The Franklin Moving Forward group will be sprucing up seating and signs at Riverfront Park and the Franklin boat launch.
Picnic tables and benches at the park and the 3rd Street boat ramp will be replaced, and the boat launch’s signage will be updated, according to Chris Simms of Franklin Moving Forward.
Franklin City Council unanimously approved the organization’s request after Simms discussed the planned updates at Monday’s council meeting. Councilmember Christian Marshall abstained due to being a member of Franklin Moving Forward.
In other business Monday, the council unanimously agreed to amend the city’s contract with architect Amos Rudolph for his Miller-Sibley park engineering plans. Rudolph’s contract will be raised from $10,000 to $15,000.
City Manager Tracy Jamieson said she didn’t think Rudolph initially realized the detail and certifications that the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources wants for the project. DCNR is supplying a grant to fund roughly a third of the $800,000 project which includes plans to demolish and add new sports facilities.
“I would hate for him to lose money,” Jamieson said.
Council also approved the first of two readings announcing that the city is vacating its right-of-way at the end of 5th Street to the Allegheny River. The small stretch of land will be split down the middle and transferred to the two Elk Street property owners that border the plot.
A second reading will be held at the next council meeting in July before the undeveloped road can be vacated by the city.
Two new city employees were discussed at Monday’s council meeting.
Jamieson said Amanda Power, the city’s new community development coordinator, started working on Monday. Power previously worked at Drake Well Museum and at the Northwest Commission, Jamieson said.
Franklin police chief Kevin Anundson discussed a new patrolman, Adam Steiner, who was hired recently to work for the department.
