosk and re-route of the Bartram Trail through Franklin during a June 7 ceremony.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Brent Martin, executive director of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, cuts the ribbon for the new kiosk and re-route of the Bartram Trail through Franklin during a June 7 ceremony.

New Bartram Trail route opens

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
With the snip of a ribbon, local officials and conservationists unveiled a new kiosk and re-routing of the Bartram Trail that connects to the Little Tennessee River Greenway from the Macon County Fairgrounds in a Wednesday, June 7, ceremony. “We are now standing officially at milepost 63.
Press photo/Thomas Sherill - Improvements to the AARC intake building.

Press photo/Thomas Sherill - Improvements to the AARC intake building.

AARC building on hold as costs increase

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Work on the new intake building at the Appalachian Animal Rescue Center has been halted due to a lack of funds, but a new trail for AARC dogwalkers recently opened.
Press file photo - Board of Commissioners Chair Paul Higdon says the number for the 2023-24 proposed budget needs to decrease.

Press file photo - Board of Commissioners Chair Paul Higdon says the number for the 2023-24 proposed budget needs to decrease.

Higdon: Number needs to decrease

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
The Macon County Board of Commissioners concluded nearly 10 combined hours of talks with department heads and discussions regarding the 2023-24 budget in its second budget workshop on Thursday, June 8.
Photo submitted - The “Sowing the Seeds of the Future” statue depicts three women and two children from different backgrounds who all lived and worked on a settlement on the banks of the Little Tennessee River in what is now Franklin. Pictured at the foundry with the statue are Women’s History Trail team members Mary Polanski, Marty Greeble, sculptor Wesley Wofford, and Claire Suminski.

Photo submitted - The “Sowing the Seeds of the Future” statue depicts three women and two children from different backgrounds who all lived and worked on a settlement on the banks of the Little Tennessee River in what is now Franklin. Pictured at the foundry with the statue are Women’s History Trail team members Mary Polanski, Marty Greeble, sculptor Wesley Wofford, and Claire Suminski.

‘Sowing the Seeds’ statue finished

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
After five years, the “Sowing the Seeds of the Future” statute honoring a trio of women who lived and worked near the Nikwasi Mound in Franklin in the 1800s is getting closer to being unveiled.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Schools Superintendent Chris Baldwin speaks to the Macon County Commissioners during the May 30 budget workshop.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Schools Superintendent Chris Baldwin speaks to the Macon County Commissioners during the May 30 budget workshop.

Schools ask for additional funding

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
To attain more curriculum funding, Macon County Schools gave a detailed presentation to the Macon County Board of Commissioners during the May 30 budget workshop.
Press file photo - Approval of the Town of Franklin’s 2023-24 budget was delayed while the Town Council waits to see if the Board of Commissioners approve a fire tax rate increase to purchase two new fire trucks.

Press file photo - Approval of the Town of Franklin’s 2023-24 budget was delayed while the Town Council waits to see if the Board of Commissioners approve a fire tax rate increase to purchase two new fire trucks.

Town budget approval delayed

Mia Overton
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
As the Town of Franklin waits to see if the Board of Commissioners approves a fire tax increase to help pay for new fire trucks, approval of the town budget will be delayed another week. The Town Council held a public hearing on the budget during the monthly meeting on Monday night.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Some of the quilts created by the Modern Quilt Guild for the 32 Union Academy graduates, displayed in the lobby of Holly Springs Baptist Church on Friday, May 26, where the graduation ceremony took place.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Some of the quilts created by the Modern Quilt Guild for the 32 Union Academy graduates, displayed in the lobby of Holly Springs Baptist Church on Friday, May 26, where the graduation ceremony took place.

Local group creates quilts for Union Academy graduates

Thomas Sherrill
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
A class project that started several weeks ago ended up with the idea for a graduation gift for the Union Academy seniors, who were surprised by the announcement of their gift during the Friday, May 26, graduation ceremony.