Finance Committee Meeting 9-22-2026 - 6 PM

The City of Franklin Finance Committee met on September 22, 2026, to review the 2025 annual financial report and begin discussion of the 2027 budget. The committee approved a motion to accept the audit report and forward it to the Common Council. Auditors reported an unmodified financial-statement opinion, while noting delayed reconciliations and adjustments; the 2025 federal and state compliance report remained in progress. The committee then reviewed proposed budget and capital items, but did not take final action on the 2027 budget or related purchasing requests.

Capital and public-safety discussions included $355,000 for fire-facility planning, emergency medical dispatch funding in the 2027 capital budget, and a proposed $385,000 lease program covering 25 police vehicles. The police department also discussed replacement motorcycles and ongoing body-camera/Taser costs. A $966,000 radio-system request was moved to 2028, and vehicle safety barriers were excluded from the recommended budget; the department had sought a grant for the barriers, estimated at about $200,000. Fire officials said their request to add one firefighter-paramedic annually for six years was not funded. The committee also discussed possible future fire-service consolidation and funding approaches, but made no policy or procurement decision on those matters.