By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
Walton mayor Gabriel Brown made the decision to step down as mayor last night after a dramatic entrance and an equally dramatic speech quoting Theodore Roosevelt.
Gabe Brown resigned as Walton Mayor. (Photo by Patricia Scheyer/NKyTribune)
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could’ve done better,” he quoted. “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause. who at best knows. in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst ,and he fails, at least fails while caring greatly, so that his place shall never be with the cold and timid soul that neither knows victory or defeat.”
Then he said as of March 31, he will retire from his position as mayor.
“(I have been) fighting the fight against those who choose only to criticize without ever stepping in the arena, while never having anything productive to say, or offer, and lose,” Brown stated vehemently. “Ultimately, even when I prevail, I still lose, and Walton loses most of all. It goes against every bit of my soul to step aside, and I reluctantly do so in an effort to save the city I love from becoming a sideshow, as fodder for the media. Best of luck to whoever fills my seat. I wish you well. Just like the old saying, watch what you wish for, you just might get it. It’s a lonely, thankless job, with snakes behind every door. People will armchair quarterback your every decision and think they can do better, but never step up.”
Council member Dan Martin. (Photo by Patricia Scheyer/NKyTribune)
He turned around, put on his baseball cap, and had a few more words.
“Anyways, keep my seat warm, and leave my drapes alone,” he said, and followed it with another quote. “‘I’ll be gone til November, I’ll be gone till November, go tell my girl I’ll be gone till November, and give a kiss to my mother.’ With the exception of a few collaborative efforts with past councils anything of note that improves the lives of our citizens has come from my willingness to put in the work in spite of what my council says. Some of you shouldn’t be allowed to vote, much less be in elected office. I wish I could say I enjoyed working with you, but I would be lying.”
And he left, telling the room, ’Warmest regards’.
In the space he left behind, council member Dan Martin assumed the mayor’s seat to resume the meeting.
Former mayor Mark Carnahan told council that if they had hired a city administrator this would not have happened. (Photo by Patricia Scheyer/NKyTribune)
City Attorney Michael Duncan explained that the council had 30 days to choose someone who would be an interim mayor until the election in November. The winner of the election, once certified, will serve the remainder of the 2 ½ year mayoral term.
Council went on to vote unanimously to censure Mayor Brown.
Attorney Duncan read the resolution for censure, attesting that on January 20, 2024, Mayor Brown used a city plow truck to clear a parking lot of a private business outside the city limits for payment in money and goods.
Former council member Mike Wood urged council to think about their decision for a full 30 day. (Photo by Patricia Scheyer/NKyTribune)
He further read the accusation that during the week of March 18, 2024, Brown violated the personal conduct policy of the city when he used a city car for a function in Bowling Green, but failed to return the car as soon as he returned. Duncan clarified that these were not charges.
Mark Carnahan, a former mayor, stepped up to the podium to basically tell council they should have done what he told them to do a while back – hire a city administrator. He told them they should have a city administrator because he said a professional like that would have prevented anything from this happening.
Mike Wood, who had been a councilmember in the past, stood up to urge council to take the full 30 days to think about what to do, because this was a serious decision.
“I have lived here 63 years,” he said. “I don’t want the city to be in the news. The decision should be thought about seriously. Just think about it.”
