[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6222995,"mediaKeyId","3577450-c003fe77f88214ae7788d0f8ce7b2708","parentId",3577450,"title","Franklin city staff pitches 32¢ tax option to fund Invest Franklin 2, public safety hires and parks","audioSeconds",3477,"startMs",219000,"endMs",3696000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3577450-c003fe77f88214ae7788d0f8ce7b2708&start=219&end=3696","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3577450-c003fe77f88214ae7788d0f8ce7b2708/thumbnail_219000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6222995/Franklin-City/Williamson-County/Tennessee/Franklin-city-staff-pitches-32-tax-option-to-fund-Invest-Franklin-2-public-safety-hires-and-parks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222995-c6a36dc76ba3060786211aee260aa8e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155637&Signature=S8mxU3qhoZdlD104KhqigViAAQIOMjvSzBOhqOCwryv5sBYcnAjZcOuiLfT642XZLwELFkIc2rlJW9P7tow9Jo~4N9v3Ml65XbBRNFFk1uC5gz9T8ITqQtfn8y5YJ-sAZOdrOVuoapyXpGXEsCZI6~NqICZS2EGyFi8jABrNQEhHkGF7xJmhSIUHFnJ3ZXXY30bOroWjeC-nr-nb0YV7kwfvN0EGFDuRoog5eladV9mkbamrAZYLb~w6oLHc9gSQcES75jzn4SHy27MQU9RgV0FrKCozH6Z6lRb4tup9irORPl9ZMT-SIkLXGQGfPqWkSzAmz5T1f~3y8g50tDWPYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Franklin City, TN","date","2025-05-27T23:54:11Z","article","City Administrator Eric Stuckey presented the Board of Mayor and Aldermen with a proposed fiscal 2026 budget that includes an ordinance for two property‑tax options and a planned increase in the hotel occupancy tax.

Stuckey told the board the all‑funds budget totals $243,300,000 and the general fund proposal is $128,100,000. He said the city’s recent county reappraisal increased the assessed base from $7,600,000,000 to $10,750,000,000 and that the reappraisal reduced the current rate from 32.61¢ to an adjusted equalized base of about 23.1¢ per $100 of assessed value.

Why it matters: Stuckey presented a proposed 32¢ rate that would: preserve existing operations (the 23.1¢ equalized base), dedicate 6.8¢ to a new Invest Franklin 2 capital component (including the Mack Hatcher Southeast widening), and direct roughly 2¢ toward operations and staffing. He said the Invest Franklin 2 component would provide roughly $100 million of 20‑year debt capacity as a baseline for capital partnerships and leverage. Stuckey said, “Invest Franklin 2 dedicates property tax capacity for critical, infrastructure needs and enhancing service over multiple years.”

Details: The budget document brought to the board shows that one penny of property tax now generates about $750,000 on the pre‑reappraisal base and will generate just over $1 million per penny after reappraisal. The staff proposal also includes increasing the city’s hotel occupancy tax from 4% to the permissive 5% allowed under state law; Stuckey said that change would generate roughly $1.2–$1.3 million annually and that the board’s guidance ties the revenue to tourism‑related projects.

Planned staffing and capital uses: Stuckey outlined eight new positions in the FY‑26 request — three patrol police officers, three firefighters assigned to shifts, one victim services counselor in the police department and one IT systems development position — and said Invest Franklin 2 helped make those hires possible. He also reiterated the budget’s support for the city’s 10‑year capital improvement program, which he said totals in excess of $500,000,000 and is weighted heavily toward transportation projects.

State partnership and risks: Stuckey said the widening of Mack Hatcher Southeast still has an unresolved $25,000,000 funding gap in the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) 10‑year plan. He reported the city has pledged $50,000,000 toward the partnership and that TDOT currently shows $25,000,000 committed; the remaining $25,000,000 needs identification. Stuckey told aldermen staff will pursue MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) and other federal funding and make parts of the project shovel‑ready so the city can accelerate delivery if additional partnership dollars appear.

Board reaction and next steps: The board discussed two ordinance options Stuckey put forward: a 32¢ rate (staff recommendation) and a lower 29¢ alternative that reduces the dedicated capital component. Several aldermen said they prefer moving to public comment and hearing residents before finalizing a position; others said they favor the 32¢ option to preserve capacity for the Mack Hatcher projects and for long‑term capital planning.

Board schedule: Stuckey said the ordinance will be presented for first reading at the voting session that evening; a public hearing and second reading are scheduled for June 10, and a final (third) reading would be the June 24 meeting. No formal vote adopting a rate occurred at the work session.

