Ordinances to raise the salaries of mayor and council members were postponed indefinitely Tuesday.

Councilman Dale Rogers moved for postponement of the ordinances which would have raised the salary of the mayor pro-tempore and council members, with a second from Councilmen Eugene Foulcard.

Foulcard moved for postponement of the ordinance raising the salary of the mayor, with a second from Rogers.

There had been public comment from one person, Barry Granger, who said the mayor and council should not receive raises when lower level employees are paid little, and that the city has raised water rates in the recent past.

Also Tuesday, the city council heard from City Inspector Blake Steiner, and gave approval for condemnation of properties at 204, 308 and 318 Talbot Street.

The council heard from State Rep. Sam Jones (D-Franklin) who wanted to clarify that overlay of La. 87 will be in the entirety of the area from Willow Street to the Centerville Bridge, including both bridge approaches.

Jones said he has heard the public was under the impression that the resurfacing would be in sections and wanted to clarify.

The council also heard from Office of Development Director Marla Chirdon regarding last weekend’s art walk.

Chirdon said 28 artists participated in the second annual event. “I think it’s a wonderful economic engine for Franklin and a great way to promote social and communal gathering,” she said.

Mayor Raymond Harris thanked Chirdon for her work, and announced she will be leaving the position around the first of September.

Mayor Harris also announced the appointment of Ed Hay as Director of Finance.

Councilman Chuck Autin addressed trash and litter on the streets. He said he sees “sofas and tables and mattresses and trees” in front of residences.

Autin said “when the city has to pick up this we bring it to the dump and taxpayer money pays for that.”

He said residents can bring it to the transfer station on Northwest Boulevard without charge themselves.

“We need to try to work together and not throw all this on the side of the road,” he said.

And Beverly Domengeaux, St. Mary Council on Aging, said the city’s funding is appreciated and helps service the area citizens. She said 22 percent of the people in Franklin live below the poverty level.

Those age 65 and older in St. Mary Parish are increasing, she said.

Domengeaux said “Washington and the state want to balance the budget on our backs…if they do cut it, we’ll lose many services. One gentleman said they would take the budget back to Dwight Eisenhower’s spending habits. Well, I remember President Eisenhower, and yes, I would love to go back to those spending habits. We bought a brand new Chevrolet and we paid $2,529 for it. Gas was 28 cents a gallon, bread was 19 cents a loaf and it was real bread, and I could get a dime and go to the grocery store and get a real Coca-Cola and a real Hershey bar. We only had 35 cents an hour on minimum wage. Please support your seniors. We supported ya’ll, we built the country, and it’s not fair that we balance the budget on our programs that we have worked hard for.”

Also Tuesday, candidate for sheriff Patrick Lasalle made a formal announcement that he is running to the council.