City projects are key focus for Franklin mayor

In Franklin, millions of dollars of road projects, park improvements, drainage work and new trails are the key focus of the city’s new mayor.

A little more than a week after being named as the city’s mayor in a Republican Party caucus, Mayor Steve Barnett laid out his priorities in his State of the City address.

On his to-do list: phases 2, 3 and 4 of Jefferson Street, completing work to enhance the eastside gateway into Franklin along King Street, rebuilding the South Main Street bridge, just south of downtown, remodeling or replacing the city’s oldest fire station, expanding police programs and studying the long-term needs of parks and roads in the city.

"The city still has a long way to go on this journey to excellence," Barnett said.

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In his first weeks in office — first as interim mayor and now as mayor — Barnett has been overseeing the progress of ongoing road and infrastructure projects, preparing for future projects and meeting with developers that want to bring a hotel and other developments to the east side and at least one business wanting to bring 20 new jobs to Franklin, he said. He also hired some staff members and named members to the Franklin board of works.

"It’s been a busy start, but I am enjoying every minute of it," he said.

He highlighted the successes of 2016, including new businesses opening, record-breaking attendance at the city pool and ongoing road and infrastructure projects.

And then he moved onto what he wants to see done in 2017.

In addition to completing projects already planned, Barnett also wants to look at expanding the police department’s school resource officer and bike patrol programs and setting up a five-year street work program, where the city would set aside $1 million extra each year for road work, on top of what is already budgeted, he said.

Work already is planned to add another 3 miles of trails in the city from King Street to Commerce Drive to U.S. 31, and add crosswalks at the intersections of U.S. 31 with Mallory Drive and Commerce Drive. But Barnett also wants to look further out and see what the parks system’s needs will be in the next 10 years so the city can plan for those, he said.

And he wants to see progress to bring new businesses to downtown and the U.S. 31 corridor, along with ongoing work to improve downtown buildings. While the road work planned for this year along Jefferson Street in downtown Franklin will be a hassle, Barnett asks residents to be patient, he said.

"This is going to give us something to be proud of," he said.

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Here is a look at projects Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett is focusing on in 2017:

Phases 2, 3, and 4 of Jefferson Street

Gateway improvements along King Street

Replacing South Main Street bridge

Expanding the school resource officer and bike patrol police programs

Remodeling or replacing Fire Station 21

Setting a five-year program to spend another $1 million per year on road work

Plan for the future of the parks

Add 3 miles of new trails

Add new crosswalks along U.S. 31

Continue improvements to downtown buildings

Move fireworks display downtown

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