BROWNSTOWN
Gary Drake has called Brownstown home for the last 42 years.
Soon, however, he and his wife will call Mooresville home.
Because of that move, Drake has to resign from serving Ward 3 on the Brownstown Town Council.
Since he will no longer have a Brownstown address when the next meeting rolls around Sept. 21, the Sept. 8 meeting was his final one after serving on the council for three and a half years.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, and I’ve got very mixed feelings about leaving,” Drake told the council during the recent meeting. “But the fact of the matter is I have a really good opportunity to purchase a pretty nice property that’s much closer to major hospitals, which is an issue for me since I’ve had three heart attacks.”
Drake is a Columbus native and spent some time living in Jennings County but said he has lived in Jackson County longer than anywhere else.
“I’ve always loved it. I love Brownstown. I love the people,” he said. “I don’t want to leave, but my wife’s family is up there, and she has been down here six, seven years. We tried to find something in between. We looked at like a dozen different places.”
The home in Mooresville worked out, and Drake said he and his wife feel it’s the right thing for them at this time.
“I’m going to miss all of you guys,” he said to fellow council members Gregg Goshorn, Sharon Koch, Mark Reynolds and Tim Robinson, Clerk-Treasurer David Willey and town attorney Travis Thompson.
“I’ve enjoyed working with you,” he said. “You’re a great bunch of people, Brownstown is fortunate to have you, but it’s a move that I feel like I have to make. I don’t want to. I have very emotional feelings about it, to be honest with you. Sometimes, you have to do what you have to do.”
Drake said he feels obligated to try to find someone in his ward to replace him, and he found at least one person who expressed interest.
Drake recently informed Jackson County Republican Party Chairwoman Amanda Lowery that he is moving. She asked Goshorn how quickly she needs to get the vacancy filled, and he told her the council can still conduct business if she doesn’t have it done by the next meeting.
Lowery said she will have a caucus sometime between Sept. 24 and 30 for the Brownstown precinct committeemen to choose the replacement.
Any Republican in good standing who lives in Ward 3 can sign up to fill the vacancy by submitting the required forms to Lowery 72 hours before the caucus. Anyone interested can contact her at 812-216-4872.
“We will definitely have the new member in place before the October meeting,” Lowery said.
Reynolds told Drake maybe he could take the knowledge he gained from serving on the council and apply that in Mooresville.
“When I took on this job three and a half years ago, I didn’t know anything about it, and I learned a lot,” Drake said. “I learned a lot from all of you, so that might be a possibility down the road.”
Koch congratulated Drake and thanked him for all of his work.
“It has been a real pleasure working with you for the town. I’ve been very honored and privileged to do so,” Drake said. “I would dare say that probably not many, many towns the size of Brownstown have such a good, qualified bunch of people representing them, working for them. The town is very fortunate to have all of you. It really is. I mean that with all of my heart.”
Drake said he may come back and visit once in awhile because his children and grandchildren have been raised in Brownstown.
“We appreciate all of your service,” Goshorn told Drake. “I know the entire time, you looked out for the best of Brownstown. Thank you for showing us and illustrating that to us, and we’ll continue the best we can to do that.”
Drake responded with “I know you will. Thank you, Gregg. Thanks all of you” before seconding a motion to adjourn the meeting for the final time.
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The Jackson County Republican Party is looking for a resident of Ward 3 in Brownstown interested in serving on the Brownstown Town Council to fill a vacancy left by Gary Drake, who recently announced he is resigning because he is moving out of town.
Party Chairwoman Amanda Lowery said she will have a caucus sometime between Sept. 24 and 30 for the Brownstown precinct committeemen to choose the replacement.
Any Republican in good standing who lives in Ward 3 can sign up to fill the vacancy by submitting the required forms to Lowery 72 hours before the caucus. Anyone interested can contact her at 812-216-4872.
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