Town of Franklin PRESS RELEASES

September 19, 2-23 - 3:45PM

Boil Water Advisory Cancelled

As of Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 3:45 p.m. 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. 

September 16, 2023 - 2:19PM

Water Restored to Iotla Street

Water service has been restored on Iotla Street.  The boil water advisory will remain in effect until at least Tuesday morning due to the timing of the required testing.  

September 16, 2023

WATER LINE BREAK IOTLA STREET and BOIL WATER ADVISORY

There has been a water line break on Iotla Street which is impacting water service on Iotla Street from Church Street to White Oak Street.  No additional connecting streets should be impacted including Main Street.  Crews are on site to repair this line; however, at this time, we are unsure of how long these repairs will take.  Water service may be interrupted during the repair.   A break in an aged 10-inch line was the cause of the leak. 

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, which should be on Tuesday.

Residents are reminded not to call 9-1-1 for this particular outage as it is being actively repaired. 

August 22, 2023

SKATEPARK TO OPEN AT 2:00 PM - AUGUST 23, 2023

The soft opening of the skatepark will begin at 2:00 pm tomorrow. There will be no official ribbon cutting or event until the formal grand opening in late September, we will simply remove the barriers and allow skating. We will share details about the grand opening soon!

August 18, 2023

Second Annual Scarecrow Build – Sunday, September 10

The Town of Franklin has once again partnered with the Streets of Franklin Heritage Association to decorate the downtown with scarecrows. The public is encouraged to participate in creating the scarecrows that will line Main Street to welcome citizens and visitors during the Fall season.   

There will be a scarecrow building event on Sunday, September 10, 2023 from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Gazebo. Supplies will be provided; however, if you have a particular outfit for your scarecrow, please bring it.   Viewing videos online can give you some direction as to how to build one using pool noodles for arms which is the model we will be using.

If you cannot attend the event and want to build your own scarecrow and have it displayed as part of the downtown decor, please remember to have your scarecrow mounted on a small stake so that it can be attached to a light pole. Scarecrows should be brought to Town Hall no later than Friday, September 15 at 4:00 p.m. If you wish your scarecrow to be returned to you at the end of the season – please pin your name, address, phone number or email to your submission. 

If you wish to donate clothes, hats, or bandanas for use in the build, please drop them off at Kitchen Sink or Town Hall by September 8.  

August 17, 2023

Skatepark Soft Opening

The Town of Franklin is pleased to announce that the construction of the skatepark located at the Whitmire Property has been completed.  There will be a formal ribbon cutting and a celebratory grand opening event in late September. Currently, the park is still closed until the rules sign is installed – it has been ordered and shipped and it is anticipated that it will be received by Wednesday, August 23.  

Once the rules sign has been installed, the Town will allow a “soft-opening” for individuals to begin using the skatepark. “We are working with LBJ Job Corp to install benches and the graffiti wall at the site; however, due to their busy schedule, it will be September before work can commence. We did not want to delay use of the skatepark until then,” said Town Manager Amie Owens. 

 

Users are reminded that this is an unsupervised park and no one under age 8 is allowed without adult supervision. Tagging or graffiti is prohibited on the skate surface; there will be a graffiti wall built and made available in the future. The Artisan Skateparks crew who constructed the park, and are skaters themselves, have taken much pride in creating a beautiful place to skate and would like to see it kept in good condition for all to use now and into the future. They were impressed by the number of individuals who came during construction to offer assistance and to the commitment of the skate community to raise funds.    

Owens added, “As we continue to make improvements to the Whitmire Property, we are very proud that the skatepark is the first item completed and serves as its cornerstone, and that the skate community and all of their supporters now have the park they have been requesting for so long.”     

The skatepark address is 15 First Street, Franklin.  The park hours are from daylight until dark.

August 9, 2023

Work on West Main Street

The Town of Franklin will be working on a portion of the street on West Main Street directly behind Ace Hardware from August 9 to 11, 2023 between the hours of 7:30am and 3:00pm.

The street will be closed from Maple Street to the intersection at Palmer Drive, just below the Lazy Hiker.  All East bound traffic will be routed down Maple Street to avoid the construction area. West bound traffic (leaving town) should not be affected. Detour signs and barricades are in place.

The road will be reopened each afternoon to east bound traffic.

Should you have any questions, please contact Chris Waldroop, Streets Supervisor, at the Public Works Department at 828-524-2516 x 405. 

New Pickleball Courts at Memorial Park

The Town of Franklin has modified the basketball court at Memorial Park to include two new pickleball courts.  Town Manager Amie Owens stated “We are pleased to offer this location as an option for pickleball players and providing a multi-use option for the court.”  

There are two portable nets which can be moved to the side when basketball is being played.  The Town has placed these nets with the hope that individuals will use the equipment responsibly and consider them as an added amenity for the park.   Whether it is pickleball or basketball, the court is first come, first served with no reservation of the court required.

Memorial Park is located at 488 West Main Street, Franklin and the park hours are from dawn until dark seven days a week.   Restrooms are available on site. 

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.