The New Franklin City Council voted to approve its contract with the Howard County Sheriff for 2022 at its regular monthly meeting on Monday, December 13. 

Four members of the council were present. Marybeth Sokolski and James Painter were not in attendance. 

City Administrator/Clerk Melissa Crowley reported to Mayor Robbie Harvey and council members that she, with the assistance of City Attorney Greg Robinson, had added a paragraph in the contract with the Howard County Sheriff’s department allowing for the city to cover the costs of vehicle maintenance and insurance. 

She stated she had contacted the Sheriff’s office to request the amount for the insurance but had not received a figure by the time of the meeting. 

The council voted unanimously to approve the addition of the clause as the contract takes effect January 1. New Franklin has a year-to-year contract with the Howard County Sheriff.

The council also reviewed the new waste collection contract with T-Mac Solid Waste Inc., which is also set to begin in January 2022. The council discussed whether the city should provide trash cans for citizens, as the current provider will retrieve its cans at the end of the current contract. 

Crowley cautioned the council members that the city could end up “buying trash cans every day of the week. We have Waste Management trash cans stolen all the time.” Mayor 

Harvey added that T-Mac does not require customers to use a trash can. “They don’t have the arm that picks up the can,” and manually pick up the bags. 

The new service rate for customers would be $15.40, starting next year, which includes the city’s 10-percent processing fee. 

The New Franklin city council meets regularly at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month. Meetings are open and the public is invited.