A group of about 30 citizens from Franklin and other counties attended the Franklin County Industrial Building Authority’s meeting Wednesday seeking answers about a reported rendering plant planned for property owned by the City of Franklin Springs. And they came with a list of demands.

Madison County commissioners voted unanimously Monday to approve a resolution calling for special protections for the Broad River.

Thursday’s Special Olympics opening ceremonies were led by Superintendent Melanie Burton-Brown and Deputy Superintendent Karen Correia.

Franklin County commissioners will consider a resolution at its April 7 meeting that calls on state regulators to protect the Broad River due to “the development of industrial facilities and other potential sources of pollution have been proposed ... in close proximity to Franklin Springs and our Broad River Water Resources.”

For the second time in as many weeks, Franklin Springs City Hall was filled Thursday with concerned citizens from all over Franklin County and a few from surrounding counties. The meeting was a public hearing for the financing phase of a proposed Franklin Springs wastewater treatment plant.

Legislation giving Georgia cities, counties and school districts until April 30 to decide whether to opt out of offering a property tax break voters approved last fall cleared the state Senate Tuesday.

The Georgia Senate has approved legislation from the House of Representatives that seeks to double the acreage farmers and other agricultural producers can place under the Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) Program.

The city council of Canon held a called meeting Tuesday to introduce a new ordinance titled “Control of Access to City-owned, Controlled and Leased Property.”

A bill that would ban cellphones in all of Georgia’s public elementary and middle schools has cleared another hurdle toward becoming law passed a Senate committee on Tuesday and could get a vote by the full Senate soon after the House of Representatives approved the measure two weeks ago amid rising frustration with social media and other distractions.

About 75 citizens attended Tuesday night’s Franklin Springs City Council meeting amid concerns about a rendering plant coming to the city. (Photo by Eavenson)