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What you need to know about Franklin government and services
Downtown Franklin has been an historic preservation success story, and most of the time is teeming with shoppers and diners including locals and visitors.
VISIT FRANKLIN
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W H A T Y O U N E E D T O K N O W A B O U T FRANKLIN
HISTORY The city was founded Oct. 26, 1799 by Abram Maury Jr. who named it after Benjamin Franklin, a close friend of Dr. Hugh Williamson, a Continental Congress member and Williamson County’s namesake. It is the county seat. Prior to the Civil War, Williamson County was one of the state’s wealthiest counties The Civil War devastated the city’s mostly agrarian economy. The Nov. 30, 1864 Battle of Franklin, one of the war’s bloodiest, saw 8,000 casualties and the deaths of five Confederate generals. Several of the homes and buildings used as hospitals still stand.
With the advent of historic preservation and establishment of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson the city began to embrace its past in the late 1960s. Since then, historic tourism has grown to be an economic force. The Cool Springs area began to develop in the late 1980s. CoolSprings Galleria opened in 1991. Since then, commercial, residential and corporate development has continued nonstop. The area is now home to several national headquarters, including Nissan North America and Schneider Electric.
Just over 1,500 people lived here in 1870 and the population remained under 10,000 through 1970. It more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, from 20,098 to 41,842. Approximately 78,000 people now call Franklin home and the U.S. Census has ranked Franklin as one of the fastest growing U.S. cities.
GOVERNMENT The Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen, comprised of an elected mayor, four aldermen elected to represent the city’s four political wards and four elected at large, governs the city. Aldermen serve staggered four-year terms, with the mayor and at-large aldermen elected together and ward aldermen elected two years later. The next municipal election is Oct. 22, 2019 to select the mayor and four at-large aldermen. The board meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in the City Hall board room, 109 3rd Avenue S., Franklin.
Franklin’s mayor is Dr. Ken Moore. City Manager Eric Stuckey oversees the city’s 14 professional departments.
Seven of Williamson County’s 12 voting districts -- Districts 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 -- touch the City of Franklin and each district is represented by two county commissioners. The city falls in State Legislative Districts 63 and 65, State Senate District 23, and U.S. Congressional District 7. To learn which city ward you live in, visit www.franklintn.gov/home. To learn what Williamson County voting district you live in, visit www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/40/Election-Commission or call (615) 790-5711.
To learn more about Franklin visit FRANKLINHOMEPAGE.COM
DEPARTMENTS AND SERVICES
Franklin Transit Authority: Provides ADAaccessible public transportation trolley service in and around Franklin and Cool Springs; Transit on DemanD (TODD) service; VanStar service which helps initiate vanpool service, and the Franklin Express, a coach bus service between Franklin and downtown Nashville through the Transportation Management Association (TMA). Free fixed rate route rides for veterans and active military personnel, discounts for seniors and the disabled. www. tmagroup/franklin-transit; (615) 628-0260.
Trash and recycling: The city’s Sanitation and Environmental Services Department provides residential trash pickup, ‘Bluebag’ curbside recycling, and yard and bulk waste within Franklin city limits. www.franklintn.gov/government; (615) 794-1516
Leaf pickup: Leaves are picked up every week between October and early January by the city’s Street Department on designated days by subdivision according to color-coded zones. (615-791-3254). Compost is also available to purchase from the department at
the compost facility, 1116 Incinerator Road. Vouchers must be purchased in advance at the Utility Billing Office, 109 3rd Ave. S. www. franlintn.gov/government; (615) 794-4572
Crime prevention and public safety: The Franklin Police Department provides public safety services within the city limits, while the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department does the same for nearby unincorporated areas. The FPD also oversees the city’s Neighborhood Watch Programs, Citizens’ Police Academy, Franklin Police Explores and offers Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training for women among other community services. www. franklintn.gov/government; (615) 794-2513.
