Franklin narrows city manager search to two finalists

Franklin City Council will interview the two finalists seeking to be the next city manager to succeed Sonny Lewis who is retiring at the end of the year. FILE PHOTO

Franklin City Council will interview the two finalists seeking to be the next city manager to succeed Sonny Lewis who is retiring at the end of the year. FILE PHOTO
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By Ed Richter
Dec 8, 2020
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Franklin has narrowed it search to two finalists for its soon to be vacated city manager position.

Mayor Brent Centers told the Journal-News that a council committee interviewed eight semi-finalists last week and narrowed it down to the final two to be interviewed in executive session following tonight’s council meeting. About three dozen people applied for the position.

The finalists include Nathan Cahall, of Centerville, who is serving as village administrator of Plain City, Ohio; and Franklin Fire Chief Jonathan Westendorf.

Centers said council hopes to announce their selection at its Dec. 21 meeting.

ExploreMore than 30 submit resumes for Warren County city manager job: See who applied

Cahall and Westendorf were selected from a semi-finalist field that included:

  • Pete Bales, of Beavercreek, and current Bath Twp. administrator and a current Beavercreek City Council member.
  • Jung-Han Chen, of Middletown, planning and development director of Trotwood.
  • Joe Laws, of Hollister, Mo., consultant/owner of his own business, former city administrator in Wilton, Iowa, and El Paso, Ill.
  • Chris Lohr, of Huber Heights, assistant city manager of Riverside;
  • Teresa Randall, of Guilford, Ind., president/CEO of One Dearborn economic development in Lawrenceburg and former Dearborn County, Ind. administrator and economic development officer.
  • Robert A. Schaumleffel, Jr., of Westerville, former town manager of Red Springs, N.C., and former city manager of Conneaut, Powell and Marysville, Ohio; former Muskingum County administrator, and former city manager of Bullhead City, Ariz.

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Ed Richter has been a working journalist for 38 years, with the last 34 years working in various capacities covering Butler and Warren counties as a reporter and an editor. Richter covers local news and governments in Warren County focusing on Springboro, Lebanon, Franklin, Carlisle and Waynesville.