Town of Franklin PRESS RELEASES
For Additional Information call 828-524-2516May 23, 2023
Water Service Restored
The Town of Franklin has completed the scheduled work on a service valve in the area of Sleep USA which would have impacted water service on part of the Highlands Road (from the Flea Market), Fox Ridge, Macon Plaza, Belleview Road, Keystone Drive and Hiland Park. Crews have completed their work and water service was only briefly interrupted. Water service is fully operational once again.
If you have any questions, please contact the Town of Franklin at 828-524-2516.
May 15, 2023
Water Line Valve Replacement - Water Service Interruption May 23rd
The Town of Franklin will be replacing a service valve in the area of Sleep USA which is impacting water service on part of the Highlands Road (from the Flea Market), Fox Ridge, Macon Plaza, Belleview Road, Keystone Drive and Hiland Park. Crews are planning to begin work at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23 and should have the replacement completed by 4:00 p.m. that same day. Water service will be interrupted during this replacement. In the event of inclement weather, the replacement will be rescheduled and notifications provided to those in the service area noted.
Due to the nature of this repair, the Town is not anticipating having to issue a boil water advisory for when service is resumed in this area. However; when service is restored, there may be air in the lines causing sputtering of water when first turned on, cloudy or brown water, and potentially contain dirt or small particulates. Residents are encouraged to run water from an outside spigot or in the bathtub to eliminate air from the lines quickly.
Residents are reminded not to call 9-1-1 for this particular outage as it is scheduled and door hangers are being provided to all in the impacted area. If you have any questions, please contact the Town of Franklin at 828-524-2516.
April 20, 2023
Boil Water Advisory Cancelled
The lab testing has confirmed that water is safe to drink with no contaminants and that there is no longer a need for the boil water advisory. We wish to thank the Town of Franklin water/sewer crews who worked to repair the line, and thank those who have been impacted for their patience and understanding. Also, to the media, thank you for sharing the information with citizens.
April 19, 2023
Boil Water Advisory Update
The required sampling has been completed and delivered to the lab for testing. It will take at least 24 hours for results to be returned to the Town. The boil water advisory will remain in effect as a precaution until the results are received.
April 18, 2023
Water Line Break Update / Boil Water Advisory
Water service has been restored to the impacted areas along Highlands Road.
As per the previous press release – individuals are encouraged to note that there may be air in the lines causing sputtering of water when first turned on, cloudy or brown water, and potentially contain dirt or small particulates. Residents are encouraged to run water from an outside spigot or in the bathtub to eliminate air from the lines quickly. The boil water advisory will remain in effect for this area until the test results are received. The Town will provide updates to the boil water advisory as they are known. This boil water advisory does not affect other areas in town.
April 18, 2023
Water Line Break / Boil Water Advisory
Highlands Road
There has been a water line break in the area of Macon Plaza (Food Lion) which is impacting water service on parts of the Highlands Road, Fox Ridge, Macon Plaza and Belleview Road. Crews have been working to repair this line and anticipate repairs continuing until at least 4:00 p.m. Water service will be interrupted during the continued repair.
When service is restored, there may be air in the lines causing sputtering of water when first turned on, cloudy or brown water, and potentially contain dirt or small particulates. Residents are encouraged to run water from an outside spigot or in the bathtub to eliminate air from the lines quickly.
Due to the nature of this repair, the Town is issuing a boil water advisory for when service is resumed in this area. This boil water advisory does not affect other areas in town.
Here is information related to the Boil Water Advisory:
There are two levels of notices: a Boil Water Advisory and a Boil Water Notice. Here is the difference:
A Boil Water Advisory is voluntarily issued when water contamination is possible. During an advisory we recommend that customers vigorously boil water for at least 1 minute before consumption or drink bottled water.
A Boil Water Notice is required by law to be issued when contamination is confirmed in the water system. The Town of Franklin has issued a BOIL WATER ADVISORY for those impacted in East Franklin.
