Wells resigns council seat
The Crestview City Council was stunned at the conclusion of its Monday night meeting when councilman Chip Wells announced he is resigning his council seat. Wells said his resignation will be effective Feb. 28. He then distributed an official letter of resignation to Mayor David Cadle, other members of the council and the city clerk.
“Speaking for all the addressees, we very reluctantly accept your resignation,” said Council President Bob Allen. “You will be a hard man to replace. We thank you for your service.”
“We appreciate your concern for the city,” said Mayor David Cadle, who asked that Wells reconsider.
“It was fun being a pain in the tail,” Wells said, recognizing that his habit of asking frequent questions as he seeks additional information on topics brought before the council occasionally ruffles some feathers.
“This has been something I’ve thought about for several months and discussed with friends and family,” Wells said. “It was a tough decision.”
Wells cited the difficulty allocating sufficient time to undertake his duties as a councilman while simultaneously holding down a full-time job.
“It is a time issue, not a work issue,” Wells stressed, noting that his employer has always allowed him leeway to handle city business.
City officials and leaders were quick to praise Wells for his devotion to the city.
“We’ve worked through a lot of things and I hate to see you resign,” said Public Works Director Wayne Steele.
“You ask a lot of questions that help us out,” said Councilman Charles Baugh Jr. “You’ve been a brother to me.”
Wells said his decision was a difficult one, but he made it “to be fair to the folks in the city.”
Wells was first elected to the council in 2003 and has been re-elected twice. He has served as council president. According to the city’s Web site, Wells serves as a city representative to the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization, the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative, and is the city’s representative on the Okaloosa Gas District Board of Directors.
