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City of Frankfort Mayor

Frankfort to Prepare Replacement Plan for Street Warning Signs

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The "School Zone" sign in the photo could become one of the 3,500 street warning signs that would be replaced if the city receives a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation. (Photo/Brett W. Todd)

FRANKFORT, Ind. (April 24, 2024) – Frankfort Street Department Superintendent Jason Forsythe is hopeful the next few months of work will result in a $1million grant to replace warning signs – stop signs, yield signs, white and yellow signs – throughout the city.

Forsythe was given approval by the Board of Works (BOW) Monday to begin the process to work with representatives from Butler Fairman & Seufert (BF&S) to inventory all those signs and develop a cost associated for their replacement – something that presents a challenge as the project future start date could be four to five years out and the need to project what signs might cost in the future.

The grant is made available by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) via the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The grant is 90-percent, 10-percent – leaving the city to budget for the 10-percent.

“This is a long process,” said Chris Milne, GIS Manager for BF&S.

Milne noted the application is due by the end of November 2024, early December 2024 with announcement of the awarded grants in Spring 2025 with programs beginning four to five years out.

Milne provided the city has “a significant amount of signs.”

After the meeting, Forsythe shared he thought the number of signs that would be included in this grant to approach 3,500 with a sign replacement cost of $1million to 1.2million with the city needing to budget approximately $100,000 for its contribution after the grant is applied.

The completed grant application will also include BF&S developing a web-based sign management asset tool allowing the city to track replacement of signs moving forward regardless of the grant being awarded.

The BOW unanimously approved moving forward with the grant application and web tool with BF&S with an upfront cost not to exceed $10,000 which will be billed hourly.

Frankfort Summer Concert Series Dates and Sapphire Bay Opening Announced

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Frankfort Summer Concert Series Dates and Sapphire Bay Opening Announced

FRANKFORT, Ind. (April 22, 2024) – The City of Frankfort has announced its full list of free concerts and events for all ages activities for the Summer 2024 season – kicking off the concert series on May 9th.

The Frankfort Parks Department has scheduled Memorial Day weekend for the opening of the Prairie Creek Park Splash Pad, the TPA Park Aviary & Petting Zoo, and Sapphire Bay at TPA Park.

Summer Events include:
• 5/09/24 Downtown TuneNight – Grace Scott Band
• 5/11/24 Summer Concert – Will Cullen followed by Cadillac Groove
• 5/17/24 Summer Concert – Josh Melton
• 5/18/24 Circle Park Bicycle Race @ Circle Park
• 6/07/24 Movie in the Park – Elemental
• 6/13/24 Downtown TuneNight – Nauti Yachtys
• 6/22/24 Summer Concert – Gem City Driffers followed by Gone 2 Paradise
• 6/29/24 Summer Concert – 90 Proof followed by Cook & Belle
• 7/04/24 July 4th Festival at TPA Park with Midnight Redeye and Levi Riggs
• 7/12/24 Movie in the Park – Wonka
• 8/02/24 Movie in the Park – Aquaman 2
• 8/08/24 Downtown TuneNight – Feudin’ Hillbillies
• 8/17/24 Summer Concert – Johnny Russler & the Beach Bums
• 8/24/24 Summer Concert – City Lites followed by Southern Accents
• 9/12/2 Downtown TuneNight – Moon Cats
• 9/13/2 Movie in the Park – Coco
• 9/21/24 RAICES Festival – Experience Latin America
• 9/28/24 Summer Concert – Oh Yes followed by Malachi Jaggers

Bud McQuade Named Frankfort Building Inspector, Former HPC Chair

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Bud McQuade was named Frankfort, Indiana building inspector during a September 25, 2023, meeting of the city's Board of Works meeting. McQuade begins October 2nd. (Photo CSF)

FRANKFORT, Ind. (September 25, 2023) – Mayor Judy Sheets has named James (Bud) McQuade as the city building inspector upon approval of the Board of Works (BOW) during Monday’s meeting.

