Brown to resign as Troy mayor

BY ROGER MORRIS Western News Publisher

Troy Mayor John Brown announced Wednesday night he was resigning next month - five months before his term was to end.

"I want to go over to the coast and let the wind catch my sails," Brown said. "I don't want to be tied so tightly to Troy."

Brown said he felt good about the city's future.

"We have a couple of council members running for mayor, we have a good council and we have a great crews working for the city," Brown said. "We're in good shape."

According to city attorney Mark Fennessy, the council chairman will serve in the absence of the mayor until a new mayor is appointed by the city council. The council has 30 days to appoint a successor, according to state law and the city charter.

If a council member is selected to serve as mayor, the council will also have to appoint a new council person, whose seat will be up for election in November. Laura Schrader, council chairman, has filed for re-election. Councilman Don Banning, whose seat is up this year, has filed for the mayor's position. He is expected to be challenged by Councilman Jim Hammons.

Brown's tenure as mayor will end exactly five years after it began on July 12, 2000 when he was appointed by the city council. Brown replaced Rod Johnson who served six months after Mayor Barbara Anderson resigned half way through her term of office.

Brown won for election as mayor in 2001.

He previously served on various committees in the city and reported to the council on the activities of the Troy planning commission. He ran for city council in the November 1997 election and took office in January 1998.

Having plenty of free time because of a disability suffered in a mining accident, Brown quickly immersed himself in the affairs of the city. In January 1999, the city council gave him the go-ahead to begin a master plan for the development of a park on land adjacent to the city's new sewage treatment plant.

"If people have a comment, I want to hear it," he said at the time.

The Roosevelt Park development is the crowning achievement of Brown's tenure as mayor although he did oversee the completion of the sewage treatment project and brought the city through the planning phases of the pending water project. For the past five years, Brown could be found driving equipment and supervising work at the park.

Troy residents interested in applying for the mayor's seat for 5 months can apply to the city council at Troy City Hall. Those interested in running for election for either of the town council seats or the mayor's position can file papers at Troy City Hall. The deadline is June 30.