Franklin Approves Negotiations

On 10/28/08, the Franklin Board of Mayor and Alderman approved entering into contract negotiations with Williamson County to extend sewer access to the Meadowgreen area, including an upgrade to the Fieldstone Farms Pump Station #2. As a result of this action, Williamson County and Franklin officials are negotiating the terms of an agreement, which will be presented back to the governing bodies of both entities for approval.

Meeting Tonight, 7pm, City Hall

The sewer project will be discussed and voted on tonight, 7pm, at City Hall in Franklin.

Agenda is found here.

Franklin Looks at Grassland Project

Franklin looks at Grassland project

Mayor John Schroer and city aldermen will vote Tuesday night on whether they’ll agree to treat the sewage from those homeowners, even though those homes are not in the city nor in land in its urban growth boundary – the land outside the city limits set aside for cities’ growth.

So far, no costs for the project have been presented to aldermen, but Mayor Rogers Anderson said the county will reimburse the city for any costs in the project.

“This would be the easiest solution, we think,” Anderson told aldermen.

County officials have paid $1.7 million for the project and had planned to pursue working with Lynnwood Utility District to treat the sewer. But Anderson went to city leaders in September to ask them to cover the sewage treatment costs instead.

While the project has support from Mayor John Schroer, Aldermen Dan Klatt and Mike Skinner voiced reservations this week about taking on the added capacity.

Klatt asked Anderson if he would support the county relinquishing their planning authority over the land in Franklin’s urban growth boundary land in exchange for the city taking on the sewage treatment of the homes in Grassland.

Anderson balked at that idea: “I don’t think that’s the way to get things done,” he said.

[Editors note to Mr. Klatt and Skinner: Please don't derail a solution. Too many homeowners are in need. We are neighbors. We need you to be neighborly. This is a great time to be a hero and a true leader.]

Meeting Highlights from Andi Creek

Just update on Monday night's meeting for you and for the web site:

The item was not voted on or discussed, as you probably know, even though listed on the agenda and in the Tennessean article on Monday. The Sept 23 minutes of the Mayor/Aldermen meeting did say it would be voted on on the 28th.

In the meeting the City Mayor said that he had told Mayor Anderson that the vote would be on the 28th, and he apologized for it being on the agenda for the 14th.

However, since there were a couple of us who came to speak about it, he allowed us to speak during the part of the agenda originally allotted for it.

Randy Trigg and I both spoke. Randy spoke from the perspective of a 35 year resident with ongoing sewer issues, which was great. I spoke on behalf of residents' major concerns.

I told them I was there for 3 reasons: to thank them for considering the project, to ask them to take on the project, and to tell them the 5 major concerns I have heard from residents regardless of who does the project:

1) the project won't happen
2) easements will expire prior to completion of the project
3) cost, and what loan options will be available
4) type of method/disruption of property (grinder vs gravity)
5) communication with residents (or rather lack thereof).

I gave an example for each.

I suppose you can watch the meeting on cable. You may see another article in the paper---The Tennessean was there and asked me afterwards if I was a reporter (I said no), then asked for my name/spelling. I talked with about 6 other residents that were present after the meeting----all long time residents.

Per the Mayor during the meeting, there will be some discussion of the project at their work meeting next Monday, and the vote on the 28th.

Two things the mayor did clarify on Monday is that 1) the County would be paying the City for the entire project "I assume up front" (quotes are mayor's words), then County will work out payment with residents. 2) It is the County's responsibility, not the City's, to communicate with us on this issue.

Andi

Franklin City Alderman Meeting This Tues., 10/14, 5:00 pm

UPDATE: Jack Walton, 8th District County Commissioner, has just received word that the Grassland sewer project has been withdrawn from tonight's agenda. At this time we do not know the reason for this item being pulled.

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There is a meeting of the Franklin City Alderman THIS TUESDAY, October 14 at 5:00 (working meeting) and 7:00 (regular meeting) in the City Hall Boardroom, 109 3rd Avenue South, where our sewer topic is to be discussed.

Concerned citizens should:

1. Contact our commissioners and request they attend the meeting in person
   
2. Plan to attend one or both of these meetings to learn about the ever-evolving project and ask questions
   

The meeting agendas are posted online here.

(Thanks, Andi)