GEORGETOWN - The sudden resignation of Mayor Peter Llewellyn prompted a prepared statement from the town council while leaving many others in eastern P.E.I. shocked.
"It is with a great sense of loss that we accept his resignation,'' says a joint statement from the council. "Town council wants to thank Peter for all his years of dedicated service as an elected official and outstanding volunteer."
That was the content of a statement released Tuesday by the six-member town council that will see Deputy Mayor Lewis Lavandier take over the mayoralty role in an acting capacity until the November civic elections.
Llewellyn submitted his resignation at town hall Monday following a heated meeting Sunday night that was an in-camera session without any records taken. The mayor said he was asked by his council to drop his crusade to save the small schools now that Georgetown has been spared. A flashpoint at the meeting was also the $60,000 legal bill accrued by the town over a Supreme Court challenge against closing Georgetown school.
"The town appreciates his gifts of time, effort and hard work,'' said the statement. "During his term, Georgetown witnessed positive growth and we thank him for his time and energy into improving the town.
The Guardian webpage was flooded with comments over the resignation and many were shocked by the incident and focused on the positive initiatives undertaken by Llewellyn during his term.
Fire chief Mark Gotell said he was surprised but heard rumblings that some citizens weren't pleased with the legal bill.
"I heard some say that Peter was the mayor of Georgetown and not Kings County,'' he said. "I'd prefer he stayed on, but it's his decision."
Long time chief administrative officer Patsy Gotell said she was shocked with the decision.
"It's too bad they weren't able to work things out. I certainly didn't see it coming."
Gotell is now with Island East tourism and said while every council has disagreements, she was under the impression council and the mayor were on the "same page" when she left her job only four weeks ago after 22 years of service with the town.
"Peter is a very diligent mayor who always put himself in a position of mayor first for the people of the town. He would go one step farther than what was expected and some people didn't like that."
Gotell, who served through a number of mayors during her career, said Llewellyn had a positive impact on the town but the role of mayor is not easy.
"For what they get paid it's a big job,'' said Gotell. "I have the highest regard for the other councillors, but there's always controversy in municipal politics."
Gotell said many citizens opposed the legal challenge and would have preferred to await the decision of the school board - on the possible closure - before taking costly court action.
