12/30/19
(Cleveland)- Cleveland Mayor Roy “Shan” Ash has resigned his position effective immediately. In an apparent surprise move, Ash who was on the agenda Monday afternoon for a special called meeting with one of the purposes to have he and councilwomen Annie Sutton and Nan Bowen sworn into office for a new term.
In Ash’s resignation letter, addressed “to whom it may concern”, he states “ due to unforeseen recent events, please accept this letter as formal notification that I am leaving my position as Mayor of Cleveland, Georgia, effective immediately. Ash also said, much has been accomplished in the past four years. It is my hope that my civic service will have a positive impact for years to come for our community.
Relations between Ash and council members have not been the same since Ash reportedly sent an unauthorized letter this past summer to the state board of pardons and paroles on behalf of a White County resident.
During a special called meeting Monday Councilwoman Annie Sutton was elected as Mayor pro-tem for 2020. Sutton said she is ready to fill the mayor’s position until an election can be held, “Oh yeah, I’m ready, I’m always excited on a new adventure myself so just hope that I can do the city proud, ” commented Sutton.
Sutton was asked if she would be seeking the mayor’s position, she said she would have to think about it.
I think Annie Sutton would make a fine Mayor.! I hope she will
Consider to run for the position.
A small town mayor criticized for the appearance of cronyism? If all he did were to write a letter to support a WC resident in his official capacity as Mayor – then he did nothing wrong. Not even if he wrote it for Jeff Broome, the guy who was paroled after stealing my trailers. See that? Now as Mayor, a statement like that might be considered wrong – but it wouldn’t get you fired. Either he did something far worse and this was a deal, or the person he supported got out and did something really depraved. I could forgive cronyism in a politician – but the unknown? Probably not.