Financial context and examples: Stuckey gave an example for scale: under the 32¢ plan, an owner of a $1,100,000 home would pay about $200–$210 more per year in additional tax capacity compared with current payments — roughly 63¢ per day — as a way to illustrate personal impact.

What remains unresolved: The city and board discussed whether to earmark the dedicated capital cents to specific TDOT partnership projects (for example, designating the 3.4¢ piece specifically for TDOT roadway partnerships). Several aldermen urged clear public communication on how any dedicated funds would be used; others said earmarks are unnecessary because the board ultimately determines spending.

Where the board left it: The item moved forward as a first reading of an ordinance that includes both the 32¢ and 29¢ options. The board requested public input ahead of the June public hearing and asked staff to prepare details on revenue uses, project prioritization and the schedule for capital delivery.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Franklin, BOMA Work Session 5-27-2025","oneSentenceSummary","City Administrator Eric Stuckey presented the Board of Mayor and Aldermen with a proposed fiscal 2026 budget that includes an ordinance offering two property‑tax rate options and a proposed Invest Franklin 2 dedication to fund major road projects, public safety hires and city operations.","taxTitle","Franklin City, Williamson County, Tennessee","taxId",4577,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6222986,"Franklin staff preview draft AI governance plan, highlight chatbots and data safeguards",1421,5476000,6897000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3577450-c003fe77f88214ae7788d0f8ce7b2708&start=5476&end=6897","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3577450-c003fe77f88214ae7788d0f8ce7b2708/thumbnail_5476000.jpg","/articles/6222986/Franklin-City/Williamson-County/Tennessee/Franklin-staff-preview-draft-AI-governance-plan-highlight-chatbots-and-data-safeguards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222986-5ba089e8ccb63192a6df8757f14f2ff0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155637&Signature=V~XdrGhVyod8deFD9YgCVtQhGnU6cFhPZKxJyCHeukoCe1AT56Th4f4e4Ru-x0JoXb3VMhkCh3XJqnxhz3E8M5cl~VluZshGncqOAUDX46DCylWCvWAe9EMaJ541YBc~uc8MX4-veOIMCTgRyQYrlIo2Gp03JXl0vAt4SomXXj0Nkue7wLXwd1vkU5JFLsldi5X7BNr3m43SUMLyqdcPh~Vy~kiZBvO1MedFmBs1QiIRaevLc1thtycvoEYaRcTdKMSdaiG7wHd1fdQtje2Rw-neRH0tkK2p6hiZ7nExRW5tXHy0Rs8neUNPprTuFFanKP7H5clWWn0kjpDcftskPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a draft artificial intelligence policy and described initial use cases, vendor precautions and training needs for municipal deployment.

Presentation and goals: IT Director Jason Potts introduced the city’s work with the Government AI Coalition and said the city’s objectives are to use AI to improve services and staff productivity while building governance, vendor contract language and data protections. Potts said the coalition emphasizes policy, roles and processes to govern how AI tools are used.

Use cases and examples: Andrew Southern, information‑systems development manager, described live examples and pilots: the city’s Frankie chatbot (deployed for public inquiries), plan‑review automation used by other jurisdictions to speed developer plan cycles, and energy‑management AI pilots (cited work in Stockholm for HVAC efficiency). Potts said San Jose shared experience with AI for nonemergency contacts and reduced wait times in dispatch contexts.

Privacy, contracts and training: HR Director Kevin Townsville and the city attorney raised contract and data risks. Townsville told the board the technology can improve productivity but stressed that employees must be trained to edit AI outputs and avoid pasting confidential or identifying data into third‑party platforms. The city attorney noted firms sometimes place client data into vendor chat systems; staff reported work to add contract language requiring vendors to disclose AI use, protect city data and clarify ownership.

Governance approach: Staff described an internal AI working group and proposed governance principles that include human‑centered design, security and safety, privacy protections, transparency about where AI is used, impartiality, accountability and effectiveness. Potts said the policy will be iterative because the technology and legal landscape are changing rapidly.

Board comments and public service focus: Aldermen asked questions about citizen access and suggested prioritizing public‑facing uses that draw only on public data (meeting minutes, agendas and other public records) to build value for residents. Potts and Southern said they will evaluate expanding the chatbot’s public‑data access and pursue use cases that increase public access to information, including multilingual responses.

