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Franklin appropriates regional radio‑system grants and amends MOU; $400,000 grant cited
Summary
Council approved appropriating grants for a regional Franklin–Southampton public radio system (city acts as fiscal agent under a two‑thirds/one‑third MOU) and later approved an amendment to treat future project grants as full‑project grants; staff noted a recently awarded $400,000 grant.
Franklin City Council on Aug. 12 approved appropriating funds for the Franklin–Southampton public radio system and later amended the project’s memorandum of understanding to clarify how future grants will be treated.
Interim City Manager told the council the city is serving as fiscal agent under an MOU with Southampton County for a regional radio‑system project funded on a two‑thirds/one‑third basis. Staff reported the city recently received a $400,000 grant and that consulting engineers have begun site work; staff recommended appropriating the grants into a standalone project fund so they are not absorbed into the general fund. A public commenter who had attended the morning presentation urged the council to accept the donation and noted coverage gaps for emergency responders.
Council moved to appropriate the grant funds and voted to approve the appropriation; the motion was recorded as unanimous. Later in the meeting staff recommended and the council approved an amendment to the project MOU clarifying that future grant awards for the regional project will be recorded as full grant amounts while the city remains the fiscal agent.
City staff said the project is expected to take about two years to complete and that additional grant applications are pending; the council directed staff to continue pursuing grant opportunities and to report back as the project advances.
