Franklin trustees award $7,000 CDBG allocation to preschool after public hearing

On Nov. 24, 2025, the Village of Franklin trustees voted to allocate the village's full Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) award for program year 2026 — $7,000 — to the Franklin Preschool following a public hearing and presentations from local organizations.

The hearing brought two formal requests. Tanya Metti Hammond, vice president of the Franklin Community Association (FCA), described the 80th annual Labor Day roundup and parade as a volunteer-run event that draws thousands and asked the village to serve as lead sponsor to cover parade costs and fixed expenses that the FCA's current revenue streams do not fully cover. "We don't come to the village for assistance very often, but when the CDBG grant opportunity crossed our path, it sparked an important conversation..." Hammond said, asking the council to consider sponsorship or funding.

Matt Howell, treasurer of the FCA, provided a financial overview and said the roundup lost about $1,600 this past year and that the organization faces roughly $18,000 in fixed costs tied to staging the event. Howell also told trustees the FCA was informed in late October that its 501(c)(3) status had been restored retroactively.

A representative of the Franklin Community Preschool urged trustees to award funds to maintain the community playground that the preschool currently maintains. The representative said Michigan licensing requires annual refresh of sand and mulch at a cost of about $4,000 and that 2023 equipment upgrades totaled roughly $18,000. "Our preschoolers use the playground every day, and beyond school hours thousands of people enjoy it annually," the representative said.

Trustees questioned whether FCA was eligible for CDBG funding, discussed alternatives such as village sponsorship or reallocating other budgeted —special projects— funds to support community events, and weighed the immediate playground safety needs the preschool described. After deliberation, Speaker 11 moved to allocate the full $7,000 CDBG award to the Franklin Preschool for program year 2026; Speaker 3 seconded. The motion passed by voice vote; there was no roll-call tally recorded in the transcript.

The council did not adopt a final written condition on how the preschool must spend the funds during the meeting beyond the discussion about sand, mulch, and basic playground maintenance; trustees asked staff to provide expenditure timelines and a point of contact to coordinate the award. Council members also signaled an interest in further discussion about how the village might support the FCA and similar community groups in future budgets.

Next steps: staff will follow up with the Franklin Preschool on timing and reporting requirements for any awarded grant funds. The village indicated other budget avenues and licensing of village property could be considered for ongoing support of the Roundup and FCA in future budget cycles.