McQuade had served as the chair of the Historic Preservation Commission until Mayor Sheets dissolved the HPC at the September 11 city council meeting – all enforcement of city historic standards and city building ordinances will now be enforced by McQuade.

Currently working for Structure Point as a construction project manager, McQuade will officially take on the city job October 2nd – he previously served as building inspector when Don Stock was mayor.

McQuade is excited to get started and sees his role as building inspector to help safeguard residents.

“I am excited about it,” McQuade said after the BOW meeting. “I have been a former city building inspector – I still feel I want to be part of the city’s growth, the vision going forward. This is a new, old chapter for me.

“My main concern is going out to make sure things are being built appropriately – to help safeguard the residents, the owners that they are being taken care of adequately.”

When asked how the enforcement of the city’s historic standards, he described a change in how it is approached.

“It’s not a thing of the past, but of the evolving future,” McQuade elaborated. “So, whether or not we’re going to be changing things – we’re just going to be changing how we approach and go from there.”

Mayor Sheets spoke of McQuade’s experience and knowledge of the city building and historic district codes.

“I’m excited to have Bud on our team – I believe he brings a lot to the table; he comes with a lot of experience,” Mayor Sheets shared after the meeting.

“I think it is going to be very beneficial to the city, because he is very much aware. He worked with those standards all those times while he was on the HPC. So, I think he brings a lot of expertise in that way as well. He genuinely cares about the historic districts and knows the importance of them.”

McQuade becomes the second Community Schools of Frankfort School Board member to also work as a city department head – Joel Tatum is the other and is the city parks superintendent.

‘Throwing The Baby Out With The Bath Water,’ Mayor Ends HPC

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A Christian Ridge Historic District marker sits atop street intersection signs in Frankfort, Indiana. Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets got what she wanted during the September City Council meeting held Monday evening - the elimination of the Historic Preservation Commission on a 5-2 vote. The enforcement of historic standards in the three historic districts now falls on the city building inspector. (Photo Brett W. Todd)

FRANKFORT, Ind. (September 12, 2023) – Mayor Judy Sheets got what she wanted during the September City Council meeting held Monday evening – the elimination of the Historic Preservation Commission on a 5-2 vote.

Councilman Clarence Warthan and Brandt Fuller voted against the ordinance to immediately dissolve the HPC and place the policing of historic standards onto the city building inspector – the city currently does not have a building inspector.

The mayor had previously said the HPC was “keeping us from getting work done and they only meet once a month”

During public comments prior to the vote, Reverend Philip Jordan addressed the council encouraging the members to vote in favor of ending the HPC.

Rev. Jordan, who has owned a home for 27-years and situated within a historic district, spoke of having the painting of his home halted by the HPC – describing the experience as feeling much like a “gross over-reach into our personal lives.”

Tommy Kleckner, director of Indiana Landmarks for the Western Region, explained the city’s ordinance that formed the HPC is based on Indiana state law and lacks essential updates the state has made. And, updating the city ordinance would allow the commission to have the proper tools to serve the community.

Kleckner equated the dissolving of the HPC without first addressing the underlying fixes amounts to “throwing the baby out with the bath water.”

Bud McQuade also addressed the council. McQuade, who served as the chair of the HPC and served as building inspector when Don Stock was mayor, took his allotted 3-minutes to speak to a one-page summary of suggested ideas to improve the efficiency of the commission – “more fluid, more receptive to the needs of the city and the citizen.”

Prior to the close of the council meeting, councilman Steve Beardsley asked the mayor to “appoint a taskforce to look at historic districts to honor what we said tonight which is we do not want a gap in this.” Beardsley suggested two names to the mayor upon request, Stock and McQuade.

After the meeting the mayor was asked the taskforce suggestion and what might a timeline look like to having this in place.

