9-28-2025 4:03pm

After 25 Years of Service, Council Member Denny Centers Retires

Beth Callahan Editor

Franklin City

FRANKLIN, OH -- After 25 years of service, Denny Centers officially retired from the Franklin City Council on Sept., 15, 2025. In his more than two decades of service, Centers held the position as Vice Mayor in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, and as Mayor in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

During the council meeting on the 15th, Center's son, Mayor Bret Centers, was given the privilege and honor to read the Denny Centers Proclamation issued by Franklin Council. Some notable contributions in the proclamation include:

7 years as Chairman of the Finance Committee
Designation as Purple Heart City
SR-123 Beautification
Downtown Murals
Consolidation of Fire Based EMS and
Downtown Streetscape Project

Centers was also awarded the Key to the City to honor his lasting contributions, one of Franklin’s highest recognitions.

Centers was first appointment to City Council on April 2, 2001. He kept his position as a council member in subsequent elections of 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and again in 2022.

Since the 2022 term does not officially end until Dec., 31, 2025, and Centers resigned Sept., 15, there is an empty seat that needs filled. Because the City of Franklin operates under a home rule order, adopted by its residents in a city charter in 1984, council must follow the rules set in The Franklin City Charter. The charter specifies if a council seat becomes vacant due to a resignation, the City Council has 60 days to fill the vacancy, which would be November 14, 2025.

Since the general election is Nov 4, ten days prior to the 60 day expiration date, Franklin Council has decided to wait see who the three highest vote-getters are. The City of Franklin voting residents will have five candidates from which to choose on November 4th. The five candidates are:

Michael Aldridge: An incumbent councilman.
David M. Hopper
Robert Dale Lipps Jr.
Ryan Roberts
Matt Wilcher: An incumbent councilman.

The highest vote-getter from the November election that is not an incumbent will serve the remainder of Center's 2022 term through December 31. Then, the person will be sworn in for their full four-year term on January 1.

Mayor Brent Centers explains the process in the video below from the City of Franklins Facebook page....

When asked why he retired now and didn't finish up his last term, Centers explained, "Joni (his wife) retired, and I just decided to go ahead and retire so we could take some trips together and so on. Just felt like it was time ... that was all."

Joni, who retired in June is the former Deputy Registrar and owner of the Franklin License Bureau. She was the sole proprietor of the agency that she operated for nearly 30 years... from July 1995 until June 2025.

Centers will be honored again for his service to the city as the Grand Marshal of the 2026 Independence Day Parade, a special celebration that will mark the 250th birthday of the United States of America.