If the mayor of Franklin, Wis., has his way, expanding a local dump may one day help build a "Central Park" and regional sports facility. "The time to acquire park properties and build recreational facilities is now, before you're having to compete with developers who want to build subdivisions where parks should be," Mayor Tom Taylor recently told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Last week, a committee representing Franklin and seven surrounding communities in a three-county area approved an agreement with Waste Management Inc., owners of the Metro Recycling and Disposal Facility, to expand that facility. Committee members also agreed on how the municipalities involved would share nearly $10 million in landfill fees that are expected to be generated over the next three to five years, if the expansion is approved.
Franklin, according to the paper, could combine its share of the money with impact fees it has collected from developers to create a "Central Park" that would include preserved open spaces and recreational facilities such as tennis courts and athletic fields. Taylor also said landfill money could help construct a regional sports complex capable of hosting large-scale high school track meets and other events.