“I haven’t even really thought of a timetable, but counselor Beardsley asked me to put a committee together – so I am going to be working on that. It’s something I thought about anyway even before this because I had no idea what would happen tonight – I was just waiting to see what they said.”

The mayor was asked – you were really surprised? – “I really did not know. I hadn’t had any conversation with any of the counselors.” The mayor acknowledged that she did not speak to any members of the HPC prior to introducing the ordinance in August.

As the city is without a building inspector and the job posting has recently been removed from the city website, the mayor was asked of the status and if someone has been hired.

“We have not hired anyone,” the mayor said. When asked about applicants and interviewing, the mayor said, “We have interviewed some people. We just have not made a decision.”

When might a decision be made?

“I say probably in the next couple of weeks we will know something,” said the mayor.

Joel Tatum Gets Second Chance As Frankfort Parks Department Superintendent

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File photo: Tatum (left) is sworn-in as a member of the Community Schools of Frankfort School Board in this August 9, 2022, photo. Tatum was introduced as the new Frankfort Parks Department Superintendent via an August 1, 2023, City press release. (Photo by Brett W. Todd)

FRANKFORT, Ind. (August 2, 2023) – Joel Tatum gets a second chance as Frankfort Parks Department Superintendent. According to a City issued press release August 1, Tatum will take the helm beginning Monday, August 7, 2023.

Tatum had previously served in that role; however, was dismissed in 2017 after being accused of a “material breach” of “internal controls” by current Mayor Judy Sheets – then-Clerk-Treasurer – and her predecessor according to an October 2017 City press release. The statement included that Tatum was offered a different position with the Parks Department, but declined and was terminated.

“As Clerk-Treasurer, it was my responsibility to require all City employees to attend internal control standards training which was completed by December 31, 2016. Because of the ordinance in effect, we had guidelines to follow. Ultimately, we are examining this matter because Frankfort’s foundation is built on sound leadership standards,” then-Clerk-Treasurer Sheets said in the 2017 press release.

Details surrounding the outing of Tatum centered around allegations of his handling of money – from keeping money in “coffee cans” in the Parks Department office, to depositing “a portion of the accumulated cash collections from the vending machines” in a “bank account in his name only” to deposits “not made timely” to receipts “not dated as to when funds were collected” – as described by an audit performed by the Indiana State Board of Accounts (SBOA).

In addition to the handling of money, concern was raised of Tatum’s selling-and-buying of zoo animals. An item addressed by now-Mayor Sheets in a February 2018 WBAA article stating, “City Clerk-Treasurer Judy Sheets says Tatum also used animals from the TPC [sic] Park petting zoo as a kind of currency.”

“During the investigation, it was brought to our attention that animals had been taken to some sort of an animal auction,” Sheets says. “I just don’t even know for sure which one it was taken to – the superintendent at the time and another employee took those animals and sold some of the animals and then came back with some other animals.”

The SBOA “requested that Tatum close the bank account and remit the revenues generated from vending machine sales to the Clerk-Treasurer. A cashier’s check in the amount of $1,613.48 was remitted to the Clerk-Treasurer on November 27, 2017.”

No criminal charges were filed against Tatum.

According to the present-day press release, Mayor Sheets has confidence in Tatum’s abilities.

“I have a vision for our City parks, and I know Joel will be a great addition to our leadership team. I am confident in Joel’s abilities, and I know he will work to make all of our parks become a more significant asset in our community. I look forward to the future of our City parks,” stated Mayor Sheets.

Tatum is currently a member of the Community Schools of Frankfort School Board.

Planned Cradle-to-Career Tech Center Scaled Back

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The planned Cradle-to-Career Tech Center planned to be built on land owned by the Community Schools of Frankfort will be scaled back due to funding. The Center is planned to be built on land where the current bus garage is located - the far left in image.

