Franklin Newsletter
December, 2005

Annual Meeting & Chili Feed

This is your official notice of the Annual Meeting of the Members of the Franklin Community Council.  The meeting will be held at the Community Center, 701 S. Broadway, Franklin, Kansas, at 7 p.m.  on January 12, 2006.    Purpose of the meeting is to elect board members (nominations will be accepted from the floor) and any other business that comes before the board.  Plan now to attend.    Be an active participant in your community.   We welcome everyone.  

Registration of members will begin at 5:30.   Chili feed will begin at that time.  Business meeting will begin promptly at 7 pm.  All members are welcome to attend the annual meeting and are urged to attend.   All members will be allowed to participate in the business session of the annual meeting.  If you plan to attend the chili feed please RSVP by either sending the form on the back of this newsletter or calling 347-4220 and leaving a message by stating your name and how many people will be attending. 

We extend an invitation to you to attend the 2nd annual meeting and exercise your right to vote.    

Action to be taken at annual meeting includes a report by committee chairpersons; changes to by-laws; election of 4 directors, committee appointments; discussion on annexation to Arma, Post Office situation and any other business which may come before the council.

In connection with the election of directors scheduled for the meeting, the following members have been nominated by the nominating committee:
Completion of Tammy Wayman’s term -  Nominees are:   Marilyn Smardo
Three Year Term - Nominees are:  Frances O’Blak, Mary Ann Hamblin and Ted Wynn

Nominations will also be accepted from the floor by any member. 4 directors will be elected

Please make plans to attend this very important meeting.

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WELCOME  SIGN:   We have received many comments on the lighting of the Welcome Sign at the corner of 69 and 47.   It is highly visible and has generated many compliments. 

 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS:  Hope everyone has enjoyed the Christmas lights at the corner of 69 and 47 and on the shelter of the park.   Perhaps each year the display can grow.   We welcome any ideas or donations toward those projects.   Thanks to Melvin Patrick,  Ray Hamblin and Craig Stokes for the present displays.   Also thanks to the many residents who have decorated their homes for the Christmas season. They are a beautiful display.

ENDOWMENT FUND:  Much interest has been shown in the endowment fund.  This will ensure that Franklin has the proper funding to continue it’s activities, etc. for years to come.    The money is placed in a secure account with Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas.   Families of several deceased Franklin residents have left donations in their memory to the endowment fund as well as individuals who currently have an interest in seeing to the future of the community have given donations to the fund.   This month’s donors to the endowment fund include: Don Kranker family and Robert Luth.  Remember that anyone can make a donation to the endowment fund.  With an initial donation of $100 a fund is set up in your name or your family’s name and a plaque is placed in the community center.   The fund can be added to at any time and is an especially nice way to remember a family on special occasions such as date of birth, wedding anniversary, date of death, etc.  

COMMUNITY CENTER:   The community center has been the location of many events.  It has been used for a community polka party, the local rural volunteer fire department meeting, Medicare Part D information sessions, baby showers, wedding showers, church events, birthday parties and more.  If you would like to rent the center for any occasion please call Dianna at 347-4220 or 347-8807.

DEBT:  We have a remaining debt of $68,702.79 from the community center building project.   Many, many volunteer hours have gone into seeing all the projects completed.   The park has been built entirely through donations as well as the welcome sign area.  Maintenance on these projects is also volunteer.  Franklin can be proud of the high level of volunteerism that  takes care of these projects.   If you could like to be a part of any of this please attend our annual meeting or any of the monthly meetings.  You can also contact a board member to volunteer or donate.   Watch the sign board at the community park for dates of meetings and other announcements.   We will be having many fund raising events in the near future.   Watch the area in front of the community center for information.  Donations and volunteers are most welcome.  We are working continuously to see that the tradition of community and family events will continue in Franklin.  The discussion board on the Morning Sun website is full of compliments toward our community and the new center.    Our heartfelt thanks to all who have volunteered or donated thus far.  Please help us with paying off this debt in any way you can.  Donations can be sent directly to: FCCI, P.O. Box 43, Franklin, Ks. 66735.       

PARK:  The footings have been dug for the paver project.   As soon as weather permits the work will progress.  It’s been a wonderful site to drive by the park and see children playing on the playground equipment. 

PAVERS:  Don’t forget to order your pavers for the park.  This is an on-going project.  They are a nice way to leave a permanent marker for your family, school class, business, organization, memorial or whatever you choose.     Costs will be going up after the first of the year.  This is due to an increase from the manufacturer.   Get your orders in before the end of the year.  These would make a nice gift for the holidays.

Many have asked about the design of the pavers.   If you have visited the Veterans Memorial by Pitt State College you will see exactly how the pavers will look.  They are made by the same company and will be exactly like those.    A few park benches are still available for $100.    These also make nice gifts for the holidays.   Call 347-8387.  Soon we will have a box at the park that will hold paver forms and endowment fund information. Watch your  newsletter for more information on this.   

SEWER:    Easement signing for the sewer project was held at the new community center.  If you missed any of these sessions please contact Craig Stokes at 620-347-8519 to set up a time to sign your easement.  This will help speed up the process.   

WEBSITE:  The website continues to be visited frequently.  Many new photos have been added as well as historic photos.  Thanks to those who have sent in photos or brought them by to be copied.  It will make a nice history of the community.   The photos are placed on the website and many are used in the historic photo project at the community center.

You can visit the website for all the current information, photos of the community (past and present), community center rental information and much more.   www.franklinkansas.com

HERITAGE:  The history project is nearing completion.  There is still time to be interviewed for the project. If you would like to be interviewed please call Margaret 347-4358 or Norine 347-4453.

VETERANS:  We will be making a display of photos of veterans who have lived in Franklin.  If you have a photo of you or a loved one we would like to copy it for display in the new community center. Please contact Phyllis at 347-8387.

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I/We plan to attend the Annual Chili Feed on January 12 at 5:30 pm.

Number attending  ______________


__________________________________________________________________________
Signature:

Return with your water bill, call 347-4220 and leave a message with name and number of people attending, or mail this form to:
FCCI
P.O. Box 43
Franklin, Ks. 66735


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