By Sarah Michalos, Daily Journal of Johnson county staff writer
Franklin officials have decided to hire a lobbying firm to chase federal funds, a change from a decision made earlier in the year.
City council members approved hiring Baker & Daniels Consulting at a cost of $4,000 per month to lobby on the city's behalf.
The firm will seek funding for the downtown gateway project, a plan to relocate businesses damaged in the June flood and a flood mitigation ditch, Mayor Fred Paris said.
In January, Paris discouraged the city from hiring a lobbyist because of uncertainty surrounding federal earmarks and because of the cost to taxpayers, but now he says lobbyists are needed to bring federal money to the city.
Franklin has hired a flood recovery coordinator who also sifts through grants the city is interested in, but that person isn't doing the same job a lobbyist would, Paris said.
While the coordinator takes the first look at the grants, lobbyists from the firm will complete the paperwork and travel to Washington to meet with members of Congress.
A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence state or federal legislators on behalf of a special interest, such as a city or town.
Both Greenwood and Johnson County have hired lobbyists this year to help fund projects such as a third Interstate 65 interchange and a proposed east-west corridor across the county.
Part of the reason the city decided to hire Baker & Daniels is because an annual contract is not required, Paris said. The city will pay monthly for the firm's services and can terminate the agreement after giving 30 days' notice if they aren't satisfied, he said.
Money from the city's professional services budget will be used to pay the monthly fee.
The company has put together a proposal that details how they'll seek grant money, Paris said. One project identified by the city as a priority is getting businesses that were damaged during the June flood out of the floodplain.
Another project lobbyists will pursue funding for is a flood mitigation ditch that will help divert water away from downtown, Paris said. A related project is a complete study on the watershed of Youngs Creek, which runs just to the south of downtown Franklin.
Paris also has selected the city's gateway project as a possible recipient of grant money. The project includes beautifying a main entrance to the city stretching from Interstate 65 to downtown by adding trees, sidewalks, an archway and other landscape features.
"We want to take the gateway project from concept to design," Paris said. "It's going to cost $1.5 million to design, and we want to see if that can be incorporated into a (federal) transportation plan."
The mayor also wants to see County Road 525, which connects to the city's tech park on the east side, widened to handle traffic from large equipment.
Council members didn't vote on hiring a lobbying firm when the proposal was discussed in January but agreed with the mayor that the city should spend conservatively during an economic recession.