City council hears from event guests

Woodrow Parker, representing Aqua Safety First, a community program, told the Franklin City Council of a Morgan City-area event that may expand westward.
Parker and Elizabeth Spencer said Tuesday at the Franklin council’s monthly meeting that the event on water safety will be held at Lake End Park for a fifth year.
Spencer said it will be June 14 from 9-11 a.m. at Lake End Park.
Government and other organizations will be on hand teaching water safety, boating safety, regulations, education on use of life jackets, flares and other visual signals, boating registration, speed and more.
Parker said he’d like to see the event extend to the Franklin area if the city swimming pool could be repaired and reopened.
He invited the mayor and council to a discussion with Rep. Sam Jones set in October on that topic.
Also Tuesday, Fire Chief Chuck Bourgeois said the department is flushing and flow-testing fire hydrants, as they do every six months. He said if anyone has water quality issues to contact the fire department.
Bourgeois also said hydrants will be flowing at night which are operated automatically. He said these are equipped with a yellow box and do not need to be reported to the fire department.
The chief also noted that while the fire department has been providing smoke detectors for senior citizens, rental property owners are required by state law to provide detectors for their properties, and the fire department cannot provide them.
In other business Tuesday:
—The council approved a request by Metal Shark Boats to annex its property on the Charenton Canal into the City of Franklin.
—Ordinances were adopted approving financial and capital outlay budgets; setting the tax rate for the city with no changes; and authorizing the purchase of the Crowell Elementary gym next to City Hall.
—Resolutions were adopted lifting the fireworks ban for Relay for Life on May 3, and authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with the Louisiana Department of the Treasury.
—A change order was approved for the road overlay program in Franklin.
—April was declared Fair Housing Month in Franklin.
—Police Chief Sabria McGuire recommended that Hale Street become a two-way street except for morning and afternoon school traffic periods, with later guidelines to be adopted during sports events at Hanson Memorial High School. She also did not recommend a four-way stop at the intersection of Carl C. Foulcard Drive and Pine Street.