Council approves first distribution from $1 million donation for Active Adult Center

Franklin City Council approved the first distribution from a $1,000,000 donation for the Active Adult Center at its March 2, 2026 meeting, authorizing use of funds remaining after purchasing two new buses.

Chip Horner, director of parks and recreation, explained to the council that $200,000 of the donation was earmarked to buy two buses; staff located favorable deals and purchased the buses. Horner said the current appropriation represents the leftover proceeds from that purchase and that the remaining principal ($800,000) is intended to generate interest that will fund center programs in perpetuity.

The item was presented as part of the public hearing and brought to a vote; a motion to approve the appropriation passed on the council's voice vote as part of the meeting's old-business action.

Horner cautioned that the current distribution is larger than future routine disbursements because it includes the initial residual after bus purchases; he said future annual interest distributions will fund programming. The donor was identified in the packet as Paul Jocelyn. Council members thanked staff for sourcing the vehicle deals and noted the long-term program benefits expected from the donation.