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The city of Franklin will be operating this year with a revised budget calendar, which was recommended Monday, Feb. 26, by City Manager Amanda C. Jarratt in light of the forthcoming departures of herself and Director of Finance Rachel Trollinger.

Jarratt and Trollinger submitted resignations in February, with Jarratt’s becoming effective Tuesday, March 26, and Trollinger’s becoming effective Thursday, March 28.

The Franklin City Council voted 5-0 on Feb. 26 to adopt the revised budget calendar.

Ward 3 Councilman Gregory McLemore abstained, and Ward 2 Councilman Ray Smith was not present at the meeting.

Prior to the vote, Jarratt summarized the rationale behind the revised calendar and what some of the key changes would be.

“As a result of my departure and the departure of the finance director, it seems that it would be in the best interest that we change the budget calendar,” she said. 

“So as you all are aware, previously we’ve had a May adoption of the budget,” she continued. “It’s mandatory that you adopt a budget by June 30, and so the draft that’s before you to consider would just move everything back a bit, so that would give you time to get additional staff in place but still leave you within the statutory guidelines.”

The revised calendar has the fiscal year 2024-25 school board budget being submitted to the city manager on Monday, March 18.

Jarratt noted that the calendar would move the City Council’s final joint budget work session with the Franklin City School Board back to Thursday, April 11, a prospective change she said she had spoken about with Franklin City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Carlton Carter during the week of Feb. 18-24.

The revised calendar moves the public hearing on the proposed FY 2024-25 city budget to Monday, May 13. On that date, the council will also consider action on the school board budget.

Jarratt said the revised calendar schedules adoption of the city budget for Monday, June 10, “which still gives you a buffer of one additional meeting, should you need it.

“So again, you’re required to have the budget adopted by June 30, but there’s so much behind-the-scenes work that has to happen with the development of the book and the printing of that book and the delivery,” she continued. 

“The other thing that we’re waiting on are the results of the reassessment, which we don’t anticipate until mid-to-later March, and so changing this calendar just slows it down a bit to allow all that information to be collected, analyzed and presented to you all,” she added.

“So our recommendation would be that you all adopt this revised budget calendar,” she said.

Ward 4 Councilman Dr. Linwood Johnson made the lone comment from council members on the calendar when he indicated that he agreed with adopting it due to the time it will take to put together the needed budget information.