News Summary

FRANKLIN — A deal for a natural gas pipeline that will pass through property owned by Franklin, Carlisle and Germantown mounted one hurdle.

Rockies Express Pipeline plans to install the line near the borders of the property off Ohio 122, which is owned by the Franklin Regional Wastewater Treatment Corp.

Franklin City Council unanimously approved the deal Monday, May 6. The agreement will go before Carlisle City Council next week.

Insurance changes

After briefly discussing medical, dental and life insurance changes, City Council unanimously agreed to switch to Anthem insurance.

The move will avoid a 30 percent increase in cost that the city would have incurred had it stayed with its old provider. Under the new plan with Anthem, the city will experience a 5 percent increase, including dental and life insurance.

The change also will increase deductible charges and other costs to city employees.

Court support

Transferring Franklin Municipal Court's caseload to Warren County's court system in Lebanon could have the support of a state legislator.

In closing remarks at the Monday council meeting, Councilman Jason Faulkner said he met with Republican state Rep. Shannon Jones.

According to Faulkner, Jones said she would support transferring the court if Franklin and Warren County officials agreed to it.

The study of the possible move hit a bump when county commissioners said in an open meeting April 22 that they would not want to take over the court if doing so would cost the county any money.

A group studying the feasibility of the change was scheduled to meet again this week, but that meeting has been postponed until Warren County officials could calculate the estimated cost of taking over Franklin's court.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or mengle@coxohio.com.

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