Community Spotlight
August 25, 2026 Public Informational Hearing for Wetland Disturbance for Expansion of the Franklin Waste Management Metro Landfill
A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25th, 2026, at 6 PM at the Franklin City Hall (9229 W Loomis Rd, Franklin, WI 53132) - see complete Notice of Public Informational Hearing for Wetland Disturbance. Waste Management, has applied to the Department of Natural Resources for a permit to fill wetlands. The project is located in the northern half of Section 31, Township 05, Range 21 E, City of Franklin, Milwaukee County. Waste Management of Wisconsin (WMWI) owns and operates the Northern Expansion – West (NEW) landfill at the Metro Recycling and Disposal Facility (Metro RDF) complex. The facility currently receives commercial, industrial, municipal, and permitted special waste from major municipalities and industries in the area. The majority of the waste that is disposed of at NEW originates from the following counties in Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Racine. WMWI is proposing the Oakwood Expansion to the existing NEW. The proposed Oakwood Expansion is a horizontal and vertical expansion of the NEW, with the horizontal expansion area covering an additional approximately 72.25 acres of land. Eleven wetlands will be directly impacted by the proposed expansion, totaling approximately 7.66 acres of permanent wetland fill.
The Department will review the proposal provided by the applicant and any information from public comments and the public informational hearing. The Department will determine whether the proposal complies with ss. 1.11, and 281.36, Wis. Stats., and chs. NR 150 and 103, Wis. Adm. Code, and ensure that any required mitigation meets the standards in s. 281.36(3r), Wis. Stats. The Department has made a tentative determination that it will deny the permit for the proposed activity.
The hearing will be a public informational hearing where members of the public can learn more about the proposed activity and submit written or oral comments about the waterway and project in light of the legal standards above. Any person may submit written comments by emailing Travis.Schroeder@wisconsin.gov, by leaving a voice message by phone at (608) 438-9017, or writing to Travis Schroeder, 141 NW Barstow St Room 180, Waukesha, WI 5188 by mail. Comments should include the docket number or applicant name and should relate to whether the project meets the legal standards in the statutes and administrative code chapters listed above. Comments must be submitted or postmarked no later than 10 days after the hearing date to be considered. See Also A Service Franklin & County Residents Rely On Is At Risk / Waste Facilities Monitoring Committee Meeting and Tour 8/6/2026
Annual National Night Out Kick-Off Celebration - August 3, 2026, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. 
Franklin’s 20th Annual National Night Out Kick-Off Celebration will be held Monday, August 3, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Franklin Public Library, 9151 W. Loomis Road. This celebration will be held to draw support for the Annual National Night Out celebrated nationwide on August 4, 2026.
Meet your police officers, firefighters, and other local partners! Numerous fire, police, and other vehicles will be on display in the Library parking lot. Officers will be available to answer questions about crime prevention and the many other community-oriented policing programs offered by the Franklin Police Department. Free crime prevention and other safety materials will be available. Area businesses will have displays outside the Library including promotional materials and small handouts for children.
To become a sponsor, volunteer, or to reserve a table for your group, please email Police Officer Gary Wallace or by phone at 414-858-2622.
City Announces Hiring of New City Attorney
During the July 7 City of Franklin Common Council meeting, the committee voted unanimously to appoint Christina M. Lucchesi as the municipality’s first full-time staff city attorney. Lucchesi will replace Jesse Wesolowski of Wesolowski, Reidenbach & Sajdak, S.C. who has been contracted to provide legal services to the City of Franklin for over three decades.
“This is an exciting time for Franklin as we welcome Christina as our new city attorney. Throughout the recruitment process, she demonstrated the exceptional legal knowledge, professionalism, integrity and the collaborative approach to public services that we are looking for,” said City of Franklin Mayor, John Nelson. “I would like to thank City Administrator, Kelly Hersh, who, for the past year led the recruitment process which included a thorough evaluation of many qualified candidates.”
Lucchesi holds a Juris Doctor degree from Marquette University Law School and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Read the complete News Release.
Emergency Notification System Update
We are currently updating our community notification system. During this transition, the sign-up form is temporarily unavailable. We expect service to be restored soon, and the sign-up option will return once implementation is complete. Thank you for your patience.
TIF District 10 FAQ for Poth's General Redevelopment
Please see Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to TIF District 10: Poth's General Redevelopment.
Economic Development Update: 2023-Mid-2025
The City’s Economic Development team, City staff, and elected officials have been strong partners in attracting new development to Franklin and helping existing companies expand. This includes investing tax incremental financing funds into major projects across the city. Read more by visting the Economic Development Update 2023-Mid-2025 and Economic Development Update FAQs.
Volunteers Needed to Fill Vacancies on City Boards/Commissions/Committees
Are you interested in serving on a City Board or Commission/Committee? View the list of vacancies that currently exist on the various City Boards and Commissions/Committees. If interested in filling one of these vacancies, please submit a Volunteer Fact Sheet form.
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Employment
Current Job Openings: Light Equipment Operator, Sewer & Water Technician, Experienced Emergency Services Dispatcher, and Police Patrol Officer (Experienced). See details.