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Ward 1 Councilman Mark R. Kitchen advocated on behalf of his ward during the Franklin City Council’s July 25 meeting, asking for more amenities and resources in Ward 1 while also complimenting city staff for the responsiveness it had already shown to his requests issued the prior week.

He opened his comments by noting that all of the council’s members received the email message regarding street paving on the south side of the city.

“We have several citizens of Ward 1 here tonight, and not a week goes by that at least twice I don’t get asked, ‘When do the citizens of Ward 1 get the amenities and the resources of other wards?’” he said.

The amenities that Kitchen is interested in include neighborhood revitalization, streetlights, curbs, gutters, cameras, street paving and also an outdoor basketball court.

“So I know this is grant money we’re talking about, but my people are asking me, ‘With the taxes we pay, when do we get anything?’” Kitchen said.

He mentioned having a meeting with Franklin City Manager Amanda C. Jarratt the week prior.

“I expressed that, in my opinion, we represent our wards, and our wards represent us, so I try to get as many amenities as I feel like we deserve,” he said.

He noted that after this meeting, he has seen improvement in the state of some of the roads in his ward, including Old Sedley Road and Bobwhite Lane.

“So I trust you 100% that you’ll try to make things equal and just, all throughout the city, not just two or three different wards,” Kitchen said to Jarratt. “Thank you for your efforts.”