Dickinson mayor to submit resignation in July amid political turmoil
Skipworth said he’s planning to submit his resignation to the city secretary on July 1 to trigger an election to fill his vacancy on the date of the November general election “thus sparing the city and its residents from the expense of holding its own standalone election.”
By Sarah Grunau
Houston Public Media
May 9, 2024
In a post to Facebook this week, Skipworth said he made the decision to resign after discussions with his friends and family. He will continue serving as the city’s mayor until the November election, when voters will decide his successor.
Dickinson Mayor Sean Skipworth
“For those of you that have been following Dickinson’s political decent (sic) into ‘the ugly,’ this may not come as much of a surprise,” he wrote. “Many of my friends and supporters have told me in recent months, as hostile and threatening rhetoric towards my family and friends has worsened, that they would understand if I stepped away from office.”
Skipworth, who earlier this year was the subject of a recall effort, said the political tension in the town has led to his family, including his child, being the subject of rumor, smear and intimidation.
Dickinson city council members in February rejected a recall effort against the mayor after deeming the filed petition insufficient. But Skipworth said a group of passionate residents are revving up for another recall attempt.
“I am sure the city’s detractors will crow about how this resignation is proof I am guilty of one of the invented scandals that has been leved (sic) against me,” he wrote. “I want to be clear: the accusations made over the last two years are little more than a witch hunt.”
The city’s contentious political history is extensive, and Skipworth said the recent recall effort was retaliation after he called for an investigation into a 2022 police brutality case.
“This situation has taken an enormous toll on my physical and mental health,” he wrote. “I know it has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of my friends and family. I can no longer put that burden on them in good conscience.”
Skipworth said he’s planning to submit his resignation to the city secretary on July 1 to trigger an election to fill his vacancy on the date of the November general election “thus sparing the city and its residents from the expense of holding its own standalone election.”
“I know this timeline will not satisfy a certain segment of the population,” Skipworth wrote in another Facebook post. “This group may very well decide to proceed with the divisive move to circulate a petition to recall me and force an election on that question.”
Holding a standalone special election to fill his vacancy would cost taxpayers $25,000, he said.
1 comment:
Dickinson hasn't had an audit of finances since 2021. It is one of 64 cities in the U.S. that has lost its bond rating. I have called for a Forensic Audit. Between the EDC and the DMD there is no telling how much money is missing. (USA)
Post a Comment