March 26
March 26, 2008
Howard Edward Green
March 28, 2008The Franklin City Council unanimously adopted a $3.4 million general fund budget and a $4.5 million capital outlay budget for the new fiscal year, which begins May 1 and ends April 13, 2009.
At the meeting, state Rep. Sam Jones (D-Franklin) said, following the recent special session, many long-awaited infrastructure improvements in Franklin have been put on an accelerated calendar and are now at the “mercy of contractors, whenever they become available.”
The 2008-2009 General Fund budget includes $3.4 million in revenue, most of which is comprised from $2.427 million in taxes. The biggest expenditures for the coming year will be in public safety ($1.481 million), administration costs ($724,190), public works, ($712,265) and cultural and recreation projects ($284,630).
The council also approved a $4.516 million 2008-2009 Capital Outlay budget, which calls for a number of ambitious projects:
• A $2 million water plant rehabilitation
• $1.260 million for the Yokely Drainage Project
• $540,000 in improvements to the Franklin Canal
• $316,000 to overlay Cynthia Street
• $300,000 to overlay Morris Street
• $100,000 to repair Seventh Street
A majority of these projects are being paid for with a $2.108 million state grant, a $308,000 grant from St. Mary Parish and a $100,000 match from the council’s own budget. Another $2 million will come from a loan.
Jones said the overlay need on Louisiana Highway 182 should soon begin.
The news was met with mixed reactions. Although the council has agreed to replace the 80-year-old water lines that run below the route, it does not have the funds to pay for the work.
“You’ll be happy to know that … the overlay of La. 182 and Main Street, instead of later in the year, could happen virtually any time now, as soon as contractors are available,” Jones said. “The bad news is that I know you guys were planning to do something with improving utilities in the area, so if you’re going to do something, the window has tightened up.”
Councilman Dale Rogers acknowledged the funding problem. “We all agree we need to do something, it’s finding the money to do it,” he said.
Jones suggested the project be postponed. “If you need to delay [workers], that’s always a possibility. I hate to see you put a new road down then go tearing it up three months later,” he said.
Franklin should also see construction of a new bridge for Oaklawn and an overpass along U.S. Highway 90 at Louisiana Highway 318 in the Sorelle area near the civic center.
“This past session allowed us to move all of these projects up a little faster. They’re still going to be awhile because we’ll need right-of-ways and designs but, in all, it’s looking good for our whole area,” Jones said.
During the regular session, Jones said St. Mary and Iberia parishes have approximately $20 to $30 million of coastal restoration improvements pending.
“This budget begins the process of putting state dollars in place,” Jones said. “Coastal restoration is going to cost $1 billion to $1.25 billion, but I think this budget earmarking $300 million for coastal erosion was a good down payment,” he said.