Event that initiated the boil water advisory
A water line break that required the water system to be turned off for greater than an hour and the pipe has to be opened to the environment which could allow dirt and groundwater into the system.
What should you do during a boil water advisory?
Boil tap water vigorously for a least one minute before using it for drinking, cooking, or any consumption. This includes water used for dental care, making ice, food preparation, or any other consumption purposes.
It is not necessary to boil water for showering, laundry, or other non-consumptive uses.
How long will the advisory last?
Water should be boiled from the time the advisory is issued and continue until The Town of Franklin officially lifts the advisory. During the time the advisory is in effect, the Public Works Department will have an outside laboratory perform an analysis to determine if the water is safe and meets all standards. The advisory will remain in effect until we receive the lab results, this may be 24 hours or more.
Residents are reminded not to call 9-1-1 for this particular outage as it is being actively repaired. If you have any questions, please contact the Town of Franklin at 828-524-2516.
October 12, 2022
Franklin Announces Next Police Chief
Town Manager Amie Owens announced that Devin Holland will be appointed as Franklin’s next Chief of Police effective December 1, 2022. Mr. Holland is currently serving as Captain of Patrol for the Town of Franklin.
Soon-to-be Chief Holland is a veteran officer with over twenty-five years of experience in law enforcement all of which has been with the Town of Franklin. He has served as Patrol Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Patrol Captain. He holds a BS degree in Criminal Justice from Western Carolina University and his Associate Degree in Criminal Justice from Southwestern Community College.
In addition to his formal education Holland graduated from the following programs or obtained certifications in:
- FBI Leadership Training from the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association with concentrations in Supervisor, Command and Executive Leadership
- Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate, NC Criminal Justice Training and Standards
- Various Course offerings in Leadership and Law Enforcement Management from NC Criminal Justice Academy, NC League of Municipalities, and the Dolan Consulting Group
The Town received nine applications for the position and several qualified candidates were interviewed. “Captain Holland has the education, experience and established relationships in Macon County and the region which will allow for a seamless change in leadership. His familiarity with department procedures and existing staff will ensure that the police department will continue to excel into the future,” said Owens.
Chief Harrell and Captain Holland will work together to ensure that the staff, citizens and visitors continue to receive exemplary service during this transition period.
Police Chief Bill Harrell announced his retirement in August 2022. A reception will be held on Monday, November 7 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. to honor his service. The public is invited to attend.
September 9, 2022
Payment Hours Changing at Town Hall
The Town of Franklin Town Hall payment hours are changing effective Monday, October 3, 2022. Due to accounting system changes, payments at the window will be accepted from 8:30 a.m. until 4:55 p.m. Monday through Friday. The drop box will remain available for payments before and after hours and on weekends.
The window will be open and staff will still be available to assist customers beginning at 8:00 a.m. but payments cannot be taken prior to 8:30 a.m. “Due to a system upgrade, we were experiencing some delays with payment batches posting on the same day and carrying over to a second business day. This impacted other financial reporting activities,” said Finance Director Sarah Bishop. This change will allow for reconciliations to occur in the early morning hours and daily transactions to post on one day.
All offices in the Town Hall will continue to operate from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Information will be included on the monthly water bills and posted at the Town Hall related to the new payment hours.
For more information, contact Town Manager Amie Owens at 828-524-2516 x 305 or via email at aowens@franklinnc.com .
August 5, 2022
Electric Vehicle Charging Station Now Operational at Town Hall
The Town of Franklin partnered with Duke Energy to install a level 3 fast-charging station in the town hall parking lot. Town Planner/IT Director Justin Setser worked closely with Duke to have the installation done without cost to taxpayers.
This is a fast-charging station and the cost is set through Shell Recharge via the Green Lot App. The fees are paid via a credit card scanning system and the Town does not receive any funding from the stations. “The need for EV charging was brought to our attention and we felt that the location would be beneficial for downtown visitation,” Setzer said.
There are two charging stations available with one indicated for handicapped accessibility. The charge time is dependent upon a vehicle’s battery status at the time of charging.