By Stephen Smoot
The Town of Franklin’s Council meeting for July occupied little time, but got a lot accomplished.
In the nearly 30-minute session, Mayor Bob Horan and other attendees heard the report of the human resources committee of Kristen Dingess, Russ Sasso, and Jarred Rawson. The triumvirate met with all town employees to learn about the tasks performed by each with the aim of creating position descriptions for each job.
Once the committee put position descriptions to paper, they reviewed them with the employees. After these sessions, the committee determined that the descriptions made were “true and correct,” in Dingess’s words. Sasso added that the “supervisors approved the work descriptions of those who worked under them.”
Additionally, the committee “discussed professionalism and the code of conduct” with each employee to ensure that all understood expectations. Going forward, those with “grievances” will take them to a three-person council instead of, as Sasso put it, “going at ludicrous speed” to various city officials.
This process formalized employer-employee relations for the Town of Franklin and produced, as Sasso described “scalable and repeatable” guidelines. He explained to the council that “we had a lot of disconnects. We had a lot of incongruity with documents.”
Much of this involved archaic lists of tasks for each position. As times changed and technology advanced, some tasks were added, but not included in descriptions while other tasks no longer are part of the job.
Horan asked of the descriptions, “Is there any wiggle room?,” expressing worry that too tightly written descriptions might not accommodate future changes. Sasso explained that the language of each description included wording that would allow flexibility in task assignments.
Dingess asked that the council approve the draft of descriptions so that the human resources committee could plan a final series of meetings with town employees.
Council members also received an update on progress with the water treatment system work. The Thrasher representative shared that “the water treatment plant is progressing pretty well.” He stated that crews had nearly finished painting and had installed an algae unit.
“The big thing is the river crossing,” the representative stated, adding that the quote for putting in a new line under the river will be in next week. He also said that the riverbed had dropped between two and three feet since the river crossing was originally put in decades ago and that the pipe would soon be exposed by erosion anyway.
Directional drilling will aim to put the new crossing between 10 and 11 feet beneath the bed of the South Branch River. After that work has been completed, the crews can work on installing a filter and doing electrical work at the plant.
New River Engineers, Inc also provided an update on their project with the Town of Franklin. Their representative informed the council that the feasibility plan which was uploaded to the Infrastructure and Job Development Council website, would go through the technical review committee in August, and be considered by the full council in September.
On Wednesday, the IJDC announced that Franklin’s “water system improvement project estimated to cost $1.7 million” was “found to be technically feasible and approved to pursue funding.”
Elizabeth Scott, an administrator with the Town of Franklin, shared that she had publicly sought volunteers to work two-hour shifts at Summer Fun Fest and that those wishing to buy potent potables from Gulp and Gallop would need wristbands to show that they could legally purchase alcoholic beverages.
Sasso, in the time reserved for council members’ comments, reported on the arrangement he made with the American Legion concerning how veterans’ banners would be restored to their mountings if they fell. The town will accept the banners, turn them over to the American Legion, and volunteers will restore the banners to their rightful positions. Sasso stated that he will purchase any hardware needed to attach them.
As Sasso explained the arrangement, Scott brought him a banner that had fallen, was retrieved by a citizen, and brought to the town office.
