“I enjoyed it and it’s fun helping to make the future for your community,” he said. “But you kind of know when the time is right. The more I thought about it, I thought I’m going to go ahead and retire.”
Centers already retired from his job and now his wife, Joni, retired after 30 years running the Franklin license bureau. He and his wife plan to travel and spend more time with their grandchildren and great-grandchild, he said.
The council presented Centers with a proclamation Monday, his last council meeting, which recognized that he championed the designation of Franklin as a Purple Heart City, was instrumental in the state Route 123 beautification project, supported the installation of downtown murals and played a vital role in advancing the Main Street streetscape project.
Centers also was presented a key to the city and was named grand marshal of the 2026 Independence Day parade, which will mark the nation’s 250th birthday.
“I was really shocked to get the proclamation and key to the city,” he said. “Those council members that I served with, none of them had political agendas. They truly were there to mold and make Franklin a better place to live.”
Centers’ term runs through the end of the year and the council must fill the vacancy within 60 days, said Khristi Dunn, clerk of council.
There are five people running for three seats in the Nov. 4 general election, including incumbent councilmen Michael Aldridge and Matt Wilcher.
A council committee interviewed the three other candidates: David M. Hopper, Robert Dale Lipps Jr. and Ryan Roberts. One is expected to be appointed during a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at the city building, Dunn said.
Centers said his parting advice to whoever succeeds him is to look ahead when making decisions.
“When you make a decision, when you’re serving the public, you need to make a decision not for today, but for 20 years down the road, to make sure it’s not a political decision but something that is better for the community,” he said.