Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

New Franklin City Manager Rosylen Oglesby introduced to the Franklin City Council on Monday, Oct. 28, the city’s new finance director — Constance “Connie” Barnes.

“She joined the same day I joined the city of Franklin,” said Oglesby, who began her duties as city manager on Sept. 30. “She’s been involved in government for over 30 years, with 15 of those being in local government.”

Oglesby then gave Barnes the opportunity to further introduce herself at the meeting, which was the council’s first since both Oglesby and Barnes had begun their tenures with the city.

Barnes noted that she comes from a different municipality, but she has extensive knowledge of the variety of funding types that local governments deal with regularly.

“I’ve worked with the department of social services, I’ve worked with behavioral health care services as well as for-profit and not-for-profit colleges,” she said. “So I have a wealth of knowledge of federal, state and local funding, a wealth of knowledge for in-kind matches, grants that the city can get to help the citizens, and I spoke with (Ward 4 Councilman) Dr. (Linwood) Johnson at length this past week.”

Barnes said she likes to think outside the box.

She lives in Gates County, North Carolina, but she emphasized that Franklin is the city where residents in that area come to.

She noted that in Franklin, “there’s Lowe’s, Food Lion, Walmart, Tractor Supply, and it serves our needs, so this is where we come.”

She mentioned that she likes the small-town atmosphere of Franklin.

“As a matter of fact, somebody stopped me in Food Lion yesterday and says, ‘Aren’t you the new finance director?’” she said, later adding, “I’m just really, really glad to be here.”

Her educational background is significant, starting with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

“I decided, being an old lady, to go back and get my graduate degree, but one wasn’t enough,” she said.

She earned a master’s degree in business administration with an accounting concentration, and then she earned a Master of Human Resource Management degree.

“Then I was out (of school) six months and decided to go back,” she said. 

She then earned a Master of Accounting and Finance Management degree with concentrations on fraud and auditing.

“So I’m certified to testify in court for embezzlement and fraud and things like that,” she said.

Barnes further highlighted her experience with the department of social services.

“As we know, DSS is a whole different world, dealing with foster children and things like that, as well as (behavioral health services),” she said. “I have quite a few contacts with Western Tidewater (Community Services Board) and some of the other CSBs around, and with those contacts that I have, I’m sure, absolutely sure, and Dr. Johnson will tell you, I know that we can grow this city in a good, positive way, and we can help the citizens of this city in a good, positive way.”

Franklin Mayor Robert “Bobby” Cutchins said, “We just welcome you, and if we can be of assistance, give us a shout.”