Fire and rescue: The Franklin Police Department has eight strategically located stations which cover the city when fire or other emergencies occur. Community Programs include car seat checks, Citizens’ Fire Academy, CPR classes, fire prevention programs and a speaker’s bureau. www.franklintn.gov/government; (615) 791-3270.
Parks & Recreation: Franklin has more than 700 acres of park land divided into 16 parks including passive, active and historical parks, each with its own character and amenities. Walking and fitness trails, playgrounds, picnic tables and shelter areas, sports fields, skateboarding, disc golf, tennis, and basketball courts are available. City parks are open daily dawn to dusk. The city maintains several access points for those who enjoy canoeing/ kayaking, fishing or swimming on the Harpeth River. The city is also home to several Williamson County Parks & Recreation Department recreation centers, sports complexes and programs. www.franklintn.gov/government; (615) 794-2103; www.wcparksandrec.com.
Library: The main Williamson County Public Library, 1314 Columbia Ave., offers a host of traditional and non-traditional library services including books, reading programs, exercise and wellness programs, art and literary events, book clubs and computer classes for all ages. www.lib.williamson-tn.org; (615) 595-1245.
Newcomer’s Information: The city website provides a one-stop link to information new city residents may need. Visit www.franklintn. gov/our-city/information-for-new-residents. The Franklin Visitor Center, which provides a wealth of information for residents and visitors alike, is located at 400 Main St., Suite 130; www.visitfranklin.com; (615) 591-8514.
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CITY OF FRANKLIN
109 3rd Avenue South Franklin, TN 37064 615-791-3217 www.franklintn.gov
Gateway Village is located at Franklin’s northern city limits, adjacent to Brentwood. It offers apartments, condominiums, restaurants, offices, retail and even a pre-school (left).
Berry Farms, like Gateway Village, is at the edge of Franklin, but at the southern end, offering mixed use housing, restaurants, offices and retail (right).
STEVE HARMAN
Downtown Parking: On-street parking in downtown Franklin is limited to 2 hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, excluding city recognized holidays. Two free parking garages, one on 2nd Avenue, one on Fourth Avenue, offer unlimited free parking. There are also several privately owned paid lots. www.franklintn.gov/our-city/parking-in-franklin; (615)-791-3217. Franklin is home to several private schools, including Battle Ground Academy (K-12 at two campuses), New Hope Academy (PreK-6); Franklin Classical School (K-12). Columbia State Community College has a Franklin campus and Belmont and Lipscomb universities both have a Franklin presence. www.fssd. org, (615) 794-6624; www.wcs.edu, (615)-472-4000.
COMMUNITY EVENTS • Main Street Festival: Largest of several annual street fairs produced by the city and the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. Fourth full weekend in April. Arts & crafts vendors, live entertainment, kids’ zone, food vendors and more. • Wine Down Main Street: Wine-tasting event in downtown Franklin benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin/Williamson County. • Taste of Williamson: Held after hours at CoolSprings Galleria each March, guests can sample cuisine by many of the county’s top restaurants and caterers, as well as wine and other beverages. Benefits United Way of Williamson County. • Parades: Main Street in downtown Franklin features three large public parades each year: Franklin Rodeo Parade (May 11, 2019); Veterans Day Parade (November); Franklin Christmas Parade (Dec. 7, 2019). • Franklin Classic: The city is home to several popular road races, but the Franklin Classic, held each Labor Day (Sept. 2, 2019), attracts a crowd to downtown with a 10K run, 5K run/walk and 1K Kids Fun Run. Live music, kids zone, food vendors and more. Benefits Mercy Community Healthcare.
Education: The Franklin Special School District (FSSD) serves children in grades pre-K-8 that live within the public school district’s boundary, which covers much, but not all, of the City of Franklin. Williamson County Schools provides public pre-K-12 education. WCS high schools serving Franklin are Centennial, Franklin, Independence, Page and Renaissance.
TOP FIVE EMPLOYERS • Williamson County Schools • Community Health Systems • Nissan North America • Williamson Medical Center • Mars Petcare
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