The Town of Franklinton Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday night to adopt resolutions to roll forward millage rates as set by state law.

The general alimony and streets and drainage millages will roll forward from 7.13 mills to 7.24 mills. Police ad valorem millages will roll forward from 5.10 mills to 5.18 mills.

“We are increasing our millage rates. It averages out to about $1.25 per resident per year,” Mayor Pro-tem T.J. Butler Jr. said.

Butler presided over the meeting in the absence of Mayor Wayne Fleming.

City Clerk Merty Fitzmorris broke it down further.

“This will give us about $6,000 tax revenue per year divided among the three departments,” Fitzmorris said. “Last year we were unable to roll forward due to a technicality with advertising, but this year the town will roll forward to rates not to exceed the prior year’s maximum, which is set by the State of Louisiana.”

In other business, aldermen approved a recommendation of the Zoning Commission to accept re-subdivision of lot 10A in the Industrial Park into three lots as requested by lot owners Michael Horning and Paul Williamson. Aldermen approved a resolution to cancel the right of first refusal and authorized Fleming to sign the resolution.

Also, aldermen approved a request by Fire Chief Chad Manning to purchase airbags. The department has $30,000 in insurance rebates, and the airbags are expected to cost approximately $29,000.

“We have quite a bit of equipment. Maybe that is why we’ve got a good rating,” Butler said.

The Board of Aldermen also approved alcohol permit renewal requests from Franklinton’s Grill and Market Max.

Additionally, the board heard from Franklinton Farmers Market volunteer manager Florence Manning. She informed the board of a bill that was recently passed in the Louisiana legislative session that affected the market.

Manning cited HB 1270 that said public health home cooks can now prepare and sell baked goods, pickles and other “low risk” foods without the need for state kitchen inspections.

“This new law does not apply to anyone in the retail business, but to home cooks,” Manning said. “Also, there must be a label affixed to the product indicating that the food was not produced in a licensed or regulated facility.”

Manning said some of the products now allowed to be sold at the Farmers Market include baked goods, such as breads, cakes, cookies and pies. Other allowed items include candies and dried mixes, honey and honeycomb products, jams, jellies and preserves, pickles and pickled foods, sauces and syrups, various spices and boiled peanuts.

“This new law will improve our selling capacity and add to what our vendors may sell,” Manning said.