Friday, July 30, 1999
City's growth draws candidates
4 seats open in Franklin council race
BY DAVID ECK
Enquirer Contributor
FRANKLIN — This Warren County city's rapid growth is helping draw a growing cast of candidates for the council race this fall.
With the Aug. 19 filing deadline nearing, six people are circulating nominating petitions and three others have already filed for the Nov. 2 election. Four of council's seven seats will be up for grabs.
Scott Lipps, who owns a mattress factory in Franklin and is a first-time candidate, filed several months ago.
“I really want the city to go in the right direction,” he said. “I feel like I'm running for the citizens. I have no enemies up there. I just felt like you have to try to give back.”
Like most people in Warren County, Mr. Lipps has seen its cities grow, and this growth is a top concern.
Franklin's population has climbed from 11,026 in 1990 to about 12,000 today.
Along Interstate 75 in the city, the Dayton Daily News has built a production facility, two industrial parks are being developed and last week AM General Corp. announced plans to build a 100,000-
square-foot plant to make engines for military and other trucks.
“We technically are ready for the growth,” Mr. Lipps said. “I think our infrastructure is good. Budget-wise I think we need to be careful because uncontrolled growth can eat into the reserves.”
Another concern: lack of public participation in council meetings.
“I believe we need to include the citizens, make them feel more welcome,” he said. “That might include moving the meeting around. I just want the citizens to feel like it is their meeting.”
With a quaint downtown and historic homes on its west side, Franklin has a community atmosphere that should be preserved, Mr. Lipps said.
“I love the small-town environment of Franklin,” he said. “I don't want to lose that.”
Hometown pride as well as growth are what prompted Franklin native Todd Hall to jump in the race. Though he has not run for office before, he is a four-year member of the city's planning commission.
“I've been interested in politics, probably since I started college,” said Mr. Hall, a social studies teacher at Middletown High School. “Plus, I really care about this community.”
He said the council will have to handle the growth, but not get overwhelmed by it.
“Another issue ... public services and we are going to have to make a decision about whether we are going to upgrade these facilities,” he said. “I rode with the police department ... and I was just overwhelmed at the facility that they basically work in. We need to look seriously at something.”
Paul Hillard, a current councilmember and the third person who filed for the race, was not available for comment this week.
Other people who have taken out nominating petitions are Joyce F. Wilson, Councilmember Jay Shadle, Councilmember Steven Burggraf, Tom Fealy, Burgess Orender and Wilburn DePew, a former councilmember and former Franklin fire chief.
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