FRANKFORT, Ind. (May 10, 2023) – The planned Cradle-to-Career Tech Center to be located on land owned by the Community Schools of Frankfort (CSF) – where the current bus garage is located – will be scaled down from $22 million to $10 to $12 million according to CSF Superintendent Dr. Matt Rhoda in comments made after Tuesday’s CSF school board meeting.

“We determined we needed to scale the project down – pretty much in half – so we are going to scale down the $22 million, down to $10 to $12 million,” said Dr. Rhoda. “And, we are looking at trying to find funding to hire a fundraiser as well as a grant writer to really spearhead and brainstorm. We are not able, all of us have full time jobs – we are not able to get out and knock on doors and get decision makers from businesses and industry in front of our presentation with the frequency we thought we would be able to do.”

The decision was made after a meeting was held Monday with project stakeholders. Dr. Rhoda said some of those in attendance included Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets, County Council representative Carol Price as well as all four county school superintendents.

“We have been able to talk to NHK. We have talked to Frito Lay, but the people in charge of the money are in Plano, Texas. So we want to have someone who can spearhead this. Would be great to have someone who is both a grant writer and fundraiser. And, we will be looking to raise money to pay for that.”

Dr. Rhoda provided an update on fundraising activities.

“Between the City and County each donating $250,000 and IU Health – they are just about at a million, about $750,000. We have the READI grant, which need to have MOU’s from the schools and resolutions from the City and County by the end of June.”

The facility will be scaled back as well prioritizing the programs offered will need addressed.

“We will scale down the vocational side, scale down the early learning side – mainly not as many labs and pathways going in there. We really need to look at what do want to put in there first. And, what can the early learning side do to still satisfy help our community with childcare. The early learning side is really a small component – the vocational side is where the majority of the cost is going.”

IVY Tech remains key according to Dr. Rhoda.

“We won’t be able to do it without IVY Tech. IVY Tech is a main ingredient, both with what they can do for supporting our kids in pathways and dual enrollment classes as well as what they can do by coming-in in the evenings to train adults for our local industry.”

The building of a facility might be as much as 36-months out; however, Dr. Rhoda sees a 12-month goal for the project being hiring someone to lead fundraising and grant writing.

“Over the course of the next year we want to close to that target, but we have got to get someone to help us with that because more time needs to be spent on relationships with our industry and business leaders to be able get then to come-in and get excited about this and want to be able contribute to the project.”

A signing ceremony for all stakeholders will take place on June 7th at 6pm at the CSF administration building – this is being conducted to satisfy a condition of the READI grant.

7th Grader Designs New City of Frankfort Flag, Will Fly at Prairie Creek Park

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7th Grader Redmon Porter (right) presents Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets with the new city flag he designed. The flag will fly at Prairie Creek Park. (Photo: City of Frankfort)

FRANKFORT, Ind. (April 13, 2023) – Frankfort will have a new city flag flying at Prairie Creek Park – thanks to 7th grader Redmon Porter according to a city press release.

Porter recently presented Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets with the new flag in her office at Old Stoney.

Porter, who spends spends most of his time between Frankfort and Cartersville, GA, has always had a love for flags and logos. Porter stated flags are a way to unite people and communities.

“I think city flags or flags, in general, are important,” remarked Porter. “They can unite people and give people pride. I believe it is extremely important in Frankfort. Frankfort is trying to rebuild, and I think it is important to have a symbol of city pride that can unite. A united community improves a rebuilding city because citizens are more likely to feel more connected.”

Porter began his design of flags and logos in 2020 with a design for Cartersville, GA. Redman has designed flags for every city in his home county in Georgia with Adairsville selecting his design to fly.

In February of 2023, Redman emailed Mayor Sheets with his design and she responded.

“He did such a great job with the design and explained the importance of a city flag and how it represents Frankfort in his email. There are so many creative people, including the youth in our community,” stated Mayor Judy Sheets. “I can’t wait for everyone to see our flag flying at Prairie Creek Park.”

