CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Ward 1 City Council member and Mayor Pro Tem Richard Garrett resigned his seat Thursday night shortly after the District Attorney’s Office filed two lawsuits against him for living outside his ward.
The State of Tennessee, by way of District Attorney General John Carney’s office, filed two civil lawsuits against Garrett, a quo warranto lawsuit and an ouster lawsuit. Both lawsuits are civil in nature, and no criminal charges have been filed.
“I have worked hard over the last seven years to live up to the expectations that voters had when they elected me as city councilman and my peers had when they appointed me as mayor pro tem (vice mayor). That is why it is with great difficulty that I announce my resignation, effective immediately, July 22, 2021,” Garrett said in an email Thursday to Carney obtained by Clarksville Now.
Garrett purchased a home outside the city limits in the Stone’s Manor subdivision in early 2020, but he retained on certain documents his previous address in Ward 1, which he still owns.
Ward 1 borders the Kentucky state line and straddles Fort Campbell Boulevard, extending from inside Fort Campbell to Allen Road on the east.
In past responses, Garrett has maintained that his primary residence as defined by the City of Clarksville’s Charter remains in Ward 1; however, Garrett says in his letter to Carney that he had moved out of his ward.
He also claims in the letter that he had offered to resign in May 2020 but was “advised to continue to serve in my capacity as I still met some of the criteria enabling me to still perform my duties with the focus and dedication the residents of Ward 1 deserved.”
Who advised Garrett to maintain his seat is not clarified in the email.
The issue of Garrett’s primary residence has been a matter of discussion for over a year, with some council members criticizing Garrett for remaining in his seat. Others have filed resolutions concerning the ward residence of city councilors, referencing the investigation into Garrett.
Garrett in his email decried “those that would use this common practice living discrepancy that occurs quite often within our local governments to target me specifically.”
“I take solace in knowing that none of my Ward 1 constituents found any issues with me continuing to represent their best interest and continued to reach out to me resolve their concerns. I look forward to applying all the lessons learned on the City Council and serving as a Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Planning Commissioner to aid me in future endeavors and wish the city the best,” Garrett said.
Clarksville Now has reached out to Garrett for further comments.