Coronavirus relief: How Franklin is spending $10.8 million in CARES, American Rescue Plan funding

Cole Villena, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read
Franklin student Laken Hammond gives a mannequin a haircut, practicing the technique at Franklin Hair Academy, Monday, May 2, 2022.
Franklin student Laken Hammond gives a mannequin a haircut, practicing the technique at Franklin Hair Academy, Monday, May 2, 2022.

Franklin will receive $10.8 million in federal coronavirus relief from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan.

Now it's up to city officials to allocate that money to city departments, local organizations and businesses throughout Franklin. Here's how funds have been allocated so far.

CARES Act

Franklin received $1.21 million in CARES Act funding in 2021.

The largest portion helped pay police and fire department salaries totaling $837,192 during the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.

City employees received a total of $172,161 in funding assistance to help facilitate remote work.

The city spent $125,643 on personal protective equipment such as face masks and an additional $78,641 on other public health expenses. According to a city report, the city utilized just $73 in CARES Act funding on COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

Mark Russell holds a sign during a candlelight vigil at Public Square in Franklin on May 4, 2017. The vigil was held to shine a light on Tennessee residents at risk of losing insurance coverage or facing increased costs as a result of the vote on the American Health Care Act.
Mark Russell holds a sign during a candlelight vigil at Public Square in Franklin on May 4, 2017. The vigil was held to shine a light on Tennessee residents at risk of losing insurance coverage or facing increased costs as a result of the vote on the American Health Care Act.

CARES Act Community Development Block Grants

The Community Development Block Grant program is a federal initiative designed to promote viable urban communities by funding housing and other community support organizations.

Franklin received $322,072 in CARES Act funding for Community Development Block Grants, which was disbursed to local nonprofits and businesses. The largest recipients include:

  • Mercy Community Healthcare: $48,034

  • Franklin Community Development: $43,000

  • Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency: $40,000

  • Franklin Hair Academy: $35,000

  • Columbia State Community College: $25,000

American Rescue Plan Act

The American Rescue Plan will provide a total of $9.25 million to Franklin by the end of May — $1.07 million in funding has been spent as of April 2022.

Eligible city employees, including those who were required to work in-person during the pandemic due to the nature of their jobs (i.e. fire department, police, sanitation and other employees), received premium pay totaling $589,303 across departments.

The city created a new sick day category that city employees could utilize if they were diagnosed with COVID-19. These days were in addition to the city's standard sick day allotment. The initiative was funded by a $268,743 American Rescue Plan allocation.

Franklin saw its hotel and motel tax revenue, which is typically generated by tourism, slashed during the coronavirus pandemic. The city used $214,286 of its American Rescue Plan funding to supplement that lost income and complete the purchase of the Spivey land tract, a historic property being preserved as part of a Civil War battlefield.

The majority of Franklin's American Rescue Plan funding has not been allocated. The city must designate uses for the remaining $8,181,508 by the end of 2024, and must spend the money by the end of 2026.

Potential uses include a parking space counter system for the city's parking decks on 2nd Avenue and 4th Avenue, improvements to the Eastern Flank battlefield park and water and sewer improvements.

Cole Villena covers Williamson County at The Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network — Tennessee. Reach Cole at cvillena@tennessean.com or 615-925-0493. Follow Cole on Twitter at @ColeVillena and on Instagram at @CVinTennessee.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How Franklin is spending $10.8 million in CARES, American Rescue Plan funding