Frankfort

Frankfort residents officially have a new mayor-elect. After three rounds of balloting, Republican precinct chairs selected Frankfort Clerk-Treasurer Judy Sheets to succeed Mayor Chris McBarnes after his departure next week.

“I promise you I will work hard for this city,” an emotional Sheets said to the 18 precinct chairs who attended Saturday morning’s caucus. “And you will be proud of this city.” 

Sheets will be Frankfort’s second woman mayor, after Mary Jane McMahon, who led the city from 1976 to 1983. 

Frankfort residents will know the name of their next mayor after Republican precinct chairs choose a successor for Mayor Chris McBarnes this weekend.

Frankfort Clerk-Treasurer Judy Sheets, Frankfort City Council member Eric Woods, and Frankfort Board of Works member Ken Estes will make their case to hold the mayor's office at a caucus Saturday morning in Frankfort's city council chambers. 

Clinton County Republican Party chairperson Jim Moyer says up to 20 Republican precinct chairs could select the new mayor this weekend—and the majority vote rules.

Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes announced Tuesday he’s leaving his post at the end of February, about two months after the start of his third term.

McBarnes is moving to Wyoming to become the executive director of The WYldlife Fund, a role in which he’ll fundraise for habitat preservation and wildlife research across the state. He says as an outdoor enthusiast, the job was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Frankfort will return to weekly, citywide recycling collection next month. The switch comes after a July fire leveled local recycling facility Werner and Son, forcing the creation of a staggered pickup schedule that divided the city into four sections, with each quadrant collected one week a month.

A new city ordinance allows the Frankfort Police Department to start enforcing traffic violations within residential complexes.  

A state law passed in 2016 empowers municipal governments to address moving traffic violations on this type of property. Police Chief Troy Bacon says action was taken in Frankfort after the issue was raised at multiple community meetings by both residents and owners.

Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes says he’s already working on replacement plans for three key city employees scheduled to depart in the first half of 2020. 

Police Chief Troy Bacon and Building and Zoning Inspector Sam Payne are retiring—Bacon after eight years in his role, and Payne after more than 12.  

Frankfort Human Resources Director Jack Dodd is leaving to run the city of Kokomo’s HR department—a role he previously held from 2003 to 2007.