Despite the down economy, the city of Franklin is creating a sustainability commission, and will hire a grant coordinator to gather funding for green initiatives.
It’s part of a broader goal of making Franklin one of the top 25 green cities in the nation. Franklin officials say they can reach that because of the city’s education and affluence levels.
Some in Franklin’s government had misgivings over the potential cost of greening the city. But Assistant City Administrator Vernon Gerth says many such programs will actually save money. Take waste reduction:
“If we can develop a recycling program and reduce the amount of tonnage – waste – that’s currently being picked up by our waste department fleet and then transferred to Rutherford County, we’re going to save on fuel and labor and shipping charges.”
Right now the city collects garbage and drives it to a central transfer station; it’s then sent to a landfill near Murfreesboro, where the city pays to dump it.
EXTRA:
The city’s new community action plan.
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