In addition to Frankfort, Porter has designed flags for other communities in Georgia and Indiana and he awaits feedback from them. Porter is awaiting word from other communities in Georgia and Indiana on the designs he has created for those various communities.

Porter shared the meaning and symbols of the City of Frankfort Flag:
• Light blue represents the Frankfort Lagoons
• Dark blue represents Prairie Creek that runs through downtown Frankfort
• White represents the City’s brightness to the new electric era
• Diamond represents Frankfort’s nickname – Gem City

The City of Frankfort Awarded $323,805 For Paving

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The City of Frankfort was awarded $323,805 for paving during 2023. The award comes from a 50-50 matching grant with the State and INDOT, Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG).

FRANKFORT, Ind. (April 13, 2023) – The City of Frankfort was informed Wednesday Governor Holcomb and INDOT awarded Frankfort $323,805 from the Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG). The city shared this information to media today.

Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets along with members of the Board of Public Works, City Council, and Street Superintendent Jason Forsythe approved the total of $648,805 for an additional five paving projects for 2023 during meetings earlier in the year. CCMG is a 50-50 matching grant.

The following paving projects will include the following:
• East Clinton Street from Clay Street to Fudge Avenue
• South First Street from White Street to West Walnut Street
• East Ohio Street from Crescent to Kelly Avenue
• McClurg Street from Myrtle Avenue to Rossville Avenue
• Clinton Drive from Fudge Avenue to Maish Road

“This is always great news for Frankfort to receive the first round of the Community Crossing Grant for 2023,” said Mayor Sheets in the press release. “Jason Forsythe works hard to put the grant together and ensure we receive funds to help pave more roadways in Frankfort. Thank you, Jason, for all of your hard work,” said Mayor Judy Sheets. “Every year, more and more communities know about the grant, so it is exciting when we are awarded the 50/50 match.”

The City officials, including Mayor Judy Sheets and Superintendent Forsythe, are working on the planning process. Request for bids and proposals will be available later this spring. CCMG provides funding to cities, towns, and counties across Indiana to improve local roads and bridges. This program is a partnership between the Indiana Department of Transportation and Indiana communities to invest in infrastructure projects that advance economic development, job creation, and local transportation.

Tornado Warning Alert Test Scheduled

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Clinton County Central Dispatch will participate is a statewide tornado siren test on Tuesday, March 14 at approximately 10am as part of Severe Weather Preparedness week, March 12-18.

FRANKFORT, Ind. – The week of March 12 – 18, 2023 is Sever Weather Preparedness Week in the state of Indiana according to a media release issued by Renee Crick, Director of Clinton County Central Dispatch (CCCD).

The release states on Tuesday, March 14 at approximately 10:15am, the National Weather Service will issue a test tornado warning alert, which will be shared through most notification systems. Clinton County will participate in the statewide test by conducting a full activation of the tornado weather sirens in Clinton County.

Now is a good time to talk with your family about what to do in the event of severe weather. A Tornado Watch means conditions are possible; it does not mean a tornado will occur. A Tornado Warning is issued when a tornado is imminent. When a Tornado Warning is issued, seek safe shelter immediately.

Remember that tornado sirens do not provide coverage for all areas. The tornado sirens are meant to be heard outside and cannot be relied on if you are indoors. Having a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio is highly recommended. Many people silence their phones at night, but the weather radio will sound when a warning is issued.

Crick reminds the community CCCD offers a free service, Nixle, that sends out mass notifications regarding events happening in Clinton County such as severe weather, road closures due to construction or accidents. The Nixle notifications can be received via your smartphone by downloading the free app, Everbridge.

State of Indiana Calls Clinton County & Frankfort Opioid Settlement Plan a “Model Communities Should Replicate”

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Members of Clinton County’s Opioid Settlement Funding Committee present their plan to members of the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on February 3, 2023. Photo provided by Clinton County Government. Pictured (left to right): Commissioner Jordan Brewer, Councilman Alan Dunn, Lorra Archibald, Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets

FRANKFORT, Ind. (February 28, 2023) – The State of Indiana invited members of Clinton County’s Opioid Settlement Funding Committee to present their plan to the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder in Indianapolis on February 3, 2023. State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said she was “absolutely blown away” with their plan.

