Franklin digital map part of city’s economic vitality committee work

Visitors to the city of Franklin will be able to scan a QR code with the cameras in their cellphones or other mobile devices to bring up a digital map and guide to local businesses, attractions and other information about the city, thanks to the newly appointed Economic Vitality Committee, Mayor Eugene Foulcard said during the December meeting of the Franklin City Council.
Foulcard said following the meeting that QR codes will be placed on sidewalks throughout the city to give visitors and residents a quick way to access the digital maps. QR codes are graphical representations of digital data, similar to barcodes found on groceries and other items, which can be scanned using the camera of a smartphone or computer tablet. The device uses the code to access the map via the Internet.
The map is not to scale, but is used to show the locations of businesses, restaurants, attractions, fast food restaurants, healthcare facilities, hotels, government offices and other points of interest. The map will be updated frequently, according to a post on the City of Franklin Mayor’s Office Facebook page. The work was done in partnership with the Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau and is part of the administration’s efforts to promote shopping, eating and playing locally first.
“All they have to do is scan the QR code on their cellphone, and all of the business and all of the shops and restaurants, all things Franklin pop up,” Foulcard said in an interview on Wednesday, Dec. 20. “It’s a work in progress, but it was well received.”
The city council passed a resolution to approve the city’s utility bill collection process, so that the city can better collect on delinquent bills, Foulcard said.
The effort is being made to bring the city more into line with the policies of other area water systems like Charenton, Patterson and Centerville.
“We’re basically saying that if those bills are in arrears and (payment is) not received by the 25th of the month, there’s going to be a 10 percent late charge assessed to those bills,” the mayor said. “Basically any customer whose bill is not paid in full by the 15th of the following month will be placed on the cutoff list and the water supply to the meter will be turned off. There’s going to be a disconnect fee.”
Foulcard said municipalities must treat their utility systems like a business.
“If people don’t pay their cellphone bills, their cellphones are turned off,” he said. “We’re not saying we won’t be compassionate. We are going to be compassionate and work with the water customers, but we have to kind of get in line, and that’s where some municipalities fall short is because so many breaks are given on water bills. But we’re bound by law to collect water bills. If city water goes through those lines, we have to collect those bills.”
The council also passed a resolution authorizing a prior period adjustment to the utility fund and liquid and solid waste fund.
“Our auditors have been suggesting that we do a prior period adjustment,” Foulcard said. “That is a long-term fund, probably over 25 years ago, that was set up in the city. We’re just cleaning up that bookkeeping issue.”
Foulcard also updated the council on the work being done on Cayce Street and the Yokely Bayou Basin drainage project.
Work is being done on Cayce Street to replace waterlines and crossovers and tie-ins, along with replacing or repairing sewer lines and drainage culverts. The work is anticipated to be complete in mid-2024, Foulcard said.
“They’re doing all the internal stuff right now before they start overlaying the streets,” he said. “I told them that the Yokely project is moving along with the dredging and widening of the Yokely Canal.”
Foulcard also said he has been asked why new playground equipment is being purchased instead of using that money for repairing or replacing the city’s 100-year-old waterlines. The mayor said he explained that money for projects like new playground equipment comes from grants that are required to be used for the purposes for which they were approved by the state or federal government groups that take applications for those funds.
“If we have grant opportunities for other things we could do in the city that doesn’t have anything to do with the waterlines, of course we’re going to go after those dollars,” he said. “Those funds are earmarked funds.”
The city can’t take $400,000 from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development that’s been granted for the city to use to buy playground equipment and instead use that money for the water system, Foulcard said.
The mayor also mentioned the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebration from 8 p.m. to midnight on Dec. 31 at the courthouse square.
“I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” Foulcard said. “I’d just like to remind everyone to be safe, don’t drink and drive, and enjoy your holidays.”