Franklin council waives bidding, agrees to sell parkland to Warren County for planned water softening plant

The Franklin City Council on April 17 approved Resolution 2017‑22 to waive competitive bidding and move forward with a direct sale of park property along Shaker Road (Eichholz Park) to Warren County for a proposed water softening plant.

City Manager Sonny Lewis told council Warren County intends to construct a water softening plant that will provide softened water to county customers in roughly five to ten years and that the county needs a minimum of 14 to 15 acres for the plant. Lewis said an appraisal of the land has been completed. He described the city’s proposal as a sale of all the land in question so the county would have sufficient contiguous acreage.

Brent Centers said he had opposed selling parkland previously because retaining the land would be advantageous for future annexation or city development, but after additional information and conversations with the city manager he changed his position. Mayor Denny Centers said the site is well located for the county’s plan and defended reconsidering the vote now that council understood the voting threshold required under the charter.

Councilmember Todd Hall moved adoption of the resolution; Mrs. Debbie Fouts seconded. The resolution passed on a 6–1 vote (Paul Ruppert voted no). Mayor Denny Centers said an appraisal had been done; no sale price was recorded in the minutes.

Why it matters: selling parkland for county infrastructure would remove publicly owned acreage from potential city use and shifts long‑term control of that land to the county. Supporters emphasized the county’s infrastructure need and the potential to use proceeds for park improvements; opponents warned that selling contiguous land could limit future city options.

The minutes record discussion of the charter requirement for five affirmative votes to waive competitive bidding and note Council previously considered the matter at the prior meeting but lacked the required votes.