Franklin Township council previews 2025 spending plan; police equipment, water mains and open-space projects drive increases

Franklin Township’s council on Tuesday held a remote budget hearing that put public safety equipment, water‑system upgrades and open‑space projects at the center of proposed spending increases for 2025.

Township Manager Mr. Vornlacher opened the hearing and guided presentations from department leaders and outside consultants. “I’m gonna open up to, our first, our first budget to hear tonight is the tax collector,” he said as the council began department‑by‑department reviews.

Why it matters: Council members and staff said the municipality faces several near‑term capital demands — including continuation of the Axon contract for body‑worn and in‑car cameras, replacement of aging police vehicles, a multi‑year program to replace water meters and portions of water main (including a planned Hamilton Street replacement tied to a county project), and preservation and maintenance spending from the Open Space Trust. Those items, together with increases in insurance and other fixed costs, account for most of the gap staff said must be closed before the council adopts a balanced budget.

Most immediate pressures - Police capital and equipment: Police staff told the council the current Axon contract that covers body‑worn cameras, tasers and vehicle cameras is entering its fifth contract year and that the department must negotiate the follow‑on agreement. The department also proposed adding another electric sedan to the fleet and continuing a multi‑year vehicle replacement plan for SUVs used on patrol. “This is our fifth year of this contract for our body cams and our, tasers,” the department’s presenter said when explaining the Axon package and its in‑car integration. Officers also asked for new in‑car cameras to replace aging units and for mobile transcribers/capacity that the Axon platform would provide.

- Water asset program and meters: Public works and water staff described a carry‑forward program to replace aging residential meters and large meters, to retrofit meter pits at curb lines and to continue targeted water main replacements. Carl Hough, who led the water and public works presentations, said a county reconstruction of Hamilton Street is planned in the coming multi‑year schedule and the township is preparing to either phase or coordinate water main replacement so repaving is not lost to later excavation. “The water main in that road is is slated to be replaced,” he said, noting the county’s federal‑funded design work and the need to time township work to avoid re‑digging new pavement.

- Open Space trust and acquisitions: Open Space staff and trustees proposed using trust funds for park maintenance and utilities for leased historic houses the township owns, and budgeted for several capital projects including repairs to the Negri Napodi bird blind, resurfacing walking paths and a placeholder for long‑planned work at Catalpa Park. Staff said several property appraisals and possible acquisitions are active and that professional services needs (surveys, appraisals) justify the trust’s 2025 consulting budget.

Cost drivers and budgets called out - Health and benefit costs: Finance staff said 2025 health‑insurance and pension costs remain a major pressure, and managers noted the township used trust funds and utility allocations to soften the impact on the municipal operating budget.

- Public safety non‑police items: Animal control’s proposed operating request rose modestly to cover veterinary and supply cost increases; 911 dispatch asked for higher language‑line translation and replacement batteries/antennas for equipment; emergency management requested funding to outfit a backup Emergency Operations Center after a recent building evacuation.

Council responses, tradeoffs and next steps Council members repeatedly asked whether proposals could be phased or trimmed. For example, after hearing police capital priorities, one councilmember proposed buying two (not four) of the higher‑cost message boards and two camera trailers rather than four, and the police director said the department preferred two rather than none.

Manager Vornlacher and finance staff said the Financial Oversight Committee will meet Monday to finalize recommendations that can be incorporated before the council must introduce the municipal budget in early April. “We’ll have a 6PM Monday meeting with the Financial Oversight Committee,” Vornlacher said near the end of the hearing.

Direct quotes from presenters - Tax collector Rosanna Gutierrez on the collector’s line: “Well decrease is good… billing I’m doing more in house rather than paying Edmonds to provide the billing so that also saves us some money.” - Police presenter (on Axon): “This is our fifth year of this contract for our body cams and our, tasers. This is the fifth year of this contract for our body cams and our, tasers.” - Public works director Carl Hough (on Hamilton Street): “The water main in that road is is slated to be replaced.”

Votes at a glance - Motion to open public comment: moved and seconded; council called the vote, ayes carried; public comment session opened (no substantive speakers successfully connected) and later closed by motion. (Outcome: motion carried; verbal aye vote recorded.) - Motion to close public comment: moved and seconded; motion carried by voice vote. - Motion to adjourn: moved and carried by voice vote at meeting end.

What’s next Council and staff will send follow‑up information to the Financial Oversight Committee before the Monday meeting and will return to the council with recommended changes for introduction in April. Staff flagged the police Axon contract, the water meter/main replacement program and the open‑space acquisition pipeline as items likely to require further council review or staged funding.

Ending The council recessed after the presentations and set a November‑to‑April schedule for capital and operating decisions; staff and council members said they expect additional line‑by‑line discussion at the oversight meeting and during the formal budget introduction in early April.