ENGLEWOOD — After 40 years of service to the city of Englewood in various capacities, Tom Franz presided over his final meeting as mayor on Nov. 28.

Franz served four years as mayor. He previously served as vice mayor from 1998 until 2019 and has served on city council since 1991. He also served on the city’s planning commission from 1983 through 1991.

He lost his bid to remain mayor when longtime Councilmember Cathy McGrail ran against him Nov. 7. McGrail received 2,407 votes (51.99 percent) while Franz garnered 2,223 votes (48.01 percent).

Past Mayor Patricia Burnside, 2009 – 2019, who retired from city service, attended Tuesday’s meeting to bid farewell to Franz.

“The city manager called me this morning and said this is going to be a very auspicious occasion tonight because it is Tom Franz’s last meeting as mayor, and I felt, well maybe I could come and say something nice… maybe,” Burnside joked.

She said she got to thinking about how Franz used to tease her all the time about graduating high school with Orville Wright.

“I told you that Orville Wright didn’t graduate, so you made me even older and made me his teacher, but maybe I can still say something nice,” Burnside said to Franz.

“I can thank Tom for 32 years of service to the city of Englewood,” she said. “We served together many-many years. He was a help to me as acting mayor and then as sworn-in mayor for 12 years. He is kind of the last of the old core of city council. I am thinking of Ed Kemper, Mike Bowers, and Judy Gearhard, who are no longer with us, Mike Kline who is retired and I am retired.

“There is only one other person to retire here that was part of that core (City Manager Eric Smith), but that person isn’t retiring,” Burnside continued. “Congratulations on your retirement and a lot of good service.”

During the Mayor’s Report, Franz stated, “The only thing that I have to report is that is had been an absolute pleasure serving the Englewood community for 38 to 40 years on planning commission to city council to the mayor. I thank the citizens for having confidence in me and allowing me to serve them as their councilman and it’s been a real pleasure.”

Under new business, Councilman Andrew Gough, who is Franz’s son-in-law, recalled how when he first met his wife Cathy, one of the first things she told him was that she graduated from Ohio State University and that her father was a councilmen for the city of Englewood.

“She was, is, very proud of you and your service here,” Gough said. “Your mother, brothers and sisters also reminded me of it when I first met them in 1999. You have devoted yourself to this area since moving here in the 1970s, not only with the planning commission and city council, but also with the Northmont Jaycees, Sister City Club, hosting with other members of council visitors from Billerbeck and going over to Billerbeck, Germany.”

Gough noted that because of his service and others that he served with over the years, Englewood is held at the highest standard.

“I would like to thank you for encouraging me to get involved with the city with the fine arts committee, planning commission, and city council,” Gough added. “Godspeed and thank you for your service here on council. You can leave here knowing that our city is strong, economically sound, and has a standard of excellence that will continue to be the norm for Englewood.”

Vice Mayor Brad Daugherty also addressed Franz.

“Winston Churchill one said, ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’ I can not think of a better quote to encompass Tom’s 40 years of service here to the city of Englewood. Tom’s journey here began in 1979 when he and his wife Barb moved here with their three children to Hile Lane.

“Tom was only in Englewood a few short years before he volunteered for Englewood Planning Commission in 1983,” Daugherty continued. “Tom served on planning commission for eight years and was elected to Englewood city council in 1991. Tom served on council for 28 years, 10 of those as the vice mayor. Tom was elected mayor in 2019.

“Tom has dedicated the majority of his adult life to the citizens of Englewood, and has raised three children, has 15 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild,” Daugherty said. “Tom is married to the love of his life Barb for over 50 years. Although we should be giving Barb a plaque for that accomplishment, we are here to honor Tom for 40 years of service to the city of Englewood.

“Tom, it has been an honor to serve as your vice mayor and I am honored to present you with this plaque,” Daugherty concluded.

After receiving the plaque Franz became emotional.

“I’d like to say something but I can’t,” Franz said. “Just thank you everybody for being here and thank you for the plaque. Again, it’s been all my pleasure serving the citizens of Englewood. It has not been a task. I have loved every second of it, except when you have to deal with the city manager, but other than that, it has been great. Thank you very much to all of you.”

City Manager Eric Smith then spoke.

“The city manager has a comment… only if you’ve got the time to listen,” Smith said. Franz joked that it was not on the agenda but urged Smith to continue.

“On behalf of the staff, they wanted me to extend their appreciation for the hard work, cooperation and achievements that have occurred in the city the last 40 years,” Smith said. “It has gone well, but the biggest issue is, among the staff, who is going to provide the doughnuts on Friday and whether or not you are going to continue to show up with the day old doughnuts?”

Franz told Smith they would have to wait until Friday to find out. He joked that he gets the doughnuts out of the dumpster at Kroger by dumpster diving on Friday when they throw the old doughnuts out.

Reach Ron Nunnari by email: [email protected].