Centerton Neighborhood Watch

Interim Centerton Mayor Works for Return to Normalcy

pub. Jan. 4, 2008 - Morning News by Brandon Marcello

Interim Centerton Mayor Works For Return To Normalcy
This article was published on Friday, January 4, 2008 7:13 PM CST in News
By Brandon Marcello
THE MORNING NEWS

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CENTERTON — It’s business as usual at City Hall, even if the situation in Centerton is unusual.

Interim Mayor Bobbie Griffith said government operations in Centerton have remained steady since Ken Williams resigned as mayor Nov. 21. That was when Williams revealed his real name is Don LaRose, and he said he left his family in Hammond, Ind., in 1980 because people that once abducted and brainwashed him were returning to kill him, his two daughters and wife.

At first, though, a period of shock swallowed the town.

Jan Dolan, city manager, was in Illinois visiting family for Thanksgiving when news broke of Williams’ resignation and his story of abduction, memory loss and dual identities.

“You could have blown me over with a feather when they called and told me,” Dolan said. “That Saturday we were back (at City Hall) doing housework, changing door locks and computer passwords.”

Griffith and Dolan said they haven’t seen or heard from Williams since his resignation and officials have had no desire to contact the former mayor.
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“The town, I think, is still in shock,” Griffith said. “I feel like we just need to let it go and get back to the normal day-to-day.”

Griffith was appointed interim mayor by the City Council on the day of Williams’ resignation. On Dec. 21, she took the job full-time and quit her job with ANB Financial.

She said she plans to run in the April 8 special election to fulfill the term that runs through December 2010.

“When I came to be full-time in December, more people started coming into City Hall out of curiosity,” said Griffith, who has served as recorder and treasurer for Centerton since 1992. “We’ve had a lot of citizen comments. Some just wanted to see if I was sitting behind a desk.”

Dolan agreed to help Griffith with the day-to-day operations of running the city.

“(Griffith is) very willing and capable of working with the staff,” said Streets Superintendent Bert Johnson. “She’s got a lot of catching up to do, but we have to keep going on because we can’t stop.”

The two have also made sure projects such as the Bliss Street extension to Main Street stayed on track during the administrative transition, Griffith said.

Otherwise not much has changed, Griffith said. Griffith’s and Dolan’s signatures are required on all city checks. Williams’ signature, Dolan said, was never required.

“He never signed (a check),” Dolan said. “He didn’t want to.”

Williams, whose resignation made national headlines, began work Tuesday at the Rogers radio station delivering news to listeners from 5 to 8 a.m.

Griffith said the city wants to place the Williams/LaRose story in the past and get back to business as usual.

“It’s exciting every day here as it is,” Griffith said. “Employees are coming by everyday and are doing their jobs and reporting to me. I think it’s going really, really well, now. Better than I expected.”

TIMELINE

As Centerton City Hall Turns

• Nov. 21— Ken Williams resigns as mayor after revealing double life. Treasurer Bobbie Griffith appointed interim mayor.

• Nov. 29 — City Council decides to schedule special election to fill mayor’s unexpired term.

• Dec. 21 — Griffith takes interim mayor position full time with salary of $47,250.

• Dec. 27 — City Council passes ordinance, schedules special election for April 8.

• Jan. 1 — Williams begins work at KURM, a Rogers radio station.

Source: Staff Report

AT A GLANCEWilliams Returns To Radio

Ken Williams returned to work at the Rogers radio station KURM on Tuesday after a two-year absence from the air. Williams worked as an on-air personality at the station for 17 years before he was forced to quit in 2005 when the position of mayor became full time in Centerton.

Williams works weekdays from 5 to 8 a.m. and is a host for “The Breakfast Show,” station owner Kermit Womack said.

“The guy is a great talent and has always done a wonderful job for us,” Womack said. “I’m interested in what a guy is today, not what he was 30 or 40 years ago. I had no qualms about bringing him back on the air.”

Source: Staff Report

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