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Ward 3 resident warns rising electric bills are making Franklin unaffordable
Summary
Resident Melissa Bassi testified that inconsistent, rising electric bills—one jump described from about $375 to $675—have made her household unable to afford living in Franklin; councilmembers directed residents to ward meetings and scheduled a utility-focused public meeting with the finance director and Franklin Power & Lights.
At the public-comment portion of the March 23 Franklin City Council meeting, Melissa Bassi of Ward 3 told the council that recent electric bills have been inconsistent and unaffordable, citing a recent monthly bill of about $675 compared with $375 during a cold month when pipes froze. “It's no longer affordable to live in Franklin anymore,” Bassi said, adding that the spike and inconsistent billing prompted her household to put the house up for sale.
Council members thanked Bassi and other residents for attending and urged citizens to attend a Ward 3 meeting the following night at the Franklin Library where the finance director and Franklin Power & Lights representatives were scheduled to appear. Several council members reiterated that the city is investigating billing issues and emphasized the need for transparency; one council member said the topic is the most important item on residents’ minds.
What’s next: Ward 3’s councilmember and staff asked affected residents to bring billing questions to the scheduled local meeting (finance director and utility staff present) so staff can provide data and direct answers. Council also noted it will follow up as the utility and finance staff investigate and report back.
