Embattled Garland City Council Member Resigns to Avoid Recall, Then Calls on Mayor to Follow Suit

GARLAND — Garland Council member Anita Goebel resigned Tuesday night to avoid a recall election, but she did not go peaceably. She pressed Mayor Douglas Athas to follow suit and honor his own promise to leave."I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but it doesn't help Garland at all," Goebel told the mayor during Tuesday's council meeting. "I believe you owe the people a date to resign and stick to that date."Athas announced in October that he would resign after being on the losing end of a 6-3 vote that resulted in the demolition of a former National Guard Armory. But he has yet to make it official with a written document and, several council members said, refused to move on from the armory vote.  Continue reading...