INGALLS — After two years as a member of the Ingalls town council, Scot Lawyer has resigned.
Lawyer had been the board’s president since January 2020. The council accepted Lawyer’s resignation at its Oct. 25 meeting. Lawyer’s resignation is effective Nov. 1.
“My heart attack six months ago and just doing too much and having a lot of issues that were causing a lot of stress,” Lawyer said of his reasons for stepping down from the council.
“My family doctor asked me to do it, and it finally got to a point where I wasn’t going to burn the candle at both ends. It wasn’t really what I wanted to do, to be perfectly honest, but I felt like it was something I needed to do.”
In a brief resignation letter to the council and town attorney Gregg Morelock, Lawyer wrote, “It has been an honor to serve with this council for the Town of Ingalls over the past two years.”
Lawyer was appointed to council in August 2019, replacing Chris Bradshaw, who had resigned because of plans to move out of town. Lawyer had previously served on council in the mid-1990s.
In the November 2019 election, Lawyer retained his council seat and was later named the board’s president.
“He’s really been good for the town, and we’ve really got things going in the right direction during his time as president,” Georgia Parker, council vice president, said. “I’m going to miss him. I wish he wouldn’t (have resigned), but due to health reasons, I feel like I shouldn’t ask him to go on. He’s really brought the council and the town in the right direction.”
Lawyer has been integral in helping the town prepare for impending growth.
He mentioned the hiring of planning director Neil Stevenson, separating the town manager and street department positions, developing a retirement plan for town employees, involvement in the establishment of a fire territory to include Ingalls, and current ordering of new police cars as some of the things the council has been able to accomplish during his time on the board.
“I think the fresh approach that we have taken, I want to believe we’re looked at a little differently now, with some of the hirings we’ve been able to make,” Lawyer said. “We’ve been able to start a lot of things, and to not see them through is kind of disappointing.
“I’ve had it said more than once, I’m not good at putting myself first. I was trying to do too much and take on too much. At some point I had to prioritize. My life wins.”
Along with thanking the council, Lawyer added he wanted to thank his wife, Rachel, for her support during a busy and sometimes hectic two years.
“My wife has been a bigger part of the successes we’ve had over the last two years than anyone will ever know,” Lawyer said. “Without her complete support and understanding, most of what I was able to do, doesn’t happen. She’s been absolutely amazing throughout the last two years with the council and my heart attack.”
Madison County Republican Party Chairman Russ Willis will appoint a replacement. With Ingalls having only one precinct, he, as the chairman of the party with which Lawyer is affiliated, will choose the successor.
He has until Nov. 30 to fill the spot, though the position could be filled sooner.
Willis said anyone from the town interested in Lawyer’s council seat can call him at 765-643-4871.
Parker, as vice president, is the interim president until the council can vote on a new one, which will happen after Lawyer’s replacement has been appointed.
“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last two years, and I put a lot of time into that. I walk away knowing I did some positive things,” Lawyer said.