Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Gerald Brown's job as mayor of the town of Richwood may soon come to a sudden stop. A recall petition to remove Brown was successfully completed, as a recall date has been set for November 13, 2021. The office of the Louisiana Secretary of State has confirmed that the necessary signatures needed to start a recall have been validated. It will now be up to Richwood voters to decide if they want Brown gone. The petition had to garner at least 381 signatures to start the recall, but perhaps in a show of things to come, the petition exceeded its needed signatures. There had been talks of removing Brown as mayor for months, as there have been angry words mentioned about Brown's tenure as mayor following many town council meetings. The recall petition appeared to have picked up steam as rumors began to spread that there was a good chance that Brown could be removed if enough voters agreed to a recall. That effort to remove Brown is now set in motion.

According to the petition, Brown is alleged to have mismanaged the town, gone against the wishes of the town's alderpersons, and mishandled the town's economic resources. Many residents may see the recall at this point as a sign that the citizens can come together if enough of them believe in a central idea. Others may see the recall as an opportunity to see an end to the heated combative meetings between the mayor, citizens, and alderpersons. Some share that Brown has not been forthcoming on issues affecting the town, which has often led to contentious discussions among several alderpersons. At one point, he allegedly asked an alderman if he, "wanted to settle things outside".

Brown, in his defense, disputes the claims made in the petition, saying that his office is open and that he is willing to answer any questions. Brown said that the town's general fund and the police department have grown and that the town has grown too. Brown said that he is disappointed by the recall, taking exception to it, saying that the voters' choice of who they wanted as mayor is being taken away from them. Brown added that he didn't think it was fair to the voters that elected him. One could also point out that some who voted to elect Brown were among those who signed the petition and now simply want him gone.