Indiana will receive $507 million as a part of the $26 billion national settlement with Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen – the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – and Johnson & Johnson, which manufactured and marketed opioids. Clinton County will receive a total of $697,445.39 in annual allocations through 2038. The City of Frankfort will receive a total of $386,386.84. Both received their first installments in December according to a media release from Clinton County government.

“Clinton County and the City of Frankfort have worked hand-in-hand on our settlement plan, pooling our allocations and sharing our resources to more effectively touch the lives of those affected by substance use disorder,” says Lorra Archibald, committee chair and Executive Director of Healthy Communities of Clinton County. “It made no sense to work in silos and risk duplicating efforts.”

Restricted funds must be spent on evidence-based prevention, treatment, recovery, harm reduction, behavioral health workforce, enforcement, jail treatment, recovery residences, and other services. Clinton County’s committee has earmarked dollars to be spent on such things as crisis intervention training, support for new and expectant mothers with substance use disorders, peer recovery coach programs, installation of Naloxone boxes, and vape detectors in schools.

“We started by conducting a community needs assessment,” Archibald explains. “We were looking for gaps in service and barriers to getting that service to at-risk and underserved populations. We think we have a solid and sustainable plan that will help our recovery community well into the future.”

Unrestricted funds can be used in any capacity. Clinton County and the City of Frankfort have agreed to put 100-percent of the unrestricted funds toward the treatment of substance use disorders and mental health conditions.

“We wanted every penny of this settlement to go back into our community to help those in recovery,” says Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets. “So, we unanimously agreed to use all the unrestricted funds to support two recovery homes – the One80 Recovery Resources, Inc. and the WeCare Recovery Home.”

Clinton County’s commitment to investing 100-percent of its abatement dollars to recovery and the collaborative way in which they did it caught the eye of the State of Indiana. Douglas Huntsinger, Executive Director for the Next Level Drug Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement Division, invited Archibald, Sheets, Clinton County Commissioner President Jordan Brewer, and Clinton County Council President Alan Dunn to speak to state leaders.

Huntsinger introduced the Clinton Count members in part by saying, “the holistic approach to developing the plan and both the using the county and the city dollars cooperatively to fill those gaps and this is a model that many communities across our state could and should replicate.”

Others at the meeting, including State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, offered high praise and resoundingly positive feedback. “I am absolutely blown away. This (plan) is incredible and this is exactly what public health is. What you guys have put together it’s exactly what the Governor’s Public Health commission has pushed so hard for – to be able to give more funding to our counties and to our local communities so that they can do exactly what you guys are doing.”

Healthy Communities of Clinton County is a member of the Drug-Free Communities Coalition which makes it eligible to receive matching grants from the Centers for Disease Control.

“We will try to take this money and leverage it further,” Dunn says. “Our Drug-Free Community status means the recovery homes awarded with unrestricted dollars will have the opportunity to double those gifts through matching grants.”

Clinton County’s Opioid Settlement Funding Committee included Archibald, Sheets, Deputy Chief Cesar Munoz with the Frankfort Police Department, Clinton County EMS Director Steven Deckard, Clinton County Sheriff’s Department Jail Matron Ashley Kelley, Community Corrections Director Brett Barton, Clinton County Health Department Administrator Rodney Wann, County Commissioner Jordan Brewer, Chief Probation Officer Nancy Ward, Adult Probation Officer Matthew Risk, and Macy Simmons from INWell. A County ordinance has been established to keep the committee together through 2038.

“I couldn’t be any prouder of this committee,” Brewer says. “It is proof when we organize our resources together that we can make a real difference in our community.”

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