Franklin City Council awarded paving contracts for two projects at its meeting this week, including the city’s portion of the joint repaving of Old Mercer Road being done in conjunction with Sandycreek and Frenchcreek townships.
The city’s portion of the total $265,600 Old Mercer project cost is $29,637, with work to be done by Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc.
A total of $20,000 will be funded from county liquid fuels funds and the remainder from Franklin liquid fuels funds.
Roads to be paved include Wintergreen Drive, Pinoak Drive between Moreland and Woodland drives, Woodland Drive between Pinoak Drive and Gurney Road, Washington Street between Polk and Tyler streets, Tyler Street between Washington and Adams streets, Madison Street between Adams and Lincoln streets, Lincoln Street between Madison and Tyler streets and Taylor Street between Lincoln and Washington streets.
Council also approved new, higher amounts for the city’s minimum municipal obligation, the minimum amount the city is required to contribute to pension funds of police, fire and non-uniformed staff.
The amounts were recalculated based on the fact the state has a new formula for how it allots funds to reimburse those costs, Wetzel said.
And council agreed to provide a letter of support to include with a grant application for COVID-19 American Rescue Plan funding for upgrades to city hall.
City manager Jim Wetzel said the upgrades would make city hall “more as a community center,” and would redo council chambers and the foyer as well as add Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility.
In other business at this week’s council meeting, Wetzel said needed repairs to one of the city fire engines, which had come in at a cost estimate of about $55,000 last month, can likely be done in-house instead for a cost of about $16,000.
- Council member Christian Marshall noted in the wake of a recent crash at 12th and Eagle streets that last July, a resident had suggested putting a four-way stop sign at the intersection, which he thought was appropriate to bring up again.
- The panel also discussed putting the city’s radar speed equipment on Gurney Road after a resident expressed concerns about speeding on the road.
- In the absence of Mayor Douglas Baker, deputy mayor Donna Fletcher, who presided at the meeting, read the city’s Arbor Day proclamation for April 26.
- Council member Sam Lyons said a resident had asked why the city no longer flew flags in Johnny Appleseed Park. Wetzel said there had been no way to light the U.S. flag at night, and some of the other flags were in very bad shape so they were taken down, but the city could revisit the issue.
Franklin basketball team
Several council members congratulated the Franklin Knights boys basketball team for its great season that ended with a tough loss to Devon Prep in the Class AAA state championship game.
“I think we owe a debt of gratitude to the Franklin Knights basketball team,” Fletcher said. “They took us on a tremendous ride.”
Council member Jim Johnson, who is also an Honorable Knight volunteer at the high school, said he has known some of the players since grade school, and they were a “very close-knit group…they deserve all the credit in the world.”
“Of all the teams in Pennsylvania, we’re still number two,” he added.
Council member Ashley Smith congratulated the team and also commended the emergency services personnel, who escorted them, as well as the community for its support.
“It was a true small-town happening,” she said. “All that happened was we showed up for each other…the way community rallied to say, ‘good job, boys’.”
She added that Franklin was having “one heck of a sports year,” as the swimming team was also “doing phenomenal.”
