The Franklin City Council unanimously adopted a $3.4 million General Fund budget and a $4.5 million Capital Outlay budget for their new fiscal year, which begins May 1 and ends April 13, 2009.

And although he had no definitive knowledge of when, state Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin, told the council that as a result of the recent special legislative session in Baton Rouge, many long-awaited infrastructure im-provements in Franklin have been placed on an accelerated calendar and are now at the “mercy of contractors, whenever they become available.”

The City Council 2008-09 General Fund budget calls for $3.4 million in revenues, most of which is comprised from $2.427 million in taxes.

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The biggest expenditures are: public safety, $1.481 million; administration $724,190; public works, $712,265; and culture and recreation, $284,630.

The council also approved a $4.516 million 2008-09 Capital Outlay budget, which calls for a number of ambitious projects:

• A $2 million water plant rehabilitation

• $1.260 million for the Yokely Drainage Project

• $540,000 in improvements to the Franklin Canal

• $316,000 to overlay Cynthia Street

• $300,000 to overlay Morris Street

• $100,000 to repair Seventh Street

A majority of these projects are being paid for with a $2.108 million state grant, a $308,000 grant from St. Mary Parish, and a $100,000 match from the council’s own budget.

Another $2 million will come from a loan.

Jones said capital outlay projects planned for the city include an overlay of Louisiana 182, Main Street. But, that’s also bad news for the Franklin City Council.

It has agreed to repair the 80-year-old waterlines that run below the same route, but has not been able to find money for the job.

“You’ll be happy to know that … the overlay of La. 182 and Main Street, instead of later in the year, it could happen virtually any time now, as soon as contractors are available,” Jones said.

“The bad news is that I know you guys were planning to do something with improving utilities in the area, so if you’re going to do something the window has tightened up.”

Councilman Dale Rogers said the problem is the funding, adding “we all agree we need to do something, it’s finding the money to do it.”

Jones said delaying was a possibility.

“I hate to see you put a new road down then go tearing it up three months later,” he said.

Also slated, Jones said, is a new bridge for Oaklawn and the construction of an overpass on U.S. 90 at Louisiana 318 in Sorell, near the civic center.  

“This past session allowed us to move all of these projects up a little faster,” he said. “They’re still going to be a while because we’ll need right-of-ways and designs, but in all, it’s looking good for our whole area.”

On another topic, Jones said he was excited about Gov. Bobby Jindal’s budget because lawmakers approved roughly $20 to $30 million of coastal restoration improvements, many of which will be along the coast in St. Mary and Iberia parishes.

“This budget begins the process of putting state dollars in place,” Jones said. “Coastal restoration is going to cost $1 billion to $1 and a quarter billion, but I think this budget earmarking $300 million for coastal erosion was a good down payment.”