Next steps: Staff said they will continue drafting an administrative policy, add standard contract language for vendor AI use, prepare employee training modules and return to the board with recommended policy language and implementation steps. No formal board action was taken during the work session.","City IT, HR and legal staff presented a draft approach to using artificial intelligence in municipal operations, including chatbots, vendor contract language and employee training. Staff said the goal is to expand safe uses (customer service, plan review aids, HVAC optimization) while protecting privacy and vendor‑shared data.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6222990,"Franklin staff propose 90th‑percentile pay plan update; implementation cost roughly $1 million",1003,3698000,4701000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3577450-c003fe77f88214ae7788d0f8ce7b2708&start=3698&end=4701","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3577450-c003fe77f88214ae7788d0f8ce7b2708/thumbnail_3698000.jpg","/articles/6222990/Franklin-City/Williamson-County/Tennessee/Franklin-staff-propose-90thpercentile-pay-plan-update-implementation-cost-roughly-1-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222990-e7fcabc0279e3337161a69406fe615dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155637&Signature=Mtguo5pTbiOMfJF8OhnzGlasgLeYKokzm4PXNRY~MJQHzXo44kjxnNpdxdM1tDfdhTunhNOsaE43smYiBdIYLcG0S-KfoLBCKgpQu0tEzQFLZPHC4~Ks-8b0DeYORHgL5BmFxH99am7OS2uIMdCoQOuAbuNwYhIX-aXjCZOMQyqAxbsSpz1ByB4F3soNd~yzz5Dib8jysx28TEZr~MXEIhp~sQJgWQC5-xg7qNHzE6uG4V073NAGhIfym1qT4oiI2XNorc6d19vA3hqopn5otdg1cVKIRRiEwvrzEKCoQK6krDkej63kXwBDsJqTneWmNgQgw93FswO1kN6wsS3nGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Human Resources and compensation consultants presented the board with a proposed update to the city’s classification and compensation plan designed to align pay ranges more closely with the local market.

The plan and process: HR Director Kevin Townsville explained the update is a market‑based approach using public‑sector and private‑sector salary data. Consultant Steve Thompson said the consultants matched city job descriptions to benchmark titles, consulted department directors on job nuances, and recommended range adjustments to meet a new target generally at the ninetieth percentile of the market.

Scope and costs: Staff said the classification review covered roughly 300 positions. The recommended change to pay ranges averaged about a 15% adjustment to range midpoints and bands; as a result, roughly 19% of job titles (58 positions) moved up one pay grade and about 25 individual employees were directly affected in this implementation phase. The city capped any single individual’s pay‑range change at $15,000; six employees would hit that cap under the proposal. Townsville said about 56 employees who had previously been at the top of their ranges would regain progression space.

How the increases would be applied: Staff described a four‑step implementation sequence: (1) adopt updated pay ranges, (2) place employees in the new ranges and give a 3% base adjustment to those moved because of grade changes, (3) apply a market (cost‑of‑living) increase of 2.5% built into the FY‑26 budget, and (4) apply a merit component of 0.5%–2.5% tied to performance evaluations. Townsville told the board that the combination results in a minimum approximate increase of 3% for affected employees and up to a maximum of about 5% depending on performance; he said the overall FY‑26 budget impact across all funds is approximately $1,000,000.

Rationale and context: Thompson and Townsville told the board the city previously moved police and fire pay to a higher benchmark (90th percentile) in the last cycle and this update extends a similar market target across other job families. Kevin Townsville said department leaders reported increasing difficulty recruiting and retaining staff in a tight labor market and that matching local market pay is part of a broader strategy (professional development, workplace culture) to reduce turnover.

Board questions and clarifications: Aldermen asked about pay compression and about whether the study addresses employees who have been with the city longest. The consultant and HR staff said compression remains a concern and that the city would consider a second phase of targeted adjustments if needed; they said the present update raises ranges and restores progression room for employees who were previously “top of range.” Aldermen also asked about annual increases; staff said the city plans to continue an annual market adjustment (the 2.5% baseline in FY‑26) plus a merit cycle.

Next steps: Staff requested the board adopt the updated classification and compensation plan as a resolution (item referenced on the agenda). The presentation preceded consideration during the voting session; formal adoption was not recorded during the work session. Staff said they will work with department directors to finalize placements and bring implementation figures into the operating budgets.","City staff and compensation consultants presented a classification and compensation update that moves pay ranges toward the 90th percentile of the market, adjusts pay grades for a subset of positions and builds a general market and merit increase into the FY‑26 budget. Staff said implementation across funds will cost approximately $1 million.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Franklin city staff pitches 32¢ tax option to fund Invest Franklin 2, public safety hires and parks

Franklin staff preview draft AI governance plan, highlight chatbots and data safeguards

Franklin staff propose 90th‑percentile pay plan update; implementation cost roughly $1 million